How Is the Golden Princess?

[muffydawg]

DH and I are fixin' to sail on the Aug 20 voyage of the Golden. Anyone on it now for the Med cruise care to share with us what the ship condition is? Anyone currently staying on Dolphin deck in a mini care like to comment on the cabin stewards and mini amenities? How's the Horizon Court food? And most important, is there a Wheelhouse bartender making good martini's?

[Casshew]

I'd like to know all those things as well. Thanks for starting this thread, muffydawg :)

[Charlee1]

I too would like to know. We are planning an Alaskan cruise for 2007 and our travel agent says the Golden princess is the best out of the princess lines that do this cruise. Really would like to hear others opinions.

[Roses2]

We sailed on the Golden twice this year and are on her again August 30th.

 

We also have been on the Island and the Star. All of our Princess cruises have been excellent.

 

The mini suites on the Dolphin deck are all exactly the same. The only difference is location. We find the mini to exactly fit our needs. There is plenty of room with a place to sit in comfort on a sofa and a nice place to eat in the room if you want to do that. The bathroom while not giant, is large enough and has a tub.

 

The balcony has plenty of room for two to sit and relax. However, some folks object to the fact it is not covered so those above can see into your balcony. That has never bothered us.

 

We thought the staff and the crew of the Golden were outstanding. Our room stewards on both cruises this year were very bright, cheery, and helpful. Our waiters also were top notch.

 

That is why we are on the good ship Golden again this year.

[LeeW]

Sailed on Golden in April in San Juan and had a great time. Ship is showing a bit of wear (carpets) but staff is great. Typically ate dinner in one of the PC dining rooms and breakfast/lunch in Horizon court and always found lots of good food. French fries near the pool highly recommended.

 

We were in Baja 201, regular balcony right behind where the Cruise Director and staff have their cabins - saw them a lot in the corridor. Steward was very enthusiastic and worked very hard to make everyone's vacation great.

 

Ship was full but never seemed to be. Have lots of deck photos with almost no one in them. This ship has a covered swimming pool - folks on Dawn Princess last summer never used the pool in July because it was too cold. Only downside I can think of would be 3200 people going in to ports but they were pretty efficient getting people on and off.

[blackpool belle]

Who is the current cruise director on the Golden?

[snowblower]

Omar was the CD when we were on a couple of months ago. Hopefully you will get someone different. Princess should toss this guy overboard because he is really bad. The Assistant CD was much better than him.

[blackpool belle]

Thanks for that info.

 

We were hoping for some sort of party for our roll call, 21st July sailing, but it doesn't bode well that we will have an unco-operative CD.

[aclay]

Hi

we just disembarked the Golden last Saturday. It was the 2nd time we have sailed her in 18 months, we have sailed 8 times with Princess in total, Golden x2, Star x2, Royal x2, Sea x1, Ocean x1. Both Golden trips we had Omar, this time he had a different Deputy Cruise Director 'Good old Stu' from Liverpool,UK and the Senior Asst Cruise Director 'Paul' from the UK. Paul In our opinion is the best of the bunch, the rest sound and look tired of their jobs and are just going through the motions...

Beware of inside cabins which 'can accomodate a third or fourth person'.

We chose this category figuring this meant slightly larger when it is in fact smaller with two extra bunk beds folded up and screwed to either side of the cabin walls..

We are getting a little tired of always having the same Princess menus, however good food is always to be found somewhere, this time Sabatinis and the steakhouse shone for us. The Horizon court buffets and even main dining room lunches were a bit 'hit and miss'..

The organisation of the excursion tours is excellent and well polished by Princess. Believe me we have experienced some disasters before with Princess (Sea Princess especially) and trying to get a full capacity 2,600 ship onto buses with the minimum amount of fuss is a major task. One tour we took to see Ancient Ephesius in Kusadasi, Turkey needed 30+ Tour buses organized for this one Princess tour alone, and there were two other large cruise ships in that day as well! They did a great job..

Our cabin steward 'Arnell' was excellent.

The two guys running the fitness center are aloof and irresponsible. The equipment is dangerously laid out and some passengers use it without the correct footwear or knowledge of how to work the machines. It's an accident waiting to happen:eek:

The overall itinerary we did was excellent and I would recommend the Greek Isles 12 Day Venice to Rome to anybody. The sailaway from Venice with operatic music blaring out around the ship brings a grown man to tears, it is so beautiful.. Mykonos was our favorite port - we must go back for a week or so. Santorini is beautiful but very crowded... Don't do the volcano hike in Santorini - it is a waste of money and there's nothing to see - just rocks and more rocks, it is a sweaty walk in a black volcanic quarry:(

Overall the Golden is as good as any of the other Grand Class we have tried - you'll all have great vacations I'm sure:D

Any other questions just ask away..

cheers

Alex

[Waves alot]

We were on the golden in May on the Dolphin deck - mini suite - the room was very nice with a sitting area & balcony -- we had James as our steward & he was great - very helpful & friendly -- the balcony wasn't covered but never bothered us --the cruise director was Omar & he was nice but didn't see him much around -- the cd on the Island was much better -- we thought the gift shops were pretty bad compared to the other ships we've been on - lots of things to buy from the last cruise the ship was on -- also you went to the gift shop to get prizes you win & they always made some negative comment about letting too many people win & bothering them -- actually the Island( we were on in the fall) gave out many more prizes & had more games etc.

You'll have fun & if you have set seating say hi to Victor - he's an assistant waiter & really terrific

[Tulsa Tom]

Princess web site shows Golden leaving Rome on Nov. 10, 2006 for a 13 day Med cruise and returning to Rome on Nov. 23, 2006. . Next sailing is a Nov. 29, 2006 Rome departure for the U.S. So where is Golden that six day gap in the sailing schedule ? Maybe a quick refit before she leaves for the States ? Inquiring minds would like to know.

[2ladies]

Wanted to do Med and then transatlantic and was told the gap was for drydock!!

[LILynn]

Aclay - Alex,

 

Thanks for the great info - I am on the Grand 9/1 with the some of the same ports.

 

Did you do any of the other shore excursions from Princess? I read such mixed reviews about the shore excursions - it would be great to hear about them from some one who has actually taken them.

 

Thanks

Lynn