Regal Princess Cruise Review – A Back to Back Holiday Sailing
We just returned from a trip aboard the Regal Princess over the holidays and into the new year, and we had a fantastic experience. We have sailed with Princess before, and it is one of the cruise lines that is most highly recommended by our family. In point of fact, we commemorated my parents’ golden wedding anniversary with a trip on the Crown Princess that included members of multiple generations of our family.
This time around, we chose to take two separate cruises in consecutive order. For a number of years, this has been a dream of most cruisers, including myself.
Finally, we were successful this year!!
In order to accommodate everyone’s schedules, my family and I frequently take vacations and go on cruises over the holiday season. This time around, in addition to New Year’s Eve, we were on for the entire week of Christmas.
I strongly encourage you to go on a holiday cruise if you’ve ever thought about doing so. In this cruise review, I’ll touch on some of the highlights, but because there is so much to say and show, the specifics of how Christmas is celebrated aboard the ship are described in this post: Celebrations of the Holidays Aboard the Regal Princess
I’ll discuss many aspects of my time spent aboard the Regal Princess during the first week (Christmas) and the second week (New Year’s), as well as the ports, which were located in the Eastern Caribbean first and then the Western Caribbean (port reviews at bottom)
The Main Public Areas of the Ship on the Regal Princess
The Piazza
The Regal Princess is an absolutely breathtaking vessel, and she is one of the largest in the Princess fleet. Upon entering the Piazza, the atrium of the Princess, one could see that it had been tastefully decorated for the Christmas season. The three-story atrium was not just as magnificent as those on other Princess ships we’ve been on, but it was even more so. In the case of ships belonging to the Royal class, the piazza is stately and capacious, and it features three graceful staircases in addition to glass and gold accents.
Due to the fact that it was the holiday season, there was a majestic Christmas tree decked out in vibrant colours standing on the first level of the Piazza. Throughout the week, many people took advantage of its attractiveness as a photographic setting.
Alfredo’s Pizzeria and the International Cafe are two of the establishments that can be found in the Piazza, along with a handful of stores, a couple of bars, and the entrance to the casino. There is a good amount of comfortable seating available, as well as a large dance floor in the centre of the venue, which is where we frequently observed people dancing in response to the live bands. It served as the ship’s nerve centre, and there was never a dull moment in this area of the Regal Princess.
In all honesty, it was in one of our most beloved areas of the ship.
Pool Decks
The primary pool spaces aboard Regal Princess were quite excellent, and the attention to detail in the ship’s exquisite design was consistent across the entire ship, including the pool sections.
There are two large pools on board, one of which is reserved exclusively for adults and is quite a bit smaller than the other big pool (which is on Regal and not on Royal Princess).
Main Pools
One of the pools on the lido deck was significantly larger than the other, and there was a platform in the middle of the area that had fountains. Additionally, it served as the location for the Movies Under the Stars screen. There were also a good number of hot tubs, some of which were located on the top deck just above the swimming pool. Around the entirety of the pool area, there is a large supply of seating and space.
This was without a doubt the busiest part of the ship to be found. During our time on this cruise, we didn’t have a lot of fun in this particular region. One possible explanation for this is that the holidays attract a large number of individuals and families.
There is a large number of lounge seats as well as tables and chairs that can be used to eat outdoors in the shade. Some of the amazing things about it include the fact that the grill and pizza are located in this area. It is incredibly lovely with the Seawalk and bar, but the movies (from Movies Under the Stars) were excessively loud, so we decided not to remain in this area. Despite the fact that it is beautiful, we did not stay here.
My personal choice goes to the Crown Class of ships since they have two major pools that are separated from one another. This allows for one pool to host Movies Under the Stars while the other main pool hosts music and games.
Having said that, it appeared as though families with children were having a great time, and we had conversations with a lot of folks who enjoy viewing movies and videos all day long.
Adult Pool (Retreat)
The Retreat Pool offered the perfect opportunity to unwind and relax. It was great for us!
