From Royal to Regal....review Dec.7-14

[Mom33]

We did this cruise on Dec 7th also and I can enthusiastically recommend "Gold Coast" parking. They were very professional, took us right to the ship quickly, and had the car ready when we got back. We waited maybe 10 minutes for pick up after the cruise. $8/day.

 

Thanks for the information. We will remember it for future use.:D We paid twice that in the port garage.

[Mom33]

I wondered about the smoking, also.

We are just off the Royal and one of our only disappointments was that the entire Deck 17 aft lounger area was smoking.

I knew that this area was the new pool on the Regal and that they couldn't have kept the entire area for smoking any longer so wondered what happened to all of those smokers and how they impacted that area.

Thanks for the reassurance.

(I still wonder where they all go on the Regal?)

 

They smoke on the port side of the deck. :D

[tartan cruiser]

Thanks to both of you for the information on parking. Was thinking of using United Airport parking (cheaper than others) but they are sold out for our dates. Probably will use Park N Go unless they sell out too. Used them before and was pleased with their service. Good to know about Gold Coast as it gives us another option. Plan on reserving today. Thanks also Mom33 for the great review. Sounds like the Regal is even better than I was hoping it would be. Can't wait. Driving down early just to escape the coming cold front.

[Mom33]

Thanks to both of you for the information on parking. Was thinking of using United Airport parking (cheaper than others) but they are sold out for our dates. Probably will use Park N Go unless they sell out too. Used them before and was pleased with their service. Good to know about Gold Coast as it gives us another option. Plan on reserving today. Thanks also Mom33 for the great review. Sounds like the Regal is even better than I was hoping it would be. Can't wait. Driving down early just to escape the coming cold front.

 

Have a safe trip and enjoy your cruise.:D

[tartan cruiser]

Thank You!

[chamima]

They smoke on the port side of the deck. :D

 

 

I wonder why they couldn't have done that on the Royal?

I asked 3 different crew and they ALL said the ENTIRE deck was smoking. :(

[Colo Cruiser]

I wonder why they couldn't have done that on the Royal?

I asked 3 different crew and they ALL said the ENTIRE deck was smoking. :(

 

 

It was that way on the Regal.

[chamima]

They smoke on the port side of the deck. :D

 

I wonder why they couldn't have done that on the Royal?

I asked 3 different crew and they ALL said the ENTIRE deck was smoking. :(

 

Colo Cruiser:

Quote:

 

It was that way on the Regal.

 

 

:confused::confused::confused:

 

Whole of deck or half of deck on Regal???

Edited January 3, 2015 by chamima

[Mom33]

Colo Cruiser:

Quote:

 

It was that way on the Regal.

 

 

:confused::confused::confused:

 

Whole of deck or half of deck on Regal???

 

Half on my cruise.:) I reviewed the welcome aboard letter and see that they did not specify what part of aft on deck 17. However, we sat on the starboard side of the aft pool and no one was smoking around us. We did not see any ash trays either. maybe it was our lucky day or they are receiving enough complaints to specify port as on the Grand class ships.

Edited January 3, 2015 by Mom33

[Daniel1313]

I hope by the time we cruise on Feb 15th they do away with the staggered boarding. We have to leave hotel by 11 am and our deck doesn't board until 1:30. What do they expect u to do. We have preferred boarding but don't know what that does for u with staggered boarding. We normally arrive at port by 10 am. I know I have seen them say staggered boarding before and they never went by it. I think a lot of times they have said staggered boarding to keep everyone from showing up at the same time.

[Mom33]

I hope by the time we cruise on Feb 15th they do away with the staggered boarding. We have to leave hotel by 11 am and our deck doesn't board until 1:30. What do they expect u to do. We have preferred boarding but don't know what that does for u with staggered boarding. We normally arrive at port by 10 am. I know I have seen them say staggered boarding before and they never went by it. I think a lot of times they have said staggered boarding to keep everyone from showing up at the same time.

 

I agree. Just show up your usual time and go to the preferred check in line. With all the confusion, we still were on board by 12:15. :D

[StanLaurel]

I hope by the time we cruise on Feb 15th they do away with the staggered boarding. We have to leave hotel by 11 am and our deck doesn't board until 1:30. What do they expect u to do. We have preferred boarding but don't know what that does for u with staggered boarding. We normally arrive at port by 10 am. I know I have seen them say staggered boarding before and they never went by it. I think a lot of times they have said staggered boarding to keep everyone from showing up at the same time.

 

just ignore that staggered boarding crap. Nobody paid attention to it that I could see. We had no preferential boarding status, nor a suite, but showed up at the Port 11 and were in the Horizon Court by 12:15. No passengers nor Princess Employees that I could see cared one bit about anyone's "assigned boarding time".

[e71465]

I know this may be a dumb question but what is a "plung pool":confused:

[Mom33]

I know this may be a dumb question but what is a "plung pool":confused:

 

A plunge pool is a small pool to cool off in, as opposed to a swimming pool for swimming. An example would be the two round pools in my pictures. :D

[G&T Cruisers]

We had been trying to convince our sister and her husband to go on a cruise for some time and now they have taken the plunge and are booked on the Regal for a 7day cruise to the eastern Caribbean Jan 4th-11th. All was set until they got to their local airport and found their flight (Air Canada) delayed 4 hours. Not too worried. They were flying out a day before sailing with plans to overnight in a Ft. Lauderdale hotel. They felt they still had lots of time. They fly in to Toronto and learn their luggage is lost. While the airline looks for it, they miss their connecting flight and are stuck in the airport (Toronto)overnight. Air Canada assures them they will be on the next flight to Fort Lauderdale. We know they will be cutting it close to sail away so we contact Princess for them to let them know the new flight info and time of arrival. Then my sister and her hubby find out their plane is not coming and will not arrive until later that afternoon. There is no way they will make sailaway. The airline offers to fly them through Newark and onto St.Tomas where they can catch the Regal on Wednesday. We tell my sister to call Princess , let them know what's going on and ask for assistance. This is where Princess stepped in and saved the day.They are putting them up in a hotel in St.Thomas, taking care of all their meals, and sending a car to pick them up to bring them to the ship once it arrives. And, my sister has learned first-hand why we sail with Princess. She was very impressed (and relieved) when Princess took over the plans.Thank goodness they bought the platinum insurance through Princess. It does pay off and my sister can now look forward to a little extra time in Caribbean paradise.

