Hi everyone, Ive just submitted my review and thought I would also post it hear if anyone wishes to read it (yes it is long sorry). I hope you enjoy :)
OCT 28, GOLDEN PRINCESS, 2 NIGHT SYDNEY - MELBOURNE.
I decided to take advantage of cheep last minute fares and take a 2 night trip on the Golden Princess from Sydney to Melbourne Australia (my home port). Basically I had an impulsive itch to get on a ship but I also wanted to see what the Golden Princess was like and to re-experience Princess Cruise Line. My last Princess cruise (which was also my first cruise) took place in 2009 onboard Diamond Princess. I have since Cruised Royal Caribbean, HAL & Cunard. Recently, on my advice, my parents booked their first ever cruise onboard the Golden Princess departing in December so I also wanted to see roughly what they were in for.
About me, 27, male, from Melbourne Australia, Ship buff & experienced cruiser. I usually travel with my partner but he was un able to attend at such short notice, so I dared to cruise alone for the first time ever! As they say, you only live once right? It was also a very short trip and I had never been on one of these repositioning or "sample" cruises before. The single fares were also rather reasonable, in fact the balcony prices were cheaper than the interior prices! a major bonus. So I booked a Balcony guarantee.
I did end up receiving an upgrade to a mini suite last minute (which I must admit I did have my fingers crossed for).
BOARDING
Boarding ran very smoothly at the cruise terminal in Circular Quay Sydney. I flew up the morning of from Melbourne and got a taxi to the terminal which was all very easy and rather quick I must admit. The cab fare costed about $50. Boarding was commencing at 12pm (departure at 4pm) and it was about 11am when I arrived dockside. The porters took my bags and I was handed a health form to fill out and was told that it wasn't time to board yet. I decided to take a stroll around to the Opera House (approx 10 minutes) to get some photos of the ship & the Sydney Harbour Bridge to fill in the time. I then sat on the outdoor tables at the Opera House bar which allowed me to enjoy my drink whilst viewing the ship and the goings on of the Harbour, this was very pleasent I must admit and a great way to pass that exciting pre-boarding time. The ship looked fantastic!
I went back to the terminal at about 12:15pm ready to board! The whole process was very smooth and quick compared to all past experiences, I believe this may have been because it was only a domestic trip, there was no need for passports and all that other time consuming customs business. Although the standard security checks were still in place obviously.
I waited in the check in queue for about 10 minutes and once I checked in and received my cruise card I was handed a number and told to go wait in the boarding lounge. I waited about 5 minutes before my number was called and it was time to walk onboard. The gangway led me onto the deck 7 promenade deck (not inside to the atrium/lobby area as I am used to with other ships) where I was greeted and had my photo taken for ID. I was then directed inside the ship to an elevator/stairwell area where I was met by stewards directing passengers in the right direction of their staterooms.
CABIN (mini suite D120)
I already knew where my mini suite was from viewing the deck plans prior to boarding, so finding it was easy. I took the stairs up two levels to dolphin deck 9 and it was located on the Port side foreword.
First impression was that the door was hard to open, it wasn't a faulty card reader it was something to do with the handle which may have been faulty, it took me a few tries to get it right most times. I also noted that my name was not on a little card in the mail slot next to the door although all other staterooms I saw did have the passenger name card in place.
The mini suite looked familiar to me as I had one on the Diamond Princess, although it did seem smaller than what I remembered but none the less a great size room (especially for one person!) lots of storage space with plenty of draws and a walk in wardrobe set up. Separate lounge area with couch, a chair, large oval coffee table and with its own TV (there are 2 TV's in the room, the other one faces the bed). Note that the standard Balcony cabins do not have a couch, just a single chair, so this is a great feature in the mini suite. The room also featured a bar area with the mini fridge within a cupboard, 2 glasses and ice tongs (although there were no soda drinks or ice in my fridge and there never was the whole cruise which as strange). Next to the bed was a desk with mirror, draws and a wall mounted hair drier which wasn't very powerful at all and furthermore my hair drier I bought along with me didn't operate at full power when plugged in, I suppose the sockets in the room aren't very powerful?
ladies you have been warned. Speaking of hair, bring your own shampoo/conditioner as the one supplied is a 2 in 1 combo and its shocking, especially for blonde/coloured hair.
