New Sanctuary furniture on Caribbean Princess

[teach2eagles]

I recall reading a post about the change of furniture in the Sanctuary.  I realize that not everyone enjoys this place of peaceful relaxation the way that I do, but now that I am on the ship, I understand the disappointment of the previous post.  They were clearly looking to update and provide a more sleek and modern esthetic. On that point, they succeeded; however, the furniture is low to the ground (making it difficult for older passengers) and the loungers are quite uncomfortable (no armrests, hard "cushion").  Side tables have been removed.  Cabanas have been added, and all but 3 loungers on the front row are reserved for use by the cabanas.  The 12 loungers in the front area get very little shade, but the attendants have been kind to move ours back into shade when the sun gets to be too much. Interestingly, this is the lowest usage I have ever experienced. Three of us are here today, a port day I realize, and I've seen a cabana reserved only once for a half-day - leaving all of the shaded "loungers" unused.  Having sailed on both the Regal and the Royal already this year, this is a stark contrast.  We have spoken to one officer already and he said this was not the first time to hear this. I hesitate to call this a complaint as I am booked for the entire cruise and happy to have a peaceful, quiet place to spend the days; however, I am hopeful that the choice of furniture will be reconsidered prior to the removal of the more comfortable, accessible, shaded furniture on other ships.

 

[richmke]

15 minutes ago, teach2eagles said:

Interestingly, this is the lowest usage I have ever experienced. Three of us are here today, a port day I realize, and I've seen a cabana reserved only once for a half-day - leaving all of the shaded "loungers" unused.

 

I was on the Caribbean Princess on the June 29, 2019 cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. I booked the Sanctuary to experience it. At 12:30 on embarkation day, all Loungers were booked for the last 2 sea days. So, I decided to book the one remaining Cabana for the afternoon of the 2nd sea day. 

 

It was really hot on the cruise - 90's during the day. Very few people showed up for their reservations. I think we were the only occupied Cabana (and we reserved the last one). Even though the ship was sailing at 18 knots, because of the panels, there was no breeze across the deck, so it was very unpleasant. Fortunately, we had the Cabana, so I moved out the couch and table, and moved in the Loungers so they could be under the fan. If we had only reserved the loungers, we might have skipped out too - even if we could get in the shade.

 

I don't know what the prior furniture was like, but the new furniture worked for me. Comfortable enough for me to take a nap.

 

FYI: 2 loungers for the afternoon would cost $40 (2x$20), and the Cabana cost $140. The cabana did come with:

1) Mini-bar setup, we took a bottle of wine that we sent to the MDR ($40)

2) Chocolates bars (we gave it to the cabin steward), bottled water and soda cans ($10)

3) 2 welcome drinks ($20, 2x$10)

 

So, for an extra $100, we got $70 worth of stuff, plus the ceiling fan.

 

Note: The TV is worthless. Screen is washed out by the bright sun, and having any level of volume will bother other guests.

 

[Jeter02]

4 minutes ago, richmke said:

I was on the Caribbean Princess on the June 29, 2019 cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. I booked the Sanctuary to experience it. At 12:30 on embarkation day, all Loungers were booked for the last 2 sea days. So, I decided to book the one remaining Cabana for the afternoon of the 2nd sea day. 

 

It was really hot on the cruise - 90's during the day. Very few people showed up for their reservations. I think we were the only occupied Cabana (and we reserved the last one). Even though the ship was sailing at 18 knots, because of the panels, there was no breeze across the deck, so it was very unpleasant. Fortunately, we had the Cabana, so I moved out the couch and table, and moved in the Loungers so they could be under the fan. If we had only reserved the loungers, we might have skipped out too - even if we could get in the shade.

 

I don't know what the prior furniture was like, but the new furniture worked for me. Comfortable enough for me to take a nap.

