So sad...Royal one star reviews

[JimmyVWine]

Just got off the Royal and I honestly have to say that anyone who says they didn't like this ship has to be a spoiled cruise brat.

 

This is rather nonsensical. If someone has become "spoiled" by the features and appointments that Princess (and other cruise lines) has previously given them, and then they are disappointed with Royal because it lacks some of those features, whose fault is the disappointment? The guest with unreasonable expectations built up from years of cruising, or the cruise line for scaling back things that the guest was used to? :confused: I suppose that one could say that Princess has "spoiled" us with unrealistic expectations of balconies that are large enough to enjoy with more than 2 people sitting sideways, or with wrap-around Promenades. But if a person dislikes Royal because of its design in those areas, was that person "spoiled", or were they simply hoping and expecting that the newest ship would continue the move forward rather than backward in that regard?

 

hahaha good point, Caribill. Some people just get carried away with negativity.

 

I don't think the point was supposed to be funny. I think it was an honest question about what it was that the crew members didn't like about the ship. I think it is obvious that the crew members' concerns are not the same as the passengers. But whatever their concerns, they must be real and not imagined if they feel so strongly about it that they don't want to be assigned to that ship again.

[Hlitner]

Why is it that some "cheerleaders" need to criticize negative reviews? It is easy to understand that each cruiser/traveler has their own priorities, likes, dislikes, etc. I think we can all agree that its reasonable to have differing opinions on the same subject.

 

Regarding the Royal, we have not been on that ship so certainly are not in a position of praising or criticizing the ship. However, for us, one of the big selling points of the Grand Class ships are the wonderful Caribe Deck balconies. Having seen pictures (and read the dimensions) of the regular balconies on the Royal....this is a ship we would probably avoid unless it was doing some kind of very special itinerary. We are sure there are others who could care less about the balcony size, but for us it is a major consideration.

 

Hank

[kruisey]

Were any of Princess loyal passengers ever consulted for their opinions before the Royal was built?

Or was it just presumed that these new incorporated designs would be liked by all ?

[Loonbeam]

At least from what I have heard, per passenger revenue on the Royal is far exceeding most of the other ships if not all. If that continues, as far as Princess is concerned, its a success. End of story.

 

That said, there will be a clearer picture as the Royal completes more itineraries, as her time in the Med will tend to inflate those numbers a little. The upcoming Canada season will be a good bellweather.

 

So many Princess regulars take the strengths of the Grand Class ships for granted. I suppose that I am one of those. Our hopes were that Princess would build off of those strengths and add more. Instead, they added gimmicks like water show and sea walk and made balconies smaller and went away from their strong pools concept. All considered, I believe the design people went off the rails and that Princess does not consider this class to be a success and just are happy that it's not an epic fail.

 

We're on this ship in less than 90 days and we're excited for the itinerary and to be on a cruise. Of course we'll enjoy the ship and the Princess experience. We'll also book the Enclave and enjoy the specialty restaurants. I'd like to thank all who provide reviews, whether they be positive or negative. If you only read one type or the other, you would not understand what you were booking. The price for our choice summer itinerary in the Baltic Sea is very low and that's great, but also an indication that thist ship is what it is. Princess won't get new ship premium fares on this class.

[coloradocruisers101]

Just off the Royal a few weeks ago. Did we have a great time? YES! Will we cruise with her again, probably not. We had no problems with the toilet paper, balcony, stair situation. Food is subjective and we did not go hungry. We just prefer a smaller ship. I will be writing my review sometime in the next few days and will give her 4 stars. 4 1/2 if I could. We are soo happy we had a chance to sail her and she is beautiful. Anyone that has any concerns about the Royal, should not worry. reading the reviews before we cruised did not even bother us. Come on people, get real. You are on one the new newest and most beautiful ships, cruising, in warm weather and on vacation. NO complaining here.

[CI66774]

I was on the Royal in December and I gave her four stars. I took one star off due to the lack of a full promenade (even though I really like the promenade that is there) and the size of the elevators (eat too much for dinner and it's a tight squeeze). My cabin was located forward so the lack of central stairs really wasn't an issue. I loved our mini-suite (balcony is small but usable), interactive tvs, food, entertainment, décor, crew, etc. Overall, many more plusses than minuses.

