The Sanctuary

[Pickels]

We have cruise Princess on the Regal Princess and loved the availability of The Sanctuary.  Does anyone know what other Princess cruise ships have the Sanctuary?  thanks in advance!

[JF - retired RRT]

They all have a Sanctuary AFAIK. They are also different on the different types of ship.

Regal, Royal, etc. much different from the Grand Class ships and those are different from the Pacific (very small) and Coral is different from that.

Check out the deck plans. Locations, size, amenities vary...the price is the same  for all (I think).

[wineforhealth]

The Pacific Princess would be one without the Sanctuary 

[Astro Flyer]

On 5/19/2019 at 12:40 PM, Host CJSKIDS said:

Difference between sanctuary chairs!  I would say the new ones are about 1.5 to 2 inches thick and very firm where they used to the size of a mattress and soft 

As you can see in this post from Host CJSKIDS Live after the Caribbean’s just completed shipyard maintenance the comfort of The Sanctuary’s chairs have dramatically changed (10”-12” to 1.5”-2”) which could expand to all Princess ships. 🙁

[KeepCalmBearOn]

https://www.princess.com/news/backgrounders_and_fact_sheets/factsheet/The-Sanctuary-An-Ocean-of-Calm-on-Princess-Ships.html

 

The Sanctuary is featured onboard Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Crown Princess, Dawn Princess, Diamond Princess, Emerald Princess, Golden Princess, Grand Princess, Island Princess, Regal Princess, Royal Princess, Ruby Princess, Sapphire Princess, Sea Princess, Star Princess and Sun Princess.

 

Personally, the idea of paying an extra $80 per day just for a lounge chair with a cover seems ridiculous. Maybe if it included a private buffet area I'd consider it, but it is just one of those extra charges I can do without.

[jeromep]

4 minutes ago, scottca075 said:

https://www.princess.com/news/backgrounders_and_fact_sheets/factsheet/The-Sanctuary-An-Ocean-of-Calm-on-Princess-Ships.html

 

The Sanctuary is featured onboard Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Crown Princess, Dawn Princess, Diamond Princess, Emerald Princess, Golden Princess, Grand Princess, Island Princess, Regal Princess, Royal Princess, Ruby Princess, Sapphire Princess, Sea Princess, Star Princess and Sun Princess.

 

Personally, the idea of paying an extra $80 per day just for a lounge chair with a cover seems ridiculous. Maybe if it included a private buffet area I'd consider it, but it is just one of those extra charges I can do without.

I generally agree, but I think a lot of that value has to do with the cabin class you have booked.  Purchasing a spot in the Sanctuary is a great value if you have booked the most inexpensive inside cabin and use the cabin as a place to conduct your three S's (I can't take credit for that reference to sleeping and using the facilities as I read that here on CC some time back).

 

If you have a balcony cabin or better, the value of the Sanctuary as a week-long booking looses its value pretty quickly.  There isn't a lot of logic in booking a spot in the Sanctuary if you have a private balcony and lounge chairs of your own.

[Lucky TGO]

1 hour ago, wineforhealth said:

The Pacific Princess would be one without the Sanctuary 

I just looked at a promo of the Pacific Princess and it has the Sanctuary. 

Tony

[OzKiwiJJ]

53 minutes ago, jeromep said:

I generally agree, but I think a lot of that value has to do with the cabin class you have booked.  Purchasing a spot in the Sanctuary is a great value if you have booked the most inexpensive inside cabin and use the cabin as a place to conduct your three S's (I can't take credit for that reference to sleeping and using the facilities as I read that here on CC some time back).

 

If you have a balcony cabin or better, the value of the Sanctuary as a week-long booking looses its value pretty quickly.  There isn't a lot of logic in booking a spot in the Sanctuary if you have a private balcony and lounge chairs of your own.

We always use the Sanctuary on sea days when there is one (Majestic doesn't have one), even on the rare occasion when we have a balcony cabin as I find the Princess balcony furniture extremely uncomfortable. $20 pp for a peaceful afternoon, a guaranteed  comfortable sun lounger, with chilled water and afternoon tea served at your sun lounger, is good value in our opinion.

[capriccio]

1 hour ago, scottca075 said:

Personally, the idea of paying an extra $80 per day just for a lounge chair with a cover seems ridiculous. Maybe if it included a private buffet area I'd consider it, but it is just one of those extra charges I can do without.

