New to Princess - please help

[Nicole&Pete]

Hello everyone,

 

We have cruised many times but are new to princess, we are looking at a cruise next year on the grand princess but have a few questions about the cruise line. There a quite a few so apologies, but if anyone has any answers for me that would be great;

 

Firstly does anyone have any suggestions on cabin? We would like a balcony but notice the premium balconies on the Caribe deck have a larger balcony with better furniture. Is this right and is it worth paying a little extra for a premium balcony? 
 

I am assuming the beds are a similar size to other lines. Are they comfortable because I quite like a soft bed?
 

Is there interactive TV in your room with a choice of films for example?
 

We like the look of the sanctuary but it is a medium to cool weather cruise so don’t know if it is worth it in cooler weather? Do you have to book this when on board and can you book for just one sea day for example when you first Board the ship or is it only bookable on the day of use? I notice you can pick your loungers, does any one know the best places to sit in the sanctuary,especially in cooler weather?

 

I notice there is an adults only spa pool, the lotus spa pool I think, does anyone know if this is quiet and will be suitable for a cooler weather cruise, I imagine the covered pool gets very busy on cooler weather trips?

Are there complimentary drinks stations on board the ship and what do they serve? We are used to the celebrity drinks stations located around the ship which serve fruit punch and lemonade all day. Do they have these on princess and are they in various areas of the ship like pool side, at the grill, international cafe etc?

 

I like the look of the Alfredos pizzeria, can you book this or do you have to queue up if you want lunch here? Do they also serve the pub lunch in the crown grill and are you able to book that? 

Does anyone know how long the food places are open like the horizon court, the poolside pizza place and poolside grill? I am assuming they don’t close these if the weather gets cold?

 

Is it advisable to arrive early to theatre shows and movies under the stars for example?

My final question is about dinner; do people tend to attend their dinner seating in the MDR? We like traditional dining but have found some people forego their MDR seating and we are often left dining on our own and the restaurant is often half empty. Does this happen on Princess at all? Also how dressed up are people at dinner? 
 

Sorry for the long list of questions, any help would be appreciated,

 

Nicole

[Elevatorman]

34 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Hello everyone,

 

We have cruised many times but are new to princess, we are looking at a cruise next year on the grand princess but have a few questions about the cruise line. There a quite a few so apologies, but if anyone has any answers for me that would be great;

 

Firstly does anyone have any suggestions on cabin? We would like a balcony but notice the premium balconies on the Caribe deck have a larger balcony with better furniture. Is this right and is it worth paying a little extra for a premium balcony? 
 

I am assuming the beds are a similar size to other lines. Are they comfortable because I quite like a soft bed?
 

Is there interactive TV in your room with a choice of films for example?
 

We like the look of the sanctuary but it is a medium to cool weather cruise so don’t know if it is worth it in cooler weather? Do you have to book this when on board and can you book for just one sea day for example when you first Board the ship or is it only bookable on the day of use? I notice you can pick your loungers, does any one know the best places to sit in the sanctuary,especially in cooler weather?

 

I notice there is an adults only spa pool, the lotus spa pool I think, does anyone know if this is quiet and will be suitable for a cooler weather cruise, I imagine the covered pool gets very busy on cooler weather trips?

Are there complimentary drinks stations on board the ship and what do they serve? We are used to the celebrity drinks stations located around the ship which serve fruit punch and lemonade all day. Do they have these on princess and are they in various areas of the ship like pool side, at the grill, international cafe etc?

 

I like the look of the Alfredos pizzeria, can you book this or do you have to queue up if you want lunch here? Do they also serve the pub lunch in the crown grill and are you able to book that? 

Does anyone know how long the food places are open like the horizon court, the poolside pizza place and poolside grill? I am assuming they don’t close these if the weather gets cold?

 

Is it advisable to arrive early to theatre shows and movies under the stars for example?

My final question is about dinner; do people tend to attend their dinner seating in the MDR? We like traditional dining but have found some people forego their MDR seating and we are often left dining on our own and the restaurant is often half empty. Does this happen on Princess at all? Also how dressed up are people at dinner? 
 

