Will we like Princess (Golden Princess?)

[black forest]

Hello,

 

we are not so experienced travellers, have travelled about 4 weeks on the Carnival Glory, 3 weeks on the Costa Atlantica and 10 days on the Celebrity Equinox - and another 11 days booked on the Equinox as we really loved the experience with Celebrity. But the other two cruiselines were nice, too. Except for the interior - to colorful for me. ;) Not not a big deal...

 

So now we found a interesting offer of a German TA for the Golden Princess from Melbourne to Singapore in March 2018. I wonder what will be different on this ship/cruiseline to the others? We always travel in a balcony stateroom and do it once a year outside Europe.

 

I do really appreciate your information as I have time until Monday evening to decide... Let me thank you in advance!

[GUT2407]

Hello,

 

we are not so experienced travellers, have travelled about 4 weeks on the Carnival Glory, 3 weeks on the Costa Atlantica and 10 days on the Celebrity Equinox - and another 11 days booked on the Equinox as we really loved the experience with Celebrity. But the other two cruiselines were nice, too. Except for the interior - to colorful for me. ;) Not not a big deal...

 

So now we found a interesting offer of a German TA for the Golden Princess from Melbourne to Singapore in March 2018. I wonder what will be different on this ship/cruiseline to the others? We always travel in a balcony stateroom and do it once a year outside Europe.

 

I do really appreciate your information as I have time until Monday evening to decide... Let me thank you in advance!

 

In my opinion if you like Celebrity you will probably like Princess. (Maybe a slightly older average age though.

 

Certainly not colourful.

 

And I'm biased but you'll love Australia too. A great itinerary.

 

If the price is right I say go for it.

[black forest]

Thank you.

 

Forgot to say I am 55 and hubby is 67.... assume we will fit perfectly...;)

 

I have read that on embarkation you will be brought to your stateroom on Priness? Is that correct?

 

Is there one main dining room and a buffet to eat from without extra charge?

 

What I like with this offer is 2 night stay in Hongkong on the way to Melbourne. 2 more nights in Melbourne before going on the ship.

Port of calls: Melbourne, Adelaide, Port Lincoln (I have travel book of Australia and couldn't find this in it), Margret River, Freemantle, Benoa/Bali, Port Klang, Singapore.

Edited May 21, 2016 by black forest

[LokiPoki]

We were not "brought to our stateroom" - but given directions, and was no problem with us going there immediately, even with us being the first group through (this in contrast to pre-cruise info, which stated we'd not have access until later in the afternoon & suggested we go straight to buffet for a meal)

 

Another biased Aussie - Melbourne is a lovely city (as cities go), though March can be an interesting time of year weather-wise. I am just to the north...Yarra Valley - also a great place to visit! - and we get maximum temps anything from 20-ish to over 40...Adelaide can be much the same.

[GUT2407]

Thank you.

 

Forgot to say I am 55 and hubby is 67.... assume we will fit perfectly...;)

 

I have read that on embarkation you will be brought to your stateroom on Priness? Is that correct?

 

Is there one main dining room and a buffet to eat from without extra charge?

 

What I like with this offer is 2 night stay in Hongkong on the way to Melbourne. 2 more nights in Melbourne before going on the ship.

Port of calls: Melbourne, Adelaide, Port Lincoln (I have travel book of Australia and couldn't find this in it), Margret River, Freemantle, Benoa/Bali, Port Klang, Singapore.

 

 

You will still be in the younger half probably.

[GUT2407]

We were not "brought to our stateroom" - but given directions, and was no problem with us going there immediately, even with us being the first group through (this in contrast to pre-cruise info, which stated we'd not have access until later in the afternoon & suggested we go straight to buffet for a meal)

 

Another biased Aussie - Melbourne is a lovely city (as cities go), though March can be an interesting time of year weather-wise. I am just to the north...Yarra Valley - also a great place to visit! - and we get maximum temps anything from 20-ish to over 40...Adelaide can be much the same.

 

Yeah I miss being guided to my cabin, not a big thing but nice.

