Star Princess Embarkation Day · Our First Impressions Are In

North to Alaska. That was our motto when we flew to Seattle in July to board the Star Princess, Princess’s newest ship and our first ever Sphere class ship. We went in almost completely blind on purpose. We did not watch the ship tours or the shorts, because we wanted to experience it all fresh, right alongside you.

We also booked a Sanctuary Collection cabin for the first time, which meant one big question hanging over the whole day: is the upgrade worth it? By the end of embarkation day we were already forming opinions, and so was the weather.

Getting to Seattle and Our Pre Cruise Night

We flew out of Hollywood Burbank Airport rather than LAX. For cruises leaving from Los Angeles we would not really recommend it, because it is a long way from the ocean, but for a flight to Seattle it was a much less hectic and smoother process than the giant LAX. Taking off over the San Fernando Valley, you can see Universal Studios Hollywood off to the left, and a couple of short hours later we were in Seattle.

We took an Uber to the Mediterranean Inn in the Queen Anne district, just a few blocks from the Space Needle. We dropped our bags and walked over. Christina is not quite brave enough for the top, so we toured the gift shop instead and then sat and watched families playing in the International Fountain on a beautiful summer day.

The best part of that hotel came the next morning: we could see the ship from our room. After another short Uber to the port, our Alaska adventure was underway.

Sanctuary Embarkation: Was the Upgrade Already Worth It?

Our boarding window was 1:00 to 1:30, and when we arrived there was a giant line. Then we spotted someone holding a Sanctuary Collection paddle. We walked up and asked where to go, and they told us not to stand in that line at all, just to go over to the side and walk straight in.

The whole process could not have been more than 15 minutes. It was so fast we did not even get the camera out. We did our muster drill, dropped our bags off at the cabin, and were exploring by 1:00. Christina’s verdict on the spot was that the Sanctuary Collection was worth it for embarkation alone, because she was not looking forward to standing outside in Seattle weather that was somehow hot and cold at the same time.

First Look Around the Star Princess

Our first stop was lunch, pizza and tacos from the pool deck, then a drink at the Sea View Terrace. It is an adults only area for ages 16 and up, tucked in front of the Sphere, and it is a nice quiet spot with a view across to the Holland America Noordam. We tried two of the FIFA World Cup special cocktails made with Calamigos tequila. Christina had hers authentic with Tajin and no mezcal, Tony had the mezcal with salt instead of Tajin, and both were very mangoey and pretty good. We could already tell this would be a great place to watch the glaciers.

The Dome was packed. They were showing the World Cup, and it felt like the entire ship was in there. On the way through, Christina found a cruise duck that was left from the previous week’s sailing. She left it in place for the next person to find. She has plenty already.

In a slightly odd alcove between the elevators and the outdoor pool deck there is a wall commemorating the ship’s first ports, including dates from her early sailings out of Los Angeles in April and Seattle in May. It is a very cool wall and easy to walk past.

Love by Britto sits at the very aft of the ship. It was completely sold out online, so we went down to see whether we could get in at some point during the week. They asked if we wanted to just go that night, and we said yes immediately.

Alaska Touches Around the Ship

Princess has clearly designed parts of this ship with Alaska in mind. There are bear paw handles, faux fur throws draped over seating, pillows printed with trees, and a telescope for spotting glaciers, bears, and moose. From one of the upper decks you can look straight down over the stern to a pool far below, and that is a real wake view. It is certainly not the worst place we can imagine for watching the Inside Passage.

The Sanctuary Club, the Spa, and the Wake View Terrace

Our first stop in the Sanctuary Club was a fully covered day bed, very shady and super Christina approved, with soft velvet pillows and its own set of towels. We picked up some of the Sanctuary snacks, and staff walk around taking drink orders. Even though it was close to 80 degrees in Seattle, we already knew we would appreciate the blankets and the big round couches once we reached Alaska.

We took a quick tour of the spa and thermal suite. There are heated loungers that are wonderful for lower back tension, a properly hot dry sauna, a salt room that is warm rather than hot, and a steam area that Tony declared is exactly what Florida feels like.

The Wake View Terrace was very popular. One note: there is a smoking section back there, and the smoke does not stay in it, so it drifts across the seating on that side. Go up one level and you hit the Alaskan lodge theme in full: wooden chairs and tables, log cabin and wildlife prints with moose, salmon, wolves, and bears, faux fur, and a cow rug that we are not convinced fits the theme. Fresh out of moose, perhaps.

