Golden Ending 5/9/04

[wolfsnare]

Travelingal...you're not alone!! I'm about 7 wks away and am already worried about my PCD My husband is threatening to send me to rehab...I wonder if there is a "floating" rehab center!!!

 

 

Conquest 4/03

Victory 12/03

Golden Princess 4/04 Golden Princess 6/04

[sue d. miller]

If you book an open booking while you are on board, you will walk off smiling, and not kicking and screaming.

 

Sue

7 days on Star Princess 10/24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[surfnsun]

I can relate to PCD...I suppose that's why I'm not in bed yet when I have an early morning rise back to work.

 

Gotta tell ya all one more thing...we did a quick walk through when we first boarded the ship just to get familiar with everything on board. Anyway, we were passing by the spa and they told me they had lost their model and asked if I would be a model for one of the treatments. (Can't believe I forgot the name of it). It was free for me, normally $119.00 treatment. I thought I would be embarrassed laying on a table covered in towels while others toured the spa and watched me getting the treatment...BUT...I was well covered and lost 3 1/2 inches total around my legs!!!!! Only took an hour and not a bad way to start the cruise!

[beth22]

we are going on the Golden June 6. I can't wait to here more about the ship.

[kitty555]

how do you know you lost 3 1/2 inches?

 

Did they measure you all over before? Can you skip that part if they do?

 

Was it relaxing?

 

Would you pay to get it done again?

 

thanks

[Tak8]

Glad to be getting info on the new Golden route. What time/day is the muster drill?

[billybob123]

To add to PatriciaF and Surfnsun's posts (which coverered most of the questions).

 

We were in Caribe 517 (inside), which was very convenient to the main elevators and only three decks and a short walk from the Horizon Court, Pools (upstairs), and the promenade stuff (downstairs).

 

The movie they played in the Princess Theatre on Monday (the day Surfnsun missed) was Master and Commander. All the movies they played in the showlounges were shown on Princess TV the next night at 7 or 8 pm. They also had several recently video-released movies on TV, including the 3rd Matrix, Finding Nemo, Bringing Down the House, Matchstick Men, Terminator 3, Pirates of the Caribbean, and many others that I didn't watch.

 

The cruise director was an absolutely hyperactive and hilarious Graham Seymour - this guy was the one of the highlights of the cruise for me!! Watch his ship tour to get a real laugh.

 

As for dining, the formal nights were Monday (at sea) and Friday (after leaving St. Maarten). I managed to see the sailaways every day, but we were in the early seating dining (6:15 every night) so I had to leave every night just as they were warming up (except in St. Lucia, where we left at 5). The assigned seating was in the Canaletto DR (very aft of 6th deck). The dining nights (I didn't keep the menus, so I can't really remember) included Italian night (Tuesday - the waiters were dressed as gondoliers), "Continental night" which is obviously French night (the menu was exclusively french food, so I'm not sure why they don't call it French!) on Wednesday or Thursday, and "Landfall dinner" on Saturday, which was "American" food.

 

The muster drill was Sunday night at 8 pm for those already on board, and they had a second one at 9 am on Monday for those who missed the first one.

 

Hope everyone enjoys the cruise as much as we did.

[pamyla]

Wow I'm getting excited now!! Thanks for sharing

 

Surfnsun - I'm interested in learning more about your tour of st. Lucia. Where do you find the tourism office? How long was the tour? And how much did it cost?

 

Thanks!

Pam

[Travelingal]

Wolfsnare, you wrote:

"I wonder if there is a "floating" rehab center!!!"

 

If there is - I'm ready to be committed!!

 

It's so good to know I'm not alone - I thought it just might be the hormones acting up again!!

 

Hope EVERYONE has a wonderful cruise and has good reason to have PCD!

 

Golden 2004

Wind 2002

Grandeur 1999

[cruiserw/kids]

My thanks to all of you who have been adding additional information about the first San Juan Cruise for the Golden this year. Unfortunately, you got me now thinking about the PCD setting in after its all over. But I like the idea of booking the next cruise while you are onboard so you immediately have another one to look forward to as you walk off of the ship! Happy Cruising to all of you!

 

Westfield Friends - July 4th Golden Princess

 

[raydon]

Just book the next one now and you definitely won't get PCD. Have been doing that the last few times and it is easier to deal with. The guilt for being overindulgent is much easier I think! Now about that spa treatment...have to know what it was! These posts are great. I had read a lot about Grahm Seymour and how good he is. We are lucky to get him!!!

 

Golden Princess

Radiance of the Seas

[raydon]

Have a question.....did they offer any laundry specials (by the bag) and if so do you remember which day. I hate bringing home a suitcase full of dirties!

 

Golden Princess

Radiance of the Seas

[wolfsnare]

More!! More!!! We want more details!! I especially want to know more about Barbados, St. Lucia, and Antigua. Having been to St. Martin and St. Thomas numerous times but never to the other 3,I'd really like to hear some feedback from ya'll on what you liked about them, recommend, etc!

