Which to book first once onboard? Chef's Table, Sanctuary, or Thermal Suite?

[BigMattT]

We're embarking on our first Princess Cruise on the Caribbean Princess in October (repositioning NY to San Juan)--and after reading and re-reading the Princess Forums... we know we want to do:

 

Chef's Table

Sanctuary for the Week

Thermal Suite for the Week

 

Anyone want to tell us what time we need to be at the pier to board, and what 'itinerary' to follow after boarding to go to each location for the best chance to get all three? :)

 

The two of us could split up for a two pronged attack... but I'm hesitant to do that... fears of hubby messing up a booking if left to his own devices...

[TracieABD]

1. Sanctuary

2. Chef's Table

3. Thermal Suite

 

(eventhough 1. and 3. are close together)

 

And yes, I would divide and conquer!

[Coracii]

Usually my wife heads to the sanctuary to make our booking and I head to book the chef's table. We don't do the thermal suite...

[Colo Cruiser]

1. Sanctuary

2. Chef's Table

3. Thermal Suite

 

(eventhough 1. and 3. are close together)

 

And yes, I would divide and conquer!

 

 

Yes! :D

[trixiee]

What is the sanctuary? (And how much does it cost?)

[Coracii]

What is the sanctuary? (And how much does it cost?)

 

It's a private area of the ship with reserved lounge chairs (much nicer ones than the open deck areas) and stewards to attend to the people there. It costs about $15 per day if you book length of cruise (we book for the entire length of the cruise, but you can try to get it day-by-day also). Get there early, it only has a set number of spots available for length of cruise. If you're going to book for less than length of cruise, you have to be there early in the morning and hope there's spots open and it's more expensive. Some days, like the Panama Canal crossing, are supposedly much more expensive than the normal rate. Here's the Princess site describing the Sanctuary:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/activities/daytime_activities/day_sanctuary/index.html

[tntfox]

And the thermal suite? It sounds like it should be on the order of a sauna. Close? :confused:

[5:00_Somewhere]

How 'bout this: go to the Sanctuary and while hubby is giving them your info (with you present to supervise) you ask to use their phone to call the DINE line and make your Chef's table reservation, then go directly downstairs to the Lotus Spa to sign up for the Thermal Suite. If you don't get through on the DINE line you can then trek down to whichever MDR they're taking Chef's Table reservations for. Three birds with one stone. :D

 

Good luck!

[WeBeGone]

Chef's Table. I think it's the hardest one to get. We call the very second we board, and we board early as we're Elite.

[geoherb]

Chef's Table would be first for me--but it's also the only one I care about. When we have taken tours of the spa area later in the afternoon, there have still been passes available for the thermal suite. We've never tried the sanctuary. The pool area right below it is nice enough for us. We tend to go late in the afternoon to avoid getting too much sun--which also helps us avoid the crowded time of day.

[Loonbeam]

Is it just me, or does Princess need a better way to handle these sort of things. It's getting a bit ridiculous (and a horrid way to start the vacation) that the first thing you have to do is run around a very large ship like a mad person.

 

It also gives a distinct advantage to elite cruisers who pre-board. While this is a nice perk, I can see it also being very discouraging to first time cruisers who may wish to take advantage of these options and don't realize the need to scramble and then miss the opportunity and thus put them off future cruises.

 

It could be handled very simply, use the cruise personalizer. This would allow you to request the Chef's Table (and a few seats could be set aside for Elites), pre-book a sanctuary week (seat choice could still be FCFS but your spot is guaranteed), USTs, etc. Plus, the ship would have an idea of level of interest and could decide to add a second tour, etc. It's just an offshoot of how they do excursions, etc.

[Coracii]

Is it just me, or does Princess need a better way to handle these sort of things. It's getting a bit ridiculous (and a horrid way to start the vacation) that the first thing you have to do is run around a very large ship like a mad person.

 

It also gives a distinct advantage to elite cruisers who pre-board. While this is a nice perk, I can see it also being very discouraging to first time cruisers who may wish to take advantage of these options and don't realize the need to scramble and then miss the opportunity and thus put them off future cruises.

 

It could be handled very simply, use the cruise personalizer. This would allow you to request the Chef's Table (and a few seats could be set aside for Elites), pre-book a sanctuary week (seat choice could still be FCFS but your spot is guaranteed), USTs, etc. Plus, the ship would have an idea of level of interest and could decide to add a second tour, etc. It's just an offshoot of how they do excursions, etc.

