Golden 8/7-14 Review

[pkdof]

Just back from a wonderful cruise RT Seattle to Alaska. Traveled with DH and our twin 15 year old DS and DD. Overall a very good time had by all, with very few glitches and many highlights.

 

8/7 - Embarkation Day

We flew to Seattle on United the morning of the cruise, arriving about 11:15. Had arranged with Already There to take us from SeaTac to Pier 91. Called as we were walking out of baggage claim and driver there in 5 minutes. Drive was uneventful and we got to the pier a little before noon. Found the staplers to attach our luggage tags, dropped them at baggage check, got through security and check-in and in our cabins about 12:20. Immediately called the dine line to make reservations for Crown Grill that evening and Sabatini's the next evening, and to sign up for the chef's table (although we didn't get that). Met our cabin steward, Orlando, who was terrific all week. Then went to purser's desk to sign up for Ultimate Ship Tour and confirm our meet and greet. Was told our meet and greet time and location had been changed - this was a bummer as it was hard to get the word out. I encouraged the kids to do the "treasure hunt" - getting stamps from various locations on the ship - and they enjoyed it (except they complained that they were forced to tour the spa in order to get that stamp). We had lunch at the International Cafe - very good, and it became a favorite snack stop for the kids during the week. We also purchased Ultimate Kids' Packages for the kids, soda stickers for DH and me, and a coffee card. We went to the sail away party, which was fun, although we didn't win any of the prizes.

 

We stayed in C751 (Vista suite) and C753 (BB) and really loved the location and the suite. The new bedding (linens, comforter and pillows) were very comfortable (the BB had them also). The suite was spacious; I didn't think it looked dated at all. My only quibble with the suite is that there are no shelves in the bathroom, but having the large vanity area almost made up for that. As mentioned, our steward Orlando was really great, happily switched out items in the mini bar, made sure mail for the balcony cabin was brought into our suite, brought extra pillows, got our laundry timely, etc. And he always managed to make order out of the chaos I left on the desk.

 

Dinner at Crown Grill was amazing. We had a wonderful waiter, Ovidou, from Romania (we met his roommate, another Ovidou from Romania, at Sabatini's the next day). There were no disappointments on the menu. The scallops and foie gras appetizer, french onion soup, rack of lamb, filet, lobster tails, mussels, were all fantastic. We were so full by dessert that we could only manage small bites.

 

We all went to the Welcome Show, which was okay. The kids registered for the teens club, but ended up not going there during the week - they said the activities didn't entice them, and so they ended up spending a lot of time with us, which I didn't mind at all! It was really nice to have quality time with them.

 

I went to the casino while the rest of them went back to the cabins. That was our pattern all week - I usually closed out the night at the casino. I don't play tables, just machines. I had hot streaks and cold streaks during the week, but I spent less than I budgeted and had a good time. So although I wasn't a winner, it was good entertainment fo rme.

 

8/8 - Sea Day

DH and I went to Sabatini's for breakfast. Because the kids are under 16, I was registered in the balcony cabin with DD. It wasn't a problem at Sabatini's though, because they only asked for my husband's cruise card. The food was pretty good and the service very attentive, but it was very slow. We never went back because it was too time consuming and we preferred to have breakfast with the kids most mornings in our suite.

 

After ordering a hot breakfast for the kids in the suite (and then delivering the tray to them myself), we got ready for our meet and greet. Unfortunately, probably due to the last second time and location change, the only other roll call members who showed were WestCoastGal and her DH. But it was nice to get to know them, and as it turned out we spent time together during the week at trivia games, the Captain's Circle cocktail party, and finally on the Ultimate Ship Tour (yes, we were lucky enough to get this!). We went to the Juneau lecture, and then DD and I played bingo. Although we didn't win, we had fun. I then set off for Lotus Spa and my "lime ginger salt glow and massage". This was a great way to start a cruise - very relaxing. Of course the masseuse tried to sell me various products, but I just said no thanks. DD and I then went shopping, picking up some cosmetics in the duty free, and had afternoon tea. After that, DH and I tried the afternoon trivia quiz.

 

Dinner was at Sabatini's - another excellent meal. The hot and cold appetizers were very tasty. We skipped the soup and salad, and enjoyed the ravioli (the other pasta was just ok). Entrees (lobster tails, scallops) were very good. The kids skipped dessert, although DH and I couldn't resist. We all met up for the Marriage Game Show, which was a riot.

