change to sanctury reservation process

[Love.II.Cruise]

I'm not surprised they are changing their policy. It was a fiasco on our last cruise and there seemed to be many upset guests that couldn't get into the sanctuary.

 

We booked the sanctuary for the entire cruise and really enjoyed it a couple months ago. I would not have wanted to be up waiting in line at the recommended 6:30am time. I've heard of people starting to wait in line as early as 5:45am! :eek: I'm not sure I would be up there waiting to reserve a chair at that hour.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Princess changes their policy again in 6 months due to the lines early in the morning and passengers still not getting chairs. I wonder if Princess will allow one person to go wait in line and reserve 10 chairs for their family for the day.

[momthecruisedirector]

Thanks for the heads-up. I was planning on a mad dash as soon as we got on board, and we will still go up there just in case they change the system in the meantime. I didn't realize we'd booked an Easter week cruise when I picked our cruise date so was looking forward to having a place to get away from all the kids (since we are going kid free this time). So nice to know head of time so I'm not disappointed if it doesn't work out when we get there. We are west coasters and cruising out of east coast so getting up at crack of dawn to reserve a lounger won't be horrible but not sure I want to do it every morning.

[jrstarheel]

9 + cruises on princess and congrads on the sanctuary! My wife is a high school Principal and her annual cruise with you is our highlite of the year. however if you make her go sign up for every day of the cruise for the sanctuary. celilbreity here we come we go to the trouble of getting to the dock at the earliest time and be first on board to book all the things important to us. this is being smart and savy and platinum, not cheating. we cruise on april 7 10 days so you do not have much time to fix this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thank you

a devoted princess fan

[compozer]

As I said earlier, we have only used it two times so I really don't know much about the workings of it and was thinking about booking the week on one or two portions of our b2b2b

BUT I'd really like a spot up in front (shade) part of the time and then be able to be in the sun other times. I read someplace here that they will move the loungers for you BUT will your space in the shade still be there or might the person next to me slide over?

 

I've also noticed that the large childrens area is usually empty since we like the longer cruises. (Even the kids inside game area was closed our last two cruises because of no (or very few) kids. It's too bad some of these areas outside can't serve dual duty.

[Crow's Nest]

We have done it both ways. Booked the whole cruise

And got in line in order to book the day. But I am up very

Early everyday out looking for coffee by 5:00 am or earlier

we pay for that chair . Plan into the budget and so what if

We get off the boat. We paid for it and they are selling

Them that way.

 

We do it just to get away from all the other that

Do bring out half of there room and take whole rows

Of deck chairs and then leave. Why does princess

Not enforce there own rules in non paying areas.

That's the real. Problem. On one of cruises a couple

Got very ugly with anther group and the crew had to

Step in. And the same hold true about chair on

The back of the boat pool. Towels and books by 6 or 7

And not a person there. Same people everyday

I pay because I am on a cruise and want to relax

And not have to think about getting a lounger in

The sun that someone has stacked a claim on.

With a towel and book for the whole cruise

[Cruise Junky]

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.

 

That to me is just as unfair as it right now. The first come first served on the first day has to go. The Sanctuary is not an Elite or Platinium perk and those are usually the one's that board first. Now that Princess seems to be staggering all boardings by deck, it's not far that just because you're on a certain deck you get priority.

 

Booked online in half day increments and you have a limit to the number of spots you can book. It's the only fair way to anyone unless they hold a lottery for ALL spots on the first day.

[RhondaPerr]

I have to say that the desire not to deal with the usual chair hogs, not worrying that if I go to the restroom some dripping wet person will have parked themself on the edge of my chair, was extremely inviting. I am disappointed that not only will I have to compete for chairs, but if I so choose pay for it!

[Putterdude]

I think Paul is close to a solution, obviously Princess has to find a fairer way to deal with the allocation of Sanctuary places. I also suspect that its popularity on some itineraries is such that perhaps there should not be an option to book it for the whole cruise.

[Merlinite]

According to the OP they relented and he and others where able to reserve the full cruise. So, has the policy changed, or not? Any others recently back that can verify?

