New to Princess - Is there a Retreat/Haven/Yacht Club concept?

[momofmab]

Hello!
 

We are trying to sample different cruise lines now that we’re finally empty nesters!  Previously, we’ve cruised NCL, RCCL and most recently, Celebrity (Beyond).

 

I was wondering if any of the Princess ships have the “ship within a ship” concept where suite passengers have a separate restaurant and pool area?  I’ve been looking at the Sky Princess and from what I can tell it appears to have a special area of the main dining room that’s reserved for suite guests but not a separate restaurant or pool area?  Is the Sanctuary just a place to reserve a lounger or a cabana, or is it also a separate pool?
 

For anyone who has been on Princess in a suite and also in the Retreat/Haven/Yacht Club how would you say Princess compares to those concepts?
 

Thanks for the help!

[memoak]

Most ships have the separate dining area for suites and club class mini suites but it is simply an area blocked off within a MDR with no wait great service and an extra entree each night. Otherwise same menu as the rest of the MDR. Full suites also have a separate restaurant for breakfast. But it sounds like the next ship coming out the Sun is more of what you are looking for. Some of us do not care for the Cunard style classes

[Guest ldtr]

No Princess does not currently have a ship within a ship concept.  Though the next Prince ship (the Sun Princess 2024) will apparently have some ship with in a ship features.

[skynight]

All ships to date do not have a separate pool area for full suite passengers. The Sun Princess, coming in the future appears to have some separate lounging areas and a separate DR for full suite passengers. Personally I am not a fan of this concept.

[luckyinpa]

its one reason i dont think full suites are a good value on princes. for 4K each on NCL you can get a pretty decent haven room. that being said i got a cheap upset on a forward suite on regal and did love it. 

 

on oasis of the seas you can get a nice crown loft for that 4K princess suite price it has the suite restaurant and lounge and those perks like free internet. when i was on regal, the concierge lounge was basically a big closet with nice chairs. no free booze either. and the one time i wanted the concierge to do something for me i was clearly a bother. concierge on NCL and royal were far superior

 

all that being said, i think princess is a more elegant line.  but the club class is nothing more than you sitting at the front of MDR, sitting Just as close as everyone else , same food. with haven ive never been close to anyone else, at at least had different than MDR food. 

[mom says]

OP, as mentioned, none of the existing Princess ships have a ship within a ship setup. Nor do the suite amenities or perks (or even the suites themselves) compare with the other lines you mentioned; especially against the Celebrity suites. Princess does have other things going for it, which some may rate higher than comparable lines, but those are more general, and applicable to all pax.

 

Sanctuary is a "for a fee", adults only reserved relaxation area. Anyone can use it if they pay for a reservation. More info here:  https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2284

Edited January 24, 2023 by mom says

[LadyL1]

20 hours ago, memoak said:

……..But it sounds like the next ship coming out the Sun is more of what you are looking for. Some of us do not care for the Cunard style classes

Wow, that is a bit harsh! Have had many pleasant trips on Cunard, and it is not at all obvious around general ship who pays at what level; mainly so in the smaller dining rooms that are allocated. Compared with modern Celebrity, NCL and MSC ships, Cunard are way down on segregation! Do you not fly main stream airlines because they have separate cabins?

We sail on Royal next week, and looking forward to their experience. It would be boring if all lines proffered the same: after all, variety is the spice of life, so will enjoy whatever.

[memoak]

1 hour ago, LadyL1 said:

Wow, that is a bit harsh! Have had many pleasant trips on Cunard, and it is not at all obvious around general ship who pays at what level; mainly so in the smaller dining rooms that are allocated. Compared with modern Celebrity, NCL and MSC ships, Cunard are way down on segregation! Do you not fly main stream airlines because they have separate cabins?

We sail on Royal next week, and looking forward to their experience. It would be boring if all lines proffered the same: after all, variety is the spice of life, so will enjoy whatever.

I am not trying to be harsh but I have a problem with the whole ship within a ship concept. When certain cabins have their own dining rooms, menus, bars, pool areas etc. they can basically have a trip just for themselves and not have to deal with the common folk. I only used Cunard as an example because it is the only line with the class concept and insistence on formal dress I have encountered so far. I no longer own a tie and stopped traveling with a tux over 10 years ago

[Wishing on a star]

All of the above is correct.