 

8/9 - Juneau

DH got up early (6 am) to catch sight of whales. He persuaded me to go to Horizon Court for breakfast - the only time I was there all week. On finding half cooked bacon, I asked for some that was cooked and after a few minutes received a huge plate of nice, crispy bacon. The coffee was atrocious - we went out to the bar to get cappuccinos with my coffee card. We played morning trivia and won passport wallets. Then we get ready for our shore excursion, the Photo Safari Land and Sea (we arrived in Juneau at noon). We really enjoyed this excursion. We first went to Mendenhall Glacier for a one mile hike and then went whale watching. There were only 14 people on the tour. Our guide, Adriane, had a terrific personality and was very knowledgeable about both photography and the flora and fauna. We saw several whales and learned some great photographic techniques.

 

We asked to be dropped in town, rather than back at the ship, as we had planned to go to Tracy's King Crab Shack for dinner. Tracy's did not disappoint! The bisque, king crab legs and crab cakes were delicious! DH and DS even got second on the bisque. We then walked around town for about 45 minutes, bought DS a jacket for $20, some jade (with coupons), and glacier silt soap. We made it back to the ship just as Libby Riddles, an Iditarod Champion, was giving her presentation. What an interesting lady! She was followed by the comedian, Steve Moris, who was very funny.

 

8/10 - Skagway

This was a busy day. We ordered breakfast in the suite for all of us, then got going for our first of three shore excursions, the Glass Blowing Experience. Our guide, Anna, was very nice and knowledgeable about the town, and also an excellent assistant to the glassblowing expert. We learned the process of glassblowing, were hands on as much as possible, and can't wait to get the ornaments we made in the mail. This tour includes a tea lunch and time in Jewell Gardens, which are quite lovely.

As our next tour, Skagway and Days of '98, had a meeting time about 30 minutes later, we decided to wait at the dock rather than try to shop or get back on the ship. I asked the Princess tour rep at the dock about the meeting place and was misdirected, so luckily DH insisted on checking again and we were the last ones to make it on the bus. This tour went to the sculpture garden, the town museum, the lookout point, and the Days of '98 show. The driver/guide was pretty bad - he didn't tell us much about the town (he spent more time telling us about a problem he had with the wheelchair lift on the morning tour) and wasn't very helpful. In hindsight, we should have just gone to the museum and the show on our own. The show was fun in a cheesy way. We decided not to go back to the ship with the bus and instead browsed the town for a little while. We bought some fudge, but didn't find anything else worth buying. We then took a shuttle (for $2 each) back to the dock for our next tour, which was the round trip train ride. I was glad we chose the evening train, as the cloud ceiling had been quite low most of the day and had lifted by late afternoon, although it was still pretty cloudy and misty. The views were beautiful and it was relaxing to ride the train after a busy day.

 

When we got back to the ship, we ordered dinner from the dining room menu to our suite for all 4 of us. It took 45 minutes to get our food, and a couple of the entrees weren't warm enough by the time we got to them, but overall it was a satisfactory meal. I had brought "into the Wild" with us, and we watched it while having dinner. None of the shows seemed interesting to us that night, so DH and the kids stayed in while I made my nightly donation to the casino.

 

This review is getting pretty long, so I think I'll finish tomorrow. Feel free to ask questions.

[snowman]

Great review. We are doing this same trip in 3 weeks. Thanks

[oliverweagle]

Great review - we look forward to more! Woluld you please share some more about the Photo Safari Land and Sea - we are looking into taking this also, and was also wondering what cameras and lenses would be recommended?

 

Thank you,

 

Ollie:)

 

Sorry that you did not get the Chef's table. Any idea what the criteria are? I would have thought that as you were in a suite that you would have had a better chance .:confused:

[ontheweb]

Since we're leaving Saturday on this same cruise, I'm looking forward to the rest of your review

[Woobstr112G]

Thanks for posting your review. Sounds like your family had a great cruise.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Colo Cruiser]

Thank you for the review.

[pkdof]

Great review - we look forward to more! Woluld you please share some more about the Photo Safari Land and Sea - we are looking into taking this also, and was also wondering what cameras and lenses would be recommended?

 

Thank you,

 

Ollie:)

 

Sorry that you did not get the Chef's table. Any idea what the criteria are? I would have thought that as you were in a suite that you would have had a better chance .:confused:

 

I brought all three lenses that I own with me, but Adriane said that my biggest lens, which is 18-200, was the best to use, so I stuck with that. It would have been nice to have a bigger zoom (to 300), but honestly, I got some very good pictures which I will eventually post al ink to. My daughter wished we had a macro lens, because there were lots of close up nature shot opportunities, but again we were fine with what we had.

