Golden Princess August 10-20 SFO/Alaska

[bhopal21]

We have just completed the above cruise and have a few observations: Our embarkation from Pier 27 in SFO could not have been any smoother. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Embarcadero for three days prior and took an Uber to the terminal around 10 am. I can't say enough good things about the new Pier 27 terminal. The building is very well-designed and embarkation as well as disembarkation was a dream. Everyone including the porters we encountered were pleasant. We were met by a female porter on the curb who took our bags (3) and I tipped her $10. She was very gracious and directed us to the check-in line. There was no line and we had to wait about 10 min before they started accepting embarking passengers. We were quickly ushered upstairs and seated in the preferred seating area to await time to board. About 1145 we were allowed to board and it was an easy walk-on. We went directly to our cabin, Caribe 423, and met our steward Carlito who was one of the best we have ever had. He was almost invisible but if we ever had a need he was right there.

 

Next was the dining room for sailaway lunch with the usual salmon and souffle with orange sauce. Our bags were in our cabin by 200pm. Muster drill was held at 330 and sailaway at 400 with no problems.

 

We went to the Crown Grill the first evening since it was complimentary with our suite and it was nothing short of amazing. We have been to the Crown Grill on several ships but Vasco, the head waiter, made it something special. So special in fact that we ate there every evening for the duration of our 10-day cruise.

 

I picked up a Citizen Eco Drive watch for a friend in Facets from Mitch and she and I became friends for the duration.

 

We walked into the casino only to find that the bartender, Joy was the same we had met back in October on a Canada/New England cruise on the Ruby and she immediately asked if we wanted a Bombay Sapphire and tonic and a Key West Cooler. How can any one person remember what we ordered 10 months ago? I stood there with my mouth open to say the least.

 

As far as the Golden, she was in great shape considering her age. Of course there were places here and there but overall she was just as enjoyable as when we first sailed on here back in 2004. The staff could not have been any better. Not a single hesitation to any request and always a pleasant greeting.

 

On the first day, shortly after embarkation I went to the PSD and asked that our gratuities be increased from $12 per day to $15 per day. They immediately assumed I wanted to delete the gratuities and I had to explain the situation again. I signed the necessary forms and checked to make sure they reflected the proper terms. After about 6 days I noticed that there were no charges on our portfolio for hotel gratuities so once again I went to the Passenger Services Desk to inquire what had happened to my request. A very nice hostess Rocio, found that gratuities had been totally removed from our cabin instead of being increased as requested. She kindly remedied the situation in short order.

 

Breakfast at Sabatini's was every bit as good as it has always been. After the first day, my cranberry juice, bloody mary and poached eggs over roasted potatoes were a given. After breakfast I always had a capppuccino to complete my meal. The servers at Sabatini's, Viktor, Tik, and Salvadore, could not have been any more attentive.

 

The laundry was very good and we did not have a problem getting same day (Presto) service when necessary.

 

The Princess Messenger service was nothing short of the pits. It was definitely a flop. When it worked (which was hit or miss) your message might be delivered in 5 mins or two hours. Most of the time there was No Service. Internet service was beyond slow so I basically forgot we had service at all. It would take at a minimum 12 minutes just to check email. This is one area which needs attention soon as technology has improved beyond Princess' offering.

 

Our cruise was very enjoyable and we only had about 115 kids on-board who were generally well-behaved. The only downside to our cruise was the behavior of some adult passengers who were rude, pushy and ill asses who should have stayed at home. If I can answer any questions about our cruise or the Golden I will be more than happy to answer if I can. The 10 day cruise out of SFO is a very good choice.

 

Mike :)

Edited August 22, 2015 by bhopal21

[bdjam]

Hey Mike – just returned from the same cruise :D Where you on board?

 

I will have to agree with your observations about Golden Princess and the excellent cruise. The staff and the crew couldn’t have been any better. We also greatly enjoyed the food offerings and you can’t beat an Alaska itinerary.

