Live From Golden Princess 1 June to 11 June

[cougaraz]

Good Morning from Golden Princess at sea. I have had some mixed success doing 'live' updates in the past, but this cruise seems to be shaping up well for frequent updates, so I will give it a shot.

 

Quick background on our travel team this week, we are a big group. It is myself, my wife, my parents, my sister with her husband and two kids (just finished 2nd grade and 4) and my brother in law's parents. We are in a block of mini suites and opened up our balcony connectors to form a huge space.

 

Yesterday's embarkation was spectacularly smooth. Melissa and I were already in California visiting family so we arrived at the pier via rental car, dropped our bags and then I drove to the Hertz return near Fishermans Wharf before walking back to Pier 27. The rest of the team flew from Phoenix and took the Princess transfer. My parents are frequent cruisers and even recognized the bus driver. We all joined up at Pier 27 around 11:20 and it was less than 15 minutes later that we were all onboard. We are a mixture of Elite, Platinum, Ruby and Gold, but the very friendly and helpful staff in the terminal shepherded us all together through the check in process. After check in, we sat down for less than five minutes before boarding. We were actually the first people out the door, but by the time we were actually on the ship with such a large group, a handful had passed us.

 

After a quick stop in the room, we headed straight to lunch in the dining room, which was a ghost town! We got a table for ten and my first impression was that the food was above the average for Princess. This impression was confirmed at dinner. Watch out pants, this ship is a feeder!! We also ran into one of our old waiters, Silvano, from our last Golden cruise and he gave my wife a big hug and shook my hand. Was great to see him again.

 

The rest of the afternoon was a flurry of unpacking (all luggage for all ten travelers arrived quickly and safely), catching up and general running about. The muster drill was standard boiler plate, but maybe a bit shorter than usual. After muster we watched the sail away from our balconies. The weather was spectacular! My wife used to live in San Francisco and yesterday's weather was rare and lovely.

 

We went to our assigned dining at 530, which although no one's first choice of times was the best bet with the kids. We have a table for ten and Anthony and Jimmy took great care of us and were super with the kids. Dinner was fantastic and very well executed. After dinner, the exhaustion started setting in. We walked around a bit, but quickly faded and made for our beds.

 

A quick note on the recent dry docking, the ship looks great!! The redone Horizon Court is a big improvement, very light and modern, there is new carpet everywhere and the ship has a nice polished feel and look to it.

[Colo Cruiser]

Bon Voyage and have a great cruise!!

Thanks for checking in! :D

[greenie082756]

Thanks for posting! Hope you and yours have a wonderful time together!! :D

 

I will be following any more posts you might share as DH and I will be going on the Golden on Aug. 20th!! I so am ready now!

 

Thanks!!:)

[provencedelsol]

Thank you for the commentary. We are on the next cruise June 11-21 so will likely pass in the terminal chaos of embarkation/dis. Wonderful to hear that she is looking good after the refreshment.

 

Susan

[cma2008]

Really looking forward to your updates because we will be boarding in 49 days (July 21st)!!! Enjoy your cruise!

[bhopal21]

Thanks for checking in.

 

Looking forward to reading your thread.

 

We will board the Golden in August.

 

Mike:)

[bugsy43]

Thanks so much for taking the time out of your cruise to do this. We board the Golden for the same trip on July 1st so are very excited to read all your thoughts and updates. :D

[Gimer]

Looking at your cruise history, you were on Lincoln. I rode on her in '93, Hawaii to NAS Alameda and '98, NAS North Island to Bremerton as a POA for NAS Alameda. I see by your date, were you onboard when NAVY 1, did the four wire? Historical event for the Navy. First sitting Pres. to trap on a carrier.

I was on Golden for the May 12 Alaska cruise, and had a great time. Looking forward you your posting.

[lovevacadays]

Thank you for posting your live from thread. I'm looking forward to reading about your journey b:)

[CaptainKlutz]

Thanks for posting!

 

We just got off the Golden yesterday morning. Overall we had a wonderful cruise, but I do have to say that we were so disappointed with the MDR that we gave up after night 2. I know 2 of our tablemates were so angry they gave the headwaiter an earful and then spent the remainder of the cruise at Sabatini's. I should have done the same but just kept my piece.