 

By Wednesday I realised I hadn't heard back about the chef's table, so I called and asked. They told me the chef had decided to do only one this cruise, and that it had filled up pretty quickly. Considering that I had called by about 12:20 on embarkation day, others must have been very fast.

[emmysmom]

Thanks for posting your review ~ sounds great! We were on the Golden this time last year and loved cruising on her. Your review brought back a lot of great memories of our cruise. I am looking forward to cruising on her again someday. Next year we are planning on going back to Alaska, but on Diamond Princess.

[TracieABD]

Thanks for a great start... I am looking forward to reading the balance of your review! I love the Golden!:)

[pkdof]

Back to the review, although it's going to be harder to remember some things as I can't find a couple of the Patters. Oh well.

 

8/11 - Glacier Bay

I got up fairly early, probably just after we picked up the rangers. It was a glorious day, mostly sunny. We found that our splurge on the VS and adjacent BB was well worth it - we had a terrific view on the stern and starboard sides all day. I cranked the volume on both TVs in the suite and the kids' TV so that we could hear the commentary out on the balcony. No fighting crowds to get to the rail, heck, we didn't even have to get out of our pj's! Tremendous views, clean air - it was so relaxing and wonderful.

 

We eventually got dressed and went to the Taste of Alaska Buffet, which was set up by the indoor pool. Sushi, salmon various ways (e.g., seared, gravlax), crab salad, and clam chowder. Food was just ok. DH decided to get pizza and DS (after cleaning his plate from the buffet) went for a cheeseburger and fries. DH and I went to the park ranger talk in the Princess Theatre, and then I believe we met up with the kids for afternoon trivia. I think this was the first time WestCoastGal and her husband teamed up with us, but all the trivia games are beginning to blur a bit, and we might have done two games with them that day. We did win a few times during the week. The prizes aren't that great (how many passport wallets can one person own), but the bragging rights are great! I also can't remember if this was the day they did Peer Factor in the piazza, or the next day - whichever day it was, we all watched and thought it was fun, and enjoyed our treats from the IC.

 

Before we went for lunch I had called about the Chef's Table and was told we didn't get it. I also tried to make a dining reservation for that evening, but was told nothing was available before 8:30. I said that I thought we were supposed to get priority as suite guests, and also that we had never received a phone call about when we wanted to have dinner, as I understood we should have. The voice on the other end of the line said that the dine line opened at 8 am and we should have called then. I said that wouldn't be priority if I had to call the same time as everyone else - again, no help. I also asked about making a reservation for the next night (2nd formal night) but was told I'd have to make the reservation at 8 am the next morning. But we're leaving before 8 for our shore excursion - again, no help. (I have to say, this conversation - and the half-cooked bacon in HC - were the only real low points of the week.)

 

We took the 8:30 reservation in Donatello. The onion soup and rack of lamb were excellent, perfectly cooked, and the fish with champagne risotto was also very good. We asked our waiter if it would be possible to make a reservation for the next evening - he summoned the head waiter, Armindo, who said we could have 5:30 (which is what we wanted) and that we should ask for him when we arrived.

 

I believe the entertainment this evening was Gaetano, the magician. It is a very good show, although it hasn't changed much over the years (we're pretty sure this was the third time we've seen Gaetano perform on Princess ships, including one time when I was called up on stage). After Gaetano's show, we saw the crew talent show, which was also very entertaining. The best part was a remnant from the old pub night, the "if I were not at sea, what would I be" routine.

 

8/12 - Ketchikan

I have to say, staying up late at the casino made it hard to get up early, but I had our routine down (I'd order the breakfast before going to bed, set the wake up calls, etc.). After breakfast in the suite, we got out to the pier and found our meeting place for our float plane ride with Island Wings. We were picked up exactly on time (7:50 am) and driven to their dock. Michelle, our pilot, was the consummate professional and a great guide. We had great weather - it was a beautiful clear day. Michelle said that many people think that it is better to fly later in the day because there may be morning fog, but there's more turbulence later in the day. We had a pretty smooth flight, and the views were tremendous. Michelle offered us (another couple from the ship was also on the flight) the choice of two landing spots - views or wildlife. The vote was 5-1 for wildlife. She chose a spot where the salmon were jumping and eagles were flying all around. On the flight back, she flew over a pass where we could see mountain goats all around, and later pointed out the harbor seals to us (they look like slugs from the air). After our flight tour, we went to the Lumberjack Show. The show hasn't changed much since we first saw it 10 years ago, including the routine where a rabbit carving is turned into a chair for a little kid (our kids were called up onstage when they were 5 and got the chair). But it is fun!

