Royal Princess- Lack of a Walkable Promenade Deck

I was on the Regal last year for a TA, plus Baltic. I'm going on the Royal this year for another TA. I did not miss the wrap around promenade like I thought I would. There were chairs to sit out and I found them empty many times, a nice quiet place to sit.

I've been cruising for 35 years, somewhat of a traditional type in terms of ships. At this stage of my life, I sail for itinerary, places I haven't been and would not let a particular ship deter me from a particular itinerary.

I was skeptical about going on the Regal because of the size but I was pleasantly surprised, thoroughly enjoyed the ship, looking forward to the Royal this year.

I was on the Regal last year for a TA, plus Baltic. I'm going on the Royal this year for another TA. I did not miss the wrap around promenade like I thought I would. There were chairs to sit out and I found them empty many times, a nice quiet place to sit. I've been cruising for 35 years, somewhat of a traditional type in terms of ships. At this stage of my life, I sail for itinerary, places I haven't been and would not let a particular ship deter me from a particular itinerary.

 

I was skeptical about going on the Regal because of the size but I was pleasantly surprised, thoroughly enjoyed the ship, looking forward to the Royal this year.

My wife and I are eyeballing a late April 17 day Transatlantic cruise (Fort Lauderdale, 7 days at sea, then ports including - Madeira Portugal, Gibraltar, Cartagena Spain, Mallorca Spain, Monte Carlo Monaco , Toulon France, Barcelona Spain (overnight). We love the idea of 7 sea days to just relax before the busy port days of a European itinerary.

Our last (and only) Princess Cruise was on Star Princess ... we really loved the feel of the overall princess product. Great food, great service, quiet and relaxing.

 

And ships like Norwegian's Breakaway have figured out a way to monetize the Promenade with the "Waterfront" feature. While not a true wrap-around Promenade, it seems to me to be a brilliant idea that allows for a lengthy Promenade, views out to the ocean instead of views inward toward a shopping mall, and a significant source of revenue. When I go on a cruise I want to connect with the ocean, not be diverted away from it, which is why I love Promenades so much.

 

The NCL approach seems like the best compromise.

This is clearly a warm weather design, or best utilized while in port. Notice that in both photos there appears to be something along side as if at a dock. I can't see this working well in inclement weather or in colder climates. It can get pretty windy on promenade decks when the weather gets a bit rough. Who would want to dine in a wind tunnel? :D

This is clearly a warm weather design, or best utilized while in port. Notice that in both photos there appears to be something along side as if at a dock. I can't see this working well in inclement weather or in colder climates. It can get pretty windy on promenade decks when the weather gets a bit rough. Who would want to dine in a wind tunnel? :D

The top of the two photos does not show anything along the side of the ship other than lifeboats and accompanying mechanics. And there are plexiglass wind screens throughout the walkway similar to what Princess uses up on the Sun Decks of its ships. (You can see one in the bottom photo just to the right of the orange structure.) Not perfect, and your point is well taken. Still, long Promenade with an open water view versus no Promenade with an interior "Central Park" to me is a no brainer.

The top of the two photos does not show anything along the side of the ship other than lifeboats and accompanying mechanics. And there are plexiglass wind screens throughout the walkway similar to what Princess uses up on the Sun Decks of its ships. (You can see one in the bottom photo just to the right of the orange structure.) Not perfect, and your point is well taken. Still, long Promenade with an open water view versus no Promenade with an interior "Central Park" to me is a no brainer.

one of the reasons we hesitated booking on the royal was the lack of the promenade. it matched the time and itinerary for us though so we just got off our cruise last week. we did really miss the promenade deck, especially in the time between dinner and evening activities when we like to stroll. the royal has nothing like it and if I had a choice between roya/regal and a ship that had a full promenade I would definately choose the latter. having said that, we had a great time, made the best of the running/walking track on the top deck. Its always a trade off and the royal has some good qualities as well. you just have to decide whats the most important to you and enjoy! If you are lucky enough to be able to afford to cruise on any of the ships I say book the ship/itinerary that works the best for you and dont expect perfection. You are on a cruise!!!

An Open Posting to Princess Cruises- The lack of a walkable promenade deck on the Royal Princess will result in us cancelling our scheduled December cruise.

 

As background, my wife and I have been on 14 Princess Cruises over the last 20 years all over the world (Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, Australia/New Zealand, Panama, Norway and elsewhere). Regardless of our itinerary, one of the most important things to us to do on every Princess cruise was our daily exercise walks on the covered promenade deck.

 

I was very disappointed to learn that the Royal Princess does not have a walker friendly promenade deck for people like us. I understand that it is cut off in the front and back of the ship and is too narrow in parts to do exercise walks. For us, the jogging trail at the top of the ship does not work due to my wife's sun sensitivity plus it not being the same quiet ambience of a promenade deck.

