Regal Princess--Not worth the extra $$

[Oxo]

I'm not sure how it could it have been any more clear. The OP paid more to sail on Regal than on other Princess ships that were being priced. The OP opted for the higher fare thinking that the "upgrades" and "improvements" on Regal would be worth the upcharge, and in the end, they decided that the price increase wasn't worth it. It is right there in black and white where the OP said...

 

My screen is not in Black and White. You read it that way - good for you. I did not read it that way. So, we both disagree to agree. LOL

[TJMK]

Tomato - Tamatoe.

[Oxo]

Wonder what the OP feels he paid the "extra for" .

We've been on both Regal and Royal and never paid more than 2K for a balcony on any any of them including taxes and port fees. We considered the Regal for a Christmas week cruise. $1,688.00 for a balcony. The buffet is superior to many others ships (Princess included) as you can stroll around the different stations without having to stand in the cafeteria type lines. (Just my opinion). everyone has their opinions and preferences. Regal works for us so much that we'll be back in her next week for Thanksgiving. Any wont be eating Turkey either! :D ⚓️🚢

 

Regal works for us, too. B2B on her this year!!!

[Hlitner]

We were on the 10 day cruise before your 5 day (some from our cruise did B to B and stayed on for the 5 days). We were impressed with the Horizon Court buffet although we miss the ice cream bar that used to be on Princess ships in the Horizon Court. Now, unless you want to go to the MDR for lunch, or settle for soft ice cream outside, you would have to pay for Gelato down on deck 5.

 

Not sure why anyone would think the Regal (or Royal) is worth more money per passenger day then the Grand Class ships (which we still prefer). On the Regal/Royal the main theater is too small, passenger balconies have shrunk, promenade has become a half promenade, and MUTS is as annoying as usual (during the daytime). As to the OPs comment about the Atrium, we thought is was the typical very classy looking Princess Atrium slightly enlarged. It is not even a shell of the "Biggest Atrium Afload" as one would have to consider the atriums on RCI monster ships (which are big enough to house many cruise ships).

 

DW and I have talked about our Regal experience (for which we paid a bargain basement price that made it the least costly (per day) cruise of the 100+ cruises we have taken over more then 30 years). Given a choice with all things equal we would choose the old Grand Class ships that have an indoor/outdoor pool (i.e. Grand Princess). 2nd Choice would be all the other Grand Class ships. But if the Royal/Regal were doing an itinerary we wanted, and the cost were reasonable, we would cruise on those ships.

 

We would add that in our little minds, the Princess Grand Class and Celebrity S Class are near a tie as our favorite larger ships.

 

Hank

[4cats4me]

Not sure about OP saying he paid extra for the Regal. Just booked balcony on the Regal for April 10, 2016 for a little over $2,200 and that included insurance. That sure is not sound extra to me. And as a side note, my son and his wife, my grandson and his girlfriend were on the Regal last March and they loved it.

 

 

Same here, same price for deluxe balcony and including insurance, too. Some mentioned getting fresh air or nowhere to see the ocean. Isn't that what a balcony is for? And if we have an inside cabin, then we go outside the ship.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Oxo]

Same here, same price for deluxe balcony and including insurance, too. Some mentioned getting fresh air or nowhere to see the ocean. Isn't that what a balcony is for? And if we have an inside cabin, then we go outside the ship.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Agree with You!! That OP must be on a different ship. LOL

[Woobstr112G]

Extra cost? I've just looked at some upcoming fares on Regal. Really, really cheap cruises. I've sailed Royal three times (for over 60 days total) and the positive heavily outweighed any negative.

 

Maybe for you it did, but for me it sure did not.....

 

Bob

[Woobstr112G]

I'm not sure how it could it have been any more clear. The OP paid more to sail on Regal than on other Princess ships that were being priced. The OP opted for the higher fare thinking that the "upgrades" and "improvements" on Regal would be worth the upcharge, and in the end, they decided that the price increase wasn't worth it. It is right there in black and white where the OP said...

