Hello everyone! In case you didn't see my update in the description box, we've sailed on Regal since this review with ZERO issues! We've also sailed on Royal without issues. This must have been an off week for them. Regal/Royal are one of our favorite ships! Thank you for watching!
Terrific and very thorough information on this cruise, Crystal. I really respect your opinion and it was so interesting hearing you go through the pros and cons. Overall, it sounds like you could recommend this ship. Thank you for all you do sharing your experiences with everyone. You look gorgeous! Love, Melissa
Have sailed the Crown, the Royal, and the Ruby. Regal is on our itinerary in 2019! Princess treats you very well and as your loyalty membership increases, the perks are fantastic! I highly recommend Princess.
Really great information, thank you for such a cohesive video! Non cruise related - that top is beautiful on you, especially the mix of your hair, makeup, nails, earrings...it all just works really well! Love this filming setup too!
Sorry I am late to the party, great review Crystal we were on the Royal in December loved it had a few issues with the anytime dining as you guys did but never had to wait more than ten minutes. We are going on the Regal this Dec for a 2 week cruise and are def looking forward to it! I agree love the int. cafe as well! Great review!!
Just returned from Regal Princess Western Caribbean cruise. Your review was spot on with everything we experienced; except for the dining. We had traditional dining and our waiter was terrible. The food was good but not great except for the Princess Dinner night (where they wear the American vests). We had a "mini-suite" with tub and LOVED IT! I've won a seat in their grand finale slots tournament, so we will go back for a 10 day from New York to Fort Lauderdale with stops in St. Maarten (my fav!), Antigua and Bonaire. We did love the ship, so hopefully we'll get that perfect waiter this time too! Great info!
We just got back from a cruise on Caribbean Princess. I agree with you on the anytime dinning. I loved everything about the boat but that part. It was a wait for dinner every night. I think next time we may just do the traditional dinning. I love watching all your videos. Thank you for sharing with us.
Hello Crystal. Thank you for your very candid and straight-forward review of the Regal Princess, it was very informative. I am in the initial stages of planning a 30th anniversary cruise fro Nov 2017. We haven't cruised a whole lot, the first cruise was on the Dawn Princess out of San Juan, Puerto Rico back in March 1998....and didn't cruise again until 2013 with Royal Caribbean (Brilliance) also out of San Juan and our last cruise was aboard the Royal Caribbean "Freedom" April 0f 2015 out of Port Canaveral. Listening to your excellent review, one thing stood out and I am hoping you found some solution to your issue with lack of outdoor under-cover seating/lounging. We love the "overhangs" on each side of the Royal Caribbean ships where you get out of the sun if/when you need to and still feel the ocean breezes and watch the sea go by. Were you ever able to find an area to get out of the sun on the upper decks? Also, you mentioned briefly about the Promenade Deck (5th-7th level deck) that wraps around the ship. From what I understand about the Regal, the deck doesn't wrap all the way around the ship. You talked a bit about the chairs/loungers on the Promenade Deck and I couldn't quite tell if there are no chairs/loungers at all on this deck? Overall, it looks like a most beautiful ship, and I really want to give it a try. Thank you again for posting your most informative video
Thanks for the review. I will have to go to your Regal videos. My family and I have only cruised on Disney. Even when my husband and I go alone we cruise Disney. My husband and I are wanting to go on another cruise line (to check it it) so we are thinking about the Regal Princess. This video was very helpful. Thank you.
I really appreciate and enjoy all your videos especially the cruise related ones. Didn't know about,that app that allows you to text onboard. I wonder how you set it up so you don't get charged for roaming or run the battery out. Our family went on a Princess cruise 2 years ago and that would have been a fantastic tool to have.
Jill Olsen Hi there! I'm not sure if it's something new for them or maybe just with this particular size of ship? I'm so glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for watching!
Wonderful review, I've been binge watching your cruise videos today and can't wait to plan something soon. One thing I did want to hear more from you about, the drink plans. Which ones did you opt for, which cruises you felt offered better deals etc. Also about how much would you budget or suggest to someone to budget for on board purchases or restaurants (or bar drinks). Thanks for your help!
xoxofoodie Hi, thanks for watching! I'm gathering a list of questions for another video. About the drink packages though, we never buy them. We've done the math and we'd have to each drink about 10 per day for it to be worth it. I bring one bottle of wine onboard with me and that helps with costs. My husband likes to drink nice beers which are about $5-7 each. I'll also have a martini once in a while and they are around $9. Specialty coffees are $2 and up. Hope this helps!