 

 

As a result of this Royal Princess design feature, we will for the first time in years start looking at other cruise lines. We may continuing to go on some of the older Princess Ships, but that fleet is aging. Our hearts are broken over this as we were one cruise away from Elite Status. We were looking forward to the other innovations of the Royal Princess class of ships. However, for us, this promenade issue is a deal breaker as it is a very important part of our cruise we thought would never be taken away.

Love the Royal class ships.....to me there is more to cruising then just walking on a ship....hope you find what you are looking for on other cruise lines :)

I wish I hadn't read this post. I went to see the 3 day Regal. Then thought what is it doing before November 6th. I saw the 29 day Grand Maiden Voyage. My heart skipped a beat - stopped for a minute - then flipped a bit. It's the itinerary - my dream cruise followed by another dream of TA. Now I only need to figure out a way.... I've been stupid and never purchased future cruise credits. I will for sure about the Royal (on my first b2b AND platinum cruise (yay)). And I'm going to book this cruise. And then spend the next 6-7 months figuring out how to pay for it.

 

Thanks! I have something new to obsess over.

It was funny reading this post from 3 1/2 years ago. I never did make it to the Mediterranean. I am stuck sailing the Caribbean. (Poor me). But I have sailed both the Royal and the Regal twice. Back then I was looking forward to my first platinum cruise. After I sail the Royal again in 25 days I will be 3 short of Elite. I love the new ships. I have spent hours sitting in a comfy chair on the Promenade deck. I am so excited to be going back on the Royal.

The promenade is very important to me. Nothing can replace a stroll about the ship. I read many happy posts about the Royal and Regal but these ships are not for me. Hopefully there will always be some cruise ships that preserve this quintessential cruise experience.

I was on the Regal last year for a TA, plus Baltic. I'm going on the Royal this year for another TA. I did not miss the wrap around promenade like I thought I would. There were chairs to sit out and I found them empty many times, a nice quiet place to sit.

I share your views - The Regal is an absolutely beautiful ship - and yes I do like a stroll around a prom, but like yourself I didn't miss it. The chairs were really comfortably and we loved how the Prom had turned into a handy hideaway in plain sight. And on a Baltic cruise there's plenty of ports to clock up the pedi steps - there were the 18 miles in Oslo and 10 in Berlin for starters...

Have you considered using the treadmills?

I agree 1000%!!!!! Just because the ship is bigger it doesn't mean it's better!

An Open Posting to Princess Cruises- The lack of a walkable promenade deck on the Royal Princess will result in us cancelling our scheduled December cruise.

 

As background, my wife and I have been on 14 Princess Cruises over the last 20 years all over the world (Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, Australia/New Zealand, Panama, Norway and elsewhere). Regardless of our itinerary, one of the most important things to us to do on every Princess cruise was our daily exercise walks on the covered promenade deck.

 

I was very disappointed to learn that the Royal Princess does not have a walker friendly promenade deck for people like us. I understand that it is cut off in the front and back of the ship and is too narrow in parts to do exercise walks. For us, the jogging trail at the top of the ship does not work due to my wife's sun sensitivity plus it not being the same quiet ambience of a promenade deck.

 

 

As a result of this Royal Princess design feature, we will for the first time in years start looking at other cruise lines. We may continuing to go on some of the older Princess Ships, but that fleet is aging. Our hearts are broken over this as we were one cruise away from Elite Status. We were looking forward to the other innovations of the Royal Princess class of ships. However, for us, this promenade issue is a deal breaker as it is a very important part of our cruise we thought would never be taken away.

While I understand your feelings, I think your decision is lamentable. My wife and I have always enjoyed our after-dinner walks around the promenade decks, but the absence of a complete around-the-ship trip on the promenade deck is certainly not sufficient to drive us away from Princess. We have cruised others - they shall remain nameless, but we have about 30+ cruises under our belts. A few years ago, we decided to try Princess and since then we have become ardent Princess fans. There is a very distinct difference offered by Princess and for us our future cruises will be with them.

Over the years we have seen a lot of what used to be open spaces disappear from ships, particularly the open bow decks, promenades, as well as aft open deck areas. Cruise lines are simply converting what used to be vast public spaces into profit-making areas, more cabins, etc. Lamentable...most certainly, because I am of the Arthur Frommer genre, i.e., "the reason we cruise is to be at sea." It seems that cruise lines are more and more depriving cruisers of those large open spaces where one could simply gaze at the ocean for hours on end. An unfortunate direction I believe, but the laws of economics are what they are.

For my money, Princess still offers a great cruise experience. Will I miss the promenade deck walks...certainly. But...will it ruin my day - or cause me to leave Princess? Not a chance:cool:.

We miss the promenade deck too.

IMO they want you inside the ship. Inside means $$.