 

Where did you get the idea that the Sanctuary costs $80 per day?  Excluding special days (Glacier Bay, Panama Canal) it costs $40 per day/per person or $30 per day per person if booked for the entire cruise.  Half days are $20 per person.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

1 hour ago, capriccio said:

 

Where did you get the idea that the Sanctuary costs $80 per day?  Excluding special days (Glacier Bay, Panama Canal) it costs $40 per day/per person or $30 per day per person if booked for the entire cruise.  Half days are $20 per person.

 

It is $80 a day because my wife objects if I don't include her.

[donswife]

We finally booked the Sanctuary one afternoon on our Panama Canal partial transit cruise. It had rained in the morning so very few people were there that afternoon. I was disappointed that the tea service was a plate of assorted items, rather than coming around with trays for us to choose what to eat, as in the dining room tea.  Since I am not particularly good at sitting for 4 hours, I probably won't do it too often.

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, donswife said:

We finally booked the Sanctuary one afternoon on our Panama Canal partial transit cruise. It had rained in the morning so very few people were there that afternoon. I was disappointed that the tea service was a plate of assorted items, rather than coming around with trays for us to choose what to eat, as in the dining room tea.  Since I am not particularly good at sitting for 4 hours, I probably won't do it too often.

The afternoon teas service varies from ship to ship. On some ships it has just been a plate, on a couple of others there was a trolley full of delicious goodies, and on one cruise it was trays. Also it sometimes depends on how many people are in the Sanctuary that afternoon.

[skynight]

10 hours ago, Lucky TGO said:

I just looked at a promo of the Pacific Princess and it has the Sanctuary. 

Tony

No sanctuary shown on the deck plans. With so few passengers probably wouldn't be a big demand.

[JF - retired RRT]

11 hours ago, wineforhealth said:

The Pacific Princess would be one without the Sanctuary 

No. It has one. It's tiny, maybe 8 loungers and a "Thalasso" pool (a big hot tub). See the deck plans: at the front of the ship on deck 9 where it says "spa" with a small area of deck...that's actually the Sanctuary.

Just Googled thalasso - it means "sea", so must be salt water the same as the main pool is also.

[Pickels]

13 hours ago, scottca075 said:

ghhttps://www.princess.com/news/backgrounders_and_fact_sheets/factsheet/The-Sanctuary-An-Ocean-of-Calm-on-Princess-Ships.html

 

The Sanctuary is featured onboard Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Crown Princess, Dawn Princess, Diamond Princess, Emerald Princess, Golden Princess, Grand Princess, Island Princess, Regal Princess, Royal Princess, Ruby Princess, Sapphire Princess, Sea Princess, Star Princess and Sun Princess.

 

Personally, the idea of paying an extra $80 per day just for a lounge chair with a cover seems ridiculous. Maybe if it included a private buffet area I'd consider it, but it is just one of those extra charges I can do without.

On the Regal Princess, our last 7-day cruise, we spent a total of $420 for the entire cruise.  What a pleasure of not having to worry about chair hogs, nor being concerned that when we went to lunch, or a dip in the pool, that someone would be taking our lounge chair.  And the personal service throughout the cruise was amazing.  Coffee, tea or ice water, a cool washcloth, etc.  It was worth every penny, way to go Princess!

[wineforhealth]

8 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

No. It has one. It's tiny, maybe 8 loungers and a "Thalasso" pool (a big hot tub). See the deck plans: at the front of the ship on deck 9 where it says "spa" with a small area of deck...that's actually the Sanctuary.

Just Googled thalasso - it means "sea", so must be salt water the same as the main pool is also.

 

I guess this is one of Princess little secrets 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

7 hours ago, Pickels said:

On the Regal Princess, our last 7-day cruise, we spent a total of $420 for the entire cruise.  What a pleasure of not having to worry about chair hogs, nor being concerned that when we went to lunch, or a dip in the pool, that someone would be taking our lounge chair.  And the personal service throughout the cruise was amazing.  Coffee, tea or ice water, a cool washcloth, etc.  It was worth every penny, way to go Princess!

 

I actually think jeromep is onto something with the level of cabin. We had a suite last trip, a 19 day trip; and when I am paying $8k already, the idea of another $80 seemed excessive, especially given the lack of amenities and services.

 

A friend who was traveling solo with us, also in a suite, wandered into the Sanctuary and sat down, not knowing what it was. When told the cost and what it came with (or more like what wasn't included) he was appalled and this is someone who could have afforded the $40 like I buy a stick of gum. He understands value and knows when he's being taken advantage of. Needless to say, he left.