Thank you for that, it does help greatly. I was under the suspicion that, like some resorts, drink prices would be much higher and therefor those packages would be the better deal…so much for that! Thank you for taking the time to clarify that!
xoxofoodie No problem! I should also mention, unless you are someone who drinks a lot of soda or bottled water, those packages are not worth it either. If you do, then you could always buy a soda package. They have different levels depending on the packages like wine, soda, premium, etc. Drink packages cannot be shared though. :)
Loved your review, we have been on a few princess ships and never had to wait for any time dining and if we booked it was always ready. I would say that it was the ship and maybe cause there were only 2 dining rooms the princess ships i have been have 4 anytime dining rooms so if one had a line up we went to the next one , as they all serve the same food.
Hello, Crystal. We will be taking our first cruise on this ship transatlantic next year. It's important for us to have reliable internet for work and I was wondering if you found the wifi to be reliable? Was the internet ever down for 1-2 days at a time? Thanks!
We don't often buy the internet package so I really can't say. It may be totally different for transatlantic as well. Sorry I can't be of more help with this. Enjoy your cruise!
Just re-watched this video, I went on the Regal ship for the first time in October. I have to agree with you I miss the promenade deck but overall it’s a great ship.
This was so helpful! Have you ever cruised to Alaska? We're thinking of going but some reviews of ships are hit or miss. Norwegian is the cruise line we've been looking at.
cindadee No, not yet. I really had no desire to until the past year. Sometimes we're already booked up when the Alaskan season starts though. I've always heard Princess has good sailings there. I don't know a ton about Norwegian. I've heard it's pretty close to Royal Caribbean though. The ship can make or break a cruise in my opinion. Try to read as many reviews or watch UA-cam videos on a particular ship if you can. That's what I do. :)
Hi. I heard that the color fountain light show in the evening gets canceled due to wind issues. That seems like a huge design flaw to me being that cruising typically is windy. How many times during your trip did that show actually successfully run? Also, did you do the unlimited beverage package? Can you speak to that a bit? I am going on this ship in the near future.
+Corinne Delzer Hi, the show never got cancelled on our trip. Yes, it's often windy at sea but certain times of the year may be worse. I think they only run the show twice though? It was definitely worth watching! I got some of it on video which is also in the Cruise Tips Playlist linked in this video. No, we didn't not buy a beverage package. I speak more about those and if they are a good deal in a video called Hidden Costs/Extra Costs of Cruising. Again, you'll find it in the same Cruise Tips Playlist.
I recommend the celebrity summit leaving from cruise port Bayonne New Jersey to Bermuda. You won't be disappointed. It is a smaller ship, but it is very well kept and has great food. Getting on and off is super easy. Plenty of stuff to keep you busy. You stay in Bermuda for 3 days!!!! Love you're videos. I am subscribing.
Always enjoy hearing about your cruise experiences! Question - when you are waiting for "my time dining" did you ask for a specific size of table (for two, four, six or more)? Just wondered if the type of table you wanted, affected how quickly you were seated? We've been on about 10 cruises so far and our favorite was the one to Alaska. There is just something totally magical about sailing literally through floating bits of ice and seeing glaciers "calve". A-MAZING! If you ever do go cruising to Alaska, make sure you look at one of the more "mid-size" type ships as not all are allowed to go into the relatively small area of Glacier Bay - which is where the most incredible scenery is. Great vlog, really enjoyed it, Crystal!
Susan N Yes, we do always ask for a table for 2. This ship actually had more tables for 2 than most we've seen. Some lines will ask if you mind sitting with others and then of course you don't have to wait. Most wait times are just a few minutes though. Nothing like what we've experienced with this one. And like I mentioned, it was like the Matre D wasn't seating people correctly or making them wait for no reason. It wasn't done electronically like on other ships either. Totally different experience than any other cruise.
As far as the dining you were talking about...my husband and I got married about a month ago and just took our first cruise with princess. we were on the coral princess in alaska and we had similar issues with the anytime dining but it wasnt as bad as you say it was on yours. i think we had to wait every night, but some nights wasn't more than 5 minutes. part of the line was due to our itinerary...because the ports in alaska are open later there were large crowds some nights. we were never issued a pager though, and even on the nights the line was across the atrium, i don't think we ever waited more than 15 minutes to get in. the dining room food was always fantastic though, we thought.
Does Regal Princess, or Princess Cruises for that matter have games such as the belly flop contest on Royal Caribbean, or the Quest? The quest is a hilarious/risque game show where you play games (scavenger hunt)with other people's clothes, and amorous acts. You can just be a spectator (I'm always only a spectator).