 

Agreed.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Pam in CA]

Pricing isn't based on the amenities on the ship so you're not paying anything extra if one ship has something another doesn't. For instance, you're not paying more for the Crown because it has an Alfredo's than the Star. The Pacific doesn't have a lot of the amenities that any of the Grand class ships have, including Anytime dining, yet you'll often pay more to cruise on her. So saying you're paying more for amenities is misinformation. It's based on supply and demand. Pretty simple Economics 101.

 

Demand is often higher on a new ship or an interesting itinerary. If you want to pay less per diem for a cruise, book an older Grand-class ship doing an itinerary that's one of a dozen in a row.

 

It's nice we have choices. I've cruised on the Royal twice on 17-day cruises and in the next five months, I'm sailing on the Star, Pacific and Royal Princess. I know I'm going to enjoy them all.

[Gracie115]

Don't they have a balcony on ships anymore? I never knew that the only place you can get wind blowing through your hair or the smell that wonderful sea air was on the front of a ship! LOL LOL

 

Balconies are wonderful....it is NOT the same as being at the front of the ship on the top deck....NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!! If you don't know what I mean, you have never stood there with the whipping and literally hold you up as you lean into the wind....NO you can't get that on your balcony and it is a glorious feeling....sorry if you don't understand, you're missing something almost spiritual....laugh if you want .... it is one of THE BEST things about cruising for my husband and I and apparently at LEAST one other who mentioned it on this thread....

Edited November 16, 2015 by Gracie115

[Mp:)]

Is there a place in front of the ship where you can go and enjoy the wind and the view like on the Caribbean Princess?

[latebloomer56]

We were on the NYC-FLA trip this year first time on the Regal. Not a fan miss my favorite areas. But the crew were wonderful at every area we dealt with. We will be on this ship again in May but only because it is going where we want to cruise at a time good for us. Otherwise I would sail on a different ship if possible. Haven't tried the Emerald or Caribbean yet so can't compare to these but have loved the Golden both times. Food as always no surprises never went hungry nothing stood out for us though. Did notice drinks were higher this trip but think that will be the same on all ships with drink packages. They are in business after all and will need to make up or even out for this new offer. Not a big drinker so not really an issue just something I noticed. Casino was nicer on this ship. The smoking section was along the windows and non-smoking nearer the atrium entrance. This made my husband happy as smoke bothers him and he was able to join me some days. Show not to our liking way to loud for the space. We found the musicals less than what we are used to with Princess. Poor singers had to scream to be heard over the sound track/music we had a hard time understanding them most of the time. Dancers were good so was the comedy show. Atrium activities no room. Plenty of shaded areas out and about which was a nice change.

So in a nut shell wouldn't sail on Regal unless it was going to and when I want. Wouldn't pass up a trip because of this ship but won't look for trips this ship makes to sail on it again either.

[JimmyVWine]

Pricing isn't based on the amenities on the ship so you're not paying anything extra if one ship has something another doesn't. .... It's based on supply and demand. Pretty simple Economics 101.

While the Economics 101 may be "pretty simple", you have over simplified it. One can toss out a phrase like "supply and demand" as the be all and end all, but unless one looks behind the veil to see what is driving demand, then one has told only part of the story. The amenities on the ship are, in part, what drives the demand. So if people are lining up to experience amenities on Ship "A" that ship "B" does not have, then the demand for Ship "A" is higher, and the supply of those amenities is lower, and viola!, you get higher fares. So yes, supply and demand cause prices to be higher, but you can't stop there. You have to ask the question: "What is it that is in short supply and high demand?" Answer: Bigger buffet. Bigger Atrium. Flat Screen TVs. Princess Live. New bars, lounges and dining options. Among other things. Many people are demanding to experience these things, and they are in supply on only two ships. The OP is a perfect case study. They wanted to experience all of these things and were willing to pay more to do so. So yes, indirectly they did indeed pay more for the amenities because in order to get on board the ship that had said amenities, they had to pay more than they would have to sail on a ship that didn't have these amenities.

 

Demand is often higher on a new ship or an interesting itinerary.

