Don’t take Sanctuary and Lotus Pool to make Ship-Within-Ship

Please Princess do not do this. Leave something for the rest of us.

I think I understand why many other lines are creating a Ship-within-A-Ship. The grandparents who are paying for multigenerational family cruising can’t get their children and grandchildren to join them on a luxury cruise line, but they want luxury. The adult children and grandchildren want more entertainment and activity options.

The result for the rest of us is that those who don’t book the ship-within-a-ship are denied access to the views from the front of the ship and may other areas. In some cases, it looks like 5% of the passengers are getting 20% of the public space ... well formerly public space...and crowding is worse than ever in remaining public space.

Some may say Princess is already tiptoeing in this direction with the Sanctuary, the specialty restaurants, and the two super suites with huge balconies on the newest ship design. I agree. But at least anyone can purchase access to the Sanctuary. You need to for forward views on Royal class which is a big complaint on an Alaska cruise. On some of the other new ships, either you pay for a full suite or you are totally locked out of a forward view and much of the ship. Of course, I would rather see the Sanctuary gone and more free seating and lounging available, like it used to be. However, I doubt we’ll get this space back for free and we might lose it altogether. If usage is low for the Sanctuary, rather than return it to us for free, Princess may use the low usage to justify taking it and the Lotus Spa Pool, and the thermal suites and who knows what else for SWiAS.

I doubt we’d ever sail in a suite on such ships. The price just is not a good value for us compared to a land vacation. We find a mini suite on Princess is a good value compared to a land vacation. If Princess goes in this direction, we are probably gone.

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it is kinda not princess fault . It is the cruise industry and every cruise line is copying each other

I blame Norwegian for starting the ship within in a ship trend that other cruise lines is copying from

Can someone please explain what ship within a ship means. I have not heard that term.

Princess is a business that needs to make $$$.

Many factors including some marketing trends are used to drive changes to things that are offered.

Not sure what ship/lotus pool that you are talking about that is part of the Sanctuary?

OP was only talking about creeping ship in a ship policies and was opposed to it as I am also. The OP used the Sanctuary as an example which could in the future include the lotus pool (not today though!). Today the Sanctuary is open to all that want to pay for it as are the specialty restaurants which I understand. The Lotus pool is open to all adults at no charge. Hopefully they will remain open to all that want to pay and not become a perk of the highest level cabins.

NCL seems to have done well with the Haven. Suites are butlered and Princess simply doesn't offer that.

NCL seems to have done well with the Haven. Suites are butlered and Princess simply doesn't offer that.

NCL also has a private sundeck that you have buy passes for on their new ships like the Epic/Breakaway/Getaway/Escape/Bliss, etc

Carnival is also doing a similar private sundeck type thing on the Vista/Horizon

Suites are butlered and Princess simply doesn't offer that.

Princess already tried that.

please princess do not do this. Leave something for the rest of us.

 

I think i understand why many other lines are creating a ship-within-a-ship. The grandparents who are paying for multigenerational family cruising can’t get their children and grandchildren to join them on a luxury cruise line, but they want luxury. The adult children and grandchildren want more entertainment and activity options.

 

The result for the rest of us is that those who don’t book the ship-within-a-ship are denied access to the views from the front of the ship and may other areas. In some cases, it looks like 5% of the passengers are getting 20% of the public space ... Well formerly public space...and crowding is worse than ever in remaining public space.

 

Some may say princess is already tiptoeing in this direction with the sanctuary, the specialty restaurants, and the two super suites with huge balconies on the newest ship design. I agree. But at least anyone can purchase access to the sanctuary. You need to for forward views on royal class which is a big complaint on an alaska cruise. On some of the other new ships, either you pay for a full suite or you are totally locked out of a forward view and much of the ship. Of course, i would rather see the sanctuary gone and more free seating and lounging available, like it used to be. However, i doubt we’ll get this space back for free and we might lose it altogether. If usage is low for the sanctuary, rather than return it to us for free, princess may use the low usage to justify taking it and the lotus spa pool, and the thermal suites and who knows what else for swias.

 

I doubt we’d ever sail in a suite on such ships. The price just is not a good value for us compared to a land vacation. We find a mini suite on princess is a good value compared to a land vacation. If princess goes in this direction, we are probably gone.

what????

What is a ship within a ship?

What is a ship within a ship?

The higher cost cabins (full suites for example), have their own dining room, their own swimming pool, their own quiet area to relax, etc. No need to mingle with the common folk.

I can sympathize with the OP's concerns but only to a point. In an ideal world with ideal other passengers (or just people for that matter) there would be a higher level of courtesy found onboard a ship. However, we have all dealt with a lack of deck chairs and lounges, people reserving chairs with what looks like vast amounts of laundry and debris only to be AWOL all day and the difficulty in getting food and beverages because the staff are harried by pushy passengers. A space like the Sanctuary insulates me from all that. I will personally opt for a more affordable cabin category to free up $$$ for the Sanctuary. I feel the same way about the Specialty dining options for a few nights. It's a vacation for me not an example of forced egalitarianism like a kibbutz or a Komsomal camp. In the end we are all inherently equal on board; it's just that some of us are a little more equal. ;)

I would say the closest princess has come to this is club class, but there are miles away from ncl on this concept ( thankfully ) The launch of the new design ships will tell us what’s princess future direction will be.

To be fair we have sailed on NCL twice on ships with large Haven areas and it hasn't impacted on us at all. There is plenty of ship left for the rest of us. And if the people who are willing to drop $5000pp on a cruise are subsidising my cheap cruising then I'm fine with that. Again, we have sailed an MSC ship with a Yacht Club and you barely know it's there.

On the Epic the Haven is forward and on the Escape it was aft, and on either ship there was places for views both forward and aft. Admittedly a bit limited on the Epic but she is an odd one anyway. On the MSC Meraviglia I can't remember where the Yacht club is, but plenty of views all round.

I enjoy spending time in the suite and not interfacing with children and drunks. I get around the lack of a butler on Princess by using UBD and ordering meals from the MDR menu. We enjoy the upscale experience without having to dress up. We don't even bring any dress clothing. Strictly jeans and t-shirts. A cruise is what you make of it.

The higher cost cabins (full suites for example), have their own dining room, their own swimming pool, their own quiet area to relax, etc. No need to mingle with the common folk.

So they put them down below where they'd be the first to go…...lol

OP,

Your plea is 18 years too late. It all started with Norwegian introducing 'Free Style' cruising and adding a specialty (additional charge) restaurant. Princess followed suit in 2001 with the Sterling Steakhouse. Since then, it's been a never-ending quest by the lines to generate on board revenue. Now they sell deck space (Sanctuaries, Cabanas, Retreats etc.)... and on board 'perks' (for 1000s of dollars) that cost the line next to nothing i.e. 'Club Class'. They're trying to figure out how to charge for air.

I think Celebrity has also been doing something like this for awhile with the Aqua Class on their newer ships.