My husband and I noticed that the quality and variety of food on the Oasis wasn't nearly as good as it was a year ago. It was a bit disappointing. We had anytime dining on the Oasis and never had a problem being seated. The food in the dining room was fantastic. We cruised on Princess back in 2000 and we loved it. We're talking about going on Princess again. Thanks for the review!
...I have learnt ...if the ship is full of water slides and top level things to do...besides a pool.....there are plenty of young cruisers welcomed.... ....Princess seems to like young adults too....but hey no water slides......get the drift ? Would go Princess again any time.....if you would enjoy High Tea at 3.....great great wonderful food. Everywhere.....movies under the stars is an event.....also movies in the room are the ones from movies under the stars......Crooners for cocktail hour......the ship IS the destination for a lot of people on board......relax and like they say...Arrive. New.......
I never said we wouldn't cruise with them again. We have since done a Panama Canal cruise. It was just that particular ship and certain staff/procedures that were not great. Hoping they get the dining situation resolved.
Great review and some great pointers for people trying to decide on cruise companies and dining aboard ship, I truly believe that you can forgive bad food but bad staff attitude is unforgivable unless it is a one off occasion, I always love the late fixed dining it always works well if you have teenagers/children who did their own thing during the day , Thanks for sharing :)
Carrie D We moved away from fixed dining years ago when ships started offering it. It seemed for us the early was always too early and the late seemed too late. I'm glad you enjoyed the video! :)
I always enjoy all of your cruise videos. I've been on two cruises with carnival. We are planning to take a disney cruise in June for our honeymoon. Have you ever been on Disney? They seem to always be ranked as one of the top overall. We are a little nervous because of it being our honeymoon and we don't have children with us. I'd love to hear your experience if you've gone on one. Thanks Crystal!!
smsea33 Hi there! No, we've not cruised with them. I'd like to at some point. I hear great things even from couples cruising without children. Like everything Disney, they are over priced though. I'm sure everything is stunning, etc, but I just can't seem to justify it. We spend a decent amount on our cruises but just not convinced they are worth the price if that makes sense. I'm sure you'll have a great time and I'd love to hear how it went. :)
Ok, Crystal, It will be my first cruise and I don't know where to start planning! What do you suggest for first timers? My husband and I are in our 40's but we do love to have drinks and stay busy. We really are not too much down time type of people we love to do shows, shop, activities in general, anything that will keep us busy. Where are some of the places you still enjoy visiting while cruising even though you have been there before? Excited to hear your answers and thank you so much,
apollobrooke Are you already booked or just thinking about it? I'd stick with Royal Caribbean or Princess. Princess has better food but keep in mind each ship will be different. We really like Eastern Caribbean for it's beautiful waters and ports. Western Caribbean has a few good stops as well like Cozumel and Grand Cayman. We don't love Jamaica. Just not a fan of the culture or food. If you do go there, I'd suggest an excursion of some kind since there isn't much to do otherwise. Most of the other ports are good for just walking around but they all offer excursions depending on what you like to do. Puerto Rico is a little boring just walking around in my opinion so I'd do an excursion of some sort or a city tour. You can also check out my Cruising Playlist I linked in the description box for other videos that may help. :)
Thanks for the information, Crystal. As an aside, really like the colors of your blouse. They set your skin off with a little glow and very feminine. -Donna
I have a question. Will a cruise in the baltics in Europe be good? Plus is the serenade of the seas (royal caribbean) ship good for 40-50 year olds and a 13 year old kid?
+Dylan Holmes We really enjoyed Serenade of the Seas. It's one of their most popular line - not too big, not too small. I think Royal Caribbean overall is great for any age. I've yet to cruise Europe due to timing but you can't go wrong there. :)
***** Hi there! I know a lot of ships are charging up front for gratuities now. I know if you book anytime dining you pay upfront for it. I noticed on Princess, they took them out each day. We're cruising with Royal again this fall on a limited sailing out of California. As of right now, we'd probably sail with Princess again over Celebrity. They remind me of each other but our last Celebrity cruise wasn't good.
***** I love all of your videos Crystal. We are avid cruisers too and I love to watch videos about cruising. We love Holland America & Royal. Are you cruising out of California this fall on a Pacific Coastal? We are doing one of those out of LA. It should be really nice, we have never been to CA.
I'm a land lubber, but I'd like to try a cruise, maybe as a girls trip with my two sisters. The problem is one of my sisters (since her retirement) has sworn off formal or even business attire. :-) Are there cruise on which you can eat at the nicer restaurants in casual dress?
maremacd Hi there! Maybe try a shorter cruise like 3 or 4 nights? Also, you don't have to dress for formal night. You can have dinner in the buffet that night if you don't want to dress up. As for casual dresses, that's the dress code every night except formal. Each ship calls it something else. Some say casual, some call it smart casual. Never wear beach wear or torn jeans or shorts to the dining room though. :)
Have you seen the new ship set to debut as the most luxurious ship? Saw a post from USA Today. I think it's called Seven Seas Explorer. Looks like a beautiful ship!
