Cruise Review: Regal Princess in the British Isles (page 2 of 3)

Hi Isabelle, Belfast will be a first for us next time, since CFC just canceled the cruise we were supposed to take with stops in Liverpool, Glasgow, and Portsmouth.... As usual, we traveled with the help of your reviews. Thanks for sharing! Mum49

So sorry for you! Looks like they frequently cancel itineraries 😕 Given their recurring issue with filling up, wouldn’t you be tempted to book closer to departure for a good deal?

Hello Isabelle, I agree with you, but since we wanted a cabin with a shower, it was difficult to book so close to departure because most cabins have a bathtub, which isn’t practical for us two "seniors aged 86 and 74." Only the interior cabins have showers, and a few ocean-view cabins (10), plus showers in 2 balcony cabins and 1 shower in a mini-suite—unless I’m mistaken, as it’s not easy to see on the deck plans. The cruise "Escape to Southern England" from 11/04/26 to 16/04/26, departing from and returning to Dunkirk, was replaced by "Tulip Festival" with stops in Ijmuiden (Amsterdam) for 2 days, Rotterdam, and Antwerp. We’re going to do this one with our eldest daughter, son-in-law, and their 2 kids, for whom it’ll be their first cruise. For the June cruise, we’ve received several proposals from our agency Croisiland, and we’re going to keep the same dates but choose a different itinerary. I’m waiting for the firm confirmation to book. Have a great weekend! Guylène

Hi Isa,

I caught up with a good coffee and I’m ready for the rest!

However, the boarding was really chaotic, which is unusual for Princess.

As for me, I’m not a huge fan of Princess cabins (even the superior ones) because they’re a bit small and the shower curtains in the bathroom don’t close properly. I slightly prefer Celebrity or Royal cabins.

My last cruise with Royal Princess was a real success, despite a canceled port stop, and I’m ready to give them another try.

I’m looking forward to the rest of your review, especially your conclusion on Princess, since I’ve read recently that their service has declined even more.

Alfred

HEY Alfred! Thanks for following along! It’s kinda weird they still have shower curtains on such a modern ship... You’re right, the cabins are smaller.

good evening I didn’t know there were cabins with bathtubs and others with just showers so the bathrooms must be more spacious than elsewhere 😉

Here are the last 3 stops: CORK, Ireland The REGAL PRINCESS docks at Cobh. The train station is 100m from the terminal, we take the direct train to Cork, the journey takes 45 minutes. The city center isn't very far from the station, I don't know if there was much else to see, but this city was a bit disappointing. We couldn't visit the cathedral because there was a funeral. We spent the morning there.







We then went back to have lunch on the ship and took a stroll in Cobh, which is a lively little town with colorful facades and, this time, a pleasant surprise! The afternoon is bright, which makes the visit even more enjoyable! Since my mom couldn't visit the TITANIC museum in BELFAST, we decided to check out the one in Cobh. While the one in BELFAST is incredible, the one in Cobh is a total letdown!! Don’t waste your time or money! We visited the cathedral and wandered through the little streets, then walked back along the seaside promenade and did a bit of shopping to finish off—it was really nice!

PORTLAND Portland is a peninsula located in the south of England, connected by a bridge to the British island. A free shuttle takes you to the charming seaside resort of WEYMOUTH. A small port, colorful facades, a very large beach, and in the center, a few pedestrian streets—I loved it! Since the weather was nice, we decided to take a taxi to explore the granite coast, the cliffs, and the famous arch "DURDLE DOOR." First stop at WEST LULWORTH, a stunning horseshoe-shaped bay with trails to explore the area. Second stop at DURDLE DOOR, accessible via a steep path—Mom waited at the top because it was too difficult, especially on the way back! It’s worth breaking a sweat—it’s so beautiful! Originally, we wanted to make a third stop, but I’ll admit we were wiped out! We asked the taxi to take us back to WEYMOUTH to grab a drink on the pier and stroll around the lovely seaside resort a bit more. This is a stop I’d happily do again!

LE HAVRE We decided to go to HONFLEUR—we already know it, but it’s been a long time since we last visited. I thought we were close to the bus station, but no such luck! So we took an UBER to the bus station, then caught the 9:30 bus. The trip takes about 45 minutes. The weather is GORGEOUS! And I’m THRILLED 😎 We rediscovered the lovely port, the beautiful facades, the pedestrian streets, and all the charm of this town where it’s so pleasant to wander. There are some really beautiful shops—it’s a feast for the eyes! We decided to head to the beach we hadn’t seen before, about a 30-minute walk from the center. Since the weather was nice, we could sit on the sand and look at the sea—I never get tired of it! The sun is shining, it’s so pleasant! You could say the weather kept getting better and better during this cruise—we started with a storm and ended with a beautiful summer day. It feels amazing!

















We took the bus and a taxi back to the ship. It’s 3:00 PM, and the buffet is still open! Isn’t that a great transition to the next chapter? 😉 TO BE CONTINUED: DINING ON BOARD THE REGAL PRINCESS!

Hey Isa, still here—weather’s always a big deal on a cruise! 😎

hi there! Thanks for following along! I totally agree with you—weather makes up 50% of a trip’s success! 😎

DINING ON BOARD THE REGAL PRINCESS A factor that’s so important on a cruise—dining! Back in 2017, we ate really well on board. I’d say that 8 years later, the quality has dipped a bit, but overall, it’s still good.

