Does anyone recommed the Golden Princess?????

[portcbob]

Hi Princess cruisers.

 

Thinking of taking a 25 night cruise from Beijing China to Sydney, Australia on the Golden Princess.

 

Does anyone out there recommend this ship or itinerary.

 

China, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia and Australian ports.

 

Kind Regards Bob and Christine

[CruisingJs]

We've done five cruises on the Golden and I absolutely love that ship. To me, she is just the right size. The crew is always great. I may have to fly half way around the world to see her again!

[joybook]

Did L/A to Rio (31 days) on the Golden Princess in December 2014. Great ship and no complaints - would sail on her again without hesitation.

 

Did Beijing to Singapore/Singapore to Sydney (total 33 days) a couple of years ago on Sapphire Princess. The itinerary (Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Bali, Singapore, South Korea, HongKong, and of course Australia) was great. Have a great cruise - but if you can't go send me the money and I will.:)

[joybook]

Sorry not Sapphire it was the Diamond Princess - Beijing to Sydney.:)

[IECalCruiser]

Haven't sailed in Asia. The Golden was the first Princess ship we sailed on and we have 42 days on her. We like her combination of features and were sad when she left the West Coast. The Sapphire was another of our favorites that we lost to Asia [emoji22][emoji22]

[MoreCruises!]

Sailed to Alaska on the Golden last July with the extended family. Everyone had a great time, special dietary needs were met exceedingly well, and no one had trouble finding fun things to do over the ten days. We would absolutely sail on the Golden Princess again.

[sjfrany]

We have 38 days on the Golden it is one of my favorite ships:) Hope you have a great cruise.

[Colo Cruiser]

We have sailed the Golden a couple of times.

Really like her after they added the IC/Crown Grill/Window suites in 2009.

[Linsifer]

I sailed on the Golden for 10 days out of San Francisco to Mexico in 2007 and really enjoyed it. I had previously been on her sister ship, the Star five years earlier. Loved both ships! Will be on their older sister, Grand next year.

[BCCRUSINGCOUPLE]

Been on the golden 3 times. Have always enjoyed sailing on her would go on her again. Can't go wrong with this ship.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cr8tiv1]

I have been on the Golden Princess 9 times (1 Penthouse Suite/8 Window Suites) with one more suite planned for next summer. She is my favorite Grand Class ship. I like her public area configurations more than the others. She does not have a Thermal Spa but one pool is covered. There are only three ships in the fleet with Window Suites. If you can find one, book it fast! I haven't read a negative about her on this thread. Princess...are you listening?

[wishfulone]

We were in a mini suite on the Golden for 31 days around Cape Horn in 2014. Loved the ship itself and things like the International Cafe. That was before her makeover and move to Australia. She needed the makeover badly but that didn't take away from the ship itself. We have yet to sail to Asia but the Golden is steady as she goes, handles the big seas beautifully.

[kuldalai]

Dont hesitate GOLDEN PRINCESS is a lovely ship with a great crew . Plenty of public spaces and lounges, 3 main dining rooms, and two specialty restaurants. Four pools . See my tip below re booking an OCEAN VIEW Suite .

 

Beijing back to Sydney is a great itinerary with calls at Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Indonesia.

 

Hidden away on away on Deck 6 FIESTA are a very limited number of Ocean View Suites with two giant windows each . They are as large as Mini Suites but much cheaper.

Pax get all the benefits that pax in full suites with Verandahs get .

So if you want a larger Stateroom, and are not fussed about a balcony then these Window Suites are great value .

Category S 7 On Deck 6 Fiesta there are Only 7 of them F-301 F-303 F-305 F-307 F-309 F 311 F 315

RED - Do NOT book, next to slamming doors F-301 and F 315 ORANGE - Good Choices F – 303 F 307 and F- 309 Best Staterooms F 305 & F 311

Edited March 11, 2016 by kuldalai

[cr8tiv1]

Dont hesitate GOLDEN PRINCESS is a lovely ship with a great crew . Plenty of public spaces and lounges, 3 main dining rooms, and two specialty restaurants. Four pools . See my tip below re booking an OCEAN VIEW Suite .

 

Beijing back to Sydney is a great itinerary with calls at Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Indonesia.

 

Hidden away on away on Deck 6 FIESTA are a very limited number of Ocean View Suites with two giant windows each . They are as large as Mini Suites but much cheaper.

Pax get all the benefits that pax in full suites with Verandahs get .

So if you want a larger Stateroom, and are not fussed about a balcony then these Window Suites are great value .

Category S 7 On Deck 6 Fiesta there are Only 7 of them

F-301 F-303

F-305 F-307 F-309 F 311 F 315

RED - Do NOT book, next to slamming doors F-301 and F 315 ORANGE - Good Choices F – 303 F 307 and F- 309 Best Staterooms F 305 & F 311

 

Very good recommendations. F315 is a handicap accessible cabin. F301 is smaller than all the others. The Window Suites are the size of two "ocean view" cabins but with the layout of a suite. Google Window Suites and you will see lots and lots and lots of descriptions. I "borrowed" a floor plan from another member to include in my threads. Really need remember his name.

 

Curious why you picked F305 as a favorite over the cabins nearer to F311. F311 is closer to mid-ship.

[portcbob]

Thankyou all you guys for your imput. Appreciate it and you have convinced us about the ship.

 

In relation to the Oceanview Suites. Are they cheaper than say a Midships balcony on say Deck 11 or would they be more expensive.

 

Kind Regards Bob.

[portcbob]

Hi guys.

Just a follow up question please.