 

One word of advice...we received a coupon from our TA's for a dinner at either Sabatini's or the Crown Grill...apparently so did almost everybody else on board.

 

We could never decide on a night to use it and when we finally did, they were booked thru the end of the cruise. So, make those reservations early! We did get in on the last night when somebody had the class to cancel rather than just not showing up.

[bonandmick]

We are on the same ship in about 19 days, so I appreciate your post. Sounds like so much fun traveling with such a large group and opening up the balconies. Enjoy yourselves.

[Nancyquilts]

Thanks for posting!

 

We just got off the Golden yesterday morning. Overall we had a wonderful cruise, but I do have to say that we were so disappointed with the MDR that we gave up after night 2. I know 2 of our tablemates were so angry they gave the headwaiter an earful and then spent the remainder of the cruise at Sabatini's. I should have done the same but just kept my piece.

 

One word of advice...we received a coupon from our TA's for a dinner at either Sabatini's or the Crown Grill...apparently so did almost everybody else on board.

 

We could never decide on a night to use it and when we finally did, they were booked thru the end of the cruise. So, make those reservations early! We did get in on the last night when somebody had the class to cancel rather than just not showing up.

What was the problem with the MDR that disappointed you and made your table mates so angry?

[cougaraz]

Good morning from Golden Princess where we are once again enjoying very smooth sailing and calm seas. We had a fantastic and relaxing day at sea yesterday. The ship and crew continue to impress.

 

Breakfast was at a gentlemanly hour in the Horizon Court for me, Melissa and dad, while others in the group took advantage of room service. The improved layout and new decor are very nice. It isn't revolutionary, as there were physical limitations on what could change, but it is an improvement. Breakfast time was busy, but the food was fresh and tasty. I am always a bit intrigued as every ship makes hash browns a little differently. It appears Golden Princess makes sort of a mashed cake that is fried.

 

After breakfast, we walked a couple of miles on the promenade. Conditions were cool and breezy, but altogether pleasant. There were a few walkers, but not as many as I expected. After a quick stop for coffee and a check in with the family, we headed off to the meet and greet. The group was small, but we met some very nice folks from the Bay Area. The hotel manager and music director stopped by and talked a little about what is going on. Specifically, there is a lot of emphasis on Alaska specific food, events and programming. We have noticed that there are Alaskan items on the menu in the dining room at night, but just a couple. In addition, they have North to Alaska events scheduled and will have more local food coming later in the cruise. We also learned that the head pastry chef for the entire company is onboard, which appears to be bearing out in the exceptional dessert quality. Finally, last weeks Live From host who is doing the back to back talked a little about the highlights and some tips and hints, which was very nice.

 

One last note on the meet and greet, some fellow passengers finally helped us get the messenger service up and running. Since then, we've found it very useful, but it is not intuitive. Given the size and scale of Princess I regularly feel that their application of technology is a bit awkward and underwhelming. The messaging service proved to be useful coordinating post dinner plans, but I think Princess could really focus in a bit on better design and function of the app.

 

Lunch was in the dining rob and it was very good. I had the pasta carbonara, chicken korma and rice pudding for dessert. I know that food is very subjective and what one finds delicious another may not, so I will focus on what I've noticed. The food thus far has always been piping hot, well seasoned and beautifully presented.

 

After lunch, we indulged ourselves in a nice nap before spending a little time on the balcony before dinner. The kids were out about yesterday and managed to swim and spend time at Shockwaves and Pelicans. They seemed to have had a great time, including making worms, stained glass and playing Mario Cart.

 

Dinner was in once again in the main dining room and a very enjoyable evening. I started with the Sweetbreads and they were a hit. On my first Princess cruise over the 20 years ago I asked my mom what sweetbreads were, she told me I had to order them and try them before she would tell me. So, I did, they were delicious and it no longer mattered to me what they were. I followed it up with a small portion of the fettuccine, which was good, but I should have gotten the gazpacho. I tried some of Melissa's and it was delicious. My main was the Tom turkey with all the trimmings, while Melissa got the mussels. For dessert, I had the apple spring rolls and Melissa got the cheesecake. I think that having the head pastry chef onboard is paying dividends, because the desserts have been a cut above.

