Golden Sydney - Melbourne my review!

[melb1988]

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.

[KiwiFunCruiser]

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!

 

Glad you enjoyed your short trip, a very informative review. You mentioned "Milkshakes", they still have them on the Golden! daughter will be pleased as there has been talk on these threads of them disappearing.

[caribill]

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.

 

Thanks for your honest and thorough report.

 

It must have been a long time since your previous Princess cruise as I cannot remembering the room service breakfast menu having regular breakfast hot food in the last 20 years.

 

In North America a two day cruise usually does not have the normal luggage handling at the end of the cruise and everyone must carry off their luggage. Possibly that is what they are doing in Australia also on the very short cruises.

[melb1988]

Thanks for your honest and thorough report.

 

It must have been a long time since your previous Princess cruise as I cannot remembering the room service breakfast menu having regular breakfast hot food in the last 20 years.

 

In North America a two day cruise usually does not have the normal luggage handling at the end of the cruise and everyone must carry off their luggage. Possibly that is what they are doing in Australia also on the very short cruises.

 

 

This may have been the case then re the Luggage when getting off, thanks :)

 

Also perhaps there wasn't hot breakfast available on my last Princess Cruise in 2009? Maybe I'm confused with another one of my cruises? Sorry about that!

 

Cheers

[melb1988]

Glad you enjoyed your short trip, a very informative review. You mentioned "Milkshakes", they still have them on the Golden! daughter will be pleased as there has been talk on these threads of them disappearing.

 

Yes the milkshakes (malted milk shakes) are still available! They do cost $2.50 AUD though, but that's very reasonable! They are very nice and literally come with the whipped cream and cherry ontop :) your daughter will love them! The soft serve ice cream at that parlour is free and you can have it in a cone or a cup with sprinkles!

 

Speaking of children (if your daughter is young), there is a great area devoted to kids between the Sanctuary and middle pool. It has a play ground, it's own spa & little kids pool! It looked quite fun although it was opened as they were re painting it all. There's also a kids club area inside the ship and a small arcade (with just a few game machines). There were lots of kids on this cruise and they seemed to be enjoying themselves in all the pools and spas! The movies under the stars was also popular for both adults and children.

 

Cheers

[ozmonkeyboy]

Thanks for your review of the short cruise.

I was also fortunate enough to be on this cruise as well, and generally concur with your thoughts, including a younger crowd and a more relaxed atmosphere than on normal Princess Cruises.

 

Other thoughts included;

- The Golden looked a little more tired than I expected, however I did have high expectations. Not as flashy as the Diamond, but still not as tired as the Sun Class ships.

- I love the layout of the Grand Class Princess ships in comparison to the Sun Class ships that we Aussies are familiar with. Although they have more passengers, I find that there the public areas cater for this increase well, and there are more facilities onboard for us to enjoy.

- The AFT pool is shaded, but the pool itself I thought was the warmest onboard. The shade was an option for those that didn't want the full sun, and I found it to be no problem.

- The Wheelhouse bar was midship on Deck 7, and somewhat smaller than on other ships that I have been on. Little disappointed, as I love the Wheelhouse bar, and it often was full in the evening when looking for a spot. Noted that Sabatini's and the Crown Grill were both on Deck 7.

- Food (in my opinion) was typical Princess, nothing spectacular but also nothing horrible. Dined in main dining, buffet, didn't get a chance in the specialties. I dined in anytime dining, small wait times each night, was asked to share a table both nights to avoid the wait times (one night we did, next we didn't), but if you wish to dine just with your partner (ie table for two), a table was found within 5 minutes.

- Staff and service, mostly good, being a 2 nighter it was pretty full on most times, as everyone was always on board, keen to see and try as much as possible, so staff were under the pump.

- I loved the intranet setup on my smart phone with Princess. Being able to view the patter, view your on board account immediately when charges were made (given that we no longer sign for purchases and receive receipts), and also use the messenger facility with fellow registered passengers is a great added bonus. Well done Princess for stepping in the right direction.

- Sydney embarkation process was great, Melbourne was a disaster, as the ship arrived late (due to media event), and all disembarkation times were behind. Taxi queue was horrendous, but be aware, this has happened at every disembarkation in Melbourne that I have done (maybe I am unlucky there). Sydney and Brisbane Terminals seem to do it so much better....

