Do you think it is fair for Sanctuary to be booked by B2B passengers PRIOR to cruise?

[cccc1747]

Sanctuary should be booked online so that the first to book their trip are also the first to reserve the Sanctuary...this would be fair because EVERYONE has the potential to be that person if they want to be. Princess needs to change their policy on this issue.

[cccc1747]

It's stupid and degrading to have people standing in long lines on their vacation on a ship...it's the LAST thing you want to do. The Sanctuary bookings should all be done online way ahead of time before the sailing. First to book are first in.

[Dreamer333]

It's stupid and degrading to have people standing in long lines on their vacation on a ship...it's the LAST thing you want to do. The Sanctuary bookings should all be done online way ahead of time before the sailing. First to book are first in.

 

Agreed.

[kendon]

No, it's not fair. Reservations should start on day one.

[caribill]

On the Royal/Regal, what is now the Retreat area, could be incorporated into an expanded Sanctuary. (I know people who don't want to pay for the Sanctuary will not like that idea.) This would also give the Sanctuary on these ships an exclusive pool, adding to the allure. (Again, I know this won't be a popular suggestion.)

 

 

At full capacity, these ships can each have over 4000 passengers. If, lets say, 100 of these can book an expanded Sanctuary that leaves one pool for over 3900 people to share.

 

And the closest chair without a pool towel on it might be in one's cabin.

 

Maybe usage of this one pool could be assigned by type of cabin.

 

Inside cabins could make use of this one pool before 10 AM or after 6 PM.

 

Balcony cabins could make use of this one pol between 10 AM-11AM and 5PM-6 PM.

 

Mini Suites could make use of this one pool between 11 AM-Noon and 3PM-5PM.

 

And full suites could make use of this one pool between Noon and 3 PM.

Edited January 30, 2014 by caribill

[sweetsleep]

i just disembarked from the Emerald today with my sister who was a first time Princess passenger( I am Platinum). My first all cruise experience in the Sanctuary was on the Coral in October. What a difference a ship and a cruise can make with that experience. I was totally spoiled in the Coral in the Sanctuary. My experience on the Emerald was totally different. Absolutely NO service on this cruise. No one ever asked me if I wanted any cold infused water,head phones,blankets,towels. I had to pursue the "staff" for any services on the Emerald.No one took away any used glassware or dishes the entire DAY! The ONLY time anyone ever came by was at tea time-probably because they HAD to. Service overall on this cruise was the worst I have ever had on a Princess cruise. Not sure I will EVER book the Sanctuary on any of these ships.

For those of you who are unable to book the Sanctuary for the whole cruise,don't be upset unless you are on the Coral Princess. Just get up early and get a lounger in the Lotus Spa pool area or the Terrace Pool area.They are adults only and have at least equal "service" compared to the Sanctuary-at least compared to the Emerald Princess

[lw4484]

Have sailed princess a few times but has been a few years...

 

What the heck is sanctuary?

 

 

Sent from my iPod touch using Forums

[Justprettynpink]

The Sanctuary is wonderful.

 

I was a first time Princess customer and didn't have the Elite privilege of priority boarding.

 

I was able to get a bed twice during a Holiday cruise because I did feel that it was worth getting up and standing on the deck at 630.

 

I met some great people and I was able to nap on the bed in the Sanctuary.

 

My idea would be that you cannot reserve a bed for the whole day. You only get it for half a day. So if you got a bed for the week you would need to chose which 1/2 of the day you wanted...

 

I never saw anyone staying the whole time and most people arrived around lunch...

 

The B2Bs and the elites would have first dibs on the afternoons and those left to the dreaded morning lines could sample the experience in the morning...

 

 

just an idea....

Edited February 8, 2014 by Justprettynpink

[LewesBeach]

Why not raise the price of the Sanctuary until there are spots available?:D

 

That would give Princess extra income where maybe they could stop cutting back on internet for suite passengers and the eucalyptus bath products et al.

 

Mike:p

 

Suite passengers no longer get get unlimited internet.

[DShock]

YES its fair. We do b2b's all frequently and always book the sanctuary in advance for the second half of the b2b. I believe Princes should allow the Sanctuary to be booked in advance...like shore excursions. Place a Sanctuary seating chart on line (like airlines) so passengers wishing to book could select their places. It should be based on date deposit is made (full deposits paid not FCC's, deposit specials) and auto voids if final payment is not made. It's really no different than trying to book an aisle, window, or first class seat on an airplane...first come (first pay) first served. FCC's and deposit specials (like $100 deposits) should not be eligible because so many of those are booked only to be changed or canceled. Full deposits only. Finally I think, like the airlines, if you are booked in a full suite or are Elite that gives you some priority over others. Ins't that fare.

