April 6, 2026
Recently I took the new travel buzzword staycation to the next level. I stepped aboard the Regal Princess cruise ship for a four-day UK Seacation. Starting and ending in Southampton, the ship chased the sun sailing along the English Channel quite close to France. Waking up every morning to the soothing sound of the sea was a dream and a staycation at sea is definitely the ultimate escape.
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Princess Cruises is a global premium cruise line operating a fleet of 14 modern cruise ships. They were also the cruise liner featured in the 70s/80s hit TV series ‘The Love Boat’ if you’re old enough to remember it. With a capacity of 3,560 guests and a 1,346 crew, I was very excited to be given the opportunity to explore the luxury ship over four days at sea.
This review will give you an idea and feel of the Princess Regal cruise ship before you set sail.
Princess Cruise Ship Tour
Accommodation on the Regal Princess
There are a range of cabins available to suit every budget from inside and suite to wheelchair accessible. I stayed in a mini-suite stateroom with a balcony located on the 12th deck. Luxurious and spacious it includes a separate sitting area with a sofa bed, two flat-panel TVs – full of the latest blockbusters, a spacious bathroom, and plenty of wardrobe space.
Princess Cruises is also renowned for the most comfortable beds at sea. The Princess Luxury Bed is created in conjunction with leading sleep expert Dr Michael Breus and is hands down the best four nights of sleep I’ve enjoyed in a while. Stateroom stewards are also assigned to cabins and make your time at sea even easier. They take care of the evening turndown service and are only a phone call away for any cabin assistance.
The Piazza
The grand and opulent piazza is the beating heart of the ship, dazzling with its crystal chandeliers, spiral staircases and fountains. It’s where guests can sit back and enjoy a coffee, light snack, or cocktail and while away time or enjoy a spot of shopping. Always buzzing with people, live music, and a great atmosphere, it transforms with ease from a relaxed ambience during the day to a more lively and glamorous atmosphere in the evening.
Restaurants on the Regal Princess
The Regal Princess is a foodie haven, guests are spoilt for choice with the dining options available onboard. I was pleasantly surprised at how many are included in the complimentary dining plan. Going hungry is definitely not an option but coming home a few pounds heavier is certainly on the cards – You’ve been warned.
Included Dining
There are three main dining rooms with waiter service which all serve the same a la carte menus that change every evening – Allegro, Concerto, and Symphony. Concerto also offers a breakfast and lunch service too. We dined at the grandest table in Allegro – Chef Table Lumiere. Once seated you’re surrounded by a curtain of light that dramatically falls from the ceiling, creating a perfect private dining experience. It does come at an extra cost and is perfect for a special celebration.
The traditional neverending buffet restaurant at Horizon Court and Horizon Bistro have extensive food options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The pastry shop can’t be missed either, it serves the most delectable sweet treats.
No matter the time of day the International Cafe has you covered for any light snacks, cakes, or pastries. Open 24 hours it also has a coffee bar, but additional charges apply for speciality coffees. The egg white, spinach, and Gruyere cheese croissant I admit was a weakness of mine.
If you’re a pizza fan, Alfredo’s is the place to be. The delicious gourmet pizzas at this sit-down restaurant are freshly made to order. For something a bit more casual and alfresco head poolside to Prego Pizzaria where they serve up pizza by the slice. Traditional Southern BBQ is also available at the Trident Grill with hot dogs, burgers including veggie, spare ribs, and Texas-style brisket. And is there anything better than treating yourself to a soft-serve ice cream from Swirls ice cream parlour whilst poolside – I think not!
Speciality Restaurants
The speciality restaurants onboard the Regal Princess come at an extra cost but are some of the best at sea and a great way to celebrate a special occasion or treat yourself whilst on holiday.
Sabatini’s offers a taste of Italy in beautiful surroundings as you dine on signature pasta, Italian wines, and irresistible desserts. The eggplant parmigiana arrives in a deconstructed fashion and I can confirm tasted amazing.
