change to sanctury reservation process

[CruisinChris]

Just back from the Emerald 3/7 sailing. Went early to the port to be early in the Elite line so that we could high tail it to the Sanctuary to reserve for the whole cruise - only to learn that starting with our cruise and rolling out fleet-wide, the Sanctuary would only be sold on a daily basis (half or full days) - no more whole cruise sales. We were very disappointed to say the least as we find the Sanctuary really makes a big difference in our onboard experience. I let the Passenger Services Deck know right away and they called the Asst Maitre D coordinating the Sanctuary to double-check the change.

 

A couple hours later the phone in our room rang and the same Asst Maitre D called to offer us a whole cruise reservation. Apparently the complaints about back to back cruisers and the limited number of seats available for whole cruise reservations got HQ's attention. That said, he indicated that we werent the only ones disappointed and that he already let HQ know that this change wasn't going to be well-received. We noticed several other folks who also did full-cruise reservations. Not sure if they're still going to move forward with this plan. Just be warned if you're planning on a full cruise Sanctuary reservation. Hopefully they can come up with a better option that's fair to all (like online reservations like shore excursions).

 

I was pleased with the follow-up and end result. Not happy about the future prospect of having to get up and get in line every morning to get a seat in the future.

[Essiesmom]

Well, you can't have it both ways. Like you, people try to get there early - and find NO availability, because B2B passengers got there before you. They are just trying to be fair to you...and you aren't liking it...EM

[Meanmum]

Well, you can't have it both ways. Like you, people try to get there early - and find NO availability, because B2B passengers got there before you. They are just trying to be fair to you...and you aren't liking it...EM

 

Ditto ... totally agree... not fair that you get to book the whole week, it should be narrowed down to 2 days maximum... then LINE UP like the rest of us have to do to get a one day/half day spot.

[Cruise Junky]

I would prefer they do it on a daily basis actually. Especially now with the staggered boarding. You can't control how quickly you can get on the ship. A welcome change in my book. Sorry to the one's that love it by the week.

[CruisinFinsUp]

Ditto ... totally agree... not fair that you get to book the whole week, it should be narrowed down to 2 days maximum... then LINE UP like the rest of us have to do to get a one day/half day spot.

 

I totally agree. Why should that space be utilized by only a few folks?

 

Realistically, I seriously doubt that anyone actually sits there from open to close the whole week, so why not plan your usage, and let others benefit too?!!

[compozer]

We just booked a b2b2b and my plan was to book it after the first cruise. We usually book suites and love the balconies and hate to spend more money on the Sanctuary. We are late sleepers so we would miss signing up daily. So I booked a cheaper cabin on the second leg but now that might not have been a good idea.

 

We have only used it two days before and not really sure if we liked it enough to spend the money on it. I guess my problem with it is that the chairs are reservered for the entire cruise. We like the sun but not for 10 hours a day. I'd like to be able to change location and sit in the front loungers once in a while but those seem to book up right away. The two days we were there, it was empty most of the time but people left books and other things on the chairs in the front row.

 

So, maybe there is a better way to do it. I think I like the daily reservation idea so different people get a chance to experience different locations.

[Doug R.]

I think it is time to put The Sanctuary Reservations online with the excursions. That way everyone has a shot.

[pablo222]

Hopefully they can come up with a better option that's fair to all (like online reservations like shore excursions).

 

Just raise the price until there is enough supply for the demand.

That's the fairest.

[SiBreeze]

And what happens if you book the Sanctuary for the entire cruise and it rains most of the time? Do they give you your money back?

[yyzatcqq]

I totally agree. Why should that space be utilized by only a few folks?

 

Realistically, I seriously doubt that anyone actually sits there from open to close the whole week, so why not plan your usage, and let others benefit too?!!

 

Last time I used the Sanctuary, we were there within 30 min of opening every day and didn't leave until 5pm (or later) EVERY day.

[yyzatcqq]

And what happens if you book the Sanctuary for the entire cruise and it rains most of the time? Do they give you your money back?