Sorry for the long list of questions, any help would be appreciated,

 

Nicole

 

[1025cruise]

Before you go nuts researching, the Grand and the Regal were recently swapped out. Are you sure you are cruising on the Grand, and not the Regal?

[Elevatorman]

Your questions are difficult to answer honestly because what was true before pandemic are not going to be true in the near future. Yes the bedding is comfy and the balconies are larger on some cabins, but they corporate heads haven’t worked out which ships are sailing on what dates and will they be able to dock at some ports. Standing on lines waiting for food and how to be served is a major issue for the future, will buffets be allowed and so forth. 
Taking  in consideration for social distancing means the new ways to serve in the MDR and other food venues have not been announced yet. It’s just not going to be a repeat of the familiar. When they announce the new cruise rules we will all learn it together. We hope for the best.

[Nicole&Pete]

5 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

Before you go nuts researching, the Grand and the Regal were recently swapped out. Are you sure you are cruising on the Grand, and not the Regal?

 

Hi based on the itinerary we are seeing now it definitely says grand princess and you can book it now, but are you saying they may not running the grand on the planned itineraries they had planned for the ship before the pandemic?

[Nicole&Pete]

5 hours ago, Elevatorman said:

Your questions are difficult to answer honestly because what was true before pandemic are not going to be true in the near future. Yes the bedding is comfy and the balconies are larger on some cabins, but they corporate heads haven’t worked out which ships are sailing on what dates and will they be able to dock at some ports. Standing on lines waiting for food and how to be served is a major issue for the future, will buffets be allowed and so forth. 
Taking  in consideration for social distancing means the new ways to serve in the MDR and other food venues have not been announced yet. It’s just not going to be a repeat of the familiar. When they announce the new cruise rules we will all learn it together. We hope for the best.

Thanks for your help,

 

Whilst the pandemic has meant we’re not even confident to eat out yet let alone cruise anytime soon we are perhaps over optimistic about our ability to cruise this time next year and wanted to book something so we had something to look forward to. Would you perhaps recommend not booking yet until we know they are still running the itinerary and what the situation is with social distancing onboard?

[franktown]

21 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

 

Hi based on the itinerary we are seeing now it definitely says grand princess and you can book it now, but are you saying they may not running the grand on the planned itineraries they had planned for the ship before the pandemic?

Princess says on their website  "actual offerings may vary from what is displayed or described here" due to Covid 19.  None of the cruise lines know when they will sail, what ports will be open or what they will be able to offer when onboard.   Right now they are under a No Sail Order from CDC from US ports.  

[Elevatorman]

52 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Thanks for your help,

 

Whilst the pandemic has meant we’re not even confident to eat out yet let alone cruise anytime soon we are perhaps over optimistic about our ability to cruise this time next year and wanted to book something so we had something to look forward to. Would you perhaps recommend not booking yet until we know they are still running the itinerary and what the situation is with social distancing onboard?

 

[Elevatorman]

I personally would wait, you have nothing to lose.

Edited July 19, 2020 by Elevatorman
Sp

[cr8tiv1]

Elevatorman:  Not quite sure why you are quoting a post but not adding any comment (2x).

 

Nicole:  I am booked on a cruise with the Grand for next summer.  It is still showing up as a sailing on the Grand, although I received an email that says all Grand itineraries from Southampton will be replaced with the Regal.  They are still showing bookings available on the Grand when I know that it is not accurate.  There is a void of when the Grand will leave Europe and return to Los Angeles.  The Grand WILL do (hopefully) cruises from San Pedro (LA) in 2022.  I have 2 booked.  

 

As others have said...so much is up in the air right now.  I have friends who are booked for Hawaii in November (on the Star).  Not sure that is going to happen either.  

 

As for the beds, yes, they are wonderful.

 

As for cabins, you will see that there are a few who love the Window Suites on the Grand (also on the Caribbean Princess and Golden Princess).  These need to be booked almost as soon as the itinerary is announced.

 

As for shows, yes, it gets to be pretty crowded with no reservation system.  Take a good book and get there early.

 

As for the adult only pool near the spa area.  Great pool, but could be very cold.

