New to Princess-need your input

[tutumomickey]

Hey all you Princess fans, this Disney/Holland America cruiser needs your help. Can you give me your insider tips, favorite things and what not to miss on the Regal ? We are sailing February 19th for my husband's birthday and my retirement. we have diving excursions booked on all port days but could help with what to do on the ship. Our interests are food, dancing, trivia, karaoke and main theater shows. Do suitcases fit under the bed? Are the cabin walls metal  (to use magnets) Thanks in advance

[Valiamo]

Have a blast on your Princess Cruise.  

 

Yes, luggage fits under the bed, and the cabin walls are metal for magnets.   You will find events to match your interests on board!

 

Main Dining room for breakfast.

Case of water 12 bottles is under $8. 

Edited January 24, 2022 by Valiamo

[geoherb]

Some luggage will fit under the bed. I have one suitcase that is too thick to fit unless I leave it open.

 

I will be on the same itinerary two weeks before you and will try to do a live thread here, including posting photos of the Patters (daily activity sheets).

 

Things not to miss: International Cafe, Alfredo's, breakfast in the dining room, and afternoon tea in the dining room. If there's a gathering for first-time Princess cruisers, go to it. They usually give away Elite for the cruise to a lucky winner. That will get you all of the Elite benefits to enjoy.

 

Make sure to note the birthday and retirement celebrations in the app. You'll get a card in your cabin to hand to a waiter the night you want to celebrate. Here's a photo of a Princess birthday cake. 

 

[AVCruzers]

Closet space is large enough to put our suitcases there.  You are going to love Princess especially the service/attitude of the crew as they are AMAZING!!!  

[Ombud]

Alfredos is Sabatinis lite. N/C Italian 4 course dinner (appetizer, soup, salad, main dish or pizza, dessert). Whereas as Sabatinis is $29pp

[tutumomickey]

Great info everyone. The daily patters would be a great help. We do not travel light. I can tell by looking there will not be room in the closet for our suitcases. My dresses and even hubby.s jackets will be too long to fit over the suitcases. We will probably have 4 large. One is all diving gear.

[brisalta]

Make sure to note the birthday and retirement in the Medallion app. (In the past Princess guest services would give out gifts for events).

 

In the Medallion app go  to

'Travel Checklist' ---> 'Personal Information & Documents' then click on it.

Select one of the persons listed and scroll down to

'Celebrating a Milestone?' and click on it

Make sure the correct person is underlined and then click on 'Add Celebration'

Then select type of celebration from the drop down menu and select the date you want to celebrate on.

Then click on the radio button next the Guests name to confirm.

Then click on the 'Add Celebration' button.

 

Note that once you add the celebration you cannot go back and edit the date if you make an error.

It also does not display saved celebrations.

 

The celebration will show up in the in the web based Cruise Personalizer Travel Summary listed under Special Services with the person's name next to the event as shown here:

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by brisalta

[brisalta]

3 hours ago, Valiamo said:

Have a blast on your Princess Cruise.  

 

Yes, luggage fits under the bed, and the cabin walls are metal for magnets.   You will find events to match your interests on board!

 

Main Dining room for breakfast.

Case of water 12 bottles is under $8. 

 

You need to order the water before the cruise in the web based Cruise Personalizer to get that price.

[caribill]

4 hours ago, tutumomickey said:

 Our interests are food, dancing, trivia, karaoke and main theater shows.

 

This activity is currently suspended due to Covid.

 

 

[Purple Gallinule]

We love the trivia and shows in Princess Live. We sailed on the Regal last month and it was great. We always enjoy dining in the Crown Grill -- my fave is the filet. Breakfast in the dining room is a must. Try the James Beard french toast. If not on the menu, ask for it. Lunch in the dining room on sea days, too. The cruise staff was turning over, but the ones we had were wonderful. Also, while on any Princess ship be sure to visit the Future Cruise desk. You can hear their talk and decide if this is for you. We always put out deposit down. 

 

Bon voyage and we hope you love the Love Boat.

[capriccio]

7 hours ago, caribill said:

 

This activity is currently suspended due to Covid.

 

I'm pretty sure I walked by Explorer's Lounge on the Caribbean Princess the first week in January and they were having Karaoke or else Princess was scraping the bottom of the barrel hiring singers (and they weren't - we were extremely impressed with the hired singers)!

[pathi]

On embarkation day you can have lunch in one of the main dining rooms. (12pm to 1:30pm) Try the Beef medallions, or the salmon, also the orange soufle for dessert. You can also have lunch in Alfredos. Much calmer than the buffet madness on the 1st day.

 

Rmbr Alfredo's is included in your fare.

[Scougs]

7 hours ago, caribill said:

 

This activity is currently suspended due to Covid.

