Last Updated on 02/26/24 by Rose Palmer
I was lounging in a deck chair with an Irish coffee in hand, tucked under a cozy blanket and watching a movie on the big screen as the sun set behind me.
I do not think of myself as a princess – quite the contrary. But occasionally, I do like being treated like one. For a little while, it’s nice to have someone else make my bed, cook my meals, and bring me a specialty drink when I am in the mood for one.
A cruise gives me all this and more. I love being on the water. I love the feeling of the gentle rocking of the ship under my feet. I love staring at the ocean and watching the sunshine play on the waves. And I love feeling and smelling the salty breeze when I am on deck. Being on a ship gives me a sense of serenity that I don’t normally feel when I am on land.
My Regal Princess cruise review
In recent years, I have really become a fan of cruising with Princess. For me, they offer a perfect balance of value, quality service, and interesting itineraries.
I have sailed on the Ruby Princess through the Panama Canal, the Sky Princess along Norway’s coast, the Sapphire Princess around South America and to Antarctica, and the Island Princess in Alaska.
This time I tried the Regal Princess with a 12 day cruise around the British Isles, and I was very pleased with both the ship and the destinations we visited.
What I loved about this Regal Princess cruise
After having been on a number of other Princess ships, the Regal had many familiar spaces that I have come to enjoy: the International Café, Movies Under the Stars, the Enclave, and the Piazza. Yet the ship also had unique design elements which made it fun to explore, like the fountains on deck 16.
As always, I cannot fault the service that I received while on board. It was efficient, prompt, and always offered with a warm and friendly smile. I know how hard the crew works on these ships and I am always amazed at the genuine friendliness that they offer. And I am happy to reward it.
I like to cruise with Princess because of their unique itineraries, and this one was no exception as this cruise took me all around the British Isles. With port calls in England, both parts of Ireland, along with Scotland, this was an easy way to get a taste of the different cultures in each country. It was a very busy schedule with only a few of the sea days that I love, but I certainly did get the opportunity to have many unique experiences.
How I got to the Regal Princess in Southampton
My first cruise from Southampton, England was on the Sky Princess and started with an overnight flight from the USA to Heathrow Airport. I chose to transfer on my own to the cruise dock which was quite easy.
After clearing customs at Heathrow, I went to the National Express information desk and purchased a bus ticket that took me directly from the airport to Southampton.
Getting to the bus station at the airport was an easy walk, even with my luggage, and was well marked – I just followed the signs. After waiting for my bus, it was a comfortable two hour bus ride to Southampton which let me take a quick nap after my overnight flight.
From the Southampton bus station, it was an easy 10 minute walk to my hotel, The Moxy, which is part of the Marriott collection of hotels. This was a hip, modern hotel and had everything I needed for my one night stay – in particular, a comfortable bed to catch up on sleep.
The next day I walked to the pier where the Princess ships dock (though you could also have taken a taxi).
For this trip on the Regal, I arrived in Southampton on a high speed ferry from the Isle of Wight where I spent a few days before the cruise relaxing and enjoying the scenery. Even though the ferry dock was not far from the cruise port, I chose a quick cab ride to get to the Regal Princess rather than walk with my bags for 20 minutes.
I booked this trip last minute and did not have a chance to fill in all the necessary information on the Medallion App. No worries – the check in staff added it all into their system for me in about 5 minutes. I picked up my medallion and was climbing the gangplank and heading to lunch in no time.
My Regal Princess room review
I booked a standard balcony cabin on deck 12 forward, almost at the very front of the ship. I don’t get sea sick and like the slight motion that I feel in a forward cabin, especially when I am sleeping. And since I was traveling alone, this was more than enough room for me.
My balcony cabin was 222 square feet and for just one person, was sufficiently roomy, with more than enough storage space (most of which I didn’t need). Each of the two nightstands had two drawers and an open shelf. The desk also had three drawers, one of which held a hair dryer.
Across from the desk was a credenza which held a small fridge and three open shelves. There was also a small round coffee table which I actually put into the closet area to get it out of the way since I really didn’t need it.
I love the beds on a Princess cruise – it’s one of my favorite features. The bedding is crisp and the pillows are fluffy, just the way I like them. With such a comfy bed and the slight rocking of the ship, I always sleep very well when I am sailing on a Princess ship.
My closet was roomy and came with 35 hangers (yes, I counted) and a floor to ceiling cabinet that held the safe and more shelves for storage.
