Early in 2024, my husband and I booked a week-long cruise aboard Regal Princess, sailing out of Galveston, Texas. At the end of January we were looking for sun and warmth, a day or two of beach time, and serious relaxation. We found all that and more. Much more, in fact. In addition to bounteous food and entertainment aboard the ship, we booked three port excursions. Two of them were distinctive because they involved both food and cultural insights.

We went to escape the cold days and dreary skies of home; and we returned home with “adjusted attitudes,” looking forward to the early signs of spring . We knew it would be a while till longer, warmer days were upon us, but we felt ready to await the change of seasons after our brief hiatus.

I’ll be writing about all three of the ports — Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel — over the next two weeks. Follow me now to receive a notification about those posts.

As much as we enjoy all types of travel, there is little that trumps an opportunity to spend a few days at sea. It’s not about the destinations. We are “old salts,” who for many years spent as much time as possible aboard our personal cruising motoryacht. The world’s seas still call to us. But now, we let other captains take the helms.

And the Regal? Oh, Yes

Regal Princess is an elegant vessel, christened in 2014 by the original cast of “The Love Boat.” She is large and impressive with a maximum passenger capacity of 3560, a crew of 1346, and 19 decks. But, because of the design, there are intimate spaces both on deck and indoors where one can find comfortable seating and quiet surroundings. Public spaces are well-proportioned; in our experience, the ship never felt uncomfortably loud or crowded. We, however, could retreat to our private balcony had we wanted time to relax, read, or simply watch the sea drift by. As with all modern cruise ships, there are multiple pool areas, restaurants, lounges, gathering spaces, and enough activities to keep people busy from early morning to late at night.

Ours was a short cruise, on an itinerary we had traveled previously. We disembarked at each port, but we thoroughly enjoy the sea days, and have, on previous cruises, remained aboard even while in port. We appreciate the classic lines on the ship, and the familiar public spaces that characterize the ships of the fleet. Princess is one of our favorite cruise lines, so we are familiar with most of the line’s standard offerings, but the Regal has at least a couple of unique features. One is the interior balcony overlooking the casino — it’s possible to watch the action without actually being a part of it!

Food, Wine, Spirits, and Entertainment

As on all Princess cruises, the food is an experience, whether you choose to eat every meal in one of the dining rooms or opt for the World Marketplace Buffet. You can also eat and snack your way through the day at multiple other onboard venues like Alfredo’s Pizza, the International Cafe, Gelato, or the Ocean Terrace Seafood Bar. Superb specialty restaurants — Crown Grill Steakhouse or Sabatini’s — are also available.

We chose one of the three main dining rooms for each of our dinners, and some of our lunches, aboard Regal Princess, but we also visited the extensive Deck 16 buffet several times for brunch or lunch — and we sometimes snagged cookies and fruit to consume later in our cabin — I find the oatmeal cookies irresistible!

A spectacular feature aboard Regal one day on this cruise was a midday sushi buffet — What a feast!

And the desserts! Need we say more?

One of our favorite cruise traditions is to order a light breakfast, usually croissants, fruit, and coffee, delivered to our stateroom each morning. It’s a pampering, relaxing way to begin the day and a tradition we can’t seem to break. But why would we want to? But that didn’t mean we didn’t find other places aboard to enjoy breakfast and coffee.

We visited the International Cafe in the Piazza for occasional snacks and specialty coffees. We also enjoyed meeting other passengers, sharing stories, and listening to music in several distinctive cocktail lounges aboard this ship.

On this voyage, for some reason, dinner menu options were a bit “thinner” than we had expected but choices and portions were certainly ample. Service at times seemed slightly disorganized or rushed, and the visual presentation of some dishes was below the standard we have come to expect and appreciate from our times aboard other ships in the fleet. However, that’s a passing observation and certainly did not measurably detract from our onboard experience. We ate very well in each of the main dining rooms, whether for lunch or dinner.

Just one downside note: On other ships in the fleet, my husband has enjoyed visiting the ship’s sauna without a specific reservation or an extra fee. On the Regal, unfortunately, that was not an available option for him.

As always, onboard entertainment is plentiful — game shows, music, shopping, port lectures, dance and exercise classes and evening shows in the theater. And, of course, the casino. My husband picked up the daily Sudoku from the library and puzzled over it as well. And then there are the movies “under the stars” on the open deck, or on stateroom TV.

But, on sea days, just watching the ocean waves and the changing cloud patterns can be entertainment enough, from a lounge on deck, adjacent to one of the open-air bars, or on a private balcony. There was also plenty of opportunity to engage with other passengers in one of the cocktail lounges, enjoy the eclectic musical selections played throughout the ship, or attend one of the special programs scheduled throughout the day. I cannot imagine how anyone could characterize cruising as boring!

Renewing a Previous Acquaintance

We have traveled with Princess enough to have earned loyalty perks, and we enjoy those bonuses. A truly memorable event on this sailing was the Captain’s reception for upper-tier loyalty passengers at which the three “most traveled passengers” aboard were recognized.

On another Princess cruise several years ago, sailing out of the Port of Houston, I was privileged to meet and interview a lady who, at that time, spent much of each year aboard ship. It was a different ship, but even then she was a “most traveled” and much-loved passenger. I noted that the crew was particularly solicitous and always saved her same table in her favorite lounge for a pre-dinner glass of wine.

During our interview, I learned that she and her husband had cruised extensively together. Following his death, it seemed only natural that she should continue cruising. She told me that she treasured her shipboard life, saying that she was grateful to have the health, the opportunity, and the means to travel, adding that one of her joys was meeting and talking with other passengers. She explained that she returned to her home in Houston, “for tax season and for Christmas!”

During the ensuing years, I thought about her occasionally, wondering if perhaps she was still cruising. On this voyage, my question was answered. At the Captain’s Circle Cocktail Party on February 1, Thelma Middleton was honored as the “most traveled passenger” on Regal Princess for this sailing, with 252 cruises and more than 1,850 days aboard Princess ships.

After the ship’s photographer snapped her photo with Captain Gavin Pears and senior staff, I once again spoke a few words with her. I was genuinely surprised when she told me that she recalled our previous meeting. What a pleasure it is to know she is still traveling, and still enjoying herself!