 

- It was interesting to note on this particular cruise that;

 

a) no platinum/elite evening lounge was offered in Skywalkers (we instead received a free drink voucher) I wonder if this will be offered on the longer cruises??

b) no "Happy Hour" was offered in the Wheelhouse Bar. I have been on 2 night cruises where they have offered this.

c) No Bathrobes or Blue Princess Carry bags were offered in the room. Had to request these.

d) As mentioned in initial post, Sundaes was still onboard offering the Free Soft Serve Ice as well as Milkshakes, etc

e) The staff were not selling the Soda (& More) Package, or coffee cards that I saw when we boarded, but they were available for pre-purchase before the cruise.

 

Hopefully the above info doesn't come across in a negative tone, as I enjoyed the short cruise, and wouldn't hesitate to advise anyone to check out the Golden Princess and enjoy a cruise on her. :)

Happy to answer any Q's, etc

[melb1988]

Thanks for your review of the short cruise.

I was also fortunate enough to be on this cruise as well, and generally concur with your thoughts, including a younger crowd and a more relaxed atmosphere than on normal Princess Cruises.

 

Other thoughts included;

- The Golden looked a little more tired than I expected, however I did have high expectations. Not as flashy as the Diamond, but still not as tired as the Sun Class ships.

- I love the layout of the Grand Class Princess ships in comparison to the Sun Class ships that we Aussies are familiar with. Although they have more passengers, I find that there the public areas cater for this increase well, and there are more facilities onboard for us to enjoy.

- The AFT pool is shaded, but the pool itself I thought was the warmest onboard. The shade was an option for those that didn't want the full sun, and I found it to be no problem.

- The Wheelhouse bar was midship on Deck 7, and somewhat smaller than on other ships that I have been on. Little disappointed, as I love the Wheelhouse bar, and it often was full in the evening when looking for a spot. Noted that Sabatini's and the Crown Grill were both on Deck 7.

- Food (in my opinion) was typical Princess, nothing spectacular but also nothing horrible. Dined in main dining, buffet, didn't get a chance in the specialties. I dined in anytime dining, small wait times each night, was asked to share a table both nights to avoid the wait times (one night we did, next we didn't), but if you wish to dine just with your partner (ie table for two), a table was found within 5 minutes.

- Staff and service, mostly good, being a 2 nighter it was pretty full on most times, as everyone was always on board, keen to see and try as much as possible, so staff were under the pump.

- I loved the intranet setup on my smart phone with Princess. Being able to view the patter, view your on board account immediately when charges were made (given that we no longer sign for purchases and receive receipts), and also use the messenger facility with fellow registered passengers is a great added bonus. Well done Princess for stepping in the right direction.

- Sydney embarkation process was great, Melbourne was a disaster, as the ship arrived late (due to media event), and all disembarkation times were behind. Taxi queue was horrendous, but be aware, this has happened at every disembarkation in Melbourne that I have done (maybe I am unlucky there). Sydney and Brisbane Terminals seem to do it so much better....

 

- It was interesting to note on this particular cruise that;

 

a) no platinum/elite evening lounge was offered in Skywalkers (we instead received a free drink voucher) I wonder if this will be offered on the longer cruises??

b) no "Happy Hour" was offered in the Wheelhouse Bar. I have been on 2 night cruises where they have offered this.

c) No Bathrobes or Blue Princess Carry bags were offered in the room. Had to request these.

d) As mentioned in initial post, Sundaes was still onboard offering the Free Soft Serve Ice as well as Milkshakes, etc

e) The staff were not selling the Soda (& More) Package, or coffee cards that I saw when we boarded, but they were available for pre-purchase before the cruise.

 

Hopefully the above info doesn't come across in a negative tone, as I enjoyed the short cruise, and wouldn't hesitate to advise anyone to check out the Golden Princess and enjoy a cruise on her. :)

Happy to answer any Q's, etc

 

Thanks for adding your points! And we seemed to have had the same experience onboard :)

 

Melbourne is a disaster and has been ever since 9/11 when they decided to majorly up the security to beyond a joke level on the pier! Once upon a time 'before terrorist threated our every move' the public could walk onto the pier to get a closer look at the ships that docked, it was no different to how close you can get in Sydney these days. Now the pier is closed off to everyone and even those boarding a ship will be made to feel like you barely deserve access to the pier. It is a joke and everyone should take the time to quickly email the port authority and let them know how frustrated you are with the whole thing. My guess is taxis find it too hard to get onto the pier due to the security so they just avoid it all together, unlike Sydney where taxis are no worry when you need one after getting off.

