Princess Cruises is expanding its Sanctuary Collection to five more ships in 2027: Royal Princess, Regal Princess, Discovery Princess, Sky Princess and Enchanted Princess. Announced October 22, 2026, the change gives guests in designated staterooms access to an exclusive pool retreat, a private restaurant and other upgraded services. New eligible bookings will also include the Princess Premier package.

What travelers need to know: Royal Princess is first, with the full experience beginning January 4, 2027, and preview sailings starting October 30, 2026. The other four ships follow between April and June 2027. Just as important, once each ship's existing Sanctuary area becomes the private Sanctuary Club, guests in regular cabins will no longer be able to purchase a day pass to that space.

Which Princess Ships Are Getting Sanctuary Collection, and When?

The rollout has separate dates for when eligible cabins can be booked and when the full experience begins onboard. Here is the confirmed schedule:

• Royal Princess: Bookings opened October 22, 2026; full experience January 4, 2027, starting with a 12-day South Pacific cruise. Preview sailings begin October 30, 2026.
• Regal Princess: Bookings open November 5, 2026; experience begins April 17, 2027, on a transatlantic voyage from Port Everglades.
• Discovery Princess: Bookings open December 4, 2026; experience begins April 24, 2027, on a seven-day Mexico cruise round-trip from Los Angeles.
• Sky Princess: Bookings open December 10, 2026; experience begins May 29, 2027, on a 14-day Baltic cruise from Southampton.
• Enchanted Princess: Bookings open December 17, 2026; experience begins June 12, 2027, on a seven-day Mediterranean cruise from Civitavecchia, the port serving Rome.

The Sanctuary Collection is already offered on Sun Princess and Star Princess. This expansion brings the concept to older Royal Class vessels, giving passengers more ship and itinerary choices without having to book one of Princess's newest ships.

What Does Sanctuary Collection Actually Include?

Think of Sanctuary Collection as an upgraded experience attached to specific accommodations, rather than a separate ship or a benefit for everyone onboard. Eligible categories include select suites, mini-suites, balcony cabins and oceanview staterooms. On Royal Princess, Princess lists 231 Sanctuary Collection accommodations.

Guests receive access to the Sanctuary Club, a quieter outdoor retreat with a pool, upgraded loungers and poolside food and beverage service. Shaded cabanas may cost extra. The Sanctuary Restaurant provides a dedicated dining room, and Princess says reservations are not required. Guests booked in Sanctuary suites also get a separate Suite Lounge and personalized concierge assistance; those suite-only perks do not extend to every Sanctuary Collection cabin.

For new Sanctuary Collection bookings made after sales open on each ship, Princess Premier is included. That package covers premium beverages, specialty and casual dining, Wi-Fi, crew appreciation, room service and OceanNow delivery, subject to the package's terms. This makes comparing the total cabin price more useful than comparing base fares alone.

What Happens if You Already Booked a Princess Cruise?

Some travelers will gain benefits without paying more. Princess says guests who reserved qualifying Reserve Collection accommodations before their ship's Sanctuary Collection booking launch will receive the new Sanctuary spaces and related amenities once available, without an added fare. On Royal Princess, the specific cutoff is October 22, 2026.

There is a catch: Princess Premier is not automatically added to those earlier reservations. Guests who want it can purchase or upgrade their package separately. Existing cabin numbers and other arrangements remain unchanged, according to Princess's published Sanctuary Collection FAQs. If you already have a Princess sailing booked, check whether your exact cabin is included before assuming you have access.

Can You Still Buy a Sanctuary Day Pass?

This is the biggest practical change for passengers who usually book standard cabins. Princess confirms that the former Sanctuary areas on Royal, Regal, Discovery, Sky and Enchanted Princess will become Sanctuary Clubs reserved for guests staying in Sanctuary Collection accommodations. Once the conversion takes effect, the previous day passes, loungers and cabana purchases for those spaces will no longer be available to other passengers.

The Sanctuary Club is also restricted to guests ages 16 and older. Families with younger children may still book qualifying Sanctuary Collection cabins and use the other benefits, but children under 16 cannot enter the club. Friends staying in a different, nonqualifying cabin cannot join you there either.

Is It Worth Paying More for Sanctuary Collection?

For travelers who spend sea days by the pool, prefer a quieter place to relax or already plan to purchase Princess Premier, the bundled amenities could make a Sanctuary Collection cabin appealing. The exclusive restaurant may also matter to guests who dislike competing for tables in busy public dining areas.

But the premium is not automatically good value. Travelers who spend most days ashore, rarely drink alcohol or are happy with the ship's regular pools and restaurants may get less use from it. Princess has not announced a single universal price for the upgrade, so the meaningful comparison is the total fare for the same sailing, including any packages you would otherwise buy.

The important takeaway is to choose the cabin experience as carefully as the itinerary. On these five ships, a quiet afternoon at the former Sanctuary will increasingly be something you reserve through your accommodation choice, not a day pass purchased after boarding.

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