Giannad16 Yes, they do. I don't think I've ever been on a cruise where they didn't. It's usually located in one of the desk drawers. Be sure to check out your Cruise Line's website to be sure though. :)
+Dakota Hale We get balcony cabins every time. No, we've never gotten a suite. I haven't found the extra room to be worth the price. However, we do have the option to get them with our Ship's Loyalty program at a discount.
im sorry its call the ocean terrace bar ,i just wondered if it was like vines[ you must buy wine to get the sushi] but I guess I will fine out soon we our on the repo cruise oct 24
***** I have a few videos talking about basics linked in the Playlist. All meals and basic drinks are included. Alcohol and soda are extra. There are beverage packages available for purchase. Specialty restaurants will be an extra charge, usually $20-30 pp. Spa treatments are extra. Excursions are extra. I may be forgetting something so if you're curious about something specific, let me know. :)
I was just curious. A cruise is my DREAM vacation! I can't imagine being able to do it 2x a year! Your so lucky! In the meantime I'm living vicariously through your cruises lol
Ouch - sounds like dinnertime is a nightmare! Bad service and endless waiting - not great when you have 2 kids! Wont be booking this ship!!!!! Thanks for the honest review!
Hi there! Thank you for watching! We've sailed on Regal again with zero issues. This must have been an off sailing for them. We've also sailed Royal (sister ship) without any issues. This is one of our favorite ships so please don't pass up seeing it!
Happy to her you have not cruised Norwegian. Do yourself a favor and stay away! Twice was enough. I gave them a second chance and it was the same sub par crap.
hay unas cosas que valoró de mi vida la vista mi oído el ser amable el ser generoso el ser único el contemplar a la naturaleza y disfrutar de un mundo hermoso las maravillas sólo las costrulle Dios y nadie mas
Hello everyone! In case you didn't see my update in the description box, we've sailed on Regal since this review with ZERO issues! We've also sailed on Royal without issues. This must have been an off week for them. Regal/Royal are one of our favorite ships! Thank you for watching!
Terrific and very thorough information on this cruise, Crystal. I really respect your opinion and it was so interesting hearing you go through the pros and cons. Overall, it sounds like you could recommend this ship. Thank you for all you do sharing your experiences with everyone. You look gorgeous! Love, Melissa
***** Thanks so much, Melissa!
Have sailed the Crown, the Royal, and the Ruby. Regal is on our itinerary in 2019! Princess treats you very well and as your loyalty membership increases, the perks are fantastic! I highly recommend Princess.
Yes, I agree, great loyalty program! We’ve now sailed Regal twice, Royal, Ruby and Coral. They are our favorite. 😀
Really great information, thank you for such a cohesive video! Non cruise related - that top is beautiful on you, especially the mix of your hair, makeup, nails, earrings...it all just works really well! Love this filming setup too!
Elizabeth Ashley Thank you! I thought I'd film this way once in a while when the lighting is good and I don't feel like making my bed, lol. ;)
Sorry I am late to the party, great review Crystal we were on the Royal in December loved it had a few issues with the anytime dining as you guys did but never had to wait more than ten minutes. We are going on the Regal this Dec for a 2 week cruise and are def looking forward to it! I agree love the int. cafe as well! Great review!!
Glad to hear your honest feedback about your experience with Princess cruises. I am traveling on star princess for the first time next week to Mexico.
so happy i found your channel, your cruise videos are so helpful! we are going on the regal in march and im so excited : )
+Faith Rebecca You will love it! Such a beautiful ship. Have fun on your cruise! :)
LOVE these vids. Such GREAT info, like always. You look AMAZINGLY beautiful here!!!!!
TJ HAIR Thank you so much!
I'm really glad I found your channel(s) I subscribed to both! :)
xokferg894 Thank you so much! :)
Just returned from Regal Princess Western Caribbean cruise. Your review was spot on with everything we experienced; except for the dining. We had traditional dining and our waiter was terrible. The food was good but not great except for the Princess Dinner night (where they wear the American vests). We had a "mini-suite" with tub and LOVED IT! I've won a seat in their grand finale slots tournament, so we will go back for a 10 day from New York to Fort Lauderdale with stops in St. Maarten (my fav!), Antigua and Bonaire. We did love the ship, so hopefully we'll get that perfect waiter this time too! Great info!
