Sanctuary booking question

[BoardwalkBabe]

I hope to be booking our next adventure on the Crown any day now and the last time, we had to wait to book the Sanctuary after we boarded the ship.

 

Is that policy still in place or can you book it ahead of time now? Many thanks!

[bad973]

Sanctuary can only be booked once you are onboard...assume you want to book for the entire week. If you only want to book for a morning or afternoon, you have to do it EARLY:D:D that morning.

Did my first solo cruise to the Caribbean last December and as soon as I was on, I went to the Sanctuary and booked for the week. Had a marvelous time!

Barbara

[sabookkeeper]

I hope to be booking our next adventure on the Crown any day now and the last time, we had to wait to book the Sanctuary after we boarded the ship.

 

Is that policy still in place or can you book it ahead of time now? Many thanks!

You can only book Sanctuary while on board. If you are planning to book for the entire cruise you will want to get there early on the 1st day. We were on the Crown in January and we were boarded and up to Sanctuary by 12:15. We got the last two loungers available for full cruise reservations. I'm not sure how many they allow, but I do know they only have a certain amount that they are allowed to book for the full cruise.

 

Darlene

[IDRATHERBCRUISN]

What is the cost for the Sanctuary and what does it include?

[Loonbeam]

It's $20 per day (or $10 per half day) more on certain scenic viewing days (like the Panama Canal). You get a reserved lounger, food from a light fare menu, use of mp3 players and access to spa services (extra), there is also a bar and dedicated attendants. And it's children free.

[caribill]

It's $20 per day (or $10 per half day) more on certain scenic viewing days (like the Panama Canal).

 

Or (except for those scenic viewing special days), if you book for the entire cruise, it is $15/day.

[lindy sails]

I'll be on the Crown in December. First time on Princess.

Is the Santuary covered? Are there lounge chairs in an open area of the Santuary that you can get sun.? Love to tan on the open decks.

Is there an elevator that takes you to the Santuary? Can you get breakfast there? I noticed a pool near the spa area-is it an outdoor or in door pool? Is it easy access to the pool from the Santuary? Any tips you give me about the Crown would be appreciated. I'm sailing solo over Christmas and looking forward to my first Princess cruise.

[caribill]

I'll be on the Crown in December. First time on Princess.

Is the Santuary covered? Are there lounge chairs in an open area of the Santuary that you can get sun.? Love to tan on the open decks. Pictures below show lounges both in the sun and in the shade.

Is there an elevator that takes you to the Santuary? There is an elevator for the handicapped that will go to the Sanctuary from the deck below. Able bodied passengers are expected to walk up that one deck.

 

I noticed a pool near the spa area-is it an outdoor or in door pool? It is an outdoor, adults only pool which does not require paying for the sanctuary to use.

 

Is it easy access to the pool from the Santuary? Just walk down to the deck below from right outside the sanctuary.

 

Any tips you give me about the Crown would be appreciated. I'm sailing solo over Christmas and looking forward to my first Princess cruise.

 

See in red above.

[Tweedy]

Are you assigned a specific lounge chair or if you book for a 1/2 day, can you move from the shaded area to the sun area and vice versa during the booked time?

[terigo]

i'm going for the first time on the crown in december, too, lwlinda...

i would love for someone to answer your question about food service....

[sabookkeeper]

When you book for the entire cruise, you can select the lounger you want - either in the shade or in the sun. I'm not sure if you have a choice if you book it just for the day. We had an inside cabin on the Lido deck, so we just walked up the one flight of stairs. It only took a day for the stewards to recognize us and have our loungers ready. One day it was a little cool, so they brought me a blanket to cover up. For us, Sanctuary is a great way to get peace and quiet without paying the cost of a balcony room.

 

Darlene

[hulamoon]

Is smoking allowed in the sactuary?

[Loonbeam]

As far as I am aware, no. It follows the same rules for smoking as other public areas, namely none.

 

 

Is smoking allowed in the sactuary?

[Rosethorn40]

Are you assigned a specific lounge chair or if you book for a 1/2 day, can you move from the shaded area to the sun area and vice versa during the booked time?