The pool, which was rectangular in design, offered ample space. The presence of lounge chairs and cabanas all around it created the impression that one was in a luxurious resort with a five-star view of the ocean. To tell you the truth, it was never too busy, and for us, it was the ideal place to spend a day at the beach. In addition to that, there were two hot tubs of a respectable size.
There were cabanas available for hire at a cost of 50 dollars for a half day and 80 dollars for a full day. Each cabana came with a nice special menu, which I assume was the same as the Sanctuary’s menu.
The fact that there is something that is suitable for each and every passenger is one of the aspects of Princess Cruises that I appreciate the most.
The Protected Area
A quiet adult-only sanctuary may be found just steps away from the adult pool at the Retreat. A haven of peace and tranquilly that can be found at the very front of the ship. The first day we were there, we went on a short tour, and the accommodations are both opulent and picturesque. We do not, however, seek for the most tranquil environments because we enjoy being a part of the action. That might shift at some point in the future, but at this moment, it wasn’t a significant source of temptation.
Cabins of the Regal Princess
After sailing in interior, oceanview, and balcony cabins, I can say without a doubt that the general functionality of Princess’ accommodations is among my favourites. We got a balcony cabin that had several obstructions during this cruise.
When you first enter the cabin, there is a front section that has an open closet that serves as a wall or separator from the remainder of the cabin. This closet is located in the middle of the cabin. The stateroom safe is also located within the room’s long cupboard, which is a nice size and has around five shelves for storing one’s clothing. The bathroom may be found directly across from the open closet. It is a wonderful place to get ready for the day because it has a couple of full-size mirrors, which makes it a terrific site to use while others in the cabin are engaged in their own activities.
As there were three of us staying in the cabin, it was equipped with not just our bed but also a pullman bed, which is a type of bunk bed that can be pulled down from the ceiling. Last but not least, there was a table and chair inside the cabin, in addition to a miniature low cabinet and a refrigerator. The cabin wasn’t particularly big, but it did offer a decent amount of comfortable space and excellent storage, both of which are features that, in my experience, are quite helpful in maintaining cabin order.
We stayed in an obstructed balcony cabin on Deck 8, and the level of obstruction depended on the placement of the cabin. If you’re curious about the level of obstruction, read on. If having a panoramic view of the ocean is very important to you, I would not advise anyone to book this particular style of accommodation.
When we got up, we were happy to have the outdoor area and view that came with the blocked balcony cabin, which we believed was an excellent value for the money we paid for it. Nevertheless, an orange lifeboat almost completely obstructed one’s view from where one was seated. Our neighbour, on the other hand, had nothing more than a low beam and a wire blocking his view. The only reason I’m bringing this up is to provide an honest assessment of the space. If we go into something knowing what to anticipate, there is a much lower chance that we will be let down by it.
The cottage was nice overall, and the mattresses were very pleasant. We enjoyed our stay there. Our cabin steward was exceptional in every way. Sincerity was quite kind and helpful, and she did an excellent job.
Funny story
I stepped outside on our balcony the morning that we arrived in Falmouth, Jamaica, and was appreciating the way the sun was hitting the sea and the countryside when all of a sudden, a head shot out from the lifeboat around 6 feet in front of me.
Oh… I just found out that on that particular day, they were performing some maintenance on the lifeboats. “Hello,” the member of the crew greeted timidly. “Good morning,” we chortled to one another… and entered the building to continue our day. I am obligated to admit that I am one of those folks that would never find ship maintenance and safety drills to be an annoyance. Is that correct?
The Dining Hall of the Regal Princess
Informal cuisine
If you have followed any of my posts on Instagram or Facebook, then you are aware of how positively I speak about the casual food that is served aboard the Regal Princess. I was unable to think of any ways in which they could enhance the quality of the breakfast buffet, the grill and pizzeria on the pool deck, the International Cafe and Alfredo’s Pizzeria in the Piazza, or the room service. The selection, quality, and flavour of the casual meals were all top-notch.
We had a lot of fun participating in a couple of different activities, both of which I strongly suggest. If you have not tried this before, you should do it on your next cruise.
