What do you think about the Regal Princess?

[moesyk4]

My husband wanted to take our next vacation in Hawaii and I wanted to go on another cruise, so we decided to compromise and go on a cruise to Hawaii. Because the cost of a plane ticket is nearly identical to the cost of going on a 15 day cruise out of California as opposed to flying all the way into Hawaii and then taking a 7 day cruise, we would prefer to do this and relax at sea instead of being cramped on a plane. However, unless we wait for the Celebrity Summit at the end of September, the Regal Princess is our only option for this.

I have seen VERY mixed reviews about the Regal Princess. We are not picky as far as an extremely fancy ship or about a lot of extras, but we would like to have plenty of activities since we will be onboard for about 8 days and a not too crowded ship. I know that this is the oldest ship in the Princess line and is going to be sold at the end of the season, so I am very worried that nothing will be repaired or kept up this year because they're getting rid of it anyways. I've cruised on RCCL and Carnival before and have been pleased with both. Anybody cruised with Regal and have an opinion? Anybody booked with them for this coming summer? Thanks!

[judyjudy56]

We are booked on the June 17 to Hawaii on the Regal. We need to cruise during non school times so we have chosen the Regal. The sea days sound really good to us. There is a previous thread with comments on the Regal and I have been pleased to see the positive comments. We considered the NCL week cruises but really didn't want to hassle with flying and hotels pre cruise or post cruise. We have never been to Hawaii and are looking forward to sampling a little bit of several islands. When were you thinking about going?

 

Judy

[Pam in CA]

Actually, I don't believe the Regal is being sold -- it's being transferred.

 

If I weren't taking my Golden cruise next week, I would definitely have loved to cruised again on the Regal from LA to HI and back. I think this is a really great ship for this itinerary for several reasons:

 

-- the cabins are generally larger

-- there is more storage space; lots more shelves for storing your clothes

-- the shower is at least tub-sized in all cabins (and I think the bathrooms are larger too)

-- all of the aft areas are open and public decks so that there is plenty of outdoor space and loungers, both covered and uncovered.

-- there is a dedicated pizzeria

-- there is a swim-up bar (that no other Princess ship has)

-- there are more public lounges and they are better laid out for a variety of activities, both during the day and evenings (one thing I don't like about the Grand-class is that they have a few very large lounges so they can't have as much variety)

-- there is a dedicated dance lounge for those who enjoy dancing or watching others (the Stage Door)

-- the ship is designed with a more "liner" design so that it handles seas better, IMHO, than the shallow-draft, flat-bottomed Grand-class ships

 

Are there negatives? Sure. But they are subjective, in my opinion.

 

-- There is only one dining room so that there is no Anytime dining. However, many go to the Bistro which is very similar to Anytime.

-- It's an older ship (some are more impressed by being on a new ship)

 

Here's my favorite spot on the ship -- the aft of Deck 10

[FredS]

We were on the Royal Princess on her last cruise as a Princess ship. She we well maintained and we had a grand 21 day cruise. Regal is going to P&O Lines which is a part of the Carnival Corp. Carnival owns 12 cruise lines so often there is a transferring of ships between lines as management makes decision as to where they can put them to make the most money. It appears that the US market is getting the bigger ships; except for the new Royal that is an R ship from when they went out of business.

 

Want to know what Carnival owns: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=140690&p=irol-index

[spongerob]

We thought Regal Princess was a refreshing change from our string of cruises on Grand-class ships. In some ways she reminded me of the old Royal Princess, particularly the smaller passenger load that allows the crew to get to know people a little better. Certainly, our cabin service was as good as anything we've ever had in the past, and might have been the best we've had (we've had a couple really great stewards on Grand Princess, too). We'd go back to Regal Princess any day.

[Colo Cruiser]

I feel that it is time to go for the Regal.

I would much rather do the same iteniary on the Diamond or the Island. :)

[Druke I]

delete-duplicated.