This sentiment captures the surficial reasons. Itinerary can always be a driving factor that is completely independent of amenities. However, the OP didn't suggest that their itinerary was unique as compared to the other ships they were considering. So that brings us back to "newness". And while it is true that demand might be driven by the sole fact that a ship is "new", it is equally true, (and probably more so) that "newness" in and of itself is not what draws people to a ship, rather it is the newly created amenities that have never before been experienced. In other words, are people anxious to experience the buffet on Regal because it is new, or because it is redesigned, bigger, and different from buffets on other ships? Are people desirous of trying out the TVs on Regal because they are new, or because they are flat screens with interactive programming. In the end, it is the amenities that create the buzz, which in turn creates the demand, which in turn creates higher prices.

[WISH84]

While the Economics 101 may be "pretty simple", you have over simplified it. One can toss out a phrase like "supply and demand" as the be all and end all, but unless one looks behind the veil to see what is driving demand, then one has told only part of the story. The amenities on the ship are, in part, what drives the demand. So if people are lining up to experience amenities on Ship "A" that ship "B" does not have, then the demand for Ship "A" is higher, and the supply of those amenities is lower, and viola!, you get higher fares. So yes, supply and demand cause prices to be higher, but you can't stop there. You have to ask the question: "What is it that is in short supply and high demand?" Answer: Bigger buffet. Bigger Atrium. Flat Screen TVs. Princess Live. New bars, lounges and dining options. Among other things. Many people are demanding to experience these things, and they are in supply on only two ships. The OP is a perfect case study. They wanted to experience all of these things and were willing to pay more to do so. So yes, indirectly they did indeed pay more for the amenities because in order to get on board the ship that had said amenities, they had to pay more than they would have to sail on a ship that didn't have these amenities.

 

 

This sentiment captures the surficial reasons. Itinerary can always be a driving factor that is completely independent of amenities. However, the OP didn't suggest that their itinerary was unique as compared to the other ships they were considering. So that brings us back to "newness". And while it is true that demand might be driven by the sole fact that a ship is "new", it is equally true, (and probably more so) that "newness" in and of itself is not what draws people to a ship, rather it is the newly created amenities that have never before been experienced. In other words, are people anxious to experience the buffet on Regal because it is new, or because it is redesigned, bigger, and different from buffets on other ships? Are people desirous of trying out the TVs on Regal because they are new, or because they are flat screens with interactive programming. In the end, it is the amenities that create the buzz, which in turn creates the demand, which in turn creates higher prices.

 

Well said.

[Hlitner]

Is there a place in front of the ship where you can go and enjoy the wind and the view like on the Caribbean Princess?

 

Yes and no :(. The wonderful ship designers/planners at Princess did a "great" job designing a ship without any public venue that allows a nice forward view. Go on nearly any ship of any other line and you will usually have some kind of forward facing lounge. But go on the Regal or Royal and the only way you get that view is to pay for it....by booking space in the Sanctuary of paying the big bucks for a forward facing cabin/balcony.

 

Hank

[Gracie115]

Is there a place in front of the ship where you can go and enjoy the wind and the view like on the Caribbean Princess?

 

Not on the Regal/Royal without spending extra $$ on the Sanctuary....a very big MINUS for that class!!:confused:

[PensFan1028]

Best part of the Regal is the Retreat (adult only pool) which cost nothing extra unless you want a cabana. Worth the extra $$$ over the other ships in my opinion.

[Linerguy]

A ship's amenities most certainly has an influence on the price...but so do other factors. Have you ever talked to someone who wants to go on OASIS or ALLURE OF THE SEAS? "Yeah, I want to go on one of those big ships with the zip line and merry-go-round." Those two ships usually demand a higher price; people want to go on them BECAUSE of all they have to offer. Do people really think that if they didn't have all the bells and whistles that people would be willing to spend more to cruise on them? And do people really think that Royal Caribbean doesn't know that? I will say that I do know people who went on them and DIDN'T think the higher price was worth it (which is exactly what the OP is saying).