 

Definitely not just you, it is a little insane that so many things can only be done once you're on the ship and potentially sell out before general boarding even starts. Quite a bit could be done easily in advance through the cruise personalizer and would make things easier for the passengers. But then, Princess still doesn't have the accounts available on the cabin televisions like some other lines, though it is a little better with the new kiosks to print the account info...

[caribill]

It could be handled very simply, use the cruise personalizer. This would allow you to request the Chef's Table (and a few seats could be set aside for Elites), pre-book a sanctuary week (seat choice could still be FCFS but your spot is guaranteed), USTs, etc.

 

Twelve people can be on the UST which, no matter what the demand, will usually be held only once a cruise. How long do you think those spots will last if booked via the personalizer?

 

Maybe about 20 lounges available for the full cruise at the Sanctuary. Bet those would go very quickly via the personalizer.

 

Chef's table? If held twice, 24 people. Gone via the personalizer before you get a chance to add your request.

 

Two ways it could be done if done via the personalizer:

a) When you book, so only the early bookers get a chance to participate in these activities.

b) When shore excursions open up, so only the lucky few who know they have opened up will be able to participate in these activities.

 

Either way, I bet the current method gives you a better chance if you booked these quickly after getting onto the ship.

[lois1112]

is the sanctuary on all ships? the Sapphire? where?

[LCfromFL]

Okay...I give...what, exactly is a Thermal Suite? And where might it be found? The Spa?

[Loonbeam]

That's the issue - as a 'lowly' gold cruiser on Princess, I have no option to board the ship early, which means there's a decent chance I am out of luck in the best of cases. Doing it via the CP (open it 30 days before the cruise, even), makes it more equal. Or if you do it onboard, do not open enrollment until after the muster drill (not as good a suggestion due to herd issues, but still beats early free-for-all)

 

Or what about someone who is cruising solo and can't 'split the run'. They effectively get penalized for doing so by being forced to choose the most likely option.

 

For Chef's table, make it a lottery system, same as UST ostensibly is.

 

If you want to control the number of requests, require payment up front, refundable as OBC if not used for the sanctuary.

Twelve people can be on the UST which, no matter what the demand, will usually be held only once a cruise. How long do you think those spots will last if booked via the personalizer?

 

Maybe about 20 lounges available for the full cruise at the Sanctuary. Bet those would go very quickly via the personalizer.

 

Chef's table? If held twice, 24 people. Gone via the personalizer before you get a chance to add your request.

 

Two ways it could be done if done via the personalizer:

a) When you book, so only the early bookers get a chance to participate in these activities.

b) When shore excursions open up, so only the lucky few who know they have opened up will be able to participate in these activities.

 

Either way, I bet the current method gives you a better chance if you booked these quickly after getting onto the ship.

[BigMattT]

How 'bout this: go to the Sanctuary and while hubby is giving them your info (with you present to supervise) you ask to use their phone to call the DINE line and make your Chef's table reservation, then go directly downstairs to the Lotus Spa to sign up for the Thermal Suite. If you don't get through on the DINE line you can then trek down to whichever MDR they're taking Chef's Table reservations for. Three birds with one stone. :D

 

Good luck!

 

Sounds like we'll need the luck! I like your idea. Had me chuckling with the "present to supervise" part. Now I have to find out the DINE line's phone number...

 

 

 

Anyone care to recommend the earliest time that's worthwhile for us to show up at the pier to check-in and try to board?

 

 

(I'm being obsessive about getting these extras because we opted for an inside cabin for the first time... I'm going to need the sanctuary for outdoor-"escape"-space... totally not above bribery.)

[caribill]

Or what about someone who is cruising solo and can't 'split the run'. They effectively get penalized for doing so by being forced to choose the most likely option.

 

Actually, most passengers are not aware that the Chef's Table, the UST, and even the Sanctuary exist.

 

All three are mentioned in the Patter on the day you board, but most of the most passengers have so much to read in their cabin that they do not even notice these mentions.

 

When we did the UST, the signup sheet at the perser's desk had lines numbered 1-12 and the people who signed that sheet were on the tour. Everyone else was put on a standby list. There was no lottery. Other ships may do it differently.

 

When we did the Chef's table, we did call soon after boarding, but we did not board very early.

 

Never did the Sanctuary, so can't give an experience on that one.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Is it just me, or does Princess need a better way to handle these sort of things. It's getting a bit ridiculous (and a horrid way to start the vacation) that the first thing you have to do is run around a very large ship like a mad person.

 

It also gives a distinct advantage to elite cruisers who pre-board. While this is a nice perk, I can see it also being very discouraging to first time cruisers who may wish to take advantage of these options and don't realize the need to scramble and then miss the opportunity and thus put them off future cruisesand could decide to add a second tour, etc.