The bathroom wasn’t large, but had enough space for one person to easily maneuver in it. There were three open shelves by the mirror and a large open shelf under the sink. There was also a walk in shower which I prefer over a bathtub-shower combo.
As I have often encountered on cruise ships, there were not enough outlets and no USB ports. There were only two outlets by the desk: one for an American plug and one for a European plug. This worked fine for just one person in the cabin, but may not be enough for two people and all their electronic gadgets.
There was also an outlet in the bathroom that took a two pronged American plug or a European plug.
To make sure I can charge all my electronics, I bring a cruise ship approved multi outlet power strip with USB ports. Note that surge protectors are not allowed on board.
The Regal Princess ship details
The stats:
- Royal class
- Year inaugurated – 2014
- Last refurbished –2017
- Last dry dock – April, 2022
- Maximum number of passengers –3560
- Maximum number of crew -1346
A few things to note:
The Regal Princess is the sister ship to the Royal Princess and both ships are said to be very similar (though I have not been on the Royal yet). As one of the earliest ships in the Royal Class line, I found familiar elements from the Ruby and Sapphire, both of which are Grand Class ships that I had previously sailed on, along with elements that are distinctive to the Royal Class ships.
Notably, the Regal Princess still had a small library with books and games. There was also The Wheelhouse Bar and Crooners Bar, both of which I did not experience on the Sky Princess, one of the other Royal class ships I have sailed on.
Like the other Royal class ships, the Regal Princess did not have a fully open promenade deck. Deck 7 had an outdoor promenade area but you could not walk it around the whole ship and the lifeboats hung here so views were very much impeded by them.
However, the jogging track on deck 17 provided a circular walking area with unhindered ocean views.
Deck 5 – Plaza
The Piazza – The beautiful three story Piazza was the beating heart of the Regal Princess, and the one here on the Regal did not disappoint. Much like the piazza in an Italian village, this was the central gathering spot where I could have a cup of coffee, get a drink, listen to music, or have a meal. Lots of marble, glass, and gold accents made this a bright and cheery place to hang out day or night.
The Piazza was surrounded by bars, eateries, and shops, and there was usually some type of musical performance or fun activity going on throughout the day.
Surrounding the Piazza were:
The International Café – this was my favorite spot to get breakfast, a light meal, little deserts, and delicious specialty coffees (extra fees without a package). The best part was that the café was open 24 hours so I could indulge in a late night snack after a show.
My problem was that they changed out the breakfast items at 10 AM so I had to make sure to get down there in time to get my favorite almond croissants.
Good Spirits at Sea – I am not a big alcohol drinker, but when I wanted to try a special craft cocktail, this was the spot to go to. This was also a good location to grab a seat and watch the action in the Piazza.
Vines Wine Bar – this bar was where I went to try different wines from around the world. This was also one of the casual dining restaurants where I could get a plate of charcuterie and truffles to accompany a glass of wine (extra charges applied without a package).
Gelato – I loved this ice cream spot which was one of my favorite indulgent snacks. There was a wonderful array of gelato flavors and options for creative ice cream concoctions (minimal extra charges applied).
Shops of Princess – Celebrations– if I forgot something, this shop had a very limited selection of necessities, along with touristy items.
Internet café – a small corner with desks and computer monitors where I could catch up on e-mails or ask for IT help.
Aft of the Piazza:
Symphony Dining Room – this was one of the three main dining rooms on the ship which and was open for breakfast and dinner on port days and breakfast, lunch, and dinner on sea days.
Forward of the Piazza:
Guest Services – I went here to get my questions answered and to get help during a cruise. The staff was always very professional and friendly. There was also a kiosk here where I could print my folio any time using my medallion.
Shore Excursions Desk – I did not book any shore excursions ahead of time so the desk here was where I went to get information about what was available. I easily booked the shore excursions I was interested in via the Princess Cruises app but I could also book them in person with the desk staff here.
Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria – one of the specialty restaurants on board featuring delicious Italian dishes. I loved my dinner there one night.
Lotus Spa and Salon – the Lotus spa and salon offered all the usual services: massages, beauty salon, mani and pedi, etc. But my favorite experience here was the Enclave, an indoor heated space with a small pool, heated loungers, and steam rooms. To access the enclave I had to buy a package for the length of the cruise, though day passes were also available toward the end of the trip.
On the last sea day of the cruise I had a relaxing pedicure with views of the ocean as the chair massaged my back. Heavenly!