 

Welcome to Princess.  I've sailed Celebrity and found them to be very similar to Princess.  I prefer smaller ships.  

[trbarton]

3 hours ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Hello everyone,

 

We have cruised many times but are new to princess, we are looking at a cruise next year on the grand princess but have a few questions about the cruise line. There a quite a few so apologies, but if anyone has any answers for me that would be great;

 

Firstly does anyone have any suggestions on cabin? We would like a balcony but notice the premium balconies on the Caribe deck have a larger balcony with better furniture. Is this right and is it worth paying a little extra for a premium balcony?  I’m not sure about premium balconies but the balconies on the Caribe deck are worth the $ as they are larger & partially covered & uncovered. 
 

I am assuming the beds are a similar size to other lines. Are they comfortable because I quite like a soft bed?
 

Is there interactive TV in your room with a choice of films for example? Yes there is a tv with choice of movies. Sometimes they loose there internet connection. 
 

We like the look of the sanctuary but it is a medium to cool weather cruise so don’t know if it is worth it in cooler weather? Do you have to book this when on board and can you book for just one sea day for example when you first Board the ship or is it only bookable on the day of use? I notice you can pick your loungers, does any one know the best places to sit in the sanctuary,especially in cooler weather? The sanctuary is great. You don’t say where your cruise is so that could play a big part. You can book the sanctuary for the whole cruise or just for one day. What ever you decide I would go there when you first board the ship. I used the sanctuary on a Panamá Canal only for the day through the canal & it was great. You’re treated like you’re in First Class. My suggestion is to get a lounger in the middle, that’s the most popular, as mine on the side was in the sun a lot. 

 

I notice there is an adults only spa pool, the lotus spa pool I think, does anyone know if this is quiet and will be suitable for a cooler weather cruise, I imagine the covered pool gets very busy on cooler weather trips?

Are there complimentary drinks stations on board the ship and what do they serve? We are used to the celebrity drinks stations located around the ship which serve fruit punch and lemonade all day. Do they have these on princess and are they in various areas of the ship like pool side, at the grill, international cafe etc? Sorry no complimentary drink stations. You can get juice in the morning in the buffet but I’m not sure about the other times of the day. 

 

I like the look of the Alfredos pizzeria, can you book this or do you have to queue up if you want lunch here? Do they also serve the pub lunch in the crown grill and are you able to book that?  If your ship has Alfredos Pizza there is a host that will seat you. 

Does anyone know how long the food places are open like the horizon court, the poolside pizza place and poolside grill? I am assuming they don’t close these if the weather gets cold? Perhaps someone will post the Patter for one day which will show the restaurant schedules. Afternoon tea around 3 pm. 

 

Is it advisable to arrive early to theatre shows and movies under the stars for example? YES you do want to arrive early as the theatre can fill up fast. I arrive at least 30 minutes before the show  & I prefer to sit in the front row so nobody is blocking me. 

My final question is about dinner; do people tend to attend their dinner seating in the MDR? We like traditional dining but have found some people forego their MDR seating and we are often left dining on our own and the restaurant is often half empty. Does this happen on Princess at all? Also how dressed up are people at dinner? I’ve always eaten in the main dining room except when I was going to a speciality restaurant. Only one had a problem with nobody at my table but that was only one night. 
 

Sorry for the long list of questions, any help would be appreciated,

 

Nicole

Nicole...You can never ask too many questions & none are silly. My answers are from my personal experiences. 
 

Any other questions please ask. 
 

Tom😀

[skynight]

3 hours ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Hello everyone,

 

We have cruised many times but are new to princess, we are looking at a cruise next year on the grand princess but have a few questions about the cruise line. There a quite a few so apologies, but if anyone has any answers for me that would be great;

I'll try to answer your questions, but realize that what happens in 2021 may not be the same as it was pre-pandemic. There could be lots of service changes. A lot will depend on if your cruise is post a workable vaccine. Personally I'm thinking 2022 for our next cruise and have some reservations regarding that timing. If you are on the Regal most of the information will be similar. The Regal does not have larger balconies on deck 10, there is interactive TV, no indoor pool and different pool set up where the retreat pool is the adult pool, no Alfredo's

 

Firstly does anyone have any suggestions on cabin? We would like a balcony but notice the premium balconies on the Caribe deck have a larger balcony with better furniture. Is this right and is it worth paying a little extra for a premium balcony?

