Everything You Need to Know about the Regal Princess

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Shot of a white cruise ship on the sea in a harbour against a blue sky with the ship reflected in the water - Regal Princess Review

An in-depth review of the Regal Princess cruise ship from Princess Cruises – including cabin reviews…

Want to know exactly what to expect from a cruise on the Regal Princess? I’ve travelled on this ship twice now and know first-hand how much fun it can be.

So, following those two trips, I decided to write up a review of the Regal Princess to give you an idea of what to expect on board.

As one of the largest ships in the fleet of premium cruise line Princess Cruises, this huge ship is packed with incredible facilities and amenities.

A few years ago, when I cruised Scandinavia and Russia with Princess Cruises, I posted a review of the trip and the ship mixed together. Since I’ve now done two trips on the Regal Princess, this is kind of an updated review, a ship tour, and a breakdown of everything that’s available onboard.

Hopefully, this will help you plan and get excited for your own trip on the Regal Princess. If you’re still looking for your perfect cruise, this post could also help you decide if the Regal is right for you.

CONTENTS

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This Regal Princess review is based on two press trips I’ve done with Princess Cruises and Traverse. The photos featured are from both trips. As always, all words and opinions are my own and unbiased.

Emily wearing a mid-length blue silk dress with white and pink birds on it, black high heels, and purple sunglasses with her blonde hair down, walking along a glass walkway in a glass tunnel on a cruise dhip with the sea underneath her and out the window behind her.

Regal Princess Review

The Regal Princess‘ inaugural cruise was in May 2014, so it’s still a relatively new ship – and that’s reflected in the decor and overall upkeep throughout. Before I crack on with my full review, here are a few facts about the Regal Princess to introduce the ship:

Guest Capacity: 3,560
Number of Crew: 1,346
Length: 1,083 feet
Height: 217 feet
Tonnage: 142,229
Number of Decks: 19

Emily walking town a marble spiral staircase with gold banisters and a gold central column covered in fairylights in the Atrium of the Regal Princess cruise ship

Regal Princess Cabin Reviews

There are a total of 1,780 cabins onboard the Regal Princess, including 38 wheelchair-accessible cabins. These are the 5 different kinds of staterooms onboard:

Inside: 161-240ft²
Balcony: 222-333ft²
Deluxe Balcony: 233-312ft²
Mini-Suite: 299-465ft²
Suite: 440-705ft²

On my two trips, I’ve stayed in both a Balcony cabin and a Mini-Suite, so I can review two of the room options onboard the Regal Princess. Next time, hopefully, I’ll get to try out a suite and update this post with some more info!

Regal Princess balcony with view of the sea and a silver bowl of fruit on a small white circular table on the balcony next to the glass barrier with wooden edging - cabin reviews — *Enjoying the view from the cabin balcony*

Balcony Cabin

At first glance, my Balcony cabin looked quite small, but it was actually surprisingly spacious. The rooms are really well designed to make use of the space, with lots of clever storage options and an enormous wardrobe area.

Interior of a cruise ship cabin with a double bed with white bedspread and light green cushions and throw. the walls are cream and there is a large french door with a view of the sea beyond. Regal Princess balcony cabin — *My Balcony Stateroom*

My favourite part of the room was the bed! Princess Cruises are known for their beds: the Princess Luxury Bed was designed in collaboration with a sleep expert! I adored mine. It was so comfy, and the huge upholstered headboard was a nice touch for watching TV whilst lazing in bed.

The decor is lovely and bright, with soft neutral colours. With the room being dominated by the patio doors to the balcony, you get a lot of natural light. There’s nothing better than lazing in bed in the morning with the doors open, listening to the sound of the ocean!

The main highlight of the room is, of course, the balcony. It’s a lovely, big space with a small table and chairs and a glass barrier. This was the perfect spot for lazing about watching the world – or the sea – go by!

Interior Cabins

The interior cabins were more or less the same as the balcony cabins on the Regal Princess, minus the balcony. Similar decor and size, and just as comfortable, but without the sea views. If you’re not on a tight budget, it’s definitely worth the splurge to opt for a room with a balcony!

Mini-Suite

Interior of a cruise ship suite cabin with cream walls. there is a double bed near the camera with a white bedspread and a bedside table with a white lamp next to it. beyond that is a small lounge area with a beige three seater sofa, a wooden coffee table with a glass top, and a wooden desk with a wooden chain with a white back. beyond that is a set of French doors slightly open with the ocean just visible through the gap. Regal Princess Mini Suite cabin review — *My Mini-Suite*

On my more recent trip with Princess Cruises, I stayed in a Mini-Suite onboard the Regal Princess.

