Welcome Aboard! We're Cruising On The Magnificent Regal Princess!

Welcome aboard the Regal Princess! I'm excited you are here and I can't wait to share my cruise experience with you! I have to be honest in that the cruise exceeded my expectations. The Regal Princess is an absolutely stunning vessel which manages to effortlessly combine the elegance of a luxury cruise liner with all the excitement of a massive floating resort! I seriously fell in love with the ship and I think you will see why, below! So, without further ado... 

The Regal Princess anchored at Princess Cays (pronounced 'Keys'). 

Do you see the black disc-shaped figures in the water? They are stingrays!

EMBARKATION DAY

My family and I had an early morning start to our day with a 7:00 a.m. flight out of Cleveland. The plane arrived on time and everything ran like clockwork until we reached Port Everglades. We sat in traffic to enter the port and the congestion really did not clear up until we arrived at the Princess terminal. After that, it was 'smooth sailing.' (Yes, pun intended!). We arrived at the Regal Princess Terminal at approximately 12:30 in the afternoon and we were tickled to find it wasn't crowded. I have no idea how Princess managed to accommodate around 3,600 passengers and not have long lines to board the ship. The short lines moved quickly and before we knew it, we were onboard and standing in the gorgeous piazza - the heart of the ship!

The piazza was an elegant atrium spanning three-decks high with two elegant spiral staircases and glass elevators. Even though we were starving, we made our way over to the center of the piazza and took a few minutes to take it all in. Each of us admired the ship and scoped out places we would come back to explore. I could have sat there all day, but my stomach said it was time to move on and we looked around for a place to eat. 

Alfredo's, the ship's pizza parlor that was located off the atrium, was taking names and had several people waiting. A crew member suggested we go for lunch in the Concerto dining room. I welcomed his suggestion as many people were going to Horizon Court on Deck 16, but I'm not a big fan of buffets. With that being said though, Horizon Court did have an amazing buffet. I'll get back to that later.

The Concerto dining room was elegant, warm and welcoming. We were quickly seated at a table for four and had our first of many amazing meals in the dining room. From the time we arrived at the terminal to the time we were seated in the dining room, I would say it was no more than a half hour. Yup, it was that quick. 

After we finished eating our lunch, we went up on deck for the bon voyage party. Now, I knew Princess Cruises had a Love Boat theme horn (too cute!) and I couldn't wait for the kids' reactions when they heard it for the first time. Take a listen, but make sure your volume is not set too high...

STATEROOMS

My children were in Stateroom E106 (Emerald Deck 8) at the bow of the ship in a balcony stateroom with obstructed view. The balcony was considered an obstructed view because it had a bottom metal obstruction instead of clear plexiglass. The balcony, however, was triple the size of my deluxe stateroom and for the most part, they were thrilled with the room except for a few mornings when the anchor was dropped in port! They said the anchor was loud. I still think they were lucky to receive a balcony stateroom with a very limited obstructed view! See...

My husband and I were in Stateroom D711 (Dolphin Deck 9) which is a deluxe balcony cabin toward the aft of the ship. As you can see, our balcony has plexiglass beneath the handrail and the view is unobstructed.

The rooms overall were a little small, but clean and comfortable. I especially liked the comfort of the beds and soft bedding. The carpeting and sheers looked a little tired but my husband thought it was fine. The bathroom was tiny with a sink, corner shelves for toiletries, towels, and a shower with shampoo/conditioner & body wash dispensers. The opaque shower curtains need to go and the bath towels need an upgrade. The towels were thin, rough, and lacked absorbency. Oddly enough, the pool towels were plush and soft. Because Regal Princess is a luxurious ship, I was surprised they 'missed the boat' on bathroom amenities.

Note: There was an outlet for electric shavers in the bathroom, but there was not a standard outlet. Standard outlets were located by the desk with a mirror.

THE SANCTUARY

The Regal Princess had a special 'adults only' relaxing retreat on Deck 16 called The Sanctuary. It was a great way to indulge yourself in a tranquil setting for an entire day or afternoon. We sipped fruit-infused water and ship stewards made sure we were comfortable with chilled towels and Evian mineral water spritzes. The Sanctuary had its own complimentary menu of healthy food fare and charged a nominal delivery fee of $3.00. Yes, it was a heavenly way to spend the afternoon and we loved every minute of it.