[Druke I]

I'll try again - my previous attempt disappearing into the WSOD.

 

Pam is right on about Regal Princess in her post.

 

We've been on Regal three times, most recent March last year, 'round the Horn, Buenos Aires to Valparaiso.

 

On that last trip, there seemed to be some disconnect amongst the staff, and some training issues in the dining room. The latter was addressed by the Table Captain after being brought to his attention.

 

Regal is a fine ship.

 

Isn't it wonderful we have so many choices?

[Nymue]

We sailed the Regal to Alaska in 05' and LOVED her, I would sail her again in a heartbeat! It is a lovely, beautiful ship! It was in excellent shape when we sailed on her, very well laid out with and great staff!

[Pam in CA]

I feel that it is time to go for the Regal.

I would much rather do the same iteniary on the Diamond or the Island. :)

There are many itineraries that just can't be done on the Diamond or even the Island. The Regal is a much better ship, better laid out with better public space, including all of the public aft decks, for longer and exotic cruises with lots of sea days. I've done the LA > HI > LA on both the Regal and Island, and comparing the two, the Regal was a much better choice. The Island has a few very large lounges so that there were far fewer choices of activities (since you can't have two events in the same lounge at the same time, which they tried but it didn't work.) You can't beat the Bengal Bar, Adagio Lounge and Stage Door, in addition to the theaters, for daytime activity flexibility. Love the Bengal Bar chairs! Haven't seen them anywhere else.

[andio2of5]

I know Pam (hi Pam, this is Andi from our Hawaii trip) likes the Regal and I would hate to disagree with her....but....our first Princess cruise was on the Regal and I vowed never to sail on it again primarily for 2 reasons:

 

1) the Stage Door lounge reeked, you had to hold your breath while passing thru....this was two or three years ago and has probably been rectified since but the memories of it still turns me off.

 

2) the "gym" is down on the dungeons somewhere and is little more than a few converted rooms. The fitness facilities are a high priority for us. This just shows the age of this ship....the gym is down in the bowels while the casino has the prime area/views.

[Spikesgirl]

We sailed on the Regal when she was doing the NZ/Aus itinerary and really enjoyed the ship. Because she is an oler ship, she gives you more of a feeling of what it must have been like to cruise in the older days. We did have an issue with the food, but that Chef has since left Princess's service, so it's all good.

 

The weather was a little dicey crossing the Tasman Sea, but the REgal handling it wonderfully - we would sail her again. We liked the smaller size of the ship and the smaller amount of passengers. I especially enjoyed the library.

 

You won't be disappointed with her - she's a grand old lady.

 

Charlie

[sueknirk]

I love the Regal Princess. We have sailed to Australia and New Zealand and Colonia America on this ship. It is nice and not crowded at all. Love the two spas on the back of the ship. Princess always keeps up their ships. They are our favorite cruise line and we have been on cruises 20 times. We did the cruise to Hawaii on the Island Princess. A lot of sea days for us. Love Hawaii. Have a good time. I believe ship is going to P & O another British company.

Sue Knirk sdknird @sbcglobal.net

[sueknirk]

I love the Regal Princess. We have sailed to Australia and New Zealand and Colonia America on this ship. It is nice and not crowded at all. Love the two spas on the back of the ship. Princess always keeps up their ships. They are our favorite cruise line and we have been on cruises 20 times. We did the cruise to Hawaii on the Island Princess. A lot of sea days for us. Love Hawaii. Have a good time. I believe ship is going to P & O another British company.

Sue Knirk sdknirk @sbcglobal.net

[jrobinso]

Everyone is looking for something a little different on a ship. I enjoyed my Alaskan cruise on Regal in 2005. However, I don't think I would take Regal to Hawaii. My reasons are the promenade deck does not go all the way around. The only jogging/walking track was all the way to the top of the ship, very windy and cold. The gym,as mentioned before, was small and dark, no outside windows. The pools were uncovered and often empty because of the movement of the ship.No thermal suite on the ship, as far as I could tell. Now we were on an Alaskan itinerary, so it will not be as cold for you. But you will encounter the rough seas and wind on the many sea days. If these things aren't important to you, you'll have a great time. I wouldn't hesitate taking Regal on a port intensive cruise, I just know that, for me, Regal wouldn't be the ship I'd take to Hawaii.