All the Caribe deck balcony cat. cabins have 9ft. x 9ft. balconies, 5ft. of which is covered and 4ft. not covered. There are 3 balcony classifications on deck 10, B2 (mid ship), BE (forward), BD (aft). They all have the same interiors, same amenities, and the balcony furniture is all the same, two chairs and a table. Premium only means mid-ship, nothing else. Personally we have been choosing cat. BD on deck 10. Good location, nice value. There is only one chair in the cabin, a desk chair. The barrel chair is no longer there. Balcony cat. cabins on other decks also have the same interiors and amenities as those on the deck 10. Other deck balconies are 9ft. x 5ft., covered, with two chairs and a table. 
 

I am assuming the beds are a similar size to other lines. Are they comfortable because I quite like a soft bed?
The Grand has the Princess Luxury beds.

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/princess-luxury-bed/

Is there interactive TV in your room with a choice of films for example?
Not certain about this on the Grand.

We like the look of the sanctuary but it is a medium to cool weather cruise so don’t know if it is worth it in cooler weather? Do you have to book this when on board and can you book for just one sea day for example when you first Board the ship or is it only bookable on the day of use? I notice you can pick your loungers, does any one know the best places to sit in the sanctuary,especially in cooler weather?

In cooler weather cruises the Sanctuary is not typically that busy. On boarding day make your way to the Sanctuary shortly after boarding. There you can select your day(s) and your lounge. If it's a cool weather cruise there will probably be lots of lounges in other areas of the ship.

I notice there is an adults only spa pool, the lotus spa pool I think, does anyone know if this is quiet and will be suitable for a cooler weather cruise, I imagine the covered pool gets very busy on cooler weather trips?

The Grand Princess has the Terrace Pool, deck 12 aft and the Spa Pool, deck 15 forward. These are adult pools. The Calypso Reef & Pool is an indoor pool. Probably will not be very crowded.

Are there complimentary drinks stations on board the ship and what do they serve? We are used to the celebrity drinks stations located around the ship which serve fruit punch and lemonade all day. Do they have these on princess and are they in various areas of the ship like pool side, at the grill, international cafe etc?

Ice Tea, lemonade, hot teas (Twinnings), coffee (prepared from a liquid concentrate), juices during breakfast hours, are available all day and evening in the buffet, at DR meals, and served by waiters at the tables around the pools. No drink stations around the ship. The buffet had self serve, but maybe not now. The International Cafe has food items, paninis, salads, desserts, hot pies, etc. All no charge. There are no free drinks there, except glasses of water from the bar. The International Cafe serves specialty coffee and tea drinks for a charge.  

I like the look of the Alfredos pizzeria, can you book this or do you have to queue up if you want lunch here? Do they also serve the pub lunch in the crown grill and are you able to book that? 
No booking for Alfredo's. Alfredo's is waiter served individual pizzas. You just walk up and be seated. The pub lunch is served on some sea days. No reservations. Just walk in to be seated. In both cases there could be a short wait. Pub Lunch normally has a surge when it first opens. 
Does anyone know how long the food places are open like the horizon court, the poolside pizza place and poolside grill? I am assuming they don’t close these if the weather gets cold?

Horizon Ct. open 5am until 11pm, never closes during that time.

Poolside pizza (Slice), Alfredo's, Salty Dog Grill, open 11am until mid evening

Coffee & Cones, believe the ice cream opens at 11am, specialty coffee earlier.

 

Is it advisable to arrive early to theatre shows and movies under the stars for example?
Yes, arrive at least 30 minutes early for production shows. Earlier for popular shows. Mid evening shows in the 8pm time frame are the most crowded. Movies under the Stars does not require early arrival. Dress warm. Blankets are provided. 
My final question is about dinner; do people tend to attend their dinner seating in the MDR? We like traditional dining but have found some people forego their MDR seating and we are often left dining on our own and the restaurant is often half empty. Does this happen on Princess at all? Also how dressed up are people at dinner?

