Royal Princess - Pool Question

[dporter]

Now that Royal will be going to Alaska in 2019 I am wondering if there is an indoor pool. I have looked at some pictures and its hard to tell. Does anyone know if the Retreat pool can be covered if the weather is chilly? It seems odd that there would be a cruise ship going to Alaska that didn't offer an indoor pool option.

[fishywood]

No covered pool on Royal Princess.

 

The Crown/Emerald/Ruby class of Princess ships has been sailing Alaska for a good five years without covered pools. More important to have adequate open decks for the days of glacier viewing. And unless you are sailing very late in the season it is rare to have no days sunny and warm enough to use an outdoor pool.

 

Now a British Isles cruise with no covered pool--those make Alaska tropical by comparison. (And Princess is finally remedying that with Sapphire Princess out of Southampton in 2018)

[JF - retired RRT]

No. The pools on the Royal class ships are almost an afterthought..."oh yeah, guess we need to add some pools. Where can we put them without interfering with our quest for $$?"

[easyboy]

Been on Royal in chilly weather. I don’t think the Retreat pool can be covered.

 

 

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[floridalover5623]

Add to that, the Retreat pool is ALWAYS windy unless the ship is in port. If the ship is in motion you can count on a constant wind it plus they're little shade to be had.

 

There are no fully shaded areas like at the main pools only covered shaded areas around the edge which only give partial sun blockage.

 

Also the pool is deep even on the shallow end. Most people have a hard time keeping their heads above water standing on their toes.

[dporter]

Thank you.

[WillandTam]

No covered pool on Royal Princess.

 

The Crown/Emerald/Ruby class of Princess ships has been sailing Alaska for a good five years without covered pools. More important to have adequate open decks for the days of glacier viewing. And unless you are sailing very late in the season it is rare to have no days sunny and warm enough to use an outdoor pool.

 

Now a British Isles cruise with no covered pool--those make Alaska tropical by comparison. (And Princess is finally remedying that with Sapphire Princess out of Southampton in 2018)

 

 

No indoor pool. It is a wonderful ship in any case! enjoy!

[PrincessLuver]

No. The pools on the Royal class ships are almost an afterthought..."oh yeah, guess we need to add some pools. Where can we put them without interfering with our quest for $$?"

 

This is not true.....the Majestic (Royal Class) has a wonderful covered pool called the Hollywood Beach Club...:cool:

[riclop]

Now that Royal will be going to Alaska in 2019 I am wondering if there is an indoor pool. I have looked at some pictures and its hard to tell. Does anyone know if the Retreat pool can be covered if the weather is chilly? It seems odd that there would be a cruise ship going to Alaska that didn't offer an indoor pool option.

Retreat pool is open.

[Cruiser411]

And it appears that Sky Princess will have a covered forward pool too...

[fishywood]

And it appears that Sky Princess will have a covered forward pool too...

 

If you are referring to the Retreat Pool: while it appears to be enclosed on the sides due to being surrounded by passenger cabins, the deck plans clearly show it open to the sky through the deck(s) above.

[antsp]

If you like using the upper decks on Princess, avoid the Royal class ships

[PrincessLuver]

If you like using the upper decks on Princess, avoid the Royal class ships

 

Not sure what you are talking about....however it i just an opinion.....we love the Royal class ships in every way and since that is the only class of ship Princess is building for the foreseeable future then your options will become much more limited if you do not appreciate the Royal class ships....:)

[floridalover5623]

Not sure what you are talking about....however it i just an opinion.....we love the Royal class ships in every way and since that is the only class of ship Princess is building for the foreseeable future then your options will become much more limited if you do not appreciate the Royal class ships....:)

As you say and it's got everything that the other ships have...just located differently.

[Pam in CA]

If you are referring to the Retreat Pool: while it appears to be enclosed on the sides due to being surrounded by passenger cabins, the deck plans clearly show it open to the sky through the deck(s) above.

The Retreat Pool is Open to the sun, wind, rain and everything else Mother Nature has up her sleeve. The “cover” on the sides are canvas strips that offer no protection.

[Astro Flyer]

The evolution of the Retreat Pool has attempted to minimize the wind tunnel effects...deflectors on the Regal & covered on the Majestic.

 

Based on current Sky deck plans, some have speculated that it might be closer to the aft Terrace Pool on Grand-Class ships. That has a pool with limited deck space & some adjacent cabins with most of the deck space being one deck higher. That appears to be accurate but only time will tell because based on other threads they began cutting the Sky’s steel in September at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard located near Trieste Italy.

[antsp]

Not sure what you are talking about....however it i just an opinion.....we love the Royal class ships in every way and since that is the only class of ship Princess is building for the foreseeable future then your options will become much more limited if you do not appreciate the Royal class ships....:)

 

 

2 pools for 3500 passengers, that’s all I was saying

[MJSailors]

To the OP If you think that a covered pool is a must for an Alaskan cruise, you may want to look into Celebrity cruises. Some of their ships have enclosed pools (Summit) or NCL ships that have Haven area pools.

[myfuzzy]

Talking about pools.....what about the aft "pool" on the Regal....what a joke

[reedprincess]

To the OP If you think that a covered pool is a must for an Alaskan cruise, you may want to look into Celebrity cruises. Some of their ships have enclosed pools (Summit) or NCL ships that have Haven area pools.

Solstice class ships all have covered/enclosed pools for Celebrity. Drawback is inferior itineraries.

[Cruise Raider]

I booked on the Royal not realizing it didn't have a covered pool. Wow ... I just didn't even think that was possible anymore. I will still go on my scheduled trip but still surprised I hadn't thought about this before I booked. Lazing around in the covered pool area is one of my favorite things about cruising .. especially up in Alaska. Oh well ....

I learn so much about cruising from these threads.

[dmwnc1959]

I booked on the Royal not realizing it didn't have a covered pool. Wow ... I just didn't even think that was possible anymore. I will still go on my scheduled trip but still surprised I hadn't thought about this before I booked. Lazing around in the covered pool area is one of my favorite things about cruising .. especially up in Alaska. Oh well ....

I learn so much about cruising from these threads.

 

 

The ship has been in service since 2013. Countless threads, including Live threads with lots of pictures, have been posted on this forum. Or, all you had to do was use the internet to search for a picture of the ship. Never have I booked a ship without looking at pictures of it first, and this goes all the way back to when I relied on brochures. Even the deck plan back then indicated whether the pools were covered. Speaking of deck plans, they’re on the internet too.

 

:cool:

Edited December 25, 2017 by dmwnc1959

[fishywood]

The Diamond/Sapphire Princess twins were the last Princess ships to be launched with an indoor pool--in 2004. Starting with Caribbean Princess (whose maiden voyage in Spring 2004 was actually in between those of the two ships above) no new build for Princess has had an indoor pool save for the one-off Hollywood Conservatory on Majestic Princess. I am befuddled that people are still finding this fact revelatory almost 14 years later.

[Cruise Raider]

The ship has been in service since 2013. Countless threads, including Live threads with lots of pictures, have been posted on this forum. Or, all you had to do was use the internet to search for a picture of the ship. Never have I booked a ship without looking at pictures of it first, and this goes all the way back to when I relied on brochures. Even the deck plan back then indicated whether the pools were covered. Speaking of deck plans, they’re on the internet too.

 

:cool:

 

Oh yes ... I am well aware but just haven't even looked into the Royal threads until just now, as they weren't offering any sailings on her over here on the west coast. I should have researched before booking but it still comes as a surprise to me that any line would build a newer and larger ship without an indoor pool. No regrets, though ... I will still go and have a great time ... I just won't bother to take more than one swim suit with me. No need!

[Wishing on a star]

Covered, or not, We sailed on the CORAL.... Princess is notorious for lack of heating, or lack of adequate heating.

The pool and hot-tubs on the CORAL when we sailed Alaska in late May were what I referred to as 'some cruel joke'.

 

Anyone should sail ALASKA for the itinerary, to see Alaska.

The pool should be pretty far down the list.