We are frequent cruisers with Princess (this was our 15th cruise overall) and have taken 2 days cruises in the past on other ships in the fleet so knew what to expect from this one. Having travelled on the Diamond Princess in the past I was excited to cruise on the Golden Princess which is also a Grand class ship but built in Italy not Japan. The decor and design were the major differences with the Diamond being changed for the Asian market.

We normally book an aft balcony suite as have found the lifts and access better from there. On this cruise we booked a guaranteed Window Suite after researching and finding this unusual suite without a balcony but at a lower price than a full suite. It offered full suite amenities and was conveniently placed on Deck 6 between the Service Desk and the Princess Theatre. It was accessed by a separate hallway and we had no noise issues from people passing by. We ended up with an accessible suite with a large shower instead of the separate spa bath and shower in a normal Window Suite. The room was a great sanctuary to escape to and very convenient, as mid ship, for stops in between activities or forgotten items. Loved the size of the room and the lounge area which was great as we were travelling with family. The priority boarding, welcome glass of champagne and canapes, mini bar and suite toiletries were also excellent. We didn't access the free laundry or afternoon tea in the suite due to the short cruise.

We were travelling with our 25 year old daughter and her friend who were upgraded from a twin guaranteed obstructed ocean view to a balcony cabin on Caribe deck and they really appreciated the balcony. Read more