[goldens4ever]

I leave for my cruise aboard the Royal in just a few days....AND I AM PSYCHED! I love Princess and love the ships I have been on. I am excited about a new ship...and understand it will be different...which is why I am sailing on her.

 

We live in a society that spends so much time on the negative and very little time on the positive. I know there will be things I love and things that I don't love....but by GOD...I am on vacation, I am on a cruise, and I am (hopefully) enjoying weather better than home!!!! I intend to love every minute of it...even if things aren't perfect (which they never are)...I am going to embrace it all...

 

And finally...Princess is my favorite...although I loved the huge mini suite I had on RCCL and the amazing service I had on NCL...Princess has always treated me well!!! So, even if I don't love, love, love the new Royal...I will be back on Princess as soon as I can....

 

Fingers crossed for some great weather!!!!

[kywildcatfanone]

Just off the Royal a few weeks ago. Did we have a great time? YES! Will we cruise with her again, probably not. We had no problems with the toilet paper, balcony, stair situation. Food is subjective and we did not go hungry. We just prefer a smaller ship. I will be writing my review sometime in the next few days and will give her 4 stars. 4 1/2 if I could. We are soo happy we had a chance to sail her and she is beautiful. Anyone that has any concerns about the Royal, should not worry. reading the reviews before we cruised did not even bother us. Come on people, get real. You are on one the new newest and most beautiful ships, cruising, in warm weather and on vacation. NO complaining here.

 

Would agree with this. People who complain, just like to complain mostly. Is it different than some other ships, yes. Is that bad, no, just different.

We were on last week and had a great time. Really enjoyed the Retreat pool area and the pastry shop. I don't think the food is great, just good. Room was nice, balcony was small but nice, staff was pleasant, so it all was fine with us.

Weather is our biggest factor honestly, and for our week it was great. But not the ship's fault either way. I said in another post, that Princess could do things better IMO with regards to MUTS, but no complaints here.

[Sunviking]

It's amazing to me that the discussion about whether people are disappointed with the Royal's amenities and deck plans or not is still going on. We have for years booked only aft OS cabins (we are willing to pay the price which almost never gets reduced). We booked the Royal the first day bookings opened for the the maiden transatlantic; that was two days after the first deck plans actually were released. After having a chance to look at the plans more closely, we decided that the ship wouldn't suit us so we canceled. I have read with interest about the other things available on the Royal, like Alfredo's, the seafood bar and the lovely Piazza. They sound wonderful, but for us none of that would make up for the aft OS balcony that may be unusable depending on where the soot is falling. For some people who spend no time in their cabins, balcony size or soot make no difference. For us it's a deal breaker and we don't need to sail on her to know that. I think it's good that different options are available and I hope all the ships are successful

[bluesea321]

All of our cruise friends who actually know what we enjoy tell us ...

Royal is a beautiful ship ... BUT ...

they all seem to like Emerald/Crown/Ruby much better.

