My wife and I along with our 15 year old daughter, her best friend, friends mom, fiance and step-brother will also be on board. There's another thread - "Golden Princess in May" that has a few others that will be on that sailing. You may want to drop by that board to say hi. Should be a great cruise...can't wait.....See ya on board!!
There is a group of us from the Atlanta Georgia area going on the 5/23 Golden Princess. I have a balcony cabin on the Baja deck with my brother and sister-in-law across from me in an inside cabin. I also have a group of co-workers on the Emerald deck with ocean view rooms.
Hope to meet you on board. I'm getting very excited. Have you cruised before?
This will be our 4th cruise, first on Princess. Really getting excited, wish time would pass a bit quicker. Still wondering if Princess has made their mind up about Caracas. Has anyone heard anything official yet? Has anyone had any experience with DePalm Island? Have read on a CC thread that it's a great excursion, good snorkling and all inclusive - food, drink, snorkle equipment etc. What I want to know is, do you have to sign up on-line or can you arrange in port upon arrival. Seems the 1/2 day trips leave about 10am or so. Would appreciate any comments....
Well, Princess web site answered my question. The Caracas stop has been replaced by Guamache on Isla Margarita. Very short stop though - leave at 12:30pm - only there for about 5 hours, but they did extend our time in Grenada to 5pm. That should work out great as there seems to be alot to see in Grenada. I'm personally looking forward to their open air market....have read interesting things about it. 52 days to go!!!!
Dave you can sign up for the excursions on the Princess site. Did you pre-register for the embarkation, its really easy. Thenks for the info on the islands, been to Curaco but not to Caracas, now don't want to be there!!! Thought they would reroute us, never been to St. Kitts or Grenada, they say you can smell the spices on Grenada. Should be a great cruise. Well we are in April, and by the look outside the showers are not letting up!! You have a lot of people counting the days with you :-) Thanks again. By the way are you from the Pgh area I'm curious by your BucsDave ??
No, I'm afraid I'm a Tampa Bay guy all the way - Go Buccaneers!!! Have followed the Pirates, but the Devil Rays are starting to get competitive, with a coach like Lou Pinella, how can they help it. If anyone can get them winning - he will. I've lived here for 18 years now, but previous to that, you name it, I've lived there, tho' never in Pa. - driven that beautiful PA turnpike though, that'll keep you on your toes!! Once you get used to the summer heat, it's great here, and the beaches are always great! My boss is from near Allentown and lived in Lancaster county for quite awhile - she has lots of great things to say about the area. Will say I did develop a taste for scrapple on my drives through Pennsylvania, although I don't think I want to know everything that's in it - does taste good tho.
I've been looking at the excursions on the Princess site, but will probably do our own thing, although we're looking at a rain forest hike in St. Kitts and I'm thinking of booking a 1/2 day at de Palm Island in Aruba. Kathy, my wife, is looking to hit every beach she can with some shopping in between. Will probably do the ferry from Red Hook to St. Johns for some beach and snorkling. Have heard nothing but great things and haven't been to St. Johns before. We have friends that live in St. Thomas, so will devote some time to them and a local bar.
We will definately be poolside from 8pm on for the sail away party, so maybe we'll run into some of you during that bash!! When we figure out what we'll be wearing, will clue you in so we can look for each other. Almost to the 50 day mark!!
Now my husband would have thought of Tampa Bay, he is a sports fan!!! Small world our daughters job takes her to Lancaster weekly, she is a consultant for the Dept. of Ed. lives in Harrisburg we take the turnpike frequently, not a fun ride, especially when those police stop and give a ticket. We are really looking forward to this cruise also. Haven't decided on what tours to take, I'm sure my brother in law and his wife will do the snorkling.
We are getting excited!! Hope we can meet on board all the people here seem so nice and friendly. The guys probably will have something Pittsburgh on ( Hats or shirts) this should really be a fun time. Keep counting:-)
Pre-cruise docs have arrived.....Now really getting antsy....READY to CRUISE!!!! Gonna be quite the party!! We will definately make plans to get together for a libation during the sail away party. We won't be too hard to pick out - the 6'2" guy with the goatee and a 5' wife with blond hair. Can't be too many combinations like that on board. Will get more specific as we get closer...Everyone's invited!!!
