Review : Royal Princess

[hannibal54]

The one thing that I really didn't like, was tendering into Princess Cay in the ships life boat. They used 4 of them. On the way back, the pilot had a really hard time tying up to the ship. He made several passes trying to get close enough. One time he came in fast and slammed into the side of the ship jolting us. There was a loud crunching noise on the life boat when we hit the ship. It was life boat #16. The tenders that come out to all of the other private islands that I have been to have pilots that are more experienced at coming along a ship. There were many black marks on the white paint where other life boats must have hit the side of the ship.

[DrSch]

The one thing that I really didn't like, was tendering into Princess Cay in the ships life boat. They used 4 of them. On the way back, the pilot had a really hard time tying up to the ship. He made several passes trying to get close enough. One time he came in fast and slammed into the side of the ship jolting us. There was a loud crunching noise on the life boat when we hit the ship. It was life boat #16. The tenders that come out to all of the other private islands that I have been to have pilots that are more experienced at coming along a ship. There were many black marks on the white paint where other life boats must have hit the side of the ship.

 

 

From what I was told, this was the first time these tenders were used for Princess Cay, and there was some operator training that was lacking.

[briananddenise]

I've been reading the reviews on the Royal Princess and was doubting booking a Princess cruise. I realized that most if not all of the negative reviews are being submitted by seasoned Princess cruisers. There are many features on the Royal Princess that we are looking forward too. The teen center, (which i've not read one review of), the Broadcast station (I think is really cool), along with some of the other unique features of this ship. We have never cruised with Princess cruise lines, and we are bringing a teenager with us. Princess has some really cool stuff for them, and maybe this is where the problem is with seasoned princess cruisers. I believe Princess is targeting a younger demographic with some of the features of this ship and it's working. We've sailed other cruise lines and the Royal Princess with the price, and amenities was a great fit for our vacation. Maybe this ship isn't for everyone but we are really looking forward to cruising on her, and if everyone keeps canceling we'll have the ship to ourselves. ;)

[DrSch]

I've been reading the reviews on the Royal Princess and was doubting booking a Princess cruise. I realized that most if not all of the negative reviews are being submitted by seasoned Princess cruisers. There are many features on the Royal Princess that we are looking forward too. The teen center, (which i've not read one review of), the Broadcast station (I think is really cool), along with some of the other unique features of this ship. We have never cruised with Princess cruise lines, and we are bringing a teenager with us. Princess has some really cool stuff for them, and maybe this is where the problem is with seasoned princess cruisers. I believe Princess is targeting a younger demographic with some of the features of this ship and it's working. We've sailed other cruise lines and the Royal Princess with the price, and amenities was a great fit for our vacation. Maybe this ship isn't for everyone but we are really looking forward to cruising on her, and if everyone keeps canceling we'll have the ship to ourselves. ;)

 

I believe you are 100% correct, and I hope your cruise is wonderful. As I said in the review, it's not a bad ship it's just not for me. But that doesn't mean it's not for other people. I think Princess is smart going after a different demographic, as most of their current clientele is dying slowly lol, but I just hope they continue to offer services to those of us that like their old ships

[jnc411]

Thank You for your review, very interesting. I do have a question. Are the seats in the theater smaller in size than the previous Princess ships ? and did they take out the side isles in the theater ? The lack of a deck 7 promanade and the aft pool area as well as the smaller balcony size I think would make a difference to us. Have not been on the Royal as yet and knowing these things would come into our decision to book it or not. Thanks so much for a balanced review.

Cori

[DrSch]

Thank You for your review, very interesting. I do have a question. Are the seats in the theater smaller in size than the previous Princess ships ? and did they take out the side isles in the theater ? The lack of a deck 7 promanade and the aft pool area as well as the smaller balcony size I think would make a difference to us. Have not been on the Royal as yet and knowing these things would come into our decision to book it or not. Thanks so much for a balanced review.

Cori

 

 

I did not go to the theatre, but I have heard some of those things from other people. You would need to verify with someone that has discussed them in their review.

[Ethel5]

One other trivial thing that they changed on the Royal.. not a big deal at all and most wouldn't miss it..

 

On the Ruby, Emerald etc, the carpet on the port side was red, and the carpet on the starboard side was blue (or vise versa). It always helped when getting out of the elevators, to help you figure out which side of the ship you wanted to go to, so you didn't end up walking down the wrong hallway, the wrong way.

 

They took that out in this ship. However, for some reason, I found myself being turned around less than on the other ships, but that might be because I was always going up or down near the front or the back of the ship.

 

Like I said.. minor thing, but it was missed.

