Regal Princess Cruises

Life aboard Regal Princess
Princess Cruises will deploy its 3,560-passenger Regal Princess to Sydney for her maiden Australian season in December 2020. Cruises featuring New Zealand depart from Sydney and Auckland. Meanwhile, the vessel sails from Florida, offering two 7-night itineraries to the east and west Caribbean. From May 2020 Regal Princess runs a series of 12-night cruises circumnavigating the British Isles out of Southampton. A number of overnight stays allow for good onshore sight-seeing. On 7 October 2020 leave Southampton for the 54/56-night Grand Cruise to Brisbane/Sydney. During the summer of 2020/2021 Regal Princess makes nine trips around New Zealand: board in Sydney or Auckland. Princess Line has an excellent range of onshore programs for each port of call, possibly the best of any major Line, and these can be planned ahead of the cruise, or organised during the cruise.

Along with Royal Princess and Majestic Princess, these three are the largest ships built by Princess Cruises, at 142,229 GT and carrying 3,560 passengers. On-board entertainment and facilities are state-of-the-art for cruise ships. The ship itself is a cruise destination. New features are the SeaWalk, an enclosed walkway extending from the ship’s top deck, and the cantilevered SeaView Bar, each with glass floors and sweeping ocean views. There is the upper-deck pool The Sanctuary exclusively for adults, featuring plush private cabanas. Princess Line’s largest top-deck pool ever offers a dazzling evening water and light show. This ship will attract a lot of families and multigenerational groups. Boarding logistics will be very smooth. Tips and gratuities are additional. The Ultimate Ship Tour looks behind the scenes at main areas of the ship such as the kitchens, engine room and bridge. Finding something to do on this ship will never be a problem. Princess Cruises offer three wedding packages (and live Web cam) and Vow Renewals.

Accommodation
There are five types of cabin: Interior, Balcony, Deluxe Balcony, Mini-Suite and Suite with Balcony. Cabins are roomy and nicely appointed, with satellite TV access to major channels. Standard cabins are practical and attractive, many have additional upper berths for children, and some have inter-connecting doors. The larger the stateroom, the more additional facilities. All guests receive turndown service, chocolates on pillow at night, bathrobes and amenity kits, and complimentary room service on most items 24 hours a day. There are no single cabins, 36 wheelchair-accessible cabins, and some cabins accommodate families of three and four.

So all outside cabins have balconies, comprising 80% of all cabins. Some staterooms have interconnecting rooms that accommodate up to eight guests. Mid-priced suites compare more than favourably with motel accommodation, amenities and service. Most balconies give privacy, and some can be joined with other balconies when travelling in a group. Suites have a bathtub and second TV. The 40 Suites and 306 Mini-Suites cover a large range of sizes and additional free-bees such as complimentary laundry and shoe shine, a selection of pillows, daily in-room canapés and high tea, free Internet access, and much more. There are no butlers for any staterooms. Smoking is only permitted in designated smoking areas, and excludes staterooms and balconies.

Food and Dining
Traditional dining in the Allegro Dining Room offers you a pre-selection of one of two seating times throughout the cruise. Anytime Dining (sitting when and with whom you choose) is offered in the Concerto and Symphony Dining Rooms. Both serve five course meals changed daily, with chefs inducted into the prestigious Chaîne des Rôtisseurs gastronomic society. Sabatini’s serves Italian cuisine, Crown Grill serves steak and seafood, and there’s Crab Shack (all for an extra cover charge). Dress code is smart casual, and on cruises longer than three days dress for a formal night for every week of sailing. Breakfast and lunch are provided in an open seating arrangement. (Of course a continental breakfast can be delivered to your stateroom, and there is a stateroom menu.) Passengers booked in cabins with balconies can order several special, romantic meals to be served restaurant-style on the verandah - Ultimate Balcony Dining. Order special dietary requests before sailing.

Casual dining is available at Horizon Court buffet all day and informal sit-down waiter service at night. The pizzeria gives an excellent choice, and will also provide room delivery for a small charge. There is a burger and hotdog grill, and take-away food is available at the pool side. For lighter snacks try the ice-cream sundae bar, or the patisserie for coffees and pastries. Afternoon tea is served daily. There are 12 bars and lounges. Coffee, iced tea and milk are available 24 hours a day. For an exclusive (extra charge) dining experience for ten guests make a reservation for The Chef’s Table Lumiere. Chocolate Journeys is new.

Entertainment
As for entertainment, there is more than can be squeezed into a week. The Princess Theatre is two decks high, featuring glamorous production shows every second or third evening. The Vista Show Lounge with its three stages presents cabaret, and doubles for lectures, bingo and horse-racing during the day. Vista Lounge hosts lectures, art auctions, entertainment and live bands. Dance at Club 6. Movies first-run feature films pool-side at Under the Stars on Sun Deck. There are 12 bars and lounges with live music and dancing. A new feature is the new three-deck-high street-cafe-style Piazza, for sipping coffee and watching the occasional passing performer. Stroll around and shop duty-free, or check your email at the Internet Café.

Princess on-shore programs are outstanding, and information about shore options is comprehensive. On board, enrichment programs include the ScholarShip@Sea program, which presents six self-improvement programs each day, with a charge for advanced classes. The core subjects are: Culinary Arts, Visual/Creative Arts, Photography, and Computer Technology. There is a pottery studio complete with electric kiln, karaoke, virtual golf, art auctions, and casino gambling. Five pools spread the crowd. Fun activities surround the pool areas and include a nine-hole putting course, virtual golf, and ball games. One can retire to the library and writing room, the adults-only lounge, work out in the gyms, or relax in a spa or hot tub. The large Lotus Spa includes treatments such as the Hammam (a Turkishstyle steam room), the Caldarium (a herbal steam room), the Laconium (a dry heat sauna), sensory showers and the line’s first-ever hydrotherapy pool. While passengers are generally older, each young age group has five-star special facilities and programs.

Explore the decks

19 - Sky 18 - Sports 17 - Sun 16 - Lido 15 - Marina 14 - Riviera 12 - Aloha 11 - Baja 10 - Caribe 9 - Dolphin 8 - Emerald 7 - Promenade 6 - Fiesta 5 - Plaza 4 - Gala