Review and Travel Journal of Our Regal Cruise to England/Guernsey/Ireland/Scotland and Wales-A Crowning Achievement

[nini]

1 hour ago, suzyed said:

I, too, LOL'd at the mention of Shipwreck Nightmare!
Curious as to wha kind of glasses you bring with you onboard?

@suzyed 

Go to post #25

[beshears]

At this time, I am in the "thinking" mode of booking this cruise for 8 of us in February, and I'm enjoying your review, along with the pictures as well.

[beshears]

I was so glad to see/read that people STILL do dress up to the 9's for what I call formal nights. I think they call them something else now, but that is MY expression, as I don't get to do that very often, other than when going to church, but don't dress up to the 9's then. 🙂

[Ranchi]

We have a cruise booked with Princess later this summer. It’s our first time on Princess. We usually leave our car at the dock but not this time so I’m considering lightening the suitcase load. We have cruised with other lines & I usually take a dinner jacket and sports jacket or blazer. I was thinking of ditching the DJ and replacing it with a light-weight dark suit where the jacket could be used with chinos on non formal nights. Approx what percentage of males wear a DJ on a formal night? 

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, Ranchi said:

Approx what percentage of males wear a DJ on a formal night? 

White Dinner Jackets were rare.  The men who "dressed up" tended to wear black tuxes, suits or sport coats. The photos that I posted earlier that I took with my phone were very representative of what we saw in the MDR and in the evening entertainment lounges.  I imagine that had we gone up to the Lido Deck on Formal Night we would have seen something very different, but we did not do so.  So it becomes impossible to assess percentages.  

[Ranchi]

Apologies, I guess we are separated by a common language 😂. My query should have said ‘tux’ rather than DJ. It was the black jacket that I meant. 
Thanks for your reply. 

[Dreamscaper]

On 5/26/2023 at 12:03 PM, JimmyVWine said:

When we leave the cabin, we charge our charging block to full capacity, so by the time we get back to the room we have the two USB outlets that are part of the little plug at the ready, plus two more charging ports that are part of the charging block.  So with 4 usable ports, (two stationary by the mirror and two on the charging block that can go anywhere--usually on a night stand) we have all that we need.  

I think you just answered a question I had about electricity in the cabins when no one is in them.  We've been to resorts where you cannot charge your devices when no one is in the room.  If I'm reading correctly Princess does not do this and you can charge devices in the cabin while you're away.  Good to know!

[Dreamscaper]

12 hours ago, suzyed said:

When I first tried Whispering Angel in Vines a few cruises back, we were at the max $12 price point, so I paid $4+ for the glass...but boy! was it worth it...I was hooked! It's lovely!  After that, as we approached Vines each evening my Whispering Angel was being poured and placed on the bar just as the bartender finished "swirling" DH's glass of red!  

Ok, Whispering Angel is on my "must try" list now with all these recommendations!

[suzyed]

On 5/21/2023 at 12:13 AM, Thrak said:

 

I have to ask if anything they said was actually intelligible. I've had issues understanding some Scots in the first place but period speech seems like it might be impossible to decipher.

 

(Don't get me wrong. I have thoroughly enjoyed speaking with Scottish folks on cruises but have had to ask for clarification a time or two. Of course I may have had the same issue with a couple of Aussie's as well. 😉 Interacting with people from other countries is one of the things I truly enjoy about cruising.)

We have a Scottish friend of over 30 years, but don't see him but every few years when we cross the pond or vice versa and most times I don't "get" most of what he is saying!  LOL!

[suzyed]

Wonderful review!  Love that it was with your family...we love to travel with ours too! 
We are on the 25 day British Isles plus the TA back to Ft. Lauderdale so your review was so very helpful in choosing excursions and I realized as I was reading, that I forgot to book a Guernsey tour....horrors! 
You have a real talent for writing and I love your humor!
Thank you again for a wonderful "Live From"!
 

[daveoc]

Currently on Regal and would make a couple of comments

 

1) On formal/celebration nights in mdr 70% of people were casual  the rest mostly in suits and a very few in dj/tux.

 

2) Last night was fillet/lobster in the mdr and there was a 10 dollar charge if you wanted extra.

[suzyed]

6 hours ago, daveoc said:

Currently on Regal and would make a couple of comments

 

1) On formal/celebration nights in mdr 70% of people were casual  the rest mostly in suits and a very few in dj/tux.

 

2) Last night was fillet/lobster in the mdr and there was a 10 dollar charge if you wanted extra.

A $10 charge just for the lobster tail?  One of the last times we sailed they insisted we get another whole dinner not just an extra lobster tail,  but I don't remember a charge for it.  Thanks for that info.
PS  Was it worth the extra $10?

Edited May 31, 2023 by suzyed

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, suzyed said:

PS  Was it worth the extra $10?

On the night when the Surf and Turf was an included option, they also had Escargot available.  So we doubled up on appetizers, creating a four-course meal consisting of a selected Starter, a mid-course of Escargot, the Surf and Turf and then a dessert, all included at no extra cost.  That was plenty of food such that spending another $10 wasn't even a consideration.  I know that that does not answer your question, but I just wanted to throw out there that the night when the filet and lobster tail makes an appearance is one of the better menus of the week with lots of choices such that spending extra money might seem wasteful.    

[CandyCaneLane]

3 hours ago, suzyed said:

A $10 charge just for the lobster tail?  One of the last times we sailed they insisted we get another whole dinner not just an extra lobster tail,  but I don't remember a charge for it.  Thanks for that info.
PS  Was it worth the extra $10?

