Regal Princess – 12/6/15 – 12/13/15 (Owner's Suite, AIBP, Ship, Culinary)

[WISH84]

Background:

 

Me: 51, still love my rock and roll music, my Harley Davidson and “sometimes the Bronco’s make me cry" Bonus points if you can guess the song reference there! My “way too-gorgeous-for-me, out-of-my-league” wife, Dawn, is… well, I can’t tell you her age or this cruise would be my last cruise! We consider ourselves seasoned cruisers although by no means do we have as many sea days under our belts as some of you who may be reading this (Keith, Steve, Pam, Chris) however we do get by. This will be our first trip aboard the Regal however we already have a 2nd one booked for next December as well. Both trips, this one and next year, are in an Owner's Suite. Both trips also have the AIBP (All Inclusive Beverage Package for anyone who doesn’t know that) and although this year I paid for that package, next years was included in the fare under the Sip & Sail promotion.

 

Pre-Cruise:

Regardless of how experienced I think I am, I still tend to make decisions based on feelings, rather than factual considerations. Our flights out of Iowa to Florida, going through Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, is one example. I saw there were flights on United that got us into Fort Lauderdale by 12 noon and I thought “WOW, that will give us almost a full day in Florida upon our arrival. “Book’em Dano!”, so I did. Then, after some thought, I realized our flight out of Iowa was at 5am. No problem there except my dear wife now needs to get up about 2am to be at the airport by 3:30am and that means I now have to book a room in Des Moines since we live about an hour from the airport. I booked us a room at the Des Moines Airport Doubletree because I’m an old Hilton F&B guy and I normally always stay at Hilton Hotels. I’m not doing a review of this hotel because… well, because it’s Des Moines, Iowa. If you want to know about this hotel, just ask and I’ll let you know how it went.

 

Flights (would flying from Iowa to Florida through Chicago O’Hare in December be a mistake?)

 

We arrived to the airport at 3:15 to learn the gate agents don't arrive and start working until 4am. Oh well, time went by quick and we were first in line for security which also went without much fanfare.

 

Flight was delayed out of DSM due to cloud coverage in Chicago. No worries. Then de-icing. Still no worries. Then, more delays (unknown reason) now I'm worried about our connection in Chicago. But I keep telling myself this is Friday morning and ship sails on Sunday. My Kung Fu emotions are strong!

 

Here is a picture of us taking off from Des Moines. I was going to post a picture of Chicago as we landed but how many of you want to see a picture of grey clouds? I thought so.

 

Short of it is, we arrived in Chicago just as our Chicago flight to FLL was starting to board and now I'm glad I trusted that "gut feeling" four months ago and purchased the "priority boarding". We get settled in, take off for Florida and arrive without incident. All bags: Check Taxi to hotel: Check. Off we go.

 

Fort Lauderdale Hilton Marina and our “pre-cruise mini vacation”:

 

We arrive to the hotel just after 12 noon and as expected (hotel is sold out for the entire weekend), our room is not ready. We give our bags to the bell stand and find the bar. Vacation has officially started.

 

Sitting at the bar!

 

FOUR HOURS LATER... FOUR INQUIRIES INTO WHEN OUR ROOM WILL BE READY AND A $150 BAR TAB...

 

To be fair.. the hotel staff were great. Not sure what was going on between the communication from the Front Desk and Housekeeping but even after they requested two rushes to have our room ready, it still was not.

 

As I mentioned earlier, I used to be a Food & Beverage Director for Hilton Hotels. I normally never mention this to the staff at a Hilton because sometimes it works in your favor, sometimes not.

 

However after 5pm, I decided to say something to this hotels F&B Director because his bar staff was severely over worked and they were doing a great job. Turns out they downsized the staff because they were expecting constant rains and didn't think the poolside bar would be busy. Well, no rains and you can guess the rest.

 

So after I make my introduction and let him know I used to work for Hilton.. and compliment his staff for doing a great job, things started happening. Upgraded room (14th floor), complimentary drinks and complimentary dinner for tonight (Saturday).

 

Our view from the room this morning:

 

So now you're all caught up on our adventure so far. I'll post tomorrow before we leave for the ship and hopefully post a few comments while on the ship. I don't know if I'll be able to post anything close to a "live" report as I currently don't have any plans to purchase their internet package.

 

Thanks for sticking with me so far and I hope to see you again later. If you have any questions about the hotel, or anything about the ship, let me know and I'll do my best to help.

