Princess Cruises' Golden Princess will offer its maiden season of cruises from Melbourne until April 2016. Photo / Supplied
Princess Cruises' Golden Princess will offer its maiden season of cruises from Melbourne until April 2016. Photo / Supplied
Golden Princess' maiden arrival in Melbourne is priceless, writes Shandelle Battersby.
As far as arrivals go, it was right up there. A spectacular sunrise revealed what everyone on board the cruise ship Golden Princess could hear: two helicopters trailing giant golden banners welcoming the ship to Melbourne on a late-October morning, the skyline of the city coming into focus as we sailed closer and the sun got higher.
The special welcome was to mark its maiden arrival in the Victorian capital where it takes pride of place as the biggest ship - at 2600 guests - to home-port there.
We'd set sail from beautiful Sydney Harbour just two days before, backing carefully out of our berth at Circular Quay (don't want to hit that bridge) before cruising slowly out through the heads and turning south.
This, a relocation or "Getaway" cruise, is an ideal - and cost-effective - way to see if cruising is for you or, as many on board seemed to be doing, to celebrate an occasion or have a great weekend away with your mates. Some on board were also using it as an alternative way to get to Melbourne for November's Spring Racing Carnival.
This resulted in an eclectic group of passengers, including 250-odd kids.
The best way to enjoy a cruise ship is during sea days when you can make the most of all they have to offer. The features on Golden Princess include four pools - one of which is adults-only - and nine spa pools; several eateries including two speciality restaurants (the Crown Grill is a must for seafood and meat-lovers); multiple show lounges and bars, including the travelator-entry space-age Skywalkers nightclub; the luxurious Lotus Spa; outdoor movies; and all the other usual accoutrements such as a fitness centre, casino, library and internet cafe.
Balcony staterooms (there are 523 on board) offer a perpetual sea view which is so relaxing you might find yourself curling up for an afternoon nap (that ocean motion makes you sleepy).
Two days was enough time to get my bearings on the ship (it takes a little while to learn which staircase or lift you need to be on), enjoy some fantastic food, have a spa treatment and a swim, and watch a film. We even spotted a couple of playful dolphins.
It was a terrific taste of ship life, made all the sweeter with that golden arrival into Melbourne, and a royal welcome fit for a Princess.
Australian chef Curtis Stone. Photo / Supplied
Princess and the Stone Anyone who's ever stepped on board a cruise ship knows how much of your time is spent on food: eating it, planning where, when and what you'll eat next, and trying to work it off so you can eat more. On bigger ships, catering to the masses 24 hours a day is an enormous task, and they've got it down to a fine (dining) art. The latest trend is celebrity chef collaborations with the cruise lines - I like to call it "cruisine" - which means that, although you may never get to eat at a Guy Fieri, Marco Pierre White or Nobu restaurant on land, you can try some of their food at sea.
Princess Cruises have snaffled Melbourne-born food hero Curtis Stone (pictured), who is working with the cruise line to open a specialty restaurant, Share by Curtis Stone, on several of its ships.
All cruisers across Princess' 18-strong fleet will have the chance to try out three of his region-specific dishes, using local produce, in the main dining rooms.
Golden Princess is one of the first ships to offer the Crafted by Curtis Stone dishes inspired by "the rich flavours of my homeland".
These were an Aussie spin on veal osso buco, which was so tender it fell apart at the touch, Stone's famous roasted pork belly with homemade apple sauce, and a chicken-and-leek pot pie. The pork belly alone was ordered by 570 passengers on debut. Head chef Andrea Baiardo described Stone as reintroducing classic dishes to the younger generation, with his own twist.
The Share by Curtis Stone restaurants will open first on Ruby Princess and Emerald Princess in December, followed by Coral Princess in January, and Australian-based Sun Princess in April.
Stone has also been hands-on with the design of the welcoming restaurants, which will feature communal tables aimed at sharing food, with low-backed leather banquettes and decorative curios from his collection, including photos and souvenirs.
CHECKLIST
Details: Princess Cruises' Golden Princess will offer its maiden season of cruises from Melbourne until April 2016, returning in October 2016 for a six-month season from Melbourne.