 

As soon as we got on the ship, we headed to the dining room for lunch. We all had burgers, although I had the blue cheese burger, which was very yummy. After dropping things off at the cabins, we played another trivia game, again with WestCoastGal and hubby. We were delighted to find out we had all been accepted for the Ultimate Ship Tour, which would take place on Friday morning. After trivia, we got dressed up and went for dinner in Donatello. We went in the reservation line and asked for Armindo - the maitre d' asked if he had arranged a special table for us. I said no, just that he had arranged for us to dine at that time, but if he had a nice table.... We were immediately taken over to a window table for 4 in a corner. (However, DH wasn't with us as he was getting a cold and wanted to rest.) Our waiter was Bien, who took excellent care of us. The kids each had lobster/prawns followed by the pheasant; I just had two orders of the lobster/prawns. :D I also asked Bien if we could have the same table the next night - he called Armindo, who had come over to check on us earlier, and we arranged it with him.

 

After dinner, DH met me at the Captain's Circle cocktail party, where we were joined by WestCoastGal and her husband. Another highlight of this cruise was meeting them - we really enjoyed their company. After the cocktail party, we met up with the kids to see the comedian/juggler. We laughed so hard! It was the most entertaining show of the week.

 

8/13 - Victoria

This morning we had been looking forward to - our Ultimate Ship Tour. After our usual breakfast in the suite, we headed to the Princess Theatre, where Lisa, our guide from the cruise staff, and the photographer and security person waited for us. I think all twelve of us on the tour were from our roll call. We were taken up on stage, while the technical director, Amanda, explained to us how they worked the lighting, sound, special effects, etc. Then we were taken back stage to see the dressing room. From there we visited various other "behind the scenes" areas - the laundry (who knew laundry could be so fascinating!), medical center, galley (where we were served drinks and goodies), food storage, print shop, photo shop, the funnel, the engine room, and finally the bridge, where Captain Nicolo Binetti explained how the bridge operates, how he controls the ship when it is coming into port, etc. We were also served champagne, pellegrino, canapes and various chocolates and other goodies.

We ended the tour just before noon. Along the way we were given various handouts, and also had several group photographs taken. Late in the day, the photographs were delivered to our cabin along with robes, chef's jackets, and personalized stationery. (Two of our jackets were too large; DH took them to the purser's desk in the morning and they were able to exchange them.) This tour was amazing, and well worth the cost.

 

After resting a while (and gathering up brochures to plan our next cruise), we went to the Pub Lunch in Crown Grill. The kids had fish and chips; DH had the ploughman's lunch, and I had the bangers and mash. All very tasty, particularly the bangers. DH enjoyed a "real" Guinness (I had some of his, it really is different than what we get here). DD and I then went to the napkin folding seminar - we really learned something and I hope she puts it to use the next time we have guests for dinner! After that, we went to Gaetano's magic workshop, where he explains some of his tricks, which was very interesting. Then there was one last trivia challenge with our new friends.

 

When we arrived at Donatello at 5:30, Armindo saw us immediately and said our table was waiting - the same lovely corner window table. Bien again gave us excellent service, and after dinner I gave him and Armindo cash tips. Dinner was fine, the pastas particularly good as always. I think by then we were finally in food overload.

 

With so little time in Victoria, we took the ship's Butchart Gardens tour. It was easy to find the bus on the pier, and our driver gave a very good narration as we drove through the city and on to the gardens. The gardens are lovely, and the lighting was very nice. There was also a concert going on there, a good vocalist. DD was frustrated that it was hard to take photos in the low light, but it was still pleasant to tour the gardens. However, it was quite warm and humid, and I started to feel a cold coming on as well, so I was glad to get back to the ship. I made one last trip to the casino, had a good time and finally cashed out.

 

8/14 - Seattle

We had decided that we would carry our own bags off the ship so that we wouldn't have to pack the night before and could, more or less, choose when we would leave. Melinda at the purser's desk told me the last express walk-off time was 7:45, but smiled when I asked her, "what if I walk slowly?" She did say we should leave at 7:45, but I felt there had to be some flexibility. I did finally manage to finish packing (remember, I wasn't feeling great and we now had all those robes, chef's jackets and other items added to our luggage) by 8:30, which is when we left the cabin. We gave a cash tip to Orlando, who really had been super all week.

It wasn't hard carrying off our luggage, despite the fact that we had 4 big suitcases, two backpacks, a carry-on, and a couple of tote bags to carry all the extra items. But we had too much for a regular cab, and while waiting for a van cab, decided to go with a shuttle.

