Just off Regal Princess- Our 1st Princess cruise- honest thoughts and opinions.

[Lucky TGO]

Thanks for a great review. About the Sanctuary I agree with you.

Tony

[Keith1010]

I enjoyed reading your well written and organized review.

Keith

[divaofdisney]

We are looking forward to being on the Regal soon!

I am glad to see your review.

Can I ask more about what dishes you ordered and enjoyed at Sabatini's.

Very mixed reviews on the new menu, and we would be leaning towards Crown Grill. (We do enjoy a good steak occasionally... I enjoy Italian, but not my husband's favorite)

 

Glad to hear you had a Club level mini, and the new bed!

Ohhh how I wish our Deluxe balcony would have the new bed.

If anybody knows about new beds being brought on the Regal, that would be welcomed news!

 

We also really want to do the Sanctuary! And plan to board as early as possible and head up there right away.

But, I do have to agree... along with some other's, that the 'spa', pin drop silence can get, well, maybe a bit boring???

I do think the experience will def. be something that I will really enjoy doing, at least once!

 

 

 

We loved Sabatini’s. I don’t recall off hand the names of dishes but one of them was risotto it was a appetizer and oh my goodness it was amazing. Please see my pics below.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[azbirdmom]

We just got off Regal too. In my own opinion (in comparing only this cruise to my other 8 Regal cruises over the past years, since Regal join the fleet). We felt that the food was no way as good as it was before in the main dinning room and the buffet. I have NEVER complained before about the food on Regal. This is just my opinion for my 9th cruise on her.

 

Was this on in the MDR or elsewhere on the ship? With the exception of the first formal night when we dined in Crown Grill, we ate all of our dinners in Horizon Court and it was fantastic. We tend to do this when we are on the Regal or Royal as we find that the Horizon Court on these ships are several notches above the fare found on the buffets of the other Princess ships. Lots of choices, carved meats, cooked to order items.

[BabsinTX]

I'm definitely going to Sabatini's after seeing your picture of the desserts!

 

Thanks so much for your review. It's nice to get a fresh take on a cruise ship. Our first Princess cruise was on the Grand and the food was awful. Then we tried Caribbean Princess and, like magic, the food was SO much better.

[san diego sue]

Thanks for that well balanced review.

We cruise Princess often and I know what you mean about getting a bit bored. Our long cruises

seems like the days fly by with activities or port intense days. Those 7 days just don't have much activities during the sea days.Noticed that except for Trivia and bingo, not much else. We still love our cruises and those short ones are a time to relax and unwind(and catch up on our reading).

 

[geocruiser]

Was this on in the MDR or elsewhere on the ship? With the exception of the first formal night when we dined in Crown Grill, we ate all of our dinners in Horizon Court and it was fantastic. We tend to do this when we are on the Regal or Royal as we find that the Horizon Court on these ships are several notches above the fare found on the buffets of the other Princess ships. Lots of choices, carved meats, cooked to order items.

 

In the main dinning room they served some "OOPS" to us. We only did the buffet at lunch, while the food was good, there were a lot of choices that were missing from our other Regal cruises. Of course most of them were the things that my DH liked. The desserts at the buffet were not that good either. The first time that I was able to get Opera cake there on the last sea day, I thought that it was so bad. I could not eat it.

We did not eat there at night time. I know that some of their chefs left. Four that I know of.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

re: age...

Pick a cruise during any school break, and you will get a much younger crowd with kids. Like us - 30-40s, school aged kids. We are limited to cruising during school breaks now (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New year, spring break.). We don't cruise between mid-April and Thanksgiving due to it being the hurricane season.

 

Ohhh how I wish our Deluxe balcony would have the new bed.

I find regular single beds to be unbearable, but to my surprise, the single sofa bed in our deluxe balcony room was much more comfortable than the regular single beds. Even though it's supposed to be the opposite.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

Our first Princess cruise was on the Grand and the food was awful. Then we tried Caribbean Princess and, like magic, the food was SO much better.

Regal Princess' food is so much better than Caribbean (I mean the Horizon court).

Our first Princess cruise was on Regal (April 2016) and we were very impressed with MDR and buffet food. Imagine our disappointment when the buffet we expected to see on the Caribbean Princess in Nov 2016 wasn't anywhere near as extensive and great as Regal.

[Host CJSKIDS]

In the main dinning room they served some "OOPS" to us. We only did the buffet at lunch, while the food was good, there were a lot of choices that were missing from our other Regal cruises. Of course most of them were the things that my DH liked. The desserts at the buffet were not that good either. The first time that I was able to get Opera cake there on the last sea day, I thought that it was so bad. I could not eat it.

We did not eat there at night time. I know that some of their chefs left. Four that I know of.

 

They had a large amount of crew leave the day we boarded and then another the day we left.

 

There was definitely a different chef in Alfredo's the week we were on because our friends that were doing a b2b ate there 3 times the week prior and loved the gluten free pizza (as they always do) but both times we went with them they were gross.

 

I do agree that there were things missing and the desserts were just not great at the buffet as in the past.