MDR dress is either smart casual or formal. All kinds of information about this on this site. Yes, some people do not show for their dinner seating. They may be dining at one of the specialty restaurants, room service, buffet, Alfredo's, grill, International Cafe, even try to get into anytime dining. How your table will work out is just a guess. We personally have been doing anytime dining. This way we fit dining to our evening activities and not the other way around.
 

Sorry for the long list of questions, any help would be appreciated,

 

Nicole

 

Edited July 19, 2020 by skynight

[JF - retired RRT]

7 hours ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Firstly does anyone have any suggestions on cabin? We would like a balcony but notice the premium balconies on the Caribe deck have a larger balcony with better furniture. Is this right and is it worth paying a little extra for a premium balcony? Depends on you, your budget and the ship. The Royal class balconies are tiny with the exception of the "obstructed" views on the bump out (mid-ship).

I am assuming the beds are a similar size to other lines. Are they comfortable because I quite like a soft bed? Beds are very comfy. Many like them so much they buy the mattress for home.

Is there interactive TV in your room with a choice of films for example? Depends on the ship and whether the TV system has been upgraded in the last year or so. Dismal TV if it isn't the new system.

We like the look of the sanctuary but it is a medium to cool weather cruise so don’t know if it is worth it in cooler weather? Do you have to book this when on board and can you book for just one sea day for example when you first Board the ship or is it only bookable on the day of use? I notice you can pick your loungers, does any one know the best places to sit in the sanctuary,especially in cooler weather? We tried it once & weren't impressed YMMV. Our servers were invisible ghosts. No service worth bragging about.

I notice there is an adults only spa pool, the lotus spa pool I think, does anyone know if this is quiet and will be suitable for a cooler weather cruise, I imagine the covered pool gets very busy on cooler weather trips?
Lotus spa pool is usually not crowded. Many think it's part of the Sanctuary and avoid it. On our one So. Pacific cruise it was crowded to the rafters all day every day.
Are there complimentary drinks stations on board the ship and what do they serve? We are used to the celebrity drinks stations located around the ship which serve fruit punch and lemonade all day. Complimentary drinks at the buffet all day. The offerings vary with the time of day. Hot or cold tea, coffee always available. Not aware of fruit punch being offered. Lemonade at lunch/dinner(?), OJ at breakfast. No fancy machines on any Princess ship.

Alfredos pizzeria, can you book this or do you have to queue up if you want lunch here? Do they also serve the pub lunch in the crown grill and are you able to book that? Both are first come first seated.
Does anyone know how long the food places are open like the horizon court, the poolside pizza place and poolside grill? I am assuming they don’t close these if the weather gets cold?

Generally, stay open until 10 or 11 PM(? past my bedtime ). Stay open for cold weather.

Is it advisable to arrive early to theatre shows and movies under the stars for example? Arrive early for the first show, the 2nd show is usually less crowded.
My final question is about dinner; do people tend to attend their dinner seating in the MDR? We like traditional dining but have found some people forego their MDR seating and we are often left dining on our own and the restaurant is often half empty. In TD most of the diners will show most nights. The ones with good manners will let you know if they won't be there the next day.Also how dressed up are people at dinner? Depends on the ship. Not super fancy...ever. 

See above.

[Elevatorman]

Have no idea how I quoted and not reply, thanks for the heads up

[Nicole&Pete]

On 7/20/2020 at 1:07 AM, cr8tiv1 said:

Elevatorman:  Not quite sure why you are quoting a post but not adding any comment (2x).

 

Nicole:  I am booked on a cruise with the Grand for next summer.  It is still showing up as a sailing on the Grand, although I received an email that says all Grand itineraries from Southampton will be replaced with the Regal.  They are still showing bookings available on the Grand when I know that it is not accurate.  There is a void of when the Grand will leave Europe and return to Los Angeles.  The Grand WILL do (hopefully) cruises from San Pedro (LA) in 2022.  I have 2 booked.  