Surfnsun, you said you really enjoyed the "Island Night" party. What made it so much fun? I missed the party on my 4/10 sailing. Don't want to make that mistake twice!!!

 

 

Conquest 4/03

Victory 12/03

Golden Princess 4/04 Golden Princess 6/04

[surfnsun]

Hello again! Sorry about the delayed response, but worked late to try and catch up. Actually, I looked forward to coming home and posting more...the selfish part is it's helping cure my PCD

 

kitty555 - You had some great questions on the spa treatment. I knew I lost 3 1/2 inches because they did measure around my upper thighs and just above the knees. They asked me what area I wanted them to concentrate on and that's the only area they measured. I suppose you could skip it, but I personally wanted validation! They brushed my legs with a soft brush to get the circulation flowing. I layed face up on a table with my eyes covered the entire time (I liked that). The next part sounds a little scary, but it was not uncomfortable or painful. They covered my legs in a heavier "blanket" and started a series of electric pulses that had a pins and needles sensation and caused the muscles to contract slightly. I had a similar treatment on my back by a chiropractor, so I knew what to expect. They measured my legs again after the treatment and the difference I noticed the most was the pockets of cellulite were smoother. Not immensely noticable, but a nice feeling. The therapist admitted that three treatments have the most noticeable results. I would probably pay to get it done again, if I weren't on a budget. I did not ask though how long the treatment would work/last. It wasn't nearly as relaxing as the full body massage my husband and I chose on a "couples" basis the next day! The cruise did offer discounts on spa treatments later in the week. I recommend asking about the discounts in advance.

 

A little more information on the food - lobster was served on Thursday evening in the Personal Choice dining rooms. They will bring more than one serving...I ate 4 (2 each serving) and they didn't seem to consider this improper. The pizza in the Calypso pool area was delicious!! Kids will love it! They had several game areas and I say a group parading around the ship with ship supervision. I assume this means they can have their own "excursion" while the parents to other things.

 

pamyla - the tourism office in St. Lucia was in the building as you left the ship. You can't miss it. The tour was 5 to 5 1/2 hours. Cost was between $50 - $55 per person, without purchasing lunch at the plantation, $69.00 pp with lunch. The driver admitted that buying the same tour from the individual taxis was cheaper, but there's something about purchasing through a tourism office that makes it worth my piece of mind. We purchased the tour without lunch, although I did peak at the dining area at the plantation. It's a traditional buffet carribean menu. We left at 0930 and got back approximately 1445. Appears the tours leave quite often. Price without lunch included a "complimentary" refreshment at the waterfall (non-alcoholic) and a rum punch at the plantation (non or other).

 

raydon - don't know about laundry specials. Just my opinion - don't waste anytime or money on laundry! Pack an extra duffle and spend the time doing the laundry at home. You'll be glad you spent the time enjoying the cruise.

 

wolfsnare - All the islands are beautiful, but personally I thought St. Lucia was the most picturesque. Barbados didn't have the mountains. Antigua (pronounced Anteega) has 365 beaches. I did not fancy the shopping, as this particular island seemed to have the most "pushy" vendors. For the most part, everyone was very friendly and proud of their particular island...we asked the taxi drivers for information and they were helpful and obviously knowledgable. Most taxis on the island are government regulated, so you really don't have to worry too much about getting ripped off. Island night was fun because most "let their hair down", but not "sloppy". Also, it's at the Terrace Pool and the views from the ship's aft at night with the moon reflecting on the wake is spectacular! They begin with carribean music, followed by some games with audience participation (voluntary) and Graham Seymour is the MC with his "handpicked" band later in the evening. He is hilarious and the band is excellent.

 

ENJOY THE CRUISE!!!

[wolfsnare]

Many thanks once again Surfnsun!! You have just energized me once again...can't wait!

 

 

Conquest 4/03

Victory 12/03

Golden Princess 4/04 Golden Princess 6/04

[kitty555]

surfnsun

Thank you for telling me about the spa treatment. I think I might go for the massage. That sounds nice. When you do the couple massage do you get to be in the same room or do you have separate rooms? Do you remember how much that was and if you gave them a tip? Did they pressure you into buying anything?

Also, if the muster drill is at 8:00 pm on Sunday night when you sail, how do they do dinner? Do they have the traditional dining that night or do you have to do the Horizon Court?

Thank you again. I'm really getting ready to go now. We sail on May 30th.

[surfnsun]

Yup, I have to admit the couples massage is the way to go for relaxation and a "couples" experience, not to mention it saves time when you both want the massage. You are in the same room, side-by-side with two massues (sp?). Not an issue, even for the conservative type. It was extremely relaxing. Full body is $110.00 pp, so we paid $220.00. I was REALLY sorry I did not get the special. You can get two for the price of one on the last couple of days of the cruise between the hours of (I think I remember) 0800-1000 and 1600-1800. We tipped 20% at the $220.00 dollar rate. We didn't know about the two for one special when we booked the massage early in the cruise. Although they didn't "pressure", they did recommend some products at the end of the massage. We took the bait for some of the products (no offense intended), but it's not hard to decline - pressures not extreme. Go for it and enjoy!