[bdjam]

There are many itineraries that just can't be done on the Diamond or even the Island. The Regal is a much better ship, better laid out with better public space, including all of the public aft decks, for longer and exotic cruises with lots of sea days. I've done the LA > HI > LA on both the Regal and Island, and comparing the two, the Regal was a much better choice. The Island has a few very large lounges so that there were far fewer choices of activities (since you can't have two events in the same lounge at the same time, which they tried but it didn't work.) You can't beat the Bengal Bar, Adagio Lounge and Stage Door, in addition to the theaters, for daytime activity flexibility. Love the Bengal Bar chairs! Haven't seen them anywhere else.

:( Grrr...and here I booked Island Princess for Hawaii instead of Regal Princess that's leaving L.A. only two days later!!

[Pam in CA]

I know Pam (hi Pam, this is Andi from our Hawaii trip) likes the Regal and I would hate to disagree with her....but....our first Princess cruise was on the Regal and I vowed never to sail on it again primarily for 2 reasons:

 

1) the Stage Door lounge reeked, you had to hold your breath while passing thru....this was two or three years ago and has probably been rectified since but the memories of it still turns me off.

 

2) the "gym" is down on the dungeons somewhere and is little more than a few converted rooms. The fitness facilities are a high priority for us. This just shows the age of this ship....the gym is down in the bowels while the casino has the prime area/views.

Hi there, Andi! Actually, the gym is on deck 3 and yes, this is in the bowels of the ship. As I remember, the beauty salon is there too. I had a "single" cabin on Deck 4 that I loved. I think the Regal is the only Princess ship with single cabins; a 2nd bunk comes down from the ceiling for a 2nd passenger but if you're cruising as a single, the cabin is very spacious -- almost as big as a double but with only one bed (and the bunk). This was a very short corridor of cabins and was very, very private and quiet since only the people in those cabins were there. I loved being able to come back on the ship on the tender, go through security, and be allowed through the door that was right there to my cabin. There were complaints from the people in cabins on this deck way foreward since they heard and felt the waves since they were right in the bow. If you look at my avatar, that was a view out the window of my Regal cabin on my HI cruise. I think you find smelly lounges on all of the ships. I had to hold my breath going through the Wheelhouse bar on the Island because of the reek of stale smoke. People smoke where they want in that bar and there isn't a good division between the smoking and non-smoking areas. If there was an activity there, you had to put up with the smoke since the smoking section was the half near the windows and the activities were always in that area. And I hated Crooners for the same reason... lots of stale smoke. As a matter of fact, since Crooners is an open bar in the Atrium area, I had to hold my breath going through the Atrium, no matter which side I went on so I didn't breathe in the clouds of smoke.

 

:( Grrr...and here I booked Island Princess for Hawaii instead of Regal Princess that's leaving L.A. only two days later!!

You'll still have a great time. :)

[partybarbie]

:( Grrr...and here I booked Island Princess for Hawaii instead of Regal Princess that's leaving L.A. only two days later!!

 

Oh my goodness! :eek: Don't even go there! You are one that got us to book on the Island:D . I will have to send out the 'tini club to kidnap you and make sure you get on the ship. LARGIN, are you reading this?

[sparkle]

:( Grrr...and here I booked Island Princess for Hawaii instead of Regal Princess that's leaving L.A. only two days later!!

 

bdjam, you will have a great time on the Island! we sailed on her 2/05 to Hawaii, and are doing the same cruise again this Saturday. We thought it was a wonderful ship IMHO.

 

Aloha!

[Last Mango]

but we would like to have plenty of activities since we will be onboard for about 8 days and a not too crowded ship.