This was substantially larger than the balcony stateroom, which made for an even more comfortable experience. The decor was similar – with the addition of a sofa, coffee table, and a larger desk. There were also two wall-mounted TV’s, so you can watch from the sofa or from bed, depending on your mood!

The sofa is actually a sofa-bed, and there’s a curtain dividing the two “sections” of the room. So you could actually fit up to four people into the Mini-Suite if you wanted to. I’d say this is a better option for families with small kids, as it might be a bit of a squeeze for 4 adults. Then again, if you don’t plan on spending much time in the room other than sleeping, it’s a handy way for a group to save money on their Regal Princess cruise.

Overall, the upgrade to the Mini-Suite felt very much worth it. The extra space and amenities made for a much more comfortable experience!

Looking along the side of a cruise ship from one of the cabins, there is a long strip of glass along the centre of the ship with a wooden deck below and empy blue sea to the left with a clear blue sky with pink on the horizon just after sunset. — *Cruising at sunset*

Activities and Facilities

There are SO many activities and facilities to enjoy onboard the Regal Princess. I’ve already written about all the activities and entertainment options onboard in this post, with more in-depth info, so check that out for a full breakdown.

Pools

Main pool

There are three excellent pools, several hot tubs, and numerous sun loungers if you want to simply relax and enjoy the sunshine on deck.

My personal favourite was The Retreat, an adults-only area near the front of the ship which was often a bit quieter than the main pool.

Emily wearing a blacks one piece simming costume with long blonde hair down walking into a bright blue rectangular swimming pool on the top deck of a cruise ship with the white structrue of part of the ship in front of her and several blue sun beds on the far side of the pool underneath white canvas gazebos. it is a very sunny day with blue sky above. — *The Retreat Pool*

Gym and Sports Facilities

There’s also a wealth of sports facilities onboard, including a large gym where you can exercise with a sea view!

Gym onboard a cruise ship with a line of treadmills all lined up in front of large floor to cieling windows with a view of a grey-blue sea beyond on a slightly overcast day. The gym is one of many fitness actitvities onboard the Regal Princess.

Fitness Centre with a well-equipped gym and a private aerobics studio
Outdoor Jogging/Walking Track
Centre Court – can be used for basketball, tennis, volleyball and badminton
Driving Range
Batting Cage
Simulated Laser Shooting
Lawn Court – a grassy area for putting, bocce ball, croquet and lawn bowling
Game Lounge – including table tennis and virtual gaming with Kinect^TM systems
Lots of daily activities, from ballroom dancing to zumba to yoga. Check the daily schedule for more details.

Other Facilities

Lotus Spa – A surprisingly large space with dozens of treatments rooms, as well as a gorgeous thermal suite called The Enclave. The staff are all lovely and the treatments are spot-on! I’ve visited twice and can highly recommend it.

Dimly lit interior of a spa with a small indoor pool below a very large rainforest style shower. the pool is brightly lit and very turquoise while the rest of thr room is failrly dark. there is a raised area behind the pool with two white and grey circular beds in front of a glass wall. Princess Cruises Spa — *The Enclave in the Lotus Spa – Stock image from Princess Cruises*

The Sanctuary – a private, adults-only area of the outside deck where beds and/or cabanas can be hired out for an additional fee.

It’s $20 for a half-day and $40 for a full day, so pretty reasonable for the luxury of peace and quiet! I absolutely LOVED my afternoon spent lazing in the sun here on a plush lounger, with attentive service from our own personal server! Plus the afternoon tea was fab.

Emily wearing a long black kaftan relaxing on a white sunbed in the Sanctuary on the Regal Princess, the bed is outside on the deck of the ship with empty wooden floor in front dotted with large white plant pots with green leafy hedges. Emily is facing a glass wall with the sea beyond. — *The Sanctuary*

SeaWalk – a glass walkway jutting out from the edge of Deck 16, some 128 feet over the ocean. Perfect for Instagram snaps!

Casino – a pretty large casino filled with slot machines, electronic games, and traditional table games.

Onboard shops – There are a surprisingly large range of shops onboard the Regal Princess, including an art gallery

Regal Princess Seawalk at Night, a curved covered walkway made of glass with a white frame and glass floor. the walkway curves away from the side of the ship creating an oval space in between and the camera is looking through this with the ocdean and part of the ship deck down below. the walkway is lit up in purple against the night sky. — *The SeaWalk*

Regal Princess Entertainment Review

The entertainment onboard the Regal Princess is absolutely top-notch. All the performers I saw were amazing, from the musicians playing live in bars to the dancers and singers in the theatre productions.