The bathroom is rather disappointing depending on what you're used too (I've only ever travelled in suites on ships) but I guess its big improvement over the standard bathrooms in non suites. I just found it rather small still, although it has a bath/shower combo. The tiles are rather dirty, some cracked and not a very nice contemporary colour (dark green & off white). The shower head is very low although I am 6'2. I would also say that only one person could fit in the bathroom at the one time. My advice to Princess would be that all the stateroom bathrooms are due for a refurbishment seeing as they have been in constant use since 2001.
The balcony is a great size with 2 reclining chairs and foot rests and a large sturdy round table, which were all brand new I would say. As most Princess regulars are aware, on dolphin deck mini suite balconies you can be seen by all those above you as they are not covered and stick out further than the rest. They are not very private but this means that they do get direct sun light on sunny days.
I've never really been a fan of cruise ship TV channels and I can safely say that I still am not. They are rather boring, American and overly sales pitch based and the picture never seems very clear but I will say I was surprised that Jurassic World was playing on the movie channel which is a rather new release.
The mini suite as a whole could do with a soft furnishings refit eg: dated carpet and upholstery but this is really a matter of personal opinion but I do note that some cabins on Golden Princess do have new carpet (the same used on their newest ships) yet others do not. I would suggest Princess either change all or nothing as that is only fair.
All in all the mini suite is still a great value option and I would never travel in anything less on a Princess cruise ship.
THE SHIP
Her public spaces are in good nick considering her age! very clean and has clearly had some refurbishment and new additions added in many areas. The atrium is beautiful although not as big as the photos make it appear, the international cafe (open 24/7 & free of charge) and vines bar were great new additions as well as the chocolate shop which I cannot remember its name. The ships shops were all rather basic and what you would expect. Come to think of it, I didn't see any Alcohol or smokes for sale in any shop which one normally expects on a cruise ship considering the duty free aspect. Perhaps I missed them? The other bars such as the Wheelhouse bar (a personal favourite of mine due to its classic ocean liner/gentlemen's club decor) are fantastic and look fantastic, as well as the show rooms and theatre.
Her sun decks are great, I had forgotten just how many pools/spas/outdoor bars princess ships had on offer! The outdoor movie screen is a great addition to the main pool area and plays music concerts (we had PINK & Beyonce) as well as movies day/night, the latter is called "movies under the stars" where cushions and blankets are added to the adjacent deck chairs and popcorn is handed out! a great idea and was very popular amongst guests. The sound system to the screen is very loud and has a lot of bass, just like in a cinema. During the day there was also a DJ playing music by the pool, good music! (in my opinion) which really added to the great "fun in the sun" atmosphere that I noticed on the upper pool decks. The rear pool and spas at the stern of the ship were usually more quiet which was also nice if you didn't want any music or movie playing whilst you swam or relaxed, although the Skywalkers night club is situated above the stern pool and does shade the whole area.
The sanctuary (costs a fee to use) was lovely, a real retreat for those whole want to relax. I particularly like the trees, astroturf & shading sails in this area as it makes it look like a beautiful shaded garden in which one can relax and be waited on or have an outdoor massage in one of the tents. The day spa pool & spas just below this area are also stunning and quiet. The pool is heated and there is a sauna and steam room available. I noted that the pools/spas on Golden Princess were open very late at night possibly to 12am or even all night? Which I personally think is great!
Smokers will be happy to know that there is a decent sized smoking area with a bar and plenty of tables and chairs and ash trays on the top deck by the main pool with the screen which was fantastic and meant that we could enjoy our naughty habit without feeling too shunned away. This area was always busy and had great social atmosphere and the close bar meant that you could buy drinks as well. Note that in the morning they also set up a coffee station in the smoking area so you can make your morning coffee or tea to have with your smoke. You can also smoke on one side of the promenade deck on deck 7.
All in all I was impressed with the state of the ship and its features, although I assume Diamond Princess being newer and also haven't a major refit recently would still be just that little bit more refined and better but again personal opinion.
FOOD
I decided not to eat in the main dinning room as I was alone so I opted for the Horizon Court Buffet which has also been completely refurbished. The food was as you would expect on a cruise ship, not amazing but in no way bad. I enjoyed all my meals. I particular enjoyed how much outdoor tables and chairs were devoted to the Horizon Court, this is a nice touch as in good weather such as what we had, it is nice to eat outside and or by the pool.