 

My traveling companion has encountered mobility issues recently, so we changed to an ADA cabin and arranged for a scooter rental for him. Our travel agent took care of all of the details and all was perfect. During embarkation, we asked for a wheelchair at the curb and one was there within minutes. They whisked us through check in and we waited for about 10 minutes as we were transferred from shore-side wheelchair handling to ship wheelchair handling. We were brought immediately to our stateroom where the rented scooter was waiting, all charged up and ready to go.

 

I had only seen an ADA cabin once on board, but found this to be incredibly functional. The bathroom was well thought out with a roll-in shower, shower seat and all the grab bars one could need. There was also stand assists for the toilet and the sink and counter was tall enough to accommodate a wheelchair rolling up to them. There was a ramp into the bathroom and while there wasn’t one from the room to the balcony, one could be requested. The room is right sized for scooter and/or wheelchair use and my friend was able to maneuver easily in the room with the scooter. Of course the larger size meant incredible storage space – but that is frosting on the cake.

 

Since his ability to walk any distance has been compromised – even with the walker he brought along – the scooter was a Godsend. It allowed him to navigate almost the entire ship (note, there is no elevator that goes to the Sanctuary deck) and except for a couple of steep ramps at doorways (where he just had to ‘gun’ the scooter to get over them) the entire ship was at his disposal. Staff and crew were more than accommodating in ensuring he was well taken care of. Since we had no tender ports, he was able to get off the ship with the scooter – and with its 9-mile capacity per charge, we were able to explore Ketchikan and Juneau as we wanted.

 

I was incredibly impressed with Princess’ handling of my friend’s situation. The only snafu was during disembarkation – what we were told to do was different than what was in the disembarkation instructions, which were correct. So as I always say…read the instructions! Still Princess accommodated us and our disembarkation was only about 15 minutes later than it should have been.

 

As I say, the rest of the trip was the usual excellent Princess cruise. The Alaskan ports are brilliant and the offerings of things to do in each port outstanding. I went on a visit to a summer dog sled camp and my friend an I attended the Lumberjack show in Ketchikan. Both were excellent.

 

Golden Princess’ public areas are beautiful but I did mention on my survey that a little refreshing in the staterooms was in order. While I realize our cabin has extra wear and tear due to equipment use, there were some cosmetic issues that could have been resolved. Still it was comfortable and we were well taken care of by our stewardess.

 

I love this San Francisco itinerary and the 10 day cruise length with the five sea days (if you include the Glacier Bay cruising day) is perfect. Highly recommended.

[bdjam]

PS - I forgot to mention that I was invited to the Most Traveled Passenger luncheon. When people say that Princess is only looking for new blood and doesn't appreciate it's long-time passengers I shake my head. While this luncheon isn't as over-the-top as some might like, it's a very nice, classy affair. We had great conversations with our table mates that continued a number of times when we would run into each other after the lunch. The service was brilliant and the food - that used to leave you feeling entirely stuffed - was just right for a luncheon. Highly impressed and highly enjoyed.

[bhopal21]

Hey Mike – just returned from the same cruise :D Were you on board?

 

 

Not sure, since I was so relaxed for the duration.;)

 

Mike:)

[dtb55]

Thanks for your reviews. I'm doing this itinerary Sept. 2016 on the Grand.

 

Denise

[bhopal21]

We are still amazed by the Alaska inside passage route and Glacier Bay was the icing on the cake!

 

Mike:)

[ar1950]

.................

 

On the first day, shortly after embarkation I went to the PSD and asked that our gratuities be increased from $12 per day to $15 per day. They immediately assumed I wanted to delete the gratuities and I had to explain the situation again. I signed the necessary forms and checked to make sure they reflected the proper terms. After about 6 days I noticed that there were no charges on our portfolio for hotel gratuities so once again I went to the Passenger Services Desk to inquire what had happened to my request. A very nice hostess Rocio, found that gratuities had been totally removed from our cabin instead of being increased as requested. She kindly remedied the situation in short order.

...........................................

