Final fall I used to be invited by Princess Cruises to attend the christening of their latest ship, the Regal Princess. To sweeten the deal, they invited your entire forged of The Love Boat to take part within the occasion, together with greater than 20 former visitor begins of the enduring present of the 70s and 80s. Captain Stubing, Florence Henderson and Charo? There was completely no method I may say no. I used to be additionally actually desperate to expertise Princess Cruises for the primary time. I’ve been on a number of cruises, however by no means with Princess and appeared ahead to seeing what crusing with them is like. Sadly, the expertise wasn’t the whole lot I hoped it might be and so I really feel compelled to supply an trustworthy evaluate of the Regal Princess and Princess Cruises typically.
The Ship
If I hadn’t been on the christening, I might be shocked to seek out out that the Regal Princess was model new. I don’t imply it doesn’t look good and glossy – it definitely does. However the structure of the ship is so antiquated and complicated, it’s laborious to consider it was designed and constructed within the 21st century. The ship is break up between decks in order that after I wished to eat dinner on the restaurant on the 5th deck, I must go as much as 7 after which stroll down to five. On the subject of recreation areas, they’re pitiful. Not one of the lounge chairs have any type of shade or umbrellas, so in case you are honest skinned you’ll bake. Wait, I stand corrected. They do have a ravishing and enjoyable space with loads of shade and umbrellas, however you need to pay additional to entry it. That nickel and diming was rampant and I used to be shocked to see that little was free and as a substitute Princess associates a charge with the whole lot. Even once we anchored within the Bahamas, the seaside umbrellas have been $29 for the day. It’s outrageous and I’ve by no means skilled that insane stage of nickel and diming on a cruise earlier than.
There was additionally little to do onboard the ship. There have been a number of swimming pools, a rec heart and a on line casino, however nothing enjoyable, revolutionary or thrilling. No sky diving or bumper automobiles on this ship no, as a substitute your decisions are trivia evening with the crew or bingo. I think about retirement properties have higher choices.
Service
That is the place Princess actually misplaced me and I’m nonetheless reeling from the spectacularly dangerous service I skilled onboard the Regal Princess. At first after I seen small moments of poor service, I chalked it as much as new employees simply getting used to issues. Then I discovered that the Regal Princess had been servicing company for six months and I immediately misplaced plenty of respect for the individuals who labored onboard the ship.
Reasonably than one obtrusive instance of dangerous service, my expertise was as a substitute a demise by a thousand cuts. After I sat all the way down to get a comfortable drink, the waiter promptly started telling me how a lot he hated his job. I listened as I went on to inform everybody else the identical factor whereas pouring their drinks. I noticed a number of servers get actually impolite and sarcastic with company, one senior employees member truly yelling at a passenger. Within the fitness center I made an appointment with the employees they usually by no means confirmed up. It goes on and on. Like I mentioned, there was nobody horrible encounter, as a substitute nothing went the best way it ought to have. In hospitality the visitor is ALWAYS proper. Even when it means gritting your enamel and saying “Sure ma’am” or “Sir,” however open battle ought to by no means occur. In fact this doesn’t happen in a vacuum and finally factors in the direction of what’s the bigger company tradition.
I noticed this lack of respect on show whereas ready to board the tender (small boat) to take us again to the cruise ship after spending the day within the Bahamas, our port of name. There was a 45-minute line for the tenders and it was not a fast paced line. As I obtained nearer, I noticed one of many cruise ship employees members ask the oldsters in line to not board the empty tender and as a substitute, his coworkers spent 20 minutes loading beer and wine onto the boat. In the meantime, company waited within the intense warmth watching as they have been proven by the actions of the crew simply how unimportant they have been. It was surprising and I believed a riot was going to interrupt out amongst the company round me. But it surely goes to indicate how little the crew thinks about customer support.
Meals and the whole lot else
Wow, it actually appears that I hated my expertise onboard the Regal Princess, however that’s removed from the reality. We had a good time, however there are important issues that have to be addressed. Meals is one other one. All company are entitled to eat within the basic buffet restaurant in addition to at a number of different eating rooms with out reservations. Right here’s the kicker. I chosen anytime eating, which suggests there was no set time and theoretically I may go and eat each time I wished to. Besides that’s not technically attainable. My companion and I confirmed up on the anytime eating restaurant and have been promptly requested if we had reservations. Dumbfounded I mentioned no, this was anytime seating. Seems anytime seating requires reservations prematurely! Whereas sure, theoretically you may present up and eat apparently demand was too excessive so that they switched to an impromptu reservations system. It’s absurd and was only one extra disconnect on a ship stuffed with them. I may not have minded as a lot had the meals truly been good, nevertheless it wasn’t. It was as unimpressive, unimaginative as something I’ve ever seen and I doubt the menu has modified a lot prior to now couple of many years.
Having cruised many instances prior to now, I used to be shocked at my expertise onboard the Regal Princess. The issues have been many and by the tip of the quick three-day journey, my companion and I have been greater than prepared to depart. We weren’t alone both. I chatted with plenty of company who paid for the cruise, who have been there to take pleasure in a number of days away from house and to an individual nobody was pleased with their expertise. One gents I met instructed me that he’s sailed 20 instances with Norwegian and dozens extra instances with different cruise strains and that three-day cruise onboard the Regal Princess was one of many worst he’s ever skilled. That claims one thing.
But it surely additionally wasn’t the worst expertise I’ve ever had and if it’s your first cruise then you definitely’ll in all probability prefer it. However when you’ve got something in any respect with which to check it to, put together for some critical disappointment.
Have you ever sailed with Princess Cruises earlier than? What did you assume?