 

I wish they did :) I've experienced that but thankfully it was 80F rain most of the time.

[jbu]

It seems I'm in the minority, but I actually prefer it the way it is, with week-long reservations for the same seat all week, booked when you embark. It is WELL worth the money to me. And I would NOT like the daily bookings, because that would mean I'm up at dawn every day just to stand in line for an hour to MAYBE get a seat, which MIGHT be in the sun all day. I am fair and burn very easily, so knowing I'll always have a seat in shade in worth every nickel to me.

 

Because the Sanctuary offers so few seats, I don't know what an ideal solution would be, other than requiring those on B2Bs to wait until boarding begins to go back up and re-reserve for the next leg. Other than that, I'm actually hoping nothing changes from how it's been so far...

[Sitmar Lady]

Chris,

I'm disappointed to hear this news but thank you for letting us know and to be prepared.

Perhaps a good tip should do the trick?

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

I think the best way is to allow on line booking that way everyone as a fair chance,

 

I would also change the system into half day bookings and not allow

 

some one to book a seat all day for every day of the cruise until the cruise had sailed,this would allow the greatest number of folks to get a few half days

 

my thoughts behind this are, folks to go ashore, so why should they be

 

allowed to take a seat and not use it, when some one onboard wants it.

 

yours Shogun

 

 

yours Shogun

[xavier]

Hi All

 

I think the best way is to allow on line booking that way everyone as a fair chance,

 

I would also change the system into half day bookings and not allow

 

some one to book a seat all day for every day of the cruise until the cruise had sailed,this would allow the greatest number of folks to get a few half days

 

my thoughts behind this are, folks to go ashore, so why should they be

 

allowed to take a seat and not use it, when some one onboard wants it.

 

yours Shogun

 

 

yours Shogun

 

This sounds like a perfect solution!

[Times Prince]

We like the sun but not for 10 hours a day. I'd like to be able to change location and sit in the front loungers once in a while but those seem to book up right away. The two days we were there, it was empty most of the time but people left books and other things on the chairs in the front row.

So now we have chair hogs who PAY for the privilege...? ;) Way to go, Princess !

 

And what happens if you book the Sanctuary for the entire cruise and it rains most of the time? Do they give you your money back?

They don't give any money back for people who have balconies when they can't be used so there is no reason to reimburse sanctuary users. Let's get real here. What is sanctuary? One pays for semi-privacy and service, not weather.

[jbu]

So now we have chair hogs who PAY for the privilege...? ;) Way to go, Princess !

 

If I've paid $140 extra for that seat, then I'm NOT a chair hog. I bought that seat for that week!

[silverdeva]

If I've paid $140 extra for that seat, then I'm NOT a chair hog. I bought that seat for that week!

 

I agree with you. We paid for our seats. We used our chairs/sanctuary the whole entire 10 day cruise. Even when we did our excursion. They need to add more lounges if there is a problem being booked the whole week.

 

I like the plan the way it is. And I am not about to wait every morning in line to spend my day in the Sanctuary. Really do not need that strees.

[JimmyVWine]

Hi All

 

I think the best way is to allow on line booking that way everyone as a fair chance,

 

I would also change the system into half day bookings and not allow

some one to book a seat all day for every day of the cruise until the cruise had sailed,this would allow the greatest number of folks to get a few half days

 

my thoughts behind this are, folks to go ashore, so why should they be

 

allowed to take a seat and not use it, when some one onboard wants it.

 

yours Shogun

 

 

I like the change, and I think that you are on the right track. However, if they allow on-line bookings, people will book as many half-day segments as the system allows, and the laudable goal of having as many people as possible share in the Sanctuary experience will fail, just as it fails now. And on-line bookings will not deter the problem that you mention above of people booking for extended periods of time, and then leaving the ship for hours on end, leaving the chairs unoccupied, yet unavailable to others. An on-line system can only truly work if the computer blocks you out after you book one or two sessions.

