Sun Princess Changes?

[capriccio]

1 minute ago, peder said:

 

So I'm quite familiar with the YC, but I guess I don't see how it's much different than what Princess is offering. I'd have to leave the Sanctuary area for dinner, but is that even worth mentioning as a problem/distinction? It's still an exclusive restaurant. And the Sanctuary still has an exclusive sundeck and pool. Seems very similar even if not a "true" ship-within-a-ship.

 

The stated similarities are what have drawn me to Princess.

Here are a few more YC features in no particular order in addition to @sptrout's excellent description that we've experienced on two YC cruises (on the MSC Meraviglia and the MSC Seascape):

 

• separate check-in area complete with drinks and snacks
• accompanied on board by a butler (avoiding all lines) to the Top Sail lounge if your cabin isn't ready with more food and drinks available
• each cabin has an assigned butler and assistant butler
• the butler will accompany you anywhere on the ship (theater, restaurants, etc.) if requested including disembarking in ports
• returning from excursions, there is a designated YC entrance with a butler to get you through security
• each cabin's fridge is refilled daily with requested drinks
• each cabin's requested snacks are refilled daily and special snacks (macaroons, chocolates, fruit baskets etc.) appear daily
• the Concierge desk is staffed around the clock (with up to 3 concierges) to handle reservations, excursions, questions, complaints, etc.)
• the pool and hot tubs area has a bar and grill - the latter serves breakfast, lunch, and in between
• the restaurant has a sommelier
• the butler accompanies you at disembarkation thru to your luggage

 

In January we reserved an S9 suite (actually it is a mini-suite) on our upcoming January 2025 cruise specifically to compare it to the MSC Yacht Club.  When we reserved the price was within a couple of hundred dollars of what we had just paid for a comparable size YC suite the month earlier.  A month or two later Princess increased the fare around 50%!  We have over 30 cruises on Princess but I already know that this will be our only Sun Princess suite.  

[sptrout]

29 minutes ago, peder said:

 

So I'm quite familiar with the YC, but I guess I don't see how it's much different than what Princess is offering. I'd have to leave the Sanctuary area for dinner, but is that even worth mentioning as a problem/distinction? It's still an exclusive restaurant. And the Sanctuary still has an exclusive sundeck and pool. Seems very similar even if not a "true" ship-within-a-ship.

 

The stated similarities are what have drawn me to Princess.

We have not been on the Sun yet (1/4/25 hopefully), but the description that I have read of the Sanctuary seems to be different. For the YC, you exit your cab/Uber, etc., near the main, but separate, entry. You will be greeted by a member of the Butler Staff and then escorted into a private YC area for pre-boarding check-in (your luggage is left with the Butler Staff as soon as you check in with them at the pier. Carry on items will be security checked, again in the exclusive YC restricted area.

 

Once the ship is ready for boarding a Butler will take a group of people past all (if any) lines directly to a YC elevator. You will then enter the YC area for lunch, or other activity while you wait for your luggage. If I remember correctly, your room will be ready. At this point a person does not have to exit the YC until the ship arrives at its disembarkation port (usually where you departed from). It really does feel like you are in a different ship, especially when you exit the YC area for roaming around the ship. For a specific destination (main theater), your Butler will escort your family to the theater. Butler escort service is expected and is always available, but obviously can be declined if not needed. 

 

Another unmentioned feature of the YC is that it includes unlimited access to the spa, which has a large variety of offerings. We only wore our YC cabin's robes and the spa staff just lets you pass by.

 

To me, the Sanctuary is more like Celebrity's Retreat where there is a separate restaurant, and random other features, but the Retreat cabins are scattered around parts of the ship and are not in a access restricted area. 

 

Back to the YC, after roaming around the ship for whatever reason, it was always nice to use your Sea Pass Card to open the doors that allow entry back into the YC. A very different, and relaxing, feeling. 

 

What "capricco" said. Very good summation.

Edited August 26 by sptrout

[peder]

Not to turn this into a whole YC vs Sanctuary thing, but in my experience, I've hardly used/cared for any of the benefits that you @sptrout and @capriccio mentioned. Our butlers have mostly been in our way, the line cutting is pointless if I need to wait for a butler or for a small group to be ready to go, and the port experience is hit or miss whether there's a YC separate queue (and often there's no line anyway, so the value is pretty questionable). We treat our cruise ship more like a floating bus taking us new places rather than a resort, so I can understand why these service differences are more important to others.

 

For me, the YC access to the Aurea Spa, the exclusive restaurant with great views of the sea, and the exclusive sundeck and pool are worth the price of admission. I'm excited to compare those aspects on the Star Princess.