Edited January 4, 2015 by G&T Cruisers
Posted in wrong thread

[Mom33]

So sorry they had such a stressful start to their cruise. It was nice that Princess helped them out. I hope everything goes off as planned now and that they enjoy the rest of their cruise vacation. :)

[Julia’s Journey’s]

We had been trying to convince our sister and her husband to go on a cruise for some time and now they have taken the plunge and are booked on the Regal for a 7day cruise to the eastern Caribbean Jan 4th-11th. All was set until they got to their local airport and found their flight (Air Canada) delayed 4 hours. Not too worried. They were flying out a day before sailing with plans to overnight in a Ft. Lauderdale hotel. They felt they still had lots of time. They fly in to Toronto and learn their luggage is lost. While the airline looks for it, they miss their connecting flight and are stuck in the airport (Toronto)overnight. Air Canada assures them they will be on the next flight to Fort Lauderdale. We know they will be cutting it close to sail away so we contact Princess for them to let them know the new flight info and time of arrival. Then my sister and her hubby find out their plane is not coming and will not arrive until later that afternoon. There is no way they will make sailaway. The airline offers to fly them through Newark and onto St.Tomas where they can catch the Regal on Wednesday. We tell my sister to call Princess , let them know what's going on and ask for assistance. This is where Princess stepped in and saved the day.They are putting them up in a hotel in St.Thomas, taking care of all their meals, and sending a car to pick them up to bring them to the ship once it arrives. And, my sister has learned first-hand why we sail with Princess. She was very impressed (and relieved) when Princess took over the plans.Thank goodness they bought the platinum insurance through Princess. It does pay off and my sister can now look forward to a little extra time in Caribbean paradise.

 

 

Wow, glad princess stepped up and helped them out, personally I would have left my cases to make the flight lol ;)

Let us know how they enjoy there first cruise.

[lovevacadays]

The aft pool is a plunge pool, not a swimming pool. It is another place to relax on the aft and watch the wake while cooling off from sunbathing. :)

 

I am one who doesn't care that much about the pool that is aft but I do care about seating/lounge chairs, etc. I would like to sail on the Regal as I am ready to try a new class of Princess ships. How is the seating, and more specific, are there many lounge chairs in the aft area?

[Mom33]

I am one who doesn't care that much about the pool that is aft but I do care about seating/lounge chairs, etc. I would like to sail on the Regal as I am ready to try a new class of Princess ships. How is the seating, and more specific, are there many lounge chairs in the aft area?

 

There are a good number of loungers on both sides of the aft pool. Deck 17 aft.

 

There are sofas and club chairs behind Horizon Court along with tables for dining. Deck 16

 

There are full teak loungers with cushions on Promenade deck 7, port and starboard aft.

 

Loungers are not difficult to find on the Regal.:)

[tartan cruiser]

I have a casino question regarding blackjack. Last year on Emerald they had at least one $5 minimum table. I think a "Fun 21" table was also $5 minimum. Does anyone know if Regal offers $5 blackjack tables? Christmas and New Year sailing might have higher limits but wondering if anyone ever saw the $5 tables. Thanks for your help.

[Mom33]

I have a casino question regarding blackjack. Last year on Emerald they had at least one $5 minimum table. I think a "Fun 21" table was also $5 minimum. Does anyone know if Regal offers $5 blackjack tables? Christmas and New Year sailing might have higher limits but wondering if anyone ever saw the $5 tables. Thanks for your help.

 

I'm sorry, I can't comment on anything about the casino. We never went to it this trip. Hopefully someone else will be of help.:)

[ar1950]

I have a casino question regarding blackjack. Last year on Emerald they had at least one $5 minimum table. I think a "Fun 21" table was also $5 minimum. Does anyone know if Regal offers $5 blackjack tables? Christmas and New Year sailing might have higher limits but wondering if anyone ever saw the $5 tables. Thanks for your help.

 

I believe that there was a $5 blackjack table. I know for sure that the three card poker table was a minimum $5 bet table. This was on the December 7th and the 14th sailings.

[tartan cruiser]

Thanks for your reply. My husband loves to play blackjack but won't at $10 a hand. He's looking forward to our Regal cruise even more knowing that they probably will have $5 minimums. Something he looks forward to in the evenings after the shows. I like slots but set limits since the odds are so bad. Thanks again.

[sabookkeeper]

It is nice to hear there are a lot of loungers. Are there loungers in the shade? I cannot sit in the sun due to a skin condition.

[Mom33]

It is nice to hear there are a lot of loungers. Are there loungers in the shade? I cannot sit in the sun due to a skin condition.

 

There are loungers in the shade on the sun deck under the running track on both sides of the ship. They are around the bend from the pools. Here is a pic of one side.

 

 

There are also loungers on the Promenade deck aft on both sides that will be in shade part of the day.

 

There are plenty of shady areas to sit at tables and on sofas and other outdoor furniture too.