Any reason to get out of the cold

Regal Princess Cruise Review to Caribbean

noname111

Contributor Level: Captain

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 15

Helpful Votes: 528

Overall rating:

4 out of 5

14 Night Caribbean Adventurer (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)

Sail date: January 22, 2017

Ship: Regal Princess

Cabin type: Suite

Cabin number: A208

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 7 years ago

Review summary

We have been cruising fools for the past couple years so taking only two weeks was definitely less relaxing than other journeys. Another thing was that this was our first cruise on one of PCs newer ships. On one hand, we were pleased with the overall ship aesthetic. Kudos to the interior designer! The ship is beautiful. We also like having a curtain between the bed and sitting areas. If one of us could not sleep, we could watch TV without disturbing the other.

On the other hand, we were much less enthused about the changes made to the cabins. The minisuites are significantly downsized and the balcony size is so ridiculously small that it was like having to figure out a puzzle every day moving the chairs and table so we could sit comfortably. That was a massive fail.

We booked a 14 day cruise but it was really 2 7-day cruises B2B. The ship returned to FLL half way through our journey and it was a bit disruptive to our cruise vibe. Nothing that ruined our entire trip, but definitely something worth consideration for any future cruises that take this approach.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

MDR room layout and food quality were excellent. We did the Chef's Table experience one evening and cannot say enough great things about it. Highly recommend trying it if you are a wine loving foodie.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Pretty standard fare. Nothing to remark about.

Entertainment

3 out of 5

Entertainment was good but nothing stood out as great. Another area where space has been downsized is the Princess Theatre. It is impossible for someone over 5'5", 160 lbs to sit in the theatre chairs comfortably. This is another massive failure.

Children's Programs

3 out of 5

n/a

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

From our cabin steward to our MDR servers to every other crew member we came into contact with ----> excellent customer service. It is one reason we keep coming back to PC. Special recognition to the Sanctuary staff. This is one of my favorite locations on the PC ships. I loved every day I spent there. The relaxation is unsurpassed and there is nothing quite like afternoon tea at the bow of the boat.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

As noted, this ship is designed very well. We loved the muted classic tones. The entire ship was kept spotless.

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5

On the Royal, Regal and others in this class, there is something called the premium balcony that has a love seat in the room (instead of just an extra chair). If we ever cruise this class again (and at this point I am not sure we will) we will book a premium balcony rather than a MS. The downsized MS is not worth the cost.

Ship tip

If you want to get into the Sanctuary, go directly there when you board or you will lose out. Space was booked for almost the entire first week of our voyage. I was able to get a couple days in when the ship was in port. Fortunately, I was able to book the 2nd wk ahead of time.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Amber Cove (Puerto Plata), Dominican Republic

3 out of 5

Book cabanas early.

Thumbs Up 1

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

5 out of 5

Philipsburg, St. Maarten

5 out of 5

Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida

3 out of 5

We stayed on board for the turnaround day.

Thumbs Up 1

Princess Cays (Cruise Line Private Island)

5 out of 5

Book cabanas early.

Thumbs Up 2

Montego Bay, Jamaica

1 out of 5

We do not enjoy anything about Jamaica.

Thumbs Up 0

George Town, Grand Cayman

5 out of 5

Cozumel, Mexico

5 out of 5

5 Comments

JamesBolger 7 years ago

Oh, and by the by....having "mobility issues" is NOT an insult, it's a fact of life as we age. I too suffer from it, but I wouldn't rail, so to speak, on the balcony and it's "massive fail" because of my vision and mobility problems.

Thumbs Up 1

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JamesBolger 7 years ago

I'm sorry you were insulted as that was not my intention. I don't see any mention of MDR or 'wine-loving' in your review. Perhaps you need to revisit your review. Maybe 'whine-loving' would be more accurate?

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noname111 7 years ago

Crurbachoua - We did not have to debark on the turnaround day. We did have to go to a specific location to be accounted for though. Minor disruption.

JamesBolger - A four-star review is unfair? A neutral rating is not unfair... it's neutral. You are so new here and with only one cruise on your profile, perhaps you are just not familiar with how cruise reviews and comments are entered.
It is a bit confusing as to your remarks because there are comments on areas you mention...
"MDR room layout and food quality were excellent."

"Chef's Table experience one evening and cannot say enough great things about it. Highly recommend trying it if you are a wine loving foodie."
"Once you cruise the Caribbean a few times, the destinations and excursions become same-ole-same-ole. We were onboard to relax and did just that."
Your insulting comment about "mobility issues" is an unnecessary low blow. You must have had to look into a few of my previous posts to even have a clue as to there being any issues and it seems as if you went out of your way to be insulting.

There is nothing incomplete or unfair about our comments. Take the time to read the entire review and all comments.

Thumbs Up 1

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JamesBolger 7 years ago

So, you knew it was a B2B before you booked? and...it seems that perhaps your 'mobility' issues might have made your small balcony uncomfortable? You seem to be an experienced cruiser and yet had no comments on the food, hospitality or ports of call? Your review seems incomplete and perhaps unfair?

Thumbs Up 4

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cruzrbachoua 7 years ago

did you have to get off on turn around day?

Thumbs Up 1

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