The Crown Grill is a steak and seafood restaurant and not the type of place you’d think a vegetarian would enjoy a meal. However, the signature black and blue French onion soup is sublime, the tomato and mozzarella salad delicious and for mains, the chef whipped up a spicy pasta dish. It would be great to see some vegetarian main options available on the menu.
Sushi lovers have to visit the Ocean Terrace. The stylish bar serves up an array of seafood specialities that can be washed down with a great choice of chilled sake, cocktails, or wine. The chef prepared an incredible plate of vegetarian sushi, probably one of my favourite lunches. Although, again it would be good to see the options available on the menu.
Don’t miss Gelato if you harbour a sweet tooth. The gelateria has lots of flavours and toppings and also makes fresh waffles and crepes.
Bars on the Regal Princess
A huge part of the cruise experience is socialising and there are 14 bars and lounges onboard where you can do just that – I’m not sure I managed to even get around them all. My favourites were Good Spirits where bartenders show you how to create your chosen cocktail. I loved the colour-changing Magic Butterfly cocktail we renamed ‘The Pixie’.
If you’re a wine connoisseur Vines is a must with a fantastic selection of wines from around the world. For a glass of fizz and some very lovely champagne cocktails, it has to Bellini’s.
The Princess Plus package is well worth looking into when sailing on the Regal Princess. For £30 per person per day, it includes 15 premium alcoholic drinks, bottomless speciality coffees and soft drinks, unlimited MedallionNet wifi and onboard gratuities. Great value for money.
Outside Deck areas on the Regal Princess
The outside deck areas on the Regal Princess are home to three swimming pools, eight jacuzzis and some great features:
The Fountain Pool
Found on the Lido deck 16, the freshwater fountain pool is surrounded by the SeaView Bar and eateries like Prego Pizzaria, Trident Grill, and Mermaids Tail. There are plenty of padded loungers for people to relax, soak up the rays, catch up on reading or enjoy a cocktail or two.
The popular Movies Under the Stars takes place here too during the day and evening. Blankets are added for when it’s cool and there is even complimentary popcorn and milk and cookies.
In the evening the space also transforms into the Princess Watercolour Fantasy. A dazzling spectacle of brightly illuminated dancing water all choreographed to music – The Bellagio of Princess Cruises.
Terrace Pool
Up a short flight of steps from the Horizon Terrace is the small Terrace Pool on deck 17. Surrounded by loungers looking out to sea, the terrace pool offers nice views of the wake of the cruise ship. It’s a great place for a dip and cooldown.
Retreat Pool
Within the Retreat, there is an exclusive adults area on deck 17 with another pool with two jacuzzis. We spent most of our time here enjoying the sunshine. For an extra cost reserve one of the stylish cabanas surrounding the pool.
The SeaWalk
This dramatic over-the-ocean glass walkway offers unparalleled views of the sea. The 60-foot long curving SeaWalk is cantilevered 128 feet above the waves and extends 28 feet beyond the edge of the ship.
Walking on the 1.1-inch glass bottom with views of the sea or ship is thrilling especially if the seas are a little rough. And of course, it’s one of the best spots for an impromptu photo shoot.
Walking and Running Track
Walking on the deck surrounded by neverending ocean vistas is one of the great things aboard a cruise liner. On the Regal Princess, the track on Sports deck 18 is divided into two lanes to keep the walkers and joggers happy. Look out for the outdoor workout stations along the track, whilst in the middle is a court used for basketball, volleyball, tennis, or badminton. There is also a portable batting cage and a small golf driving range, so plenty to keep sports enthusiasts busy.
Wellness on the Regal Princess
Lotus Spa
An oasis of relaxation the Lotus Spa adopts an Eastern theme and offers everything you need to pamper yourself from facials, scrubs, massages, and body therapy. The Enclave houses the thermal suite including a sauna, steam room, and water beds. There are also a whole host of treatments to choose from, I was in heaven with the hour-long Swedish massage.
