SAILING AWAY ON THE REGAL PRINCESS!

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Regal Princess

Fort Lauderdale, FL/At Sea

75F, sunny

TK is the best trip planner! We left our hotel about 10:30 to drive to the Park and Fly/Cruise by the FLL airport. (The hotel was really OK.  Despite lots of parties going on with full bottles of liquor in the lobby, our hall was very quiet, thank goodness!) With his military discount parking will cost us $8/day. We immediately boarded a shuttle for the port and as soon as we arrived, we were in a line ready to board the Regal Princess, no waiting required.

FLL PARK AND RIDE

Airport parking: $10.50/day

Cruise parking: $14/day

After our safety drill the ship was on its way out of the beautiful Fort Lauderdale port

The Regal Princess is larger than the Emerald Princess, but we will acclimate to it soon. A new Princess feature has been completely adopted on the Regal, the Medallion. Each guest receives a “Medallion” instead of a key card. All our information is on it, stateroom number, packages we have purchased, our photo, any allergies, food requirements (e.g. gluten free), and so on. For example, when we approach our room, the door automatically unlocks.

Our Medallions are silver for Platinum

Our stateroom-C231, looking toward the balcony

The balcony is much smaller than the one on Emerald Princess

The room is somewhat smaller too

Our stateroom looking back toward the door, which is not in view

The bathroom. The shower is bigger, the rest of it is smaller than the Emerald

Our closet area. I left the door on the shelves open so you could see the safe.

The Atrium

We both purchased the “Classic Soda Package” for $10/day each. That now includes not only all fountain sodas, but all fresh juices, mocktails, and smoothies.

TK also purchased the “New Grounds Coffee Package” which is good for 15 specialty coffees (e.g. café latte) or iced tea fusions, plus fresh coffee anywhere. Based on experience, the coffee from the Café is the best on the ship. That is $31/total for him. I only drink black coffee and do not like any other kind of coffee mixture.

The “Premier Beverage Package,” that includes $12 and under cocktails, wine, beer, bottled water, fountain sodas, and specialty coffees, is $60/per person, per day. Both people in the stateroom have to buy this package to the best of my knowledge. Good thing we do not drink!

Those prices are good for the purchase on the first day—I guess it goes up after that.

Because we are “Platinum” (based on the number of cruises and days cruising), we get 250 minutes of free Wi-Fi, but we upgrade to unlimited and faster wi-fi for about $130.

As I have mentioned before, TK gets a lot of onboard credit for the booking, owning Carnival stock, and his veteran status, so that  pays for what we do extra.  On this cruise and the last one, our tips were included in the price as part of the deal, but ordinarily tips are about $15/day, per person.

We explored the ship today, shopped a little, and enjoyed dinner [prime rib, baked potato]. Afterwards, TK played Motown trivia with 5 other people—I am not a music expert. His team did very well but did not win.

TK is reading the evening menu in the Symphony Dining Room!

We will miss Donna and Lawrence!

I spoke with Sons R and B today, loved that.

TK’s Takes: He is sleeping. Motown wore  him out!