 

As others have said...so much is up in the air right now.  I have friends who are booked for Hawaii in November (on the Star).  Not sure that is going to happen either.  

 

As for the beds, yes, they are wonderful.

 

As for cabins, you will see that there are a few who love the Window Suites on the Grand (also on the Caribbean Princess and Golden Princess).  These need to be booked almost as soon as the itinerary is announced.

 

As for shows, yes, it gets to be pretty crowded with no reservation system.  Take a good book and get there early.

 

As for the adult only pool near the spa area.  Great pool, but could be very cold.

 

Welcome to Princess.  I've sailed Celebrity and found them to be very similar to Princess.  I prefer smaller ships.  

 

Hi thanks for your message after reading some news articles and phoning princess I have found that this cruise we are looking at is in fact on the Regal princess, good in a way as it’s a newer ship but it doesn’t have a covered pool which is quite annoying as we are on a cold weather cruise.  Thank you for the heads up I would have gone on and looked up cabins to book on the grand if I hadn’t found out about this change. Princess have said they are changing the ships round next week online so I’l take a look then.

[Nicole&Pete]

On 7/20/2020 at 12:17 AM, franktown said:

Princess says on their website  "actual offerings may vary from what is displayed or described here" due to Covid 19.  None of the cruise lines know when they will sail, what ports will be open or what they will be able to offer when onboard.   Right now they are under a No Sail Order from CDC from US ports.  

Thanks so much, we have phoned princess and they are changing this cruise to the regal I’m also wondering if they will change the itinerary as well. I’m perhaps being a bit too optimistic about being able to cruise next year at all, but here’s hoping!

[Nicole&Pete]

On 7/20/2020 at 1:18 AM, trbarton said:

Nicole...You can never ask too many questions & none are silly. My answers are from my personal experiences. 
 

Any other questions please ask. 
 

Tom😀

 

That is really helpful Tom thank you. My husband is pleased to hear about the TV in the room.

 

I will definitely bear in mind getting there early to the theatre and also the sanctuary.

[Nicole&Pete]

On 7/20/2020 at 1:30 AM, skynight said:

 

Thanks very much for your very detailed answers. I take it if you get a BD grade cabin on the caribe deck that is a way to pay less for a balcony but still get the larger balcony size?

 

It looks like the cruise I am interested is now go8ng to be swapped for the Regal. Have you ever done that ship at all?

 

thanks

 

Nicole

[Nicole&Pete]

On 7/20/2020 at 5:26 AM, JF - retired RRT said:

See above.

Thanks very much for your help. We usually like to go for a late show so maybe we will be alright in terms of not having to get there too early. 

[trbarton]

32 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Thanks very much for your very detailed answers. I take it if you get a BD grade cabin on the caribe deck that is a way to pay less for a balcony but still get the larger balcony size?

 

It looks like the cruise I am interested is now go8ng to be swapped for the Regal. Have you ever done that ship at all?

 

thanks

 

Nicole

Sorry I have not been on the Regal but if I were on that ship, some of my experiences I would still use. I have been on the Majestic & if the Regal layout is similar, the walk from the dinning room to the Princess Theatre, was a long walk so I would suggest that one of you go first to get a seat Incase one of you stops to use the facilities before going into the theatre. 
 

Enjoy your cruise & Princess. 
 

if one of you is a veteran you can get OBC + if you have at least 100 shares on Carnival Corporation stock you will also get some stock OBC. For a cruise 15 days or longer that’s $250 each for $500 of OBC. 
 

I prefer to enter on deck 6 which is just past the casino as I like to sit in the lower level. 
 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Tom😀

[skynight]

47 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Thanks very much for your very detailed answers. I take it if you get a BD grade cabin on the caribe deck that is a way to pay less for a balcony but still get the larger balcony size?

 

It looks like the cruise I am interested is now go8ng to be swapped for the Regal. Have you ever done that ship at all?

 

thanks

 

Nicole

Yes, You are correct regarding cat. BD cabins. Realize that the Regal does not have large balconies on the caribe deck like Grand Class ships. Most balconies on the Regal are 9ft. x 4ft. If you examine the deck plans you will be able to sport some cabins with larger balconies. Obstructed view balconies on deck 8 offer a nice value. A few have large balconies. 