Deck 6 – Fiesta
Public spaces forward to aft:
Princess Theater lower level – this large venue was where I went to see the evening production shows, other performances, and enrichment lectures.
Churchill’s Arcade – a variety of arcade games replaced the cigar lounge.
Club Six – I liked going to this cozy lounge at night to listen to music. During the day it was a quiet spot that was usually not very busy.
Princess Casino – the Regal is unique in that it had an open spiral staircase in the center of the casino that led up to deck 7. For those that like to gamble, there were many slot machines and gaming tables to choose from.
Bellini’s – with views of the Piazza, this was another nice bar to try a new mixed cocktail.
Photo gallery – the spot to look at and purchase my cruise photos.
Oceanfront – I had the option to purchase a variety of pretty accessories for my Medallion here.
Alfredo’s Pizzeria – this was another one of the casual dining options where I got a fresh, made to order pizza (extra charges applied without a package). I ate here on the first night of the cruise to celebrate the beginning of my holiday.
Concerto Dining Room – this dining room was open for all three meals on sea days and for breakfast and dinner on port days. This was and was also where afternoon tea was served on sea days. This was also the dining room where Reserve dining was offered for guests staying in Reserve mini suites and full suites.
Allegro Dining Room – another of the three dining rooms open for dinner. I could only access this dining room from the aft lift area. This was also where I had the special Chef’s Table Lumiere dinner.
Deck 7 – Promenade
Public spaces moving forward to aft:
Princess Theater upper level – I usually preferred accessing the theater from this level.
Fine Arts Gallery – showing new art for the art auctions at sea.
The Shops of Princess – there were plenty of choices for browsing and buying.
Ocean Terrace Sushi – one of the casual dining restaurants with sushi and sashimi. I could order from a set menu or just get a roll or two (extra charges applied without a package).
Crooners Bar – a large space with lots of cozy seating. I liked listening to the piano musician that often played here.
Shops of Princess – more choices for shopping.
Future Cruise Planning and Captain’s Circle Loyalty – I put a deposit on a future Princess cruise and received free onboard cruise credit.
Princess Live Cafe – another spot to get coffee in the morning or cocktails all day. There was lots of elegant seating in this area.
Princess Live! – one more venue for many different types of entertainment throughout the day.
Wheelhouse Bar and Crown Grill – specialty steakhouse restaurant serving fine steaks and seafood as well as a bar with lots of seating area.
The Library – unlike the newer Royal Class ships, the Regal Princess still had a library with some seating, and a nice selection of books and games to borrow.
Vista Lounge – another large venue for a variety of activities throughout the day, and more entertainment in the evening. Note that this space does not have its own bar.
Outside on deck 7 I also found the Promenade Deck and Alfresco Dining. This outdoor space did not go all around the ship and the forward portion was inaccessible while at sea. The lifeboats hung here all along the side of the ship, so the views were limited. There was a small area aft with some deck chairs that was usually not busy.
Deck 14 – Riviera
Concierge Lounge and Wedding Chapel – This deck had mostly cabins, but this was also were the Concierge Lounge and Wedding Chapel were located. The Concierge Lounge was only available to suite guests.
Deck 16 – Lido
Public spaces forward to aft:
Prego Pizza – I love this thin, crispy crust pizza. I liked to get a couple of slices of Neapolitan style pizza for a quick snack or lunch. Each day there was a special that offered different toppings along with the typical cheese and pepperoni pizzas.
Mermaid’s Tail Bar – conveniently located between Slice and the Trident Grill, this poolside bar was good for drinks of all types to accompany that slice of pizza or burger.
Trident Grill – this spot by the pools was good for a quick lunch and had a menu of burgers, fries, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, or tacos. It was quite busy during lunchtime, but not busy in the evenings.
Fountain Pool and Plunge Pool – the Fountain Pool was the bigger, deeper pool while the plunge pool was a smaller, more intimate spot to cool off. There were also a couple of hot tubs here.
Fountain area – In between the two pools was a deck area that acted as a stage for activities as well as a venue for evening fountain shows set to music.
Sea walk –each side of the ship had a glass walkway on both sides of the deck with views down to water level. I don’t do well with heights, so walking on this was always a challenge, even though my brain told me it was just fine.
Sea Views Bar – another option for drinks while lounging in the pool or hot tubs.
Swirls Ice Cream – I could not resist a daily free soft serve chocolate or vanilla ice cream, or the bags of popcorn when watching Movies Under the Stars in the evening.