There was such a huge range: fun classic covers from the ship’s band, celebrity guests (we had a Gareth Gates concert on my most recent cruise), comedians, and West-End-worthy theatre productions.

stage in a theatre with a woman wearing a long red sleavless ball gown with a ruffled skirt holding a microphone and singing next to a couple dancing with the woman wearing a magenta dress and the man wearing a white shirt and black trousers, the woman has one leg up with the man holding it. the stage is black with dry ice lit up by spotlights and two chandeliers above. Entertainment on the Regal Princess — *Bravo! in the Princess Theatre*

Again, you can find a full breakdown of the entertainment options onboard the Regal Princess in my other review, so I won’t go into details here. Instead, here’s a quick list:

Princess Theatre: a full-blown theatre company with a different show every night – and with several big musical numbers. Don’t miss the signature show, BRAVO.
Vista Lounge: a more intimate entertainment venue where the ship’s in-house band perform, as well as other performers such as comedians and illusionists.
Movies Under the Stars: big screen on the top deck.
Nightly Fountain Show
Princess Live!gameshow
Bingo
Trivia Sessions
Classes – demonstrations, classes, destination-themed activities, fitness classes, and even lectures

band performing on a stage with a man in black shirt and trousers holding a wooden guitar and a woman in a multicoloured dress holding a microphone and singing withe blue stage lights overhead. — *The ship band in the Vista Lounge*

theatre stage with two large TV screens with a blue background and the words Princess LIVE! written on them in white, the stage has red curtains on either side and there are two people wearing face masks standing at a wooden lecturn. — *Trivia Quiz in Princess Live*

Regal Princess Food Review

One of the best things about the Regal Princess is the food. There are SO many options, and it’s all so good. Many of the restaurants are included in your dining option, including some that you might expect to pay extra for. Be sure to try as many as you can on your trip!

I’ve already written a full review of the Regal Princess dining options and a breakdown of all the different restaurants, so check that out for much more in-depth info. Below I’ll just share a brief overview of all the options.

Restaurants Included in your Dining Option

4 Main Dining Rooms

Interior of a large dining room on a cruise ship. there are several square tables with white tablecloths. the floor is black tiles with a white and black circle design in the middle underneath a huge gold and glass chandelier. the ciling is mirrored. Regal Princess Food Review — *Symphony Dining Room*

You can choose between fixed dining and anytime dining at the Regal Princess main dining rooms. Fixed Dining means you’ll be assigned a table and dine at the same time every evening (unless you choose to dine elsewhere) – so you’re always guaranteed a table.

For Anytime Dining, you’ll be assigned one of the other two main dining rooms and can simply head there whenever you’re ready (but you might have to wait for a table at busier times).

Allegro’s – Fixed dining.

Symphony – Anytime dining.

Concerto – Anytime dining.

All of them have the same menu every night, so you don’t need to feel left out about only being assigned one. The menu is a la carte and changes every day, although there’s also a list of about 5-6 “Princess Favourites” which are available every day.

Other Restaurants included in your Dining Option

Close up of a hand hgolding a white and green plastic plate wiht a hot dog wiht zigzagged ketchup and mustard next to some french fries, held up in front of an outdoor cruise ship deck with the swimming pool out of focus in the background. From the Trident Grill on the Regal Princess cruise ship. — *Trident Grill*

Horizon Court and Horizon Bistro – two adjoining buffet restaurants on the lido deck near the top of the ship.

International Cafe – open 24/7 with pastries, sandwiches, and other snacks – as well as a coffee bar*.

Alfredo’s Pizzeria – sit-down restaurant serving up gourmet pizzas.

Prego Pizzeria – poolside eatery serving pizza by the slice.

Trident Grill – poolside eatery with mainly bbq food.

Swirls – ice cream parlour.

In-Room Breakfast – room service breakfast, which you order by filling out the card in your room.

*Additional charges apply to the speciality coffees unless you have a Beverage Package or Princess Plus (more on that later).

Speciality Restaurants (additional fee)

Close up of a hand holding a glass of white wine above a china bowl filled with pasta in a creamy sauce. Wine Makers Dinner Regal Princess food review — *Wine Maker’s Dinner*

Sabatini’s – Italian speciality restaurant – $35pp.

Crown Grill – Incredible steak and seafood restaurant – $39pp. One of my favourites on board.

Chef’s Table Lumiere – set menu served at a special table surrounded by a “curtain of light” – $110pp.

Ocean Terrace – a la carte seafood and sushi restaurant. The sushi here was amazing!

Gelato – ice cream parlour also serving waffles and crepes.

