Golden Princess, some say it's tired?

[KiwiFunCruiser]

The Golden has recently arrived in Australia for the Aust/NZ season, and we are booked to sail in January. I am already reading several reviews that some cruisers have mentioned that the Golden looks a bit tired. I am hoping that it is a minority statement but would like to hear from other cruisers that have sailed on Golden recently before it arrived in Australia.

[CruiseAdict218]

Mind you its been a little while since I was on her, the Golden Princess by far was the best ship we were on, and my mom and aunt will agree as well, best ship out of the three we went on recently.

[DanaPointBob]

The Golden has recently arrived in Australia for the Aust/NZ season, and we are booked to sail in January. I am already reading several reviews that some cruisers have mentioned that the Golden looks a bit tired. I am hoping that it is a minority statement but would like to hear from other cruisers that have sailed on Golden recently before it arrived in Australia.

 

Great ship. Been on her 7 times. However she is in need of some serious TLC.

 

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[By The Bay]

I did a cruise on her last month from Sydney. She looked OK to me. Better than the sun class ships currently sailing out of OZ.:)

[trbarton]

The Golden has recently arrived in Australia for the Aust/NZ season, and we are booked to sail in January. I am already reading several reviews that some cruisers have mentioned that the Golden looks a bit tired. I am hoping that it is a minority statement but would like to hear from other cruisers that have sailed on Golden recently before it arrived in Australia.

 

I was on the Golden in September and she is not TIRED. Everything is great. She was in Dry Docks before the Alaska season and the buffet was completely gutted and replaced plus all of the carpets were replaced. They also redid the casino for your market.

 

You'll enjoy everything. Have a great cruise and please post your observations when you cruise on the Golden.

 

Tom:)

[icat2000]

Can't be as tired as the Sea and Dawn Princess. I'm looking forward to cruising on her in January.

[KiwiFunCruiser]

I did a cruise on her last month from Sydney. She looked OK to me. Better than the sun class ships currently sailing out of OZ.:)

 

Thanks for that.

[KiwiFunCruiser]

I was on the Golden in September and she is not TIRED. Everything is great. She was in Dry Docks before the Alaska season and the buffet was completely gutted and replaced plus all of the carpets were replaced. They also redid the casino for your market.

 

You'll enjoy everything. Have a great cruise and please post your observations when you cruise on the Golden.

 

Tom:)

 

Thanks Tom, Yes I read that she was given a bit of a revamp that's why I was surprised be the reviews.

[cr8tiv1]

You can return her anytime you Aussies get tired of her. I think she is the best of the Grand Class ships. Not as great as the Coral Princess (not Island). And, in my opinion, better than the mega sizes above her.

[KiwiFunCruiser]

Can't be as tired as the Sea and Dawn Princess. I'm looking forward to cruising on her in January.

 

Thanks, we are determined to have a great time. All the best for your cruise.

[cvpends]

The Golden has recently arrived in Australia for the Aust/NZ season, and we are booked to sail in January. I am already reading several reviews that some cruisers have mentioned that the Golden looks a bit tired. I am hoping that it is a minority statement but would like to hear from other cruisers that have sailed on Golden recently before it arrived in Australia.

 

If you don't like her, send her back. I LOVE the Golden Princess, have sailed her several times in recent years, and would love to sail her again. She is constantly being beautified -- varnished, painted, etc. -- just as you might hope. Her public rooms are lovely and she has a unique water component on her Princess Theater stage that is seldom found ono a cruise ship. Enjoy! And send her home soon!

[kuldalai]

SEA PRINCESS is the tiredest Princess ship in their fleet and really in need of the most major upgrade. Sea Princess was in a state of major maintenance defecit when she arrived downunder, and still is . Sun and Dawn are in much better shape but none the less all getting long in the tooth . P & O Aus should have been bequeathed Sea Princess, not Dawn .

[shredie]

Someone says that about EVERY Princess ship. :rolleyes:

[BEAV]

Thanks Tom, Yes I read that she was given a bit of a revamp that's why I was surprised be the reviews.