 

After dinner, we dropped the kids off at their program and then went to see Michael Wilson who does impressions. His show was fantastic, he's exceptionally talented, funny and squeaky clean. I appreciate when someone can be creative and fun without being vulgar.

 

That'll about do it for now. I have been taking lots of pictures, so I will post some up when we pull into port and get some faster internet. I will also be posting videos up on YouTube when we get home.

 

Grimer, I actually missed the President coming onboard, as I got off the ship in Hawaii, so I watched on TV.

 

CaptainKlutz, sorry to hear about your experience in the dining room, we have fortunately had amazing service and the food has been tremendous thus far.

 

If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask.

[Blindmock]

Do you know if he will still be on board for the June 21st cruise???

[CaptainKlutz]

What was the problem with the MDR that disappointed you and made your table mates so angry?

 

Our (unnamed because I don't remember) waiter and assistant were terrible. Delivered the wrong orders, food was cold and they couldn't be bothered to put bread out without being hounded. Finally we got bread, but no butter..no salt shakers out because of Noro and so on.

 

All that said, I can report that the updated Horizon court seemed to be much better and the pizza/hamburgers were, as usual, fantastic.

[cougaraz]

Do you know if he will still be on board for the June 21st cruise???

I do not believe so as he is scheduled to depart on our arrival in Juneau.

[bonandmick]

Hi,

I was wondering if the Princess at Sea App is up and running on the Golden now? I am particularly hoping that I can use it to IM my family for free while on the ship, without having to pay for wifi, so I don't have to bring walkie talkies. I called and emailed Princess and checked on their website:confused:, and I am getting conflicting information on when it rolls out on the Golden Princess. Thanks

[cougaraz]

Hi,

I was wondering if the Princess at Sea App is up and running on the Golden now? I am particularly hoping that I can use it to IM my family for free while on the ship, without having to pay for wifi, so I don't have to bring walkie talkies. I called and emailed Princess and checked on their website:confused:, and I am getting conflicting information on when it rolls out on the Golden Princess. Thanks

 

Yes, it is up and running. Works great, will post some setup details later.

[elliair]

Thanks for posting!

 

We just got off the Golden yesterday morning. Overall we had a wonderful cruise, but I do have to say that we were so disappointed with the MDR that we gave up after night 2. I know 2 of our tablemates were so angry they gave the headwaiter an earful and then spent the remainder of the cruise at Sabatini's. I should have done the same but just kept my piece.

 

One word of advice...we received a coupon from our TA's for a dinner at either Sabatini's or the Crown Grill...apparently so did almost everybody else on board.

 

We could never decide on a night to use it and when we finally did, they were booked thru the end of the cruise. So, make those reservations early! We did get in on the last night when somebody had the class to cancel rather than just not showing up.

 

We were one of those who got a "free" coupon in either Sabitinis or the Crown Grill. (We were on the cruise before this one). We called to make the reservations at the Crown and was told they were booked solid. I asked how they could be booked solid on the second day of the cruise. Then we were told they could take us Thursday at 8:00 pm, which we said okay. But others we talked to said the same that they couldn't get in. As it turns out, it wasn't all that great, we've had better on other ships. I ordered the lobster - ONLY 2 lobster tails. I musta looked like a pig because they brought me 8 lobster tails! I could only eat 2 of them and I felt bad sending the uneaten ones back. DH ordered the filet Mignon and 2 lobster tails and he could hardly get his meal down. Maybe it was getting close to closing time and they wanted to get rid of the lobster.

Edited June 4, 2015 by elliair

[bonandmick]

Yes, it is up and running. Works great, will post some setup details later.

Thank you so much for your reply, when you can't get a clear answer, no one knows best like someone actually on the ship.:)

[OCruisers]

cougaraz .... Thanks for the LIVE update!

Happy things are going well and that you & yours are having a great time! :D

 

LuLu

[madjohn]

Thanks for the live!

