Out with the Old In with the New - Just off the Regal

Gone - seared scallop appetizer in Crown Grill - replaced by some fru fru foam stuff - waiter said they were trying to modernize

Gone - Princess pop choir and Voice of the Ocean - replaced by Do you wanna dance? Not sure anyone signed up because there was never another mention of it.

Gone - Welcome aboard show - replaced by snipets of comedian for us

Gone - custom forms if you verbally declare not more than $800 in purchases (for our cruise) - might be higher if you go to St. Thomas

Gone - disembarkation form if you're using Princess transfer - they already know your plans and you just get the normal form with your tags attached (or not in my case and had to go to the front desk)

New - MediCure Sleep music 8 hours on the tv. Specifically designed to help you sleep, however ours kept flashing bright lights on the screen. Guest services offered to change our tv but our friends on a different deck had the same problem. I don't think anyone brought it up but me. Probably I'm one of the few that found it. So if you go and experience the same please let them know. I think the program is faulty. Otherwise I love the concept.

There was probably more but this is all I can remember right now.

Diann

Remembered something else - you don't take your life jacket to muster anymore. There's a new Safety video playing in your cabin and until it plays all the way thru you can't go to another channel and then they play it again at muster. Some new cutesy thing tied into the Love Boat theme song. It'll get old after awhile, but does catch your attention.

Interesting concept with the MedicureSleep. Thanks for the report.

Voice of the Ocean, like the International Crew Show, will be missed.

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Fru fru foam stuff? :')

We were on the Ruby last month and had to take our life jackets with us which is a very large pain in the you-know-where. Carnival does not require pax to bring their life jackets or to try them on so that will be a welcome change. The safety presentation was verbal and recorded. The usual safety video was on the TV. We just left it on and left the room.

They did have the new first night show you mentioned. We skipped that just like in the past.

We had the Voice of the Ocean which I have been told had specific rules and Princess had to pay a royalty to do it. We never got into it so no loss here

The customs forms were gone for us as well and the immigration officer did not even mention it. We were among the last to leave the ship (flight from LAX left at 6 PM) so by the time we got to immigration there was no line and the officers were standing outside their cubicles. They just looked at our passports, handed them back and told us to have a good day. How more laid back can they get?

If we had the MediCure Sleep music we missed it but I doubt we had it on the Ruby.

Thanks for the report.

I hope you enjoyed your cruise as much as I did.

I really do miss the Crew talent show. I used to love watching that, especially when Ron Goodman would prance around in his tutu!

I watched them do the "so you think you can dance" for a bit. It was an enjoyable change.

Voice of the Ocean: No loss. On our last cruise the crew show featured some of the crew who had sang in the crew-members Voice of the Ocean. (It's held at night and no passengers are involved.) The crew who sang in the crew show and who had also been in their version of The Voice were vastly better singers than any of the passengers who were in the passenger version of The Voice. I know because I sat through both audition sessions. O..... M...... G...... some of the passenger who sang should never do that in public again.

Princess Pop Choir: No more hearing Sweet Caroline over and over and over and over and over as one walks past the sales area where snippets of the Reflection DVD are playing. If I never hear that song again I will be happy.

We are recently off of Emerald Princess and both of those were still going on. Likewise we had to take the life jackets to muster. I have read about the new way of doing things but, as far as I can tell, so far it's just on Royal and Regal. (No idea about Majestic - I have no interest in that ship anyway.) Only time will tell if these changes roll out to the rest of the fleet. Princess does seem to have a habit of using kind of random type of "policy".

I was just on the Regal a few weeks ago and they had Voice of the Ocean and Pop Choir. Wow, that changed fast.

Very interesting as my son and daughter inlaw just got off the Regal and Theu were required to bring their life vests to the muster drill. They did not have to wear them but they were instructed to put them on after the demonstration. This is for everyone's safety so If the ship embarks in a US Port it is the Coast Guard that makes the rules for Muster Drills and not the cruise lines. Personally I would want to bring mine and try it on as I would want to know if it fits and if it buckles. I don't want to find out when there is an emergency.

Very interesting as my son and daughter inlaw just got off the Regal and Theu were required to bring their life vests to the muster drill. They did not have to wear them but they were instructed to put them on after the demonstration. This is for everyone's safety so If the ship embarks in a US Port it is the Coast Guard that makes the rules for Muster Drills and not the cruise lines. Personally I would want to bring mine and try it on as I would want to know if it fits and if it buckles. I don't want to find out when there is an emergency.

I believe they changed it once they started the medallion cruises. It was nice not to have to bring it. The crew have theirs and show you how to do the vests. You can also go up to them afterwards and they will show you how to put the vest on using their vest.

I believe they changed it once they started the medallion cruises. It was nice not to have to bring it. The crew have theirs and show you how to do the vests. You can also go up to them afterwards and they will show you how to put the vest on using their vest.

Hey Host C - would I be out of line if I asked toescat why she can't try on her

vest in her cabin to make sure it fits? Or would that be out of line since she is a

veteran cruiser on Princess and other cruise lines?

I'll take your answer off line

In all seriousness , I think you'll be a great host, if I knew what you are supposed to do as a host;p

Fru fru foam stuff? :')

 

We were on the Ruby last month and had to take our life jackets with us which is a very large pain in the you-know-where. Carnival does not require pax to bring their life jackets or to try them on so that will be a welcome change. The safety presentation was verbal and recorded. The usual safety video was on the TV. We just left it on and left the room.