Horizon Court and Bistro buffet – the buffet area was huge with many, many choices for all tastes and dietary needs. Each day the chefs also presented regional dishes from a specific country (Italian, Mexican, German, Mongolian, etc.). The special cake event on the last sea day was quite impressive.
I traveled with a refillable water bottle and an insulated travel mug which I filled up at the buffet with water, iced tea, lemonade, hot tea, or coffee.
The Pastry Shop – tucked in the middle between the Horizon Court and the Horizon Bistro was where I went to look for self serve sweet treats. Each day gave me a diverse selection of cakes, cookies, puddings, and other delicious goodies. The fresh squeezed juice bar was located here as well and this was also another spot to get a specialty coffee.
Horizon Terrace and Outrigger’s Bar – aft of the buffet was a large, open deck area. I liked coming out here with my plate of food and watching the scenery go by as I ate. The bar staff were very good at bringing drinks as requested.
Deck 17 – Sun
Public spaces forward to aft:
Sanctuary – an adult only space that I had to reserve once I boarded the ship.
Retreat pool and bar – this was an intimate, adults only pool and hot tub area which I accessed from a door across from the forward lifts. This was a lovely place to lounge on warm, sunny days although it was quite popular and busy when the weather was nice.
Midship:
Movies Under the Stars sitting area – a large screen above the Sky Pools where I watched movies and concerts. This was one of my favorite activities on the ship.
Hot tubs – there were two more hot tubs on the deck here, with views of Movies-Under-the Stars. There were also lots more lounge chairs for sunning.
Seawalk – peek down to water level if you dare.
Aft:
Fitness Center – the place to go to work off all the calories from all that good food. I could walk for miles on a treadmill while looking out over the deep blue sea.
Camp Discovery and the Beach House Teen space – dedicated club areas for the younger set. The Beach House also had a dedicated outdoor deck space with a hot tub.
Terrace Pool – another small pool with deck space to relax and take in the aft views. There was also an outdoor smoking area here.
Deck 18 – Sports
Midship: more deck area accessed by two sets of stairs.
Aft: this area could only be accessed by using stairs from deck 17.
Movies Under the Stars screen
Jogging track – if I walked seven times around the track, that equaled one mile. This was also a good spot for unobstructed ocean views in all directions.
Center court – a really big, netted, basketball or pickle ball court. Around the Center Court there was also a netted space with ping pong tables and a small netted driving range.
Deck 19 – Sky
Lawn court – a small putting green space that I could only access by the stairs from the aft area of deck 18. There were golf clubs and golf balls that I could use to practice my putting skills on a bouncy ship.
Laundromats
For me, the self serve laundromats are one of the most useful features on a Princess ship. In the aft portion on each floor on decks 8 through 15, Princess put in a laundry room where I could wash a few quick loads midway through a long cruise.
The laundry room had a vending machine where I purchased tokens for the washing machines and dryers. I could also buy detergent, but I brought my own pods. There were also irons and ironing boards for guests’ use.
My Regal Princess itinerary around the British Isles
My only “complaint” about this cruise was that this was a very port heavy itinerary with only two sea days, so not as much free time to luxuriate in the ship’s amenities as I liked.
Day 1 – embarked in Southampton, departed 4:00 PM
Day 2 – Portland, England
Day 3 – Guernsey St. Peter Port, England
Day 4 – Cobh, Ireland
Day 5 – Dun Laoghaire, Ireland
Day 6 – Belfast, Northern Ireland
Day 7 – Greenock, Scotland
Day 8 – at sea (finally!)
Day 9 – Invergordon, Scotland
Day 10 – South Queensferry, Scotland
Day 11 – at sea (yippee!)
Day 12 – Le Havre, France
Day 13 – Disembarked in Southampton
I will describe all the port stops and what I did in each in a seperate post.
During this cruise we had two formal dress nights, and the rest were all smart casual dress.
Regal Princess excursion reviews
I booked my cruise last minute and planned on sightseeing in each of the ports on my own. However, once on board, I did end up booking a couple of excursions through Princess via the app on my phone. I also booked an excursion via an outside vendor. I will write all about this in a seperate post.
Regal Princess food review
I consider myself a bit of a foodie, but I also like a good burger and fries. I can honestly say that I had no trouble finding a meal that I liked, especially since I didn’t have to cook it. I took advantage of all of the dining options that were available to me, including the special Chef’s Table event.