A friend of mine just got back from a Celebrity Cruise.  They now charge you $10 for an extra lobster tail.  She loves Celebrity and cruises a lot but says they are now nickel and diming you.  

[phabric]

I always get 2 escargots every time they serve them.

 

On one of RCI ships, they had escargots on the every day menu.  I had it every 

night.

[getaway101]

JimmyVWine....I want to thank you for your review of this cruise.  We had to cancel the whole cruise due to catching COVID but now we are booked on the 25 day Sept. 29 BI and TA.  But I do feel like I lived this cruise vicariously through your writing.

[suzyed]

10 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

On the night when the Surf and Turf was an included option, they also had Escargot available.  So we doubled up on appetizers, creating a four-course meal consisting of a selected Starter, a mid-course of Escargot, the Surf and Turf and then a dessert, all included at no extra cost.  That was plenty of food such that spending another $10 wasn't even a consideration.  I know that that does not answer your question, but I just wanted to throw out there that the night when the filet and lobster tail makes an appearance is one of the better menus of the week with lots of choices such that spending extra money might seem wasteful.    

How we do it: We both get the surf and turf and I give DH my filet and he gives me his lobster tail....works out well for us.

[momrox1]

What a great bunch of information you have provided.  Thank you!  🙂  I don't know if someone asked this question so I will. I'm going on the same cruise late August.  I know the days are layers and a rain jacket but what about nights on the ship?  Would you say it's considered a "cold" ship due to a/c ....or specifically how does the outside weather affect the ship?  Do they put the heat on Lol?  Would I be comfortaable in a short sleeved dress with no jacket/sweater ?  Thanks!

[beshears]

Thank you for posting about the "dining" area. There will be 7 or 8 of us, and hopefully (we have always been able to do this before) we will be able to get the SAME dining table. Normally we do the late dining as well.

[Fortunate 2 travel]

34 minutes ago, momrox1 said:

What a great bunch of information you have provided.  Thank you!  🙂  I don't know if someone asked this question so I will. I'm going on the same cruise late August.  I know the days are layers and a rain jacket but what about nights on the ship?  Would you say it's considered a "cold" ship due to a/c ....or specifically how does the outside weather affect the ship?  Do they put the heat on Lol?  Would I be comfortaable in a short sleeved dress with no jacket/sweater ?  Thanks!

Hope I’m not stepping on toes answering not be the OP.  We were in the Regal July 7 for 12 nights. Had a fantastic time.  I did find the ship cold, however.  I always had to wear a sweater over sleeveless tops.  Have a fantastic time on your cruise!  

[Lady Meer]

1 hour ago, Fortunate 2 travel said:

Hope I’m not stepping on toes answering not be the OP.  We were in the Regal July 7 for 12 nights. Had a fantastic time.  I did find the ship cold, however.  I always had to wear a sweater over sleeveless tops.  Have a fantastic time on your cruise!  

We were on the 1 June and agree - it was chilly on the ship and I needed ‘sleeves’. It was a great cruise.

[beshears]

I knew I could have answered about the dining rooms in the evening, as I have done MORE than 15 cruises in my life time, and planning on doing the Regal in February. I figured it would help if someone "recently" who had been on the ship could answer whether it was chilly in the dining room or not, and yes they did. As for myself, I have always tried to wear long sleeves, or I will bring a shawl to wear if it is chilly when eating.

[CanuckCurlers]

What a lovely journey you took us on. You have a wonderful way with words. We are taking the around Britain tour next summer on the Regal and the excursions just came out so finding your review on some of the ports has been very helpful. We are taking the Enchanted in September from Rome to Barcelona so hope you have a blog on your Athens to Barcelona that I can find.

I love your pictures, some of the best I've seen on CC and have been wondering what camera you have. I have a very good Nikon that takes great pictures but am debating if I still need to take it on our cruises. It is heavy and with its case becomes a big packing issue these days.  My son is saying his phone has more pixels and takes great pictures but I'm not convinced that they would give the same quality of pictures when printed. I like to have my pictures on more than just the computer.

[Samkitty1]

On 8/3/2023 at 2:52 PM, Lady Meer said:

We were on the 1 June and agree - it was chilly on the ship and I needed ‘sleeves’. It was a great cruise.

I was on the Regal in May. It was not particularly cold in the dining room, but from time to time it was cold and drafty in the piazza on port days when the tenders were running. I usually had a light jacket or shawl with me

[JimmyVWine]

On 8/4/2023 at 5:41 PM, CanuckCurlers said:

What a lovely journey you took us on. You have a wonderful way with words. We are taking the around Britain tour next summer on the Regal and the excursions just came out so finding your review on some of the ports has been very helpful. We are taking the Enchanted in September from Rome to Barcelona so hope you have a blog on your Athens to Barcelona that I can find.

I love your pictures, some of the best I've seen on CC and have been wondering what camera you have. I have a very good Nikon that takes great pictures but am debating if I still need to take it on our cruises. It is heavy and with its case becomes a big packing issue these days.  My son is saying his phone has more pixels and takes great pictures but I'm not convinced that they would give the same quality of pictures when printed. I like to have my pictures on more than just the computer.

Sorry for getting back to you late.  If you haven't already found it, here is my Athens to Barcelona Journal.  I was using a Canon T3i for this trip with slightly upgraded lenses.  For some trips I rent one or more "L" Series lenses, but did not for this trip.