 

We arrived at the Westin about 9 am, checked in, put our bags in storage, and went off sightseeing. We walked one block to the station and took the monorail to Seattle Center, and went up the Space Needle. Another beautiful day (it got up into the 80s) and the views were great - we could see the Golden and our cabins from there. We bought a couple of souvenirs and then headed over to the SciFi Museum and Experience Music Project. We enjoyed both museums, and took the monorail back. We headed straight to Avis, which is across the street from the Westin, and picked up our car (DH upgraded us to a SUV as the Malibu I reserved wouldn't fit our luggage). We then drove to Pike Place Market and luckily found close street parking. We had lunch at Beecher's Cheese (the crab melt, mac and cheese, and onion soup, all very tasty), then walked through the market for a while, stopping to watch the fish mongers and buy some nectarines. We then paid homage to the original Starbucks, bought drinks and some coffee beans for home. From there, we headed to the Museum of Flight, which is one of the best aviation museums in the country. We walked through the Concorde and Air Force One they have, and saw various exhibits. We headed back to the Westin, where we had a little difficulty getting adjoining rooms, but all worked out, and after a little rest, headed out again. First stop, the drug store across the street for cold remedies (!), and then the mothership - the flagship Nordstroms, which was next door. DS, DD and I all found items to purchase. I think the combination of cold medicine and retail therapy was making me feel better, and it was time to go to dinner. We walked to Steelhead Diner, and I was very glad I had made a reservation on Open Table a couple of weeks earlier - the place was packed and walk-ins had a long wait. We were seated immediately. First, the appetizers: the caviar torte was almost as good as the one I make, the fried Beecher's Cheese curds were yummy, and the crab cake was great (huge chunks of crab, practically no filler). DH and DS had the burgers (wagyu beef, very good) and poutine, DD had the catfish tacos (absolutely delicious; it arrived late, so was taken off the bill without our asking), and I had the fried chicken and gravy (I needed comfort food, and it fit the bill). We shared the chocolate cake with coconut ice cream, and waddled back to the Westin.

 

The rooms at the Westin were quite comfortable. We were on the 38th floor of the south tower and had very nice views. We parked at the discount parking that is south of the hotel (there is a pedestrian bridge to the hotel); however, we did not realize that you have to prepay for the best discounted rate, so we paid $28 instead of $22.

 

8/15 - Going Home

We had an early flight, so got up, made the Starbucks coffee in the room, and headed out to the airport. Returned the car, checked the bags, and found that our flight to San Francisco was delayed. Went to the shortest set of security lines, where DD found that there was a bag with the liquor minis in her tote bag. Argh, I had forgotten to put them in the suitcase! DH and I had two plastic baggies for our carryon liquids, and managed to fit all the minis in them. Thank heavens - those Courvoisier bottles are worth a lot. We went to Anthony's for breakfast, but despite being told that egg dishes would be out in 5 minutes, 20 minutes later we still didn't have food. I was getting antsy because we were very far away from the N gates, so I asked for to go boxes and as soon as the food arrived we boxed them up and headed to the gate. Good thing, as they started boarding a few minutes after we got there. But the food was all very good, and still hot, so no harm (except to my nerves). Arrived at SFO and headed to the Red Carpet Club to wait for our flight to LAX. I got upgraded at the gate, so I relaxed in first while the rest of the family was in row 10. DH suddenly realized that he had left his fanny pack with our car keys on the first plane, so we had to make a claim for it, take a cab home, then I had to take him back to the airport with the spare keys to get the minivan home. United called this morning with the good news they found his pack, so all is well.

 

Miscellaneous

Just a few other things to mention. We ordered canapes in the suite every day - they were a nice snack, and we could choose which ones we wanted. We never tried MUTS, although we meant to, but there was always something else going on or it was too cold/rainy when we would have gone. Also never went to the pools/hot tubs. There's just not enough time in the day/night to do everything - that's why the kids and I want our next cruise to have more sea days. The soda cards are definitely worth it for us, as we drank several diet cokes/sprites each day. I'm not sure the Ultimate Kids' Package was worth it, because the kids didn't order very much besides soda until the last few days, when they finally tried out various smoothies and hot chocolate. I didn't use up the coffee card, which is fine because I'll save it for the next cruise. Cappuccinos are included at Crown Grill and Sabatini's, so I didn't use the card there.

[boaterette]

Great review. Thank you for posting.

[Woobstr112G]

Back to the review, although it's going to be harder to remember some things as I can't find a couple of the Patters. Oh well.