[deliver42]

We just got off the Regal too. Same cruise, and I hope all went well for the woman that was taken to Turk and Calisos. I agree with the OP. Very relaxing, except for dodging the scooters, of which there were more than I can count. I'm 75, and felt young compared to this crowd. Also, I found a lot of rude people. Trying to get on the elevators before allowing those on to get off. No returns of "good morning", or whatever else. The layout of the buffet, IMHO is awful. Much prefer RCCL for that.I also agree with little to do during the day. The only problem I had with the food in the MDR, believe it or not, was blue cheese salad dressing, which was neither white or had ANY cheese. I spoke to Frederico about it on the last night, and he made up a better concoction, but still no cheese. By the way, he is the MaitreD. The head waiter said they changed brands. UGH!. Had a good time, but will not be back. There are just better options out there for us. Nothing against Princess.b By the way, other people were also commenting on the rudeness. This was, by the passengers, not the crew, who were fabulous.

[geocruiser]

. The only problem I had with the food in the MDR, believe it or not, was blue cheese salad dressing, which was neither white or had ANY cheese. .

 

Agree! I had it one night, and when my salad came, I ask the waiter what it was!

[Host CJSKIDS]

Agree! I had it one night, and when my salad came, I ask the waiter what it was!

 

 

That’s the same dressing that they gave me my friend’s leftovers at the embarkation lunch! We couldn’t figure out if it was blue cheese or what it was. I was just so dumb founded that they gave me his leftover dressing that I couldn’t even try and figure out what it was!

[geocruiser]

That’s the same dressing that they gave me my friend’s leftovers at the embarkation lunch! We couldn’t figure out if it was blue cheese or what it was. I was just so dumb founded that they gave me his leftover dressing that I couldn’t even try and figure out what it was!

 

That is awful. The taste was not good either.

[fishin' musician]

The Princess client age demographic is definitely a few years beyond RCL's. RCL goes squarely at the family market. Princess does not. I think Princess and X are similar as far as clientele age and wage demographic goes. RCL does offer far more daytime activities and has an overall louder vibe with lots of announcements. I'd put RCL's main stage entertainment a notch or two above Princess. For DW and me, the laid back vibe on Princess is like going home, but we really have no brand loyalty and the right itinerary combined with the right price would put us on another RCL cruise without hesitation.

[Vacationdreamer<><]

I agree with OP re: activities. When it comes to my family DCL & NCL delivered. We are trying MSC soon too. But I’m heading out for another moms-only 5-Night and am totally looking forward to the nothing-but-lie-in-the-sun vibe for four days. [emoji173]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Riba4U]

Agree! I had it one night, and when my salad came, I ask the waiter what it was!

 

 

 

My husband and I were on the same cruise. I always look forward to making myself a nice salad for lunch from the HC. On the first Sea day I was making my salad and went to get some ranch and it looked like there were 2 blue cheese dressings instead so the lady working behind the line combined the 2 blue cheese dressings and got a new bowl for the ranch. She insisted on taking my salad bowl to put on the ranch for me. She opened the fridge behind her and pulled out a big tub (like a giant dressing or mayo tub you can get at Sam's Club or Costco) and ladled the ranch straight from the tub onto my salad and filled the dressing bowl and put it out. I don't know why I was so shocked! It actually tasted awful and I know they must have changed it because I've enjoyed it very much on our Princess cruises in the past.

[cruzsnooze]

When I did a B2B Mediterranean $ TA I Choose RCL because I knew the TA with all the sea days would be more lively with more activities on RCL.

[Tapi]

We just booked a Club class Mini Suite on the Regal and I’m glad to read your positive review about it. I struggled with the decision to spend extra money over a regular mini suite, but your review puts my mind at ease.

 

We are in our 40’s and, raising a young family, we always look for family friendly, high energy, active cruises, but this Regal Princess cruise will be for a wedding anniversary without kids. So your comments about the relaxed and laid back atmosphere is actually music to our ears.

 

Thanks for taking the time to write your review!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Culinarycruiseguy]

Thank you for a very good review, however, I just found out that I am the "older crowd" at 52:( I have sailed Princess many times (in fact will be doing so again on Regal in 3 weeks) and have also sailed RCCL, NCL, Disney and Carnival. I understand what you mean about the activity level and while I think Princess has a very fun vibe, it certainly is more laid back than RCCL! I think that Princess is simply a bit more refined and tends to hover slightly to the above 40 crowd with many passengers in their 60's, 70's and above (7 day seem to be a younger crowd with 10+ day cruises having a older clientele). My wife and I have traveled on Princess since our early 30's and have always enjoyed that mix of people and have found that by having that mix we get to do a little bit of everything from great shows, music and activities to being able to find quiet spaces for relaxation, cocktails or dining (and the pools are never as busy as some other line)....I think that is what makes Princess special to us. This is the beauty of cruising today, there is a line out there for pretty much everyone....couples (young or old), groups, large families, families with kids, families with teens, anyone really. And remember, no matter what, enjoy it! After all, you're on a cruise!!!