Golden Drydock

[wizard-of-roz]

I was onboard the Golden for the 10 day Mexican Riviera cruise before drydock. I was in a mini suite. It was the worst cruise I have ever taken onboard a Princess ship.

 

It started with a delay to board because of a Coast Guard inspection [that's what we were told.] We waited until after 12:30 to board. Once onboard I went directly to my cabin to drop off my carry-ons. The carpet in my cabin had huge stains, the railing on my veranda felt like sandpaper and there was a huge crack in the bathroom sink, stained toilet seat and bowl.

 

I mentioned some of the above to my steward and he said a lot of it was going to be replaced while in drydock.

 

When we walked into the Canaletto Dining room we notice an ice bucket in the center of one of the tables, we looked up to the ceiling and noticed there was a leak dripping down into the bucket. While walking past Explorer's Lounge there was a professional blow drying machine facing the carpet, I asked the bartender about it and he said there was a leak under the floor.

 

The crew did the best they could to continue to make our cruise as nice as they could but Princess should have given all of us a huge break in the price we had to pay to "come back new!"

 

There were a lot of folks in wheelchairs and walkers onboard this cruise and when debarking, at one point the elevator that would have taken them to where their luggage was wasn't working so they had to disembark from a specific deck, in lines that wrapped around the Piazza and into a dining room, so they could be taken off via a gangplank. Also, because we left out of Pier 93 and returned to Pier 91 we witnessed people going across the street to get to their cars and couldn't locate them. It would have been nice if someone onboard would have warned them that the ship was NOT docking at the same pier it left from, before they left the ship. For people who are not that familiar with the San Pedro Port it was very confusing.

 

I think this cruise was a comedy of errors.

 

I'm booked onboard the Pacific Princess in December to celebrate Princesses' 50 years of cruising, I'm looking forward to a completely better experience!

[beg3yrs]

Hi Roz, it was nice to meet you and Horton F2F at the Meet & Greet on the first sea day of this cruise. Having the Hotel General Manager, Martin May, attend and give a talk was very nice.

 

So sorry you were disappointed with the cruise on the Golden. I hope you mentioned the issues on the survey.

 

Seems the Coast Guard inspection was real. We boarded a little earlier with friends as part of the Bon Voyage Experience and got a glimpse of the tail-end of the inspection related activities.

 

The two leaks to which you refer are actually one and the same. Explorer's Lounge was the top part and the one in the Canaletto was the bottom part. We only saw the leak only one night. We ate all our evening meals in that area of the Canaletto as we liked the waiter, Radovan. He was clowning around, pretending to take a shower under the leak. Pretty funny.

[shredie]

I was onboard the Golden for the 10 day Mexican Riviera cruise before drydock. I was in a mini suite. It was the worst cruise I have ever taken onboard a Princess ship.

Of course, the important question is did Horton enjoy himself? ;):)

 

I'm booked onboard the Pacific Princess in December to celebrate Princesses' 50 years of cruising, I'm looking forward to a completely better experience!

 

Can't wait!

Edited April 26, 2015 by shredie

[wizard-of-roz]

As I mentioned on another thread; "Cruising With a Service Dog", the folks onboard this cruise were some of the nicest I have ever met on any of my cruising experiences and I mean that, sincerely!

 

Horton and I felt friendship and love from everyone we encountered, which made up for all the inconsistencies in the ship itself!

 

I consider myself a savvy traveler, I felt pretty stupid after this cruise........please tell me the Pacific is NOT going into drydock after my cruise on December 3rd.

 

Thank you to each and every one of you who treated me and my Service Dog, Horton with such great respect.

[trinaM]

Has anyone Been to See the Golden today and taken more pictures of her Drydock? :)

[elliair]

I was onboard the Golden for the 10 day Mexican Riviera cruise before drydock. I was in a mini suite. It was the worst cruise I have ever taken onboard a Princess ship.

 

It started with a delay to board because of a Coast Guard inspection [that's what we were told.] We waited until after 12:30 to board. Once onboard I went directly to my cabin to drop off my carry-ons. The carpet in my cabin had huge stains, the railing on my veranda felt like sandpaper and there was a huge crack in the bathroom sink, stained toilet seat and bowl.

 

I mentioned some of the above to my steward and he said a lot of it was going to be replaced while in drydock.

 

When we walked into the Canaletto Dining room we notice an ice bucket in the center of one of the tables, we looked up to the ceiling and noticed there was a leak dripping down into the bucket. While walking past Explorer's Lounge there was a professional blow drying machine facing the carpet, I asked the bartender about it and he said there was a leak under the floor.

 

The crew did the best they could to continue to make our cruise as nice as they could but Princess should have given all of us a huge break in the price we had to pay to "come back new!"

 

There were a lot of folks in wheelchairs and walkers onboard this cruise and when debarking, at one point the elevator that would have taken them to where their luggage was wasn't working so they had to disembark from a specific deck, in lines that wrapped around the Piazza and into a dining room, so they could be taken off via a gangplank. Also, because we left out of Pier 93 and returned to Pier 91 we witnessed people going across the street to get to their cars and couldn't locate them. It would have been nice if someone onboard would have warned them that the ship was NOT docking at the same pier it left from, before they left the ship. For people who are not that familiar with the San Pedro Port it was very confusing.

 

I think this cruise was a comedy of errors.

 

I'm booked onboard the Pacific Princess in December to celebrate Princesses' 50 years of cruising, I'm looking forward to a completely better experience!