Lotus Fitness Centre
Gym fans will be thrilled with the state-of-the-art fitness centre it offers exercise classes, machine weights, treadmills, and more – all with spectacular ocean views. Along with the outdoor facilities, there is enough to keep everyone happy and active aboard the ship.
The Sanctuary
Access to the luxurious adults-only Sanctuary area comes at an extra cost of $20 for a half-day and $40 for a full day. Located on the top deck away from all the hustle and bustle it’s worth it even for a half-day.
We enjoyed a relaxed sunny afternoon in a private cabana with personal steward service, and refreshing beverages on tap, and also indulged in a decadent afternoon tea. If you need to escape and switch off this soothing oasis is the place to be.
Entertainment on the regal Princess
There is no time to feel bored on the Regal Princess from quizzes, art auctions, live bands, and a Vegas-style casino to amazing nightly performances in the Princess Theatre. There really isn’t enough time to experience it all.
We headed to the plush Princess Theatre every evening enjoying top headline comedians, live music from a blast from the past – Gareth Gates, and the most spectacular musical stage show – Bravo. It was where classical music met pop music, with stunning sets and a 13-piece orchestra.
The cast effortlessly flited between classics like Time to Say Goodbye and Habanera from Carmen to modern hits such as Adele’s Skyfall. They’re the hottest seats in the house, so get there early to grab a seat.
Kids Facilities on the Regal Princess
On this particular trip, children were not allowed on board as currently, all cruisers need to be double vaccinated. However, going forward this won’t be the case, so I took the opportunity to look around the incredible facilities available for children on the Regal Princess.
Princess Cruises offers three age categories of kids clubs in partnership with the Discovery Channel:
The Treehouse (aged 3 – 7 ) the soft play area is forest-themed with plenty of hands-on activities to keep mini cruisers entertained.
The Lodge (aged 8 – 12) is inspired by the great outdoors it’s filled with sports activities, arcade games and cool hang out areas for kids to lounge. There are also sports tournaments, dance parties, scavenger hunts and more to keep them busy.
The Beach House (13 – 17) is a grown-up space for teens to hang out. The contemporary beach-themed lounge has plenty of books, video games and a TV. They have their own outdoor space complete with a jacuzzi and cruise teens also have a party night with their own disco and mocktails.
Who said cruising is just for old folks?!
OceanMedallian on regal Princess
Now, I can’t talk about a Princess Cruise without mentioning OceanMedallian which has revolutionised the way we cruise. An OceanMedallian is presented to all cruisers when they board and replaces the key card. This small cool disc comes on a lanyard or can be placed in wearable extras available for a fee that include watches, bracelets, necklaces and clip-ons.
Not only does it open your cabin hands-free but it also offers the cruiser a personalised and interactive service including faster boarding, a GPS system to navigate the ship and find your shipmates, a messager service between guests, live ship schedules for onboard activities and the best of all, on-demand services. What I mean by that is guests can order food, drinks, retail items and even towels or bathrobes, and get them delivered wherever they are on the ship at no extra cost. It’s your very own Deliveroo/UberEats on a cruise ship!
Cruising During a Pandemic
To ensure safety amongst all passengers and crew everyone on the cruise has to be double vaccinated and also undergo a Covid test before boarding. Once onboard, there are still a few restrictions in place at sea, such as masks needed in crowded areas or in queues. Hand sanitisers are also available in public areas and need to be used when entering restaurants. Certain parts of the ships have clearly marked one-way systems in place to help maintain social distancing.
Did I ENjoy My Time on the Regal Princess?
Spending a seacation on the Regal Princess was the escapism I was craving. It was a holiday where I felt safe with all the measures in place. Spoilt for choice with daily activities. Delighted to be able to order food and drink at the touch of a button and delivered to my exact location. And best of all happy to be waking up to incredible ocean vistas every morning. What’s not to like?
For more information on Princess Cruises and to book your own cruise click here.
Have you been on a cruise? Would you like to go on one? Let me know in the comments box below.
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