 

FYI: 2 loungers for the afternoon would cost $40 (2x$20), and the Cabana cost $140. The cabana did come with:

1) Mini-bar setup, we took a bottle of wine that we sent to the MDR ($40)

2) Chocolates bars (we gave it to the cabin steward), bottled water and soda cans ($10)

3) 2 welcome drinks ($20, 2x$10)

 

So, for an extra $100, we got $70 worth of stuff, plus the ceiling fan.

 

Note: The TV is worthless. Screen is washed out by the bright sun, and having any level of volume will bother other guests.

 

I was on the same exact sailing. I bet that ceiling fan came in handy. It was hit that week. On the Royal class ships, the loungers are higher up, and extremely plushy cushioning. The way the CB did it looks lower end.

[mellon1]

Anyone have photos of the new loungers?  We will be on the Crown in 2020 and the Caribbean in 2021.  I use the Sanctuary and would not be happy with the change in lounges.  Now I am worried.  

[turquoisesea]

We were on the CB the week of May 18 and reserved our Sanctuary lounges for the entire week.  As mentioned, the loungers were not as soft and cushy as the old ones, but it was fine. But the one problem was the lack of a table. The attendants had to bring a plate to sit any drink on as the side “board” that runs along the side of the lounger is a woven rope. Very unstable for a drink.  We asked about that and we were told tables were coming. Apparently, that hasn’t happened.  

We also found the Sanctuary to be sparsely used. Many empty lounges and I only saw one cabana used for one day the entire week.  Having the Sanctuary to quietly relax for the day is our favorite thing.  We will continue to take advantage of this special place, but I hope someone at Princess will take note of the many posts complaining about the changes introduced on the CB.  

[Host CJSKIDS]

I was the poster who had discussed the new furniture. We were on the first sailing using the new furniture and design after the month long dry dock. 

 

As someone who lives in downtown Miami where there are a lot of clean lines and modern furniture, I do get the look. 

 

I totally appreciate the lines of the new furniture but it is in stark contrast to the comfort of the furniture that has been in the sanctuary since the beginning. The cushions are so much thinner and there are no arm rests. The lack of a table when they serve tea and you order lunch doesn’t work as well. 

 

For the first time we did not spend all our time here and did let the manager know why I was cancelling everything. I also did let headquarters know upon our return. They at least need to bring tables back. 

 

OP, hope you enjoyed your cruise!

 

 

 

 

[Host CJSKIDS]

[Steelers36]

Appreciate this info.  The first time I saw it, I either over-looked or forgot the no-armrest part.  What were they thinking?  Loungers with no armrests?  I guess I just assumed they replaced the old cushions with new ones.  I do recall in the past having a lounger with what I considered a worn out cushion (too saggy with little support) and got it swapped out.  IDK how often they replace cushions. 

 

The other thing the OP noted was about increased cabanas.  They take up a lot of space and don't seem to get booked a lot (pricey).  So, that isn't good.  I am having a hard time picturing the layout change.  We have used Sanctuary on CB, Emerald, Ruby and I am pretty sure CB was same as the others.  There is a forward area under shade and it also contained two square tented blocks for massages.  Then there was the outdoor area, open to the sun which was near the entrance section.  I thought the massage tents took up enough space, but if they added cabanas (which we saw first on Regal) now, probably less loungers for the pickings.

 

Did they leave the two massage tents on Ruby/Crown/Emerald/Caribbean and add a number (how many?) of cabanas?

 

[Host CJSKIDS]

[Host CJSKIDS]

[Host CJSKIDS]

They placed 4 cabanas in the area underneath. Two on each side squashed up front. Really takes away from how many loungers there are. 

 I honestly can’t remember if they left both of the massage tents. 

[Host CJSKIDS]

[mellon1]

Thank you everyone for your photos and input.  What would we do without you all...I know I would be lost.  After seeing the photos, I am so very disappointed.  The Sanctuary is the "one thing" Princess offers that the other lines do not that we like.  Mostly because of the loungers and the comfy thick cushions.  