No, it's not just you. I get exhausted just reading about peoples' plans of attacks upon boarding. It's a personal thing, I know, but I would really hate to start my cruise with that sense of urgency. And I don't think I have felt differently since cruise #2. (On Cruise #1 we were crazy people, highlighters in hand, scheduling our days down to the 15 minute time periods).

 

Elites may have an 'advantage', but I bet that there are a good percentage o Elites (us included) who don't partake in any of these extracurricular activities, and that the playing field is more level than you might imagine.

 

JMVHO :)

[BigMattT]

I would really hate to start my cruise with that sense of urgency.

 

Yup, its a matter of personal preference. I like to get my planning and waiting done at the beginning of the cruise... the rest of the time is relaxation.

[VioletHorse]

Actually, most passengers are not aware that the Chef's Table, the UST, and even the Sanctuary exist.

 

All three are mentioned in the Patter on the day you board, but most of the most passengers have so much to read in their cabin that they do not even notice these mentions.

 

When we did the UST, the signup sheet at the perser's desk had lines numbered 1-12 and the people who signed that sheet were on the tour. Everyone else was put on a standby list. There was no lottery. Other ships may do it differently.

 

When we did the Chef's table, we did call soon after boarding, but we did not board very early.

 

Never did the Sanctuary, so can't give an experience on that one.

 

I agree about most people not being aware of the the Chef's Table etc. In June my DD and I took our first Princess cruise on the CB. From our research here on the CC boards, we knew that we'd like to do the Chef's Table and Sanctuary. We had TD at a 6 top, so the night before our CT, we told our tablemates that we wouldn't be at the table the next evening since we were going to attend the CT. The lady next to me (it was her 5th Princess cruise) asked what the Chef's Table was as she had never heard of it. The conversation then turned to the pool areas and finding lounge chairs difficult to get after 9 AM. I mentioned that we had booked the Sanctuary for the entire cruise, and this time the same lady had admitted to hearing about it, but really didn't know where it was or how it worked!

 

Timing wise, this is how we booked/got on the list for both. We were the 7th group to board, so we proceeded directly to the Sanctuary once we figured out where it was, and secured 2 loungers for the duration of the cruise. We then went to our room and called the Dine Line for the Chef's Table. No answer. Called again, let it ring for about 2 minutes, no answer. Waited another 10 minutes, called and once again no answer. We were a bit frustrated, but went to the HC for lunch. Close to 1 PM, my DD used the house phone in the HC to call the Dine Line and voila, someone answered. At that time she was told that the final decision of who was chosen for the CT rested with the Maitre d', so our names were placed on the list. If we were chosen, we'd receive written notification sent to our room. We were selected, and had a wonderful experience at our CT.

 

We went with a plan, and did not find it rushed or stressful. If we had not been able to to book either of those activities, we might have been a bit disappointed but the cruise itself was the cake, and the CT and Sanctuary were the frosting.

[MTJSR]

Here's another option, Crown Grill and or Sabatini's. Having done the chefs table (and enjoying it) I might consider next time booking the Crown grill more than once. You can do it three times for the cost of the one Chefs table. Just a thought!

[Woobstr112G]

Usually my wife heads to the sanctuary to make our booking and I head to book the chef's table. We don't do the thermal suite...

 

We also split up on our last cruise on the Ruby. Soon as we boarded, I sought out the MD while DW tried calling the Dine line which took forever to answer. DW did get through with me being unsuccessful in locating the MD as I kept getting directed to various locations on the ship. Luck wasn't with us however as we received our "rejection" letter about four hours after my wife signed us up on the dine line.....:(:(:(

 

Bob

[TimeTraveler2]

Here's another option, Crown Grill and or Sabatini's. Having done the chefs table (and enjoying it) I might consider next time booking the Crown grill more than once. You can do it three times for the cost of the one Chefs table. Just a thought!

Just wondering, does the reservations for the Crown Grill and Sabatini's go fast also? Is it something that needs to be done as soon as we board?

[Woobstr112G]

Just wondering, does the reservations for the Crown Grill and Sabatini's go fast also? Is it something that needs to be done as soon as we board?

 

It's always good to make a reservation, if you want a specific date, as soon as you board. Hard to say if the reservations will go fast. I've walked by both venues and seen the quite crowded which would probably make snagging a reservation difficult. I've also dined in both by walking right in due to the fact both were not full at all.

 

Have A Great Cruise.....:):):)

 

Bob