Regal Princess 2/7-2/14 Review

[curlybelle2]

We were on the Regal last week for a seven day cruise. This was the first time on the Regal, but our fifth Princess cruise. We enjoy Princess and it’s a good fit for us. Here’s our review!

 

Embarkation: EASY! The people at Port Everglades are wonderful, happy and helpful. We were on the ship about 12:00. The only problem we had was the mass number of people trying to get lunch. It wasn’t the layout of HC that was the problem, it was rude people. We just tried to chalk it up to “everyone excited” but more about this later.

 

Cabin: We had inside/side-way B316. Nice cabin and good location. Randi was our cabin steward. Randi did a great job. We had three in a cabin, it was tight but doable. I would do it again but my poor husband was in the top bunk and said “next time a balcony”!

 

Ship: The Regal is a beautiful ship! It’s elegant, pretty with warm colors and clean. The ship has a graceful feeling and such a beauty. We didn’t have any problems with getting around. We didn’t miss the center stairway. We sometimes had to wait for a lift but it wasn’t a big deal. There were a few things that we didn’t like. We missed the promenade deck going around! That was a big deal for my husband. Also I didn’t like the pools. What is the deal with the little round pools!  The Emerald Princess (Crown and Ruby) pools are much more user friendly. The retreat pool on the Regal is pretty but deep, 5’2”. If you are 5’6” or under, you are hanging on to the side. This pools situation might be a deal breaker for me.

 

Food: We enjoyed the food in the HC. HC has a nice variety of choices, and we could always find a place to sit. We ate in the Symphony Dining room all evenings except formal. We were seated between 6:00 to 7:00 and never had to wait. We were a table for three. We did use the left side entrance. Dining room food was good but I am not a fan of the new menu. The new entrees just didn’t appeal to us. We did enjoy the standard turf and surf, Alfredo pasta and desserts were yummy. The food around the pool was very good. We had hot dogs, hamburger, and fries. But the granddaddy of food for me is the international café. I love the café. The chicken salad, shrimp salad and lots of great desserts are wonderful!

 

Other: We are in our late 50’s. We had a lot of rude pax on our cruise. We noticed it more in the beginning of the trip. There was an every man for himself attitude with some of the older passengers. There was a lot of shoving and pushing into the lifts, in the HC line and just some bad attitudes. Since we travel with our disabled son we notice these behaviors. We had to grab our son a few times, so he wasn’t hit with a scooter. We have never experienced this before on our cruises, it must have been a “fluke”.

Princess Cays: Princess Cays was so pretty. We had a great day with nice weather. The ribs in the barbecue were soo good! I also enjoyed the fish taco at the food truck. I thought the food trucks were fun and a good option if you want something lighter.

 

Cozumel: This is the only port we had an excursion. We visited Discover Mexico and Chankanaab National Park. Martin was our tour guide. Martin did a great job, very professional and informative. I would recommend this tour.

 

We are looking forward to our next Princess cruise. We would most likely choose another ship then the Regal, because of the pools and promenade deck.

[Clarea]

Thank-you for the report.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for your comments.

[Amtrack Springfield]

Thanks for your review. We love the Regal Princess.

[2BeOnaBoat]

Thanks for the review. I'll be on the Regal in Oct and hopefully the rude cruisers are elsewhere.

[Italy52]

Thank you for your review. We also encountered rude people on the Regal. However, after cruising for many years on various cruise lines we have come to realize that rude people are everywhere. Sad, but true. Why do people hold elevators for some people and not others? Why do some people feel they need to jump in front of others at the buffet --- there is plenty of food to go around and so unnecessary. Why some people have this sense of entitlement is beyond me.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report!

[caribbean2000]

Thanks, we are stepping aboard on Sunday. This will be our 16th with Princess, plus a few others on other lines and I (sadly) have to agree that you observe more rudeness now than when we started cruising back in the 90s. And there is an undeniable regional bent to a lot of the rudeness, or a propensity for rudeness, or ??? More than once I've had to say, "So, first time on an elevator?" to the crowd that insists on trying to crowd in before the people get off. But alas, it may be a sign of the times. Overall most people are great however. We're all here to chill, right? Not trying to hijack your thread, thanks again for taking the time to post.

[Gilbo]

Thank you :-)

 

 

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[smilz]

Thanks for your review! How did you like the sideways inside cabin? Have you stayed in an inside before?

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

Thank you for you appraisal of differences between Crown class ships and the Regal regarding the wrap around promenade deck and the pools. It's an understatement to say I'm a huge fan of promenade decks and shipboard pools (an addiction I developed thanks to the Sitmar Fairwind).

 

The interiors of Regal Princess look absolutely stunning and remind me a lot of pre-war ocean liners. I cannot for the life of me understand why the design team at Princess choose such decidedly underwhelming pools, the lack of a usable aft pool, virtually no forward view outer decks, & no wrap around promenade. It's such a missed opportunity. I've never liked the idea of giant TV screens blaring obnoxious noise poolside. Just not my cup of tea.