 

They did have the new first night show you mentioned. We skipped that just like in the past.

 

We had the Voice of the Ocean which I have been told had specific rules and Princess had to pay a royalty to do it. We never got into it so no loss here

 

The customs forms were gone for us as well and the immigration officer did not even mention it. We were among the last to leave the ship (flight from LAX left at 6 PM) so by the time we got to immigration there was no line and the officers were standing outside their cubicles. They just looked at our passports, handed them back and told us to have a good day. How more laid back can they get?

 

If we had the MediCure Sleep music we missed it but I doubt we had it on the Ruby.

 

Thanks for the report.

It's better to be acquainted with the life jackets. A video isn't going to cut it! Better a PIA than NOT knowing how to properly put one on! We were on the QV when Concordia ran aground. At least Cunard still insists on proper safety musters.

First one size fits all adults. Kids have their own smaller versions so no need to make sure "it fits".

Second I have been using these life jackets for years not only on the ship but on other water craft and even have my own personal one I use from time to time. For those that do not know the crew will be wearing one, will demonstrate how to put it on and will allow you to try it. When I fly, they always brief pax on the use of the oxygen mask but obviously one cannot practice with it. So what is the difference? I still like the way Carnival does the drill. Everything else they do is blah however. :)

The MediCure Sleep function just ended up bothering me. It wasn't soothing at all IMO.

Wow thanks for the updates.

On the Emerald in October and the Crown Grill seared scallop appetizer had been replaced with:

Bay Scallop Timbale, Cajun Crawfish Cream

Toasted corn, fried okra, grits beurre blanc

Described by wait staff as a scallop mousse, it had a whole scallop in the center of the timbale.

Thanks for all the updates.

Tony

To add to Diann's observations ...

Voice of the Ocean was on Monday patter for signup/audition, it hasn’t entirely gone away yet. If the final happens at the end of the cruise I’ll try to remember to post.

We tried the new Sabatini's menu today and it's still way too much food. We really loved the soup and might go back for that alone if we could get enough for our dinner. The verdict for us is still out. I think you should decide for yourself. And the chocolate journey's desert was really interesting but very heavy after the huge meal.

They are doing something special with comedians this week. There will be a number of them doing shows this week in the Vista Lounge.

There were some other things I noticed last week that I have since forgotten. But tendering at Princess Cays is a big improvement since my last trip over as they now have big dedicated tenders to add to the life boats. Not a huge wait to get over. And the rocking chairs are gone. And you go through security on the island before you tender. I’m not sure how long this has been going on as we stayed on board last year.

The welcome show was replaced by a very funny comedian doing a 40 minute show. I've forgotten his name. It's so much nicer than the dancers followed by the introduction of the cruise staff and others trying to sell you things followed by a small piece of one of the variety acts.

Thanks for highlighting the differences.

Keith

Gone - Princess pop choir and Voice of the Ocean - replaced by Do you wanna dance? Not sure anyone signed up because there was never another mention of it.

 

 

 

Diann

Hmmm... "Do You Want to Dance" is a production show, not a passenger competition. Voice of the Ocean is a big deal for Princess, so I don't think it's going away anytime soon...

More evidence of fixing things that weren't broken and trying to be something they aren't.

Hmmm... "Do You Want to Dance" is a production show, not a passenger competition. Voice of the Ocean is a big deal for Princess, so I don't think it's going away anytime soon...

Do you want to dance featured a crew member paired up with a passenger. Think of it being Dancing With the Stars. They gave them two different styles of dancing to do each time and then a couple would be eliminated. It was held in the piazza.

To Princess, read my typing... "I want seared scallop appetizer back on the menu at CG".

I normally eat several time per cruise in CG but will stop going because of this change.

framer

On the Emerald in October and the Crown Grill seared scallop appetizer had been replaced with:

Bay Scallop Timbale, Cajun Crawfish Cream

Toasted corn, fried okra, grits beurre blanc

 

Described by wait staff as a scallop mousse, it had a whole scallop in the center of the timbale.

Otherwise known as fru fru foam stuff :D

To add to Diann's observations ...

 

Voice of the Ocean was on Monday patter for signup/audition, it hasn’t entirely gone away yet. If the final happens at the end of the cruise I’ll try to remember to post.

 

We tried the new Sabatini's menu today and it's still way too much food. We really loved the soup and might go back for that alone if we could get enough for our dinner. The verdict for us is still out. I think you should decide for yourself. And the chocolate journey's desert was really interesting but very heavy after the huge meal.

 

They are doing something special with comedians this week. There will be a number of them doing shows this week in the Vista Lounge.

 

There were some other things I noticed last week that I have since forgotten. But tendering at Princess Cays is a big improvement since my last trip over as they now have big dedicated tenders to add to the life boats. Not a huge wait to get over. And the rocking chairs are gone. And you go through security on the island before you tender. I’m not sure how long this has been going on as we stayed on board last year.

 

The welcome show was replaced by a very funny comedian doing a 40 minute show. I've forgotten his name. It's so much nicer than the dancers followed by the introduction of the cruise staff and others trying to sell you things followed by a small piece of one of the variety acts.

Liz! Hope you are enjoying your second week! Your fav cabin is available for the 3/18 cruise, Come with us!

And, see, I knew I forgot stuff. How did I forget that big new covered pavilion at PC to wait under to board tenders and then going thru security on the island? Oh yeah, it was our first day of the cruise... LOL