We went on a back-to-back 4 and 3 day cruise. We sailed on the Golden a few years earlier to Hawaii and were familiar with the ship. This time we were upgraded to a rather large balcony suite, as it was designed for wheelchair passengers. We had booked a guaranteed outside cabin and I guess we just got lucky because they didn't have a wheelchair passenger needing it. The Golden itself is showing a little wear, but still a beautiful ship. And, some things just don't bother us.
I want to say right in the beginning that the experience is different on short cruises. These were our first 3 & 4 day cruises. You really can't compare or expect the same atmosphere on short cruises that you will get on 7 day and longer cruises. There are no formal nights and it's more of a party atmosphere, especially on the 3 day. The age average is also younger. We've never seen the pool and hot tubs so full! For those that rate these short getaways in comparison to normal cruises, you'll be disappointed. If you're just wanting a fast, cheap, fun vacation, this is it.
On the first night they had maintenance and we actually stayed docked until the next morning. We've ran into this on other ships in other countries and didn't really care. It just meant a smooth night and still had the normal activities. The downside would be for those that really wanted to use the casino since it couldn't open in port. Not an issue for us.
Large balcony cabin with large shower. This room is about 150 sq ft bigger than normal balcony cabins because it is designed for wheelchairs. It's the size of a motel room, with lots of storage. We didn't need the wheelchair room, we just got a lucky upgrade. The balcony is also larger. The bed was comfortable with a pillow top mattress.