8-Day Canada and New England Cruise Aboard REGAL PRINCESS

This was our first Princess cruise in seven years (we last sailed in 2019), and the drop in quality and service is nothing short of catastrophic. We have sailed Princess many times over the years and always considered it a solid premium experience. This voyage on the Regal did not feel like the same cruise line. The company was taken over by Carnival cruises, and the declining quality matches that corporate spirit. There is a reason why referring to any cruise as a carnival cruise is an insult. It’s just bad.

The most glaring decline was the food, both in the main dining room and in casual dining. Quality has fallen sharply from what we remembered. In the main dining room, meals were consistently disappointing: overcooked proteins, bland and under-seasoned dishes, poor presentation, and frequent order errors. Entrees that should have been straightforward often arrived cold, dry, or nothing like what was ordered. We found ourselves sending items back or simply not finishing them — something that rarely happened on our earlier Princess cruises. The overall experience in the MDR felt like a significant step down in both ingredients and execution.

Casual dining was no better. The buffet (Horizon Court / Lido) was repetitive, often poorly prepared, and showed clear signs of cost-cutting. Items sat too long, many stations ran out of basic things, and what was available was frequently overcooked, under-seasoned, or simply unappetizing. Toast with the consistency of cardboard, dried-out eggs, and pastries that tasted stale were common. This was not the reliable, enjoyable casual option we had counted on in the past. Between the main dining room and the buffet, we were never able to count on a satisfying meal without going to a specialty restaurant.

Service matched the food decline. Long lines were the norm, bars with 10+ people deep, extended waits for Ocean Now, and room service that often took well over an hour (when it arrived at all). Staff were frequently inattentive and unfriendly. Many interactions felt transactional or dismissive rather than the warm, proactive service we remembered.

Our cabin steward and a couple of specialty-restaurant servers were exceptions, but the overall standard was a clear step down. Crew appeared short-staffed and overworked, which showed in both speed and attitude.

As a family, the change to the kids’ club hours was a major problem. The schedule is different from what we experienced in 2019 and no longer works for our family the way it once did. It limited flexibility on sea days and evenings and felt like another area where the product had been reduced without clear communication beforehand. Even more concerning was the staff themselves. We were stunned by the low intellect and inattentive nature of the children’s center staff. Basic communication was difficult, attention to the kids was inconsistent, and the overall competence level was far below what we expected (or had experienced on previous Princess cruises). It did not feel like a well-run or reassuring program.

The cruise director was another low point. She attempted a snarky, sarcastic style of humor that simply did not land. Instead of entertaining or engaging, it frequently came across as rude and off-putting. Several passengers around us had the same reaction.

We also ran into a clear cost-cutting issue in our cabin. Temperature control has been limited so that we could not get the room as cool as we prefer. On two separate occasions, staff said they would send someone from HVAC to address it. No one ever came. The problem was never resolved.

Overall, this did not feel like the Princess we sailed in 2019. The combination of sharply reduced food quality in both main and casual dining, understaffing, weaker service, operational shortcuts, and unfriendly interactions made for a disappointing vacation. We will not be booking Princess again.

Have cruised many time in the past but not with this particular cruise line. The cabin was good. Food okay. Entertainment not so much.

Would not purchase the transfers from airport to ship and back. It was just too stressful. Would take a taxi. Airport is very close to Ft Lauderdale port. The ships destinations were good. However, when we got to Princess Cay we could not get off the ship until later in the day due to a contract problem with the boats taking you to shore. When we did get off, all the BBQ food and drink were gone. Waste of time. My husband caught the flu on the third day and was quarantined to the cabin. (Medical staff was great) However, there is no room service menu, so I ended up having to carry food and drink to the cabin. Purchased the plus package, which was a waste for us. Pool deck was clean. You have to go to pool bar for drinks.

The ocean app did not work.

This was my first time sailing on a Princess cruise (3rd cruise ever) and it will be my last time. Overall, our cruise was fine. It was the discrimination experienced from some of the staff/team members that has led to us never going on another Princess Cruise unfortunately. Listed below are my pros/cons of my recent sailing.

Pros:

- The food was GREAT! We ate at the Horizon buffet the majority of the time during our cruise, and the food was really good. Each night, they had a theme for various types of cuisines and all of it was good every time. There was a variety of foods to choose from so all three of us were satisfied with what we ate each day. My son and I did eat at the Crown Grille and it was okay. We both had filet mignons. The meat could've been seasoned better because it was bland to me. My son enjoyed his whole meal, including the two desserts he gobbled down! Our waiter was very nice and attentive as well.

- The activities, lives, etc. were great! Sam, the Activities Director, did an excellent job of making sure there was something fun for everyone to do. Rachel and he made a great team on our ship, and they both had me cackling at their antics and bantering with each other.

- Our mini-suite was pretty nice. There was more than enough space for my son and I to have where we weren't bumping into each other. The curtains to separate his space from mine was very nice. I didn't even sit on our balcony a lot like I did on my other cruises; and that's because I was too busy enjoying the activities on the ship.

- Our attendant Ricky was great and took care of our room! I didn't find any hairs on my sheets or towels. That's a requirement for me; I don't want other peoples' hairs on my body or me sleeping on them. That's gross.

- The ship had a mixture of age groups. It seemed to be predominantly Boomers and older Gen Xers; I'm a young Gen X.

Cons:

Some of the team members discriminated against us at various times.

- The first instance was when we went to one of the pool deck bars on embarkation day. We were not served at all by the bartenders yet they were quick to serve several other cruisers who arrived AFTER us. Strike 1. Of course, we left and went to the bar by Trident Grill and were served according to our position in line. There were drunk cruisers attempting to be served immediately, but the bartender informed them that they had to wait in line after other cruisers, including us, were served. And THAT is how you serve people, according to their place in line.

- The second instance came when I went to the Future Cruise Credit office to see about an Alaskan cruise. I was not acknowledged at all. There were three team members in there; two were talking amongst themselves while the third was watching them talk. Never even stopped to help me. Strike 2.

- The final instance was -- and I brought my friend down to make sure I wasn't crazy -- when I went back to that office to see about booking my Alaskan cruise that day. Two team members in the office not doing anything but on their computers. I was never acknowledged yet again and not one person got up to assist me. A white couple came down and was immediately greeted and assisted as I stood there. My friend shook her head and confirmed what I had experienced. Strike 3.

- My friend experienced the same thing when she sat down at the casino bar while I stood in line to collect winnings. The bartenders NEVER served her and were serving people walking up well after her. I even was about to be served when I finally walked up to the bar, and she still hadn't been served. I made it a point to tell them that she was sitting there before me and another couple, and they had not served her. Pathetic.

- You cannot hear announcements in your room. They only play them in the hallways, which is asinine to me. The other two cruises I've been on, you could hear the messages in your cabin. Not sure why this line chose to do it differently.

- Their MedallionNet wifi was slow, and it was included in our package. I understand that many people were probably using it, but I've not had slow, paid wifi on the other two ships I sailed.

In spite of those issues, we made our cruise fun! Met and mingled with many people. My son definitely made a name for himself playing and winning runner-up in ping-pong the whole duration of the cruise. I found one duck on the cruise, hidden in a pamphlet box! Lol!

I will not sail on Princess Cruise Lines again, though, due to the lack of training some of their staff apparently had. You don't pick and choose who you want to help based on what color their skin is and your belief that some are more worthy than others.