 

On Princess the cabin is ready on boarding which is also nice, drop your carry on before lunch rather than drag it around with you.

 

Melbourne :eek::eek::eek:;)

[Womble99]

Thank you.

 

Forgot to say I am 55 and hubby is 67.... assume we will fit perfectly...;)

 

I have read that on embarkation you will be brought to your stateroom on Priness? Is that correct?

 

Is there one main dining room and a buffet to eat from without extra charge?

 

What I like with this offer is 2 night stay in Hongkong on the way to Melbourne. 2 more nights in Melbourne before going on the ship.

Port of calls: Melbourne, Adelaide, Port Lincoln (I have travel book of Australia and couldn't find this in it), Margret River, Freemantle, Benoa/Bali, Port Klang, Singapore.

 

There will be a mix of ages on board, we are taking our 10 year old along so there will be at least one kid ;)

 

Golden has 3 MDRs, 1 as traditional, 1 is normally first sitting traditional second anytime and the other is full anytime dining. All are included in your fare as well as the buffet on the lido deck. The extra charge venues on board are Sabatinis and the Crown Grill.

 

Port Lincoln is on the Eyre Peninsular about 250km west of Adelaide, have a look here for a starting place for some info http://www.visitportlincoln.net/

[black forest]

Many thanks to all your replies! Finding our stateroom will be no probem...:) It is only that I have read this morning that someone complained on a Celebrity ship that he had to find his stateroom on his own... in contrary to Princess...

 

About temperature and weather - important info - didn't think about that. :o Australia will be new to us - so I am so excited and don't know where to start planning... Princess cruises has a great homepage with a lot of information about the ports of call and even videos about their excursions. So you can get an impression. Even if you don't book through the ship.

 

womble99 - thank you for your link. Will check it this afternoon.

 

Well, it looks like we are getting to know Australia in 2018!

[cr8tiv1]

I love the smaller class ship (Coral Princess). My next favorite ship is the Golden Princess. I was extremely sad and lost when she was redo loved to the Australian market. Of all the Grand class ships, my opinion is that she has the best layout. Except that all Princess ships have an aft dining room that requires a compass and treasure map to find. She is one of three with window suites. Check them out...by Googling it.

 

I am a Princess loyalist. I think you will find this c use line similar to your other travels. Why not give her a try!

[Womble99]

I love the smaller class ship (Coral Princess). My next favorite ship is the Golden Princess. I was extremely sad and lost when she was redo loved to the Australian market. Of all the Grand class ships, my opinion is that she has the best layout. Except that all Princess ships have an aft dining room that requires a compass and treasure map to find. She is one of three with window suites. Check them out...by Googling it.

 

I am a Princess loyalist. I think you will find this c use line similar to your other travels. Why not give her a try!

 

Sadly window suites are sold out already from Melbourne on that cruise, there is just one available from Adelaide though. Guess the word is out...........

[OzKiwiJJ]

Many thanks to all your replies! Finding our stateroom will be no probem...:) It is only that I have read this morning that someone complained on a Celebrity ship that he had to find his stateroom on his own... in contrary to Princess...

 

About temperature and weather - important info - didn't think about that. :o Australia will be new to us - so I am so excited and don't know where to start planning... Princess cruises has a great homepage with a lot of information about the ports of call and even videos about their excursions. So you can get an impression. Even if you don't book through the ship.

 

womble99 - thank you for your link. Will check it this afternoon.

 

Well, it looks like we are getting to know Australia in 2018!

 

The only difference between Celebrity and Princess is that the staterooms are available when you board on Princess.

 

Golden is lovely. We've also cruised on Celebrity Solstice and the two ships are comparable. The meals in the MDR are slightly better on Princess, the cabins are better on Celebrity (especially the bathrooms). Solstice has the Sky Lounge up top and forward, Golden has Skywalkers up top and aft.

[mrs and mrs]

Thank you.

 

Forgot to say I am 55 and hubby is 67.... assume we will fit perfectly...;)

 

I have read that on embarkation you will be brought to your stateroom on Priness? Is that correct?