Room service was as usual on a cruise ship, not that fantastic, a bit disappointed the menu was still the same 7 years after my first Princess voyage, but the food was sufficient.
I loved the idea of the Ice cream, milkshakes, pizza, burgers & hotdogs available by the pool! This was a great fun little touch and a real bonus that they stayed open till 11pm at night!
In room breakfast has gone downhill since my last Princess cruise, you can no longer order hot food other than a pre made bacon/egg muffin (like McDonalds) the rest of the menu is continental.
Although I didn't dine in them, both specialty resturants Sabatinis italian & Crown Grill looked stunning! The Crown Grill is a new addition and truly looks like an amazing classy venue. The international cafe is a great addition tot he main atrium area and a great spot to get coffee and cake from 24/7 and free of charge.
SERVICE
Up and down, generally pleasant but not fantastic. Cabin steward wasn't anything special having not stocked my mini bar or ice for the whole trip, he also never made up the room during the periods when I was gone for an extended amount of times e.g.: When I would be out for 2hrs having dinner, the room was still not turned down upon my arrival which then meant that I felt the need to leave and come back later so he could do his thing. Returning to the room after it was turned down was always a shock as he left it in total darkness instead of the usual mood lighting that I am used too.. Come to think of it, It took him a long time to even introduce himself on the first day and when he did, he asked for my name as I was not on his list which was strange, but as I mentioned earlier, my name also wasn't on the stateroom door either?
Bar staff were nothing special, they did do the rounds asking people if they wanted drinks which was great but the ones working at the bars seemed a bit flooded by guests. I often felt rather ignored as they would serve people who arrived after me, before me, which is rather rude. They also seemed to not enjoy making my usual Pinacolda for me which was reflected in it's poor/sad presentation... especially for a $10 cocktail.
I was also never greeted at the Horizon Court when handed my plate although others around me were. I don't take it personally as I understand that the staff are under a lot of stress due to the ever tightening budgets that these cruise lines place on service. But eventually this will need to change if they wish to continue providing reasonable service to guests.
Room Service was always hard to get through to and never came in less than 45 minutes and yes sometimes they forgot things.
All in all though the staff were ok and friendly in most areas.
FELLOW GUEST
Fantastic, possibly the best onboard vibe I've ever felt on a cruise ship! Got to love when Aussies get together for a good time! lots of drinking, fun in the sun, laughing, dancing, eating and swimming was always going on. The ship had a true Cruise vibe which was great and I really enjoyed it.
I also noted the average age was a bit younger than what I'm used too (middle aged people out numbered seniors) and that there were quite a few young families and children which was nice.
ARRIVAL/DISEMBARKATION
Arrival in Melbourne was quite an event, we were greeted by helicopters carrying huge welcome signs, news/media helicopters filming and also many small personal craft out and about in the bay! This was the Goldens maiden arrival to Melbourne, her new home port for the season.
Getting off a ship is never a fun time and this was no different. For starters I never received any luggage tags the night before so I had to call front desk to ask what time I was allocated to leave the ship. I opted to carry my own bag off because I thought it meant that you could leave as soon as you wished once docked but this is not true, you still must leave the ship at the same time allocated to you as if you had let them take your bags off for you. This doesn't make sense to me, what is the point? There is no benefit to the guest to carry their own bag off what so ever, in fact its worse!! I had to depart my mini suite at 8am and my allocated disembarkation time 9:15am which meant I had to cart around my bag for 1hr 15 minutes before heading to my allocated lounge to then get off the ship. I noticed many many others had also elected to take their own bag off so as you could imagine there were people everywhere and bags everywhere all over the ship.
VERDICT
I had a great time, yes there were negatives, but there always is in the real world. There were also many positives too!
I was pleasantly surprised by the Golden Princess and my fellow passengers! My last two cruises having been on HAL & Cunard and I can say I was so happy to be back on a proper cruise ship and had forgotten just how different it is, especially to a Cunard "voyage"! Not too serious, drinks flowing, fun in the sun! Im so glad I did this trip for myself and Im glad I got to experience this ship!
I would travel on her again if the price was right but I would like to give Diamond another go or perhaps Sapphire as although they as basically all similar, the Diamond & Sapphire are just that little bit newer and have had bigger refurbishments recently which may address some of my concerns such as the stateroom quality.
All in all, Golden Princess gave me a great little two days away from reality and Im happy I gave her a shot.