 

As much as people might hate to get up early to book a session at the Sanctuary, I think that daily bookings are the best way to ensure that people who aren't going to use the chairs don't pay for them in advance, only to abandon them for large blocks of time, thus precluding others from using them. I seriously doubt that anyone is going to go through the trouble of getting up early to reserve a spot unless they know that they are actually going to use it for the better part of the session. It would be nice to eliminate the system whereby early boarders and b2b folks have distinct advantages over others, especially if boarding is going to be staggered.

[BlueCat1105]

On our January Grand cruise we ran up there right away to find no seats in the Sanctuary, but then they also called us the following day to say they "found" us a couple of chairs for the week. What do you think they did next? They charged us the daily rate for each day. I was pretty ticked off when we got the bill. :mad:

[paul929207]

First day, make it first come first serve.

 

For all other days, make it a lottery. Each person or couple can put in one entry for each day they want to try for it. Entries are pulled until the space is filled for the day. Individual entry gets one space while a couple entry would get two spaces.

[WVBill]

First day, make it first come first serve.

 

For all other days, make it a lottery. Each person or couple can put in one entry for each day they want to try for it. Entries are pulled until the space is filled for the day. Individual entry gets one space while a couple entry would get two spaces.

 

Now THAT's a fair system! I like it!

Entries could be submitted by, say 5:00 PM with the drawing for the next day's spaces done that evening.

[jagoffee]

We just booked a b2b2b and my plan was to book it after the first cruise. We usually book suites and love the balconies and hate to spend more money on the Sanctuary. We are late sleepers so we would miss signing up daily. So I booked a cheaper cabin on the second leg but now that might not have been a good idea.

 

We have only used it two days before and not really sure if we liked it enough to spend the money on it. I guess my problem with it is that the chairs are reservered for the entire cruise. We like the sun but not for 10 hours a day. I'd like to be able to change location and sit in the front loungers once in a while but those seem to book up right away. The two days we were there, it was empty most of the time but people left books and other things on the chairs in the front row.

 

So, maybe there is a better way to do it. I think I like the daily reservation idea so different people get a chance to experience different locations.

 

It really did not matter if people had books or other things on the chairs in the front row because they would have already had paid for the seat and you could not have used them anyway.

 

Based on some peoples comments the Sanctuary is fully booked at some times, but based on my experience the Sanctuary is mostly empty. I am sure that Princess has data that indicates how often it is fully booked. If it is fully booked most of the time then I would think that Princess needs to make some kind of change so that everyone has an opportunity to use it. Perhaps that is the reason that the Sanctuary area appears to be so much larger on the new Royal Princess design.

 

IMO if you cannot book the same lounger for everyday in advance the overall experience would be less desirable. Getting up early every day to "get a good seat" for the day would make it less desirable. Unless you could actually book your desired location in advance I am not sure how you could practically implement an advanced booking system. Reserve a slot in advance and then have to go early each day to find your seat for the day?

 

I thought the overall Sanctuary experience for the total cruise was worth the money, but if I had to hassle with the process early each day than I would probably just skip it. Perhaps it will turn into a process to "legally" pay extra to reserve a chair on a daily basis instead of a restful place for the full cruise. Of course some people "reserve" chairs on a daily basis on other areas of the ship without paying any extra.

 

The bottom line is that Princess will probably try to adust the Sanctuary process to increase the overall revenue. (contrary to some people's assessment that is too crowded thus it must be maximized already and is only a question of fairness of getting a seat)

[lindasuej]

Ok, call me a dummy but what exactly is the sanctuary. What does it cost and what do you get for it?

Linda

[cantwaitfornextcruise]

We like to book the sanctuary for the full cruise and have done many many times one cruise it rained for 3 days and we didn’t use it but Princess still had our money, did we mind - no because we made the choice to pay the $300 for the sanctuary.

Now the real question here is should the sanctuary be made larger as it is obviously very popular, Princess make more money, pax are happy win win