Much of what I mentioned regarding food and drink on the Grand Princess also applies to the Regal. No Alfredo's. Regarding pools the Retreat Pool is the adult pool. The Terrace Pool, deck 17 aft, is very small, more like a double sized hot tub. There is also a smoking area by the Terrace Pool. The Regal does not have a walkable promenade deck. There are 4 patios with lounge chairs. No cover and no shade unless from the structure of the ship. The starboard aft patio has a smoking area.  

[brisalta]

7 hours ago, Nicole&Pete said:

 

Hi thanks for your message after reading some news articles and phoning princess I have found that this cruise we are looking at is in fact on the Regal princess, good in a way as it’s a newer ship but it doesn’t have a covered pool which is quite annoying as we are on a cold weather cruise.  Thank you for the heads up I would have gone on and looked up cabins to book on the grand if I hadn’t found out about this change. Princess have said they are changing the ships round next week online so I’l take a look then.

 

Regal does not have a covered pool and it does not have a proper promenade.

Being a newer ship does not necessarily mean it is a better ship.

Edited July 20, 2020 by brisalta

[brisalta]

On 7/19/2020 at 6:55 AM, Nicole&Pete said:

Hello everyone,

 

We have cruised many times but are new to princess, we are looking at a cruise next year on the grand princess but have a few questions about the cruise line. There a quite a few so apologies, but if anyone has any answers for me that would be great;

 

Firstly does anyone have any suggestions on cabin? We would like a balcony but notice the premium balconies on the Caribe deck have a larger balcony with better furniture. Is this right and is it worth paying a little extra for a premium balcony? 
 

I am assuming the beds are a similar size to other lines. Are they comfortable because I quite like a soft bed?
 

Is there interactive TV in your room with a choice of films for example?
 

We like the look of the sanctuary but it is a medium to cool weather cruise so don’t know if it is worth it in cooler weather? Do you have to book this when on board and can you book for just one sea day for example when you first Board the ship or is it only bookable on the day of use? I notice you can pick your loungers, does any one know the best places to sit in the sanctuary,especially in cooler weather?

 

I notice there is an adults only spa pool, the lotus spa pool I think, does anyone know if this is quiet and will be suitable for a cooler weather cruise, I imagine the covered pool gets very busy on cooler weather trips?

Are there complimentary drinks stations on board the ship and what do they serve? We are used to the celebrity drinks stations located around the ship which serve fruit punch and lemonade all day. Do they have these on princess and are they in various areas of the ship like pool side, at the grill, international cafe etc?

 

I like the look of the Alfredos pizzeria, can you book this or do you have to queue up if you want lunch here? Do they also serve the pub lunch in the crown grill and are you able to book that? 

Does anyone know how long the food places are open like the horizon court, the poolside pizza place and poolside grill? I am assuming they don’t close these if the weather gets cold?

 

Is it advisable to arrive early to theatre shows and movies under the stars for example?

My final question is about dinner; do people tend to attend their dinner seating in the MDR? We like traditional dining but have found some people forego their MDR seating and we are often left dining on our own and the restaurant is often half empty. Does this happen on Princess at all? Also how dressed up are people at dinner? 
 

Sorry for the long list of questions, any help would be appreciated,

 

Nicole

 

See the Dressing Up thread

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2755426-dressing-up/

 

Well Tony tends to dress up

Edited July 20, 2020 by brisalta

[Pierlesscruisers]

34 minutes ago, trbarton said:

Sorry I have not been on the Regal but if I were on that ship, some of my experiences I would still use. I have been on the Majestic & if the Regal layout is similar, the walk from the dinning room to the Princess Theatre, was a long walk so I would suggest that one of you go first to get a seat Incase one of you stops to use the facilities before going into the theatre. 
 

Enjoy your cruise & Princess. 
 

if one of you is a veteran you can get OBC + if you have at least 100 shares on Carnival Corporation stock you will also get some stock OBC. For a cruise 15 days or longer that’s $250 each for $500 of OBC. 
 