 

Does anyone know if the Crown has the new furniture or the original good stuff?  We are doing that in 2020.  I may have to cancel our 2021 CB trip.  We were going to do 35 days on CB, but with those cushions, I am not very excited now.  What a disappointment.  

[jondfk]

3 hours ago, mellon1 said:

Thank you everyone for your photos and input.  What would we do without you all...I know I would be lost.  After seeing the photos, I am so very disappointed.  The Sanctuary is the "one thing" Princess offers that the other lines do not that we like.  Mostly because of the loungers and the comfy thick cushions.  

 

Does anyone know if the Crown has the new furniture or the original good stuff?  We are doing that in 2020.  I may have to cancel our 2021 CB trip.  We were going to do 35 days on CB, but with those cushions, I am not very excited now.  What a disappointment.  

 

I take your point but as to the thickness of the cushions the more important question is likely to be maintenance / replacement frequency.  We've logged a hundred plus days in the Sanctuary and have had more than our share of thick cushions which were "shot" meaning beaten down by daily use to the point that you could feel the metal parts of the chair coming through.  

 

We frequently book the most forward chairs which likely are the most consistently booked, the chairs are numbered and the pads stay with the chairs (broadly speaking) from day to day so these, most frequently used ones, wear out long before anyone decides to replace them.  My point is a new "thin" pad may well be more comfortable than a worn out "thick" one - though it will undoubtedly have a shorter service life.  

 

I too won't like the chairs without arms, nor the loss of space to premium, little used cabana's.  It would have made far more sense to me to place the cabana's in the fully sunny areas as these are the last to sell out (in my observation) whereas shade seems to always be in demand.

 

As for the massage tents, in all my days up there I've seen one single massage.  On our recent trips on Grand the massage tents were used to stage breakfast pastries / tea / coffee and afternoon tea time.  Removing these to make room for 10 more loungers or a couple of cabana's would make a world of sense IMHO.

[Jeter02]

Since we're on the topic of furniture on the CB, may I just say I am not whatsoever thrilled with the new cheap looking plastic patio chairs at the tables on the pool deck. I went to visit a friend for the day he works on board the crown and as they also we did their whole pool deck dining with the salty dog and slice they too went for the cheapo plastic chairs. Not very luxurious looking compared to the nice wicker ones on the royal class ships.

[mellon1]

5 hours ago, jondfk said:

 

I take your point but as to the thickness of the cushions the more important question is likely to be maintenance / replacement frequency.  We've logged a hundred plus days in the Sanctuary and have had more than our share of thick cushions which were "shot" meaning beaten down by daily use to the point that you could feel the metal parts of the chair coming through.  

 

We frequently book the most forward chairs which likely are the most consistently booked, the chairs are numbered and the pads stay with the chairs (broadly speaking) from day to day so these, most frequently used ones, wear out long before anyone decides to replace them.  My point is a new "thin" pad may well be more comfortable than a worn out "thick" one - though it will undoubtedly have a shorter service life.  

 

I too won't like the chairs without arms, nor the loss of space to premium, little used cabana's.  It would have made far more sense to me to place the cabana's in the fully sunny areas as these are the last to sell out (in my observation) whereas shade seems to always be in demand.

 

As for the massage tents, in all my days up there I've seen one single massage.  On our recent trips on Grand the massage tents were used to stage breakfast pastries / tea / coffee and afternoon tea time.  Removing these to make room for 10 more loungers or a couple of cabana's would make a world of sense IMHO.

I have to agree with you.  Where they put the cabanas are prime locations, always selling out.  Which, as you said. does not make sense, put them some where you can get revenue which normally you do not.  On all my Sanctuary times, the sun has been most sought out, as all seats are taken.  

