just off the royal princess

[stepmor99]

I plan to book the Royal Princess for the April 2017 Transatlantic.

 

The best price for the mini suite cabins are the cabins below the Seawalk (for example: M423 on the starboard side) or below the Seaview bar (for example M424 on the port side).

 

Anyone have comments/suggestions if it is better to be below the Seawalk or the Seaview bar?

 

Thank you.

 

 

We were "upgraded" to one of these mini-suites from a balcony on the Regal a few years ago. It was directly under the seawalk. I enjoyed the extra space in the mini suite and the privacy concern of the sea walk above us did not affect us. However, we enjoy our balcony space when we cruise and the balcony view was confined..looking out to the sea for a sunrise or sunset was impossible due to the sea walk above us. No direct sun, either. So, if you like the extra space but can do without the full balcony experience, go for it.

[chubbypiggy]

We were "upgraded" to one of these mini-suites from a balcony on the Regal a few years ago. It was directly under the seawalk. I enjoyed the extra space in the mini suite and the privacy concern of the sea walk above us did not affect us. However, we enjoy our balcony space when we cruise and the balcony view was confined..looking out to the sea for a sunrise or sunset was impossible due to the sea walk above us. No direct sun, either. So, if you like the extra space but can do without the full balcony experience, go for it.

 

We seldom use the balcony; the only reason we always get balcony cabin is just so we can see the outside and not feel confined (as in an interior cabin). We are more concern of the noise.

 

Questions:

1. Did you experience much noise caused by the Seawalk?

2. Did the cabin seems kind of dark due to the blockage of light from the Seawalk?

 

Thank you.

[HRPro]

I plan to book the Royal Princess for the April 2017 Transatlantic.

 

The best price for the mini suite cabins are the cabins below the Seawalk (for example: M423 on the starboard side) or below the Seaview bar (for example M424 on the port side).

 

Anyone have comments/suggestions if it is better to be below the Seawalk or the Seaview bar?

 

Thank you.

 

 

You have much more privacy on the port side as you are under the Seaview Bar and don't have people looking down on you as you do under the Seawalk. Definitely book on the port side.

[stepmor99]

We seldom use the balcony; the only reason we always get balcony cabin is just so we can see the outside and not feel confined (as in an interior cabin). We are more concern of the noise.

 

Questions:

1. Did you experience much noise caused by the Seawalk?

2. Did the cabin seems kind of dark due to the blockage of light from the Seawalk?

 

Thank you.

 

 

1) Noise the first day on the sea walk was greater than the rest of the cruise. Maybe because no one was using it after the "been there, done that" experience.

 

2). IMHO, yes, the room was darker. And, if I remember correctly, the sea walk was lit at night by some weird colored lighting that permeated the balcony. It was very annoying to me. Not sure if the same held true on the sea view bar side of the ship.

[chubbypiggy]

Thanks you.

[dutrie]

Interesting how opinions vary. My wife and I had a wonderful 20 day cruise on the Royal along with 4 family members.. We enjoyed the production shows and the entertainers. We have been on Celebrity the last few years and the production shows on Princess were far superior. We were impressed with the variety of music on the ship. We are dancers and loved Atomic and Tempo Quatro.

The entertainment staff went out of the way to ensure we had a good time.

 

I would guess the entertainment has a lot to do with age. We are in our sixties and enjoyed the shows, especially the Beatle Maniacs. However, my brother and his wife are mid 70's and complained about most of the shows being too loud.

 

As for the food, while it is not up to the standards of 15-20 years ago, it is not on any of the cruise lines we have been on. But, it was very good. We ate nearly all of our breakfasts, and dinners in the Symphony and had great service. Thee was a wide selection in the buffet, but we only ate there a few times. We are definitely not foodies, but if you are, I doubt any of the mass market cruise lines will satisfy.

[chubbypiggy]

Looking at Princess' deck plan, for my upcoming April TA cruise, my mini suite cabin is below Swirls. Anyone know what is Swirls? A gift shop? A bar? Is it noisy?

 

Thanks.

[kimcht]

Swirls is the ice cream shop it's just a little area by the pool where there is a soft serve spot it's not noisy and I think it closes at 10 or 11 in the evening and opens at 11 in the morning

 

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[Colo Cruiser]

Looking at Princess' deck plan, for my upcoming April TA cruise, my mini suite cabin is below Swirls. Anyone know what is Swirls? A gift shop? A bar? Is it noisy?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Let's hope there is no melting. :o

[chubbypiggy]

Thank you.:)

[AliceS]

No. :( The food is great but the location is awful. So loud from the bar area that you can't talk. Very distracting.

 

 

I agree with Pam about Crown Grail, ...great food and service, but depending on the type of music in the Wheelhouse, you can't hear yourself think. Unfortunate.

[4cats4me]

I agree with Pam about Crown Grail, ...great food and service, but depending on the type of music in the Wheelhouse, you can't hear yourself think. Unfortunate.