Tony ordered a 24 karat margarita, which is always a hit on Princess. Christina tried a cocktail from the exclusive Sanctuary gin collection made with Gardener gin, Italicus, chamomile, honey, lemon, and champagne. It was good, not terrible, and she probably would not order it again.

Sail Away From Seattle

From the Sanctuary we watched the Holland America Noordam head out for Alaska, with the Space Needle and downtown Seattle behind her. The NCL Encore was not far behind, and we were the last of the three to leave.

The Sanctuary Club has its own private pool and some really great loungers, and so far we had no trouble finding a seat with great service throughout. That was not true downstairs. It was the end of July and about 80 degrees, and the main Lido pools and hot tubs were packed with kids who had completely taken them over.

Our Honest Sanctuary Club First Impressions

Once we were out on the water it got chilly fast. It was hot in the sun and cold in the shade, so Christina took the shade with a faux fur, and Tony settled into a very comfortable rocking chair without an ounce of shame.

There is a lot more seating up here than we expected, and it is seating you can actually get. It is all padded and comfortable: rocking chairs, couches, and day beds. There are restrooms right inside the Sanctuary as well, which is handy.

The real problem was the music. There was a saxophone player by the champagne wall, which was fine, but near where we sat there was a very loud speaker playing what sounded like pool party music. From where Tony was sitting, he could not hear a word Christina said. If they turned it down from about 200 decibels to about 20, this would have been perfect. For an area sold on peace and quiet, it was not peaceful.

Sanctuary Cabanas, Bar Hours, and the Champagne Wall

We asked about the cabanas. Pricing is dynamic, so it moves around, but we were quoted roughly $400 to $500 for a full day and around $300 for a half day. That includes a bottle of champagne, a bowl of fruit, a dedicated attendant, and a special food menu. They have big TVs with headphones, so you do not have to compete with the music, plus beds and couches. They sit right on the edge overlooking the water, and you can close the curtains for privacy. The price covers up to four people, with roughly $100 extra for each additional person. Check the current price on your own sailing.

We like to move around, so we did not book one. But if you had a group and planned to spend a full or half day up there, it may not be so bad.

Worth knowing: the Sanctuary bar closes at 6:00 p.m., although the Sanctuary itself stays open late, and the champagne wall normally runs from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Our guess is the early close is because it gets cold in Alaska. By late afternoon the snacks had already switched from little sandwiches to nuts and fruit. The wake through Puget Sound was a funky greenish brown that first evening, so the beautiful wake views would have to wait for Alaska.

Dinner at Love by Britto

We had a 7:20 reservation and possibly the best seat in the house: a window table with an incredible wake view as we sailed away from Seattle, and Mount Rainier still just visible above the hills on the right. The dishes, glasses, and cutlery are all part of the experience. Christina’s fork and knife each had a little heart in them.

The food leans fancy. It started with bread and love butter, yes really, then an oyster with lemongrass and a raspberry jelly that had gold dust on it. The appetizer was a beef, fig, and goat cheese salad with a wonderful presentation. The intermezzo was a grapefruit and champagne sorbet with a raspberry jelly heart and rose petals. It was very pretty and a little gummy, but all edible, and both the amuse and the appetizer were good.

For dessert Christina had a lava cake with chocolate sauce and ice cream, and Tony had a cheese plate with blue cheese, brie, and manchego, honey, strawberry, grapes, and crackers. They finished with petit fours: a meringue, a dark chocolate, and what we think were a lemon truffle and a raspberry truffle.

Tony did warn Christina that it was a little fancy for his taste and that he might end up at Alfredo’s later for a pizza. It is a beautiful experience and worth booking for the location alone.

Fog, Rain, and a Big Weather Change

At about 11:30 that night, just as Tony was heading to bed, he heard the fog horn and stepped out onto the balcony. The fog was intense, and it was raining a little. What a difference a few hours makes. We had left Seattle at close to 80 degrees.

Next up was a sea day to explore the rest of the ship, then Ketchikan, where we were hoping to get onto a bear encounter excursion. So far we were having a great time on the Star.

Is the Sanctuary Collection Worth It on Day One?

On day one the answer was already leaning yes. The embarkation alone saved us a long, uncomfortable wait, the Sanctuary Club has far more seating than we expected, and the service was excellent from the moment we stepped aboard. The one thing we would change today is the volume of the music up there. For our full verdict after the whole week, including the Sanctuary restaurant and how the outdoor space held up in Alaskan weather, see our Star Princess ship tour.