24/Hr Room Service

Regal Princess Bars

Emily wearing a white top and a blue denim jacket with her blonde hair in a messy ponytail looking to the side and laughing whilst sitting on an armchair in a bar with a cocktail in front of her in a triangular glass with sugar around the rim. — Crooner’s Bar

A list of all the bars onboard the Regal Princess – there are 13 to choose from!

Vines – wine bar.
Bellini – champagne bar.
Piazza Bar – different performances thoughout the day.
Good Spirit’s – cocktail bar with a live cocktail-making show in the evenings.
Wheelhouse Bar – nautial themed.
Crooner’s Bar – live piano music.
Mermaid’s Tail – poolside bar.
SeaView – poolside bar.
Outrigger Bar – overlooking the terrace pool.
Churchill’s – cozy pub-style bar for smokers.
Princess Live! Cafe bar – along the side of the ship.
Vista Lounge – live entertainment venue.
Club 6 – small nightclub with dancefloor

Close up of two yellow cocktails with lime and lemon wedges on the rim on a dark marble bar with a neon sign out of focus behind that says Good Spirits. — *Good Spirits*

Princess Cruises OceanMedallion Review

One of the things that sets Princess Cruises apart are their fab OceanMedallions™. These are tiny, wearable devices (about the size of a 10p) which make your whole onboard experience effortless – and contactless!

Close up of a hand holding a small grey circular badge with a yellow centre and the name Emily Luxton printed on it held in front of the ocean. Princess Cruises OceanMedallion

Roshni, one of the bloggers I was travelling with, has written an excellent post reviewing the OceanMedallion in-depth – so check that out for full details.

It’s your room key first of all – but you don’t even have to get it out of your bag. As soon as you walk near your door, the digital display outside greets you and the door unlocks!

The medallions also allow for contactless boarding. As soon as you walk near the scanner, your profile photo pops up, and the staff greet you by name. It made boarding so much more efficient than my last two cruises

Using the MedallionClass app, you can use the OceanNow feature to order from the bars, restaurants and shops for delivery right to your location. The staff will use your OceanMedallion and the logged profile picture to find you – so you don’t have to queue – or even move!

Close up of a phone on a table top with a menu app open showing different coffees available to order. MedallionClass App Princess Cruises

The same technology also allows you to find your friends and family onboard – you just have to add them as a friend in the app, and you can locate them whenever you need to.

There’s also a map on the app which you can use to plot a route to wherever you need to get to.

The Medallions come on a lanyard, but you can also buy other accessories to make it more discrete. I like the little clips, which I clipped to my bag.

Finally, the JourneyView planner function lets you see all the activities and entertainment coming up on your Regal Princess cruise. It’s a great way to stay on track and plan your days on the Regal Princess.

All-Inclusive Princess Plus Fare

Bartender mixing cocktails on a cruise ship

On my most recent trip on the Regal Princess, I tried out the new All-Inclusive Princess Plus Fare for my review.

This includes unlimited WiFi, an all-inclusive drinks package, Unlimited juice bar, Premium desserts (2 per day), Fitness classes (2 per cruise), 2 casual dining meals per guest, OceanNow® delivery, room service delivery, and Crew appreciation (tips) – and it’s only £50pp per day.

When I took my last cruise with Princess, the Plus Fare package covered less stuff but only cost £30 a day – which I thought was well worth it. Now, I think it’s only worth it if you think you’re likely to spend at least £50 day on drinks and treats during your cruise. If you’re not a big drinker, you might want to simply pay as you go.

Plus Beverage Package

The Princess Plus Fare comes with the Plus Beverage Package, which I made full use of on my trip!

I’ve copied the following from the Princess Cruises website to make sure I get it right:

Our Plus Beverage Package includes the classics: sodas, Speciality coffees and teas, cocktails, spirits, wine and beer up to $15 each. Even hot chocolate, smoothies and water to go. You’ll also enjoy 25% off all bottles of wine. Whatever you want – with tips included!

Even if you don’t plan on drinking much in the way of alcohol, it’s good to know that all your soft drinks and speciality coffees etc are covered.

deck of a cruise ship outdoors at night with a large fountain with multiple jets of water all lit in red and pink. Regal Princess review — *Regal Princess fountain show*

Best WiFi at Sea

Princess Cruises pride themselves on having the “best WiFi at sea”!

If you’re going on holiday to switch off, you might not care much about that. But if you want to stay in touch with folks back home via WhatsApp or email, or post to social media during your trip, you might want to stay connected. And data roaming charges can be excruciating, especially at sea.

The WiFi onboard wasn’t always perfect, but it worked well for me almost all of the time. I struggled more using my laptop when trying to do a bit of work (involving uploading photos), but I was able to post photos and videos to my Instagram stories and Twitter throughout the trip without a problem.