 

It depends. Usually in the Caribbean the Sanctuary is sold out on sea days, and the afternoons on port days. You can't move back and forth from sun to shade because the other loungers are taken. Last year on The Emerald we had booked a shaded spot, but the first sea day asked if they could move us out into the sun. Our loungers were moved to a sunny spot, but after that first day we had to decide if we wanted to stay there or go back to our original spot because there were others that coveted our original spaces. Friends of ours were on the Emerald last fall and the stewards would not move the loungers at all.

 

We were on the Golden to Hawaii this past spring, and the Sanctuary was never full. Unless someone was already in a lounger when we got there they allowed us to sit wherever we wanted. On the sea days to Hawaii we sat in the sun on the starboard side, in Hawaii I moved to a shady spot, and on the return voyage to L.A. we usually sat in the sun on port side.

[Tweedy]

It depends. Usually in the Caribbean the Sanctuary is sold out on sea days, and the afternoons on port days. You can't move back and forth from sun to shade because the other loungers are taken. Last year on The Emerald we had booked a shaded spot, but the first sea day asked if they could move us out into the sun. Our loungers were moved to a sunny spot, but after that first day we had to decide if we wanted to stay there or go back to our original spot because there were others that coveted our original spaces. Friends of ours were on the Emerald last fall and the stewards would not move the loungers at all.

 

We were on the Golden to Hawaii this past spring, and the Sanctuary was never full. Unless someone was already in a lounger when we got there they allowed us to sit wherever we wanted. On the sea days to Hawaii we sat in the sun on the starboard side, in Hawaii I moved to a shady spot, and on the return voyage to L.A. we usually sat in the sun on port side.

 

Thanks.

[caribill]

is smoking allowed in the sactuary?

 

 

no!!!!!

[BoardwalkBabe]

Thank you! We'll plan to arrive at the port early and run right up there once we can board.

[moniquet]

We are not planning to board until around 1.30 so I suppose we won't have a chance. seems a bit of an unfair system.

 

Wasn't sure if it's a good idea anyway. Don't want all sun or all shade, would be nice to be able to move the lounger about.

 

Does the adult pool rule hold? Have been on other cruises when the adult pool had children in every day.

[CruisinChris]

Here's the deal with food - they do have a menu with some specialty items, however they will bring you anything you want from the grills, the pizza place, the horizon court. They charge a $3 delivery fee. Our stewards informed us of this and cheerfully did this and they are staffed to be able to provide great service. They help you turn your chairs to follow the sun, bring around chilled towels during the day, cookies, etc. It's a really comfortable and quiet atmosphere. We were there cruise long, and I was a little irritated by the half-day folks who would be seated near us. They were all loud talkers and didn't seem to get the idea of a quiet space. Oh, well. Ahh - can't wait to do it again. Really looking forward to the Island and pool within the space. I'm sure the new ships under design will expand upon the Sanctuary concept and include a pool and maybe even a bar/lounge.

[sabookkeeper]

We are not planning to board until around 1.30 so I suppose we won't have a chance. seems a bit of an unfair system.

 

Wasn't sure if it's a good idea anyway. Don't want all sun or all shade, would be nice to be able to move the lounger about.

 

Does the adult pool rule hold? Have been on other cruises when the adult pool had children in every day.

Yes the pool is for adults only. In fact, on our last cruise a couple of guys were asked to leave the pool because it is also designated a "quiet" area and they were jumping in and out of the pool and making lots of noise.

 

Darlene

[jcscv]

This is my first Princess cruise, and this place sounded so appealing to me. We will be in port every day except one, so can you just book half-days for the entire week at once, or do you just have to go there on a daily basis to book?

 

Also, how late is it open?

 

Thanks :)

[hulamoon]

That is good to know there is no smoking in the Sanctuary. I wasn't sure because the policy listed on cc allows smoking on open decks, didn't know if this was an open deck.

[caribill]

This is my first Princess cruise, and this place sounded so appealing to me. We will be in port every day except one, so can you just book half-days for the entire week at once, or do you just have to go there on a daily basis to book?

 

Also, how late is it open?

 

Thanks :)

 

Normally, you can only book individual days or half-days on the day you will use them. One poster on another thread said he/she was able to book individual days/half-days at the start of the cruise, but I forget which ship that was.

 

The morning half-day is 8 AM-12:30 PM.The afternoon half-day is 1 PM-5:30PM.