An OCD review of Golden/Hawaii-Pictures!!

[DCT61]

One of the best and funniest reviews Ive read in a long time. Thanks for taking the time to do it. Ill miss not having it to look forward to.

[ggprincess2004]

.

 

What do people do to get over the post-cruise let down?

 

Have at least one other cruise booked in the not too distant future, and a stash of FCC's close by so that when the urge strikes to book yet another one, it is super simple. :D

[Amadawn1]

Thanks so much for your wonderful review! I have been reading it for the past several days, and kept checking back regularly for new installments!

 

We are cruising to Alaska for the first time this year. We haven't cruised since 2001, and are really looking forward to it. I have been tossing around the idea of taking your same 14 day Hawaii itinerary on the Golden, maybe next year for our anniversary. After reading your review, it's no longer going to just be an idea. I will be booking the Golden Princess for Hawaii!

 

Thanks again. Wonderful review and awesome pictures as well. I do hope you decide to take another cruise soon, maybe that Alaska itinerary you mentioned early on? It would be awesome to get to see another review from you! :)

[PrincessNancy]

Thank you so much, Lanie. I looked forward to reading your cruise reports every day.

The best "cure" for end-of-cruise sadness is scheduling another one. Hopefully, you'll be able to cruise again before starting a family.

 

I love your husband's "just jump in and have fun" attitude. Made for some fun memories...and pictures!

 

Thanks again. Hope to meet you on board some time!

Edited April 5, 2011 by PrincessNancy

[2BeOnaBoat]

Fun review but I must disagree with your assessment of chocolate and orange! They go great together.

 

I hope the "hot" tubs are hot for Alaska this May.

[silverbird]

Lanie --

Did you say that you had posted your pictures on Flickr? If so, how do we find them? You did a fantastic job of reporting and your photos are great!! Thanks for your help.

[Janet Foster]

Thank you for your wonderful review. I love reviews and I like getting into the details of the whole trip. You did an excellent job.

 

We will be sailing on the same ship in June for our Alaskan cruise and I hope to do an Alaskan version. I will have to remember how I uploaded all of my pictures... LOL..

 

Thanks again.. it was great..:D

[CruisinEars]

Really enjoyed your report Lanie. Thanks for taking us all along on your adventures.

[RenoMom5]

Thank you, very nicely done.

[hermajestylanie]

Hi Melanie!

 

Boy, you weren't kidding on the Roll Call when you said you took lots of food pictures!!

 

 

 

Great review!! I've been re-living those two weeks through your posts and, now that you're done, I suppose I am too :(.

 

For a good review with lots of pics (reminds me of yours, actually), try searching the forum for one that begins, "Island Hopping in the Eastern Caribbean..." written by Hollybelle. It's an oldie (May 2010), but a goodie!

 

Sorry I didn't get the chance to meet you and Tyler at the M&G

 

Thanks! Sorry we didn't get a chance to meet you either! I actually have read that review and like it quite a bit- it was well done and a fun read too!

[hermajestylanie]

Thanks so much for your wonderful review! I have been reading it for the past several days, and kept checking back regularly for new installments!

 

We are cruising to Alaska for the first time this year. We haven't cruised since 2001, and are really looking forward to it. I have been tossing around the idea of taking your same 14 day Hawaii itinerary on the Golden, maybe next year for our anniversary. After reading your review, it's no longer going to just be an idea. I will be booking the Golden Princess for Hawaii!

 

Thanks again. Wonderful review and awesome pictures as well. I do hope you decide to take another cruise soon, maybe that Alaska itinerary you mentioned early on? It would be awesome to get to see another review from you! :)

 

Well, husband has been following my thread and since everyone has mentioned doing the Alaska cruise, he is saying "maybe we should just go and do that one now." Well, it doesnt take much for him to want to do something fun!

[hermajestylanie]

Fun review but I must disagree with your assessment of chocolate and orange! They go great together.

 

I hope the "hot" tubs are hot for Alaska this May.

 

Well, a lot of people disagree with me on that! But, alas, I am a purist in my chocolate obession! Husband loves the combo too.

 

I will cross my fingers for you regarding the hot tub temperatures!

[hermajestylanie]

Lanie --

Did you say that you had posted your pictures on Flickr? If so, how do we find them? You did a fantastic job of reporting and your photos are great!! Thanks for your help.

 

 

Thank you! I only posted the pictures that I used on the review onto Flickr, so it is just the same old stuff. Still going thru everything to decide what to print out and what to send to family. I still can't believe I took over 3,000 pictures!

[hermajestylanie]

Thank you for your wonderful review. I love reviews and I like getting into the details of the whole trip. You did an excellent job.

 

We will be sailing on the same ship in June for our Alaskan cruise and I hope to do an Alaskan version. I will have to remember how I uploaded all of my pictures... LOL..

 

Thanks again.. it was great..:D

 

 

Thank you! I will look forward to reading your review. Happy cruising!

