Just back from first time on Royal -- misc impressions

[junglejane]

 

DH and I just returned from the 10 day Mexico cruise on the Royal Princess. This was our first cruise on a Royal class ship, first experience with the Medallion, and my first cruise as Elite. Here are some random impressions:
 

We spent the night before the cruise at the Doubletree Hilton in San Pedro and rode their shuttle to the cruise terminal, leaving the hotel at about noon. Embarkation was very easy and we were quickly in our room, E409. I selected that room after doing research here on CC and was very pleased. It is a deluxe balcony, supposedly obstructed but not really, and has an angled balcony that is extra-large. It’s under the skywalk but many floors below and we weren’t bothered by that in the least. It was also a convenient midship location with easy access to all the public spaces on 7, 6 and 5.
 

The moment we got to the room we made two phone calls. One was to room service to swap out the Elite mini-bar for two coffee cards. (Again thanks to CC for alerting us to this option.) The other was to the Dine line to sign up for Chef’s Table. It was about 1:00 pm when I called the Dine line. I was very sad the next day when we received a note under the door saying we had not been picked for Chef’s Table. I later spoke to the Maitre D’ who told me that 92 people had called to sign up for Chef’s Table, and they had done two dinners. It’s unclear to me how they pick people. We didn’t have any allergies or special issues. I’m not sure I believe it’s strictly first come first served, but if Chef’s Table is a top priority for you, I would board and call as early as you can, definitely before noon.
 

At the Captain’s Club reception on the second formal night, they told us that our cruise had over 1000 Platinum and over 900 Elite members. With so many experienced cruisers it was probably no wonder that Chef’s Table was in high demand.
 

We were a little surprised by the number of walkers and scooters. We definitely noticed more mobility impaired and elderly passengers than we’ve seen in the past. Obviously I support older and less-able people in their desire to cruise--we are getting there ourselves.  When I went to the Elite grapevine wine tasting, I was seated next to a lovely 98 year old gentleman.
 

 

 

We also witnessed several men wearing shorts to dinner on smart casual nights. Once when the Head Waiter stopped by our table to chat, we asked about the shorts. He said it was a sensitive subject.  The staff can at most mention the dress code to people and sometimes they go back and change but more often they won’t. He said that passengers present a variety of excuses, such as “it’s not in the cruise contract,” “our TA didn’t tell us” or “ the dress code is just a suggestion.” He also said they used to have a sign explaining the dress code outside the entrance to the dining room, but that they were not allowed to use the sign any more.  
 

 

Overall we liked the design of the Royal and would be happy to cruise on a Royal class ship again. We especially liked the fact that the piazza had much more seating than the Grand class ships.  Our biggest design complaint would be the midship elevators--almost always full, and usually stopping at nearly every floor from 5 to 16. Given the frequent need to load and unload scooters, the trip could take a while. Fortunately our cabin was midship on Deck 8 so it was pretty easy to take the stairs most places. We also liked the design of the buffet compared to the Grand Class ships. We also never had trouble finding a table at the buffet, unlike many of our prior Grand class experiences. We also prefer the new design of the Vista Lounge versus Club Fusion.

Okay, here come our food criticisms. Skip this paragraph if you don’t want to read negative comments. We know food is subjective so these are merely subjective opinions. The dining room was fine as expected. But elsewhere we saw signs of cutbacks. The fish at pub lunch was soggy and the curry was bland. Alfredos’ pizza crust was uncrispy with the overall effect being similar to Chuck E Cheese. We also were underwhelmed with Sabatini’s. Our waiter was excellent so we are not faulting the service, but the food was disappointing. DH had the “Lobster Three Ways” (which was more like three-quarters of one way), and I had the chicken supreme. The best part of Sabatini's was definitely the desserts. One day we ordered the Elite Tea in our stateroom. That was a bit of a disappointment too. Next time I’ll just do the regular Afternoon Tea or maybe the one with the upcharge. For our in-room tea, we each got one single teabag and enough hot water for one single cup each. The scones were excellent but the sandwiches and pastries seemed to have been randomly picked from the buffet. 
 