[Sailingpeace]

For DH and me , Sanctuary was a big plus . and often the deciding point between Princess and another cruise line. We always booked for the duration of our Carribean cruises ( one ou 2 weeks) . But seeing the new chairs, thin and no arms... sounds like no sanctuary for us anymore. The  chair was a big  part of the experience, there is not much else to do when in sanctuary  but sit on it , rest on it, read on it etc.  Thank you fotr the pictures Host CJSKIDS !

We went for the comfort , not the look...  Different look , different style, some will find better looking, I don't , but comfort seems gone... you still get a reserved chair  in a quiet area , but doesn't seem worth the price anymore. 

 

Edited July 19, 2019 by Sailingpeace

[mellon1]

On 7/18/2019 at 10:30 AM, jondfk said:

 

I take your point but as to the thickness of the cushions the more important question is likely to be maintenance / replacement frequency.  We've logged a hundred plus days in the Sanctuary and have had more than our share of thick cushions which were "shot" meaning beaten down by daily use to the point that you could feel the metal parts of the chair coming through.  

 

We frequently book the most forward chairs which likely are the most consistently booked, the chairs are numbered and the pads stay with the chairs (broadly speaking) from day to day so these, most frequently used ones, wear out long before anyone decides to replace them.  My point is a new "thin" pad may well be more comfortable than a worn out "thick" one - though it will undoubtedly have a shorter service life.  

 

I too won't like the chairs without arms, nor the loss of space to premium, little used cabana's.  It would have made far more sense to me to place the cabana's in the fully sunny areas as these are the last to sell out (in my observation) whereas shade seems to always be in demand.

 

As for the massage tents, in all my days up there I've seen one single massage.  On our recent trips on Grand the massage tents were used to stage breakfast pastries / tea / coffee and afternoon tea time.  Removing these to make room for 10 more loungers or a couple of cabana's would make a world of sense IMHO.

I have to agree with you.  Those are the premium seats everyone loves.  Personally, I get one in the sun, but those people will kill for!

[mellon1]

On 7/18/2019 at 4:19 PM, mellon1 said:

I have to agree with you.  Where they put the cabanas are prime locations, always selling out.  Which, as you said. does not make sense, put them some where you can get revenue which normally you do not.  On all my Sanctuary times, the sun has been most sought out, as all seats are taken.  

Agree totally!

[mellon1]

On 7/19/2019 at 6:13 PM, Sailingpeace said:

For DH and me , Sanctuary was a big plus . and often the deciding point between Princess and another cruise line. We always booked for the duration of our Carribean cruises ( one ou 2 weeks) . But seeing the new chairs, thin and no arms... sounds like no sanctuary for us anymore. The  chair was a big  part of the experience, there is not much else to do when in sanctuary  but sit on it , rest on it, read on it etc.  Thank you fotr the pictures Host CJSKIDS !

We went for the comfort , not the look...  Different look , different style, some will find better looking, I don't , but comfort seems gone... you still get a reserved chair  in a quiet area , but doesn't seem worth the price anymore. 

 

I agree.  Hubby said our days of cruising our limited...significant price increases and the sanctuary changes.  We have 65 days booked in the next 2 years.  We are talking about cancelling do to changes.

[mellon1]

I am curious...do the brand new ships have the thin cushions?  Or is CB a tryout?

[milolii]

Here is a link to a Sanctuary video shot by HBCruiser in April on the Royal.  

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FCPwa0Bs_2s&feature=youtu.be

 

 

[mnocket]

It's so hard to understand changes like this.  So many companies make changes and it's obvious that their motivation was to save money.  Not the case here.  They spent money to refurbish the sanctuary - to keep it looking fresh and appealing to customers.  They seem to have failed.  You would think that companies, especially hospitality companies, would have learned by now to utilize focus groups and other methods of getting customer feedback when making changes.  Unfortunately, they seem to rely on designers who time after time put form over function.

[Lucky TGO]

I think the new look is terrible. 

Tony

[curlybelle2]

Not a fan of the new furniture. It looks cheap and uncomfortable. Disappointed.