What ever happened to Kris & Gel - they started this thread, but have dissappeared. Are you guys still with us on the Golden? I haven't booked any excursions yet, trying to see what the other 4 that will be with us want to do, let alone cornering my own 15 year old to see what she has in mind. I do know we'll try to hit a beach at every stop. Sounds kinda nuts since we live 6 miles from some of the best beaches in the US. I guess it's just because the beer tastes better on Carribbean beaches than on our own.
I imagine we'll be near one of the bars by the pools for the sail away. We're doing the PC dining - how about you? Traditional or PC? Have read great things about the guacamole in the Desert Rose, will have to set aside a night for that. I pulled copies of the Golden menus and looks like Italian night we could skip the regular dining room. Don't know about Sabatinis, have heard some horror stories, but they do offer Creme Brulee and my wife is nuts about that dessert - good for at least 2 or 3 servings!!!
Have been looking at some snorkel & sail excursions in Aruba, the Tattoo 1/2 day looks pretty nice - 3 snorkle stops, slide and rope swing off the boat and a BBQ lunch included - cash bar $2 well, $3 premium drinks - cost is $49 I think. The dePalm island 1/2 day inclusive through Princess is only $39 but did read that the food wasn't anything to write home about and some web postings called it a big tourist rip off. Guess it's all in what you want and expect!!! Leaning towards the 1/2 day rainforest hike in St. Kitts. There's an independant tour operator that I emailed that said they had that same trip for $45 - lasts 4 hours and includes picnic lunch after the hike. If anyone's interested I can pass on the site - email me....See ya over a cold one in 49 days!!!
We're on the 5/23/04 Golden with you for our honeymoon!
Hey Bucsdave and Kathy... I'm a 6'4" blonde guy (but no goatee) and my fiance is a 5'4" redhead. We're a similar couple... and also we're nearby in Orlando! I think I saw your posts on cruisecritic.com too?
This will be our first time cruise ever, needless to say first time on Princess too!
Although this is our first cruise, I feel adventurous enough to make up our own tours and I'm doing my research for the trip. Perhaps we can compare notes as the cruise approaches (or on the cruise). I'm not fluent in Spanish, but I've gotten around in Mexico, Venezuela, and Costa Rica. I work with a guy from Colombia, so I'm practicing my Espanol for the trip :-)
By the way, we're flying to San Juan a day early and staying at the Wyndham Old San Juan Resort and then we've got a balcony stateroom on the Aloha deck.
I was thinking the same thing Dave!! Kris & Gel started this and we keep posting. Hopefully they are reading these :-) Hey Bob we are also on the Aloha Deck with balcony, still worry about that pool above us!!! Congratulations to you and your new bride, you will love cruising, this group sound like a great group of people. Should be fun 49 and counting!!
We are still here. We can not wait for this cruise. We are so busy making our last minute wedding arrangements (We are gettig married May 15). So what is this buisness about a change in the itinarary? Can anyone update me on where we are going?
Congrats Bob!!! All you folks with balconies, I'm jealous, we're on Emerald outside - partially obscured, but I picked a cabin that's between lifeboats, so should be a reletively open view and did save a couple bucks. Gotta save something to give the dealers in the casino. We're in E-516, amidship. Should be fine, considering we don't spend a whole lot of time in the cabin. Hopefully we'll see Bob and new bride once or twice during the week. I lived in California and Miami a bit, so know some Spanish, but most of what I know isn't in your standard dictionary. My daughter is in third year Spanish, but don't count on much help there. But I know Cerveza and los banos, so that should suffice. I'm thinking the Terrace Pool bar may be a convenient place to meet for a drink...any other suggestions??
We're still planning on doing some wandering about Old San Juan during the afternoon of the 23rd after getting into our cabin. I'll look for you Bob, but no sense giving my hair color as brown, since I'll have my Panama on for the whole cruise - generally even in the pool. Which may help you recognize me easier!!!
Funny, went on Cruise @ddicts and didn't see a roll call for our cruise. Very suprised, but not enough to start one. Spending too much time here and on CC typing away. Helps pass the 48 days to go!!! See y'all aboard!!!