 

My cruise on the Grand last October they started using the same color for port and starboard. So it must be going fleet wide.

[BRANDEE]

Thank You for your review, very interesting. I do have a question. Are the seats in the theater smaller in size than the previous Princess ships ? and did they take out the side isles in the theater ? The lack of a deck 7 promanade and the aft pool area as well as the smaller balcony size I think would make a difference to us. Have not been on the Royal as yet and knowing these things would come into our decision to book it or not. Thanks so much for a balanced review.

Cori

In the Royal theater, the side isles are gone. The seats seemed the same to me as other ships, but the leg room is less. There are no trays for drinks, but I didn't notice waiters taking orders. There is a much larger section for handicapped on the top left side.

 

In the Vista Lounge, the seating is quite cramped. Very comfortable seating but very little leg room again. Once seated, you pretty much stay till the end in both venues.

[e2011]

Thanks for the review. We were on the Royal also and I wrote a very mixed review. It was our first and last time on this brand. Princess is just not for us...

[DrSch]

Thanks for the review. We were on the Royal also and I wrote a very mixed review. It was our first and last time on this brand. Princess is just not for us...

 

 

I just went and read your review.. Don't discount Princess due to this ship. Try the Grand Class ships if you ever have a chance (Ruby, Emerald, etc).

[Squire5000]

I enjoyed your review, especially as we are booked on the Royal in February. The size of the balcony continues to be a recurring theme (problem) on the Royal versus other Princess ships. We had booked a deluxe balcony but have already upgraded to a mini suite as the balcony seems a bit bigger and we like to spend late afternoon and evenings on the balcony.

 

One point you made in your review troubled me. I realize that you pay a hefty premium for the Sanctuary but I thought the adult Retreat pool was free. If I read the review correctly, Princess is also charging for a lounge chair without the amenities of the Sanctuary. Is this correct? If so, what is the charge for a Retreat chair.

 

Candidly, I'v had some concerns about the Royal product since she went into service this past summer. As Elite, we've sailed on many Princess ships and have been very satisfied with the product. But for the fact that DW wants to sail on the Royal, I would have preferred one of the older ships or HAL.

[DrSch]

I enjoyed your review, especially as we are booked on the Royal in February. The size of the balcony continues to be a recurring theme (problem) on the Royal versus other Princess ships. We had booked a deluxe balcony but have already upgraded to a mini suite as the balcony seems a bit bigger and we like to spend late afternoon and evenings on the balcony.

 

One point you made in your review troubled me. I realize that you pay a hefty premium for the Sanctuary but I thought the adult Retreat pool was free. If I read the review correctly, Princess is also charging for a lounge chair without the amenities of the Sanctuary. Is this correct? If so, what is the charge for a Retreat chair.

 

Candidly, I'v had some concerns about the Royal product since she went into service this past summer. As Elite, we've sailed on many Princess ships and have been very satisfied with the product. But for the fact that DW wants to sail on the Royal, I would have preferred one of the older ships or HAL.

 

There are free chairs by the retreat pool, but there are also several cabanas that are right next to it, that incur a fee.

 

if you look at this pic, you can see where the free chairs are in comparison to the cabanas..

 

Edited November 7, 2013 by DrSch

[mafig]

There are free chairs by the retreat pool, but there are also several cabanas that are right next to it, that incur a fee.

 

if you look at this pic, you can see where the free chairs are in comparison to the cabanas..

 

 

 

Oh this looks different than what I remember on Star and Caribbean Princess (bigger). Is this the same area where they had what they called the "swim against the current" pool?

[DrSch]

Oh this looks different than what I remember on Star and Caribbean Princess (bigger). Is this the same area where they had what they called the "swim against the current" pool?

 

 

This is the new evolution of that area. the Adult only pool area.

[Squire5000]

Not very large for the number of passengers on board. Confirms my worst fears. I'll be interested to see this ship up close and personal. From why I've read so far about the Royal, it seems to be Princess hybrid answer to RCL, NCL mega ships.

[Gunner22aa]

Thanks for what I believe is an honest review. The wife and I are huge fans of the Grand Class ships and currently have 4 cruises booked on them. I had my doubts about the Royal and soon to be at sea Regal but have tried to maintain a neutral opinion reading through all of the "Good, bad and ugly" about the ship. The vote is in and although it might be all new and shiney there just isn't any shine for me. This is one that Princess got wrong in my opinion and I can only hope the Grand Class are around for years to come and when they are replaced it's by something similar.

[DrSch]

Not very large for the number of passengers on board. Confirms my worst fears. I'll be interested to see this ship up close and personal. From why I've read so far about the Royal, it seems to be Princess hybrid answer to RCL, NCL mega ships.