+Sherry Meade We sailed on Regal again a few months ago and no issues with dining this time. Such a great ship! Congrats on the cruise!
Excellent review, Crystal. We love cruising, too, but have never tried Princess, so it was great to hear about it. --Jennifer
BusyBeingJen Glad you enjoyed it!
We just got back from a cruise on Caribbean Princess. I agree with you on the anytime dinning. I loved everything about the boat but that part. It was a wait for dinner every night. I think next time we may just do the traditional dinning. I love watching all your videos. Thank you for sharing with us.
Selena Garland Sorry to hear anytime dining wasn't great on your ship either. I was hoping it was just ours. Thank you for watching!
Hello Crystal. Thank you for your very candid and straight-forward review of the Regal Princess, it was very informative. I am in the initial stages of planning a 30th anniversary cruise fro Nov 2017. We haven't cruised a whole lot, the first cruise was on the Dawn Princess out of San Juan, Puerto Rico back in March 1998....and didn't cruise again until 2013 with Royal Caribbean (Brilliance) also out of San Juan and our last cruise was aboard the Royal Caribbean "Freedom" April 0f 2015 out of Port Canaveral. Listening to your excellent review, one thing stood out and I am hoping you found some solution to your issue with lack of outdoor under-cover seating/lounging. We love the "overhangs" on each side of the Royal Caribbean ships where you get out of the sun if/when you need to and still feel the ocean breezes and watch the sea go by. Were you ever able to find an area to get out of the sun on the upper decks? Also, you mentioned briefly about the Promenade Deck (5th-7th level deck) that wraps around the ship. From what I understand about the Regal, the deck doesn't wrap all the way around the ship. You talked a bit about the chairs/loungers on the Promenade Deck and I couldn't quite tell if there are no chairs/loungers at all on this deck? Overall, it looks like a most beautiful ship, and I really want to give it a try. Thank you again for posting your most informative video
Love hearing your cruise reviews! I have cruise fever!
stylist1285 Me too, lol! Thanks for watching!
ooo la la I love your blonde hair.
Thanks for sharing your cruise with us, I enjoyed it :)
Kathy Allen Thanks for watching!
I'm just about to go on my first cruise so excited! Love hearing about the ins and outs of ship life hehe :)
Bree Hamment Have fun on your cruise!
Thanks for the review. I will have to go to your Regal videos. My family and I have only cruised on Disney. Even when my husband and I go alone we cruise Disney. My husband and I are wanting to go on another cruise line (to check it it) so we are thinking about the Regal Princess. This video was very helpful. Thank you.
+Jenn Hedrick We just cruised in her again in November. Great ship!
I really appreciate and enjoy all your videos especially the cruise related ones. Didn't know about,that app that allows you to text onboard. I wonder how you set it up so you don't get charged for roaming or run the battery out. Our family went on a Princess cruise 2 years ago and that would have been a fantastic tool to have.
Jill Olsen Hi there! I'm not sure if it's something new for them or maybe just with this particular size of ship? I'm so glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for watching!
Wonderful review, I've been binge watching your cruise videos today and can't wait to plan something soon. One thing I did want to hear more from you about, the drink plans. Which ones did you opt for, which cruises you felt offered better deals etc. Also about how much would you budget or suggest to someone to budget for on board purchases or restaurants (or bar drinks). Thanks for your help!
xoxofoodie Hi, thanks for watching! I'm gathering a list of questions for another video. About the drink packages though, we never buy them. We've done the math and we'd have to each drink about 10 per day for it to be worth it. I bring one bottle of wine onboard with me and that helps with costs. My husband likes to drink nice beers which are about $5-7 each. I'll also have a martini once in a while and they are around $9. Specialty coffees are $2 and up. Hope this helps!
Thank you for that, it does help greatly. I was under the suspicion that, like some resorts, drink prices would be much higher and therefor those packages would be the better deal…so much for that! Thank you for taking the time to clarify that!
xoxofoodie No problem! I should also mention, unless you are someone who drinks a lot of soda or bottled water, those packages are not worth it either. If you do, then you could always buy a soda package. They have different levels depending on the packages like wine, soda, premium, etc. Drink packages cannot be shared though. :)
How crowded was the Sanctuary? We will be on the Regal Princess in a few months and I love the Sanctuary.
Hi, it depends on the time of year. Spring seems more crowded.
We are going Mar 31 and was wondering about this too!
Loved your review, we have been on a few princess ships and never had to wait for any time dining and if we booked it was always ready. I would say that it was the ship and maybe cause there were only 2 dining rooms the princess ships i have been have 4 anytime dining rooms so if one had a line up we went to the next one , as they all serve the same food.