A couple of the others in my group said they encountered connectivity problems, but I didn’t have any. On the whole, I’d say it was pretty decent WiFi – especially for such a large ship, at sea in the middle of who-knows-where!

Crew Appreciation

Princess Plus also includes Crew Appreciation. Basically, this means tips are paid in advance on your behalf, so you don’t have to worry about bringing cash onboard with you.

Crew incentive is $16 per person per day for Interior, Oceanview, and Balcony staterooms, $17 per person per day for Mini-suite and Club Class staterooms and $18 per person per day for Suites.

Princess Premier

The next level up is the Princess Premier package, which includes everything Plus covers – as well as a whole lot more.

It costs £65 per guest and includes:

Wi-Fi (up to 4 devices per guest), Premier Beverage Package (drinks up to $20 each), Unlimited juice bar, Premium desserts (unlimited), Fitness classes (unlimited), Photo package (unlimited digital + 3 prints), Princess Prizes, 2 speciality dining meals per guest, Medallion accessory, Reserved theatre seating (for production shows only), Unlimited casual dining meals, OceanNow® delivery, Room service delivery, and Crew appreciation (tips).

The Premier Drinks Package “includes everything our Plus Beverage Package does as well as drinks up to $20 each with a premium selection of spirits, cocktails and wine by the glass. You’ll also enjoy 25% off all bottles of wine.”

Outdoor top deck of the Regal Princess cruise ship with an empty blue rectangular swimming pool in the centre and a raised circular stage area beyond that with a big screen showing a film with dolphins swimming underwater above that. there is ocean around the cruise ship with a few islands in Stockholm Harbour on a sunny day with blue sky.

Princess Cruise Review – Conclusion

I’ve travelled on the Regal Princess twice now and had a fabulous time on both trips. There are so many things to do, so many facilities to enjoy, bars to drink in, shows to watch, and foods to eat that you could never be bored!

The thing I like best about Princess Cruises is that they let you have exactly the kind of cruise you want. Whether you want to lounge by the pool all day drinking cocktails, or fill your days with ping pong tournaments and bingo sessions, there really is something for everyone.

You can keep yourself as busy (or as un-busy) as you like – it’s your holiday, after all!

Search for cruises here to find your perfect trip on the Regal Princess.

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6 thoughts on “Everything You Need to Know about the Regal Princess – A Review”

Mark Pesta 16 January 2023 at 3:44 am


Thank you for all this great information. We are headed to the Caribbean in February on Regal. I have looked everywhere online for a Princess Patter for general info on times of shows. Would you happen to have a copy of one
Thank you
1. Emily Luxton 16 January 2023 at 1:39 pm
  
  
  I don’t I’m afraid. But I believe the entertainment schedules and show times are different for every cruise, so even if you do find one I don’t think you’ll be able to make any plans around it. Could you contact Princess Cruises and ask if they have the schedule yet for when you’ll be onboard?
  
  Emily
Rita 30 September 2023 at 5:04 pm


Your review was very informative, this will be my first cruise o the regal princess. What was included in the thermal spa or enclave. I only seeking steam sauna, jacuzzi pool, as I have always called the wet area, it will be a 7 day cruise. Thank you
,
1. Emily Luxton 2 October 2023 at 10:02 am
  
  
  Hi Rita, thanks for reading. There was a hydrotherapy pool, steam room, sauna, and a few other features like a giant rainforest shower and day beds for relaxing on. I believe you can pay to just use the “wet spa” – or it’s included with treatments. You can go and chat to the spa staff on your first day to make bookings etc. Hope that helps :)
Carolyn 4 March 2024 at 2:42 pm


Going on regal princess in may to British isles. Need WiFi but don’t drink and wondering if just better to pay by the day or get a package.. thanks for help. I have 2 devices.
1. Emily Luxton 5 March 2024 at 9:43 am
  
  
  Hi Carolyn! I think that depends on whether you’ll use the other stuff that’s included on the package. Princess Plus includes WiFi for 1 device per guest, but also things like Premium Deserts and Fitness classes, and dining at some of the a la carte restaurants instead of just the buffets. In terms of drinks it’s not just alcohol – but also all the sodas, speciality coffees (like lattes etc – I think only filter coffee is free). If you’ll use all those extras then it’s worth paying for the package – but if the only thing on the list that you’ll use is WiFi then it’s going to work out cheaper to just pay for that daily. WiFi costs $24.99 (about £20) per day at the moment, whereas the Princess Plus package is £50 a day.

Everything You Need to Know about the Regal Princess – A Review

Regal Princess Review