LuLu

~~~

 

LuLu, your comment is right on. My wife and I were on the Royal in March. The inside venues, Piazza, Restaurants, etc., are beautiful no doubt but just like your friends we also thought that the Grand class of ships was much better. A beautiful Piazza does not make up for the other shortcomings.

 

While a bad review here and there means little, the overall approval, the "love it" rating, is significant as it is a summary of all the reviews. The Royal has 289 reviews to date and an approval rating of 65%, the lowest rating of all the Princess ships regardless of age. Even worse, all RCI and Celebrity ships have a higher CC rating than the Royal, all of them regardless of age! On average Royal passengers are not that happy with the ship and have so voted with their ratings.

 

Also of interest, our cruise in early March cost us about $1,000 less for a Deluxe Balcony cabin than we would have paid for a similar 7 day cruise on the Caribbean Princess so it seems that our cruise was heavily discounted in order to fill the ship. New ships usually command a higher fare, not the other way around.

 

It will be very interesting to see if Princess builds any more of this design past the Regal. My guess is that there will be significant changes.

[Viesczy]

Many negative reviews are posted by people that aren't looking to do anything but get attention by expressing negativity. You can see it in their review, as the only topic is them, not what is being reviewed. The review is replete with I this and I that as they're looking for attention and control.

 

We run into these people every day of our lives. We ask them about something and all the speak about is their favorite topic, themselves. You ask 'how was X' and they reply is a fusillade of "I"s and any/every negative thing that can be imagined.

 

Their arrested development is so great that they are uanble to and afraid of positivity as that might detract from the attention & control that they desire. So rather then saying "X was great, X has this, X has that, X does this" and not have the attention on them, they focus on the only thing that matters to them... themselves.

 

Now not all negative reviewers are what I just outlined. The tender fell on you, that's a negative review. The toilet paper holder is 1 inch too high, you're guilty as charged above. ;)

 

Derek

Edited April 10, 2014 by Viesczy

[JPEvans]

Many negative reviews are posted by people that aren't looking to do anything but get attention by expressing negativity. You can see it in their review, as the only topic is them, not what is being reviewed. The review is replete with I this and I that as they're looking for attention and control.

 

 

 

We run into these people every day of our lives. We ask them about something and all the speak about is their favorite topic, themselves. You ask 'how was X' and they reply is a fusillade of "I"s and any/every negative thing that can be imagined.

 

 

 

Their arrested development is so great that they are uanble to and afraid of positivity as that might detract from the attention & control that they desire. So rather then saying "X was great, X has this, X has that, X does this" and not have the attention on them, they focus on the only thing that matters to them... themselves.

 

 

 

Now not all negative reviewers are what I just outlined. The tender fell on you, that's a negative review. The toilet paper holder is 1 inch too high, you're guilty as charged above. ;)

 

 

 

Derek

 

 

You said exactly what I was thinking. You can tell a lot about who the person is from their reviews.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[coloradocruisers101]

After reading this thread, it prompted me to write my review. As soon as it is reviewed by Cruise Critic, it will be posted. I believe my review is honest and how most feel about the Royal. Take time to read if you are considering cruising on the Royal. I have changed my mind to not cruising again on her again to a strong maybe. And I am not embarassed to sign my name. I still loved most about the Royal.

Sharon Sawyer

Colorado Springs, CO

 

I did forget to mention all the very nice people we met on the ship.

[PescadoAmarillo]

I haven't yet found anyone who is 100% positive on the Royal Princess (well, maybe 1 or 2, but...). It's also difficult to find anyone 100% positive on any Grand/Super Grand Class ships (except, perhaps, the Sapphire and Diamond). I think most of us sail on any ship knowing that there will be some things we love, and others not so much.

 

The real question for DH and I was that if two ships sailed identical itineraries on the same date, a Super Grand Class ship and the Royal Princess, which would we choose? I think we'd choose the Royal Princess (but I'm speaking from the perspective of a typically inside cabin passenger who has spent, perhaps, too many days on Super Grand Class ships). There are enough things to really like on the ship to offset the many that aren't as nice (or that are downright silly, such as the seating in Princess Live and the Vista Lounge, and space allocated to fountains).

 

I spent a lot of time last winter asking myself, "Would what I'm doing be possible or even better if I was on the Royal Princess?". A good number of times the answer was yes. And even for those things I will miss (Skywalkers), I understand why Princess changed them. It was a running joke with the CD about who was going to keep the DJ company in Skywalkers at night. It's ridiculous to have that much real estate getting used 2 hours a night, for the Elite Lounge. Ditto Adagio.

 