THE BUFFET We often went to the buffet for breakfast and lunch. I checked out the dinner options a few times—they’re decent but not as good as the main dining room. There’s a ton of choice for breakfast: hot and cold options, loads of variety. A special shout-out for their little quiches, which were always super appetizing. But a HUGE RED CARD for the fruit juices—I’d call them UNDRINKABLE! During one port stop, I bought some juice boxes to have with breakfast. We splurged once and ordered fresh orange juice for $10—worth it! Other than that, everything at breakfast was good. The pastries were decent quality. It was also really nice that they went table to table offering water, the undrinkable fruit juices, coffee… the hot chocolate was good, though!

For lunch, the opening hours were pretty generous, so we could often have lunch on board. Again, lots of choices, and it was tasty! We had delicious creamy mussels several times, new dishes every day, and multiple carved meats—not just one like on most cruise lines. Seriously, we were spoiled! One small downside: the desserts were a bit repetitive and just okay. The soft-serve ice cream wasn’t great—too bad!

Those who wanted to dine there for dinner also found plenty of options, though fewer new dishes than in the restaurant.

A unique feature on PRINCESS is how the buffet is organized into separate sections: one for fruits and desserts, one for sandwiches, salads, and raw veggies, and one for meat, fish, grill, etc. It might seem confusing at first, but you get used to it quickly. What’s smart is that the cutlery and napkins are already on the tables—so convenient! We never had trouble finding a table for four. The flow was smooth, even on sea days—really nice!

SOME PHOTOS OF THE BUFFET:

THE RESTAURANT We went there three times for breakfast, and it was really pleasant. The speed of service varied a lot—from perfect to painfully slow. The time you arrive definitely makes a difference: there are fewer people at the end of service, so it’s faster. The food was good and varied, but unlike dinner, there’s more choice at the buffet. Still, it’s nice to be served at your table. Like on other cruise lines, we missed the longer morning hours—you can only arrive until 9:00 AM. For dinner, there are three options: the first seating at 5:30 PM, the second seating at 8:00 PM, or open seating. We chose the third option. With open seating, you can reserve a time, but it fills up fast, so we only managed to book three times. The main restaurant is divided into three smaller restaurants, depending on whether you choose a set dining time, open seating, or open seating with a daily reservation. The rooms are smaller than a single large restaurant, which is great because it’s much quieter! No French translations for the menus—we’re getting used to it, but it can be tricky for those who don’t speak the language well enough. Like on all cruise lines, there are always some staple dishes available (beef, chicken, fish, pasta, etc.). I don’t know if it was because of the itinerary, but there was always FISH AND CHIPS available, and I was blown away by how good it was—the best I’ve ever had! The fish was thin and flavorful, not dry at all. I’ll admit, I couldn’t resist ordering it a second time! 😉 Overall, the quality was excellent. The meat was plentiful and really good. The portions are generous. There’s often an American influence in the dishes, but you’ll definitely find something you like. The desserts are way better than at the buffet—no contest.

The quality of service varied. We never had to wait long for a table, but after that, it could take a while depending on the night. Overall, we were happy. ONE DOWNSIDE: NO LOBSTER OR LANGOUSTINE on the last gala night—that was a letdown. We didn’t see the point in eating at the specialty restaurants that cost extra. Here are some photos of the dishes:













TO BE CONTINUED: the ship and onboard entertainment[;]

Hi Isa,

Thanks for taking the time to detail the dining options—I’ve been really looking forward to this part! From what I see, the decline is pretty widespread, but it still seems quite decent and acceptable with Princess!

That said, charging $10 for fresh fruit juice is a bit much!

For my part, I never drink juice or tea on cruises (I avoid sugar for health reasons). But I do prefer eating fresh fruit—way more vitamins and healthier.

As for menu translations, sometimes the English version is better because the French ones are often poorly translated. That said, with a good translator on our phones, it’s an easy fix!

Nowadays, it’s becoming common not to offer lobster at the end of the cruise to encourage us to go to the specialty restaurants... What a shame!

So, in conclusion, Princess still offers a great value for money despite a few minor imperfections, right?

Have a great Sunday!

Hey Joseph, I’ll save the value-for-money verdict for my conclusion 😉 On CELEBRITY, lobster’s still on the menu, but the quality of other dishes like the New York steak has dropped—it’s way better on PRINCESS... When you say lobster’s no longer a thing, are there other cruise lines that have dropped it too?

Hi Isa, Once again, we can see that when it comes to dining, the experience can vary greatly from one ship to another within the same cruise line and even during the same season. While the guidelines may be the same, the execution depends on the Chef, the talents on board, and can lead to very different results.

Hey Isabelle, You're right, the food really matters on a cruise 😉. Since I don’t know this company, I see it doesn’t look bad at all. The dessert photo looks amazing—they’re so pretty! I’ll let you know if there’s still lobster on my next Celebrity cruise 😉. Mich74

Hi Joseph, I’m saving the value-for-money verdict for my conclusion 😉 On CELEBRITY, lobster is still served, but the quality of other dishes like the New York steak has dropped—it’s much better on PRINCESS... When you say lobster isn’t really a thing anymore, are there other cruise lines that have also dropped it?

On the NCL Sky, there was no lobster (except in the specialty restaurants). On the Royal Princess (in the Pacific), I didn’t get any either, and from what I remember, I don’t think I had any in 2023 on the Ovation OTS (also in the Pacific).

I asked a server about it, and he told me it depends on the destinations and the ships. For example: in the Caribbean, Princess still serves lobster before the end of the cruise. On some Royal ships, they even have all-you-can-eat lobster at the buffet on the first and last day. Go figure!

Alfred

Hi Isa,

Thanks for the photos and their always interesting descriptions. That fresh orange juice for $10 must be well digested by now. Have a great evening! Guylène

Hi Catherine, what notable differences do you notice compared to yours? Are the menus in the restaurant similar? Was the orange juice good? 😉