 

On the flip side, there's no doubt that 'how a sailing is selling' also has an influence on the price. The OP is saying that, based on their experience, the higher price wasn't worth it. Fair enough. But, the ROYAL and REGAL are not ALWAYS priced higher (although it's possible that that was the case when the OP booked). It goes back to 'how a sailing is selling'. A good example is the REGAL's recent 10nt repo cruise from NY to Lauderdale. If you look at prices for the same cruise next year, they are outrageous. But, this year's sailing kept getting lower and lower as the departure date approached (to the point of getting down to a little over $500 for a balcony cabin). It's obvious that, even at the last minute, the sailing wasn't full. In fact, I called Princess three days before sailing and upgraded our room, and the guy said I could have my pick of about two dozen category BE rooms. I will venture to say that, as next year's 10nt from NY to Lauderdale gets closer, the fares will drop.

 

Cruise pricing is not cut and dry.

 

Having said all this, we loved the REGAL; but she's not perfect. To be honest, the more people complain about things like not having a forward view, or a wrap around promenade, the more I wonder to what extent people look into their cruise before they sail. If these things are that important to people, then WHY set yourself up for disappointment by booking the REGAL (or ROYAL) to begin with? Let's face it: you can't swing a dead cat here on CC without finding someone who has moaned ad nauseam about the lack of a forward view or proper promenade, so it's not like it's new information. When we got on board, one of the first things we did was to walk out on what promenade deck there is. We walked to the back to look around the stern, and a guy and his wife were standing there doing the same. He turned and said, "Hmm, no wraparound promenade." Really? I felt like saying, "You mean to tell me that you bought a cruise without looking at a deck plan, or at least checking into what you were buying? I knew about the promenade and no forward view LONG before I stepped on board....I had no one to blame but myself if I went knowing it would be such a disappointment.

[LeeW]

Just off the Regal Princess-5 day Caribbean cruise Nov 3. Always loved the Princess Experience-ships beautiful, lots of entertainment, good food-best pizza afloat, MUTS!!!. We were excited to sail the Regal because it supposedly had bigger better features-Biggest Atrium afloat- Biggest Buffett afloat- See down to the sea cantaliever walkway. We decided to try the Regal even though it cost a little more then the other ships. Overall we enjoyed the experience but did not feel the extra amenities were worth the extra cost. The ship did seem more crowded then the Emerald Princess. Buffett had awesome salad and soup but entrees were overcooked and unimpressive-bigger was just bigger not better in terms of buffet. Pizza, burgers, MUTS and entertainment were as good as other ships. Overall thought Regal was just as good but not worth paying more for.--Wondering what others think.

 

Hmm - we were on the same cruise and found ship to be as good or better than Grand class ships. Buffet was awesome. Lots more entertainment in piazza. Gelato... Only minor inconvenience is mid-ship stairs don't go to the Lido deck. Pay more? We got a discount so you may want to get a new TA.

[Hlitner]

I am responding to Linerguy's last post but did not want to paste that entire thing here. Regarding setting one's self up for disappointment, DW had previously decided we had no real interest in the Royal/Regal because of the issues and would not take either of those ships unless there was a compelling reason. About 10 days before the Regal did her 10 day relocation cruise NYC to Ft Lauderdale, we stumbled on an amazing price (cost us less then $50 per passenger day for a balcony) so decided to book the ship. We thought the ship was beautiful, but the negative factors lived up to their reputation.

 

And you are right that the cruise was far from full, and Princess was darn near giving away cabins the last few weeks prior to the cruise (we felt a little sorry for those who had booked it a year in advance and paid the big bucks). We think there were several factors that accounted for the weak selling of that cruise (i.e. not a closed loop so everyone needed a Passport, one way repo cruise meant most had to fly at least one-way, 3 ports on a 10 day cruise turns off folks that love lots of ports, etc, and the negative comments about the Royal and Regal were also a deterrent to bookings).

 

Must admit that we loved the cruise. Would we do it again next year? Perhaps,.,,but only if there were some fantastic last minute deals. There are just too many other ships and options that would be far ahead of that Regal cruise in our little list of things to do. We find that for Oct/Nov cruises, we often just wait until the last minute and decide if we want to take a trip. At that point we can choose from lots of Transatlantic repo cruises, the repos from Canada/NE, or a last minute heavily discounted All Inclusive resort. So many choices at great prices this time of year.

