Golden Princess.....tell me something good!

[erin6494]

Our final payment for our Golden Princess Vancouver-LA is due early next week. We scored one of the coveted window suites (would never be able to afford a suite under other conditions) and the extra credit with the suite will bump me into the next level of the rewards program. That being said, the reviews have been awful! I know that reviews should always be read with an open mind and not be a deciding factor but there are so many not great ones it makes me worry.

Our vacation time is limited so I hate to waste it on a bad experience. Please, tell me some great things about the Golden and make me feel less worried!

Thanks,

Erin

[fishywood]

If you click on Golden Princess in the 'see posts about' column on the right:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/princess/golden

 

...you will see that most of the recent posts from Golden are relatively positive. No one saying they had a bad cruise.

 

I was on May 26 thru June 2, as were a couple of members who posted extensively while on board (see the link above). The consensus was clearly that the good outweighed the bad. And the only "bad" was found by those nitpicky over what is normally found when booking a ship that is not "brand new" anymore.

 

My positive takes:

Excellent bar service.

Lots of entertainment and activities each evening, reasonably well scheduled.

Outstanding dinner at Sabatini's with the new menu.

Technology features were updated at the last drydock. (OK, no On Demand TV or unlimited internet yet, but what is there works fine and fast, especially the Princess@Sea functions).

The public areas of decks 5, 6 and 7 were absolutely spotless; however much was done to them in drydock was more than adequate.

 

You are on a three night repo cruise with no port stops, in one of the best cabins on the ship--and with Suite perks to boot. I don't see how anyone could not enjoy themselves--other than needless worry turning into a self fulfilling prophecy.

[moki'smommy]

We are booked on the Golden, also in a window suite, so I've been following the threads carefully. The recent reviews have been quite positive. I also looked at the cruises we have booked. As of yesterday, there was at least one window suite still available on each of our cruises and the prices have dropped considerably. We got a good deal, so no complaints.

[Hobbes67]

We were on a June 9th cruise on Golden and in a window suite. The cabin was great and the morning breakfast was in the Crown Grill, very near your cabin. I would recommend that you go every morning, service and food was great. They will bring you most anything you want including specialty coffees and Mimosa. We thought the food and service were also very good in Club Class dining. The couple of downsides were the buffet, which didn't look great to me so we didn't eat there. Also did not care for the Cruise Director. At bingo one day when the Captain came over the loud speaker to make an announcement he stated that we didn't have to listen as the Captain was boring. "Just sleep through it." He is the worst we have had in 23 cruises!! The other thing on the Golden that I thought was fun was harmonica lessons. The guy that teaches them is very good and patient with people. Everyone seemed to keep coming back so that is a good sign. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

[erin6494]

Thanks so much for the positive comments, it helps put my mind at ease!

We are very excited about this opportunity, it will be a great time (and if there are ceiling drips and yucky smells, we will just work around them!) I was most concerned about having a crew with the great Princess attitude and yummy food and it sounds like those will be as we expect. :)

[corsage]

We are also on this cruise with a window suite, our first time in a suite and looking forward to it. With the extra credit with the suite we will be bumped up to Elite level, so it’s a win, win for us

[Cruise Raider]

We usually sail on the older ships and have definitely noticed this or that that could use improvement. But, on the one time we sailed on an older ship in a window suite, it is really easy to overlook those little things that can change a review from good to bad. I mean ... really EASY!

you will feel spoiled rotten being in a suite ... the service will be excellent, the club class dining and breakfast in one of the specialty restaurants, the layout and location of your room will want you coming back for more! That is the only problem I foresee ... you’ll want to book a suite each and every time you cruise from now here on out! Go and enjoy! I have no doubt in my mind that you will, regardless of any negative reviews you’ve seen on here.

[Cruise Raider]

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Edited July 7, 2018 by Cruise Raider
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[biochemgrl02]

Was also on the Golden June 9. Had an aft balcony room on Aloha deck. Perfect location for DH to run up and grab me breakfast every morning. We loved Skywalkers late night and entertainment was good. We won the Hollywood trivia which was hilarious because it was outtakes. I didn’t care for the buffet for lunch, and never ate there for dinner. I did see drips here and there and the smell in one area but nothing horrible. Excellent service and the staff are great about remembering your preferences and your name too.

 

 

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[1AL]

Martin Ford........THE BEST Princess Cruises hotel general manager in the entire fleet.

[cr8tiv1]

Also booked in a Window Suite. Would rather have the Golden (Grand/Caribbean) than most of the other ships because of the Window Suites. Too bad they have become so popular (sarcastic). I'm on a cruise. Love the older ships' public areas much better than the newer/bigger ships. Enjoy

[getting older slowly]

Good on you Erin Window Suites get the thumbs up from most people that have stay in them.

 

We love the golden have sailed on Dec 2016 and Feb 18.... and booked Nov 18 and Feb 19 all in a suite.

 

Crew have always be great, it maybe a little old... but it is a great ship and will miss it when it goes to P&O in 2020..

 

So enjoy a walk round the promenade and take a book and sit up in skywalkers during the day and enjoy the view, also enjoy CC dining and sit by the window ( don't forget lunch in CC as well on sea days )

 

Cheers Don

[BuckeyeMark]

see my review here. MUCH good. loved the Golden!

