Securing a Sanctuary Spot on Discovery

[Auntiejo]

Hello was hoping for some input on reserving the Sanctuary - we've never utilized it before and hope to book it on our upcoming 10 day cruise on Discovery. It's a New Year's cruise so we expect it to be chalk full - for those of you that have booked The Sanctuary in the past, just how early should we arrive at the pier to get the best chance of getting up there and securing a spot? We are Platinum.

 

Thank you.

[LACruiser88]

When it comes to the Sanctuary on a warm cruise, the early bird gets the worm.  So, as early as you can be onboard.  We will also be on the same cruise.  However, since we are traveling with our 8 yr old granddaughter (and her parents 🙂) we will pass on the Sanctuary for this cruise.

 

Btw, on this cruise the first two and the last two days of the cruise are usually not good Sanctuary weather.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 8, 2022 by LACruiser88

[Auntiejo]

1 hour ago, LACruiser88 said:

When it comes to the Sanctuary on a warm cruise, the early bird gets the worm.  So, as early as you can be onboard.  We will also be on the same cruise.  However, since we are traveling with our 8 yr old granddaughter (and her parents 🙂) we will pass on the Sanctuary for this cruise.

 

Btw, on this cruise the first two and the last two days of the cruise are usually not good Sanctuary weather.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your response. Yes we've been on the cruise more times than we can count during this time of year so we know about the weather at the beginning and end. We are hoping to reserve chairs in the Sanctuary just for certain days vs. the whole cruise. We've always done the Enclave for the whole cruise in the past, but with COVID and flu ramping up, that didn't sound like a good idea to us - thus the sanctuary. 

 

Is arriving at the port at 9 too early? Will there even be a set up ready for us to check in and wait to be called? We are local so we can easily get there early. We usually have arrived around 11-12 in the past. Thanks!

Edited December 8, 2022 by Auntiejo

[LACruiser88]

21 minutes ago, Auntiejo said:

 

Thanks for your response. Yes we've been on the cruise more times than we can count during this time of year so we know about the weather at the beginning and end. We are hoping to reserve chairs in the Sanctuary just for certain days vs. the whole cruise. We've always done the Enclave for the whole cruise in the past, but with COVID and flu ramping up, that didn't sound like a good idea to us - thus the sanctuary. 

 

Is arriving at the port at 9 too early? Will there even be a set up ready for us to check in and wait to be called? We are local so we can easily get there early. We usually have arrived around 11-12 in the past. Thanks!

I think the earliest they will start boarding passengers is around 10:00/10:30?

[lx200gps]

We're regular Sanctuary users, most recently a few weeks ago on the Sky. As other have pointed out, you have to board early, among the very first, to have a chance of snagging decent loungers. We're Elite and try to check in as early as possible, so as to be among the very first to board once boarding starts. Keep in mind that there is a priority to boarding, with B2Bers first, then Elites and Suites, then Platinum etc. so there will be a lot of people ahead of you in the line. On the Sky a few weeks ago, we arrived very early, about 9 or 9:30, sat in the lounge until boarding started around 11, and were probably the fifth and sixth Elites to reach the Sanctuary, but the B2Bers had arrived well before any of us, and we had little selection to choose from.  The newer ships like the Sky and Discovery, have different Sanctuary layouts from the older ships, with more empty wasted space, hot tubs, sofas and expensive cabanas reducing the number of basic loungers. They also have far more loungers in full sun, which is a show-stopper for us, further reducing the number of decent loungers available.  Of course, sea days are far more popular than port days for Sanctuary booking.  Although it's far more expensive, you may want to consider a cabana; loungers are $40/pp/day so $80 per couple, while a cabana is $220 total and you should have a better chance of getting a cabana.

[wineforhealth]

4 hours ago, Auntiejo said:

Hello was hoping for some input on reserving the Sanctuary - we've never utilized it before and hope to book it on our upcoming 10 day cruise on Discovery. It's a New Year's cruise so we expect it to be chalk full - for those of you that have booked The Sanctuary in the past, just how early should we arrive at the pier to get the best chance of getting up there and securing a spot? We are Platinum.

 

Thank you.

A few weeks back I got in line @ 9am with about 20 passengers in front of me. Check in started around 10:45. I’m Elite and after waiting Suite, Elite lounge area boarding started at 11:30. Lucky to be the first onboard I headed straight to the Sanctuary and was the first to arrive. Within a 1/2 hour most all lounges we’re filled. Some spots were taken from people doing B2B cruises.

hope this helps. 

[iamaqt2]

How hard is it to rent a cabana on a port day?  We're on the Discovery New Year's cruise and don't care to go into Cabo.  Thought we'd make a day of it onboard.

[LACruiser88]

24 minutes ago, iamaqt2 said:

How hard is it to rent a cabana on a port day?  We're on the Discovery New Year's cruise and don't care to go into Cabo.  Thought we'd make a day of it onboard.

Port days are much easier for booking cabanas or the Sanctuary.

[milolii]

We were just on the Enchanted.  Upon boarding, you need to head for the forward elevators and take one up to deck 17.  Then take the stairs just past the retreat pool.

[wineforhealth]

27 minutes ago, milolii said:

We were just on the Enchanted.  Upon boarding, you need to head for the forward elevators and take one up to deck 17.  Then take the stairs just past the retreat pool.