The terminal itself is also shocking as it is heritage listed, don't get me wrong I am very pro heritage listing old landmarks but there needs to be a a balance between keeping the old and still making it worthy of 2015 standards and the higher demand of cruise ships the pier is now reciving! The current terminal and system just doesn't work full stop. I'm suprised the cruise lines can even be bothered coming to Melbourne when it's this much hassle! It's a real shame because I live in Melbourne and the whole experience really puts passangers into a negative mind frame upon arrival at our beautiful city. I will write a strongly worded letter to those in charge of the pier they need to be told otherwise they'll never act. I'm aware people have complained a lot and still they will not budge!

 

Customs in Victoria is also over the top, we came from Sydney not the Middle East! They need to relax, we went through all the security checks upon boarding the ship and nobody left the ship untill it reached Melbourne! What could have possibly changed in that time? Did they think we all constructed bombs in our staterooms during the voyage? Haha

 

Great cruise though :)

 

Cheers

Edited October 31, 2015 by melb1988

[srpilo]

OP, thanks for your well done Golden review

 

 

Srpilo

[JF - retired RRT]

a) no platinum/elite evening lounge was offered in Skywalkers (we instead received a free drink voucher) I wonder if this will be offered on the longer cruises??short cruises always get a voucher for a free drink

b) no "Happy Hour" was offered in the Wheelhouse Bar. I have been on 2 night cruises where they have offered this.

c) No Bathrobes or Blue Princess Carry bags were offered in the room. Had to request these. possibly because it was a 2 day, the steward are really pushed to "get it all done" - some things get forgotten. Also, did you request a bathrobe in your Personalizer pre-cruise? Bathrobes are not automatic.

d) As mentioned in initial post, Sundaes was still onboard offering the Free Soft Serve Ice as well as Milkshakes, etc

e) The staff were not selling the Soda (& More) Package, or coffee cards that I saw when we boarded, but they were available for pre-purchase before the cruise. same as above. With only 2 days a coffee card would not be worth the cost. Soda & more...maybe.

See above

[JF - retired RRT]

Great cruise though :)

 

Cheers

OP - thanks for your review. Glad the small things that were missing didn't detract from your enjoyment.

Possibly some of the missing items (door name tag, steward didn't have your name, luggage tags) was because you were a last minute guarantee and with only 2 days to "catch up" there wasn't time.

 

Our last cruise was a 4 day and there weren't any drinks in the fridge, which was fine, it just meant I didn't have to spend time taking them out and putting them somewhere else. We never use them.

[Kinkacruiser]

Yours would have to be one of the best and balanced reviews I've read here. Thank you for taking the time to share your views with us.

 

This statement stood out and sums up what we'd all like to experience on our cruises:

" Not too serious, drinks flowing, fun in the sun! "

[OzKiwiJJ]

Thanks for posting such a great review. I'm so looking forward to our cruise on Golden next April. :)

[Dulcibella]

Thanks for the review. I am travelling on the Golden next month. I found your comments really helpful.

[Hawka]

Thanks for adding your points! And we seemed to have had the same experience onboard :)

 

Melbourne is a disaster and has been ever since 9/11 when they decided to majorly up the security to beyond a joke level on the pier! Once upon a time 'before terrorist threated our every move' the public could walk onto the pier to get a closer look at the ships that docked, it was no different to how close you can get in Sydney these days. Now the pier is closed off to everyone and even those boarding a ship will be made to feel like you barely deserve access to the pier. It is a joke and everyone should take the time to quickly email the port authority and let them know how frustrated you are with the whole thing. My guess is taxis find it too hard to get onto the pier due to the security so they just avoid it all together, unlike Sydney where taxis are no worry when you need one after getting off.

The terminal itself is also shocking as it is heritage listed, don't get me wrong I am very pro heritage listing old landmarks but there needs to be a a balance between keeping the old and still making it worthy of 2015 standards and the higher demand of cruise ships the pier is now reciving! The current terminal and system just doesn't work full stop. I'm suprised the cruise lines can even be bothered coming to Melbourne when it's this much hassle! It's a real shame because I live in Melbourne and the whole experience really puts passangers into a negative mind frame upon arrival at our beautiful city. I will write a strongly worded letter to those in charge of the pier they need to be told otherwise they'll never act. I'm aware people have complained a lot and still they will not budge!