[LewesBeach]

Sanctuary should be booked online so that the first to book their trip are also the first to reserve the Sanctuary...this would be fair because EVERYONE has the potential to be that person if they want to be. Princess needs to change their policy on this issue.

 

Totally agree, this policy needs to be revised. There is an unruly & unattractive stampede by Elites to get on board early to book. Nice relaxing way to start a vacation :-/ Princess heavily promotes this as a perk, then new or uninformed cruisers are disappointed when they find out they can't get in. Or have to stand in lines at 7am on vacation.

[Dreamer333]

Totally agree, this policy needs to be revised. There is an unruly & unattractive stampede by Elites to get on board early to book. Nice relaxing way to start a vacation :-/ Princess heavily promotes this as a perk, then new or uninformed cruisers are disappointed when they find out they can't get in. Or have to stand in lines at 7am on vacation.

 

On some ships, the lines begin at 6am!!!! :eek:

[crystal blue]

I get that people are upset over B2B's taking all the avialbe weekly spaces. I am on a B2B coming up in a few weeks and have thought about booking for the second week but not sure if I will. Not everyone wants to be in the Sanctuary and the people that have cruised many times with Princess should have some perks and this is just one of them. I will not be running to the ship my first week as I know I have no chance to book weekly so am I upset NO there are so many other places to get sun, relax or read a book. As it relates to having to get up early to book daily seats this is no diffeernet then getting up early to get a seat right next to the pool or another favorite spot. This happens at resorts in every warm climate (in Las Vegas the lines can start at 5am). I get up early at 5am every morning for work so on vacation I get up early too. So if I want a special spot by the pool or I want to stand in line for the Sanctuary this is a choice I make. Everyone has a chance to get seats in the Sanctuary you just have to choose to get up early. Complaining about this makes no sense. Life is not always fair.

[Pam in CA]

Totally agree, this policy needs to be revised. There is an unruly & unattractive stampede by Elites to get on board early to book. Nice relaxing way to start a vacation :-/ Princess heavily promotes this as a perk, then new or uninformed cruisers are disappointed when they find out they can't get in. Or have to stand in lines at 7am on vacation.

Don't forget that those needing assistance and all the people who don't qualify but have a friend or family member who is Platinum or Elite and board with them have an equal chance of getting up to the Sanctuary first. As an Elite, I've been able to book it for the whole cruise only twice. Other times, I chose to get up super early and be on line at 7am for an 8:30am opening or found another spot to read and relax. It's not a big deal if I can't book the Sanctuary so I don't get uptight about it or claim the system isn't fair.

 

If it were perfectly fair, it would be one lounger per reservation on a lottery system so someone couldn't ever book more than one lounger. One of the issues with the loungers going so fast is that people book two or more loungers at a time, sometimes 6-8 loungers in one reservation. I've seen it. All it takes is maybe four people to book all of the available loungers.

 

I get that people are upset over B2B's taking all the avialbe weekly spaces. I am on a B2B coming up in a few weeks and have thought about booking for the second week but not sure if I will. Not everyone wants to be in the Sanctuary and the people that have cruised many times with Princess should have some perks and this is just one of them. I will not be running to the ship my first week as I know I have no chance to book weekly so am I upset NO there are so many other places to get sun, relax or read a book. As it relates to having to get up early to book daily seats this is no diffeernet then getting up early to get a seat right next to the pool or another favorite spot. This happens at resorts in every warm climate (in Las Vegas the lines can start at 5am). I get up early at 5am every morning for work so on vacation I get up early too. So if I want a special spot by the pool or I want to stand in line for the Sanctuary this is a choice I make. Everyone has a chance to get seats in the Sanctuary you just have to choose to get up early. Complaining about this makes no sense. Life is not always fair.

Good answer. :)

[Av8tor]

YES its fair. We do b2b's all frequently and always book the sanctuary in advance for the second half of the b2b. I believe Princes should allow the Sanctuary to be booked in advance...like shore excursions. Place a Sanctuary seating chart on line (like airlines) so passengers wishing to book could select their places. It should be based on date deposit is made (full deposits paid not FCC's, deposit specials) and auto voids if final payment is not made. It's really no different than trying to book an aisle, window, or first class seat on an airplane...first come (first pay) first served. FCC's and deposit specials (like $100 deposits) should not be eligible because so many of those are booked only to be changed or canceled. Full deposits only. Finally I think, like the airlines, if you are booked in a full suite or are Elite that gives you some priority over others. Ins't that fare.

 

I don't like your idea of allowing pre-reservations only for those paying "full" deposits, not those using FCCs or special reduced deposits. Your reasoning that those "reduced" deposit listings are often changed just doesn't hold water; there are many "reduced" deposit listings that are not changed.