Hello, Crystal. We will be taking our first cruise on this ship transatlantic next year. It's important for us to have reliable internet for work and I was wondering if you found the wifi to be reliable? Was the internet ever down for 1-2 days at a time? Thanks!
We don't often buy the internet package so I really can't say. It may be totally different for transatlantic as well. Sorry I can't be of more help with this. Enjoy your cruise!
Just re-watched this video, I went on the Regal ship for the first time in October. I have to agree with you I miss the promenade deck but overall it’s a great ship.
We’ve been on Regal twice and Royal twice. Missed sailing on Sky in March. Definitely my favorites from Princess.
This was so helpful! Have you ever cruised to Alaska? We're thinking of going but some reviews of ships are hit or miss. Norwegian is the cruise line we've been looking at.
cindadee No, not yet. I really had no desire to until the past year. Sometimes we're already booked up when the Alaskan season starts though. I've always heard Princess has good sailings there. I don't know a ton about Norwegian. I've heard it's pretty close to Royal Caribbean though. The ship can make or break a cruise in my opinion. Try to read as many reviews or watch UA-cam videos on a particular ship if you can. That's what I do. :)
Hi. I heard that the color fountain light show in the evening gets canceled due to wind issues. That seems like a huge design flaw to me being that cruising typically is windy. How many times during your trip did that show actually successfully run? Also, did you do the unlimited beverage package? Can you speak to that a bit? I am going on this ship in the near future.
+Corinne Delzer Hi, the show never got cancelled on our trip. Yes, it's often windy at sea but certain times of the year may be worse. I think they only run the show twice though? It was definitely worth watching! I got some of it on video which is also in the Cruise Tips Playlist linked in this video.
No, we didn't not buy a beverage package. I speak more about those and if they are a good deal in a video called Hidden Costs/Extra Costs of Cruising. Again, you'll find it in the same Cruise Tips Playlist.
I recommend the celebrity summit leaving from cruise port Bayonne New Jersey to Bermuda. You won't be disappointed. It is a smaller ship, but it is very well kept and has great food. Getting on and off is super easy. Plenty of stuff to keep you busy. You stay in Bermuda for 3 days!!!! Love you're videos. I am subscribing.
I've heard Bermuda is great. We liked Celebrity Century, which is a smaller ship. Thanks for watching!
Always enjoy hearing about your cruise experiences! Question - when you are waiting for "my time dining" did you ask for a specific size of table (for two, four, six or more)? Just wondered if the type of table you wanted, affected how quickly you were seated? We've been on about 10 cruises so far and our favorite was the one to Alaska. There is just something totally magical about sailing literally through floating bits of ice and seeing glaciers "calve". A-MAZING! If you ever do go cruising to Alaska, make sure you look at one of the more "mid-size" type ships as not all are allowed to go into the relatively small area of Glacier Bay - which is where the most incredible scenery is. Great vlog, really enjoyed it, Crystal!
Susan N Yes, we do always ask for a table for 2. This ship actually had more tables for 2 than most we've seen. Some lines will ask if you mind sitting with others and then of course you don't have to wait. Most wait times are just a few minutes though. Nothing like what we've experienced with this one. And like I mentioned, it was like the Matre D wasn't seating people correctly or making them wait for no reason. It wasn't done electronically like on other ships either. Totally different experience than any other cruise.
As far as the dining you were talking about...my husband and I got married about a month ago and just took our first cruise with princess. we were on the coral princess in alaska and we had similar issues with the anytime dining but it wasnt as bad as you say it was on yours. i think we had to wait every night, but some nights wasn't more than 5 minutes. part of the line was due to our itinerary...because the ports in alaska are open later there were large crowds some nights. we were never issued a pager though, and even on the nights the line was across the atrium, i don't think we ever waited more than 15 minutes to get in. the dining room food was always fantastic though, we thought.
Does Regal Princess, or Princess Cruises for that matter have games such as the belly flop contest on Royal Caribbean, or the Quest? The quest is a hilarious/risque game show where you play games (scavenger hunt)with other people's clothes, and amorous acts. You can just be a spectator (I'm always only a spectator).
No, thankfully. They will have some competition games, but save the belly flops for other lines.
My husband and I noticed that the quality and variety of food on the Oasis wasn't nearly as good as it was a year ago. It was a bit disappointing. We had anytime dining on the Oasis and never had a problem being seated. The food in the dining room was fantastic. We cruised on Princess back in 2000 and we loved it. We're talking about going on Princess again. Thanks for the review!
ElenaMarie We've never had a issue with anytime dining on Royal. I'm wondering if it was just this ship and that Matre D.
