Golden Princess April Transpacific cruise

We are researching a transpacific cruise for April, 2019, and saw the Golden Princess cruise. The itinerary is wonderful, but the reviews for the Golden Princess not so much! Is this ship really in tough shape? Thanks!

Lord this horse has been beaten to death already--just click on Golden Princess in the 'see posts about' box on the right and you will see.

While there have certainly been niggling condition issues reported almost every thread you will find concludes that the food, service, entertainment and accomodations are well up to Princess standards and most (including me, who sailed Golden in Alaska in May) would happily cruise on Golden again were she not leaving the fleet in 2020.

So it is down to you: are you someone who requires 'new ship smell' on every cruise ship you sail?

If yes, Golden Princess is probably not for you.

If no, then book it and don't waste one moment second guessing.

Would a month-long Pacific cruise really be less perfect if you encountered a leak in the hallway one day? Didn't think so.

'

Ships sail the seas and the ocean is not kind to what isn’t natural to it. There is salt, rust, little marine crustaceans, etc. Thousands passengers board weekly or whatever causing wear and tear.

They are constantly maintained even while at sea with scraping and painting, carpet replacement, cleaning, scrubbing, etc.

Show me a home with furniture without a scratch, a wall without a little ding or mark, a rug that doesn’t need to be cleaned, a toilet that’s never been backed up, and I’ll show you a home that’s not lived in.

A cruise is what you make of it. If a scratch or patch of rust will send you aquiver, then cruising isn’t for you.

We are researching a transpacific cruise for April, 2019, and saw the Golden Princess cruise. The itinerary is wonderful, but the reviews for the Golden Princess not so much! Is this ship really in tough shape? Thanks!

The Golden Princess has 1300 cabins.

If this was an apartment house on land with 1300 apartments plus amenities such as swimming pools, restaurants, etc., you know that there would be daily calls to maintenance to fix some things.

Chances are the Golden has less problems than a 1300 unit apartment building would have.

Golden is a lovely ship and have two more cruises booked Nov 18 and Feb 19 on her... wouldn't give it a second thought, where as still thinking about the Majestic..

But that is us... only you can decided

Cheers Don

Had to chuckle as I am apparently only booked on vessels being transfered to PO Australia (before being sold on secondary market to new Indian cruise line)

• 2020: Golden transferred after my 11/2019 cruise
  
• 2021: Star transfering relatively soon after my 3/2019 cruise
  
• 20??: can Sapphire be far behind?
  
• Sailed on Royal in June 2018 and it's HUGE!
  

Just off the Golden today and had no issues whatsoever. Maybe she looks a little worn in places but only really noticeable if you are looking for it (or probably if you have recently been on a much newer ship) We had a great time and I wouldn’t hesitate to sail on the Golden again.

She is no better or worse then any of the other older Princess Grand Class ships. We were on her in May and didn't have a problem. Would cruise on her again.

The Golden Princess has 1300 cabins.

 

If this was an apartment house on land with 1300 apartments plus amenities such as swimming pools, restaurants, etc., you know that there would be daily calls to maintenance to fix some things.

 

Chances are the Golden has less problems than a 1300 unit apartment building would have.

Just off the Golden last week...She is in need of help....I didn’t believe the reviews and booked Caribe deck..Balcony...The room was NEVER vacuumed. The repairs to plumbing were terrible....the dirt and scum let in bath after repair....Confirmed dining not upheld...and the ALOHA DECk. Terrible smell, mold and mildew, with dryers in the halls...and spoke to a couple who had smell and realized it was mold under bed......never would have believed it not experienced....have been on 14 Princess cruise and NEVER. Experienced anything like it...I would hesitate to book.....

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Just off the Golden last week...She is in need of help....I didn’t believe the reviews and booked Caribe deck..Balcony...The room was NEVER vacuumed. The repairs to plumbing were terrible....the dirt and scum let in bath after repair....Confirmed dining not upheld...and the ALOHA DECk. Terrible smell, mold and mildew, with dryers in the halls...and spoke to a couple who had smell and realized it was mold under bed......never would have believed it not experienced....have been on 14 Princess cruise and NEVER. Experienced anything like it...I would hesitate to book.....

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Sent from my iPad using Forums

And as you read this thread, you have two people who claim to be just off the Golden. One says all was fine, another details many problems. I don't know how you resolve this situation.

I was on the Golden for 14 nights, 8/11-8/25/18. I saw NO buckets out for leaks (we were in a window suite on Fiesta deck, where they had been reported). The only problem I had was that the shower was tempermental--crappy water pressure and would sometimes suddenly go to seriously cold in the middle of use. I'd happily sail on her again.

I swear - we really did get off the Golden Princess today -- 12 Day LA - Alaska. - Cabin C735 - Caribe balcony starboard aft)

We had a great trip, I was also concerned about the poor reviews we read prior. We thought the ship looked great. We had no smells or saw any buckets.

One thing that we found unacceptable was the aft starboard elevator was out of service the entire cruise. It wouldn't be so bad, but due to a crappy design of this class shp -- it was one of only two elevators to serve the traditional late seating dining room. This cruse had a very old demographic -- we have never seen so many canes, walkers, wheelchairs and scooters in our 45 or so cruises. I have no cartilage in my kneecaps, but I always took the stairs to dinner - though is it quite painful. -- there we so many people so much worse off that were waiting to use the single elevator. --- ridiculas -

That and the beef was awful were our only complaints -- the staff was wonderful.

We are researching a transpacific cruise for April, 2019, and saw the Golden Princess cruise. The itinerary is wonderful, but the reviews for the Golden Princess not so much! Is this ship really in tough shape? Thanks!

Take reviews with a grain of salt.

We are booked on the April trans-pacific also. Just got of the Golden 12 day Alaska cruise. Ship is the typical Princess (and I mean that in a good way). No worries mate.

 

One thing that we found unacceptable was the aft starboard elevator was out of service the entire cruise. It wouldn't be so bad, but due to a crappy design of this class shp -- it was one of only two elevators to serve the traditional late seating dining room. This cruse had a very old demographic -- we have never seen so many canes, walkers, wheelchairs and scooters in our 45 or so cruises. I have no cartilage in my kneecaps, but I always took the stairs to dinner - though is it quite painful. -- there we so many people so much worse off that were waiting to use the single elevator. --- ridiculas -

 

That and the beef was awful were our only complaints -- the staff was wonderful.

This elevator has been out of order since June per reports.....definitely since August per my observation. Yes, it needs to be fixed!

And as you read this thread' date=' you have two people who claim to be just off the Golden. One says all was fine, another details many problems. I don't know how you resolve this situation.

.[/quote']

 

Big ship, different experiences, different perspective?

We had a mini suite on Dolphin Deck, our room was hoovered regularly and the bathroom cleaned to a high standard every day. We didn’t notice any strange smells, but we had no reason to be wandering around Aloha Deck.

I truly am just off, I posted my previous comment from LAX while waiting for my flight home yesterday!

I did join this roll call earlier but just wanted to add missing information. We are Joan and Warren Bailey from Gold Coast Australia my cruise critic na me is jaycbees our cabin number is A225 we are interested in slot pull and any tours that are available. 

20 hours ago, jaycbees said:

I did join this roll call earlier but just wanted to add missing information. We are Joan and Warren Bailey from Gold Coast Australia my cruise critic na me is jaycbees our cabin number is A225 we are interested in slot pull and any tours that are available. 

This is not a roll call thread, so those on your roll call will not see this post.