[Host CJSKIDS]

21 hours ago, scottca075 said:

https://www.princess.com/news/backgrounders_and_fact_sheets/factsheet/The-Sanctuary-An-Ocean-of-Calm-on-Princess-Ships.html

 

The Sanctuary is featured onboard Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Crown Princess, Dawn Princess, Diamond Princess, Emerald Princess, Golden Princess, Grand Princess, Island Princess, Regal Princess, Royal Princess, Ruby Princess, Sapphire Princess, Sea Princess, Star Princess and Sun Princess.

 

Personally, the idea of paying an extra $80 per day just for a lounge chair with a cover seems ridiculous. Maybe if it included a private buffet area I'd consider it, but it is just one of those extra charges I can do without.

 

 

There is a lot more to the Sanctuary than a lounge chair with a cover, especially on ships like the Regal Princess.  

 

It's having an extremely quiet area with a chair that is yours for the day, peace and quiet, someone waiting on you constantly (even spritzing evian onto you face), ice cold towels given to you throughout the day, cold water delivered to you all day, they get food for you, a wonderful tea service around 3 PM, and lots of other things.

 

It about the experience on top of being very comfortable for the day.

 

That's why it's great we all have choices.  For me, it's worth every penny, especially on a sea day. 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

7 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

It's having an extremely quiet area with a chair that is yours for the day, peace and quiet, someone waiting on you constantly (even spritzing evian onto you face), ice cold towels given to you throughout the day, cold water delivered to you all day, they get food for you, a wonderful tea service around 3 PM, and lots of other things.

 

It about the experience on top of being very comfortable for the day.

 

The lounge chair on my balcony is mine for the day too, an EXTREMELY quite area.

 

I can do without, in fact would prefer, no one squirting water in my face; Champagne might be okay, but certainly not water.

 

[donswife]

For those who cannot or choose not to afford a suite, an inside or ocean view cabin plus Sanctuary provided for a special experience, dedicated outdoor space, and a much more modest price tag.

 

[Host CJSKIDS]

38 minutes ago, scottca075 said:

 

The lounge chair on my balcony is mine for the day too, an EXTREMELY quite area.

 

I can do without, in fact would prefer, no one squirting water in my face; Champagne might be okay, but certainly not water.

 

 

 

I'm not disagreeing with you that the lounge chair on your balcony is yours for the day and is extremely quiet.  I have cruised on various balconies on Princess including suites and mini-suites.   It is a wonderful experience, not different.

 

The Evian they use is a mineral water facial spray.  It's not them squirting evian water in your face. 

 

https://www.evianspray.com

 

Again, it's great we all have choice.  Just like for some dining in a pay venue on a cruise ship after one has already paid their cruise fare and can eat in the Main Dining Room seems like a waste.  Same with the Sanctuary, for some it's very worth the money and for some it's not.  

 

Hope you enjoy whatever it is you chose to do on your next cruise!

[KeepCalmBearOn]

14 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

The Evian they use is a mineral water facial spray.  It's not them squirting evian water in your face.

 

You do know it is literally just Evian water right? They ARE squirting Evian water in your face.

[Mike45LC]

I did the Sanctuary once for a half day.  I can't sit still in a lounger for hours at a time, so it was nice to have the lounger reserved for me every time I wandered off. 

 

Since  my frequent wanderings tended to take me through the Horizon Court buffet and past a bar or two, I didn't really find the various services at the Sanctuary to be worthwhile -- for me!  

 

So I enjoyed the Sanctuary, but I did not find it worth the cost.

 

[jondfk]

I'll add my voice to those who suggest, save money on the cabin and spend it in the Sanctuary.  We're Sanctuary veterans having booked it for the full cruise on our last many sailings.  We enjoy the solitude and generally special service the small dedicated team provides but realize the additional money we spend here would be regarded as a total waste by many.  

 

I feel exactly the same way about the all inclusive beverage package.  There's no way I can get my money out of it - but lots of folks swear by it and work hard to fully enjoy the benefits they paid for.  

 

To each their own.

[EmilyColwell]

Probably a dumb question but other than the pool and loungers is there anything else included for the price?

I totally understand peace and calmness is worth its weight in gold (at least to me) but curious if there's any other perks.

I've never been in sanctuary before since i've had bad luck with cruise weather in the past.