Regal Princess Cruise Discount And Cruise Review

Overview
Regal Princess entered service for Princess in 1991, and was recognized for its distinctive profile designed by world-renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, spacious accommodations, and dining and entertainment venues. But perhaps one of the most innovative features was its then-high number of balcony cabins -- once a luxury only available to the wealthy. Thirty percent of all outside cabins are outfitted with affordable verandahs.

Regal Princess was given a multi-million dollar makeover in 2000. The renovation -- most substantially in the public rooms -- included new carpeting, brighter fabrics, lots of cherry wood walls and floors and tons of marble accents. The highlight of the redesign is the almost completely new dining room and refurbished atrium, plus the addition of Princesses' signature 24-hour restaurant and fully supervised child and teen centers. Add to the mix, the friendly and helpful crew, and this ship becomes a "must do" for those travelers looking for a grand cruise at a grand price.

Entertainment
Evening entertainment ranges from cruise staff "fun" shows and high-energy musicals in the Interntaional Show Lounge, to ballroom dancing in Bengal Bar. The Stage Door Nightclub gets going after dinner and Bacchus Wine Bar is quiet place for either pre- or post-dinner drinks. The art-deco Adagio piano bar is the most popular evening spot with an array of music each night.

Public Rooms
The Plaza, which serves as the ship's entry to its beautiful three-story atrium, features a grand staircase reminiscent of a bygone era in cruise ships and a trio of intriguing fountains gently cascading down one end. Rich cherry woods, honey-colored marble and warm pastel fabrics enhance the balconies, boutique shops and cozy lounges that surround the atrium. La Patisserie has a bright new and airy look thanks to newly added windows and a charming wall mural depicting a quaint Mediterranean harbor. In fact, the ship has a number of bars and lounges, from Intermezzo, themed after the movie of the same name, to Kipling's with its attractive British India decor, to the Chianti Bar - a romantic spot for champagne and caviar. There's also a lively late-night disco and evening cabaret. Nightly high stepping Broadway-style revues are held in the two-tiered refurbished International Show Lounge. The Dome, located high atop the front of the ship, features a rather large (for the ship's size) casino, dance floor, bar and an observation area with floor-to-ceiling windows to give passengers a 270-degree forward view.

Family
The "Fun Zone" children's center features a cleverly glassed-in splash pool to isolate the sound of screaming youngsters from sunning adults, a castle, doll house, children's theater, a ball pit, TV with videos and computers with children's software. This area is great for children 3-8, where they participate in a supervised program of games, arts & crafts and free play. The program is offered for toilet-trained kids only.

Nine -12 year olds have a more unstructured program focusing on group games like scavenger hunts throughout the ship.

Teens' "Fast Lane" is a video game arcade. In the teen club, a large screen TV, dance floor, nonalcoholic bar and a cool jukebox system allow teens to create their own DJ projects under space-age lights.

During days at sea, the children's programs run from 9-12 a.m., 2-5 p.m. and 7-10 p.m.. There is no extra charge. From 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. and on port days, there is a group baby-sitting charge of $4 per hour, per child. Except for one night when there's a children's' dinner in the Horizon Court, meal service is not part of the program..

Cabins
While good in terms of size, amenities and design, the staterooms clearly show their age. The majority are standard outside cabins, spacious at 190 square feet. About 180 staterooms have outside balconies. Bathrooms, with showers surprisingly larger than on some of Princess' newer ships, also include spacious toiletry cabinets on either side of the oversized mirror. Staterooms also include fluffy terry cloth robes, hair dryers, televisions, mini-refrigerators, plenty of built-in lighting and 24-hour room service. Mini-suites, which average 366 sq. ft. with balcony, also feature a sitting area and bath with shower and tub.

Fitness and Recreation
Regal Princess has a small but well-equipped fitness center with aerobics floor, plus weight and cardiovascular equipment on Holiday Deck, the lowest passenger level. The Lido pool area has a cluster of circular pools/spas surrounded by plenty of deckchairs for sunning. For joggers, the Sun Deck has a 1/6-mile tractioned outdoor track.

Princess offers the "New Waves" water sports program with extensive snorkeling and scuba instruction aboard ship, plus underwater adventure shore excursions. Golf excursions, which include transfers from the ship, green fees, and golf carts, are available at certain ports.

Dining
The Palm Court dining room has been refurbished and reconfigured to create a warmer, more intimate restaurant. And while the acoustics are such that it's a bit noisy, tables are cleverly divided so there's a sense that the dining room is smaller than it is. The food staff - mostly Eastern and Western European - is very efficient and pleasant. Most tables are for six or eight, although there are a few tables for two, good news for honeymooners. Food selection is ample, menus also include healthy choice and vegetarian items, as well as Princesses' signature pasta dishes. The food is tasty (good but not great) and well-presented. This ship also features the "open 24 hours a day" Cafe Cabana. By day it serves a smorgasbord of hot and cold buffet items for breakfast and lunch and at night is transformed to a sit-down bistro with its own menu. For a quick bite, the Presto Pizzeria on the Lido Deck offers freshly made pizzas for lunch or dinner. Smoking is prohibited in the dining room and show lounges.

Dress Code
There are two formal nights per week, one semiformal and four casual nights. Because of a rather high number of UK guests, and the elegant reputation of Princess Cruises, about two-thirds of the guests wear tuxes on formal nights, but a suit is perfectly acceptable.

Fellow Passengers
Passengers, mostly Americans although more diverse nationalities sail during European itineraries, are in the 50+ age range, with more families aboard during holiday and vacation periods and an older average age during European sailings.