 

Hank

[Gracie115]

Having said all this, we loved the REGAL; but she's not perfect. To be honest, the more people complain about things like not having a forward view, or a wrap around promenade, the more I wonder to what extent people look into their cruise before they sail. If these things are that important to people, then WHY set yourself up for disappointment by booking the REGAL (or ROYAL) to begin with? .

 

We booked the Regal, because we wanted to try Princess....and there were lots of good things..just a few that we didn't like, the Anytime Dining and the lack of a forward view up top....

 

I normally do a large amount of research on the ships we sail on, I knew there was no "wrap around" promenade.... but I've been on about 20 different ships and never had one that did not have the forward view up top...never even thought to look for that on the deck plans.... I sure will now.....

Edited November 17, 2015 by Gracie115

[Linerguy]

I am responding to Linerguy's last post but did not want to paste that entire thing here. Regarding setting one's self up for disappointment, DW had previously decided we had no real interest in the Royal/Regal because of the issues and would not take either of those ships unless there was a compelling reason. About 10 days before the Regal did her 10 day relocation cruise NYC to Ft Lauderdale, we stumbled on an amazing price (cost us less then $50 per passenger day for a balcony) so decided to book the ship. We thought the ship was beautiful, but the negative factors lived up to their reputation.

 

And you are right that the cruise was far from full, and Princess was darn near giving away cabins the last few weeks prior to the cruise (we felt a little sorry for those who had booked it a year in advance and paid the big bucks). We think there were several factors that accounted for the weak selling of that cruise (i.e. not a closed loop so everyone needed a Passport, one way repo cruise meant most had to fly at least one-way, 3 ports on a 10 day cruise turns off folks that love lots of ports, etc, and the negative comments about the Royal and Regal were also a deterrent to bookings).

 

Must admit that we loved the cruise. Would we do it again next year? Perhaps,.,,but only if there were some fantastic last minute deals. There are just too many other ships and options that would be far ahead of that Regal cruise in our little list of things to do. We find that for Oct/Nov cruises, we often just wait until the last minute and decide if we want to take a trip. At that point we can choose from lots of Transatlantic repo cruises, the repos from Canada/NE, or a last minute heavily discounted All Inclusive resort. So many choices at great prices this time of year.

 

Hank

 

Not sure if you went to the one show where Martyn, the CD, said that there were 3,400 passengers on board. I think he skewed the numbers a bit. Of course he probably says the same thing on every cruise; I mean, who would know the difference? I suppose the low fares could have cause a spike in bookings late in the game, but you're right, it seemed the ship wasn't full.

 

We liked the ship so much that we're thinking of the ROYAL next year, but will wait for a good deal. Not that we wouldn't go on the REGAL again. It's just that I'm sort of a ship collector; I like to sail on as many different ships as I can (the exception being QM2...I'll sail on her any day).

Edited November 17, 2015 by Linerguy

[Linerguy]

I normally do a large amount of research on the ships we sail on, I knew there was no "wrap around" promenade.... but I've been on about 20 different ships and never had one that did not have the forward view up top...never even thought to look for that on the deck plans.... I sure will now.....

 

A lesson learned to be sure!

[Tralynn]

I did NOT think that the OP was pretty clear. Since when are you paying more for a bigger buffet, atrium and cantilevered observation platform? If that is true, we should get a discount for a smaller buffet and atrium. JMHO!

Apparently, the week that the OP booked on the Regal happened to be a more expensive week. That happens often if the ship is selling out at a fast pace. I took the comments to mean that she could have done a similar or the same itinerary that week on a different ship for less. I find that it isn't the class of ship that drives the price, but rather the demand of the ship at the time you are booking.

 

Many people love the Regal/Royal, and many prefer the smaller ships. I'm just tickled that Princess offers both.

[janetz]

That 10 day repo from NY to FLL was selling at 599 for an inside and 699 for a balcony after final payment.

We did the same cruise last year on the Royal and it was fantastic. :D

Doing it again next year.