Regal vs NCL Escape

[Brookefairway]

Hello

we hve cruised both Royal and most recently NCL large ships. I have never cruised princess. How does Princess Regal compare to the larger NCL ships? Atmosphere? Entertainment? Food?..looking to do the caribbean and need to choose. Any thoughts very much appreciated.

[Host CJSKIDS]

I've been on the Regal 4 times and am about to go for our 5th and have been the NCL Getaway 2 which is the same ship as the Escape. I was just on the Getaway this past spring. (never again on a spring break cruise lol)

 

As far as Entertainment, the Escape will have more going on at night than the Regal does. I just love the dueling pianos bar there. The crowd will be more lively and people will stay up later. NCL spends money on their entertainers so I find that it is better on there.

What I don't like it having to make reservations for things like the comedy shows or that I will get a charge for a show. I tend to book last minute to this doesn't alway work in my benefit. But at least you know you have a seat where with Princess you have to go really early to get one.

 

Food, I will say that we had great meals in the alternative dining restaurants on the Getaway and ate the other nights in the Haven restaurant. (That was amazing!) Princess has the Crown Grill and Sabatinis as well as sushi for a charge and Alfredo's for free. On the Escape you have a lot more speciality dining places for a charge. As far as the main dining room, Princess takes this. Buffett on the Regal is far and away better and their pizza blows the doors off of NCL. NCL tastes like boxed pizza.

 

If you area a wine drinker, Princess wins this big time. NCL doesn't have a great wine list.

 

The crowd will be younger on NCL. Drinks cost more on NCL but they always run promotions where you can get the drink package but pay for the tips.

 

The Sanctuary on princess is perfect. The Haven was great but I missed the service and chairs in the Sanctuary.

 

Service I would say that Princess has the edge on this but then again, I have been reading about how the crew has been cut so I'll be anxious to see this on the 12/3 sailing.

 

I enjoyed our last sailing on NCL which I only booked 2 weeks out from sailing date. I know they have some new and exciting things coming up as my friend is an executive with them. Princess has made some changes and some cuts so it will be interesting to see how I feel when I get off this time around.

[altay]

We cruised on the Escape earlier this year and everything about it was perfect. Food, service, shows were absolutely fantastic. With that being said we are excited about our first cruise on Princess and the Regal. We do have a question........how formal is formal night? Do the guys need a jacket or is a shirt and tie good? Can you wear nice jeans in the dining room on the other nights? Thanks!!!!

[luckyinpa]

i can compare regal to breakaway (i think escape is similar). (just back from regal but didnt write up my review yet)

 

it was very laid back. not a bunch of craziness like the breakaway. i felt the ship was pretty empty actually and wondered where the people were. for bad weather cold days the regal wins over breakaway. i was with 2 kids with a few bad weather days on the BA and we scurried to find something to do. tried to sleep till noon etc. when in warm weather and sunny out, the BA would win for kids activities on top deck.

 

you dont reserve shows for the regal and there's not as much hustle/bustle going on. cannot emphasize that enough. the halls were never cluttered with salespeople and crowds trying to sell stuff. on the BA sometimes you had to fight down the center hall. also i felt cramped on the BA. regal is sooo much more open with the piazza and i had taken a video tour before booking and there are soooo many more places to sit inside on bad days. where can you sit on the BA? the atrium with 50 seats you gotta fight for.

 

i love the room service menu and its all free except pizza on regal. the grill and pizza joint on the pool deck were used a lot by us and the buffet was 100000% better laid out than the BA. food is always subjective so ill just say what ate was mostly good on regal. scrambled eggs were horrible though. beef stew very good! oh did i say the buffet is better spaced out than the BA? they really need to take a lesson from princess. BA is sooo cramped and you gotta fight for things.

 

also on regal the waiter in the buffet brings the drinks.

 

entertainment is not 2 hour shows like BA so if you want that you will be disappointed. but the comedian on regal was hilarious

 

there's also pricing to consider. if both ships are the same, id do princess again in a minute. no hesitation. however i think i lucked into an off season sale because my minisuite for 5 nites was just 550. you'll never see that pricing on the BA . however i do believe the bathrooms on BA in the minis are larger if that is important to you.

 

there are 3 banks of elevators on regal and except for muster i never really had issues. i feel this is a better layout than the 2 banks of 8 elevators on BA. i stayed on lido 16 on regal and the pool/buffet/hot tubs/grill/pizza are all right there. you cannot stay on the pool deck on BA and i have to admit. this was fantastic! really i enjoyed it. there are also 2 large mini's L 107 and 108 i believe, that are on the front corners of the ship and can hold a party of 50. if you are a balcony lover, you must get these rooms!

 

if you are a non boozer, then the soda pack on the regal is great. 8bucks a day includes mocktails and juices! and water is 8 bucks a case, not 70 like i paid on the BA.

 

NCL includes the booze pack with virtually ever cabin but you have to find a special sale for princess to include the booze pack. its not continual like NCL

 

princess excursions/internet etc rarely, if ever seem to go on sale if that matters to you.

 

so in summary if you are doing warm weather and want lotta outside stuff to do. the BA Wins by a landslide with the water slides etc. i found none of that mattered to me and the big screen and hot tubs on the regal were more than enough. if you want super entertainment for 2 hours a shot you have to do BA. but princess does have a tv studio where they do game shows . its pretty fun. regal has more of an upscale vibe to it. Also leaving from brooklyn was easier than manhattan for me in as far as 25 vs 40 a day parking.

 

i almost forgot to address specialty restaurants. there were only 2 on regal and i didnt try them but regal has ultimate balcony dining for 100 and you should research that. its a 200 dollar value and in another thread the math has been done. but i loved ocean blue and cagneys on the BA for specialty dining.

 

hope all this is clear as mud now lol. if you want quiet and sedate and relaxing, princess is for you. the BA appeared to be a much more active and party like ship. yet i always felt closed in on the public shopping decks. princess excelled at usage of indoor space.

[luckyinpa]

just read the poster above about NCL pizza. i have to say, maybe its just because i was in haven that i got such good pizza but i loved the room service onion and shroom pizza soo much. best ive had in a very long time even on land. the way they dumped cheese on it was amazing. just love it.

 

alfredos on regal was excellent as well and the pizza joint on lido deck was pretty good too. i did not get any non room service pizza on NCL so i cannot compare there.