Princess Cruises: Regal and Royal

If you wanted to know everything there is to know about the Royal Princess, and her sister ship, the Regal Princess, keep reading! I’ve sailed on both of these ships and they are some of my favorites in the Princess fleet.

My very first cruise, ever, was on the Royal Princess in 2022. This was a short 3-night cruise from Vancouver to San Francisco with my best friend. Because I had never been on a cruise before and have the tendency to get motion sick, I wanted to try out a short cruise to see how I did. Needless to say, I was hooked after that cruise and have been on so many cruises since then!

In 2024, I took my husband and two girls on the Regal Princess for Spring Break. That cruise was a 7-night cruise out of Galveston and visited Costa Maya, Roatan (Honduras), and Cozumel.  

I highly recommend going on a cruise for a girls trip or a family trip - there’s something for everyone so it’s easy to keep everyone happy.

Both the Royal Princess and the Regal Princess are extremely similar as far as amenities and layouts. Here are a few of my favorite things about these ships!

Lotus Spa & Fitness Center

I utilized the Fitness Center each day of both cruises. The fitness center on these ships had the equipment you’d expect to find in any gym: cardio equipment, weights, strength training equipment, and a room for classes. My one complaint is that the treadmills are facing the window, perpendicular to the ocean. It’s a beautiful view, but, as someone who gets motion sick, watching the waves go in one direction, while I was running in another, was too much for me so I opted for other workouts (or utilizing the outdoor track) instead.

Princess partners with Pure Barre, Club Pilates, Yoga6, Cycle Bar, and StretchLab so the fitness center programming is great. Classes vary each day and you can find a schedule in your daily newsletter (fees may apply).

I also used the Lotus Spa on both trips. Both spas were fabulous and I really enjoyed all of the treatments I received. Typically on embarkation day, the Spa will have a raffle and meet and greet where you can win free treatments. They generally will also have some kind of package deal that you can sign up for on the ship. For example, on my first voyage, the deal with a massage using upgraded bamboo, and a bonus eye treatment, all at a discounted rate.

Kids/Teen Club

My girls went to the kids club each day of our cruise. I wasn’t sure how they would react to it, but they loved it so much, we sometimes had trouble getting them to leave! The staff was great about keeping the kids engaged. My oldest was 12 at the time of sailing and my youngest was 9 and they wound up being in the same room. As we all know, siblings can sometimes get on each other’s nerves, but the staff kept the girls so busy that they hardly ran into each other in the club! Between skee-ball machines, to video games, to arts and crafts, the girls came out of the kids club with a new story to tell. They had a blast and made a bunch of friends for the trip. 

The kids club is divided into different age groups: 3 years - 7 years and 8 years - 12 years. There is programming for children between the ages of 6 months and 2 years but that requires parent participation. Children must be potty-trained to participate in these clubs. The hours vary, so be sure to check your newsletter each day for times of operation.  

There’s also a teen club called the Beach House. On these ships, the Beach House also has its own private sun deck and hot tub, which is super cool. My oldest was super disappointed that she was too young to enjoy that club!

Food

Alright, the most important part: the food! I didn’t have any complaints about anything on either voyage: every meal was enjoyable. Princess does a good job with their cuisine and I truly delighted in each meal, whether in the buffet or main dining, or a specialty restaurant. My kids loved everything, which is always a bonus!

We ate at a few specialty restaurants while on board. While they're all worth the extra cost, Sabatini's is my favorite venue with their fresh, house-made pasta, and wine selection!

Ready to see for yourself?

Sailing on either the Regal or Royal Princess is a great way to spend time with friends or family! There is something for everyone to enjoy and keep your entire party entertained. Let me help you plan your cruise so you can start building memories on your next sailing!

View of the Regal Princess from the pier