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2651302

[neverbeenhere]

It’s not your house.

[hunsy]

Over the past 20 years, I have been on the Golden 3 times, with the last time in 2016. Each time was always a very positive experience! Take the time to tour the ship when you first arrive. Vancouver is one of my favorite places and I know you are going to have a great time on the Golden.

 

 

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[Sportfisher]

We spent 70 plus days on the Golden last year. We found nothing to complain about. We enjoyed the entertainment, food and the excellent staff.

 

 

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[ssbeagle]

We were on the Golden for 36 days in April/May of this year. The ship had just come out of dry dock and was having a lot of problems with leaks and some things that were not completed during the dry dock. We could see where carpeting and new furniture had been replaced and we found our bed to be very comfortable. The cruise got better as we went along and a lot of the problems were fixed. The ship is old and is supposed to be leaving the fleet in the next year and going to P&O.

[princess09]

I’m not a fan of the Golden BUT I would take this cruise! Three days with suite perks, notably breakfast in the Crown Grill, is a definite GO.

We sailed shortly after drydock when there were many problems. We were in a suite and it made all the difference.

Enjoy your cruise!

[Colagirl]

We just got off the Golden and had a wonderful time. Thought the food and service were great. Did not notice any bad smells and saw one small leak which was quickly fixed. I was nervous before the cruise because of reviews but we really enjoyed our time on the ship.

[getting older slowly]

 

A photo I took from the tender in Gisborne NZ Feb-18.. it is a nice looking ship, well we think.

 

Looking forward to the next trip on her..

 

Cheers Don

[cr8tiv1]

Golden Princess: May 20, 2012

Golden Princess Hawaiian Islands: February 13, 2013

Golden Princess: 3 Day (September 23, 2013)

Golden Princess: 3 Day (October 21, 2013)

Golden Princess: 3 Day (November 1, 2013/How could I not?)

Golden Princess: 3 Day (November 4, 2013/How could I not, again?)

Golden Princess: October, 2014

Grand Princess Mexico: November, 2014

Golden Princess: November, 2014

Grand Princess Hawaiian Islands: February, 2015

Caribbean Princess: Panama Canal, October 2017

 

 

I've been on all three ships with Window Suites. It didn't matter where I was going. You will enjoy the location, the perks, and suite breakfasts. You will not have enough time to do it all, but fun trying to. I have been on other cruise ships (purposely did not list them all), but given a choice, I'd take the Golden and Coral. It's been a while. But I know that I won't be disappointed.

I'll be getting on when you get off. My final payment was due weeks ago, how come yours wasn't?

[erin6494]

Golden Princess: May 20, 2012

Golden Princess Hawaiian Islands: February 13, 2013

Golden Princess: 3 Day (September 23, 2013)

Golden Princess: 3 Day (October 21, 2013)

Golden Princess: 3 Day (November 1, 2013/How could I not?)

Golden Princess: 3 Day (November 4, 2013/How could I not, again?)

Golden Princess: October, 2014

Grand Princess Mexico: November, 2014

Golden Princess: November, 2014

Grand Princess Hawaiian Islands: February, 2015

Caribbean Princess: Panama Canal, October 2017

 

 

I've been on all three ships with Window Suites. It didn't matter where I was going. You will enjoy the location, the perks, and suite breakfasts. You will not have enough time to do it all, but fun trying to. I have been on other cruise ships (purposely did not list them all), but given a choice, I'd take the Golden and Coral. It's been a while. But I know that I won't be disappointed.

I'll be getting on when you get off. My final payment was due weeks ago, how come yours wasn't?

 

Thank you all for all the positive comments, we are really excited for the trip and the Window Suite (and moving up a tier is just icing on the Love Boat Dream!) I am not sure if there are multiple short sailings from Vancouver to LA but our payment was definitely due today, that is always an exciting day :)

[txsmiles]

We were just on the Golden SB from Whittier to Vancouver. Certainly an older ship, and showing age & looking dated in some areas... but nothing that interfered with our trip or the enjoyment of the cruise for us! Saw a few drips, and smelled something unpleasant a time or two but the ship seemed clean, our cabin was comfortable, the food in the Club level area of the Donatello dining room was good, the pizza on Lido was tasty, the coffee at the International Cafe was very good (we made full use of our coffee cards!) and the treats & snacks from there were enjoyable. We did not care for the breakfast we had in the Horizon Court so chose not to eat there again. The shows we saw were about as expected. We would choose this ship again without hesitation.

 

All of that being said, except for the staff in the Club dining area and an especially engaging guy in the Vines gift shop who went out of his way to be helpful for our small purchases, throughout the ship we found service to be "friendly" (i.e. smiling faces) but indifferent and impersonal. Nothing to complain about specifically, everything was absolutely "fine" and everyone smiled. However, again except for the Club dining room, none of the service was exceptional - not even in the Crown Grill when we went for dinner. I'm quite certain our cabin steward did not know our name, and perhaps I'd expected too much and had an unrealistic expectation that Princess was a step-up from our previous Carnival cruises and that splurging for a club level mini-suite would bring us a touch more of a luxury experience. If you compared to land-based hotels it was certainly better than Motel 6, and I wasn't expecting the Four Seasons, but I'd hoped for more Marriott Marquis than Hampton Inn if that makes sense.