 

8/11 - Glacier Bay

I got up fairly early, probably just after we picked up the rangers. It was a glorious day, mostly sunny. We found that our splurge on the VS and adjacent BB was well worth it - we had a terrific view on the stern and starboard sides all day. I cranked the volume on both TVs in the suite and the kids' TV so that we could hear the commentary out on the balcony. No fighting crowds to get to the rail, heck, we didn't even have to get out of our pj's! Tremendous views, clean air - it was so relaxing and wonderful.

 

We eventually got dressed and went to the Taste of Alaska Buffet, which was set up by the indoor pool. Sushi, salmon various ways (e.g., seared, gravlax), crab salad, and clam chowder. Food was just ok. DH decided to get pizza and DS (after cleaning his plate from the buffet) went for a cheeseburger and fries. DH and I went to the park ranger talk in the Princess Theatre, and then I believe we met up with the kids for afternoon trivia. I think this was the first time WestCoastGal and her husband teamed up with us, but all the trivia games are beginning to blur a bit, and we might have done two games with them that day. We did win a few times during the week. The prizes aren't that great (how many passport wallets can one person own), but the bragging rights are great! I also can't remember if this was the day they did Peer Factor in the piazza, or the next day - whichever day it was, we all watched and thought it was fun, and enjoyed our treats from the IC.

 

Before we went for lunch I had called about the Chef's Table and was told we didn't get it. I also tried to make a dining reservation for that evening, but was told nothing was available before 8:30. I said that I thought we were supposed to get priority as suite guests, and also that we had never received a phone call about when we wanted to have dinner, as I understood we should have. The voice on the other end of the line said that the dine line opened at 8 am and we should have called then. I said that wouldn't be priority if I had to call the same time as everyone else - again, no help. I also asked about making a reservation for the next night (2nd formal night) but was told I'd have to make the reservation at 8 am the next morning. But we're leaving before 8 for our shore excursion - again, no help. (I have to say, this conversation - and the half-cooked bacon in HC - were the only real low points of the week.)

 

We took the 8:30 reservation in Donatello. The onion soup and rack of lamb were excellent, perfectly cooked, and the fish with champagne risotto was also very good. We asked our waiter if it would be possible to make a reservation for the next evening - he summoned the head waiter, Armindo, who said we could have 5:30 (which is what we wanted) and that we should ask for him when we arrived.

 

I believe the entertainment this evening was Gaetano, the magician. It is a very good show, although it hasn't changed much over the years (we're pretty sure this was the third time we've seen Gaetano perform on Princess ships, including one time when I was called up on stage). After Gaetano's show, we saw the crew talent show, which was also very entertaining. The best part was a remnant from the old pub night, the "if I were not at sea, what would I be" routine.

 

8/12 - Ketchikan

I have to say, staying up late at the casino made it hard to get up early, but I had our routine down (I'd order the breakfast before going to bed, set the wake up calls, etc.). After breakfast in the suite, we got out to the pier and found our meeting place for our float plane ride with Island Wings. We were picked up exactly on time (7:50 am) and driven to their dock. Michelle, our pilot, was the consummate professional and a great guide. We had great weather - it was a beautiful clear day. Michelle said that many people think that it is better to fly later in the day because there may be morning fog, but there's more turbulence later in the day. We had a pretty smooth flight, and the views were tremendous. Michelle offered us (another couple from the ship was also on the flight) the choice of two landing spots - views or wildlife. The vote was 5-1 for wildlife. She chose a spot where the salmon were jumping and eagles were flying all around. On the flight back, she flew over a pass where we could see mountain goats all around, and later pointed out the harbor seals to us (they look like slugs from the air). After our flight tour, we went to the Lumberjack Show. The show hasn't changed much since we first saw it 10 years ago, including the routine where a rabbit carving is turned into a chair for a little kid (our kids were called up onstage when they were 5 and got the chair). But it is fun!

 

As soon as we got on the ship, we headed to the dining room for lunch. We all had burgers, although I had the blue cheese burger, which was very yummy. After dropping things off at the cabins, we played another trivia game, again with WestCoastGal and hubby. We were delighted to find out we had all been accepted for the Ultimate Ship Tour, which would take place on Friday morning. After trivia, we got dressed up and went for dinner in Donatello. We went in the reservation line and asked for Armindo - the maitre d' asked if he had arranged a special table for us. I said no, just that he had arranged for us to dine at that time, but if he had a nice table.... We were immediately taken over to a window table for 4 in a corner. (However, DH wasn't with us as he was getting a cold and wanted to rest.) Our waiter was Bien, who took excellent care of us. The kids each had lobster/prawns followed by the pheasant; I just had two orders of the lobster/prawns. :D I also asked Bien if we could have the same table the next night - he called Armindo, who had come over to check on us earlier, and we arranged it with him.