 

Perhaps they could have a waiting list for sanctuary reservations so if someone with a reservation later cancels, then the top person on the list would get a reservation. OR, instead of allowing the reservation to be made at time of deposit, only allow them after final payment is made. Paying in full early would improve your odds of getting a reservation.

[Jetswdo]

I really think that if using the Sanctuary would make or break a cruise, I would not book on Princess, for this reason alone. Begrudgingly, I booked on the Royal Princess due to the right dates and itinerary. Had all things been equal, we would have booked Celebrity, so that I don't have to run like a maniac to try to book things that we want to do, like Sanctuary and Enclave. For this cruise, we will enjoy nevertheless, albeit irritated regarding above. But until Princess changes their ridiculous policy in regards to the above, Princess would not be my first choice for cruise line. But it is all about choices. If the above wouldn't be important to me, the Princess has other things going for them. Self serve washers and dryers for example.

[Colo Cruiser]

I don't like your idea of allowing pre-reservations only for those paying "full" deposits, not those using FCCs or special reduced deposits. Your reasoning that those "reduced" deposit listings are often changed just doesn't hold water; there are many "reduced" deposit listings that are not changed.

 

I agree.

I would not want to see advance bookings for the Sanctuary or specialty restaurants. :cool:

[Av8tor]

I am not worried one bit about b2bers reserving all the sanctuary spots on my upcoming cruise... It's Regal's maiden voyage, so there should be no b2b cruisers already on board when I get on!!! :D

[Loonbeam]

One lounger per reservation might not work, what if I win and my wife doesn't? But I would like to see it limited to book for your own cabin only.

 

 

If it were perfectly fair, it would be one lounger per reservation on a lottery system so someone couldn't ever book more than one lounger. One of the issues with the loungers going so fast is that people book two or more loungers at a time, sometimes 6-8 loungers in one reservation. I've seen it. All it takes is maybe four people to book all of the available loungers.

 

Good answer. :)

[TracieABD]

One lounger per reservation might not work, what if I win and my wife doesn't? But I would like to see it limited to book for your own cabin only.

 

Or the person booking has to be present to book. One lounger per one person.

[Rosethorn40]

Of course everyone has their own idea of what is fair, but for every idea there will be someone not happy because the "Idea" doesn't work for them. I think it really boils down to simple economics; raise the price so the number of available loungers matches the number of people willing to pay that price.

 

I personally don't know what my price point would be, but at some dollar amount I would drop out of contention and DH and I would be two less people vying for a spot.

 

We will be on the Emerald Princess in less than 3-weeks. I want two spots in the Sanctuary, and have my game plan all mapped out to get those coveted spots, but I also know that fate could place all kinds of obstacles in my path. If I don't get week passes then I guess I'm getting up early and waiting in line.

[caribill]

As it relates to having to get up early to book daily seats this is no diffeernet then getting up early to get a seat right next to the pool or another favorite spot.

 

Maybe, just like the people who often reserve a lounge next to the pool, you could leave your towel in the line and come back later.

 

On some of the ships, less than 1.5% of the passengers can be in the Sanctuary, so no matter what kind of reservation system is set up, if more than 1.5% of passengers want to be there, many will be disappointed.

 

(Of course, since only adults can be there, the percentage of adults that can be there will likely be more than 1.5%, but probably not more than 1.7%.)

[sfo2008]

It's stupid and degrading to have people standing in long lines on their vacation on a ship...it's the LAST thing you want to do. The Sanctuary bookings should all be done online way ahead of time before the sailing. First to book are first in.

 

This is why I don't do anytime dining. :D

[caribill]

It's stupid and degrading to have people standing in long lines on their vacation on a ship...it's the LAST thing you want to do. The Sanctuary bookings should all be done online way ahead of time before the sailing. First to book are first in.

 

If that was implemented, probably all the available slots would go the first day the cruise is available for booking to people who know that the Sanctuary exists.

 

Newcomers to Princess who might book the cruise on that first day may not know about the sanctuary until close to embarkation or maybe not until after being on the ship.

 

So what you are suggesting is not that the first people to book the cruise can book the Sanctuary, only those that know it exists and know there are a very limited number of places available.

[janetz]

QUOTE: We will be on the Emerald Princess in less than 3-weeks. I want two spots in the Sanctuary, and have my game plan all mapped out to get those coveted spots, but I also know that fate could place all kinds of obstacles in my path. If I don't get week passes then I guess I'm getting up early and waiting in line

 

 

 

We would like to try the sanctuary on our Royal repo. My game plan so far, we have a cabin on the Lido deck. My dh is an early riser. Anything else I need to know? :confused: Maybe, just maybe, we can try it out for an afternoon on a port day if we get lucky. As soon as we board I am "running" to the spa to get passes for the enclave. So much planning...:p

Edited February 9, 2014 by janetz