Regal questions

[Scubadoc]

We sail in January. Finally!! Third Princess cruise. First two on the Crown. 
 

—What will we love that’s  different from the Crown?

—On the Crown they had pop up restaurants like Crab Shack. Do they have those on Regal and if so which restaurants?

— We are in an Aft Suite. I understand that we have a Concierge lounge we can use. What is that like?  Free drinks?  Other things we should know?

— Finally, I purchased the Enclave but I am hearing maybe it is free for those in suites?  Anyone know for sure?  Thanx!

 

[skynight]

Believe enclave is not free on Royal Class ships. Search Princess cruises full suite amenities. Look at the fine print.

Don't think the Regal has the crab shack. It has the Crown Grill & Sabatini's. It also has the Ocean Seafood Bar with menu priced items. Search princess cruises dining guide. 

You may not love that the Regal does not have a walking promenade deck.

I read that some Royal class ships are having a cocktail hour for full suite passengers. Of course, if you have the plus fare then up to 15 alcoholic drinks per day are included plus unlimited non alcoholic beverages with a few exclusions.

[Scubadoc]

Thanx!  Someone on this forum said that Regal was gifting the Enclave to suite passengers. Just wondering if anyone knows if that is permanent or just something for one cruise. Like to get my money back if it’s free!  

[skynight]

Gifting is possible considering ships are lean with passengers. 

[DrSea]

50 minutes ago, skynight said:

Believe enclave is not free on Royal Class ships. Search Princess cruises full suite amenities. Look at the fine print.

Don't think the Regal has the crab shack. It has the Crown Grill & Sabatini's. It also has the Ocean Seafood Bar with menu priced items. Search princess cruises dining guide. 

You may not love that the Regal does not have a walking promenade deck.

I read that some Royal class ships are having a cocktail hour for full suite passengers. Of course, if you have the plus fare then up to 15 alcoholic drinks per day are included plus unlimited non alcoholic beverages with a few exclusions.

I was on it on Thanksgiving. There was no pop up restaurants. 

 

The cocktail hour for P/E/S guests are VERY poorly attended and the guests on my sailing were very unwelcoming (I am 30+ years younger than them and they didn't think I belonged). Only 4 people attended, including me. 

Edited December 13, 2021 by DrSea

[I object 2]

26 minutes ago, DrSea said:

I was on it on Thanksgiving. There was no pop up restaurants. 

 

The cocktail hour for P/E/S guests are VERY poorly attended and the guests on my sailing were very unwelcoming (I am 30+ years younger than them and they didn't think I belonged). Only 4 people attended, including me. 

 

Sorry you experienced unwelcoming behavior at the P/E/S lounge.  Don't let that put you off enjoying your benefits....you've earned them.  

[geocruiser]

The have a very large buffet.  It goes from mid ship elevators to the aft elevators.

[Jilliebean28]

We just got off of Regal last week.  We were in an aft suite and yes, the Enclave is included as an amenity.

We were on the Crown right before COVID shut everything down and found it very tired and, for us, too small.  We like the larger piazza and buffet area.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

We love Regal Princess, especially its incredible buffet (I am a glutton). The MDR food has always been excellent pre-covid.

I hope all cabins have the new beds now, because the only thing we hated about Regal was the beds. Old, hard as a rock and lumpy as hell. I couldn't sleep a wink and was in major pain all week every time we sailed on her.

[patrickmoran]

COVID has reduced offerings on the Regal. Over Thanksgiving, the lunch and dinner buffets were using half of the space before COVID. No crab shack offered though we were on 5 day cruises. I saw in the Patters that the Pub lunch was offered in the Wheelhouse/Crown Grille. I didn't go by to see if it actually happened.

[Scubadoc]

Thank you everyone. This is al so helpful and very exciting. Can’t wait to get back to cruising. Well I wish now I had not paid for the enclave online but I’m hoping they’ll give me ship credit when I get on board.

[Bwana Tom]

We were on a 4-way B2B on the Regal over Thanksgiving last month and there was no pop-up Crab Shack. The passengers on each of the 4 cruises were only around 800 to 900. The food was some of the best we have had on our Princess cruises and the staff extremely happy and accommodating. They were all very happy to be back to work. We did find the entertainment a bit lacking, but I personally cut the cruise line a lot of slack; they have suffered unbelievable financial problems due to the pandemic, but they are doing the best they can to get back.

