Our cruise on the Golden Princess was outstanding. My wife and I have cruised several times in the past, all with Carnival. While we enjoyed these cruises, the Golden Princess seemed one step above in a lot of cases but not all. First, getting on and off the ship was very efficient. Our room on Princess seemed to be about the same size as carnival but was laid out a little better, with a little more space in the bathroom. The ship itself was in very good condition and was kept clean as was our room. We had originally signed up for the late dining but we're bumped to the anytime dining, which I would now definitely recommend to anyone. Food was very good, but I'd have to say that the food on the Carnival ships may have been just a touch better with a few more choices. We did try the Steak House one night, which was well worth the extra charge. The pizza and burger bars were great during the day, but it was a bummer to have to pay for an ice cream, something that was free on the carnival ships. Several pools and hot tubs and liked the fact that they were fresh water and open all the time rather than just at sea when we were on the carnival ships. The gym had good equipment but was a little small and quite crowded in the mornings. Casino was larger than most ships we've been on, and my wife actually won a few dollars on the slots. Overall we really enjoyed the cruise on the Golden Princess. Wouldn't hesitate cruising with Princess again, and for that matter probably wouldn't hesitate going back to Carnival if the itinery fit well. We found that the average age on the Golden Princess was a little older than on Carnival ships. If we were still in our 20's, Carnival might be a better bet with a few more activities for this age group, but for us now in our 40's, Princess was just what we were looking for. Can't wait until next spring, for our next cruise.