Princess Cruises is bringing its premium Sanctuary Collection — the resort-style tier first launched on Sun Princess and Star Princess — to the rest of its Royal Class fleet. Five ships are getting the upgrade: Royal Princess, Regal Princess, Discovery Princess, Sky Princess and Enchanted Princess. It's the first phase of what the line calls a multi-year modernization programme.
So what do you actually get? Booking a Sanctuary Collection suite or stateroom unlocks a private Sanctuary Club with lounge and social spaces, a dedicated pool with upgraded loungers, and shaded cabanas (those cost extra). There's poolside food and drink service, and access to the Sanctuary Restaurant — an intimate venue with menus built around the destinations on the itinerary. A suite concierge handles dining and entertainment arrangements, suite guests get a dedicated Suite Lounge, and oceanview staterooms have been added to the eligible categories. Every Sanctuary booking also includes Princess Premier, the line's most inclusive package.
The rollout is staggered. Royal Princess is on sale now, kicking off with a 12-day South Pacific sailing departing January 4, 2027 — and anyone who booked a Reserve Collection stateroom before October 22, 2026 gets the full Sanctuary experience added at no charge. From there: Regal Princess opens for sale November 5, 2026, first sailing a Transatlantic crossing from Port Everglades on April 17, 2027. Discovery Princess follows on December 4, 2026, with a roundtrip Mexico cruise from Los Angeles departing April 24, 2027. Sky Princess goes on sale December 10, 2026, starting with a Baltic voyage from Southampton on May 29, 2027, and Enchanted Princess rounds it out on December 17, 2026, with a Mediterranean sailing from Civitavecchia on June 12, 2027.
Why does this matter for travellers? It signals a broader trend: mainstream cruise lines building ship-within-a-ship premium zones, so you can get luxury-adjacent perks — private pools, exclusive dining, concierge service — without paying a full luxury-line fare. If you've sailed Princess before and found the megaship crowds a lot, the Sanctuary tier is essentially a buffer. The catch, as ever, is that the best-value way in is booking early: sailings open for sale months in advance across very different itineraries, from winter South Pacific sun to Baltic summer cruising out of Southampton.
For anyone eyeing 2027, the dates worth circling are the on-sale days above — Sanctuary inventory on each ship will be limited, and the first sailings tend to carry launch appeal. Note that cabanas carry a surcharge, so budget for that if a shaded spot by the private pool is the whole point.