 

Customs in Victoria is also over the top, we came from Sydney not the Middle East! They need to relax, we went through all the security checks upon boarding the ship and nobody left the ship untill it reached Melbourne! What could have possibly changed in that time? Did they think we all constructed bombs in our staterooms during the voyage? Haha

 

Great cruise though :)

 

Cheers

yes a pain now when big ships are in you cant just walk up and look you can if it is only the Spirit of Tassie in but a Cruise liner or battle ship nope not allowed , very sad , i do understand they need to ramp the security up due to 9/11 but i feel it has gone a tad over the top , i reckon the could have an area for the public to be able to walk along and look with out being in the way of those working near the boat i know syd that area in front is shut off but you can get near it though my guess is due to it being along side the shore where as melb is a pier and that does not help matters sadly

[Hawka]

thank you for your review Melb1988 i cant wait as i am going on this ship on the 25th nov my first cruise

[Hobart18]

I have just been reading some of the review for a 2 day cruise from Sydney to Melbourne for the Golden Princess, whilst it is very thorough, I just found it was a bit over the top and over critical in some areas especially as you were only on her for a couple of days. We used the in room service nearly every day for breakfast so we didn't have to put up with over zelous, noisy people first thing in the morning before we woke up completely.

We found the hot food was always hot and freshly made, I also used the in room service for a couple of lunches when I stayed on board whilst the others went off the ship to swim on the islands, I also enjoyed their food presentation and freshness. We also found the daily service of our cabin was excellent with a very friendly steward who went out of his way to fix any problems that may have arisen on our cruise (13 days). We also have never had any problems with embarkation and disembarkation in Melbourne, also we get a taxi from Flinders Street Station and are driven right up to drop of point for our luggage on the pier with no hastles. I have been coming to this pier since 1958 and I still love everything about it, it can also dock more ships than Sydney can at any one time. The only problem we had with the ship was 'the lifts' which is apparently a problem on any cruise ship. I don't know how you can get to know about a ship completely in 2 days, even after 13 days I was still learning about this ship and what she offered. She rode well in rough seas. She did a mean 360 turn when backing into the pier without knocking the pier over, great seamanship from the crew, great ship, great service.

A cruise is what you make it, everyone is different and has different expectations. It is great that we are now getting better ships coming down under.

Maybe you are over critical or just struck the wrong people, you appear to have had a very good price for your 2 day cruise and an upgrade as well.

Where else would you get such value for money, no dishes to wash, clean the room, cook etc.

[melb1988]

I have just been reading some of the review for a 2 day cruise from Sydney to Melbourne for the Golden Princess, whilst it is very thorough, I just found it was a bit over the top and over critical in some areas especially as you were only on her for a couple of days. We used the in room service nearly every day for breakfast so we didn't have to put up with over zelous, noisy people first thing in the morning before we woke up completely.

We found the hot food was always hot and freshly made, I also used the in room service for a couple of lunches when I stayed on board whilst the others went off the ship to swim on the islands, I also enjoyed their food presentation and freshness. We also found the daily service of our cabin was excellent with a very friendly steward who went out of his way to fix any problems that may have arisen on our cruise (13 days). We also have never had any problems with embarkation and disembarkation in Melbourne, also we get a taxi from Flinders Street Station and are driven right up to drop of point for our luggage on the pier with no hastles. I have been coming to this pier since 1958 and I still love everything about it, it can also dock more ships than Sydney can at any one time. The only problem we had with the ship was 'the lifts' which is apparently a problem on any cruise ship. I don't know how you can get to know about a ship completely in 2 days, even after 13 days I was still learning about this ship and what she offered. She rode well in rough seas. She did a mean 360 turn when backing into the pier without knocking the pier over, great seamanship from the crew, great ship, great service.

A cruise is what you make it, everyone is different and has different expectations. It is great that we are now getting better ships coming down under.

Maybe you are over critical or just struck the wrong people, you appear to have had a very good price for your 2 day cruise and an upgrade as well.

Where else would you get such value for money, no dishes to wash, clean the room, cook etc.

 

Hi Hobart18!

 

Thanks for your response to my review and your own input.

 

Please read the full review though as I did enjoy this ship immensely & would travel on her again. You seem to be under the idea that I only had negative points to say when the reality is I believe (as do many of the other posters) that I have posted a balanced and fair review.

