change to sanctury reservation process

[Matcodixon]

First day, make it first come first serve.

 

For all other days, make it a lottery. Each person or couple can put in one entry for each day they want to try for it. Entries are pulled until the space is filled for the day. Individual entry gets one space while a couple entry would get two spaces.

 

This is a fair system! Not first come first served, especially if the boarding system favors certain people. Daily not weekly, although you could possibly draw for a few spots (maybe 25% of total available) for the week. Drawing at 7:00 PM with the winners for the following day posted just afterwards. Always draw a few alternates just in case. Come and claim your ticket before 9:00 am the following day or alternate gets it.

 

The current system seems like a nightmare.

[Matcodixon]

OK, SO I am a little confused about this whole Sanctuary thing.

 

I watched the video on the Princess website, because quite frankly, I have never experienced "the Sanctuary", but is sure looks an awful lot like what Mrs Banjo & I normally expect on board when we go cruising. But you have to make reservations & have to pay extra for it? Wow, am I so not up to date!

 

Now I must admit that we have never cruised a large ship and this years trip to Alaska will be our first experience on a large ship, (we will be on the Diamond), and I guess if the rest of the ship is so busy that you need to pay extra for a quiet place to relax, maybe we need to rethink our upcoming cruise before we make the final payment!

 

We did the Diamond Alaska cruise and there were always plenty of quiet places to escape the crowds without using a Sanctuary.

[trailgirl]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe someone mentioned here that there were 48 loungers in the Sanctuary. One person said that no more than half could be pre-booked on embarkation for the week, which would be 24. Another person said no more than ten could be pre-booked for the week which would leave 38. When we sailed on the Ruby at the beginning of Feb, we went on the last at sea day at 6:30 to sign up for the day. There were four people ahead of us, and they were each allowed to book two chairs. Which is fair. When they got to us, there was one chair left, and it was in the sun. So this means that there were NINE chairs left to be booked for that day, not 24 and not 38. If there are 48 chairs, then more than 80% of the chairs were already booked before they started assigning them for that day. So what happened to leaving a good percentage of them open for daily booking?

 

We ended up getting chairs looking down on the adult pool and could see the santuary and who was coming and going. Even though we were at sea, not even half of those chairs were occupied. Princess could make more money if they rented them out by the half day, or by the hour, even, than charging $15 per day. They could fit a lot more chairs in the sanctuary than they have now, and you still wouldn't be falling over each other.

[joelmomma]

On the Emerald last year we booked the Sanctuary for the entire cruise and used it every day. Unfortunately I get sun poisoning and can never find a shady spot on the regular decks (books and towels saving the seats from early morning on as previously noted). We always have a balcony, but there is not room for two loungers plus there is not always shade. DH and I loved the whole Sanctuary experience and were looking forward to having it again on the Coral. I truly hope they return to allowing some full-cruise reservations.

[Sailingpeace]

Not having to get up and line up and beeing able to go whenever we wanted was one of the good things on our cruise ( 2 weeks). We enjoyed it everyday, sometimes longer other shorter. As for paying for the whole week, yup, it means you are paying for rainy days and excursion moments too, so, per hour it obviously is more expensive than by the day when you only book when you are sure to use it. On one hand more expensive by the hour, on the other no lining up and sure to get a seat. I would be very very disappointed if they change the system . Sanctuary is one of the reasons my DH sailed with Princess. It is not just about the chairs, it IS about not having to make a reservation everyday if that is what you want, and yes there are a limited number...just like for the suites...

[cruiselvr1]

Just back from the Emerald 3/7 sailing. Went early to the port to be early in the Elite line so that we could high tail it to the Sanctuary to reserve for the whole cruise - only to learn that starting with our cruise and rolling out fleet-wide' date=' the Sanctuary would only be sold on a daily basis (half or full days) - no more whole cruise sales. We were very disappointed to say the least as we find the Sanctuary really makes a big difference in our onboard experience. I let the Passenger Services Deck know right away and they called the Asst Maitre D coordinating the Sanctuary to double-check the change.

 

A couple hours later the phone in our room rang and the same Asst Maitre D called to offer us a whole cruise reservation. Apparently the complaints about back to back cruisers and the limited number of seats available for whole cruise reservations got HQ's attention. That said, he indicated that we werent the only ones disappointed and that he already let HQ know that this change wasn't going to be well-received. We noticed several other folks who also did full-cruise reservations. Not sure if they're still going to move forward with this plan. Just be warned if you're planning on a full cruise Sanctuary reservation. Hopefully they can come up with a better option that's fair to all (like online reservations like shore excursions).

