Live from the Golden, Alaska SB, May 26-June 2

[idahospud]

I'm doing another "live from" this week on the Southbound Golden Princess sailing. It'll be posted on the blog daily here: http://www.debsdays.com/

 

Just like last week on the Island, the blog is where I'll be adding info, photos, and links to the Patters. I've already used up my data roaming for the month so most of my free internet minutes will be used for uploads to the blog. I will occasionally monitor questions under this post if I can.

 

Here's to a week of (hopefully) smooth sailing!

[kt6453]

Looking forward to following along!

 

 

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[idahospud]

We're on the ship and settled in. Day 1 Patter is up!

https://www.debsdays.com/2018/05/cruising-alaska-on-golden-princess.html

[bcgrad98]

Thanks for the trip report! We're sailing SB on Golden in just under 2 months!

[BluebonnetTexan]

Looking forward to your daily blog reports. Enjoyed your posts so far. We are on the Golden SB July 7.

[Taer al Saefer]

Thank you, Deb!

[biochemgrl02]

We're on the ship and settled in. Day 1 Patter is up!

 

https://www.debsdays.com/2018/05/cruising-alaska-on-golden-princess.html

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing!

I’m getting very excited.

 

 

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[svcalum07]

Thank you! Following too!

[txsmiles]

Thanks for the "live from" reports - looking forward to following along as we are on our 1st Alaska and first time with Princess cruise on the Golden on July 7! Just discovered your blog, and I'm loving reading your posts there.

[Don Ellis]

Regretfully, our cruise on the Golden Princess to Alaska (arrive May 12) was a huge disappointment. Ship is old and tired and trending toward shabby; it will be out of the inventory soon. Many areas of rust, chipped surfaces, shredding, unraveling, frayed, faded upholstery, screws missing. In Donatello, above tables 175-176, there is a long stretch of scabby, rusty area that could ruin your appetite. Supply shortages: Crown Grill was out of ribeye steak; only 3 of 14 red wines on the menu were available throughout the ship. Hopefully the ship was replenished out of Anchorage. From Singapore, water leaks were found in many places, making that part feel like a shakedown cruise. As usual, the satellite internet is very, very poor, despite the wide availability of much better technology. We cancelled a cruise on the sister ship, Star Princess.

The good news: Staff were great; presentations by "Alaskan Crab Captain Lethin" were terrific, as was much of the entertainment.

[idahospud]

After a rough start to the day with high seas and 70 mph winds, we had calms seas in Yakutat Bay and nice views of Hubbard Glacier.

 

Day 2 is up! https://www.debsdays.com/

[tamsocal]

enjoying your Alaska blog but oh my now I am going to do nothing but read back from the start of your blog.... I need to take a few weeks vacation.

You are amazing!

Wishing you a wonderful cruise!

[IECalCruiser]

A few years ago in Alaska the Golden had large pot of complementary hot chocolate in the Horizon Court. Are they still doing that?

 

 

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[triple7tahoe]

If you get a chance to get there, go to the Ranger Station and say HI to Karie Metz. She is a former student and asked me to pass on the word. I think they are in the Calypso Pool area=She will be doing the Ranger announcements. Tell her Dale Newhouse says HI! Thanks.

[svcalum07]

Can you please report on what the dress is like for formal night for men? My dad and brother planned to take button down shirts with slacks and a tie (no jacket). For ladies I read somewhere that you can’t wear flip flops? So my $30 Haviannas would not be permitted? Thank you!

[moki'smommy]

Can you please report on what the dress is like for formal night for men? My dad and brother planned to take button down shirts with slacks and a tie (no jacket). For ladies I read somewhere that you can’t wear flip flops? So my $30 Haviannas would not be permitted? Thank you!

I have never been challenged in any sort of footwear, despite printed dress codes (on another line) saying "no sandals," etc. What they mean, IMHO, is no shoes that look like they belong on the beach. I wore dressy leather sandals to the "no sandals" place--no problem. I've never seen anything "official" on Princess about "no flip flops," but again, my experience is that if you look like you made an effort to dress up, no one will say anything. I usually wear a sparkle top, black pants, and whatever black shoes I brought along!

