Club Class and other questions

[tkline]

We just booked our first princess cruise (and 2nd cruise ever), but it’s not till next October. We are doing the New England and Canada cruise on the Regal Princess. We did a basic sky suite on our Celebrity cruise and loved all of the benefits, especially the suite-guest-only Luminae restaurant. So it looked like we needed to get a Club Class mini suite for a similar experience, regular suites were too pricey. We’re foodies so awesome and unlimited food is he biggest cruise attraction for us.

So, it says we get club class dining in the main dining room. Is it basically just like eating there normally but we just get an expanded menu with more “gourmet” stuff added? Can we just eat on our own or do we have to sit with complete strangers and small talk? We don’t want to do the latter.

Priority embarking and disembarking is also really important to us because we’re impatient. Is that only for when you are first arriving and departing at the end, or is it also for shore excursions? On our celebrity cruise, we were told it was for excursions too, but there was no way to tell.. we ended up waiting in long lines a few times till we learned we were allowed to skip to the front, but it felt weird and I think a few folks that waited a long time and were at the front didn’t take kindly to us jumping ahead (I wouldn’t either). Would have been better if there was a sign or some other little line off to the side or something.

Is the wifi any good? I was looking around and I couldn’t find any info on prices. Is it expensive? We had an unlimited wifi package on Celebrity that was part of the special when we first booked, but if we would have added it separately it would have been very expensive. It was nice to be able to upload some photos or little videos to share with our family while we were unwinding in our room at night. Are we better off finding a coffee shop in ports and using their free wifi for that?

[skynight]

We just booked our first princess cruise (and 2nd cruise ever), but it’s not till next October. We are doing the New England and Canada cruise on the Regal Princess. We did a basic sky suite on our Celebrity cruise and loved all of the benefits, especially the suite-guest-only Luminae restaurant. So it looked like we needed to get a Club Class mini suite for a similar experience, regular suites were too pricey. We’re foodies so awesome and unlimited food is he biggest cruise attraction for us.

So, it says we get club class dining in the main dining room. Is it basically just like eating there normally but we just get an expanded menu with more “gourmet” stuff added? Can we just eat on our own or do we have to sit with complete strangers and small talk? We don’t want to do the latter.

Club Class Dining is Anytime Dining in a special area of one of the DR's. You walk in anytime you like during open hours and you will be seated. If you want a table for two just request it.

Priority embarking and disembarking is also really important to us because we’re impatient. Is that only for when you are first arriving and departing at the end, or is it also for shore excursions?

This is what Princess says "Skip the lines with preferred check-in upon arrival and our exclusive disembarkation lounge during departure." What really happens is that there are lots of passengers that have priority check-in including passengers in full suites, Captain's Circle Elite and Captain's Circle Platinum passengers. Depending on the cruise there could be 1/3 of the ship. When you arrive at the pier the staff will guide you to the priority check in line and you will get in the back of that line. It could be short or it could be long. Once checked in you will be shown to a waiting area. Your group will be one of the first to board once boarding begins. If next October means October 2018 then Regal will have medallion service. This service is advertised to speed boarding, but it does not start until November 2017. On disembarkation there is a waiting lounge for those with priority disembarkation. Although we can use it we have found it is much easier to wait in the "regular lounge."

Ports: If you book a Princess tour you meet usually in the theater and walk off together. If a tender port you tender together. Some tours meet on the pier. If you are not on a Princess tour you walk off anytime you like. If it is a tender port you must obtain a tender ticket. No priority. You go on the tender when your ticket number is called.

 

On our celebrity cruise, we were told it was for excursions too, but there was no way to tell.we ended up waiting in long lines a few times till we learned we were allowed to skip to the front, but it felt weird and I think a few folks that waited a long time and were at the front didn’t take kindly to us jumping ahead (I wouldn’t either). Would have been better if there was a sign or some other little line off to the side or something.

Is the wifi any good? I was looking around and I couldn’t find any info on prices. Is it expensive?

120 mins @$69, 240 mins @$99, 460 mins @ $159, 680 mins @ $199. Usualy there are some bonus mins if ordered prior to cruise. Internet is slow.