The Sanctuary experience was $25 for a half-day and $40 for a full day. There were also cabanas available from $140 and featured a television, sofa, fully stocked mini-bar, cushy robes, snacks, and more. Note: Cabanas booked quickly on days at sea.

The Retreat pool was an adults-only area tucked away in the front of the ship just outside of The Sanctuary. It was a great escape from the main pool area where live concerts played on the big screen and loud pool activities. The Retreat area also had cabanas for $50. The Retreat pool turned into the "Chill Lounge" with drinks and music in the evening. 

LOTUS SPA

The Lotus Spa offered treatments and services for those who wanted to experience the ultimate pampering. They had a variety of massages, manicures, pedicures, hair styling, teeth whitening, and even Botox services! My daughter and I spent the afternoon resting on hotbeds, water beds, soaking in the extra-large jacuzzi, and using the sauna and steam rooms. We had a great mom/daughter spa day and the aromatherapy steam room was definitely our favorite!   

THE NEW PRINCESS OCEANMEDALLION™

When we arrived at the Princess terminal, we were provided Princess OceanMedallions. The complimentary medallions were the size of a quarter and could be worn in a variety of ways: as a wristband, pendant, clip, or placed in a pocket or bag. We were given lanyards, but wristbands and pendants were available to purchase in the gift shop.

The Princess OceanMedallions are the neatest little devices to use and, in my opinion, made the onboard experience much easier. There was no fumbling for documents (passports, id cards, etc.) when embarking or disembarking the ship at the ports of call. Best of all, passengers do not need a key card to enter their staterooms. As a passenger approaches the stateroom door the medallion, a green light turns on and unlocks the door. A photo of the passenger appears on the cabin number sign outside the door, too.

The Regal Princess Casino slot machines are also set up for OceanMedallion use. You simply hold the medallion up to the slot machine, enter the amount you want to play, and it will automatically charge it to our account. We found it to work perfectly and it was a great way to keep track of your charges. There were also a number of other things connected to the OceanMedallion, such as making purchases in the shops. Credit cards and cash can be put in your locked safe for the duration of the cruise. Note: At the time of writing this article, a few areas on the ship were still in the process of changing over from key cards to the medallions. A key card was needed to charge certain items in the dining room, the Sanctuary, bars, specialty restaurants, and the pool area.

Princess had thought about security issues, too. When we first boarded the ship, a staff member took a photo of us and it became part of our OceanMedallion profile. When the medallion was used in one of the onboard shops or when we were embarking and disembarking in a port of call, the photo was used to confirm our identity. The cruise photo must also match up to the person in order to unlock their stateroom door. For example, my photo would appear outside the door when I opened it.

DINING VENUES

Concerto Dining Room. Let's just start this section off with WOW! I was blown away by the dishes served in the dining room and ABSOLUTELY LOVED, LOVED MY DINING EXPERIENCE IN THE CONCERTO DINING ROOM! My family and I had a table for four near the window and every night our dishes were cooked to PERFECTION! I'm still dreaming of the lobster tails and I am embarrassed to admit I asked for a second plate. I'm so glad I did and I cleaned both plates! 😉

Our 5:30pm seating time worked well for us and by the second day of the cruise, I felt at home and comfortable with our waiter and our favorite table for four by the window.

Alfredo's Pizzeria. We had Alfredo's Pizza upon our return from a restful day on Princess Cays. Alfredo's was conveniently located off the piazza and served up hand-tossed, Neopolitan-style thin-crust pizzas, calzones, a variety of pasta, soups, and salads. We enjoyed our pizzas and I would highly recommend passengers try it at least once. I loved the unique toppings. Note: Alfredo's was complimentary, however drinks were an additional charge if you do not have a beverage plan.

Alfredo's Pizza Tarantina (Muscles, bay shrimp, capers, roasted garlic, basil & oregano)

Alfredo's Pizza Menu

Horizon Court. The Horizon Court offered a large spread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food was always hot, fresh, and tasted very good. I would suggest doing a walk through before filling up a plate with the first thing that looks appetizing. There are multiple aisles with a variety of food.

Note: There were hand washing stations at all the entrances to Horizon Court! 

Room Service. The Regal Princess offered complimentary room service 24 hours a day. My hubby and I started our mornings off with coffee, juice, and cereal delivered to our room at 7:30 a.m. Service was always prompt and I loved sitting in my robe and having coffee on the balcony. Does it get any better than that? Nope! 