Mike :)

 

Apparently not something that is included in the staff's training repertoire. Bet that they were surprised. :cool:

[Colo Cruiser]

Hey Mike! Welcome back! Sounds like the cruise was amazing. Thats the way it should be.

Oh by the way thanks for getting the watch for me. You shouldn't have.

:o :p :D

[shredie]

Welcome back! Sorry to hear about Princess Messenger.

[Keith1010]

Welcome back and thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.

 

Keith

[crochetcruise]

Hey Mike – just returned from the same cruise :D Where you on board?

 

I will have to agree with your observations about Golden Princess and the excellent cruise. The staff and the crew couldn’t have been any better. We also greatly enjoyed the food offerings and you can’t beat an Alaska itinerary.

 

My traveling companion has encountered mobility issues recently, so we changed to an ADA cabin and arranged for a scooter rental for him. Our travel agent took care of all of the details and all was perfect. During embarkation, we asked for a wheelchair at the curb and one was there within minutes. They whisked us through check in and we waited for about 10 minutes as we were transferred from shore-side wheelchair handling to ship wheelchair handling. We were brought immediately to our stateroom where the rented scooter was waiting, all charged up and ready to go.

 

I had only seen an ADA cabin once on board, but found this to be incredibly functional. The bathroom was well thought out with a roll-in shower, shower seat and all the grab bars one could need. There was also stand assists for the toilet and the sink and counter was tall enough to accommodate a wheelchair rolling up to them. There was a ramp into the bathroom and while there wasn’t one from the room to the balcony, one could be requested. The room is right sized for scooter and/or wheelchair use and my friend was able to maneuver easily in the room with the scooter. Of course the larger size meant incredible storage space – but that is frosting on the cake.

 

Since his ability to walk any distance has been compromised – even with the walker he brought along – the scooter was a Godsend. It allowed him to navigate almost the entire ship (note, there is no elevator that goes to the Sanctuary deck) and except for a couple of steep ramps at doorways (where he just had to ‘gun’ the scooter to get over them) the entire ship was at his disposal. Staff and crew were more than accommodating in ensuring he was well taken care of. Since we had no tender ports, he was able to get off the ship with the scooter – and with its 9-mile capacity per charge, we were able to explore Ketchikan and Juneau as we wanted.

 

I was incredibly impressed with Princess’ handling of my friend’s situation. The only snafu was during disembarkation – what we were told to do was different than what was in the disembarkation instructions, which were correct. So as I always say…read the instructions! Still Princess accommodated us and our disembarkation was only about 15 minutes later than it should have been.

 

As I say, the rest of the trip was the usual excellent Princess cruise. The Alaskan ports are brilliant and the offerings of things to do in each port outstanding. I went on a visit to a summer dog sled camp and my friend an I attended the Lumberjack show in Ketchikan. Both were excellent.

 

Golden Princess’ public areas are beautiful but I did mention on my survey that a little refreshing in the staterooms was in order. While I realize our cabin has extra wear and tear due to equipment use, there were some cosmetic issues that could have been resolved. Still it was comfortable and we were well taken care of by our stewardess.

 

I love this San Francisco itinerary and the 10 day cruise length with the five sea days (if you include the Glacier Bay cruising day) is perfect. Highly recommended.

 

THANK YOU! The Alaska Inside Passage b2b, if necessary with a day or 2 waiting for the new ship, is on my Bucket List. I could sail from San Francisco, then fly to Seattle for the Inside Passage with Tracy Arm Fjord. I am uneasy about trying to get from San Francisco to Seattle on the same day, remembering that I am handicapped, travelling alone and unfamiliar with the airports, My gut instinct says to budget for a night near LA airport then fly to Seattle the following day. I was concerned about tender ports, this cruise doesn't currently-I am aware this may change in the years before I'd be cruising-have tender ports.

[bhopal21]

Apparently not something that is included in the staff's training repertoire. Bet that they were surprised. :cool:

 

Evidently, as they could not locate the original form I signed on embarkation day.:confused:

 

Mike:)

[bhopal21]

Hey Mike! Welcome back! Sounds like the cruise was amazing. Thats the way it should be.

