what is the sanctuary?

[cruisinleelee]

:confused:

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

It is the adults only section. It costs $10 for half a day and $20 for a full. You can reserve the entire cruise or for the day. But it fills up fast. If you search these boards you'll find tons of information. The princess website has info too I bet.

[turquoisesea]

:confused:

 

It is the most wonderful place on the ship! We booked two chairs for the week ($105) as soon as we boarded the Emerald two weeks ago. Because we have to cruise in the summer I have gotten very tired of being run over by kids and the ever present chair hogs who leave their towels on every chair. So, the quiet of the Sanctuary and Lotus Spa Pool were wonderful. The staff will bring you cold water and a wet cool cloth while you are there and for a small charge will serve you lunch. The Sanctuary was not full on our cruise as we saw chairs available everyday except the last sea day. If you are cruising off season (October/November) you may not need it.

[caribill]

First two pictures show the Sanctuary. When you reserve, you can pick in the shade or in the sun.

 

Last picture shows the nearby Spa adults only pool. It is afailable to all adults at no charge, but is seldom crowded.

[cruisinleelee]

How far in advance can i reserve?

[Ashlm85]

I don't believe that you can do it pre-cruise. I think you have to reserve once on the ship @ the spa.

[crows nest club]

You cannot reserve it in advance. You have to go up to the Sanctuary on embarkation day and book for the whole cruise. Or if you only want certain days, then you have to go up first thing in the morning of that particular day and it is on a first come, first served basis. They put aside a certain number of loungers for booking for the whole cruise and once they are gone, then they can only be booked on the say.

 

Hope this helps.

[njdevil08]

You also reserve specific loungers, which is why folks here are mentioning you don't need to worry about chair hogs.

[CruiseAdict218]

They also have MP3 players, and they will bring you food from there small menu and as for the Spa Pool they say adults only but teens are allowed in it as long as they are peaceful and not loud

[Times Prince]

What is the sanctuary? :confused:

The sanctuary is the one area on the ship where you have to pay to have a lounge chair (albeit nicely padded), pay to have lunch or nice snacks (like a fruit plate). It is children free, and there are people who will wait on you while you are lounging. There is an area for massages (the tent in the picture), which of course cost extra.

 

It is a very nice place for those who wish to pay for less hassle, more service, and a more sedate vacation on board ship.

 

The sun is free :), as is the pool.

 

The presence of the sanctuary means that many who would monopolize a lounge chair in the public areas now use the sanctuary.

 

Take a look at it, including what all the costs are, and make your own decision on whether it is worth it to you or whether somewhere else on the ship would wprk for your needs just as well. I bet you can guess how we've made our choice.:rolleyes:

[lindy sails]

It looks like the Sanctuary is covered in the photos.

Can you work on your tan and are there areas that the sun is not blocked? Is there an open deck area? Also we're on the Lido deck & it looks close-one deck up on the elevator?

Sorry for all the qestions first time Priness cruiser on the Crown in Dec.

Thanks

Lallie

[aussiegirl]

As Turquoisesea mentioned, depending on the time of your cruise (and the type of your cruise), you may find that you don't need the Sanctuary. We did the Panama Cruise tour in April and because it was both a) after Spring Break and b) not a usual family-type destination, we found very few children on board. The Sanctuary was located right outside the Lotus Pool (where we spent all our pool time) and I don't think I saw more than a handful of people going to the Sanctuary.

The Lotus Pool was quiet with more than enough lounges so that "chair hogging" was not an issue. I'm glad I didn't spend the money for the Sanctuary, but I can see why it would be appealing on a cruise which has a lot of children on board.

[turquoisesea]

You can select a chair in the shade or the sun. The sun chairs are full sun and did not get any shade on our cruise. The shaded chairs would have part of the day where they might have some sun. Although we "bought" our chairs for the week, I was able to change my chair (with the help of the staff) for the last two days because I had had enough sun! :eek: I did see two women get into a "disagreement" when one tried to move her chair a few feet. Apparently that is a no, no!!!

[Colo Cruiser]

:confused:

 

 

 

4/7/2008

 

 

Princess Cruises Adds Trademark "Sanctuary" to All Ships by Popular Demand

Enthusiastic Passenger Response Prompts Line to Reprise Tranquil, Adults-Only Haven Fleetwide

 

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (April 7, 2008) - Prompted by enthusiastic response from its passengers, Princess Cruises' ground-breaking "pocket of tranquility" - The Sanctuary - has become such a popular haven for passengers looking to escape to a serene hideaway, that it will be added to the entire fleet of Princess ships.

Beginning this summer, the line's trademark retreat will be added to Island Princess, followed by Grand Princess and Star Princess by the end of the year. Additional ships will have The Sanctuary added through 2010.

The Sanctuary, which debuted in 2006 aboard Crown Princess, was an instant success as it gave passengers the perfect place to take a break and indulge in a private getaway with a plush, outdoor spa-inspired setting, complete with massage cabanas, signature beverages, light meals, attentive service and relaxing personal entertainment. The exclusive adults-only retreat enjoyed continued popularity on sister ship Emerald Princess, and will also be available on Ruby Princess, debuting in November.

"The Sanctuary has come to personify Princess' essential philosophy of escape coupled with personal service," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "Passengers have told us they love this opportunity to completely relax in such a peaceful and pampering environment, so we're delighted to introduce this special Princess feature on all our vessels."

Depending on the ship, The Sanctuaries will be created in different areas onboard, such as the sports courts atop the "Grand-class" vessels, which will be relocated.

Sanctuary guests lounge amidst lush greenery, with the presence of gentle breezes, ocean waves, and softly piped-in spa music combining to further insulate the area with relaxation sounds. Guests can relax on plush outdoor furniture including double loungers for couples, as well as deluxe chaise lounges and chairs. Passengers also enjoy the personal attention of Serenity Stewards in The Sanctuary, who are on hand to provide everything from a chilled face towel and Evian water atomizers, to a menu of healthy beverages and fare. Serenity Stewards also have personal MP3 players with noise canceling headphones available loaded with themed playlists focused on relaxation for those who want to escape with music.

In addition, The Sanctuary features two outdoor private cabanas where guests can also take advantage of the exclusive Lotus Spa Services at The Sanctuary, including sybaritic favorites such as a Deep Tissue Muscle Massage, a relaxing Swedish Massage or a Full Body Lotus Massage especially for couples.

Guests can also refresh with a variety of special drinks and snacks created exclusively for The Sanctuary. Each day Serenity Stewards will be on hand to offer guests an array of drinks and snacks. Signature Sanctuary beverages include healthy smoothies, energy drinks, iced flavored waters and freshly made lemonade. A menu featuring a selection of light bites such as refreshing fruit skewers, lettuce wrapped spring rolls, and spicy tuna pate with baked pita wedges will also be available through the Serenity Stewards. Half-day passes for The Sanctuary are available for $10 per person, for 8 am to 12:30 pm or 1 pm to 5 pm. Passengers choosing to indulge with an outdoor massage may also enjoy an hour's use of The Sanctuary area after their treatment.