 

Ciao for now! [emoji13]

Edited December 5, 2015 by WISH84

[jim_in_nyc]

We sail on the Regal (first cruise on Princess) on Jan 3. Looking forward to following your adventures, keep 'em coming!

[Sam.Seattle]

Safe Travels Jeff! I will be following along closely.

[TracieABD]

Thank you, Jeff, for the (quite possibly) live from!

I loved our OS on the Royal. We had very little of the dreaded soot issues that others have reported.

 

I also like the layout and features of the Royal Class ships-- even if (everybody chime in together...) there is no center staircase!

 

I hope you and Dawn have an amazing cruise! Keep us posted!

[chamima]

LOVE the way you write! :D

I hope you'll reconsider and continue this entertaining non-"live from".

 

Can I ask what deck your suite is on?

We've booked an aft on Baja and are hoping the semi-covered portion will resolve the soot issue. We love aft cabins!!!

[WISH84]

LOVE the way you write! :D

 

I hope you'll reconsider and continue this entertaining non-"live from".

 

 

 

Can I ask what deck your suite is on?

 

We've booked an aft on Baja and are hoping the semi-covered portion will resolve the soot issue. We love aft cabins!!!

 

 

We are on the Baja deck. Someone posted earlier this was a good deck to help combat any soot issues. We will see.

 

Thanks for the kind words. Hopefully I'll get to post often.

 

The weather has turned on us. Wind and rain.

 

But we found "The Drunken Taco" on N. Fort Lauderdale Drive and as Johnny Bravo from "Entourage" says: "VICTORY!!!"

 

[emoji12]

[chamima]

We are on the Baja deck. Someone posted earlier this was a good deck to help combat any soot issues. We will see.

 

Thanks for the kind words. Hopefully I'll get to post often.

 

The weather has turned on us. Wind and rain.

 

But we found "The Drunken Taco" on N. Fort Lauderdale Drive and as Johnny Bravo from "Entourage" says: "VICTORY!!!"

 

[emoji12]

 

Sounds like a good place to spend a rainy afternoon! :D

 

I really think the cruise lines ought to consider free access to Cruise Critic the way they do to their own websites. I think people writing (hopefully positive) "Live Froms" do a lot to generate more business!

[sunsetbeachgal]

Love your writing style and hope we hear more from you. Have a great cruise!

 

We are among those who, yes would love a center stair case and full promenade deck, but who think the features and beauty of the Regal and Royal far outweigh the shortcomings!

Edited December 5, 2015 by sunsetbeachgal

[Colo Cruiser]

Bon Voyage!

[Working 2 Cruise]

Sounds like a good place to spend a rainy afternoon! :D

 

I really think the cruise lines ought to consider free access to Cruise Critic the way they do to their own websites. I think people writing (hopefully positive) "Live Froms" do a lot to generate more business!

 

Chamima, I think we already have free access to Cruise Critic! Did you mean advertise it to other cruisers? That may be not a great idea.

 

Jeff, thank you for your postings. We're likely going to be sailing on the Regal, although not in an OS, in the near future and I am really excited about it! Have a fabulous cruise!

[jshyshka]

We leave tomorrow on the Regal also - we have been here in town (we are from California) for a few days and it has been raining the whole time - looking forward to getting on the ship !

[chamima]

Chamima, I think we already have free access to Cruise Critic! Did you mean advertise it to other cruisers? That may be not a great idea.

 

Jeff, thank you for your postings. We're likely going to be sailing on the Regal, although not in an OS, in the near future and I am really excited about it! Have a fabulous cruise!

 

I meant on the ship .

Without having to pay internet fees.

You can log onto Princess.com on a Princess ship without signing up for the internet and the same for Celebrity.com while on Celebrity.

[TracieABD]

I meant on the ship .

Without having to pay internet fees.

You can log onto Princess.com on a Princess ship without signing up for the internet and the same for Celebrity.com while on Celebrity.

 

I would love that! Princess... Are you listening?

[cazzi]

Thanks for taking the time to write your upcoming review. Looking forward to reading about it

 

Have a great time

[sawtooth]

Hope your weather improves as you sail away to the Caribbean

[WISH84]

I loved our OS on the Royal. We had very little of the dreaded soot issues that others have reported!

 

 

Tracie, I had posted a question asking about any feedback on the OS and you sent me a link to your review. So I'm counting on you!!! LOL

[WISH84]

 

Just watched the Island Princess sail away. Before her was the Independence. After the Island was the Oasis. Next is the Infinity. Weather is still not perfect but I'll take this over the alternative any day!!

