What I learned on Golden Princess

[BarbaraP]

Just off the Golden Princess r/t Hawaii:

-FCC are for 2 years only starting 10/10/2012 (The steward actually removed one of the old ones saying 4 years out of our room)

-New TV channels (FOX, MSNBC, and 2 ESPN's, but, seemed to be less "new movies" though)

-Bringing wine on board: Brought 2-1.5L bottles wine on at embarkation with a 12pk of beer in our carry on without question. Plus 1 bottle of wine and a 6pk of beer at each port except Honolulu because last year they took it away.

-Coffee pot/tea kettle question: We were told at the muster station that you could only have thermostat controlled auto shut off devices. We had a thermostat controlled tea kettle and used our Starbucks Via each morning, YUM!

-We had a Sun Deck suite so I can't tell you about the new balcony furniture???

-We did not get and offer for luggage direct to LAX, so I'm not sure if it's available to LAX any longer.

-New Wine Packages: Are only available thru the dining rooms on cruises 10 days+. So you can't get a punch card and call room service or take it to the bar and get your wine whenever you want it. For us the hassle wasn't worth the savings.

 

That's about all we noticed new or changing and we had a wonderful cruise, Thank-you Princess!!!

[Keith1010]

Glad you had a wonderful cruise.

 

Keith

[spongerjoe]

Thanks for the update. We are taking this cruise next April and like to carry on several bottles of California's finest grape juice. A little disappointed to hear the FCC is now two years instead of four. I hope more Golden Hawaiians will post to this as time goes on. Aloha!

[Gunner22aa]

Booked in what was a Vista soon to be a S6 cat suite for our Hawaii/Tahiti cruse. We like the aft but was wondering how you found the Sun deck suites? Did you find any passanger traffic issues given their location? If you have ever stayed in a Vista suite how would you compare them? Any info you have would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

[BarbaraP]

Booked in what was a Vista soon to be a S6 cat suite for our Hawaii/Tahiti cruse. We like the aft but was wondering how you found the Sun deck suites? Did you find any passanger traffic issues given their location? If you have ever stayed in a Vista suite how would you compare them? Any info you have would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Sorry, have never stayed in a VS. In fact this was our first suite ever. We were offered an Upsell and are soooooooo glad we took the offer. We saved the difference in laundry alone, LOL!!!

We loved the Sun Deck PH suite, S701. Very quiet (the hallway is separately inclosed), one deck down to the buffet and your right inside from the aft pool area. There was a "little noise" from the elevator but if you chose any but the first one on each side (701 or 706) you would have no noise at all. In fact we got to peak into the OS, S709/S714 which you were talking about in an earlier post, but liked ours better. The only difference in the PH and the OS was a larger closet in the PH but a funny shaped room. Our PH suite had the curtain between the sitting area and the sleeping area. Pictures of other OS's showed a full dining table and chairs inside the sitting area, the Sun Deck OS did not have this feature.

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

Not sure where all this talk about for FCC being good for only 24 months is coming from

 

just got one a few days ago and its expires 2016

 

 

yours Shogun

[highheel girl]

Thanks for the updates!

Love the Golden.....

 

All Sun deck cabins in that area were only just added in a refit in May 2009.

[caribill]

Hi All

 

Not sure where all this talk about for FCC being good for only 24 months is coming from

 

just got one a few days ago and its expires 2016

 

 

yours Shogun

 

On some of the other ships, the ones issued starting mid-October have a two year sail-by expiration date.

[BarbaraP]

Hi All

 

Not sure where all this talk about for FCC being good for only 24 months is coming from

 

just got one a few days ago and its expires 2016

 

 

yours Shogun

 

As I said, there were old forms (4yr) in our stateroom when we boarded the ship on 10/10/2012. They were pulled by the steward and new ones misteriously appeared the next day. This was on a r/t LA to Hawaii cruise.:confused:

Shogun are you from the UK?

[Bucky3]

Hi All

 

Not sure where all this talk about for FCC being good for only 24 months is coming from

 

just got one a few days ago and its expires 2016

 

 

yours Shogun

 

We returned from Star Princess on October 21. Bought FCCs on October 20th. They are only good for 2 years. The change was made just a few days before our purchase, but we were told at the end of that 2-year time period, they could be extended by a call to Princess. Just seems to me the only change is you have to remember to call for an extension at the end of two years.

[Capt. & Teach]

Sorry, have never stayed in a VS. In fact this was our first suite ever. We were offered an Upsell and are soooooooo glad we took the offer. We saved the difference in laundry alone, LOL!!!