 

Sounds like your experience on the Golden was like ours on the Crown 4/18. Our boarding was delayed until after 3:00 pm - excuse was deep cleaning for the noro. Like your cruise, ours was the worse ever as well. It just started off all wrong and I posted our experience on the thread 4/18 Crown delay. The handrails on our balcony had no varnish on them. The matting on the balcony had rust stains and gobs of white paint. There was rust showing every where. The carpet was coming loose from the edges of the cabin. The Crown is suppose to go into dry dock in Vancouver May 2. I hope the Golden meets our expectations as I don't want to experience another "worse" cruise ever. We're already looking at other cruise lines to vacation on.

[shredie]

Sounds like your experience on the Golden was like ours on the Crown 4/18. Our boarding was delayed until after 3:00 pm - excuse was deep cleaning for the noro. Like your cruise, ours was the worse ever as well. It just started off all wrong and I posted our experience on the thread 4/18 Crown delay. The handrails on our balcony had no varnish on them. The matting on the balcony had rust stains and gobs of white paint. There was rust showing every where. The carpet was coming loose from the edges of the cabin. The Crown is suppose to go into dry dock in Vancouver May 2. I hope the Golden meets our expectations as I don't want to experience another "worse" cruise ever. We're already looking at other cruise lines to vacation on.

 

And, of course, the sausage. :)

[critterchick]

The casino is being redone with Asian market games an a high-roller / VIP area is being added. I'd take that as a hint she'll be in Asia for that time, possibly privately chartered like the Diamond (or was it the Sapphire) was last summer.

 

I don't think they would sail her from Sydney to LA and then back to Asia right away, though...

[Belle]

She is doing 10 day rt from San Francisco

to Alaska this summer.

[trbarton]

Has anyone Been to See the Golden today and taken more pictures of her Drydock? :)

 

I took photos recently. What are your looking for? Today is the last day of the dry dock.

 

Tom😎

[gcvt]

And she's gone. We'll miss looking at her.

[Hobart18]

We are on the May 2 sailing, at least we don't have to wait for rooms to be done up, LOL. Hope it is a great cruise. I have never been out to the west coast.:)

I see that you are going to be sailing on the 1st cruise on Golden Princess after her drydock spell. We are sailing on her when she comes down to Australia to be positioned for the next 3 years, we can't wait, we normally go on the Dawn Princess which I think is currently on her way to Singapore to go into drydock, hopefully for a makeover like the Sun Princess to include a refit of the Horizon Court and also to include a Sushi Restaurant.

We love the Dawn Princess, she is very classy and understated.

We can't wait to sail on the Golden Princess.

Could you possibly take photos of her new Horizon Court and post them on the forum as it appears Princess hasn't posted anything about her drydock refit.

 

This is my first post on this Forum.

I hope you have a great cruise

 

Regards

Oz Princess Cruiser

[IECalCruiser]

I don't think they would sail her from Sydney to LA and then back to Asia right away, though...

And she's gone. We'll miss looking at her.

The Golden schedule shows an April 2016 30 day cruise from Melbourne to Los Angeles and then has her back in Sydney in November of 2016. No itineraries posted for the time in between.

[Ethel5]

The Golden schedule shows an April 2016 30 day cruise from Melbourne to Los Angeles and then has her back in Sydney in November of 2016. No itineraries posted for the time in between.

 

We are booked on a RT Alaska cruise out of SFO 9/9/15 on the Golden.

[Dudleydog73]

We are booked on a RT Alaska cruise out of SFO 9/9/15 on the Golden.

 

We will be getting off as you get on. We promise to take good care of her for you. :)

[bhopal21]

We are booked on a RT Alaska cruise out of SFO 9/9/15 on the Golden.

 

A friend of yours will be on the same cruise August 10.;)

 

Mike:)

[rdemn]

Why if the Golden Princess was in dry dock in San Francisco does it go to Los Angeles for its first cruise?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[trbarton]

Why if the Golden Princess was in dry dock in San Francisco does it go to Los Angeles for its first cruise?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Yes....After dry dock the ship is returning to LA for a Coastal to Van Couver and then back to San Francisco for the Alaska Season. Your question as to why they made this schedule is a good question for Princess Admin. Perhaps Princess will provide you an answer for us and yourself. I was booked on an Hawaii cruise on the Grand from San Francisco and the ship first went to Victoria, BC for 10 days for dry dock. I was told it was because it was less expensive to have the dry dock in Canada. Plus there would have to have an available dry dock available in San Francisco, we only have 2 for a large ship such as Princess has.

 

Tom😎

[Ethel5]

A friend of yours will be on the same cruise August 10.;)

 

Mike:)

 

I will very much be missing my friends. :)

[Colo Cruiser]

Why if the Golden Princess was in dry dock in San Francisco does it go to Los Angeles for its first cruise?

 

Because of the schedule.

[bhopal21]

Because of the schedule.

 

As Staples would say, "That was easy"

 

Mike:)

[rdemn]

Because of the schedule.

 

Because of the schedule? My question was why would they move the ship from San Francisco to LA. Why not just schedule a cruise out of San Francisco doesn't take a rocket scientist to know it cost money fuel to get from San Francisco to LA.

[waltd]

Because of the schedule? My question was why would they move the ship from San Francisco to LA. Why not just schedule a cruise out of San Francisco doesn't take a rocket scientist to know it cost money fuel to get from San Francisco to LA.

 

Probably a bigger market out of LA to Vancouver then SF. And as said the schedule was probably set in stone years ago.

[caribill]

Probably a bigger market out of LA to Vancouver then SF. And as said the schedule was probably set in stone years ago.

 

They could have offered SF to Vancouver with a stop in L.A. where additional passengers could board.

[waltd]

They could have offered SF to Vancouver with a stop in L.A. where additional passengers could board.

 

LOL

You should work for Princess. :)