[Corinda]

Thanks for the review - I am leaving for the same cruise in 8 days and still don't have a cabin assignment so the pictures of the food were just what I needed to not feel discouraged (I'm a bit of a control enthusiast and like to know WHERE my cabin is well in advance - I travel with my parents and I like to be able to map their routes). I really appreciate the detail on the gym - nice to know the last 4 days it will be empty :)

[Jasperdo]

I just wanted to thank you again for the excellent review. Especially enjoyed all the photos.

 

I totally agree with you about the drink servers in the Horizon Court. It was one of the few complaints we had with the Golden. They were very slow in clearing tables and getting drinks. It seemed like they just wandered around aimlessly. I wound up going to their serving station and pouring my own orange juice every morning. Lunch and dinner aren't bad. The self serve drink station is very convenient. But, at breakfast, the OJ is kept in pitchers at their little stations. Not that big a deal. But still, they could have been a bit more attentive than they were.

[hermajestylanie]

I just wanted to thank you again for the excellent review. Especially enjoyed all the photos.

 

I totally agree with you about the drink servers in the Horizon Court. It was one of the few complaints we had with the Golden. They were very slow in clearing tables and getting drinks. It seemed like they just wandered around aimlessly. I wound up going to their serving station and pouring my own orange juice every morning. Lunch and dinner aren't bad. The self serve drink station is very convenient. But, at breakfast, the OJ is kept in pitchers at their little stations. Not that big a deal. But still, they could have been a bit more attentive than they were.

 

 

You are right. Its not a big deal, but it just increases time. We usually ended up going to those stations and getting our own utensils and such. And I usually just brought my own water bottle!

 

 

Although I have seen some reviews that praise this service and some people are really glad they have it this way....

 

 

Thanks for the review - I am leaving for the same cruise in 8 days and still don't have a cabin assignment so the pictures of the food were just what I needed to not feel discouraged (I'm a bit of a control enthusiast and like to know WHERE my cabin is well in advance - I travel with my parents and I like to be able to map their routes). I really appreciate the detail on the gym - nice to know the last 4 days it will be empty :)

 

 

Nice, eight days! I wonder why they don't assign some cabins until the last minute?

 

Glad you liked the pictures! I tried to put in all the things that I wanted to obsess over before my cruise, like the food pictures, menus, and gym wait times, so I am glad that people can use some of this info! Have a great time!

[MVMom&Dad]

Missing your postings:) Let us know if you post more of your pictures on flicker ! We are now thinking either Alaska again or the Coastal I would like to do the Coastal because I could do that one next year , I would have to wait 2 years to do Alaska...:( Thank you once again for your review and once again you did a good job.

[rdsqrl]

I had such a great time on my Hawaiian cruise with you guys! Oh, wait, I wasn't actually on the cruise, was I? Well, thanks to your vivid descriptions and fantastic photos, I sure felt like I was (I even think my skirt's waistband is a little tighter today . . . hmmm, frowning about that!) and so now, I, too, have post-cruise letdown. This was a fantastic review. I've read a lot of reviews on this site and yours definitely stands as one of the best. Thanks for the wonderful read.

[deerby27]

You covered all the bases.

[Whoo]

Your review, and Hollybelle's Island Hopping in the Caribbean, are the 2 best reviews I have ever read. The pictures are great, along with the entertaining and informative narration.

 

I'm sad to see the end of your review!:( Now, you just need to plan your next cruise, and report back to us! I highly recommend Alaska (Voyage of the Glaciers cruise on Princess). Be sure to see Glacier Bay, whatever itinerary you choose.

[Mycruises62]

Jasperdo,

I enjoyed eveyone one of you pictures as well. Great job!!!

 

We will be on the Golden Princess in November 23, 2011 to Hawaii.

anything else I should know? We did sail on the Golden in 2007 to Mexico.

 

Just wondering if there were some big changes.

 

Mike

[Jasperdo]

Jasperdo,

I enjoyed eveyone one of you pictures as well. Great job!!!

Mike

Thank you!

[Cruisin' Chick]

Jasperdo,

I enjoyed eveyone one of you pictures as well. Great job!!!

 

We will be on the Golden Princess in November 23, 2011 to Hawaii.

anything else I should know? We did sail on the Golden in 2007 to Mexico.

 

Just wondering if there were some big changes.

 

Mike

 

From what I understand, a lot of changes when the renovation was done. My one time on the Golden was in December, and before we left, I found some site that had deck plans (besides the one on Princess). These plans were very outdated. Now it has MUTS and the International Cafe as well as the Piazza.

 

On my last day or so, we were sitting in the Horizon (but in the back area -- if you ever can't find available seats in the Horizon, try one of the back areas) and there were servers, but not one asked me if I wanted a drink. Very surprising after the week of just about excellent service.

[4cats4me]

I have thoroughly enjoyed your review too.

 

A comment on the drink servers in the Horizon court: They never used to

have to serve drinks to passengers. ;)It was something Princess started

doing a few years ago on certain ships. Although it's a nice gesture,

I prefer to get my own drinks most of the time, and I do. They don't

care if you get your own. Our buffet stewards were overly efficient,

snatching our plates when we still had one dessert left, or a roll and some

salad left -- a little too eager. LOL

You never saw dirty dishes left for very long, as has been my experience

on all Princess cruises.

 

Can't wait for my cruise on the Golden in 3 months.