 

Im like Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" hoping the fat guy will bring me a Red Rider Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model Air Rifle with a compass in the stock and "this thing which tells time"

 

Meaning, can't wait to get up tomorrow to try and see the Regal pull into port. Even have my alarm set and everything. [emoji14]

[TracieABD]

Tracie, I had posted a question asking about any feedback on the OS and you sent me a link to your review. So I'm counting on you!!! LOL

 

I loved the layout of our suite on the Aloha Deck of the Royal. There was a kind of hallway thingy that separated the sitting room and the bed room. This reduced light and sound distractions for a sleeping person.

 

I also like the veranda. Super comfy Sanctuary type furniture, wrap round, tables, chairs and not a lot of notable soot. For a couple of days, I would wipe down the table and chairs for my mom, but there would only be a few dots of grey on the towel.

 

I dream of the day I can occupy that stateroom again. In the meantime, I will just stalk, oops, I mean read your thread!

[WISH84]

Good morning friends.

 

Woke up this morning a little after five, tripped over the desk chair and soundly declared my love of all things sacred! However, all is well and when I looked out the window, I saw this:

 

The Regal Princess pulling into Port Everglades

 

I then watched the Allure and Carnival Conquest pull into port before I decided to head back to the warm, soft comfort of the bed. I have to say it was a sight to see all of these ships line up to pull into port like airlines lining up in the night sky on approach to LAX.

 

So we are just about re-packed and will say good bye to the Hilton Marina Hotel. While there were some challenges associated with our stay (the F&B outlets were just as understaffed and overwhelmed last night as they were the first night) overall it was a good stay. The room was nice, the bed was comfortable and there was Direct TV available so plenty to entertain myself with. SIDE BAR: Didn't stay up to watch Michigan State beat Iowa last night and although our hearts are with Iowa State Cyclones, I was happy for the Hawkeyes to have had such a great season. But, now I have to "go home" or "Back where I truly belong" to the Oklahoma Sooners! Love my Sooners!

 

BOOMER SOONER

 

But alas, I digress, back to the adventure at hand. Before we leave.. one more picture of our home for the next seven days. I envy those getting ready to board for a B2B but I'm thankful my wife and I are even in a position to go on vacations such as these. So much going on with the world today.. it's nice to get away in such comfort. Life is very good.

 

Oh, by the way, for those of you following from afar.. the sun is out today. I'm actually wearing sunglasses in my room sitting next to the window. The young lady on the telly is telling everyone we are still going to have some showers and some wind, but I'm guessing we now have a better chance of a dry sail-away than we did yesterday. Keep your fingers crossed for us.. 🤓

 

Ciao for now but hope to see you all very soon.

 

[TracieABD]

Yay!!! Jeff!!! It is sail-away day!

 

Enjoy and happy sails!!!

[Woobstr112G]

Jeff;

 

Have a great cruise. I look forward to reading your reports.....:):):)

 

Bob

[long cruiser]

We loved the owner's suite bathroom.

long cruiser

[Zuki]

Jeff -I left the Bronco banners with your room steward --Rema I think his name was

 

We had a geat trip with amazing weather. Hope you have the same.

 

Sitting at the airport waiting for our 3PM flight

 

Dawn

[WISH84]

Jeff -I left the Bronco banners with your room steward --Rema I think his name was

 

We had a geat trip with amazing weather. Hope you have the same.

 

Sitting at the airport waiting for our 3PM flight

 

Dawn

 

Thanks Dawn!! That's Awesome!

[WISH84]

Ah..Humanity!

 

After a pier employee practically held my hand and placed Dawn and I in line, we realized after hearing some mumbling that maybe we had just cut in line. I had walked off to take a picture. Upon my glorious return I saw that a demon had possessed my wife and I approached with caution.

 

Seems this very sweet lady jumped all over Dawn for our inappropriate actions and forgetting her manners and just letting Dawn know, proceeded to shout at her and started to make a scene.

 

My wife is the kind of person who when having caught a spider in our house, she releases same back into the wild. Whereas I would rather burn down the house with the eight legged freak inside it and find another humble dwelling, hopefully being spider free!

 

However, she informed this pleasant woman we would move as soon as I returned. This was not good enough for her and her rant proceeded.

 

Needles to say we are now in our proper place in line, my wife, having dealt with the "spider" is now ready for her first drink.

 

Edited December 6, 2015 by WISH84