That's very possible. I've heard that Princess is such a nice cruiseline to go on. I hope your experience was just a fluke thing.
Thanks so much for the review. Do you have any impressions about how appropriate this ship would be for small kids?
I wouldn't say it's the most kid friendly ship out there. Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Disney would be better.
...I have learnt ...if the ship is full of water slides and top level things to do...besides a pool.....there are plenty of young cruisers welcomed....
....Princess seems to like young adults too....but hey no water slides......get the drift ?
Would go Princess again any time.....if you would enjoy High Tea at 3.....great great wonderful food. Everywhere.....movies under the stars is an event.....also movies in the room are the ones from movies under the stars......Crooners for cocktail hour......the ship IS the destination for a lot of people on board......relax and like they say...Arrive. New.......
Avid Princess Cruiser They usually never disappointment. sometimes a few glitches but nothing they don't seem to fix very quickly. Try them again
I never said we wouldn't cruise with them again. We have since done a Panama Canal cruise. It was just that particular ship and certain staff/procedures that were not great. Hoping they get the dining situation resolved.
Great review and some great pointers for people trying to decide on cruise companies and dining aboard ship, I truly believe that you can forgive bad food but bad staff attitude is unforgivable unless it is a one off occasion, I always love the late fixed dining it always works well if you have teenagers/children who did their own thing during the day , Thanks for sharing :)
Carrie D We moved away from fixed dining years ago when ships started offering it. It seemed for us the early was always too early and the late seemed too late. I'm glad you enjoyed the video! :)
I always enjoy all of your cruise videos. I've been on two cruises with carnival. We are planning to take a disney cruise in June for our honeymoon. Have you ever been on Disney? They seem to always be ranked as one of the top overall. We are a little nervous because of it being our honeymoon and we don't have children with us. I'd love to hear your experience if you've gone on one. Thanks Crystal!!
smsea33 Hi there! No, we've not cruised with them. I'd like to at some point. I hear great things even from couples cruising without children. Like everything Disney, they are over priced though. I'm sure everything is stunning, etc, but I just can't seem to justify it. We spend a decent amount on our cruises but just not convinced they are worth the price if that makes sense. I'm sure you'll have a great time and I'd love to hear how it went. :)
Ok, Crystal, It will be my first cruise and I don't know where to start planning! What do you suggest for first timers? My husband and I are in our 40's but we do love to have drinks and stay busy. We really are not too much down time type of people we love to do shows, shop, activities in general, anything that will keep us busy. Where are some of the places you still enjoy visiting while cruising even though you have been there before? Excited to hear your answers and thank you so much,
apollobrooke Are you already booked or just thinking about it? I'd stick with Royal Caribbean or Princess. Princess has better food but keep in mind each ship will be different. We really like Eastern Caribbean for it's beautiful waters and ports. Western Caribbean has a few good stops as well like Cozumel and Grand Cayman. We don't love Jamaica. Just not a fan of the culture or food. If you do go there, I'd suggest an excursion of some kind since there isn't much to do otherwise. Most of the other ports are good for just walking around but they all offer excursions depending on what you like to do. Puerto Rico is a little boring just walking around in my opinion so I'd do an excursion of some sort or a city tour. You can also check out my Cruising Playlist I linked in the description box for other videos that may help. :)
Also large buffet and many restaurant choices. Plenty of seating and many bars and such
Cruise Q&A is an excellent idea!!
MartinusHouse Thanks! Leave me your questions if you have any. :)
Your videos are very helpful! I am researching our honeymoon in Feb 2016!
Chelsey Rifkin Thank you for watching!
Thanks for the information, Crystal.
As an aside, really like the colors of your blouse. They set your skin
off with a little glow and very feminine. -Donna
Donna C Thanks Donna! :)
Love your cruise videos. Have you done a demo and review on Becca Powder? Thanks Crystal! Priscilla :)
Not yet. I'm due for a get ready video. I probably won't do a review since I bought it because of Angie at Hotandflashy. She has a great review.
I have a question. Will a cruise in the baltics in Europe be good? Plus is the serenade of the seas (royal caribbean) ship good for 40-50 year olds and a 13 year old kid?
+Dylan Holmes We really enjoyed Serenade of the Seas. It's one of their most popular line - not too big, not too small. I think Royal Caribbean overall is great for any age. I've yet to cruise Europe due to timing but you can't go wrong there. :)
***** Hi there! I know a lot of ships are charging up front for gratuities now. I know if you book anytime dining you pay upfront for it. I noticed on Princess, they took them out each day. We're cruising with Royal again this fall on a limited sailing out of California. As of right now, we'd probably sail with Princess again over Celebrity. They remind me of each other but our last Celebrity cruise wasn't good.