The frustrating thing is that the Royal Princess could have been so much better. The bones are there. Barring the walkable Promenade Deck, which has been beaten to death, there's really nothing egregious about the design. A little more space for pools and less for fountains, a splash pool on the back of Deck 17 for cooling off, open up the mid ship stairs and solve the soot problem, and it wouldn't be bad. I tend to blame the designers more than the architects for the fact that the Princess Live chairs are hard as rocks, and that nearly half the seating in the Vista Lounge can't actually be sat in. Princess also needs to realize that it can't make the Piazza the center of life on the ship and then blast passengers out of the area with too-loud music that appeals to only a few. But these things are easily fixed.

 

I guess I like to hope that, if there IS a third Royal Class ship, it could be perfect.

[Kmkub]

It was a running joke with the CD about who was going to keep the DJ company in Skywalkers at night.

 

Haha - we always joke that it's the perfect spot on the ship if you want to be completely alone. Yes, huge waste of space.

 

We love Adagios but wish more people liked it. It's often too quiet back there.

 

We've got 32 total lifetime sea days each, all of them on either Crown or Ruby, so we're extra excited about our Regal cruise next year! None of the issues others are complaining about come close to being deal breakers for us.

[geoherb]

Eventually we'll sail on the Royal or the Regal, but if other Princess ships are available that match our dates, I'll choose one of them first. The lack of the Promenade is the biggest drawback to me. I walk a lot of laps. Last month, I averaged 9 miles a day on the Ruby.

[JimmyVWine]

Many negative reviews are posted by people that aren't looking to do anything but get attention by expressing negativity. You can see it in their review, as the only topic is them, not what is being reviewed. The review is replete with I this and I that as they're looking for attention and control.

 

But isn't that the sine qua non of a Member review? It sure would be odd for a person to write a review that said: "I'll set aside my opinions of the food and instead will focus on what I think I observed others experiencing in that regard." Or..."My personal opinion of the blacony size is irrelevant, so I will tell you about what we overheard others saying about theirs." What is a review but a collection of personal experiences and impressions that will naturally be peppered with "I this and I that"? It is not a cry for help, a plea for attention or an attempt at usurping control. It is the nature of the beast. Which is why on the internet, the use of the term "YMMV" has become so common. "YMMV" must be read into every review rather than discounting said reviews for being outward and pathetic cries for attention.

[patperry]

Haha - we always joke that it's the perfect spot on the ship if you want to be completely alone. Yes, huge waste of space.

 

We love Adagios but wish more people liked it. It's often too quiet back there.

 

We've got 32 total lifetime sea days each, all of them on either Crown or Ruby, so we're extra excited about our Regal cruise next year! None of the issues others are complaining about come close to being deal breakers for us.

 

I love Adagio's too!.... recently off the Ruby and finished every evening with Armando and a Tiramisu Martini in Adiago :D

[SeagoingMom]

I have found this thread very interesting.

 

I think of ships as having personalities, and cruise lines, cultures. People expect a certain sort of lifestyle or “culture” from a particular cruise line, and if a given ship seems to fall too far outside the expected culture, passengers (especially loyals) may be disappointed. Different ships in the same line are often liked or disliked (well, preferred or not preferred) because of what I call “personality:” friendliness and efficiency of the crew, size and configuration of the ship, number of pax, age of the ship, décor, etc. Princess loyals are just that – very loyal -- or so it seems to me. “I love Princess” was stated by more than one poster on this thread, whether they liked Royal or not. Some even said that though they were disappointed with Royal, they were looking forward to sailing on her again. That speaks to loyalty, certainly.

 

It is that very loyalty (what some on these boards call “cheerleading”) that induced me to finally book a Princess cruise, to see what all the (positive) “fuss” was about. I found that I did not “love Princess.” And I was not entirely certain whether it was because I did not love the personality of the ship I was on (Caribbean Princess) or if it was the Princess culture that did not suit me. After reading this thread, it sounds like the Princess culture is not for me, as much of what I have read seems to indicate that what I experienced on Caribbean Princess was pretty typical of Princess culture, even the best of Princess culture, aspects of which many feel are lacking in Royal and Regal (particularly regarding the configuration/physical design of the ship).

 

I think Cruise Critic members get hot under the collar regarding negative reviews because of the sense of both culture of the cruise line and personality of the ship. We respond defensively against negative reviews just as we might respond to someone criticizing our country (culture) or criticizing our friend or spouse (personality). Perhaps we experience fear, too, that if our preferred line or ship(s) are not popular, they will disappear. This is perhaps a well-founded fear, as hinted at by this thread – those who aren’t fond of the Royal and Regal hope that Princess ships designed in the future will not too closely resemble them, and those who like these ships are concerned that they might not be profitable, thus possibly causing financial problems for Princess!

[bluesea321]