If what I see in the photos are the tops of lifeboats and the mechanisms used to lower them, that is certainly a shame. It would certainly spoil the effect if the view of the ocean is blocked, even partially. At least for me. I want to see water all the way to the horizon, not machinery just feet away. After all, I am on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean, not in a cafeteria in a factory. ;p

Yes, what you see are lifeboats and the DAVITS used to lower and retrieve them. In many ships the lifeboats are suspended overhead so that you walk underneath them on the promenade deck. I find this very ship-like, part of the ambience of being at sea, far from "spoiling the effect". Plus the fact that those boats are also used as tenders to take you into some ports as needed.

And on the treadmill idea--that is nowhere close to the idea of walking on deck. Might as well use it in a closet, particularly on ships where the exercise center is {INSIDE}with no view. For me, the same goes for stationary bikes, which negate the whole idea of taking a bike ride!

Have you considered using the treadmills?

For somebody who enjoys walks out in the fresh sea air, treadmills aren't an option. I think that applies to the OP.

Glad to stumble upon this thread. As a runner and someone who loves to cruise, one of my favorite places in the world to run is around the promenade decks of the various ships I have been on. I live in the northern US, so I love to run OUTSIDE whenever I get the chance. Not being able to run on the promenade deck is not a deal breaker for sailing on the Royal class ships, but I will personally miss it.

Does anyone happen to know how long the walking/running track is on the upper deck? I'm used to 2.5 - 3 laps around the ship is a mile. Thanks.

Glad to stumble upon this thread. As a runner and someone who loves to cruise, one of my favorite places in the world to run is around the promenade decks of the various ships I have been on. I live in the northern US, so I love to run OUTSIDE whenever I get the chance. Not being able to run on the promenade deck is not a deal breaker for sailing on the Royal class ships, but I will personally miss it.

 

 

 

Does anyone happen to know how long the walking/running track is on the upper deck? I'm used to 2.5 - 3 laps around the ship is a mile. Thanks.

As I remember it was about 7 laps.

We miss the promenade deck too.

IMO they want you inside the ship. Inside means $$.

Unfortunately so.....:(:(:(

Bob

I agree... nothing like a out side promenada deck, treadmills does not cut it. Because of this, we are going on the Royal for the first time on the TA from Barcelona to Florida in October.... sometimes it is too windy on a TA... to enjoy being outside except on port days... so we will see. Have been on Celebrity ships that have the same design... did not like it ... the other amenities on Celebrity did not make up the difference... Another items I am missing on the new ships is a good library... I do want to read on tablets. Will see how I like the Crown Grill on the Royal being next to the bar... Do enjoy a nice TA... so we will see. We are more traditional cruisers too...

Husband and I will walk the promenade deck when the weather permits and when we are not in port but it never has been something that I found all that enjoyable. Joggers running around you, the wind often is more aggressive than my own legs can muster, and at every 1/2 turn of the ship we usually encounter a series of people enjoying their cigarettes, where they are entirely allowed, but not exactly much like sea air.

To me, walking around the promenade deck is more like walking around a school track field. The same view...the same view...the same view. One can sit on their balcony, or sit on the promenade deck and see...the same view. it's not going to change wherever you are out at sea.

We're more accustomed to the Grand Class ships as that is pretty much all we have available here on the west coast but a two week B2B last November on the Royal made us loyal to the Royal class ships. We didn't miss the promenade deck as we were in different ports most of the time and got more than enough exercise on shore. I am hopeful that Princess will give us one over here on the west coast once the two new builds come over from Europe.

To me, walking around the promenade deck is more like walking around a school track field. The same view...the same view...the same view. One can sit on their balcony, or sit on the promenade deck and see...the same view. it's not going to change wherever you are out at sea.

 

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I find it does change, sometimes dramatically, depending upon time of day, sun position, wind direction, wind speed, and weather conditions. DH and I love walking on the promenad and it is an experience that we can't find anywhere else. Where else can one walk in the shade so close to the sea...not on a beach.

I agree about the smoking, but that should only be on one side.

I think a Royal class ship will be coming to the California in a year or so. But I hope this doesn't mean we will lose access to Princess ships with a walkable promenad so soon.

As I remember it was about 7 laps.

Thanks. I've never seen this information anywhere.

Thanks. I've never seen this information anywhere.

If you have been on the Royal it is posted on the wall where you are walking around the track. Same goes for other ships' track and also the promenade deck.

 

 

 

We're more accustomed to the Grand Class ships as that is pretty much all we have available here on the west coast but a two week B2B last November on the Royal made us loyal to the Royal class ships. We didn't miss the promenade deck as we were in different ports most of the time and got more than enough exercise on shore. I am hopeful that Princess will give us one over here on the west coast once the two new builds come over from Europe.

the Royal Princess will be operating out of Los Angeles starting March 2019.

https://www.princess.com/news/news_releases/2017/05/Princess-Cruises-Announces-2018-2019-Americas-Season.html

We were on Regal a few yrs ago, I didn't like the layout of the ship either