***** I love all of your videos Crystal. We are avid cruisers too and I love to watch videos about cruising. We love Holland America & Royal. Are you cruising out of California this fall on a Pacific Coastal? We are doing one of those out of LA. It should be really nice, we have never been to CA.
Miss Viv Hi there - we did that cruise this past fall. I have a video on it. :)
I'm a land lubber, but I'd like to try a cruise, maybe as a girls trip with my two sisters. The problem is one of my sisters (since her retirement) has sworn off formal or even business attire. :-) Are there cruise on which you can eat at the nicer restaurants in casual dress?
maremacd Hi there! Maybe try a shorter cruise like 3 or 4 nights? Also, you don't have to dress for formal night. You can have dinner in the buffet that night if you don't want to dress up. As for casual dresses, that's the dress code every night except formal. Each ship calls it something else. Some say casual, some call it smart casual. Never wear beach wear or torn jeans or shorts to the dining room though. :)
Have you seen the new ship set to debut as the most luxurious ship? Saw a post from USA Today. I think it's called Seven Seas Explorer. Looks like a beautiful ship!
I've read about it. That line has always been very high end and luxurious.
do you know if the internet cafe is an up charge? because i know you have to pay for the wifi on the ship for personal devices.
+Giannad16 You can typically print boarding passes at no charge but everything else is extra. I'd check on their website to be sure.
Hi- you are a natural at video blogging! Thanks for your reviews! I am wondering if you have any intention of reviewing a Carnival ship?
Corneleous Worthington No, we really don't care for Carnival. We've been on 2 or 3 many years ago.
This is an odd question but do u know if they provide hair dryers in the rooms?
Giannad16 Yes, they do. I don't think I've ever been on a cruise where they didn't. It's usually located in one of the desk drawers. Be sure to check out your Cruise Line's website to be sure though. :)
thanks Crystal, very helpful and informative. xoxo
kirsti farrell Thanks for watching!
is the pool heated I'm going in about 5 weeks
+thatEquestrian .bronyfurry Sorry, I don't recall. You can probably find the answer on the Princess website.
About what time are Cabins usually ready on embarkation day?
Hi, it depends on the cruise line. Just one of the many reasons we love Princess though, they are usually ready when you board.
Do u ever get balcony suites
+Dakota Hale We get balcony cabins every time. No, we've never gotten a suite. I haven't found the extra room to be worth the price. However, we do have the option to get them with our Ship's Loyalty program at a discount.
I heard that there was a texting app to use on the ship among passengers
Yes, there is. Just sign up for it once onboard. They advertise it pretty well.
was the sea bar a extra charge.
I don't recall that particular name, but alcohol is extra if that's what you're asking.
im sorry its call the ocean terrace bar ,i just wondered if it was like vines[ you must buy wine to get the sushi] but I guess I will fine out soon we our on the repo cruise oct 24
candy g I think there might have been a small charge but honestly can't remember, sorry. Have fun on your cruise! It's such a nice ship! :)
What is included in the cruise packages?
***** I have a few videos talking about basics linked in the Playlist. All meals and basic drinks are included. Alcohol and soda are extra. There are beverage packages available for purchase. Specialty restaurants will be an extra charge, usually $20-30 pp. Spa treatments are extra. Excursions are extra. I may be forgetting something so if you're curious about something specific, let me know. :)
I was just curious. A cruise is my DREAM vacation! I can't imagine being able to do it 2x a year! Your so lucky! In the meantime I'm living vicariously through your cruises lol
Love your blouse!
twiggylynn1978 Thank you :)
cheapettone passangers or??
Ouch - sounds like dinnertime is a nightmare! Bad service and endless waiting - not great when you have 2 kids! Wont be booking this ship!!!!! Thanks for the honest review!
Hi there! Thank you for watching! We've sailed on Regal again with zero issues. This must have been an off sailing for them. We've also sailed Royal (sister ship) without any issues. This is one of our favorite ships so please don't pass up seeing it!
This is great thank you!
Yadda Noel Glad you enjoyed it!
try azamara
Happy to her you have not cruised Norwegian. Do yourself a favor and stay away! Twice was enough. I gave them a second chance and it was the same sub par crap.
todo me encanta más creo que si hubiera música de violín por las tardes se alegra más la tarde
I loved it :)
Bobby B Thanks for watching!
hay unas cosas que valoró de mi vida la vista mi oído el ser amable el ser generoso el ser único el contemplar a la naturaleza y disfrutar de un mundo hermoso las maravillas sólo las costrulle Dios y nadie mas
last comment. am doing 3rd on that ship
Lol must be nice to cruise every few months