This was our first Princess cruise in a long time after traveling mainly on Celebrity and Crystal. Here are my ratings on a 1 - 5 scale:

Ship (5):

I found the layout on the Golden Princess to be unusual and superior to newer ships. There are no less than 4 pools, 3 main dining rooms, 2 theaters and several bars with stages and dance floors. There is even a large outdoor video screen so we could watch football while basking in a warm pool. The net effect was no crowds anywhere and no searching for empty tables or lounges. Despite the ships age everything was quite clean and in good condition. My guess is that some newer ships cut back on public spaces to provide more revenue generating cabins. Read more