 

We are b2b on the Crown soon and the plan was to reserve a spot for the entire 2nd week, which has a lot of sea days. We will be very unhappy if unable to do so. Well, not that unhappy because we will still be on board! :)

[MoonPet]

I am curious to hear what others' experiences will be. We've come to gladly accept the mad dash to the Sanctuary immediately after boarding as part of the embarkation to-do list so that we don't have to worry about hunting down loungers when we want to be on the pool decks.

 

I love the quiet and shaded atmosphere of the Sanctuary but can't realistically see myself getting up at 6 am to line up for a day reservation.

[Love.II.Cruise]

According to the OP they relented and he and others where able to reserve the full cruise. So, has the policy changed, or not? Any others recently back that can verify?

 

We are b2b on the Crown soon and the plan was to reserve a spot for the entire 2nd week, which has a lot of sea days. We will be very unhappy if unable to do so. Well, not that unhappy because we will still be on board! :)

 

The more I think about this the more I feel bad for those that were expecting one thing and are now getting another. You expect to book it for the week on your second cruise and now that may be jeopardized. I think Princess should at least schedule a (policy) change that is prior to final payment and notify everyone. If the sanctuary is this popular they risk upsetting many guests that want to book the full week that are past final payment.

 

Unfortunately, I can see people starting to get up earlier and earlier just to get their chair. And this still begs the question, who that stands in line... how many chairs can they book? What if they are traveling with 10 family members (I certainly have).

[Lilly'sMom]

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

 

Ditto!

[1025cruise]

My personal opinion is that they should not allow anyone to book any chairs until after all aboard. This way everyone has the same opportunity to book it.

[paul929207]

My personal opinion is that they should not allow anyone to book any chairs until after all aboard. This way everyone has the same opportunity to book it.

Makes sense to me

[compozer]

I don't know if there really is a fair way to do it. If they have you wait until everyone is aboard, there still will be many people going up there right away who will stand in line until they can sign in. If they do it online, then the first to book the cruise will get all the spots. Will you be allowed to book a couple extra spots for friends? I've heard that people do book for friends.

 

I guess the method where the most people would benefit would be to have some type of lottery and do half days. BUT then, will it be fair???? Who will pick them and what if a seasoned guest knows that person from past cruises and is a big tipper? The first night of one of our last cruises in a suite, the head waiter asked if we were doing the Chef's Table and I said that I forgot to sign up and I thought it was booked up. He came back later saying we were on the list. After the dinner, I found out they bumped a couple to get us in. I felt terrible that we got in.

[Doug R.]

There is no real good solution to this situation because:

 

-If a lottery is established the losers will be suspicious that it was "rigged" and will say so right here on CC :rolleyes:

-If reservations are not opened until after sailaway. B2Bers and Elites will whine about the erosion of their entitlements.

-If pre-reservations online are allowed those shut out will be disgruntled and the elites, b2bers, and the perpetually disgruntled will still be unhappy.

 

I say line 'em up on the lido deck every morning, have the CD fire a starting gun and whoever wins the race to the Sanctuary gets the loungers. :eek::D

[paul929207]

There is no real good solution to this situation because:

 

-If a lottery is established the losers will be suspicious that it was "rigged" and will say so right here on CC :rolleyes:

-If reservations are not opened until after sailaway. B2Bers and Elites will whine about the erosion of their entitlements.

-If pre-reservations online are allowed those shut out will be disgruntled and the elites, b2bers, and the perpetually disgruntled will still be unhappy.

 

I say line 'em up on the lido deck every morning, have the CD fire a starting gun and whoever wins the race to the Sanctuary gets the loungers. :eek::D

Or the CD could fire at the losers in items 1, 2 & 3.

[keener]

I say line 'em up on the lido deck every morning, have the CD fire a starting gun and whoever wins the race to the Sanctuary gets the loungers. :eek::D

 

I love this idea!:D

 

Life is not fair and you cannot make everyone happy!

[JimmyVWine]

I don't know if there really is a fair way to do it. If they have you wait until everyone is aboard, there still will be many people going up there right away who will stand in line until they can sign in. But if everyone is given the same opportunity and there is no advantage provided to any passenger, then allowing persistent people who want to give up half a day standing around in a line to have spots in the Sanctuary doesn't seem unfair. One can hardly be heard to complain that they were "cheated" out of a spot simply because they did not have the desire to wait. If people want a spot bad enough, there should be some sort of penance required in obtaining it.