[idahospud]

Can you please report on what the dress is like for formal night for men? My dad and brother planned to take button down shirts with slacks and a tie (no jacket). For ladies I read somewhere that you can’t wear flip flops? So my $30 Haviannas would not be permitted? Thank you!

You can wear flip flops. We see them all the time on Princess ships. They really aren't paying attention to your feet. Heck, they aren't even paying much attention to your clothes. It has been pretty casual looking this cruise. There are people dressing up, but a bunch are not.

[idahospud]

A few years ago in Alaska the Golden had large pot of complementary hot chocolate in the Horizon Court. Are they still doing that?

 

 

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No pots of free hot chocolate here. If you have a new coffee card from this cruise you can get it free with the card. If you have an old coffee card from another cruise they will punch it.

[idahospud]

If you get a chance to get there, go to the Ranger Station and say HI to Karie Metz. She is a former student and asked me to pass on the word. I think they are in the Calypso Pool area=She will be doing the Ranger announcements. Tell her Dale Newhouse says HI! Thanks.

I didn't see your post until it was too late. Sorry!

[idahospud]

Glacier Bay day has been posted! https://www.debsdays.com/

[svcalum07]

You can wear flip flops. We see them all the time on Princess ships. They really aren't paying attention to your feet. Heck, they aren't even paying much attention to your clothes. It has been pretty casual looking this cruise. There are people dressing up, but a bunch are not.

Thank you! Loved your pictures of today!

[kt6453]

Enjoying your updates!! Thank you!!! Looking at your patters it looks like There is not a comedian on board? Is that normal for Alaska cruises? I thought i remembered one on our last trip two years ago!

 

 

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[juliethecruiser]

Thank you so much for your ongoing review. I'm boarding the Golden the day your cruise ends. Been to Alaska twice but this is my first cruise and first time going to the Inside Passage. Seeing your photos is bringing me lots of joy:D. Love that sunny day in Glacier Bay:hearteyes:. You guys deserved it after having that one horrible day at sea.

 

Will be following your thread until we leave on Thursday!

[BuckeyeMark]

We're getting on this boat at the end of June. Question: the reviews of the Golden coming out of dry dock have been awful. Lots of leaks, A/C doesn't work, Princess Theater smells like a septic tank, crew doesn't care, food cold. You noticing any of this? I see that you've seen a leak or two (which isn't a huge deal) but a smelly ship w/an apathetic crew would be troublesome. How is the boat in general? Seen anything below usual Princess standards? Thanks!

[idahospud]

We're getting on this boat at the end of June. Question: the reviews of the Golden coming out of dry dock have been awful. Lots of leaks, A/C doesn't work, Princess Theater smells like a septic tank, crew doesn't care, food cold. You noticing any of this? I see that you've seen a leak or two (which isn't a huge deal) but a smelly ship w/an apathetic crew would be troublesome. How is the boat in general? Seen anything below usual Princess standards? Thanks!

I've seen the drips but other than that I haven't seen any of the other issues I've read about. I haven't smelled anything resembling a septic tank. As for the crew, I haven't noticed anything different than past cruises. We know a couple crew members and they both seem happy on the ship, and those we don't know have been helpful to us. We haven't noticed any cold food, but we've been eating mostly in the buffet and down at International Cafe.

 

From my viewpoint, what I'm seeing is what we see on other Princess cruises. For a while the Caribbean Princess got a bad rap for the propulsion issue. We've been on it several times with the propulsion problem and it never affected our cruise. The Crown got a bad rap for a while because of Norovirus. We sailed on the ship during that time and it didn't affect us. We were on the Grand when it had the flood and it didn't bother us. We've been on the Island several times since the extra cabins were added and it didn't affect us. Golden has been A-OK for us, too.