As a experienced cruiser, I believe two days is certainly enough to get the overall feel of the a ship, especially if you are onboard for the sole purpose to do so! Which is why I went on her. I had also travelled on the Diamond Princess prior to this trip (14 nights) so upon boarding her, I already had an extremely good idea of how to get around her and basically what was on offer. This did not feel like a 'new experience' to me as such but rather a memory refresher.

Also note that the people who run this site were also onboard for the 2 nights and were also able to post their own professional fully detailed review of the ship. Yes with just two nights onboard.

 

Ofcoarse my review as with any review all comes down to the writers own personal experience and expectations. I only write of what I experienced and cannot speak for everyone else. Although my room steward, for example, was some what of a disappointment, I don't doubt that yours was fantastic... As they were two different people so naturally two different standards of service were given. Same with the room service food (I tried everything on the menu in the 2 days and even repeated some choices) I write of what I received, I cannot speak for you or for anyone else but also remember that my version of acceptable or high standard may be very different to yours.

That's the fun of reviews and I'm so greatful we have this site to be able to read such a mixture of different opinions and perspectives.

 

As stated in my review this was a great trip, yes there were negatives in my opinion but there was also many great positives! I'm so glad I tried the Golden Princess and yes it was fantastic value for money considering what I paid.

 

I stick with my opinion of station pier in Melbourne, again just my personal opinion based on all other locations I've ever had to embark and disembark a ship at. I would think that someone who has had a lot of experience with port Melbourne since 1958, you would agree that 'the old girl ain't what she used to be' so to speak.

 

Cheers mate!

[Keith1010]

Very nice review.

 

Keith

[Hawka]

i saw your post and others at a different page [forgot how i got to it ] yours i liked there were others that were very very critical for a two day cruise i thought was a tad over the top but everyone is different and react differently i guess

[Hobart18]

Hi,

To Melb1988. In reply to your reply, I have read your past reviews which I found quite fascinating, I mainly went onto Cruise Critic Forums to try and find some great photos of the newly refurbished Golden Princess before she came on to the Australian scene. I really appreciated the great video made by Sheba and her husband ' Full Tour 2015 Golden Princess, I thought this was a great presentation for us oz people who have only mainly travelled in Australia on really old delapidated ships. I notice that you are a very young cruiser and must have been very young when you became a cruiser, I also note that you are a cruise ship enthusiast. You would have really liked to travel on my first ship which was built in 1933, she was one of the Strath sisters (4) who were used in the 2nd world war and was also P & O's first cruise ship to Australia in 1938, there are great photos of her on the web showing her docked at Circular Quay. If you are interested in the older ships there is a book put out via Immigration Centre in, Flinders St. Melb. showing all the ships coming into Melbourne in the 1950s and 60s.(Migrant ships, Greek, Italian and British) every week. There is also a great book on the history of Station Pier which is also available at the same place. The Victorian Government a few years ago spent nearly 6 million dollars on the refurbishment of Station Pier and also later they started to refurbish Princess Pier (opposite) but ran out of money. In Melbourne Cup week, Melbourne played host to 4 cruise ships (3) at Station Pier and of course the daily Spirit of Tasmania. Last year they did the same thing and used approximately 130 buses to transport the visitors to Melbourne out to Flemington every day for the week, it was so successful that they repeated the same again this year and I note that they are also listed in the next few years to do the same thing, it must be a successfull venture for both Carnival and P&O or else they wouldn't berth at Station Pier every year. I personally think the Pier copes well. Circular Quay and Darling Harbor can only handle one ship at a time. As for security, I too used to go at anytime down to the Pier and watch the cruise ships come in at the far end of the Pier, but especially now, I am glad that they take such precautions, not too much of a price to pay for one's safety.

As one of the other 2 day cruisers pointed out there were no free drinks, coffee cards, happy hour etc. these were all available on the main cruise (13 days), I just think the 2 day cruise is a teaser cruise to try and get you interested. I am really pleased that a lot more of the younger generation can now enjoy and afford the cruises that are being made available, most of us oldies would most probably not have been able to afford such cruises at your age. I also noted a lot of young families on my cruise with young children and I thought what great great stories they could tell at 'show and tell' at school.

PS neither my husband or grandson didn't want to know anything about the ship before boarding they wanted to find out all she had to offer by their own discovery, which I am glad to say that my grandson didn't want to leave the ship as he had a really great time on board even though there were more oldies than his generation on board.