 

Is there one main dining room and a buffet to eat from without extra charge?

 

What I like with this offer is 2 night stay in Hongkong on the way to Melbourne. 2 more nights in Melbourne before going on the ship.

Port of calls: Melbourne, Adelaide, Port Lincoln (I have travel book of Australia and couldn't find this in it), Margret River, Freemantle, Benoa/Bali, Port Klang, Singapore.

 

Port Lincoln is a lovely place to go swimming and snorkling,with some really big fish,that you can feed.;)

Edited May 21, 2016 by mrs and mrs

[Tak8]

The Golden was my first Princess cruise. A great ship. I have to say I like the smaller ships. I have also done Celebrity and think the two are very similar. Enjoy your cruise.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Except that all Princess ships have an aft dining room that requires a compass and treasure map to find.

 

It wasn't that dining room (Canaletto on deck 6) that was hard to find, it was the nearest ladies restroom! Not near that dining room. One deck up, between the Wheelhouse Bar and the Explorers Lounge. It's the only restroom on that side of the ship from the atrium aft, which is the main walkway between the atrium and the Vista Lounge, as well as having two major bars adjacent, and an MDR one deck below. Crazy!

[shredie]

It wasn't that dining room (Canaletto on deck 6) that was hard to find, it was the nearest ladies restroom! Not near that dining room. One deck up, between the Wheelhouse Bar and the Explorers Lounge. It's the only restroom on that side of the ship from the atrium aft, which is the main walkway between the atrium and the Vista Lounge, as well as having two major bars adjacent, and an MDR one deck below. Crazy!

Yep. Total pain. There is a handicapped restroom closer to the elevators on deck 7, but there is always a line to get in. I've been on the Golden four times, twice for two weeks, and I always made sure to visit the restroom before going down to dinner. You will feel the need to use the hand sanitizer at the door, too. Of course, this applies only to people doing TD.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Yep. Total pain. There is a handicapped restroom closer to the elevators on deck 7, but there is always a line to get in. I've been on the Golden four times, twice for two weeks, and I always made sure to visit the restroom before going down to dinner. You will feel the need to use the hand sanitizer at the door, too. Of course, this applies only to people doing TD.

 

Yes, I did notice the handicapped one. I always stopped in at the restroom before dinner too. And that restroom is probably the worst designed on the ship. Very narrow and with the make-up counter opposite the handbasins it got very awkward at times. You had to time it just right, to avoid the queue, and heaven help you if something had just finished in the Vista Lounge around the time of the late dinner sitting.

 

I carry my own sanitiser, a non-alcohol foaming one. Hector, one of the Canaletto head waiters, always wanted a squirt when he saw us use it.

[sunrayska]

Port Lincoln is a lovely place to go swimming and snorkling,with some really big fish,that you can feed.;)

 

I take it that you are talking about Jaws, That's right Port Lincoln well known for Great Whites :eek:

[moki'smommy]

Princess is a LOT like Celebrity, although Celebrity has gone to a much more "class conscious" society system--if you aren't booking a suite, you are definitely a second class passenger. It seems that Princess is moving toward that with the new Club Class mini suite system.

 

You are definitely in the age demographic for Princess, although one of the things we like on P is the wide age range. The colors on Princess are beige and brown, almost no colors outside the casino.

 

I was surprised at some of the differences between ships and have never cruised on the ship that you are considering, so guess I should stop here.

[Hawka]

It wasn't that dining room (Canaletto on deck 6) that was hard to find, it was the nearest ladies restroom! Not near that dining room. One deck up, between the Wheelhouse Bar and the Explorers Lounge. It's the only restroom on that side of the ship from the atrium aft, which is the main walkway between the atrium and the Vista Lounge, as well as having two major bars adjacent, and an MDR one deck below. Crazy!

 

thats where my mdr dinner was yeah toilets not same place at Restaurant but i was lucky never needed to go during dinner and had to remember go to vista to get to the restaurant or if i was top deck had to remember which lifts to use then too , didnt mind though my room was at the front of the ship so got my exercise going to dinner and back after :)