 

These types of comments are often the case with older ships. People say the same about the Grand as well as any other cruise line who's ships are roughly 10 years + old. People make he same claims about the Millennium class ships of Celebrity, etc. Just goes with the territory...

[clairebearinaus]

I have nothing to compare her to yet, but I thought she was lovely :)

 

The décor was traditional rather than modern and bright, but I didn't see any evidence at all of poor maintenance, and everything was very clean.

 

Oh, the one exception to that would be the elevators, a few weren't working.

[trbarton]

Thanks Tom, Yes I read that she was given a bit of a revamp that's why I was surprised be the reviews.

 

I have photos of the refurbished buffet and other photos around the ship. If you email me at trbarton743 at aol dot com I'll send you the photos that I took.

 

Tom:)

[BCCRUSINGCOUPLE]

I have photos of the refurbished buffet and other photos around the ship. If you email me at trbarton743 at aol dot com I'll send you the photos that I took.

 

 

 

Tom:)

 

 

Hi Tom would love to see the picks we got off her just before dry dock. ccrippen at shaw dot com

 

 

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Edited November 18, 2015 by BCCRUSINGCOUPLE

[greenie082756]

We have been on the Golden twice.

 

Once to Hawaii and recently to Alaska in August. There were some changes and upgrades and she was marvelously beautiful to be on. We would not hesitate to go on her again.

 

Please enjoy your cruise!!

[Hobart18]

The Golden has recently arrived in Australia for the Aust/NZ season, and we are booked to sail in January. I am already reading several reviews that some cruisers have mentioned that the Golden looks a bit tired. I am hoping that it is a minority statement but would like to hear from other cruisers that have sailed on Golden recently before it arrived in Australia.

 

Hu Kiwi Fun Cruiser,

In answer to your query, we have just returned from a 13 day cruise to the Pacific Islands, she has recently under gone an expensive make over before coming down under. We found her to be a really nice ship to cruise on especially as we have mainly had the older cruise ships down under to sail on ie P & O and now they are changing the Dawn Princess into a P & O ship, I hope they don't mess her up. If you are interested in seeing how the Golden Princess looks now after her make over, Sheba has done a 23 minute video walkabout the ship. You can find it on You Tube under Full 2015 Golden Princess Tour, she describes the ship deck by deck, restaraunts and places of interest and costs that are not included in your package ie dining.

We dined at the Crown Grill on one night, the decor was really elegant, service and food excellent, there was a $25 per head on this dining room but well worth every cent. I am sure there were a lot of areas on the ship that wern't included in the over haul but they are really not that obvious, she is a very clean ship with many nooks and crannies that you can escape to.

We loved Skywalkers, even though it was classed as an entertainment area by night we found that the oldies gravitated to it during the day as you could find some nice quiet place to read a book and have a drink or a nice cup of tea. She is a lot bigger than the Sun class ships (Dawn Princess), I always love sailing on the Dawn but the Golden Princess was well worth sailing on, not over the top or tacky as some ships are.

'Have a look at the video, it is really well done and a credit to Sheba and her husband who just love cruising and have produced this great video for us to share.

 

Regards:):)

[KiwiFunCruiser]

Hu Kiwi Fun Cruiser,

In answer to your query, we have just returned from a 13 day cruise to the Pacific Islands, she has recently under gone an expensive make over before coming down under. We found her to be a really nice ship to cruise on especially as we have mainly had the older cruise ships down under to sail on ie P & O and now they are changing the Dawn Princess into a P & O ship, I hope they don't mess her up. If you are interested in seeing how the Golden Princess looks now after her make over, Sheba has done a 23 minute video walkabout the ship. You can find it on You Tube under Full 2015 Golden Princess Tour, she describes the ship deck by deck, restaraunts and places of interest and costs that are not included in your package ie dining.