My wife and have been on numerous Princess ships including the Crown and found the Regal to be our favorite. 

I'm sure you will have a great cruise. 

[XBGuy]

I can't believe that nobody has mentioned this.  Alfredo's Pizzeria on Deck 6 is another venue that you would not have had on the Crown Princess.  Alfredo's is a no additional charge sit down restaurant that features, as you might guess, Italian-style dishes.  I believe it is open for both lunch and dinner.

 

The suite concierge lounge is one of the outstanding amenities for suite passengers on Royal class ships such as the Regal Princess.  When we cruised in a suite on the Royal Princess (sister ship to the Regal Princess) we spent quite a few hours there.  My wife is a late sleeper, and she started going to the suite concierge lounge every morning and have tea, orange juice and pastries.  She does not drink coffee, but it is always available.  Around noon they add little finger sandwiches and a cheese platter which are available the rest of the day.  We also found the suite concierge lounge to be a pretty quiet area, and, so, thought it was a good place to read.  Our experience was in September 2019, and on that very cruise they experimented with a late-afternoon cocktail hour.  That was pretty popular and quite a few people attended.  It is not clear to me whether that program has been continued.  The room gets its name because there is, in fact, a concierge stationed in there.  The concierge can provide services much like that of a hotel concierge

• He/she can make specialty dinner reservations for you.
• I was able to get seats for the Chef's Table through the suite concierge
• He/she can assist with port excursions
• He/she can make spa reservations

In general, I was encouraged to bring any question or issue to my concierge.  One day I told him that the toilet in my cabin was problematic.  Within an hour, an engineer was in my cabin checking the toilet.  I'm sure the concierge would be happy to assist you with enclave visits.

 

[skynight]

Alfredo's open every day 11a to late evening. Does not close. Walk in.

[marne-c]

5 hours ago, XBGuy said:

(Snip)   I was able to get seats for the Chef's Table through the suite concierge.  (Snip)

Ooooooh!   Who knew?  GREAT idea, many thanks @XBGuy!

 

--Marne

[Shelly97060]

On 12/14/2021 at 7:17 PM, Scubadoc said:

I wish now I had not paid for the enclave online but I’m hoping they’ll give me ship credit when I get on board.

Since you don’t sail until sometime in January you could go online and cancel. 

[framer]

Ship looks great, crew has been 1st rate. Now the bad of three excursions two were canceled and other to replace them were soldout, third one was changed from morning to afternoon and the only notice we got was the time shown on the ticket, we had other plans for that afternoon that had to be canceled.  Sanctuary Cabana was good but a bit off.  It was more 4 star service than the 5 star we've had in the past.  No welcome drinks, no stocked mini bar, just mixers we used there w/375ml bottle.  In the past it would be stocked with 10 assorted waters & soft drinks.  The fruit basket looked old and they never offered to cut it up.  Staff was nice but under trained in this area IMHO. 

 

Medallionet SUCKS.  I can no longer use my laptop to order services and check on my account,  I was told that laptops are no longer supported just tablets and phones.  Layers of confusing menus very frustrating few like it.  I gone back to picking up the phone to get what I want.  Get a paper Patter it will save you. 

 

We still love Princess and understand they have current issue to work through. 

 

Currently onboard,

framer

Edited December 18, 2021 by framer

[reedprincess]

Royal class ships, of which Regal is one, have Winemaker's Dinner as a specialty dinner option, not available on Grand Class ships (Crown).

It's held in the wine cellar room in the MDR on deck 5. 8 guests only. 4-5 course meal, each course paired with a different wine. One or two courses prepared table side. $40usd pp. Sponsored by different wineries.. excellent value. Have to sign up same as Chef's Table (Dine Line, Maitre'd, etc). You'll get an invite if picked.  (Have to have enough sign ups of course).

Belinis Bar. Wide variety of different belinis, lovely view over the atrium. (Not in Crown).

Sea View Bar has the Flair show a couple times - bar on pool deck that bumps out over the sea, bartenders put on a flair show with the whole throwing bottles in the air, etc .

Outrigger bar after of Horizon Court has Bloody Mary bar in the mornings, Margarita bar in the afternoon/evenings. All sorts of specialty Bloody Mary and margaritas.