We had an unlimited wifi package on Celebrity that was part of the special when we first booked, but if we would have added it separately it would have been very expensive. It was nice to be able to upload some photos or little videos to share with our family while we were unwinding in our room at night. Are we better off finding a coffee shop in ports and using their free wifi for that?

See above

Edited June 21, 2017 by sknight

[Shaver John]

My husband and I have used Club Class twice and we enjoy it. We like you do not like lines, but also do not go to the Main Dining room each night, too much for us...With that said, we liked the fact that we could go and get seated anytime and yes I do mean anytime. We had dinner with a couple that we met and became friends with twice on the last cruise, and the rest of the time we had table for ourselves except for one luncheon which we shared and it was OK but would not have done it again.

The food is almost the same as in the regular dinning room, except for one special dish made each meal. I had some of the regular menu and some of the special dishes and all were fantastic, but I will admit I am not a foodie. My best dishes are bar food so that should tell you something.

 

Priority check in is great, there is a special area for Suites and Elite and maybe Club Class, I am not sure about Club Class. Anyway other than check in there is no difference for any other tours, disembarking etc. But the ships run very well, so we never have a problem with that.

 

WIFI is slow and getting better, but expensive. We still work so we need the wifi and sign up for the additional minutes as soon as we get on the ship. It keeps our business going so it is worth it to us.

 

Hope this helps, I am sure you will have a wonderful cruise.

[Marvin Schwartz]

Got off the Grand Princess Jun 17, 2017. Club Class dining was a table in the middle of the dining room with the same menu and meals as every other passenger!

 

Marvin Schwartz

[NavyVeteran]

Got off the Grand Princess Jun 17, 2017. Club Class dining was a table in the middle of the dining room with the same menu and meals as every other passenger!

 

Marvin Schwartz

I was on the Grand Princess in May. Club Class dining was not in the middle of the dining room - it was on one side with a separate entrance. The head waiter did prepare one additional menu item each meal - either a pasta or an entrée, so it was not the same menu and meals as every passenger.

[justafem]

Got off the Grand Princess Jun 17, 2017. Club Class dining was a table in the middle of the dining room with the same menu and meals as every other passenger!

 

Marvin Schwartz

 

You are mistaken. We had CC last month on the Grand. CC has a separate entrance, with dedicated staff. One night after a late port, they had to take room from the MDR for CC and pulled staff from the buffet to accommodate the rush. (Yeah, I know, elitism, but we did pay for it.). The servers FIGHT to work in CC, even more than the specialty restaurants, they are the best and you'll see a difference.

 

Anyhow, there is a different menu choice every meal, normally higher end seafood and steaks. Scallops the size of my fist, delicious and freshly prepared.

 

Trust me, there's other perks too. Water delivered daily. The ability to have a leisurely breakfast on disembarkment day, instead of hitting the buffet. I noticed a difference in the bar staff too, especially during happy hour. After the first time showing our cards (don't get me wrong, kid is gold, hubby is ruby and I'm platinum), we were a priority (I know more elitism) to the staff.

 

Don't get me wrong, we lucked into CC by booking a WS with 3 of us in the room. Next cruise we're again in a WS with both grown daughters I guess we'll figure out the sleeping arrangements when it's time. Have I told anyone how much I love WS!!!

[OCruisers]

Booking a Club Class Mini-Suite will probably give you much of what you want. :)

[tkline]

yep we're looking forward to it. Now I just need to find a way to make 15 months go by faster. I think the biggest thing for us is not having to wait, we are bad at making and keeping schedules and are chronically late. So we want to avoid reservations and waiting in line as much as possible :)

 

Do they have a regular menu for the main dining room that we can check out? or is it always changing?

[joeyancho]

Do they have a regular menu for the main dining room that we can check out? or is it always changing?

 

The menu in the MDR changes every day. However there are certain things that are always available. Such as salmon, fettuccine alfredo, cheeseburgers, shrimp cocktail. Hope this helps.

[Colo Cruiser]

In our experience it was not an expanded menu.

It's the same menu as the DR.

Just an extra side dish or 2.

[C-LAD]

In our experience it was not an expanded menu.

It's the same menu as the DR.

Just an extra side dish or 2.

That's exactly what it is but you do get a dedicated staff in a separate area from the MDR. Great perk but question if it's worth the extra cost. Might want to use the extra cost for several trips to the specialty restaurants!