 

I was pleased with the follow-up and end result. Not happy about the future prospect of having to get up and get in line every morning to get a seat in the future.[/quote']

As someone who has no plans to use the Sanctuary I have a opinion. With the changes in the boarding process, people who are unable to make resv should have a chance. Since there are limited spaces, it's only fair.

[sonnenstrahl]

Does anybody know about the Sanctuary.

Is it true that we can not book right in the beginning of the cruise or is it just a story?

We would not stand in line very morning to book, it is vacation time,we should be able to sleep in a little bit. We would love to do the Sanctuary but is Princess

makes it not confined, we save $$$$$. . Fine too. :)

[Woobstr112G]

I've always beeen confused about these statements about the mad rush to book the Sanctuary because it fills up quickly. I've done 4 Sanctuary equipped cruises on Princess and have never seen it crowded. I know that weather can be a factor and three of my cruises have been T/A's but two of the T/A's had perfect weather. Our Hawaii cruise also had pretty much perfect weather. For the most part on the Hawaii cruise, the Sanctuary was always nearly empty.....

Bob

[jchipgcs]

We want to book one day at the Sanctuary, the last day of our cruise and the only day we do not have a port.

 

When can we book it and do Suite or Elite passengers get priority like they do in other "special" bookings like specialty restaurants, chef's dinner, etc?

[sonnenstrahl]

Bob your are so right, it is very confusing!!!!!!! :confused::confused::confused:

[jagoffee]

I've always beeen confused about these statements about the mad rush to book the Sanctuary because it fills up quickly. I've done 4 Sanctuary equipped cruises on Princess and have never seen it crowded. I know that weather can be a factor and three of my cruises have been T/A's but two of the T/A's had perfect weather. Our Hawaii cruise also had pretty much perfect weather. For the most part on the Hawaii cruise, the Sanctuary was always nearly empty.....

Bob

 

I had the same experience twice. Obviously it is crowded on a least some of the cruises, but I suspect that it is the minority of the cruises. But of course it only takes one with an issue to cause a concern.

[Woobstr112G]

I had the same experience twice. Obviously it is crowded on a least some of the cruises, but I suspect that it is the minority of the cruises. But of course it only takes one with an issue to cause a concern.

 

So very true.....

 

Bob

[cookingchick]

Here's what you get in the sanctuary that you don't get on your balcony:

 

- a six inch thick cushioned lounge chair that is about as comfortable as a heavenly bed.

- an attendant that brings you cold citrus water and continually refills all day long.

- an attendant that brings you ice cold towels when you need to cool off from the heat.

- an attendant that will get any food items and or drinks for a modest fee of $3.

- an attendant that serves you afternoon tea, scones, cookies and cakes at 3:30 every afternoon.

- no second hand smoke cause you can't break the no smoking rules that they don't seem to enforce on the balconies.

- absolute silence (never heard MUTTS when we used the sanctuary).

 

 

Oh Larry - Call me crazy but I cruise to get away from the hired help! :D

 

Hope you guys enjoyed your time on the Emerald...brings back memories! Hi to Amy!

[miched]

To go from an inside cabin to a balcony for a week cruise can cost upwards of $1,000 whereas a lounger in the sanctuary costs $15 each per day; a total of $210 for two people for the week.

 

Here's what you get in the sanctuary that you don't get on your balcony:

 

- a six inch thick cushioned lounge chair that is about as comfortable as a heavenly bed.

- an attendant that brings you cold citrus water and continually refills all day long.

- an attendant that brings you ice cold towels when you need to cool off from the heat.

- an attendant that will get any food items and or drinks for a modest fee of $3.

- an attendant that serves you afternoon tea, scones, cookies and cakes at 3:30 every afternoon.

- no second hand smoke cause you can't break the no smoking rules that they don't seem to enforce on the balconies.

- absolute silence (never heard MUTTS when we used the sanctuary).

 

.

 

Is the $3 fee over and above the cost of the drinks? What kind of drinks they serve you?

 

Thanks

[caribill]

Is the $3 fee over and above the cost of the drinks?

 

Yes

[caribill]

We want to book one day at the Sanctuary, the last day of our cruise and the only day we do not have a port.

 

When can we book it and do Suite or Elite passengers get priority like they do in other "special" bookings like specialty restaurants, chef's dinner, etc?

 

If not booking for the entire cruise, you will need to book the days you want on the morning of each day that you want it.

 

No priority other than first in line each morning is first served.

[nowretired]

If not booking for the entire cruise, you will need to book the days you want on the morning of each day that you want it.

 

No priority other than first in line each morning is first served.

 

What time does the "booking station" open in the mornings?