👍

[lx200gps]

31 minutes ago, milolii said:

We were just on the Enchanted.  Upon boarding, you need to head for the forward elevators and take one up to deck 17.  Then take the stairs just past the retreat pool.

Too right. On the Sky a few weeks ago, I made the mistake of taking the center gangway instead of the forward gangway, thereby having a longer run to the forward elevators. That simple mistake allowed a few folks to beat us to the Sanctuary by just a few seconds and cost us the chance for the best locations. It can be THAT close.

[milolii]

Yea and I would even go up one floor and then cross over to the forward elevators if by chance you are directed by crew to the central bank of elevators.
 

If there is a forward gangway take that as well.  We only had a central one.  Good point.  

[LACruiser88]

10 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

Too right. On the Sky a few weeks ago, I made the mistake of taking the center gangway instead of the forward gangway, thereby having a longer run to the forward elevators. That simple mistake allowed a few folks to beat us to the Sanctuary by just a few seconds and cost us the chance for the best locations. It can be THAT close.

This could be a new competition on the Amazing Race!  😄

[Auntiejo]

It’s like the hunger games! Being that we are just Platinum I’m not getting my hopes up of getting there in time. Thanks for all the good intel.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Auntiejo said:

It’s like the hunger games! Being that we are just Platinum I’m not getting my hopes up of getting there in time. Thanks for all the good intel.

I USED to make it to Sanctuary when we were Platinum, because I made sure I was the first Platinum on board.  Left wife with bags and took off.  I could beat a lot of the Elites/Suites up there due to speed and knowing exactly where I was going.  Even though high demand back then, there was more space on the older ships.  One time, even doing this, pickings with shade were slim and I couldn't really get what I wanted due to B2B'ers.  But then I was a B2B for the next leg and got exactly what I wanted for that voyage.  Now as Elite, I can be the first one up there if I want, but still cannot get ahead of anyone on a B2B.

 

I am less interested in Sanctuary on the new ships now since so little shade.  One of the posts above indicates it is even worse on the newest ships because they are taking up floor space with other frills and of course they want to sell the super-expensive cabanas which I have often observed not being used much.  

 

Last time we used Sanctuary was in Nov 2019 for a Caribbean cruise.  A 10-nighter and not part of a B2B.  Managed to get a good spot on sea days and it was Crown.  Our favorite Sanctuaries have been on Crown/Emerald/Ruby/Caribbean.

[MissP22]

Wow !

It sounds like it's so popular that they might increase the price in the near future. 

[Dreamcruiser185]

This will be my first cruise with Princess in March.  We are booked on the Sky Princess,  I know B2B and preferred guests board first.  What are my chances for a cabana if my boarding time is 1 or 2 pm?

[Dar & Bob]

1 hour ago, Dreamcruiser185 said:

This will be my first cruise with Princess in March.  We are booked on the Sky Princess,  I know B2B and preferred guests board first.  What are my chances for a cabana if my boarding time is 1 or 2 pm?

Honestly, we have boarded a little before 11 and not been able to get one.

[donaldsc]

If someone is ahead of you in the race to the sanctuary are you allowed to trip them to make them fall down thereby getting ahead of them.  How about pushing them down the stairs.  You guys have no idea how ridiculous your race to the sanctuary sounds to those of us who have no interest in this feature.  The descriptions of which stairs you have to take is the craziest of all the posts.

[fpsphil]

It’s a race and then you nervously stand in line hopping it doesn’t get booked out while waiting

[RiverCrossing]

Sounds like a nightmare. People should not have to race for a first place boarding. Princess should just offer Elite/suite guest a reservation when booking as park of their priory status. 

[RiverCrossing]

22 minutes ago, RiverCrossing said:

Sounds like a nightmare. People should not have to race for a first place boarding. Princess should just offer Elite/suite guest a reservation when booking as park of their priory status. 

'Priority status'. -----Will not let me edit.  

[capriccio]

15 hours ago, Dreamcruiser185 said:

This will be my first cruise with Princess in March.  We are booked on the Sky Princess,  I know B2B and preferred guests board first.  What are my chances for a cabana if my boarding time is 1 or 2 pm?

B2B guests that were in the Sanctuary on the previous leg are asked before disembarkation if they want to reserve for the next leg so on popular cruises they can reserve a large number of the lounges before any new passengers even board. 

[capriccio]

1 hour ago, RiverCrossing said:

Sounds like a nightmare. People should not have to race for a first place boarding. Princess should just offer Elite/suite guest a reservation when booking as park of their priory status. 

A good idea in theory but execution would be very difficult:

 

• Some cruises have over 1,000 elite passengers on them.
• Princess offers 4 plans:  all day, every day; all day on a specific day(s); mornings on a specific day(s); and afternoons on a specific(s). 
• Most important to us:  many lounges are in the sun most/all of the day.  A relatively few are under the shade sail which still can be in the sun depending on the direction of the ship. 

[lx200gps]

14 hours ago, donaldsc said:

If someone is ahead of you in the race to the sanctuary are you allowed to trip them to make them fall down thereby getting ahead of them.  How about pushing them down the stairs.  You guys have no idea how ridiculous your race to the sanctuary sounds to those of us who have no interest in this feature.  The descriptions of which stairs you have to take is the craziest of all the posts.

And you have no idea how ridiculous this statement is to those of us who enjoy the peace and quiet of the Sanctuary.  ;o)

Edited December 10, 2022 by lx200gps