The frustrating thing is that the Royal Princess could have been so much better. The bones are there. Barring the walkable Promenade Deck, which has been beaten to death, there's really nothing egregious about the design. A little more space for pools and less for fountains, a splash pool on the back of Deck 17 for cooling off, open up the mid ship stairs and solve the soot problem, and it wouldn't be bad. I tend to blame the designers more than the architects for the fact that the Princess Live chairs are hard as rocks, and that nearly half the seating in the Vista Lounge can't actually be sat in. Princess also needs to realize that it can't make the Piazza the center of life on the ship and then blast passengers out of the area with too-loud music that appeals to only a few.

 

Well said!!! The only thing I would have added is the size of the balconies. I realize this is not an issue for you. :)

Edited April 10, 2014 by bluesea321

[BRANDEE]

Were any of Princess loyal passengers ever consulted for their opinions before the Royal was built?

Or was it just presumed that these new incorporated designs would be liked by all ?

 

When I cruised on the Royal it was her second regular sailing (July 5). I was happy to once again have so many past crew member aboard.

 

Although I never thought Princess would ask us recruisers what we would want in a new ship, (I wish they did) it did surprise me the crew had no in put. I'm sure corporate made all decisions based on profit, as all companies do.

 

One of our assistant CD's said that over the years, ideas for "this or that" to improve passenger service/activity/comfort/happiness was totally ignored on the Royal. Who better than the crew, who deals with the passengers on a daily basis, to have some really good ideas to be looked into. Basically she said, why ask us , ignore us and now expect us to rectify the situation. I heard this from three of the crew who were long time employees of princess.

 

Because I personally knew these crew members, they told me how they felt, but at no time did their feelings interfer with the excellent service you get on Princess.

[UpcountryTravelers]

Our cruise on the Royal was so good, we booked the Regal for this year! Yes, the balcony is a bit smaller, but the bathroom is definitely bigger (and we had no problem with the TP). The hallways are wider, which is probably a factor for the balconies. We didn't like the cramped theater seating, but the theater isn't a biggie for us.

 

There is a long list of things that are better. The buffet is far and above better than any of the ships we have been on - of any cruise line (see list below). The Piazza is awesome, the IC is larger, with more variety than the other ships (but to be fair, we have only been on 2 other Princess ships with IC: Ruby and Emerald). The sushi bar is wonderful, Alfredo's is outstanding, and there is a long list of things that are superior to others.

 

No, the Royal didn't make it to the top of our favorites list. But pretty high. Will we cruise on the Royal again? If the itinerary is good, you betcha!!

 

Look for the positive, people, look for the positive. You will enjoy life much more that way!!

Edited April 10, 2014 by UpcountryTravelers

[Hlitner]

I wish I could have so much confidence in any cruise line (and we have personally cruised on more then 60 different ships of 14 lines) to totally ignore "negative" reviews. We like to look at lots of different opinions (both good and bad) and try to discern trends. When we see a negative review we always focus on the details in terms of our own likes. For example, with the Royal, the small balconies matter for us but we could care less about the lack of a full promenade. On the Ruby (and some other Grand Class ships) we view the lack of a covered pool as a real negative since we tend to spend a lot of sea days at the pool. Other folks, who never go outside could care less. We view the daytime use of MUTS as a huge negative on any Princess ship (with MUTS). But others love having those big MUTS speakers blasting noise day and night.

 

We would never attack a person because they wrote a negative review anymore then we would attack another person for writing a glowing review. A little tolerance goes a long way on CC :)

 

Hank

[bdjam]

There is no way I put any credence to a 1 rating on that site. They actually look ridiculous when there are many 5 and 5+ reviews. If the ship was really so bad, there wouldn't be any 5 or 5+ at all.

 

I totally disagree - you know what they say about opinions...everyone has one. Regal Princess 1 was my favorite Princess ship and still has not been surpassed. I could have put a review of her and given her five stars because she suited me well. At the time she was ready to leave the fleet, I'm sure the majority of the people on this board would have disagreed with me.

 

Another poster indicated that people had already formed negative opinions about the ship before even sailing on it and so conveyed negative reviews. I would postulate that the number of people who formed positive opinions of the ship before even sailing it outnumber the the people with negative opinions. How many of these folks provided the five star reviews?

 

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

[Mom33]

I have never been on a Princess ship that I would consider worthy of a 1 rating.

Have any of you? The points given on one of the 1 star ratings review were:

dining- 1

service-1

cabin_ 1

entertainment-1

Public rooms-3

value for money-1

embarkation-4

shore excursions 4

 

The text of the review said the food was substandard and entertainment

was not family friendly and was raunchy. They disliked housekeeping and considered the service poor.

They had 3 bored teenagers with them and closed the tirade with "Royal Caribbean-Here we come."

 

They chose the wrong cruise line, not the wrong ship.

All their complaints were employee related.

Not all poor reviews are about the ship and what it is missing.

 

I would ask all those that cruised the Royal to tell me if you think the employees should be rated 1 star? :confused:

I don't. If I did, I would never sail Princess again.