We dined at the Crown Grill on one night, the decor was really elegant, service and food excellent, there was a $25 per head on this dining room but well worth every cent. I am sure there were a lot of areas on the ship that wern't included in the over haul but they are really not that obvious, she is a very clean ship with many nooks and crannies that you can escape to.

We loved Skywalkers, even though it was classed as an entertainment area by night we found that the oldies gravitated to it during the day as you could find some nice quiet place to read a book and have a drink or a nice cup of tea. She is a lot bigger than the Sun class ships (Dawn Princess), I always love sailing on the Dawn but the Golden Princess was well worth sailing on, not over the top or tacky as some ships are.

'Have a look at the video, it is really well done and a credit to Sheba and her husband who just love cruising and have produced this great video for us to share.

 

Regards:):)

 

Thanks a lot for your experience on Golden, we look forward to it in about 7 weeks time. I have actually seen the video, it is quite good. :D

[Hobart18]

If you don't like her, send her back. I LOVE the Golden Princess, have sailed her several times in recent years, and would love to sail her again. She is constantly being beautified -- varnished, painted, etc. -- just as you might hope. Her public rooms are lovely and she has a unique water component on her Princess Theater stage that is seldom found ono a cruise ship. Enjoy! And send her home soon!

 

Hi CVPends,

I am sorry but we love her, she appears to be staying downunder for the Australian/Asian market until at least 2019. I think you should come and visit us down under and tour Australia and New Zealand, I am not sure whether you have sailed on her since her makeover before heading our way but she is a very good looking ship, don't mind the whingers, apparently they haven't sailed on the very old P & O ships that were our once only cruise vessels, luckily they seem to be making an effort to improve the appearance of their ships, there will be 5 P & O ships sailing into Sydney Harbour late November, that should be very spectacular viewing. She sails well and does a pretty mean 360 degree turn before backing into Station Pier in Melbourne, when you see some of the ports she has to dock into you wonder how she can squeeze in, but she does, great ship, thanks for letting her travel down under.

 

Regards,:):)

[waltd]

Someone says that about EVERY Princess ship. :rolleyes:

 

True and I think just about every ship does have some areas that need taking care of but not everything can be done on the spot. Take a look at some of the single chairs in the buffet on the Ruby. I noticed a few of the Leather/faux leather seat cushions looked like they were splitting from the backing. :)

[cvpends]

Hi CVPends,

I am sorry but we love her, she appears to be staying downunder for the Australian/Asian market until at least 2019. I think you should come and visit us down under and tour Australia and New Zealand, I am not sure whether you have sailed on her since her makeover before heading our way but she is a very good looking ship, don't mind the whingers, apparently they haven't sailed on the very old P & O ships that were our once only cruise vessels, luckily they seem to be making an effort to improve the appearance of their ships, there will be 5 P & O ships sailing into Sydney Harbour late November, that should be very spectacular viewing. She sails well and does a pretty mean 360 degree turn before backing into Station Pier in Melbourne, when you see some of the ports she has to dock into you wonder how she can squeeze in, but she does, great ship, thanks for letting her travel down under.

 

Regards,:):)

 

Darn it; you love her too??? Maybe I *WILL* have to come downunder for a cruise on her before long. Doing so is definitely on my short list!

 

The Golden is certainly a talented ship. I sailed her to Alaska, and she was a dream amongst those glaciers. I also sailed her a couple of times down to Mexico, but sailing down there doesn't require much agility.

 

I have not been on the lovely Golden since November 2014. I understand her buffet area has been updated since then. I hope they made it more like the one on the Star Princess. I would love to see photos. Have any?

 

Warm regards from California :)

[suexxx]

Hi. Just been on Golden & we had a ball. Only thing not working well were most of the hot tubs. No bubbles but still usable. Suexxx

[shredie]

Take a look at some of the single chairs in the buffet on the Ruby. I noticed a few of the Leather/faux leather seat cushions looked like they were splitting from the backing. :)

 

Next review: "My cruise was RUINED because a chair in the buffet had ripped its stitches!!! I will NEVER cruise on Princess again!!!!!" LOL. ;)