 

 

 

This was not our experience at all last week at the CG onboard the Regal. We loved hearing the music and it didn't seem excessively loud to us. In fact, it drowned out the clinking and clanking noise of the kitchen. We much preferred the sift, dulcet sounds of the music to the kitchen cacophony.

 

 

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[melaniez24]

Thanks for the info - very helpful!!

[rocklinmom]

Thanks for a great review! I am looking at the Royal for next summer and it is so helpful. I also am looking at Lido deck forward balconies so your pics of the cabin are appreciated.

[kimcht]

Thanks for the info - very helpful!!

You are welcome, we had a great time and those cruise emails I keep getting are tempting me allready

 

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[melaniez24]

I saw a "Princess@sea" app mentioned but couldn't find it in the app store. If its still avail, do i have my info (the name) correct?

 

Also i read that some ships allow reservations for the MDR when you have anytime seating. Is this correct and if so, how do you make reservations?

 

thank you!!

[floridalover5623]

I saw a "Princess@sea" app mentioned but couldn't find it in the app store. If its still avail, do i have my info (the name) correct?

The app isn't required to be installed any longer. When your on the ship the app will automatically be loaded on your phone, tablet or computer.

Also i read that some ships allow reservations for the MDR when you have anytime seating. Is this correct and if so, how do you make reservations?

 

thank you!!

If you call in the morning for reservations they only take them between certain hours.

Not during 6:15 & 8 PM.

The reservations aren't really required for the anytime dining room since it's anytime you arrive.

[easyboy]

Also i read that some ships allow reservations for the MDR when you have anytime seating. Is this correct and if so, how do you make reservations?

 

thank you!!

They may allow it at non-peak time. We sometimes get to do it at 8pm onward primarily for our preferred waiter.

[melaniez24]

If you call in the morning for reservations they only take them between certain hours.

Not during 6:15 & 8 PM.

The reservations aren't really required for the anytime dining room since it's anytime you arrive.

 

Thank you! Guess we'll just have to make sure we're in line early.

[floridalover5623]

Thank you! Guess we'll just have to make sure we're in line early.

The crowd at the door quickly gets seated & then there's usually a lull till around 6:15-6:30 when the main crowd arrives to be seated. At this point they begin to hand out beepers & sometime the wait can be 30 minutes or more. This all depends on if you want a table for 2 or not. If your willing to share a larger table it moves much faster.

[melaniez24]

The crowd at the door quickly gets seated & then there's usually a lull till around 6:15-6:30 when the main crowd arrives to be seated. At this point they begin to hand out beepers & sometime the wait can be 30 minutes or more. This all depends on if you want a table for 2 or not. If your willing to share a larger table it moves much faster.

 

Good to know - thank you!

[maplemoose99]

before I get to the ports I had a few other observations. the lines for anytime dining were quite long at times and I heard lots of complaints. this was also a problem when we were on our last princess cruise, we found that unless you went at 5 or at 8 there were lines, so this time we had traditional dining and went 1/2 the time, always letting our table mates know which days we would most likely not be coming, and that worked much better.

hubby got the soda card and was happy to know he could get virgin strawberry daquiris with it.

several days the girls from the spa set up a massage chair in the pool area and were doing 15 minute chair massages for 25$ which is good for spa prices. one day I had an awful headache and the scalp and neck massage was terrific, you just need to tune out the sales pitch that went with it.

Hi Kimcht! We have traditional dining booked for 6pm. Some days our excursions won't be returning to the ship in time. Can we go to anytime dining then or would we have to go to the buffet? Also, can you request a table for two at traditional dining? Thanks for your help :-)

[Lucky TGO]

Thanks for sharing.

Tony

[kimcht]

Maplemoose, other people may be better to answer your questions but I will give it a try. There are tables for 2 in the dining rooms, just not that many, so I am assuming you could request one and it would depend on if there are any available at the time you make your reservation. If your excursion goes late i do not believe you could do anytime dining. You would need to eat at the buffet, or the grill by the pool, or perhaps make a reservation for a specialty dining room that night if that is in your plan at anyone during your cruise. We always told the folks at our table when we had an excursion the next day so they wouldnt. wait for us. There are many options on the buffet on this ship.

[caribill]

Hi Kimcht! We have traditional dining booked for 6pm. Some days our excursions won't be returning to the ship in time. Can we go to anytime dining then or would we have to go to the buffet?

 

Maplemoose, other people may be better to answer your questions but I will give it a try. If your excursion goes late i do not believe you could do anytime dining. You would need to eat at the buffet, or the grill by the pool, or perhaps make a reservation for a specialty dining room that night if that is in your plan at anyone during your cruise.

 

What I suggest is the night before your excursion, speak with your headwaiter in your traditional dining room. Tell him about your excursion and how that would cause you to miss the scheduled time. Ask him if you could do anytime the next evening. Chances are he will say "yes." Worst he can do is say "no." If he gives his OK, then do anytime on excursion night and do not feel guilty about it at all.