1. The British Pub Lunch: Since this event took place on a maritime day, you should look for it in your Princess Patter. In a nutshell, we enjoyed a lovely meal in the lounge at the Crown Grill consisting of fish & chips and prawns. Because of the high volume of customers, you should come there earlier rather than later (hours are in the daily schedule). It was excellent in every way!
2. Afternoon Tea: Even though we’d been talking about doing it for years, we finally got around to going to the hotel’s dining room for afternoon tea for the first time. It was delicious, and we really appreciated the scones with cream and jam, the miniature sandwiches, and the cookies. It was a very pleasant experience overall.
The International cafe in the Piazza serves up some mouthwatering salads and sandwiches; on a few of occasions, we chose to have lunch at the International cafe rather than at the buffet. The shrimp fennel salad is one of my favourites, while my husband prefers the traditional Greek salad. Both the sandwiches and the bowls of fruit salad were mouthwatering and offered a healthier option. Because the dessert at the International Cafe is just so delicious, we would frequently close the night with a bite or two of it.
Tip: Alfredo’s Pizzeria in the Piazza was one of our favourite locations to eat at the hotel. This restaurant should not be mistaken with Pregos, which was located poolside. On the first day of your cruise, rather than eating lunch at the buffet, why don’t you give Alfredo’s a try for lunch? You’ll be one of the first people to try it out, and there won’t be nearly as many people there.
Main Dining Room
We thought the main dining rooms were rather lovely and sophisticated, and we like the sensation of space created by the fact that the tables didn’t have to be pushed up against one another. Following our experience with the Anytime dining option, for the first time, we had the thought that perhaps returning to the more conventional meal options might be a good idea.
Let me clarify. To begin, our servers put forth a lot of effort and were friendly, so we have no grounds for complaint. However, it often felt like a bit of a chaotic overall dining experience. This could be because the Regal Princess is a very large ship, and it was sailing with a very full passenger complement because it was sailing during the holiday season. Please let me know if you’ve cruised with Princess and had an experience that was either similar to or different from mine so that we can make a decision on what to do for the next trip.
In terms of the cuisine and the menu, the majority of the meals that we had were really delicious, and there are certain items on the menu that I really enjoy, such as the salmon that is served at dinner each night. My son especially liked the shrimp cocktail as well as the other shrimp appetisers that were offered on the menu, and my husband really liked the prime rib that was served. Desserts, especially chocolate trips, were some of the most wonderful and memorable parts of the meal.
One thing to take into consideration is the fact that we have always loved having a few options on the menu that changed nightly, while others were “always accessible.” The “always available” section of the menu has been updated, and as a result, certain items are no longer on the list of those that can be ordered. Even while I’m relieved to see that the salmon is still available, it came as a blow to both my husband and my son when they discovered that the standard steak and fries had been eliminated. I truly hope Princess takes into consideration how much several people enjoyed having this option, and that they decide to add it back to the menu.
Entertainment
On board the Regal Princess, there was a wide variety of activities to choose from and plenty of options. The Cruise Director, Dan Falconer, and his staff did an excellent job of engaging with the passengers and providing a variety of entertaining activities for them to participate in.
One of the highlights of the evening’s entertainment was a production performance called Born to Dance, which was outstanding in its overall quality. There were a few of others that featured singing and dancing, but it’s simply not something that we enjoy doing, so instead of going to those places, we frequently chose to hang out in the Piazza where there was live music.
The live music was absolutely incredible, featuring performances by Xcite the Band and Ella Ryan, in addition to those by a number of other brilliant performers. This was one of the ship’s many notable strengths.
The set of The Voice of the Ocean is really similar to that of The Voice, and it was a fantastic experience. We were only able to see a portion of one show because it was taking place during the day; however, we were unable to attend any of the other performances.
In the evening, there were additional enjoyable events at the form of game shows held both in Princess Live and in the Piazza, both of which were a lot of fun to participate in. Although there was a comedian on board, I am unable to recall the act they gave. However, we did miss the illusionists and guest entertainment that we have seen on previous Princess cruises.
