[ad_1]
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 the complete 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 means I might 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 regarded ahead to seeing what crusing with them is like. Sadly, the expertise wasn’t every little thing I hoped it could be and so I really feel compelled to supply an trustworthy evaluation of the Regal Princess and Princess Cruises generally.
The Ship
If I hadn’t been on the christening, I might be shocked to search out out that the Regal Princess was model new. I don’t imply it doesn’t look good and glossy – it actually does. However the structure of the ship is so antiquated and complicated, it’s arduous to imagine it was designed and constructed within the 21st century. The ship is cut up between decks in order that once I needed to eat dinner on the restaurant on the 5th deck, I must go as much as 7 after which stroll down to five. Relating to recreation areas, they’re pitiful. Not one of the lounge chairs have any sort of shade or umbrellas, so if you’re honest skinned you’ll bake. Wait, I stand corrected. They do have a good looking and stress-free space with loads of shade and umbrellas, however you need to pay further to entry it. That nickel and diming was rampant and I used to be shocked to see that little was free and as an alternative Princess associates a payment with every little thing. Even after we anchored within the Bahamas, the seaside umbrellas had 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, progressive or thrilling. No sky diving or bumper vehicles on this ship no, as an alternative your selections are trivia night time 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 unhealthy service I skilled onboard the Regal Princess. At first once I seen small moments of poor service, I chalked it as much as new workers simply getting used to issues. Then I discovered that the Regal Princess had been servicing visitors for six months and I immediately misplaced loads of respect for the individuals who labored onboard the ship.
Quite than one obtrusive instance of unhealthy service, my expertise was as an alternative a demise by a thousand cuts. Once I sat all the way down to get a tender 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 visitors, one senior workers member really yelling at a passenger. Within the health club I made an appointment with the workers they usually by no means confirmed up. It goes on and on. Like I stated, there was nobody horrible encounter, as an alternative nothing went the best way it ought to have. In hospitality the visitor is ALWAYS proper. Even when it means gritting your tooth 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 received nearer, I noticed one of many cruise ship workers members ask the parents in line to not board the empty tender and as an alternative, his coworkers spent 20 minutes loading beer and wine onto the boat. In the meantime, visitors waited within the intense warmth watching as they had been proven by the actions of the crew simply how unimportant they had been. It was surprising and I believed a riot was going to interrupt out amongst the visitors round me. Nevertheless it goes to point out how little the crew thinks about customer support.
Meals and every little thing else
Wow, it actually appears that I hated my expertise onboard the Regal Princess, however that’s removed from the reality. We had an honest time, however there are important issues that must be addressed. Meals is one other one. All visitors are entitled to eat within the common 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 implies there was no set time and theoretically I might go and eat each time I needed to. Besides that’s not technically doable. My accomplice and I confirmed up on the anytime eating restaurant and had been promptly requested if we had reservations. Dumbfounded I stated no, this was anytime seating. Seems anytime seating requires reservations upfront! Whereas sure, theoretically you possibly can present up and eat apparently demand was too excessive in order that they switched to an impromptu reservations system. It’s absurd and was only one extra disconnect on a ship stuffed with them. I won’t have minded as a lot had the meals really been good, but it surely 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 had been many and by the top of the quick three-day journey, my accomplice and I had been greater than prepared to go away. We weren’t alone both. I chatted with loads of visitors who paid for the cruise, who had been there to get pleasure from 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.
Nevertheless it additionally wasn’t the worst expertise I’ve ever had and if it’s your first cruise you then’ll in all probability prefer it. However when you’ve got something in any respect with which to match it to, put together for some critical disappointment.
Have you ever sailed with Princess Cruises earlier than? What did you assume?
[ad_2]