I prefer to enter on deck 6 which is just past the casino as I like to sit in the lower level. 
 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Tom😀

 

Just to clear up something you wrote here," if one of you is a veteran you can get OBC + if you have at least 100 shares on Carnival Corporation stock you will also get some stock OBC. For a cruise 15 days or longer that’s $250 each for $500 of OBC. "

The Carnival Stock OBC is on a per cabin basis, not a per person basis. So if Mr & Mrs Barton both own stock, you will get one OBC regardless of whether you own it individually or jointly.  At least that it was before the covid problem. However, the Veteran's OBC is on an individual basis, so if the Mr & Mrs are both former military with honorable discharges and are on a 15 day cruise, they would have a total of $750 in OBC for those 2 benefits Mr would have $250 veterans, Mrs would have $250 veterans and one of them would have $250 stockholders for a total of $750. (That may only become a problem if each person pays their own charges otherwise everything is combined on the last day before payment.) 

 

I'm attaching two text files that provide more info on both benefits

 

Tom

Shareholder form 2017.pdf Veterans OBC Info.txt

[Mike45LC]

Celebrity and Princess are very similar in most respects.  I will sail on either line whenever given a chance!  

 

I usually don’t turn the TV on at all during the cruise, but I understand that there is on-demand movies and television in your cabin.  There used to be some Love Boat episodes available, but I don’t think there were any on our last Princess cruise.  

 

The Sanctuary is not for me.  I am too restless to be interested in a reserved lounge or cabana.  Celebrity Edge had reserved cabanas, but I had no interest in them.  And this would be especially true on a less warm cruise.  I agree with ___ that many people don’t realize that the Lotus Pool is free, and it doesn’t get very crowded.  Let’s keep this a secret, OK?  

 

One of my major complaints about Celebrity last summer on the Edge was how often there was no dining available.  We would return to the ship from an excursion in the middle or late afternoon, and the buffet was closed.  I guess it was just a question of timing, but almost every day, there was no food available after our excursions.  Gelato was not what I was looking for.

 

On Princess, they tend to have the buffet open all the time.  The port side will be closed to transition from breakfast to lunch (or lunch to whatever they were calling the mid-afternoon, or from that to dinner), but the starboard side was still open until they opened the port side.  And on Princess, the pool-side grill (hot dogs, burgers, chicken, tacos) and pizza were open all day.  And the International Café is mostly open 24 hours as well.

 

Celebrity has a selection of drinks, including iced tea, lemonade and fruit punch available throughout the day.  Princess, not so much.  I always buy the Soda Only plan (both lines), so I am drinking soda all day long, and don’t pay much attention to the complimentary beverages.

 

I do not think the Grand has an Alfredo’s.  But it is a sit down restaurant. Very popular on formal night for those who don’t want to dress up.  I never tried to “book” this, it was always available on a walk-up and wait a bit basis.

 

Pub lunch is not at Crown Grill, but is at the Wheelhouse Bar once or twice per cruise.  

 

Both cruise lines can have crowded showrooms.  Both also do poor scheduling of the show times vis-a-vis the traditional dining hours.  I like to get to the shows early, to grab good seats.  I don’t think on either line, I needed to be more than 15 minutes early.  Although some of the non-production shows (comedians, sled dog puppies) were vastly crowded very early.  And the Voice of the Ocean was crowded early.

 

Movies Under The Stars, I hate.  They play concerts and sports events, as well as movies.  The loud noise from these is very disruptive to those trying to relax in quiet.  And the one time I tried to watch a movie, the sound was too distorted for me to make out the dialog.  I do know that they hand out a lot of blankets to the movie-goers, so I doubt this will be popular on colder cruises.

 

On the formal nights, Celebrity is more dressed up than Princess is.

 

We eat in our Traditional Dining Room every night except for the one (or sometimes two) nights we go to a Specialty Dining Room.  On our last Celebrity cruise, we rarely ate in our Blu Dining Room.  I preferred the other options, even though our Blu waiter had offered to get anything for us from the alternative dining room menus.  I just preferred the other dining venues.

 

I hope you enjoy Princess!