Princess Competes with Ship-Within-a-Ship Concept with New Stateroom Category

Starting October 2024, Princess Cruises is adding a new stateroom category onboard its all-new Sun Princess and still-to-come Star Princess – the Sanctuary Collection.

Guests staying in a stateroom or suite designated as part of the Sanctuary Collection will enjoy exclusive access to the ship’s top-deck retreat area, along with several additional amenities including a private dining room, priority specialty restaurant reservations, premium stateroom amenities, and a complimentary Princess Premier bundle.

Guests not staying in a Sanctuary Collection stateroom on Sun Princess (and Star Princess) will no longer be able to pay extra to visit the Sanctuary, a spot that on previous ships has always been very popular with many cruisers.

The new Sanctuary Collection aboard Sun Princess and Star Princess includes three levels of stateroom types: Signature Collection Suites, Mini Suites, and Premium Deluxe Balconies. 

While none of these rooms are in a separate enclave (ie a ship-within-a-ship), they do have access to exclusive spaces, like the Sanctuary, as well as a private restaurant.

The move to designate a poolside space and sundeck specifically for higher-paying cruisers reflects a need to keep up with what other contemporary and premium cruise lines are doing, according to John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises.

“Our new Sanctuary Collection offers guests those ultra-private, tucked away spaces that rival any high-end resort and surpasses the offerings of comparable cruise lines featuring similar ship-within-a-ship amenities,” he said. “…our new Sanctuary Collection delivers the ultimate in access and indulgence to deliver an unparalleled experience.”

Sanctuary Collection staterooms on Sun Princess and Star Princess go on sale today and are available starting with the Oct. 14, 2024 voyage on Sun Princess and the Oct. 4 2025 voyage of Star Princess. Guests who have booked as of April 23, 2024 for sailings after those dates, in staterooms now designated as Sanctuary Collection on either ship will receive the additional amenities at no additional cost, excluding the Princess Premier bundle.