Congrats Bob!!! All you folks with balconies, I'm jealous, we're on Emerald outside - partially obscured, but I picked a cabin that's between lifeboats, so should be a reletively open view and did save a couple bucks. Gotta save something to give the dealers in the casino. We're in E-516, amidship. Should be fine, considering we don't spend a whole lot of time in the cabin. Hopefully we'll see Bob and new bride once or twice during the week. I lived in California and Miami a bit, so know some Spanish, but most of what I know isn't in your standard dictionary. My daughter is in third year Spanish, but don't count on much help there. But I know Cerveza and los banos, so that should suffice. I'm thinking the Terrace Pool bar may be a convenient place to meet for a drink...any other suggestions??
We're still planning on doing some wandering about Old San Juan during the afternoon of the 23rd after getting into our cabin. I'll look for you Bob, but no sense giving my hair color as brown, since I'll have my Panama on for the whole cruise - generally even in the pool. Which may help you recognize me easier!!!
Funny, went on Cruise @ddicts and didn't see a roll call for our cruise. Very suprised, but not enough to start one. Spending too much time here and on CC typing away. Helps pass the 48 days to go!!! See y'all aboard!!!
Hello fellow Georgians!!
Me and my hubby are from Gainesville. We have booked the Oceanview Balcony BA but went with the guarantee so we might end up with a higher category room. So we don't know the deck we are going to be staying on just that the category can't be lower than what we paid, only better!! Sounded good enough for me..
This will be our 3rd cruise, BUT our 1st with Princess. I'm looking very much forward to experiencing everything good I have heard about Princess.
Have you been on Princess before?
We haven't booked any excursions...I think we will just explore ourselves with taking a cab or renting a vehicle. We hate being on schedules and in groups on a bus. Based on past experiences just not our thing.
We will be celebrating our 5th anniversary on this cruise. How about you guys?
Hi Kris & Gel,
Glad to see you made it back.....Congrats on the BIG occasion - that makes two honeymooning couples that we know about...The rest of us mostly seem to be celebrating anniversaries. Will be our 16th. Alot of other folks on this thread are also anniversary celebrators. Looks like we'll just have to make this a VERY celebratory cruise. To answer you on the itiniery - they have changed the Caracas stop to Isla Margarita - a small island off Venezuala. I haven't seen any shore excursions yet, but we're only there from 8 - 1pm I think. We do get 2 more hours in Grenada though. From what I've read about Isla Margarita, great place to buy pearls and nice beaches. Not much out there about the island and everything I found was pretty general. Did see some nice beach pictures. See y'all on board......Dave
Looks like a bit contingent from Atlanta!! This is going to be a great cruise...Looking forward to meeting y'all. We'll be hanging around the Oasis or Terrace bars during the sail away party. Depends on which one we can stake a claim at for a seat....Dave
Dave, I know what you mean about finding a spot at the bar. It's almost as bad as trying to find an empty deck chair! Looking forward to a great cruise. I think we are going to have some interesting characters on board.
Anyone watching the weather for the southern caribbean?
RE: weather. I'll start checking it out a week to 10 days before we cruise. Should be great, since we're usually lucky at that time of the year. Say a prayer and keep your fingers crossed....Dave
Our big day is on Friday, May 21st... then we catch our plane on Saturday afternoon, stay in San Juan for the night, and away we goooo!
I'm still trying to decide what to do at each cruise stop. I chose this cruise because I wanted to see someplace every day. Having never cruised before, I have this preconceived notion that At Sea days will be boring. Fortunately our At Sea day is the last day... which will allow us to rest after all of those shore excursions!!
My fiance, Susan, isn't too interested in the formal nights. So, I guess I'll just bring a pair of dinner pants to wear only for dinner! I see on page 3 in the Preparing for Your Cruise booklet that jeans and shorts are not permitted in the dining rooms during dinner. Perhaps I could extend my wedding tuxedo rental for a week... that would solve everything... ha ha ha.
Let's see, LisaK said she could answer our questions about the Golden... hmmm... I read on a board somewhere that the elevators were slow... is that so?
I'm sure I'll think of a few more questions as the cruise date draws nearer!
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Roll Call 5/23 Golden
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