However, one of the things that really stands out to us as a benefit of taking a cruise with Princess is the fact that there is a little bit for everyone. There was always something that piqued our interest.
Medallion of the Ocean
I assume that our trip was the very first complete Ocean Medallion cruise, which at the time was still in the trial stages. Even though it wasn’t completely working, the most of the essential components were there. The staff was quite helpful in aiding travellers with any questions or problems related to the internet or setting up their devices.
In reference to the Ocean Medallion, the new technology known as Medallion Net, which is essentially the ship’s internet or wifi, was introduced concurrently. Permit me to vouch for this incredible, lightning-fast, and very reasonable wifi service.
Additionally, we were able to share between devices, provided that just one device at a time was being used. This is a good option for those who do not really want to spend a lot of time on the internet but still want or need some connectivity (as I am aware that many people, like myself, like to unplug while they cruise), and the pricing is really reasonable.
The Recreation Area Also Contains a Gym
The incredible size of the sports deck took us by complete surprise given that it is simply not a major focus on any of the other Princess ships that we have previously travelled on. The vast walking and jogging track was one of my husband and I’s favourite places to spend the majority of our mornings. The sports court played host to a number of activities on a daily basis, including outdoor Zumba lessons. On the upper decks, above the sports court, there was mini-golf as well as shuffle board. The fact that all of this was located at the ship’s aft made for a breathtaking view of the ocean.
The workout centre offered some excellent machines, but the elliptical trainers and treadmills were the ones that I used the most. I enrolled in a few different classes, and all of the teachers were fantastic.
Taking one or more classes while you’re on a cruise is something I can’t suggest highly enough. In general, I go for a stretching class since I am confident in my ability to complete it. It is really helpful for relieving some of the stress that builds up from our daily routine, and it is also excellent to set aside at least an hour or so of the day specifically for oneself.
Service
Our experience has shown us that Princess has a staff that is among the most knowledgeable, kind, and pleasant we’ve encountered anywhere. Our flight attendant was quite helpful and did an excellent job overall. When we had any kind of problem, the guest services department was helpful.
Shopping when travelling
Even though I don’t usually discuss things like this in my cruise reviews, I felt it was important to bring it up this time. Purchasing jewellery and other items in the many shops found on board can often provide excellent value. We were able to buy a watch of a well-known brand that we had our eye on before the cruise and for which we had a pricing point in mind for less than half of what it would have cost us anywhere, even on the islands. In addition, the fact that the salesperson was so knowledgeable and helpful contributed to the overall positive experience of making the purchase.
On board the Regal Princess, we will be celebrating Christmas and New Year’s.
The Holiday Season Aboard Ship: Deck the Halls and More
The moment we stepped on board the ship on the 23rd of December, the mood was joyous and the scenery was breathtaking. The Piazza was filled with carolers singing Christmas songs, there was a visit from Santa for the children on Christmas morning, there was a storytime for the younger children, and there were other activities as well. Absolutely enchanted experiences for everyone on board.
In addition, there were movies about Christmas playing on a large screen outside, and there was a lot of music related to Christmas.
A brief anecdote about…
I like Christmas music. It is merry, it is enjoyable, and it evokes fond memories. I get into the holiday mood one hundred percent!
On the other hand, once the holiday is gone, I find that I am fast exhausted by the music.
On the morning of December 26, when my husband and I were eating breakfast at the buffet in the hotel, joyful and very typical Christmas music was playing over the speakers. I whispered to my husband, “so… when do you think they’ll stop the music?” and he answered me.
After all, it was the day after Christmas, so it made sense to him that they would wait until December 26 to deal with it. He went on to explain that by December 27th, it would either be completed or decreased, becoming something like a compilation of Christmas music and other tunes. That made sense…
Our favourite place to eat is toward the back of the buffet, where we were sitting on the morning of December 27 when we overheard this… “I’ll be back in town for the holidays…” In a span of 363 days, I had the thought, “Oh no!”