 

After dinner, DH met me at the Captain's Circle cocktail party, where we were joined by WestCoastGal and her husband. Another highlight of this cruise was meeting them - we really enjoyed their company. After the cocktail party, we met up with the kids to see the comedian/juggler. We laughed so hard! It was the most entertaining show of the week.

 

8/13 - Victoria

This morning we had been looking forward to - our Ultimate Ship Tour. After our usual breakfast in the suite, we headed to the Princess Theatre, where Lisa, our guide from the cruise staff, and the photographer and security person waited for us. I think all twelve of us on the tour were from our roll call. We were taken up on stage, while the technical director, Amanda, explained to us how they worked the lighting, sound, special effects, etc. Then we were taken back stage to see the dressing room. From there we visited various other "behind the scenes" areas - the laundry (who knew laundry could be so fascinating!), medical center, galley (where we were served drinks and goodies), food storage, print shop, photo shop, the funnel, the engine room, and finally the bridge, where Captain Nicolo Binetti explained how the bridge operates, how he controls the ship when it is coming into port, etc. We were also served champagne, pellegrino, canapes and various chocolates and other goodies.

We ended the tour just before noon. Along the way we were given various handouts, and also had several group photographs taken. Late in the day, the photographs were delivered to our cabin along with robes, chef's jackets, and personalized stationery. (Two of our jackets were too large; DH took them to the purser's desk in the morning and they were able to exchange them.) This tour was amazing, and well worth the cost.

 

After resting a while (and gathering up brochures to plan our next cruise), we went to the Pub Lunch in Crown Grill. The kids had fish and chips; DH had the ploughman's lunch, and I had the bangers and mash. All very tasty, particularly the bangers. DH enjoyed a "real" Guinness (I had some of his, it really is different than what we get here). DD and I then went to the napkin folding seminar - we really learned something and I hope she puts it to use the next time we have guests for dinner! After that, we went to Gaetano's magic workshop, where he explains some of his tricks, which was very interesting. Then there was one last trivia challenge with our new friends.

 

When we arrived at Donatello at 5:30, Armindo saw us immediately and said our table was waiting - the same lovely corner window table. Bien again gave us excellent service, and after dinner I gave him and Armindo cash tips. Dinner was fine, the pastas particularly good as always. I think by then we were finally in food overload.

 

With so little time in Victoria, we took the ship's Butchart Gardens tour. It was easy to find the bus on the pier, and our driver gave a very good narration as we drove through the city and on to the gardens. The gardens are lovely, and the lighting was very nice. There was also a concert going on there, a good vocalist. DD was frustrated that it was hard to take photos in the low light, but it was still pleasant to tour the gardens. However, it was quite warm and humid, and I started to feel a cold coming on as well, so I was glad to get back to the ship. I made one last trip to the casino, had a good time and finally cashed out.

 

8/14 - Seattle

We had decided that we would carry our own bags off the ship so that we wouldn't have to pack the night before and could, more or less, choose when we would leave. Melinda at the purser's desk told me the last express walk-off time was 7:45, but smiled when I asked her, "what if I walk slowly?" She did say we should leave at 7:45, but I felt there had to be some flexibility. I did finally manage to finish packing (remember, I wasn't feeling great and we now had all those robes, chef's jackets and other items added to our luggage) by 8:30, which is when we left the cabin. We gave a cash tip to Orlando, who really had been super all week.

It wasn't hard carrying off our luggage, despite the fact that we had 4 big suitcases, two backpacks, a carry-on, and a couple of tote bags to carry all the extra items. But we had too much for a regular cab, and while waiting for a van cab, decided to go with a shuttle.

 