 

 

 

I was on Caribbean Princess for New Year, and there was Karaoke on most nights, subject to strict rules:

 - you had to wear a mask while singing (which sounds dreadful, but was actually OK)

 - they had two microphones, and one was sanitised while the other was in use

 - solo singers only, no duets or groups

 - you had to stay in the middle of the dance floor far from the guests in the venue

 

It was very popular with some great singers.

[RNRcruisers]

No karaoke on Regal last week, they said due to Covid.

 

We loved Alfredo's, had lunch there three times. I agree it is way better than the buffet for embarkation day. We also ate breakfast in the dining room debarkation day - much more peaceful and a nice ending to the cruise.

 

Highly recommend the Retreat pool area over the main pool area if you want peace over activities.

 

The band in Vista lounge was good and some were dancing. Also Club 6 with a DJ was fun.

 

[NthernLgts]

7 hours ago, Purple Gallinule said:

...Also, while on any Princess ship be sure to visit the Future Cruise desk. You can hear their talk and decide if this is for you. We always put out deposit down.

 

Always.  Always.  Always.  The way it works is you put $100/pp down on a future cruise.  You don't have to choose the cruise, but the deposit must be made while you are on board the ship.  From there you have 2 years to book any Princess cruise, and you can book either through a TA or direct.  You then get to book your cruise for that reduced $100/pp deposit, plus you will get a shipboard credit for up to $150/pp depending on length of cruise and cabin type (a standard balcony cabin on a 7 day cruise will get you $50/pp ship credit).  If you don't book a cruise within 2 years you get your money back!

[capriccio]

9 hours ago, Purple Gallinule said:

Also, while on any Princess ship be sure to visit the Future Cruise desk. You can hear their talk and decide if this is for you. We always put out deposit down.

You don't have to even visit the Future Cruise desk to put down the deposit.  That's one section of the Medallion App that works like a charm!

[JF - retired RRT]

Not an activity for on the ship, but...

If either or both of you are active, veteran or retired military - send your proof & receive refundable OBC (up to $250 depending on length of cruise). You can find the necessary info with Mr. Google.

 

If you like Princess enough to repeat the experience, buy 100 shares of Carnival Corp. and receive up to $250 (again depending on length of cruise). We used to get quarterly dividends as well pre-Covid. Once the company is healthy again, it will likely restart that.

[tutumomickey]

This is great info everyone. Can anyone tell me the times for the evening main stage shows? Do we need to reserve a spot for the shows like RCL or is it first come first seated like HAL ? We like to eat late but, don't want to miss the shows. We want to reserve a dining spot ahead of time. I'm not very spontaneous anymore. Also, any  thoughts on which dining room to choose?

[tutumomickey]

We have our Carnival stock because we use the OBC on Holland. Submitted the certificate but can't see it in our account yet. Husband is retired law enforcement. Don't think that qualifies.

[relmondcrsise]

Princess is my favorite line.  You'll love it!  If you're the type who likes to see the dinner menus in advance I found them posted here: Princess Dinner Menus

[skynight]

Most luggage fits under the bed. If not lots of open closet space to stand luggage in the corner.

Lots of trivia twice a day. Karaoke currently suspended during covid era. Most dancing also limited for the same reason. Be sure to visit Alfredo's open every day 11am to mid evening. Waiter served personal pizza and other items.

 

[fawnie]

Oh I want to thank you all so much as well. We are going on our first Princess Cruise is 33 days 😉 .  So appreciate all this information 

[caribill]

2 hours ago, tutumomickey said:

 Can anyone tell me the times for the evening main stage shows?

 

In non-pandemic times, there were two showings. One around 7:30 PM and another around 9:30 PM.

 

With low passenger loads recently, sometimes there is only one show around 8 or 9 PM.

 

2 hours ago, tutumomickey said:

 

Do we need to reserve a spot for the shows like RCL or is it first come first seated like HAL ?

 

 

No reservation system.

 

 

2 hours ago, tutumomickey said:

We like to eat late but, don't want to miss the shows. We want to reserve a dining spot ahead of time. I'm not very spontaneous anymore. Also, any  thoughts on which dining room to choose?

 

Dining rooms have the same menu and are essentially the same layout. One is in the aft area of the ship and the other two are in the center near the atrium. Reduced passenger load has recently meant only two of the dining rooms will be open for dinner.

[LoriPhil]

There is a self service laundromat on each residence floor, and there are large framed photographs lining the hallways outside the cabins, which we loved!   Also the crunchy hard rolls in the dining room are our favorite guilty carb-pleasure.  We’ll, that, plus splitting an order of fettuccine Alfredo at dinner.  Have a lovely cruise!

[mjmalino]

12 hours ago, caribill said:

 

This activity is currently suspended due to Covid.

 

 

We had karaoke on the Sky on our NYE cruise. I was surprised as I thought it was suspended.