 

Regards,

 

''Go Melbourne"

[melb1988]

Hi,

To Melb1988. In reply to your reply, I have read your past reviews which I found quite fascinating, I mainly went onto Cruise Critic Forums to try and find some great photos of the newly refurbished Golden Princess before she came on to the Australian scene. I really appreciated the great video made by Sheba and her husband ' Full Tour 2015 Golden Princess, I thought this was a great presentation for us oz people who have only mainly travelled in Australia on really old delapidated ships. I notice that you are a very young cruiser and must have been very young when you became a cruiser, I also note that you are a cruise ship enthusiast. You would have really liked to travel on my first ship which was built in 1933, she was one of the Strath sisters (4) who were used in the 2nd world war and was also P & O's first cruise ship to Australia in 1938, there are great photos of her on the web showing her docked at Circular Quay. If you are interested in the older ships there is a book put out via Immigration Centre in, Flinders St. Melb. showing all the ships coming into Melbourne in the 1950s and 60s.(Migrant ships, Greek, Italian and British) every week. There is also a great book on the history of Station Pier which is also available at the same place. The Victorian Government a few years ago spent nearly 6 million dollars on the refurbishment of Station Pier and also later they started to refurbish Princess Pier (opposite) but ran out of money. In Melbourne Cup week, Melbourne played host to 4 cruise ships (3) at Station Pier and of course the daily Spirit of Tasmania. Last year they did the same thing and used approximately 130 buses to transport the visitors to Melbourne out to Flemington every day for the week, it was so successful that they repeated the same again this year and I note that they are also listed in the next few years to do the same thing, it must be a successfull venture for both Carnival and P&O or else they wouldn't berth at Station Pier every year. I personally think the Pier copes well. Circular Quay and Darling Harbor can only handle one ship at a time. As for security, I too used to go at anytime down to the Pier and watch the cruise ships come in at the far end of the Pier, but especially now, I am glad that they take such precautions, not too much of a price to pay for one's safety.

As one of the other 2 day cruisers pointed out there were no free drinks, coffee cards, happy hour etc. these were all available on the main cruise (13 days), I just think the 2 day cruise is a teaser cruise to try and get you interested. I am really pleased that a lot more of the younger generation can now enjoy and afford the cruises that are being made available, most of us oldies would most probably not have been able to afford such cruises at your age. I also noted a lot of young families on my cruise with young children and I thought what great great stories they could tell at 'show and tell' at school.

PS neither my husband or grandson didn't want to know anything about the ship before boarding they wanted to find out all she had to offer by their own discovery, which I am glad to say that my grandson didn't want to leave the ship as he had a really great time on board even though there were more oldies than his generation on board.

 

Regards,

 

''Go Melbourne"

 

Hi Hobart!

 

Thanks for the info re port Melbourne! I shoul be very interested in purchasing the books you mentioned to add to my collection!

 

Re being able to gain access to the station pier, I still believe the supposed 'security measures' are over kill.. Having spoken to many other Melbourne cruise enthusiasts, many with some insider info on the Port Melbourne Authority, I have learned that the measures are highly criticized by many and has been scrutinized publicly quite a few times in the media. Were you aware that the pier was infact opened to public in the two weeks leading up to the re election of Steve Bracks for his third term? But then closed again straight after the election? One must question the true value of these supposed security measures if the state government is willing to stop them in order to gain some positive political points from the locals of Port Melbourne. It's my belief that the ships can still remain secure whilst still allowing the public on the pier during cruise ship visits. As long as they physically cannot get close enough to the ship to be able to touch it for example, which is the general practice around the rest of the world, with the help of temp fencing and security. Anyway, just some food for thought.

 

It is great that the pier can host so many ships at once, would have been great if they were able to also utilize Princess Pier aswell! Do not forget that with Sydney, the Quay isn't the only place cruise ships dock..

 

The 2 day cruises are samplers or 'taste testers' as you referred to them indeed! But this in no way should ever be used as an appearant excuse to giving the paying customer 'lesser standards' which is what you seem to be suggesting?

From a business point of view, it's suicide! One would think these samplers are where you want the ship, service & quality at its best! That is how you gain new customers!

 

Anyway, as I said I did have a good time and it was a great ship/trip. There were negatives yes, but we do live in the real world, nothing is perfect. :)

 

Cheers