Gelato. Located off the piazza, Gelato was a premium ice cream parlor that served up Italian-style ice cream, fruit smoothies, crepes, and more! The gelato flavors were unique and I would go crazy with the free toppings - definitely worth giving it a try. The flavor and consistency did not taste like the true gelato I have had in Italy, but it was still very good. It was a nominal charge of around $1.50 per scoop, so enjoy! 

Beverage Note: Basic brewed coffee, tea, and orange juice were complimentary with breakfast. Specialty coffees and teas are extra.  There is also no charge for ice water and iced tea. Cocktails, wine, beer, bottled water, specialty teas, and coffee, fountain sodas were included in the Premier Beverage Package for $59.99 per person, per day. Unlimited Sodas, fruity mocktails, juices, and hot chocolate are $7.00 per person, per day. Specialty coffees or ice tea fusions were $31 per card (15 drinks per card). We purchased a 12-pack of bottled water on the Princess website for $6.00 prior to the cruise and had it delivered to our room. The bottled water came in handy on island excursions and was refreshing to have bedside in the evenings. Money well spent.

SPECIALTY DINING

Crown Grill, $29. One evening we ate at the Crown Grill, a true chophouse, serving a variety of steaks, pork chops, lamb, and veal. We each had a steak and the sides of our dishes were garnished with unique Hawaiian Black, Smoked Applewood and Himalayan Mount Pink salts. I had the filet mignon, but in all honesty, it was good, but not the best meal I've ever had. Unfortunately, my family who had different cuts of beef, agreed that it was good, but not excellent. My hubby and son commented that they wished we had eaten in the dining room and I agree with them.

We didn't have a chance to try the two other specialty dining restaurants: Sabatini's Italian Trattoria ($25 per person) and the Crab Shack ($29 per person). They are on our list for the next cruise. 😉

ENCHANTED EVENINGS

The Regal Princess was jam-packed with entertainment. Whether you were looking for something fun and exciting or relaxing and serene, Princess had it all. We never once had a dull moment on the ship and often wished we could be in two places at once. You know the saying, so many things to do and so little time? This certainly applied to our time onboard.  

Casino. The Princess Casino was beautiful and felt modern and fresh. As I mentioned earlier, the OceanMedallion could be used on the slot machines and it was a great way to keep track of wins and losses. 

Movies Under The Stars. My family and I watched two Movies Under The Stars during our cruise: Mama Mia 2 and Bohemian Rhapsody. Both were relatively new releases and at the time of sailing, Bohemian Rhapsody was still being shown in theaters. This was by far my favorite entertainment in the evening. We ate popcorn and cuddled up with soft blankets under the stars. I enjoyed the special family time and during the day the trivia and live concerts on the big screen were awesome, too!  

Tip: Arrive early to watch the Watercolor Fantasy show. It is generally 15 minutes before the evening feature film. 

The quality and sound of the movies were like that of a movie theater. The screen is much larger than it appeared in this video clip. 

Evening Shows. Each and every evening there was a variety of entertaining shows happening throughout the ship. The best way to keep up with the daily entertainment is to read the Princess Patter for an hour by hour list of shows and activities. Do you want to watch 'Crazy Rich Asian' in the Vista Lounge, Liars Club Game Show in Princess Live! theater, a dance competition in the Piazza, or listen to jazz at the Wheelhouse Bar? The list goes on and on and there is something for everyone.

Sea Walk. Passengers who cruise on the Regal Princess need to experience the Sea Walk at some point during their time onboard. The walkway was unique in that it bows out 28 feet off the side of the ship and had a glass floor looking down 128 feet to the ocean below.  It may not be for the faint of heart, but it is fun to stroll and it makes for a great photo opp. I regret not taking photos here prior to dinner on at least one of the two formal nights. I bet the photos would have been beautiful with the late afternoon sun casting a glow on the Sea Walk. Maybe next time. 

Note: Passengers should check the Princess Patter for the daily scoop and an hour by hour list of activities.

So, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed a summary of our trip onboard The Regal Princess. We had a great time and I seriously can't wait to cruise with Princess again in the future. 

Coming soon! Don't miss our adventures on the Regal Princess ports-of-call! Stay tuned... 

   xoxo,