We arrived at the Westin about 9 am, checked in, put our bags in storage, and went off sightseeing. We walked one block to the station and took the monorail to Seattle Center, and went up the Space Needle. Another beautiful day (it got up into the 80s) and the views were great - we could see the Golden and our cabins from there. We bought a couple of souvenirs and then headed over to the SciFi Museum and Experience Music Project. We enjoyed both museums, and took the monorail back. We headed straight to Avis, which is across the street from the Westin, and picked up our car (DH upgraded us to a SUV as the Malibu I reserved wouldn't fit our luggage). We then drove to Pike Place Market and luckily found close street parking. We had lunch at Beecher's Cheese (the crab melt, mac and cheese, and onion soup, all very tasty), then walked through the market for a while, stopping to watch the fish mongers and buy some nectarines. We then paid homage to the original Starbucks, bought drinks and some coffee beans for home. From there, we headed to the Museum of Flight, which is one of the best aviation museums in the country. We walked through the Concorde and Air Force One they have, and saw various exhibits. We headed back to the Westin, where we had a little difficulty getting adjoining rooms, but all worked out, and after a little rest, headed out again. First stop, the drug store across the street for cold remedies (!), and then the mothership - the flagship Nordstroms, which was next door. DS, DD and I all found items to purchase. I think the combination of cold medicine and retail therapy was making me feel better, and it was time to go to dinner. We walked to Steelhead Diner, and I was very glad I had made a reservation on Open Table a couple of weeks earlier - the place was packed and walk-ins had a long wait. We were seated immediately. First, the appetizers: the caviar torte was almost as good as the one I make, the fried Beecher's Cheese curds were yummy, and the crab cake was great (huge chunks of crab, practically no filler). DH and DS had the burgers (wagyu beef, very good) and poutine, DD had the catfish tacos (absolutely delicious; it arrived late, so was taken off the bill without our asking), and I had the fried chicken and gravy (I needed comfort food, and it fit the bill). We shared the chocolate cake with coconut ice cream, and waddled back to the Westin.

 

The rooms at the Westin were quite comfortable. We were on the 38th floor of the south tower and had very nice views. We parked at the discount parking that is south of the hotel (there is a pedestrian bridge to the hotel); however, we did not realize that you have to prepay for the best discounted rate, so we paid $28 instead of $22.

 

8/15 - Going Home

We had an early flight, so got up, made the Starbucks coffee in the room, and headed out to the airport. Returned the car, checked the bags, and found that our flight to San Francisco was delayed. Went to the shortest set of security lines, where DD found that there was a bag with the liquor minis in her tote bag. Argh, I had forgotten to put them in the suitcase! DH and I had two plastic baggies for our carryon liquids, and managed to fit all the minis in them. Thank heavens - those Courvoisier bottles are worth a lot. We went to Anthony's for breakfast, but despite being told that egg dishes would be out in 5 minutes, 20 minutes later we still didn't have food. I was getting antsy because we were very far away from the N gates, so I asked for to go boxes and as soon as the food arrived we boxed them up and headed to the gate. Good thing, as they started boarding a few minutes after we got there. But the food was all very good, and still hot, so no harm (except to my nerves). Arrived at SFO and headed to the Red Carpet Club to wait for our flight to LAX. I got upgraded at the gate, so I relaxed in first while the rest of the family was in row 10. DH suddenly realized that he had left his fanny pack with our car keys on the first plane, so we had to make a claim for it, take a cab home, then I had to take him back to the airport with the spare keys to get the minivan home. United called this morning with the good news they found his pack, so all is well.

 

Miscellaneous

Just a few other things to mention. We ordered canapes in the suite every day - they were a nice snack, and we could choose which ones we wanted. We never tried MUTS, although we meant to, but there was always something else going on or it was too cold/rainy when we would have gone. Also never went to the pools/hot tubs. There's just not enough time in the day/night to do everything - that's why the kids and I want our next cruise to have more sea days. The soda cards are definitely worth it for us, as we drank several diet cokes/sprites each day. I'm not sure the Ultimate Kids' Package was worth it, because the kids didn't order very much besides soda until the last few days, when they finally tried out various smoothies and hot chocolate. I didn't use up the coffee card, which is fine because I'll save it for the next cruise. Cappuccinos are included at Crown Grill and Sabatini's, so I didn't use the card there.

 

Tanks for the second part of your review.....:):):)

 

Bob

[kath00]

Wonderful and detailed review -- this is one of the best I have read! Thanks so much for also writing about your little "frustrations" like having to call at 8am to get dining ressies. We'll be sailing the Golden in a Suite in May and I am glad you posted that there is essentially no suite preference given. Your excursions sound like the ones we are interested in too so I am happy to read about it all in such detail!

 

Thanks again!!!

 

Katherine

[pkdof]

It's funny that we didn't get any preference from the dine line, but I noticed when we arrived for our 8:30 dinner reservation that there is a comments line on the page of reservations that the maitre d' has - next to our name it said "suite", so I guess there is some preference given somewhere. And the suite perks are very nice - the free internet, Sabatini's (if you have time to linger over breakfast), the canapes, mini bar setup, ordering room service off the dining room menu. Not to mention the suite line at the purser's desk. Very glad we splurged.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for the rest! :)