Absolutely, there was Christmas music, and it was the typical kind, pretty much until at least the 29th, and possibly even the 30th of December. To be honest, it wasn’t playing everywhere; however, it did appear that the buffet was the primary location where people were keeping the Christmas spirit alive through music.
I simply wanted to throw out there that if the Christmas music had been in reggae style, I definitely would have done better.
Celebrations to be Held on New Year’s Eve
What a crazy fun time! I is unable to think of anything that could possibly top spending New Year’s aboard a cruise ship. We have now spent New Year’s Eve aboard a Princess Cruise three times, and each time was wonderful.
There was a special supper for New Year’s, and as we entered the dining room, the hosts presented the ladies with festive tiaras, the hosts presented the guys with entertaining top hats, and everyone of us was given a blower.
At any given time, the ship featured the musical stylings of not one, but two bands, in addition to a resident DJ. At the celebration that was held on the pool deck, there was also a balloon drop, which took place in the Piazza, and fireworks were shown on the large screen. It was a very enjoyable evening!
Cruise Stopovers and Ports of Call
Due to the fact that we were on a Back to Back trip, we visited the ports of the Eastern Caribbean first, and then those of the Western Caribbean.
Ports in the Eastern Caribbean
The Princess’s Cays
Our very first port of call was Princess Cays, where we hired a tender and spent a wonderful day at the beach on the ideal Love Boat Island. Even though there is a wonderful beach barbeque on the private island, we chose to return to the ship in the early afternoon and eat at the poolside grill on board instead of eating on the private island.
St. Thomas, American Virgin Islands
Havensight was where we chose to dock in St. Thomas, and although it had been several years since our last visit there, we were overjoyed to be there once again. We decided to take advantage of the fact that we had a full day in St. Thomas and that we would be in port until 10 p.m. by booking an afternoon excursion with Princess.
The next morning, we let our son, who is 18, sleep in (he had been up late the night before), and my husband and I went shopping and exploring right at the dock. After grabbing a bite to eat on the ship, we embarked on a boat tour that included snorkelling with turtles at Buck Island and taking a break on the beach at Honeymoon Beach.
We were able to see some fish and four turtles while snorkelling; the water was lovely and transparent. The turtles were swimming between the coral. We were told that there are sometimes more turtles than what we saw, but overall, it was a wonderful experience. After we finished snorkelling, we were treated to a delicious, albeit intense, rum drink that was included with our expedition. The appearance of Honeymoon Beach was understated but endearingly charming.
Philipsburg, St. Marteen/St. Martin
When we arrived in St. Martin, the first thing that sprang to our minds was to visit Orient Beach, which is located on the French side of the island and is known for its stunning scenery. However, because the island was seriously impacted by the hurricane that occurred in 2018, the infrastructure on the island was not yet ready to host huge amounts of people, and we were warned against going there.
So, what did we do? We decided to finally experience THE aeroplane beach by going to Maho Beach, which is located on the Dutch side of the island. Even though it was not a restful beach, it was definitely a day to remember, full of fun, and something that everyone should experience at least once. I had anticipated that there would be a significant wind gust, but there wasn’t much of one. Perhaps this was due to the magnitude of the aircrafts that were present.
If you are going to Maho Beach, you should stop at the Sunset Bar for some beverages. You will be treated to a breathtaking and one-of-a-kind panorama if you are able to secure a table in the vicinity of the water. The beach, the sky, and the water are all crystal clear blue, and then all of a sudden there is a plane flying in for a landing. It was well worth going to see, despite the fact that I will probably only do this once.
Fort Lauderdale/Turnaround day
Because we were on a B2B cruise, we were able to disembark in Fort Lauderdale, go ashore, and then re-board the ship after our excursion. We came to the conclusion that we would rather have a peaceful morning aboard the ship, so we made the choice to forego that option. In spite of this, looking back on it, it seems like it may have been a lovely thing to do.
That day, there was a problem that we were not aware of, despite the fact that we are generally informed that the procedure to disembark and re-board (there is a procedure due to customs), which does involve a procedure, should be straightforward and take approximately fifteen minutes. In reality, it took more than 2 hours to complete. It was a pretty unusual circumstance, but unfortunately for us, we had some poor luck while we were there. We were told that it was a highly unusual situation.
