It was our first sailing on Princess after a dozen previous cruises on 3 other lines. Regal was the largest ship I've been on. Embarkation at terminal 2 was excellent and upon boarding, we got a glimpse of the beauty and sophistication that had been so consisitently touted. From then on, the week represented a mixed bag.

For starters, I will add my voice to the chorus of those who wonder about the sobriety of the designers. I usually prefer stairs, but not when it means shifting course to one end of the ship or the other. It is ridiculous that the center ship stairs end at deck 7 and necessitate boarding an elevator if you want to continue to cabins or public space anywhere near mid ship. But it would be more tolerable if the elevators there were even semi-reliable. There were often crowds at almost any floor mid-ship battling for access. While waiting, you will frequently witness the next apparent opportunity inexplicably zooming right past your floor! And one button does not control all shafts. So remember to press all unlit buttons!

Then there is the seating in the Vista Lounge (second largest entertainment venue) which alternates between rotating chairs and stationary couches. How is it that there is 5 feet of leg room for sofa sitting and 5 inches of leg room for the chairs? Read more