Regal Princess Cruise Ship Tour and Cruise Q&A

Regal Princess was the ship that I called home for 10 days as we cruised through Scandinavia.  If you’ve never done a cruise before, it’s probably difficult to image the sheer scale of a ship that accommodates around 3,500 passengers and 1,300 crew. It’s also probably difficult to imagine what it’s really like to go on a cruise, so at the bottom of this post I’ve added a Q&A which answers all the cruise questions I have been most commonly asked. If you’ve got a question that hasn’t been answered, please leave me a comment at the bottom of this page and I will add the answer into this post.

Regal Princess will be sailing around the British Isles in 2024, with all cruises departing from Southampton. These 12-day British Isles cruises will call at ports including Belfast, Cork, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Paris & Normandy (Le Havre), Orkney Islands and Portland for Stonehenge. 

So instead of flicking through the glossy brochures or browsing the picture-perfect website images, here’s a Regal Princess cruise ship tour with my own photos. Scroll and enjoy!

Regal Princess Cruise Ship Tour

My Balcony Stateroom

All cabins onboard Princess Cruises ships are called ‘staterooms’ and mine was a Balcony Stateroom. In hindsight I am so pleased I had a balcony as waking up to a new country and a new view every morning was one of my favourite things about cruising. The stateroom was compact and smaller than an average hotel room but it felt luxurious and very comfortable. The bathroom had a nice sink area and a shower with impressive water pressure. The only thing I think it lacked was some drawers for your folded clothes. Overall I was really happy with my balcony stateroom.

The Pool Deck

This is the main pool area of the ship and where you’ll find lots of fellow passengers, especially on a sunny or tropical cruise. Surrounding the pool, jacuzzis and sunbeams is a fully-stocked bar and open air kitchens serving the likes of wood fired pizzas, burgers and gelato. The main buffet restaurant is also a short walk away, so you can grab your food and take it out on deck to eat al fresco. The large cinema screen is vivd even in broad daylight and by night the pool deck becomes the location for ‘movies under the stars’.

The Bridge

During our Regal Princess cruise we got to go on a ‘behind-the-scenes’ tour of the ship, which meant we got to see a few areas that are usually off limits to guests. One of these was The Bridge, otherwise known as the main control centre of the ship where The Captain and his crew sail the ship. It was fascinating to meet Captain Tim and to learn how much goes in to safely sailing such a large ship.

The Sea Walk

The Sea Walk is a fun feature on board Regal Princess that allows guests to walk 128 feet above the ocean, on a glass-bottomed walkway. The experience is quite exhilarating and also a great place to stop for photos.

The Lotus Spa

I got to visit the ships luxurious Lotus Spa during the cruise and enjoy a full body massage. Every guest that books a treatment gets same-day access to The Enclave; an aromatherapy thermal suite. With relaxation areas, water beds, experience showers, hydro-therapy pool, hammam, sauna and steam room, it’s an amazing place to unwind after a treatment. Visiting the Lotus Spa was definitely a highlight of the cruise experience for me. 

The Retreat

The Retreat is an additional pool area of the ship that is reserved for adults-only. Guest can access The Retreat free of charge but the poolside cabanas are available for an additional fee. There’s also a fully-stocked bar with waiter-service so you don’t have to venture too far for your next cocktail.

The Sanctuary

The Sanctuary was definitely my favourite place on the ship. It’s an exclusive adults-only relaxation area at the very front of the ship, next to The Retreat. There are Serenity Stewards on hand to take care of your every need and keep you cool with child towels and refreshments. Access to The Sanctuary costs $20 for half a day or $40 for a full day and there are week-long rates too. The panoramic views are incredible and this is where I would spend all my sea-days on a cruise.

The Atrium

The Atrium is definitely the heart of the ship. Spreading over 3 floors, there’s a collection of cafes, restaurants, bars and even a gelato shop. It’s a common meeting point for people before disembarking the ship and every evening there is live entertainment on the ground floor. The two gold spiral staircases are super glitzy. If you know how to get to the Atrium you can never get lost onboard Regal Princess!

The Restaurants

I could write a separate blog post all about the Regal Princess restaurants. There are dozens of restaurants to choose from on board the ship, ranging from a la carte fine dining to a buffet restaurant and casual cafes where you can ‘grab and go’. Most restaurants are inclusive of the price of your cruise, but some of the speciality restaurants charge a reasonable surcharge (from $25 at Sabatinis to $115 for The Chef’s Table). The menus are changed daily so you’ll never need to eat the same dish twice. For more info on the restaurants check out fellow blogger Emily Luxton’s Regal Princess Dining and Restaurant Guide.

The Princess Theatre

I was amazed to find there was a full-scale theatre on board Regal Princess that shows a different production every night. The facilities are state-of-the-art and the cast are incredibly talented. During our cruise we got to see two different musical performances which packed out the theatre and definitely exceeded all my expectations.

The Top Deck

Although it’s not immediately easy to find, the top deck of the Regal Princess is a hub of activity. There’s a running track with lanes for running and walking and a 1k marker so you can track your distance. There’s also a driving range, open air gym equipment and tennis courts. It’s an amazing place to be on the ship on a sunny day.

Cruising Q&A

Q: I suffer from sea sickness. Would I be OK on a cruise?
A: I don’t suffer from sea sickness so it’s hard for me to categorically give you answer to this. I would say that the ship can be incredibly smooth, to the point where you forget that you’re on a ship. Other times you can feel a little bit of motion. It depends on the sea conditions. The higher up you are on the ship, the less movement you feel. My cabin was on a lower deck so I did feel a slight vibration of the motor when the ship was sailing at night. If you’re trying a cruise and think you may be prone to sea sickness, I’d recommend requesting a room on a higher deck. 

What do you wear on formal nights?
A: I was surprised at how much effort all the cruise guests made for formal night! In general, I’d say you can go as dressy as you like. Men wear tux and suits and women wear floor-length dresses. But if dressing up isn’t for you, you could easily throw on a casual black dress and spice it up with some jewellery. I’d say it was more flexible for women than men. 

Do you feel cabin fever on the ship?
A: Honestly, no I didn’t. We only had 2 full sea days during the cruise, and every other day we were off exploring. Even on the sea days, there is so much to do on the ship that you could never feel bored or locked in. Even though the ship was almost at full capacity, it never felt full or crowded. Everyone seems to disperse evenly all around the ship.

Was it warm enough to use the outdoor pool on the Scandinavia cruise?
A: It definitely wasn’t warm enough to swim in the pool, but the Jacuzzis were lovely and warm and we definitely got a lot of use out of them. 

Do you have enough time in the destinations?
A: At first I struggled with the concept of being in each destination for such a short time and I felt frustrated as I wanted to see more of each place. As the cruise went on I decided to see the day trips as an opportunity to sample a new city instead of getting to the heart of it. That way you won’t feel bad about not seeing everything. That would be impossible in a day! We usually got into the cities by around 10am and were back on the ship at around 3-5pm.

What do you do on a ‘sea-day’?
A: There’s so much to do! The ship has a programme of inclusive activities that you can get involved in, or you can just use the facilities at your leisure. I visited the Lotus Spa on one of the sea days which was such a treat.

Want to read more of my cruise posts? Check out

• 12 Reasons to Try a Cruise in your 20’s and 30’s
• Exploring The Baltic Capitals on a Scandinavian Cruise
• How to Explore Stockholm in a Day

If you have any other questions about cruising, please leave them in a comment below and I will be sure to answer them all. Have you ever considered a cruise before? 

This article has been created as part of a sponsored collaboration with Princess Cruises. All views are my own.