[surfnsun]

Oops! Forgot to address your dining question on the muster. Honestly, I don't know about the traditional dining on that evening. Maybe another cruiser on the ship can answer that question, BUT I can't imagine them interrupting your dining. We picked the Personal Choice because we didn't want to have a set schedule and we preferred to dine alone, considering it was our first vacation without kids in 24 1/2 years. Regardless, even if you end up in Horizon Court...I thought the food was excellent for a buffet...and for those on a budget (don't mean to sound cheap because we contributed more to Princess in the end with in wine/martinis/pictures/etc than the price of the cruise itself) I don't think you pay the dining gratuity unless you eat in the dining room.

[mringenoldus]

We did these same islands on the AOS last October and had a great time. You will be sorry if you don't do Eli's Eco Tour on Antigua. It is about $80 for the daylong boat trip around the area. You stop at about 5 different areas and along the way Eli and Frances fill you in on history and life growing up onthe Island. This was my family's favorite shore trip so far!!
On Barbados I would have liked to have seen more of the island sights.My husband went to the caves in the mini moke while we went snorkeling. Due to a mix up he didn't come back for us so we were stranded. They also enjoyed the Mt. Gay Rum factory tour and a cigar factory stop.
On St. Lucia, we had a beach day at Sandals Grande. For a $40 day pass, it's all you can eat, drink and play at a beautiful resort.
We always arrange our own tours. If you need more info just let me know. I'd be glad to help.

CCL Holiday 2000
CCL Elation 2001
CCL Pride 2002
CCL Ecstacy 2003
RCL AOS 2003
Sun Princess May 14 2004!!
Golden Princess 10-2004!!!

[billybob123]

Kitty - the muster drill would interfere with dinner, however if you're in assigned dining, you can still go to your dining room, you just won't be seated in your regular table. We didn't do it - we got onboard too late, so we went to the Horizon Court, but our tablemates went to the DR, and they just sat them as you came in, much like PC dining. Plus you can always come back for dessert after the drill!!

Wolfsnare - I enjoyed Antigua the best, but my better half enjoyed St. Lucia the best. We only did a single shore excursion (in Antigua), so we were pretty much on our own everywhere. In Antigua we went to Nelson's Dockyard, if anyone wants to do that, I would reccommend taking the drive to Shirley Heights. We went to Fort Berkley (not on the heights) -- but our tablemates managed to get to the Heights, and apparently the views are spectacular. We went to Pigeon Island in St. Lucia - a fantastic little "romantic" spot where there's all kinds of nature trails, and TOTALLY deserted. If you like hiking and hill climbs, the view from the top of "Signal Hill" is definetly worth the climb. The cab ride there and back cost about $45 US. We didn't really do much in Barbados or St Thomas, so I can't commment on what's good or not.

Hope everyone enjoys their cruises! We sure did!

[Twaincruisers]

My wife and I chose the Golden Southern itinerary in order to try Princess and a Grand-class ship while still getting to new islands. This was our first trip to Antigua & St Lucia so we took tours that hit the highlights. I especially enjoyed Antigua because Nelson's Dockyard.

The highlight of our trip was St Maarten, although we have been there several times. We did the St Maarten "Americas Cup" Challenge. Although I have been on small windjammers, I have never been on a racing boat. We crewed the Stars & Stripes (Dennis Connor's winning boat) against two Canadian boats. Our boat won at the last second. It is a great experience.

I wanted to do a ship of this class to see what Skywalkers was like. We went there for a while a couple nights, including 60's night. I also sat up there several times during the day to enjoy the view. I just wish it had bar service during the day.

I have posted a detailed review on the review section of Cruise Critic with more details. Details include wide-spread computer failures and many people getting sick eating in the Horizon.

[cruiserw/kids]

I'm looking for "Twaincruisers" review, the CC Review area, however I see no new posts in there since February of this year. Am I looking in the wrong location?

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Westfield Friends - July 4th Golden Princess

[raydon]

Surfnsun...thanks..rest assured...I don't want to do the laundry, I want to send it out for the ship to do and wondered if the advertised a special in the patters. I will just have to wait it out!!!

Golden Princess
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Radiance of the Seas
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[surfnsun]

raydon - oops, sorry I misinterpreted your post. I don't see anything in the patters on discounted laundry service. Probably doesn't mean it's not available on a discount because I don't see the special we received on film developing. They do offer free doubles at times and I was surprised at the cost for film developing. They provide 24 hour service at $6.95 for 24 exposure. I thought that was pretty good.

[winecountry]

Surfnsun

Could you please tell me which hotel you stayed at pre cruise in San Juan and what the price was and how did you make the reservation, or did Princess handle this as a package?

ThanK You