 

I think that is the idea..to compete wth those ships.. not sure why as Carnival owns them all, you would think they would just create nichce markets.. I guess they are trying to give the consumer more choices.

[Gettingwarmer]

I enjoyed your review, especially as we are booked on the Royal in February. The size of the balcony continues to be a recurring theme (problem) on the Royal versus other Princess ships. We had booked a deluxe balcony but have already upgraded to a mini suite as the balcony seems a bit bigger and we like to spend late afternoon and evenings on the balcony.

 

The minisuite stateroom is larger than the deluxe balcony but the balcony size is the same.

[pcsunlover]

The minisuite stateroom is larger than the deluxe balcony but the balcony size is the same.

 

Unless you get one of the mid ship minisuites (MA category). Those have bigger balconies.

[Gettingwarmer]

Unless you get one of the mid ship minisuites (MA category). Those have bigger balconies.

 

You can also get deluxe balcony staterooms mid ships with the bigger balconies.

[hubofhockey]

OP, that was a terrific review. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. We are sailing on RCI's Allure of the Seas and, other than the size of our balcony, I'm afraid that we will have many of the same issues (I'm going because DH really wants to sail on her, in case you ask why).

 

 

I have been on the Allure and you will be thanking your husband for pushing you on that cruise. There is little crowding because they run that ship so well, especially with the reservation process for shows, and the shows are far better than anything else I have seen at sea. I have never had a better time on a ship in the Caribbean than on our Allure cruise.

 

We have a cruise booked on the Royal Princess, but it is not a Caribbean cruise. The OP's remarks are what I would have expected for the Fort Lauderdale itineraries. I would expect crowded pools. I think the cabanas are a bad idea when there are only two pools (no, I do not consider that little "plunge pool" to be a real pool).

[Squire5000]

Unless you get one of the mid ship minisuites (MA category). Those have bigger balconies.

 

We got one of the minis on the bump out and from what I could discern, the balcony is a bit bigger than the others.

 

I hope to be able to take a look at a deluxe balcony before we disembark as we want to do a Baltic cruise next year and the Royal is doing that itinerary. I'm less concerned about pools and sitting on the balcony as we did the British Isles last year on the CB and never used the pools and the balcony only for arrivals and departures.

[pcsunlover]

We got one of the minis on the bump out and from what I could discern, the balcony is a bit bigger than the others.

 

I hope to be able to take a look at a deluxe balcony before we disembark as we want to do a Baltic cruise next year and the Royal is doing that itinerary. I'm less concerned about pools and sitting on the balcony as we did the British Isles last year on the CB and never used the pools and the balcony only for arrivals and departures.

 

Good for you, those balconies look great. :). I was hoping to switch to one but before I could do it the total price for the MA category on my cruise jumped almost $1000. I'm hoping that prices will fall again before my final payment.

[Mom33]

There are 2 large pools on Royal that are larger than the pools on the Crown class ships, and a dipping pool the size of the Aft pool. Of the 4 pools on the Crown class ships, the one least utilized is the spa area below the Sanctuary.There is not enough lounger availability right by the pool. There is lounger space across from the sanctuary but you can't see the pool from them.

The most crowded pools on the Crown, Emerald etc. are on the main deck where loungers are at a premium. The most people I ever saw in the aft pool at the same time was 7 or 8. Not enough deck space for loungers either.

Someone claimed on a thread that the Royal pools were not sufficient for the 3600 passengers. I say the 4 pools on the Crown class ships aren't sufficient for 3000 passengers either. In fact, there is no ship afloat that has the pool space for 3000-4000 people. Lucky for the cruise industry, the reality is 3000-4000 people don't actually use the pools.

 

What the Royal does have, the Grand class ships do not, is deck space for loungers most within view of a pool. That is what is in demand on the 2 decks of pools. Will the Royal have crowded decks and pools in the Caribbean? Of course! So does every other ship in the Caribbean. Some times size matters more than quantity.:D

[jnc411]

In the Royal theater, the side isles are gone. The seats seemed the same to me as other ships, but the leg room is less. There are no trays for drinks, but I didn't notice waiters taking orders. There is a much larger section for handicapped on the top left side.

 

In the Vista Lounge, the seating is quite cramped. Very comfortable seating but very little leg room again. Once seated, you pretty much stay till the end in both venues.

 

Thanks for the response to my question Brandee, the seating and leg room is an issue for us , my husband is 6'6" and to have to deal with the smaller spaces is not good for us. Thanks for the response.

Cori