Good Spirits at Sea at atrium bar by International Cafe. Specialty craft cocktails... "Secret " challenge to try all 11 over course of cruise and earn a t-shirt (if they have any) - this is available on all ships with GS at Sea (virtually all but island and diamond I think) but most folks don't know about the t-shirt..

No wraparound promenade deck.

We didn't find the concierge lounge handy or much help at all. It's small and kinda dim, small light bites and coffee/juice/water - sure, although not anything different than buffet bites, etc - but unless you're nearby, it's a long walk from forward suites, or up/down stairs/elevator, or to the other side of the ship - so up or down then around midship or around aft and back up.. and at least the few times we've had suites, the concierge was slow and not all that helpful, it was quicker and easier to just do it ourselves.  To each their own. 

Enclave is (normally) not included on Royal class ships. However, if they're gifting it currently for whatever reason - fab bonus!  You won't know til you're aboard though, but yes - you'd be able to get a refund if you've already paid. 

Those aft suites with the wraparound deck are fantastic!! 

Have a great time!

 

 

 

[marne-c]

2 hours ago, framer said:

(snip)  Medallionet SUCKS.  I can no longer use my laptop to order services and check on my account,  I was told that laptops are no longer supported just tablets and phones. (Snip)

@framer  Yikes!!!  Really -- laptops not supported???  They can't be serious!!!

 

Also, a question for when you walk around:  Where is the quarantine area?  It would be one side of a cabin deck, either very aft or very forward.  The fire doors would be closed in the passageway to prevent casual access. Thanks!

 

--Marne

Edited December 18, 2021 by marne-c

[matamanoa]

Sorry that this is not related to the above question but just wanted to say hello to Marne and Debbie.  E-mail if you get the chance.

 

Barb and Bruce

[marne-c]

43 minutes ago, matamanoa said:

Sorry that this is not related to the above question but just wanted to say hello to Marne and Debbie.  E-mail if you get the chance.

 

Barb and Bruce

@matamanoa Will do!

 

--Marne

[matamanoa]

20 minutes ago, marne-c said:

@matamanoa Will do!

 

--Marne

Great, looking forward to catching up!

 

Barb

[XBGuy]

4 hours ago, framer said:

 

Medallionet SUCKS.  I can no longer use my laptop to order services and check on my account,  I was told that laptops are no longer supported just tablets and phones.  Layers of confusing menus very frustrating few like it.  I gone back to picking up the phone to get what I want.  Get a paper Patter it will save you. 

 

 

2 hours ago, marne-c said:

@framer  Yikes!!!  Really -- laptops not supported???  They can't be serious!!!

 

 

@marne-c,  I have to ask whether there is some confusion with nomenclature, here.  

 

MedallionNet is the shipboard wi-fii network.  It is hardware agnostic--i.e., a SmartPhone or a tablet or a PC can log onto it.  The only software that is required is a browser--e.g., Chrome, Edge, Safari.  Windows based laptops come with Edge pre-loaded.  Many users load alternative browsers such as Chrome and Firefox.  Apple products come with Safari.

 

The MedallionClass app is software that can be loaded onto a SmartPhone or tablet and provides the shipboard functionality about which Princess has been bragging for the last several months--e.g., ordering cocktails from the pool area, making dinner reservations, checking ship's activities, reviewing the evening's dining room menu.

 

There is no software equivalent to the MedallionClass app for a PC.  So, those onboard functions cannot be accomplished on a laptop PC.  However, a laptop PC will work just fine for general web surfing subject to the normal performance constraints that can occur when using satellite communication technology.  Similarly, if a passenger wants to, for example, log on to his/her employer's server to keep up with e-mails, a laptop PC will work equally fine,

[marne-c]

23 minutes ago, XBGuy said:

 

 

I have to ask whether there is some confusion with nomenclature, here.   (Snip)

 

I hope that it's a nomenclature issue.  I get that MedallionNet is the onboard network.  That's why I freaked about it being unwelcoming to Laptops.    While I know that this shouldn't be an issue, enough Medallion technical issues have been floated to make it seem potentially plausible.

 

--Marne

[Scubadoc]

Wow I feel like I know the ship myself thru all of u!  Can't wait. Sad tho that they don't have Karaoke or voice of the ocean. Is that still the case?  We have loved that on the Crown.