 

I loved every minute aboard a recent Crown Princess cruise and found it to be nearly perfect in design. Another favorite is Holland America's Zuiderdam for her aft pool & promenade deck. So here I sit on the fence to decide on my next cruise..... Regal, Crown, Zuiderdam. I would like to see the interiors of the Regal for myself but I'm afraid that the pool & promenade situation might be a deal breaker.

Edited February 19, 2016 by Myrtle Ave. Mayhem

[hllwdcruiser]

Thank you for your review - it sounds like you had a good trip except for the rude fellow pax. My mother is 90 and is legally blind and deaf. When I am with her I definitely notice how inconsiderate some people are, shoving past her to get through a door etc. It takes everything I have not to say something...

 

Did you eat at the HC, Alfredo's or a specialty restaurant on formal nights? DH is not a fan of putting on a suit on vacation and we are thinking of going to the Buffet. If you did eat at the HC, do you happen to remember what they served?

[curlybelle2]

Thanks for your review! How did you like the sideways inside cabin? Have you stayed in an inside before?

 

I liked the sideways cabin. I thought there was more room just easier to get around inside the cabin. But my husband didn't like it. He felt vulnerable, someone could walk right in and he'll be laying in bed. We had stayed in the regular inside rooms before and a balcony. Of course I like the balcony better but sometimes finances just does not allow it.

[Gwendy]

Thank you for your review. We also encountered rude people on the Regal. However, after cruising for many years on various cruise lines we have come to realize that rude people are everywhere. Sad, but true. Why do people hold elevators for some people and not others? Why do some people feel they need to jump in front of others at the buffet --- there is plenty of food to go around and so unnecessary. Why some people have this sense of entitlement is beyond me.

Couldn't agree more. It is everywhere though, not just on cruise ships. Try cruising MSC, pushed and shoved non stop by Italian mamas, put it down to a cultural thing. By the way they did run out of food for a short while in buffet when everyone got back from shore excursion/s at same time. Mayhem, just stood back (way back) and watched. Lol

[curlybelle2]

Thank you for your review - it sounds like you had a good trip except for the rude fellow pax. My mother is 90 and is legally blind and deaf. When I am with her I definitely notice how inconsiderate some people are, shoving past her to get through a door etc. It takes everything I have not to say something...

 

Did you eat at the HC, Alfredo's or a specialty restaurant on formal nights? DH is not a fan of putting on a suit on vacation and we are thinking of going to the Buffet. If you did eat at the HC, do you happen to remember what they served?

 

We ate in the symphony dining room which is anytime dining most nights except on formal night. We just didn't want to dress up this time on the cruise. We enjoyed the Horizon Court I thought the food was good. In the HC every night was a little different, one night they had beef Wellington which was very good, also shrimp was delicious. There pastry shop which is located by the HC has yummy desserts. We did not eat in Alfredo's or at a specialty restaurant. I did enjoy the international café always has some nice treats

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[blueseas4me2]

Thank you for your review. I'm so sorry about the rude people. I try to laugh at them.

[Keith1010]

Enjoyed reading your review.

 

Keith

[kendon]

Thank you for your review. Two weeks and we will be on her...again. We prefer the walk around promenade ourselves, but also enjoy the promenade seating areas, especially the Horizon Terrace at the back of the ship at sunset.

[MJSailors]

My DH and I (young thinking 60 something year olds and retired) were on the Regal last winter,for approximately the same time frame as the OP's cruise- early February before the winter break for some schools.

We also noticed some rudeness,or perhaps it was impatience, displayed by some of the passengers.

One time,while approaching the HC, I was nearly sideswiped by a woman on a scooter.

Apparently,she found herself going in the wrong direction,and on her return,nearly sideswiped me again!

I am not sure how fast those scooters can go, but she seemed to be speeding. I am not certain that she was aware of what she did,there was no apology for her "driving".

That was an encounter I certainly recall when posters mention rude passenger behavior.

I have given this some thought,and I am thinking ,IMHO ,that because dress codes have become more relaxed than how people dressed on cruises twenty or even ten years ago,does this relate to a lack of manners used by people in a social situations?

Just wondering .....

[lovevacadays]

Thank you for your review. I haven't been to Princess Cays for several years. Nice to hear they have some food trucks. I've enjoyed the buffet in the past but always nice to have options.

[PensFan1028]

I liked the sideways cabin. I thought there was more room just easier to get around inside the cabin. But my husband didn't like it. He felt vulnerable, someone could walk right in and he'll be laying in bed. We had stayed in the regular inside rooms before and a balcony. Of course I like the balcony better but sometimes finances just does not allow it.

 

I'd have to agree with him. DW would order room service after a night out around 1am and I felt like I needed to hide under the sheets when she answered the door :p