Ports in the Western Caribbean
The Princess’s Cays
We had spent the previous week in Princess Cays, so we chose to remain on board. This turned out to be the best decision we’ve ever made. Even though we like visiting the ports of call and disembarking the ship, it is incredible to realise that we are part of a relatively small fraction of individuals who choose to stay on the ship itself. We delighted in the (misguided) belief that the ship belonged to none of us but ourselves.
A helpful hint is to occasionally remain on the ship rather than disembarking at a port of call. It is a delight to have so much space available in any location that you visit. It is worthwhile to do on occasion because many services, such as those offered at spas, are frequently discounted or come with additional bonuses.
Jamaican town of Falmouth
Since our last visit in 2012, almost little new construction had taken place within the port proper during that time. A very appealing cruise port is currently being developed in Falmouth.
We have had a lot of positive experiences in Jamaica, including a visit to Dunn’s River Falls and a day spent at an all-inclusive beach resort during one of our cruises. This time around, we settled on going for a stroll around the harbour, both within and outside of the gates.
Outside the gates, we did not have the impression that we were in any danger; however, we limited our walking to the few blocks where there were a lot of other tourists. In the future, I believe that it would be beneficial to go on a tour in order to learn more. If we were on our own, I wouldn’t want to travel too far.
When we got back to the cruise port area, we headed to Margaritaville for the day because it was only three minutes away from the ship, and we had a wonderful time there. Every time I go, I have a fantastic time, and the beverages are top-notch. Please bring your swimwear and prepare to have a wonderful day in the pool.
Love Locks Bought in Jamaica My wife and I each got our own love lock to hang on the enormous art display that read “ONE LOVE.” It’s exciting to think that there might be a trace of us in there somewhere!
The capital of Grand Cayman is Georgetown.
Why would anyone not fall in love with Grand Cayman? It is the ultimate Caribbean Cruise port of call since it is spotlessly clean, breathtakingly gorgeous, and home to some of the world’s best beaches and shops. Following the tendering, we joined the rest of our excursion group for our stingray snorkelling adventure, which we had previously scheduled through Princess. Even though there were a lot of people at Stingray City Sandbar, I still had a wonderful time there, and I would encourage anyone else to go there as well.
In the past, we have also spent the day at 7 Mile Beach and had a great time.
Cozumel, Mexico
This is one of our favourite cruise ports since it is so simple to enjoy a wonderful day at the beach, and we can buy any small mementos that we need right there at the ship port in the little stores that are located there. As part of the programme for this trip, we stayed in Cozumel until ten at night. Even though we didn’t stay out very late, it’s still good to take our time getting back to the apartment.
We went to Paradise Beach, which has been one of our go-to destinations in Cozumel for as long as we’ve been visiting the island. On the other hand, Cozumel offers visitors a wide variety of additional opportunities to enjoy the beach as well as other activities, making it an excellent port of call for cruises.
A review of the Back to Back cruises aboard the Regal Princess
The Regal Princess is a beautiful ship, and we had a truly fantastic time sailing aboard her throughout our vacation. The Seawalk, the Retreat Pool, and the Piazza all have such a stunning appearance. Other locations, such as the theatre and the lounges, likewise exude an air of refined sophistication. Princess has in fact crafted a lovely creature.
Personally, I like ships that are a little bit on the smaller side; nevertheless, there are always drawbacks associated with this preference. Not only may smaller ships not have as much space, but they also cannot have as many options as this ship does. There was a significant increase in the amount of open space available compared to what we have seen on other extremely large ships.
In conclusion, I have nothing but positive things to say about the Regal Princess and believe that it is an excellent option for multi-generational, couple, and family vacations. Everyone can find something that appeals to them here!
Have you ever travelled on a cruise on the Regal Princess? What did you like best? Which size of ship do you like, and why do you feel that way? I would appreciate it if you could let me know in the comments below.