 

Please keep the ship in ship shape since I will be boarding next week:)

 

Thanks

[cougaraz]

Good morning again from Golden Princess, sailing this morning under very gray skies in the inside passage en route to Juneau. We have a late arrival 1:30 today, with a late departure as well. We are planning to go to The Alaskan Brewing Company on a tasting tour that we booked online. After that, probably walk around town a bit and see what comes up.

 

Yesterday, was another relaxing day at sea. We were up fairly early and went straight to the International Cafe for some gogo juice and then walked around the Promenade Deck while we sipped. Then, it was up to the Horizon Court for breakfast. Once again, the buffet food was tasty and the staff were friendly. After breakfast we walked some more, it was very pleasant and breezy yesterday morning. Late morning, I went to a GoPro seminar with Theo our video producer. It wasn't really ground breaking stuff, but he did emphasize at least one thing I already knew, shooting video is the easier part, editing takes a lot of time and effort. Still, I enjoyed it and he had some good examples. I will be firing up the GoPro a bit over the next few days and after a bit of editing at home try to get some footage up.

 

For lunch, we met up with some of the group, including the kids for burgers and dogs from the grill, with formal night coming up and wanting to fully enjoy the 50th Anniversary Dinner, we ate lightly. After lunch, I went to the veteran's get together in the Wheelhouse Bar. There were a total of over 40 which was the biggest group I've seen, including two veterans from World War II. It was great to see everyone and talk a bit. Also, it provided another example of why Billy London is a great cruise director and it trickles down to his staff. Usually, the cruise staff member who kicks off the event opens the champagne, says five words and leaves, but Jamie from the staff stayed and participated. To be fair though, tough to walk away from such an incredible group of fine Americans.

 

I indulged in my standard afternoon nap and then got ready for dinner. Once again, Anthony and Jimmy were top-notch. They have learned everyone's name and beverage preferences, so when we get there they greet us by name, drinks come out almost instantly and they joke with us just the right amount. Food is very subjective, but in my opinion, last night's dinner was the best main dining room dinner I've had on Princess. Soup to nuts, I thought it was inspired, creative, delicious and executed flawlessly. Melissa was not willing to give it best ever status, but did go with one of the top three all time. We did the set menu and enjoyed it immensely. The duck terrine was elegant, silky and rich, cut perfectly with the orange marmalade sauce and paired nicely with the mushroom soup. The osso bucco agnolotti was some insane pasta! Little pillows of pasta filled with meat and swimming in the most divine sauce of rich stock, butter and sage. If they made the sauce into cologne, eHarmony would go out of business. Then they brought us a quick palate cleanser sorbet and it was on to the entree. I had the beef, served a perfect medium rare and accompanied by a little quiche and fried onions, very good. Melissa had the turbot and all but licked her plate, the fish was so mild and flaky, not over cooked and the sauce was a perfect accompaniment. For dessert everyone got the Norman Love special, chocolate mousse heart, which was decadent. I ate all of mine, but probably could have stopped after a few bites as it was very rich.

 

After dinner, we dropped Micah off at Pelicans and went to see Michael Wilson in the Vista Lounge. I thought he was good, but not quite as sharp, nor as clean as he was the first night. I still enjoyed the show and laughed heartily, but comparing the two, I thought the first show was better. After dinner, in anticipation of getting bonus sleep time with the time change, we headed to the Wheelhouse Bar for a night cap. The band playing was great and Billy stopped by, checking in with passengers and how they were doing. I appreciate that Princess is offering a nice selection of single malt scotch which is certainly a nice way to cap the day.

 

One other note, I tried the special Seawitch IPA and it was not really to my liking. I am sure many will enjoy it, but for me, the hopiness was not well-balanced and added a large amount of bitterness without much great hop flavor.

[JeffandMelissa]

Thank you for the review! Fantastic.

 

Also, love the quote....In Harm's Way...one of my favorite favorite movies. :)

 

Melissa

[Cbtours]

Enjoying report. We are booked 30 October when she is here in Australia! Doing Melbourne to South Pacific with a group of 20 of us!!! Looking forward to your other updates. We are in mini suite dolphin d211 if anyone can give any details that cabin?