TxTeach79's LIVE Regal return to Princess Solo Thanksgiving - 11/19/23

[bethfelk]

If you like the Paradise Punch, try the Mai Tai at some point. It’s not really a traditional/“real” Mai Tai imo but really tasty nonetheless 

[TxTeach79]

This is a first for me. Like it. 
 

[TxTeach79]

Yep. Way too early for this.  
 

[TxTeach79]

I like that he put MY pen on the bed next to these forms. What if I didn’t have one out? Would I have gained a writing utensil? Nah. Couldn’t be. 
 

[MeganGC1983]

3 minutes ago, TxTeach79 said:

This is a first for me. Like it. 
 

First impressions? Raquel has to go! 

[TxTeach79]

4 minutes ago, bethfelk said:

If you like the Paradise Punch, try the Mai Tai at some point. It’s not really a traditional/“real” Mai Tai imo but really tasty nonetheless 

it’s on my radar for sure. Paradise Punch is delicious, reminds me of the Fun Ship Special on Carnival. Also enjoy the Captain’s Bounty and REALLY liked the Vanilla Sky at Good Spirits, even though it’s hard to get that often. 

[TxTeach79]

Another beautiful day

 

[HelloItsMeB]

On 11/13/2023 at 11:58 PM, TxTeach79 said:

Well well well, it looks like it's about that time!! We're four work days out from my first Princess cruise since Ruby to Alaska about 7 years ago, the Regal out of Galveston. It'll be my first Royal class ship.....

 

 

A little background for those of you who haven't come across my stuff before - In my modern Cruise Critic era, I'm far and away most frequently a Carnival cruiser. They were my first (Celebration '88), I honestly enjoy the heck out of the product and they treat me well. I get decent casino comps (I'll play a lot, but incredibly low stakes. I'm a public school teacher, for goodness sakes), and I've gotten to do some pretty great cruises and see some amazing places with the offers I've been fortunate enough to get since the shutdown. I'm Diamond over there, Platinum But Rusty (#PBR) here with Princess, and a smattering of cruises with Royal, NCL, HAL, Costa, and a few lines that don't exist anymore. 

 

@HelloItsMeB is my better half, and as some of you know we do some cruises together and I do others solo; she has a real grown up job, and our vacation time doesn't always sync up. Luckily for me, we both really enjoy solo travel, even if we miss each other coming with. In fact, as I type this, she's in Patagonia on a two week tour through Chile and Argentina I couldn't possibly have joined her on, lest my kids don't get complete their Great Cities of Europe project. She likes to chime in on my LIVES, and she makes them better, but I'm skeptical on this one since she gets back to Dallas (where we live) the day before Regal arrives back in Galveston.

 

I debated how all in to go on this one since the incomparable @Saint Greg is on the same cruise the week before me (right now, in fact! You should be reading his Live if you're not already!) and I'll probably post and do a lot of the same stuff he is (no way I get all those in cabin perks though) and I'll probably compare a lot to 2023 Carnival like he is... but I pretty quickly decided that I love doing these things, and I REALLY enjoy going back and reading through them later on down the road and getting to relive my vacations, so away we go! My apologies in advance for being immediately redundant!

 

How I booked this one, well, I don't know. I didn't choose to stop sailing Princess, I just got on a Carnival kick and after the shutdown started seeing a clear path to Diamond, which is something i wanted to do. Then, out of the blue one day a few months ago, I get an email casino offer from Princess for $25 plus taxes and fees for a balcony on this sailing. All I can think of is Ocean Players Club shares info between the lines, but I never get offers from HAL or Costa or any of the others, and I didn't gamble more than a few minutes on my last Princess cruise (it was a different time), so I'm thinking that has to be it. Anyway, I lucked into it, and away we go!

 

 

Hola from Argentina, y’all! Pablo is less than impressed with all my texts in Spanish this week. 🤣🤣

[TxTeach79]

3 minutes ago, HelloItsMeB said:

Take note, Sir Paul. 

omg

[TxTeach79]

Off we go, lunchward bound 

 

[TxTeach79]

Stairwell and hallway stuff and things 

 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

passengers vs. crew Red Zone (football toss)

 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

Ocean Terrace for lunch, why not?

 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

Set lunch menu with Plus 

 

[egregious cruiser]

if you read this in time, 

meet at Starboard entrance of dining room on deck 6 

look for Army hat

[dallasdan]

@TxTeach79 just wanted you to know the high temp is 57 for the next 3 days with lows of 39 expected.  Enjoy the weather.

[kluv2cruz]

4 hours ago, TxTeach79 said:

I have nothing against Ice Ice Baby, but it’s an odd choice for Outrigger at 7:30am. Word to your Mother. 

I find the music always very weird, especially in the dining room. Enjoying a lovely formal night dinner listening to female warrior anthem songs. Never used Shazam so many times! I put a comment about the music in my reviews the last few times. Not that it’s bad music, it’s just repetitive and inappropriate for the place &/or time.

[Funsince1983]

1 hour ago, TxTeach79 said:

This is the shallowest point of the pool. Challenging for our short kings and queens. 
 

Your girl would be under. Nothing says relaxation like constantly having to tread water. 😆

[MeganGC1983]

9 minutes ago, Funsince1983 said:

Your girl would be under. Nothing says relaxation like constantly having to tread water. 😆

Same! 

[TxTeach79]

57 minutes ago, dallasdan said:

@TxTeach79 just wanted you to know the high temp is 57 for the next 3 days with lows of 39 expected.  Enjoy the weather.

maybe I’ll do a B2B. The kids’ll be fine. 

[TxTeach79]

Paper airplanes up next 

 

[TxTeach79]

 

[JGmf]

15 hours ago, TxTeach79 said:

Oh we are SO back baby

 

 

The elusive 4 aces with only one held.  That's freakin magical!

[TxTeach79]

Egregious Cruiser came and found me and joined me for lunch, so I spent some time talking to him - he’s onboard for two months, got on in Lauderdale and is in the same cabin the whole time. Don’t I wish!

 

Anyway, Ocean Terrace - eh, not sure I’d do that again, probably should have done the Vines charcuterie or Alfredo’s again. It’s fine, the sushi is decent, but it took way too long and was just average. The salmon was the best part. Bamboo Sushi is way way better IMHO. They forgot to bring me the seaweed salad but it was taking so long I didn’t mind. 
 

 

[CruzeQueen2]

2 minutes ago, TxTeach79 said:

 

@TxTeach79 Would love to see your pics of the lunch at OT. No pressure!