 

We loved the Sun Deck PH suite, S701. Very quiet (the hallway is separately inclosed), one deck down to the buffet and your right inside from the aft pool area. There was a "little noise" from the elevator but if you chose any but the first one on each side (701 or 706) you would have no noise at all. In fact we got to peak into the OS, S709/S714 which you were talking about in an earlier post, but liked ours better. The only difference in the PH and the OS was a larger closet in the PH but a funny shaped room. Our PH suite had the curtain between the sitting area and the sleeping area. Pictures of other OS's showed a full dining table and chairs inside the sitting area, the Sun Deck OS did not have this feature.

 

We have booked s-714 for a future cruise. Did I understand you to say it does not have a table and chairs in it? IF not, I am not sure what I get for the extra cost.

Thanks for the post.

[IECalCruiser]

We have booked s-714 for a future cruise. Did I understand you to say it does not have a table and chairs in it? IF not, I am not sure what I get for the extra cost.

Thanks for the post.

Don, I took photos of S714 and S706 during turn around day on our B2B on the Golden last month. I posted photos on CC or you can e-mail me at IECalCruiser@1694vsh.com.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=35869234&highlight=s714#post35869234

[skidroe]

Barb, do you remember the name of the Golden's Maitre'd? We will be going 11/21 to Hawaii. Thank you for the updates!

[Gunner22aa]

If I'm not mistaken that's the same cruise as us to Hawaii/Tahiti that we have the roll call going for. I had asked the question about the OS as I had noticed the other one on the Sun deck became available after we booked E733 the Vista Suite. Going to stay where we are unless the OS on the stern were to open up as we love the aft. See you in about 17 months or so!

[Capt. & Teach]

If I'm not mistaken that's the same cruise as us to Hawaii/Tahiti that we have the roll call going for. I had asked the question about the OS as I had noticed the other one on the Sun deck became available after we booked E733 the Vista Suite. Going to stay where we are unless the OS on the stern were to open up as we love the aft. See you in about 17 months or so!

 

We also love the aft cabins. We looked at the pictures that Brian posted and have decided to stay with the cabin. Not quite what we were expecting, but will be great.

 

Brian, thanks for your help.

[aloha43]

I'm feeling very stupid...but what are FCC's?:o

 

Thanks!

[highheel girl]

I'm feeling very stupid...but what are FCC's?:o

 

Thanks!

 

 

Future Cruise Credits used for a reduced deposit and OBC on a future cruise. ;)

[aloha43]

Future Cruise Credits used for a reduced deposit and OBC on a future cruise. ;)

 

Thank you!

 

One doesn't know if they don't ask....lol

[caribill]

I'm feeling very stupid...but what are FCC's?:o

 

Thanks!

 

Future Cruise Certificate

 

Pay $100 for one (or as many as you want for $100 each) when you are onboard.

 

The FCC can be used as your total down payment for all but world cruises or world cruise segments.

 

In addition, when you do sail having used an FCC you will get some On Board Credit (OBC) ranging from $25 to $150 depending on how long the cruise is and what type cabin was booked.

 

If you do not use the FCC within 2 or 4 years (depending on when it was issued), it is refunded to the credit card used to purchase it.

 

You can book that next cruise while on board or after you return home and can do it directly with Princess or with your Travel Agent.

 

It differs from the equivalent program on RCCL in that it is refundable if not used and its use does not eliminate any other discount or OBC (such as stockholder's) you are qualified for.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Thanks for the nice, concise update! :)

[BarbaraP]

We have booked s-714 for a future cruise. Did I understand you to say it does not have a table and chairs in it? IF not, I am not sure what I get for the extra cost.

Thanks for the post.

 

As the pictures IECALCruiser posted, there is no dining table:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showt...4#post35869234

 

That was my point, why pay for the OS when the PH is even nicer IMHO. I was hoping for an upgrade to the OS because there was still one available 2 days before sailing. I was glad I didn't get it once we saw it. The other OS, not on the Sun Deck on Golden are pictured with a dining table and that's what we really were hoping for.

[Dee]

I'm feeling very stupid...but what are FCC's?:o

 

Thanks!

 

Thank Goodness!!! I'm not the only one who doesn't know what FCC is. I know that it isn't the Federal Communications Commission... not on the cruise ship that is.:eek:

[Sherri1]

Barbara,

So was your thermostat controlled kettle, simply defined as 'auto shut off", or it is something more extensive than that. ? Some kettles, coffee

makers have nothing about that on the box, some will say with auto shut off. Is that the same ?

Sherri

[luvlabs]

Thank you so much for the information, They took away my 6-pack of beer in Oahu last year as well. Happy to hear I can bring a six-pack on board on the other islands.

[Garfunkel]

As I said, there were old forms (4yr) in our stateroom when we boarded the ship on 10/10/2012. They were pulled by the steward and new ones misteriously appeared the next day. This was on a r/t LA to Hawaii cruise.:confused:

Shogun are you from the UK?

 

We were on the Hawaii cruise before this (disembarked 10th Oct) - our FCC's last till August 2016. We're from UK, but don't know that makes any difference?