 

If they do it online, then the first to book the cruise will get all the spots. I am not at all certain that this is a bad thing. The cruise line should want to reward early bookers. However, I would alter this a bit and allow sign-ups only after people made their final payment. Giving priority to the earliest people to hand over their money to Princess doesn't sound like a bad thing. The first people to book an airline ticket get to choose the best seats. The first people to book a resort get first crack at spa treatments. And the first people to book a restaurant get their pick of dining times. This doesn't seem all that different. Just like booking a traditional dining time. The earlier you book, the better your chance of securing what you want.

 

There is no real good solution to this situation because:

 

-If a lottery is established the losers will be suspicious that it was "rigged" and will say so right here on CC :rolleyes:. Every cruise ship has a Bingo set. There has to be a way to do this without the appearance of impropriety.

-If reservations are not opened until after sailaway. B2Bers and Elites will whine about the erosion of their entitlements. There is no "entitlement" for B2Bers. They are simply people who booked two consecutive, separate cruises. If I happen to be on the same ship as one of them on the second of their two cruises, they are not, nor should they be held in higher standing than me. Why should someone who books two consecutive cruises have greater standing in the Sanctuary than someone who books a week, then takes a week off, and then books another week? As for "Elites", there are numerous perks afforded to them. Priority in the Sancturay is not one of them. One can certainly argue that it should be. And I would be hard-pressed to disagree. But as of right now, it is not a stated "perk".

-If pre-reservations online are allowed those shut out will be disgruntled... If one's only complaint is that you were not quick enough to book, pay and reserve, then that is not much of a complaint. Imagine a last minute booker complaining because the people who had this cruise on their calendar for 16 months got all the slots. Such complaining is hardly worth catering to.

 

I say line 'em up on the lido deck every morning, have the CD fire a starting gun and whoever wins the race to the Sanctuary gets the loungers. :eek::D

 

Yes. But would motorized scooters have a separate race??:D

[paul929207]

Yes. But would motorized scooters have a separate race??:D

Heck NO. It should be survival of the fitest.

[Doug R.]

Yes. But would motorized scooters have a separate race??:D

 

Naaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh! They make excellent battering rams and the occupants can conceal a variety of items to trip up the opposition. :eek:

 

One point in rebuttal to your views. I agree that B2Bers have no special benefits. However they are in the position to be first in line for the sanctuary, dining reservations, etc. Such advantages sometimes evolve into a perceived entitlement.

[JimmyVWine]

One point in rebuttal to your views. I agree that B2Bers have no special benefits. However they are in the position to be first in line for the sanctuary, dining reservations, etc. Such advantages sometimes evolve into a perceived entitlement.

 

Agree 100%. And I am here to crush those perceived entitlements and call them out for what they are. Advantages only. Not birthrights.

[Merlinite]

This thread is turning into a pi$$ing match... I, for one, wish we could get a definitive answer from someone with recent experience... thanx! :mad:

[crows nest club]

Oh Dear - On e of the reasons we book Princess is that we love the Sanctuary and also book it for the whole cruise, taking a chance on the fact that we may not be able to utilise it every day due to inclement weather. I suffer from a lower back problem and my husband is over 80 and we find that the other deck loungers are far too low for us and cause me further back pain, whereas the Sanctuary loungers are much higher and have a comfortable thick mattress.

 

My husband really would not wish to have to be in a line at say 6 -6.30 a.m. each morning, having experienced this on one cruise. Also Princess should look at the allocation of the available loungers on a daily basis, and the way they are allocated. My husband was in the queue once and only a short way from the front, and was unable to secure a lounger, even though only one passenger was present for the bookings two of those passengers in front of him were able to secure 16 and 12 loungers respectively (the rest of the passengers presumably still in bed!!). Princess need to restrict say each passenger in line can only book a maximum of 4 loungers (they may be in a 4 berth cabin) and if more are wanted, then those passengersd must also be in line at the time.

 

It also begs the question as to weather this is a hidden price hike for the Sanctuary, as when you reserve for the whole cruise, the cost each day is $15 but if sold on a daily and half day basis, then $20 and $10 are charged.

 

I cannot see that we would want to spend our whole cruise having to stand in line at say 6 a.m. each day, when we expect our holiday to be a relaxing one.

[FLACRUISER99]

I have a great idea, sell it for the whole cruise but charge like $25 or $30 a day.:eek: