This is our 23rd cruise, but only the second on Princess. Our recent cruises have been on Holland America and Celebrity. I have a sense of where I think the different cruise lines compare and fit, and for better or worse it's hard not to compare the various lines.

To begin with, for an older vessel the Golden is in extremely good condition and has been very well cared for. Its layout and style reflects the period and time of its construction compared to the new builds of, say, the Celebrity fleet. It is hard to believe the tatty state of the Celebrity Galaxy (since sold on by RCCL)when we travelled, it being almost the same age that the gleaming and stately Golden Princess is right now.

Our journey started with an overnight at LAX, from where we took a prebooked Supershuttle directly to San Pedro. This is the first time we used the shuttle, and it worked like a breeze. We arrived early (as we nearly always do) only to find that Princess doesn't have the system of gradual flow of passengers onto the ship that other lines do. This means that rather than boarding and using public areas until cabins are cleaned and finished, all boarding passengers are held shore-side until everything is ready. Far from disliking this arrangement, I think I now prefer it, as it works extremely efficiently. Read more