Oh by the way thanks for getting the watch for me. You shouldn't have.

:o :p :D

 

It was supposed to be a suprise.

 

One thing I was surprised to find about the discounts for first day and elite was that one discount was taken from the price and then the second discount was taken from the already discounted price which makes it less than a 20% discount from the original price of the item.

 

Mike:)

[Coral]

Crown Grill, every night? Wow - never thought to do that. Must have been impressive. I would still need to visit MDR for my souffles.

 

I guess it may have been easier to probably just tip your people privately.

 

Hope you and bdjam found each other on the ship :) Maybe I should ask "how could you miss bdjam on a ship?"

 

Glad you had a good cruise! Glad weather cooperated!

[Colo Cruiser]

It was supposed to be a suprise.

 

One thing I was surprised to find about the discounts for first day and elite was that one discount was taken from the price and then the second discount was taken from the already discounted price which makes it less than a 20% discount from the original price of the item.

 

Mike:)

 

 

Yes! We have several of the Swarovski glass parrots we purchased onboard at excellent prices. Beat land duty free by a mile. :D

[bhopal21]

Crown Grill, every night? Wow - never thought to do that. Must have been impressive. I would still need to visit MDR for my souffles.

 

I guess it may have been easier to probably just tip your people privately.

 

Hope you and bdjam found each other on the ship :) Maybe I should ask "how could you miss bdjam on a ship?"

 

Glad you had a good cruise! Glad weather cooperated!

 

 

Yes, with the new Alaskan items on the menu it was very nice. I loved the halibut entree.

 

We visited with Brian and Jimmy several times during the cruise.

 

Mike:)

[Coral]

Yes, with the new Alaskan items on the menu it was very nice. I loved the halibut entree.

 

We visited with Brian and Jimmy several times during the cruise.

 

Mike:)

 

I had heard that they were bring Alaskan food onboard such as Tracy's crab leg's, etc.... Were those in the Crown Grill or regular menu? I haven't read any reviews that mention it.

[bhopal21]

I had heard that they were bring Alaskan food onboard such as Tracy's crab leg's, etc.... Were those in the Crown Grill or regular menu? I haven't read any reviews that mention it.

 

They were in Crown Grill although not the same quality as Tracy's and also the Trident Grill had Tracy's recipe crab cakes one day.

 

Mike:)

[Astro Flyer]

One thing I was surprised to find about the discounts for first day and elite was that one discount was taken from the price and then the second discount was taken from the already discounted price which makes it less than a 20% discount from the original price of the item.

 

Mike:)

Thanks for the review of you're enjoyable cruise & the discount procedure you described has also been our experience resulting in a 19% discount & not 20%. ;)

[bhopal21]

The Crown Grill also has a couple of new desserts. The Lingonberry sorbet is very good and refreshing after a heavy meal and if one wants to keep up with the rest of the meal there is a Norman Love Peanut Butter Bar that is out of this world delicious.:D

 

Mike:)

[bdjam]

Hope you and bdjam found each other on the ship :) Maybe I should ask "how could you miss bdjam on a ship?

 

You bet we found each other - lovely first lunch on board in the dining room, a dinner in the Crown Grill and Mike and Jamie turned us on to a great Indian food place in Skagway of all places! I even tried to rub Mike's back in the casino for luck...sorry that didn't work out too well Mike!

 

Jimmy and I tried Tracy's crab cakes - very good...filled with crab with just the right amount of heat to make them adventurous. Mike, you would have thought them bland ;)

Edited August 22, 2015 by bdjam

[bhopal21]

You bet we found each other - lovely first lunch on board in the dining room, a dinner in the Crown Grill and Mike and Jamie turned us on to a great Indian food place in Skagway of all places! I even tried to rub Mike's back in the casino for luck...sorry that didn't work out too well Mike!

