Where do you purchase Sanctuary passes on the Emerald?

[JGmf]

Quick question: where (and what deck level) do you buy Sanctuary passes on the Emerald Princess? 

 

I understand they're limited, so it's a sprint to the selling place, so also interested to know if it's proximate to where we enter the ship during embarkation.

 

[Lady Arwen]

Deck 17 forward is the Sanctuary and where you book.  You must be very, very quick because it books up quickly.  Any passengers who are on b2b have first choice and usually the day before you will embark. Go there immediately upon boarding.  Good luck!

[Rick&Jeannie]

I was always under the impression that it is actually *at* the Sanctuary...but I've never done it so take this with a BIG grain of salt!

[LACruiser88]

7 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I was always under the impression that it is actually *at* the Sanctuary.

Yes, you book the Sanctuary at the Sanctuary.

[Lady Arwen]

1 hour ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I was always under the impression that it is actually *at* the Sanctuary...but I've never done it so take this with a BIG grain of salt!

It is

[lizjoemom]

So I am new to Princess, can you explain to me how the Sanctuary works? I thought it was just an adult only area that you can just go to at any time. Do you need to have reservations and pay extra for it? I assumed it was like other cruise lines. Thanks for the info.

[Buckeye10640]

3 hours ago, JGmf said:

Quick question: where (and what deck level) do you buy Sanctuary passes on the Emerald Princess? 

 

I understand they're limited, so it's a sprint to the selling place, so also interested to know if it's proximate to where we enter the ship during embarkation.

 

You book the Sanctuary at the Sanctuary. Good luck, I have not been successful so far. 

[JGmf]

59 minutes ago, Buckeye10640 said:

You book the Sanctuary at the Sanctuary. Good luck, I have not been successful so far.

 

Thanks everyone for the info.  We're in a suite, which I understand boards first, so I'll leave the family in the dust and sprint to the 17th deck.

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, lizjoemom said:

So I am new to Princess, can you explain to me how the Sanctuary works? I thought it was just an adult only area that you can just go to at any time. Do you need to have reservations and pay extra for it? I assumed it was like other cruise lines. Thanks for the info.

The “Retreat Pool” area is an adult only pool/lounge chair area that is free for any adult to use on a come-and-go basis. It is away from the large movie screen known as “MUTS” or Movies Under The Stars and as a result is a bit more peaceful. It has the same lounge chairs, its own bar, but no free food or drinks. (Well, if you have a drink package, drinks are already paid for so they seem free).

 

The Sanctuary on the other hand, is a completely separate, enclosed solarium that one must book and pay for once on board either for the length of the cruise, or by the day, or by the half day (am or pm). It cannot be reserved in advance online or on the app. As others have noted, on any given cruise there are usually enough people staying on for the following cruise who will beat newcomers to the punch and reserve most of the area. But there will be some spots open on departure day and those will sell out within an hour of the commencement of the boarding process. Sometimes within 10 minutes. 
 

Hope this helps. 

[lizjoemom]

9 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

The “Retreat Pool” area is an adult only pool/lounge chair area that is free for any adult to use on a come-and-go basis. It is away from the large movie screen known as “MUTS” or Movies Under The Stars and as a result is a bit more peaceful. It has the same lounge chairs, its own bar, but no free food or drinks. (Well, if you have a drink package, drinks are already paid for so they seem free).

 

The Sanctuary on the other hand, is a completely separate, enclosed solarium that one must book and pay for once on board either for the length of the cruise, or by the day, or by the half day (am or pm). It cannot be reserved in advance online or on the app. As others have noted, on any given cruise there are usually enough people staying on for the following cruise who will beat newcomers to the punch and reserve most of the area. But there will be some spots open on departure day and those will sell out within an hour of the commencement of the boarding process. Sometimes within 10 minutes. 
 

Hope this helps. 

Thank you for your explanation! 

[Willwils]

On 5/30/2023 at 10:16 PM, JimmyVWine said:

The “Retreat Pool” area is an adult only pool/lounge chair area that is free for any adult to use on a come-and-go basis. It is away from the large movie screen known as “MUTS” or Movies Under The Stars and as a result is a bit more peaceful. It has the same lounge chairs, its own bar, but no free food or drinks. (Well, if you have a drink package, drinks are already paid for so they seem free).

 

The Sanctuary on the other hand, is a completely separate, enclosed solarium that one must book and pay for once on board either for the length of the cruise, or by the day, or by the half day (am or pm). It cannot be reserved in advance online or on the app. As others have noted, on any given cruise there are usually enough people staying on for the following cruise who will beat newcomers to the punch and reserve most of the area. But there will be some spots open on departure day and those will sell out within an hour of the commencement of the boarding process. Sometimes within 10 minutes. 
 

Hope this helps. 

The Sanctuary seems like a Princess  ripoff if you need to pay and reserve it. When we were on the Majestic Princess July'22 in Alaska. It was free and no reservations. However, there was no food or drink. While it was generally  a relaxing place we went to a few times, they did have some educational sessions there with Park rangers + dance classes as I recall. 

[Essiesmom]

6 minutes ago, Willwils said:

The Sanctuary seems like a Princess  ripoff if you need to pay and reserve it. When we were on the Majestic Princess July'22 in Alaska. It was free and no reservations. However, there was no food or drink. While it was generally  a relaxing place we went to a few times, they did have some educational sessions there with Park rangers + dance classes as I recall. 

Majestic does not have a Sanctuary.  EM

[pmallen]

I wouldn't say it's a ripoff, but you do have to decide if it has value for you. We booked for our entire 14-day Panama Canal trip and it was incredibly worth it to us. You reserve specific loungers, not just the right to be there. Knowing there were loungers there for us all day, every day for a cruise with sunny weather was just priceless.

[Buckeye10640]

9 hours ago, Willwils said:

The Sanctuary seems like a Princess  ripoff if you need to pay and reserve it. When we were on the Majestic Princess July'22 in Alaska. It was free and no reservations. However, there was no food or drink. While it was generally  a relaxing place we went to a few times, they did have some educational sessions there with Park rangers + dance classes as I recall. 

On Majestic there is no Sanctuary. I suspect you are referring to Hollywood Conservatory which is a public space. Although it is nice, it is different from the Sanctuary. 

[Willwils]

8 hours ago, Buckeye10640 said:

On Majestic there is no Sanctuary. I suspect you are referring to Hollywood Conservatory which is a public space. Although it is nice, it is different from the Sanctuary. 

Sorry, my mistake. But I do see both the Emerald's Sanctuary and the Majestic Hollywood Conservatory are located  FORWARD on decks 17. Hence my confusion.