We were very happy with our coffee cards and stopped several times a day at the International Cafe. As mentioned above, it was nice that there was adequate seating and we didn’t have to struggle to find a table.
 

As for the Medallion, we liked it as a convenient form of a cruise card that didn’t get de-magnetized or easily lost. We didn’t try to use any of the features on the app. I have mixed feelings about how the Medallion enables Princess to track you all over the ship. For example, I left a comment card suggesting that Princess consider online signups for Chef’s Table in the Cruise Personalizer. That prompted the Maitre d’ to call me on my stateroom phone, which was very nice. But he mentioned that he picked that time to call because, based on my Medallion, he could see that I was in my room. I can see pros and cons of the tracking capability.
 

The entertainment was very good. Matt O is a fantastic Cruise Director and just bursting with energy and enthusiasm. On the last night of the cruise we had a turnover of the Princess singers and dancers, and the new group performed a new production show called The Secret Silk. The show had spectacular sets, costumes and special effects. We could follow the basic storyline but had trouble understanding the words to a lot of the songs. Not sure if that was just our aging ears or if the sound production wasn’t quite right. But it was very fun to see a new show and I recommend everyone check it out.
 

Despite our minor complaints, we had a great time and will continue to be loyal Princess cruisers. We met lots of fun and interesting people on this cruise. And of course we made sure to buy Future Cruise Deposits.

Edited October 15, 2019 by junglejane

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for taking the time to write a review!  🙂

Do you know who the MD was?

[junglejane]

3 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Thanks for taking the time to write a review!  🙂

Do you know who the MD was?

MD was Generoso Mazzone.

[reedprincess]

Secret Silk was introduced in January or February 2018. We saw it aboard in March 2018.. FWIW..

 

Glad you enjoyed. Royal class ships are among our favorite ships at sea...

[Tallcruiser]

Thanks for the review.  I will be on the Royal for the first time Nov . 30th. 
I have sailed with the Medallion before.  Maybe I am in the minority, but I don't want to carry my phone around with me to use the apps.  I don't like being tracked.  I sail to disconnect .
I did notice my last Medallion cruise there were fewer servers going around offering drink service.  So like the self check out at the grocery stores, this is probably a way to cut the need for man hours by way of using our apps. 
 

[need2cruisesoon]

Can you extrapolate a bit on each of the ports? Excursions?

 

Thanks,

[junglejane]

5 minutes ago, need2cruisesoon said:

Can you extrapolate a bit on each of the ports? Excursions?

 

Thanks,

The only organized excursion we did was in Cabo where we did the Hotel California and Todos Santos. That was enjoyable. We had a good tour guide named Libby who told us a lot of interesting history about Todos Santos. Unfortunately because it was Sunday most of the shops and galleries were closed. My DH is skeptical about the claim of the hotel to be "the" hotel that inspired the Eagles hit, but they served a nice lunch. 

In Loreto we just walked off the ship and down the main tourist street. We visited the Jesuit Mission Museum which was small but interesting ($3 admission). We had a fantastic lunch at a restaurant my DH had found on Trip Advisor called Mi Loreto. Highly recommend their shrimp ceviche.

 

We wimped out in Puerto Vallarta and stayed on the ship because it was so hot and humid. It was a bit lazy of us but we'd been there several times on prior cruises. It it had been less hot we would've taken a taxi to the Malecon. We also wimped out on Manzanillo and stayed on the ship.

[junglejane]

Photo from our lunch at Mi Loreto. Wish I had a picture of the ceviche:

[geoherb]

Thanks for posting your review. I'm surprised at the number of Platinum and Elite passengers. And more surprised that so many would sign up for the chef's table. I have done it three times and now let others have a chance.

[princess09]

Thank you for a well balanced review.

[caribill]

4 hours ago, reedprincess said:

Secret Silk was introduced in January or February 2018. We saw it aboard in March 2018.. FWIW..

 

 

Earlier this year performances of the show were suspended, supposedly due to some copyright issues.

 

The revised production is what the OP attended. If you go see it again, it will be a new show to you.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

6 hours ago, junglejane said:

As for the Medallion, we liked it as a convenient form of a cruise card that didn’t get de-magnetized or easily lost.... But he mentioned that he picked that time to call because, based on my Medallion, he could see that I was in my room. I can see pros and cons of the tracking capability.

 

Thanks for the review.

 

I find the tracking capability creepy at best and would be very uncomfortable with it if I had my grandkids with me. All these new "tools" carry a dark downside.

[AF-1]

Thanks for your review.  Quick question;  under your food review;  you mentioned you saw signs of cutbacks; you mentioned soggy fish and pizza not having crisp crust.  This seems like a chef or cooks issue; not a cutback.  Did I read between the line or did I miss something?  Thanks and have a great day

[junglejane]

@AF-1 "Cutbacks" is my interpretation of what I see as a decline in food quality. Maybe you are right that part or most of the explanation is preparation, although it was across multiple venues including Alfredos, Pub Lunch and Sabatini's . But focusing on Alredo's for example, it was more than just that the crust wasn't good. The cheese used also seemed cheap and greasy. The deficiencies in Pub Lunch on the other hand were more related to preparation.

[junglejane]

4 hours ago, scottca075 said:

I find the tracking capability creepy at best and would be very uncomfortable with it if I had my grandkids with me. All these new "tools" carry a dark downside.

As I said, I see pros and cons. For example, they must have the capability of tracking when minors are somewhere they shouldn't be, such as in the crew areas. And if your minor went missing, they could quickly locate the kid (or at least their medallion). In that way the medallion could help deter or solve criminal behavior.

[Colo Cruiser]

4 hours ago, scottca075 said:

 

Thanks for the review.

 

I find the tracking capability creepy at best and would be very uncomfortable with it if I had my grandkids with me. All these new "tools" carry a dark downside.

Maybe cruising in "these" times is not for you anymore?  😉

[AF-1]

Thanks junglejane;   I appreciate your response.  Glad you had a good cruise

[MTJSR]

Thanks for the review.

 

I was on the same cruise, first time on the Royal and also my first cruise as Elite. I thought the ship was beautiful. I was getting very use to the grand and crown class ships, so it was time for something new. My cabin was C619 and since we pretty much hung out between the atrium and the aft, this cabin was fairly central for us.

 

I have always felt Princess is very hit and miss on food (taste,warmth,selection) and the Royal buffet did not disappoint. Corned beef hash, fake scrambled eggs, cold sticky sausage, overcooked oatmeal and old cold toast at breakfast was the rock bottom for me.

 

The single most disappointing major food item onboard is the 10oz strip steak at Sabatini’s. I was served the toughest piece of beef I have ever had in my life. The plate was just awful looking as well. White beens under a tough chunk of steak with a bland gravy poured over it. It literally looked like a main dining room item. My waiter quickly exchanged it for the veal shank but honestly, neither was a 29.00 cover charge meal. I did love the Calamari appetizer though and desert was good.

 

The veal raviolis “Agnolotti Gratinati alla Piemontese” at Alfredo’s was one of the best items on board for me. Not to mention of course, all the “Chocolate Journey” special deserts.

 

The crew was great! Embarkation was the quickest I’ve ever experienced.

 

My only other minor complaints are the tv in our cabin was real dusty on the back and you could see it walking by and the sofa cushions in the cabin couch are angled forward (due to the folding bed inside) so you slide off. We never could sit there.

 

Overall a good cruise, but the most mediocre vegas buffet is much better than a Princess buffet.

 

[Bruin Steve]

Thanks for the review, Jane...

We'll be doing an eerily similar cruise January 4...We are also staying pre-cruise at the Doubletree in San Pedro...and also have one of those supposedly obstructed premium Elite deck balconies (But ours is E108 which is up front...Though I prefer midship for the convenience, the size of the balcony on 108 seemed too nice to pass up and the only obstruction, apparently, is that the railing is solid rather than plexiglass)...

 

A couple of questions:

Since this will be our first time staying pre-cruise at the Doubletree, how was the experience with their shuttle?  Did you have to reserve a time at check-in...or just show up in the lobby?  When you returned to port at the end of the cruise, did you take the shuttle back to the Doubletree? (We need to since we're leaving our car there)  If so, how was that handled?

 

We usually do the pub lunch at least one day...but it sounds like it wasn't all that good on Royal...Would you recommend skipping it?

 

Any idea if Matt O will still be onboard January 4??

 

Thanks...

 

And...on that Todos Santos excursion:  We've taken that one before--but ours was on New Year's Day and EVERYTHING was closed...The guide made a couple of calls and 3 or 4 shop owners in one complex came down and opened their shops for an hour or so for us.  I can tell you, also, with a great degree of certainty, that the "Hotel California" they visit has absolutely nothing to do with the Eagles song...it's just convenient for them for their marketing purposes...

[Rockymountainsparky]

Thank you JungleJane for the wonderful review. We're looking forward to our first Royal class cruise next Oct.

[junglejane]

Hi @Bruin Steve. For the Doubletree shuttle, be sure to sign up for a shuttle time when you check in. The shuttles are vans that carry about 6 people and their luggage, so they assign you to a specific shuttle and driver. You aren't supposed to show up and just climb on one, because they're fully booked. Our shuttle was at noon and there were at least 3 vans loading up passengers at that time.  Our driver gave instructions about getting the shuttle back. We were going directly to the Long Beach airport so I didn't listen too closely but I think it involved going to a specific pickup spot and maybe calling a designated number. 

I know Matt O is leaving the Royal. I don't know the exact day but it's been reported on here somewhere if you search. So most likely he'll be gone by the time you get there.

As for pub lunch, it's free so I'd probably give it another try. A big crowd lines up for the opening at noon, so either line up well ahead of that, or swing by later at 1:00 pm and then spots will be opening up.

Thanks for confirming my DH's conclusion that the Hotel California story is just a nice marketing story. And of course our tour guide made sure that at least one store opened up for us on Sunday, so I did managed to buy a nice pair of earrings!

Edited October 15, 2019 by junglejane

[Itchy&Scratchy]

3 hours ago, junglejane said:

As I said, I see pros and cons. For example, they must have the capability of tracking when minors are somewhere they shouldn't be, such as in the crew areas. And if your minor went missing, they could quickly locate the kid (or at least their medallion). In that way the medallion could help deter or solve criminal behavior.

we had that happen on the Allure of the Seas. Some preteen got "lost" on the ship, and they paged him several times for about an hour. Would have been easier if he had a trackable medallion on him.

[Italy52]

Is there a cost for the shuttle to the pier from the Doubletree?

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for taking the time to post your comments.

Nice, balanced review.

[greenie082756]

Thanks for doing your review.

We cruise on the Royal last April to Mexico. 

We loved Alfredo's and ate there several times. Did not find any issues with our meals.

I agree about the elevators so many times we did the stairs if possible.

The MDR food was basically the same as we had on other ships. The buffet area was so vast that many times I would get

turned around trying to find where the hubby was 🙄. Agree there was always a place to sit and eat.

Because of the weather issues it became crowded inside and that was not fun.

We also had Matt as a cruise director and I was always wondering how much coffee he drank in a day 😁

Royal is not our favorite however its not the worse from our experiences. 

I would like to try the Regal as they did make a few changes to her design that seems interesting.