Princess does not have a tiered ship-within-a ship setup.  YET.

That will begin next year with the new SUN Princess.

This new ship will have cabins/suites with exclusive deck areas, dining, etc.

 

If you do book a full Suite on Princess, you would, in a way, have some priority access to loungers or a full cabana in The Sanctuary.   Otherwise, these could all be booked up by guests with loyalty level, Platinum or Elite, who can board before other guests.  We love The Sanctuary!  But it books up, especially for sea days, very quickly after boarding begins.

 

And, Suite guest do get some perks.  As mentioned.

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by Wishing on a star

[Wishing on a star]

Memoak,  there are cruise lines and cruise styles for everyone!   No need to sidetrack this persons questions.

 

While Princess will soon offer a more exclusive ship-within-a-ship concept.  It also appears that there will be plenty of nice public space, deck space, and dining options for all Princess cruisers.  Of course, this is all yet to be seen.   But, just making observations based on the very little we know about the new ship so far.    And, going by comments made by some on CC here, there is definitely a market for this, and I think Princess does realize this.

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, LadyL1 said:

Wow, that is a bit harsh! Have had many pleasant trips on Cunard, and it is not at all obvious around general ship who pays at what level; mainly so in the smaller dining rooms that are allocated. Compared with modern Celebrity, NCL and MSC ships, Cunard are way down on segregation! Do you not fly main stream airlines because they have separate cabins?

We sail on Royal next week, and looking forward to their experience. It would be boring if all lines proffered the same: after all, variety is the spice of life, so will enjoy whatever.

The difference is that the presence of first class on a plane does not impact what one gets in economy.

 

When ships have implemented ship within a ship they take what was formerly public space, and restrict its use to a class. It negatively impacts the experience of others not in that class.

 

A comparison to airlines would be if an airline decided that only first class passengers could use the seats at the gate. A change that took space available to all on board and made it available to only that class.

 

By its nature if those in a class have access to more public space per person, those not in that class get less since cruise ship space is fixed.

 

While Princess has added cost spaces everyone on the ship can pay the fee for access for that service no matter whatcabin they purchased.

Edited January 24, 2023 by ldtr

[Ken the cruiser]

On 1/23/2023 at 3:48 PM, momofmab said:

Hello!
 

We are trying to sample different cruise lines now that we’re finally empty nesters!  Previously, we’ve cruised NCL, RCCL and most recently, Celebrity (Beyond).

 

I was wondering if any of the Princess ships have the “ship within a ship” concept where suite passengers have a separate restaurant and pool area?  I’ve been looking at the Sky Princess and from what I can tell it appears to have a special area of the main dining room that’s reserved for suite guests but not a separate restaurant or pool area?  Is the Sanctuary just a place to reserve a lounger or a cabana, or is it also a separate pool?
 

For anyone who has been on Princess in a suite and also in the Retreat/Haven/Yacht Club how would you say Princess compares to those concepts?
 

Thanks for the help!

 

FWIW, here's a link to the Sun Princess page on their website. It sure looks like they're going to compete in the "ship with a ship" market space. So, if you are looking to try Princess and like the "ship within a ship" concept, you may want to consider booking a cruise on the Sun Princess, as it sure appears Princess is heading in that direction with their new ship! 

 

Sun Princess - Our Next Generation Cruise Ship Arriving 2024 - Princess Cruises

 

 

[memoak]

5 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

 

FWIW, here's a link to the Sun Princess page on their website. It sure looks like they're going to compete in the "ship with a ship" market space. So, if you are looking to try Princess and like the "ship within a ship" concept, you may want to consider booking a cruise on the Sun Princess, as it sure appears Princess is heading in that direction with their new ship! 

 

Sun Princess - Our Next Generation Cruise Ship Arriving 2024 - Princess Cruises

 

 

And from what I see no aft suites at all. Big mistake. Many of us prefer to have aft balconies. Another reason I don’t see me sailing on it

[Ken the cruiser]

47 minutes ago, memoak said:

And from what I see no aft suites at all. Big mistake. Many of us prefer to have aft balconies. Another reason I don’t see me sailing on it

True. That was kind of odd. But then again, we're not "suite within a suite" people either. For us we very much prefer the aft-facing, fully covered vista suites on the Grand-class ships.