 

I'm just back from the Regal yesterday and if you're looking for activities I think you're going to be very disappointed. The list of daily activities in the Patter usually took up less than 1/2 page and they were repeated daily with little if any variety. Brainteasers, trivia, shuffleboard, boardgames, cards, golf putting/chipping, art action, ping pong. Bingo added on sea days. Then the evening entertainment.

 

The ship itself is in good shape but there were a lot of inconsistencies in the service levels.

[Colo Cruiser]

There are many itineraries that just can't be done on the Diamond or even the Island. The Regal is a much better ship, better laid out with better public space, including all of the public aft decks, for longer and exotic cruises with lots of sea days. I've done the LA > HI > LA on both the Regal and Island, and comparing the two, the Regal was a much better choice. The Island has a few very large lounges so that there were far fewer choices of activities (since you can't have two events in the same lounge at the same time, which they tried but it didn't work.) You can't beat the Bengal Bar, Adagio Lounge and Stage Door, in addition to the theaters, for daytime activity flexibility. Love the Bengal Bar chairs! Haven't seen them anywhere else.

 

 

 

Your opinion, I can still have mine and the Regal needs to go. :p

[Colo Cruiser]

I'm just back from the Regal yesterday and if you're looking for activities I think you're going to be very disappointed. The list of daily activities in the Patter usually took up less than 1/2 page and they were repeated daily with little if any variety.

there were a lot of inconsistencies in the service levels.

 

 

Amen brother. ;)

[Colo Cruiser]

Everyone is looking for something a little different on a ship. I enjoyed my Alaskan cruise on Regal in 2005. However, I don't think I would take Regal to Hawaii. My reasons are the promenade deck does not go all the way around. The only jogging/walking track was all the way to the top of the ship, very windy and cold. The gym,as mentioned before, was small and dark, no outside windows. The pools were uncovered and often empty because of the movement of the ship.No thermal suite on the ship, as far as I could tell. Now we were on an Alaskan itinerary, so it will not be as cold for you. But you will encounter the rough seas and wind on the many sea days. If these things aren't important to you, you'll have a great time. I wouldn't hesitate taking Regal on a port intensive cruise, I just know that, for me, Regal wouldn't be the ship I'd take to Hawaii.

 

 

I agree 100%. :)

[bdjam]

I'm just back from the Regal yesterday and if you're looking for activities I think you're going to be very disappointed. The list of daily activities in the Patter usually took up less than 1/2 page and they were repeated daily with little if any variety. Brainteasers, trivia, shuffleboard, boardgames, cards, golf putting/chipping, art action, ping pong. Bingo added on sea days. Then the evening entertainment.

 

The ship itself is in good shape but there were a lot of inconsistencies in the service levels.

I think if you check the reviews on any of the ships in the Princess fleet you'll find the same report...activities can vary in quality depending on who is engaged in them and inconsistencies in service seem to permeate the fleet – how many reports have we seen here from the same cruise where one person raves about the service and another denigrates it. Same for the activities.

I think the key point of your post for this discussion is “the ship itself is in good shape.”

Oh my goodness! :eek: Don't even go there! You are one that got us to book on the Island:D . I will have to send out the 'tini club to kidnap you and make sure you get on the ship. LARGIN, are you reading this?

I know - don't worry...I'm in. But if I was still on the fence I would come to you to convince me to sail on Regal... ;)

[T&J]

Your opinion, I can still have mine and the Regal needs to go. :p

 

Actually the Regal needed to go years ago or the Company should have updated her in being able to provide the proper facilities and services onboard that ship that meet and adhere to on other Princess ships in the Fleet. My experience was sub par at best overall while onboard the same run I am currently doing in South America last year on the Regal. IMHO, They (The Company) made the same mistake with the Old Old Old Royal drove it into the ground once they new she was leaving the Fleet and didn't pump a nickel into her for over 28 months and even skipped a full drydock in 2004.

 

Tony

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