 

Jimmy and I tried Tracy's crab cakes - very good...filled with crab with just the right amount of heat to make them adventurous. Mike, you would have thought them bland ;)

 

Oh I didn't miss the crab cakes and they were quite good. It took four before I decided though.:rolleyes:

 

Mike:)

[johnatsis]

We were on the Golden San Francisco 10 day Alaska cruise and loved every minute, service and food were wonderful. Our only problem was the Internet service, 10-15 minutes to check email then get dropped, login issues and no service were common. Daytime, late night, early morning didn’t seem to make a difference. I talked to the tech teams and they were absolute no help, basically said “it is what it is"…

 

We live in an age where most of us need to connect to the internet even on vacation whether to send occasional email, check out social media, or conduct business - The ships WiFi satellite internet connection is important - this is an issue that Princess needs to fix… Internet on the Golden was horrible

[bhopal21]

Wholeheartedly agree!

 

My minimum time for simply checking email was 12 minutes

 

Mike:)

[crochetcruise]

Hey Mike – just returned from the same cruise :D Where you on board?

 

I will have to agree with your observations about Golden Princess and the excellent cruise. The staff and the crew couldn’t have been any better. We also greatly enjoyed the food offerings and you can’t beat an Alaska itinerary.

 

My traveling companion has encountered mobility issues recently, so we changed to an ADA cabin and arranged for a scooter rental for him. Our travel agent took care of all of the details and all was perfect. During embarkation, we asked for a wheelchair at the curb and one was there within minutes. They whisked us through check in and we waited for about 10 minutes as we were transferred from shore-side wheelchair handling to ship wheelchair handling. We were brought immediately to our stateroom where the rented scooter was waiting, all charged up and ready to go.

 

I had only seen an ADA cabin once on board, but found this to be incredibly functional. The bathroom was well thought out with a roll-in shower, shower seat and all the grab bars one could need. There was also stand assists for the toilet and the sink and counter was tall enough to accommodate a wheelchair rolling up to them. There was a ramp into the bathroom and while there wasn’t one from the room to the balcony, one could be requested. The room is right sized for scooter and/or wheelchair use and my friend was able to maneuver easily in the room with the scooter. Of course the larger size meant incredible storage space – but that is frosting on the cake.

 

Since his ability to walk any distance has been compromised – even with the walker he brought along – the scooter was a Godsend. It allowed him to navigate almost the entire ship (note, there is no elevator that goes to the Sanctuary deck) and except for a couple of steep ramps at doorways (where he just had to ‘gun’ the scooter to get over them) the entire ship was at his disposal. Staff and crew were more than accommodating in ensuring he was well taken care of. Since we had no tender ports, he was able to get off the ship with the scooter – and with its 9-mile capacity per charge, we were able to explore Ketchikan and Juneau as we wanted.

 

I was incredibly impressed with Princess’ handling of my friend’s situation. The only snafu was during disembarkation – what we were told to do was different than what was in the disembarkation instructions, which were correct. So as I always say…read the instructions! Still Princess accommodated us and our disembarkation was only about 15 minutes later than it should have been.

 

As I say, the rest of the trip was the usual excellent Princess cruise. The Alaskan ports are brilliant and the offerings of things to do in each port outstanding. I went on a visit to a summer dog sled camp and my friend an I attended the Lumberjack show in Ketchikan. Both were excellent.

 

Golden Princess’ public areas are beautiful but I did mention on my survey that a little refreshing in the staterooms was in order. While I realize our cabin has extra wear and tear due to equipment use, there were some cosmetic issues that could have been resolved. Still it was comfortable and we were well taken care of by our stewardess.

 

I love this San Francisco itinerary and the 10 day cruise length with the five sea days (if you include the Glacier Bay cruising day) is perfect. Highly recommended.

 

THANK YOU! The information about the steep ramps has been noted for my reference when I sail in November 2016-I'm in F315 also ADA. My cousin has a second garage on a street with a VERY hill so I shall be doing some practice walks up and down the hill to make sure I can manage safely. Sounds like I need to change my plans for my 65th Birthday Cruise, still some years away, but with mobility challenges, I'm a compulsive pre-planner! :D