Just looked at those 7 oceanview suite cabins on fiesta. Just wondering if the would be noisy as the theatre and other venues appear close by.

 

Cheers bob.

[cr8tiv1]

More often than not, you can secure a Window Suite (aka Ocean View Suite) for the same price or less than a mini-suite (no relationship to a full suite), but a couple hundred dollars more than a balcony.

 

There is very little to no noise near the Window Suites unless you want to consider the water level slightly below. That is why I prefer the higher number cabins. The lower number cabins sit above the bow where the water breaks. You can sometimes hear the slapping of the waves or some vibration from the stabilizers. In all the cruises I've been on, I have not had excessive ship noises.

 

It is so convenient to the public decks. One deck up/one deck down.

 

The Crown Grill, Shore Excursion Deck, Captain Circle Representative, and Future Cruise offices are just steps away. Large public area so there are never crowds. It has a separate hallway so you don't have people passing by your cabins on the way to the Princess Theater. There is a women's bathroom right at the end (outside of Hallway). Have used it in an emergency on more than one occasion.

 

I can go on and on and on...wish Princess would return her to the US.

[IECalCruiser]

Hi guys.

 

Just a follow up question please.

 

Just looked at those 7 oceanview suite cabins on fiesta. Just wondering if the would be noisy as the theatre and other venues appear close by.

 

 

 

Cheers bob.

We have been in F307 and F315 on the Golden and F311 on the Grand and didn't have any noise from any venues. If I remember correctly, there was some stabilizer noise in F307. In F311 we had some rough seas the first night and the wall behind our bed creaked a lot. The rest of the cruise was smooth and no noise issues. F301 would be my last choice because it is significantly smaller but I would book again.

[kuldalai]

Hi guys.

Just a follow up question please.

Just looked at those 7 oceanview suite cabins on fiesta. Just wondering if the would be noisy as the theatre and other venues appear close by.

 

Cheers bob.

 

No they are sort of off the main drag in a separate corridor but avoid the end cabins as EVERYONE just opens the door goes through and let it SLAM shut .

Princess need to put vacuumn closers on those corridor doors so they close quietly and do not slam all night .

[Shelly97060]

Golden Princess is one of my favorite ships!

[NavyVeteran]

More often than not, you can secure a Window Suite (aka Ocean View Suite) for the same price or less than a mini-suite (no relationship to a full suite), but a couple hundred dollars more than a balcony.

 

There is very little to no noise near the Window Suites unless you want to consider the water level slightly below. That is why I prefer the higher number cabins. The lower number cabins sit above the bow where the water breaks. You can sometimes hear the slapping of the waves or some vibration from the stabilizers. In all the cruises I've been on, I have not had excessive ship noises.

 

It is so convenient to the public decks. One deck up/one deck down.

 

The Crown Grill, Shore Excursion Deck, Captain Circle Representative, and Future Cruise offices are just steps away. Large public area so there are never crowds. It has a separate hallway so you don't have people passing by your cabins on the way to the Princess Theater. There is a women's bathroom right at the end (outside of Hallway). Have used it in an emergency on more than one occasion.

 

I can go on and on and on...wish Princess would return her to the US.

 

No! No! No! The window suites are horrible - don't recommend them.:mad: If you keep telling people about them, then they won't be available when I want to book them.:(

[crochetcruise]

We were in a mini suite on the Golden for 31 days around Cape Horn in 2014. Loved the ship itself and things like the International Cafe. That was before her makeover and move to Australia. She needed the makeover badly but that didn't take away from the ship itself. We have yet to sail to Asia but the Golden is steady as she goes, handles the big seas beautifully.

 

THANK YOU! Newbie cruiser here, with a LONG history of travel sickness as a kid. Relieved to hear the Golden handles big seas well, hopefully Bass Strait won't be TOO bad! I am bringing anti-nausea medication with me-not taking chances with my travel history!:D

[ar1950]

THANK YOU! Newbie cruiser here, with a LONG history of travel sickness as a kid. Relieved to hear the Golden handles big seas well, hopefully Bass Strait won't be TOO bad! I am bringing anti-nausea medication with me-not taking chances with my travel history!:D

 

Definitely take the anti-nausea meds and maybe the patches. Many swear by them.

 

As far as the Golden goes, we were on her two years ago and it was a fine ship and in good shape.

 

Cabin choices are always subjective, kind of like food. :rolleyes: I can't say anything about a cabin type (window suite or otherwise) other than that we had a mid-forward balcony on Baja deck and it was fine. BTW out of eighteen cruises my DW and I have done all but one was a balcony cabin of one sort or another. The one and only ocean view cabin that we did was an experience that pretty much cemented our (or at least DW's) feeling that our cruises will always include a cabin with a balcony. :eek:

 

Although with the right upgrade/up-sell offer I might get her to reconsider......? :p Well, then again, maybe not. Guess we will find out if it ever happens. :o

Edited March 13, 2016 by ar1950

[cr8tiv1]

No! No! No! The window suites are horrible - don't recommend them.:mad: If you keep telling people about them, then they won't be available when I want to book them.:(

 

And how did you find out about them?

 

This is a floor plan for a Window Suite (Grand). They are all the same.

GRAND PRINCESS WINDOW SUITE 2-1.pdf

[ar1950]

And how did you find out about them?

 

This is a floor plan for a Window Suite (Grand). They are all the same.

 

cr8tivi1, I think that the post maybe was a post made in jest, like, "don't give away the secret!" ....."Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Know what I mean? Know what I mean? Say no more! Say..no..more!" (Attribute to Monty Python and the Flying Circus).

 

Just sayin'. :cool:

Edited March 13, 2016 by ar1950