At each location, the service was always very good and was delivered with a smile and with efficiency. I found all the wait staff to be extremely personable and eager to please.
I describe the many dining options on the Regal Princess in my post Dining Like a Princess – All the Regal Princess Dining Options Including the Chef’s Table Experience
Regal Princess entertainment review
I won’t write a lot about the entertainment since it changes from one cruise to another and will vary on the destination. I always enjoy the large production shows in the theater which showcases the talented musicians, singers, and dancers.
I also really loved the other musical performances in the theater. Since this sailing was from the UK, I was not surprised that my favorite Beatles cover duo, Just John and Paul, were on board for a few shows. I saw them for the first time on my Sky Princes cruise to Norway.
Throughout the day, there were often musical performances in the Piazza or in one of the bar areas. There were also plenty of other activities and on board entertainment as well throughout the day: trivia games, bingo, Voice of the Ocean, arts and crafts, etc. Each day’s Princess Patter had all the listings. One interesting activity that I found interesting was the behind the scenes tour of the kitchens.
One of my favorite aspects of a Princess cruise are the diverse Enrichment Lectures. Besides presentations about each of the destinations we were visiting, there were other lectures throughout the cruise. This time I learned all about the history of whiskey and about the songwriters from the 60’s. I especially liked that I could also watch these lectures on the TV in the comfort of my cabin.
Additional Regal Princess cruise tips and information
Princess cruise packages
Princess offers Standard, Plus, and Premium cruise fare packages. Before each cruise, I evaluate which package makes sense for me for that particular itinerary. Princess Cruise Drinks Packages and Fare Packages – Which One Is Best?
The Medallion
The Medallion is a waterproof, round electronic button that held all my personal Princess cruise information and also acted as my room key. I prefer to pick up my medallion at check in at the port and wear it through the cruise on a pretty, beaded lanyard that I purchased on Amazon. Princess also sells fancier Medallion accessories like chains and wristbands on board the ship.
The Medallion automatically unlocked my room once I was within about 3 feet of my cabin door. I also used it for any on board charges for drinks, excursions, etc. It also acted as my identification to get back on the ship after getting off in port.
Since I picked up my medallion at the port I was in the “blue” lane. It only took a few minutes longer to check in and I was still on board the ship in about 15 minutes after dropping off my bags.
After boarding the ship, I also had to check in to the muster station with my medallion.
The Princess App
I downloaded the Princess App to my phone before leaving home and entered all the requested information.
Once I was on board, I could use the app to schedule specialty dinner reservations, order room service, order drinks to be delivered to my seat, look at the activities schedule, track and find members in my cruising party, and look at my bill.
Interactive On Board Screens
Near each elevator, there were large interactive screens displaying a map of the ship or the current activities going on throughout the ship. These touch screens were very easy and intuitive to use.
MedallionNet WiFi
I always get one of the WiFi packages for the whole length of the cruise. Since Princess has switched to Starlink technology, the WiFi on board has worked very well and has been surprisingly fast. I never had any problem when trying to connect and work on my blog.
Travel Tip – I always put my phone to Airplane Mode before I leave port so that you I do not incur roaming charges. I call home via WiFi while I am at sea or text via WhatsApp.
Princess Patter
On my cruise, my cabin steward dropped off the Princess Patter every evening and it listed the following day’s activities and shows. The Journey View touch screen by each elevator and
also on the app had the same information.
In room TV
The TV had a large selection of movies and TV shows. Besides watching movies or TV programs, and listening to music, I was also able to watch the enrichment lectures that had been presented at the theater. I also watched the safety video on the TV in my cabin when I first boarded.
Bridge Cam
I can see where the Ruby Princess is currently sailing through its bridge cam at https://www.princess.com/bridgecams/
As with my other Princess cruises, I really enjoyed this experience – both the ship and the various ports of call. There is no doubt that this Princess cruise made it very easy to explore a wide variety of destinations with minimal effort on my part.
To book a Princess cruise, find all the upcoming Regal Princess cruises, and to see the most recent cruise line deals I go directly to the Princess website.
Please note that I received a media upgraded cabin from Princess. All content and opinions in this post are my own.
You can find all my cruising content on my Experience-Cruising page.
Other related Princess cruising stories:
A full transit through the Panama Cana: A Full Transit Panama Canal Cruise – Passing Through An Engineering Marvel
Alaska cruise excursion tips: Alaska Cruise Excursion Tips to Inspire Your Best Alaska Trip
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
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