115,875 tons
2,670 passengers
1,100 crew
British officers
International crew
952 ft.in length
205 ft. high
123 ft. at beam
13 passenger decks
Cruising Speed: 20.7 knots
Registry - Bermuda
Enters service June 2004
Built by: Mitsubishi Heavy Industry - Nagasaki Shipyard
Quality Rating:
Value Rating:
Best for People Who Want:
A wonderful array of dining, activities, and entertainment choices;
exemplary children and teen programs; onboard weddings broadcast
ashore; balcony cabins.
Should be Avoided by People Who Prefer:
A spacious gym; a mega-ship with the feeling of a smaller, cozy ship
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Onboard Experience
Exceeded in immensity only by Queen Mary 2 and Royal Caribbean's
Voyager ships, these wonderful ships, whose exterior profiles are
among the most gorgeous at sea, exemplify Princess's philosophy of
offering both megaship choice and small ship feel.
These ships pride themselves on the range of choices they offer --
including, insofar as dining is concerned, an option not to make a
choice, and to dine in the traditional way. Those who want flexibility
can opt for any of the four intimate themed restaurants, which serve
between 5:30 and 10 p.m., Marvelously, you can even change your mind
when you board. There's a wonderful choice of activities too.
Princess' ScholarShip at Sea program offers, for instance,
photography, computer technology, and culinary classes (for a fee). Or
you may choose to make your own serving dish in the ceramic studio
located above the Neptune Pool, or to compete in an American
Idol-style singing competition.
Kids and teens have their own well-equipped 9,686 sq. ft. facilities.
There's Concierge Service for those who like someone else to make
their dinner reservations, and to assist with more unusual requests.
With 29 computer terminals, Sapphire's is one of the largest and
most stylish Internet centers at sea -- and, at 35 cents a minute, one
of the least expensive. Cappuccino is dispensed here at a nominal
cost, but delicious pastries to wash it down with are free. More
free-spirited types with their own laptop computers can purchase
30-minute wireless access packages.
Decor
Sapphire Princess is a very attractive ship in the tried and true elegance Princess is known for, though not nearly as
modernly stylish as Celebrity's, for instance. The furnishings and floor and
wall coverings are uniformly handsome in their simplicity, and there's
a laudable absence of clutter.
In the cabins, the familiar, Princess family look
prevails, with lots of muted tones and caramel-colored wood trim.
Public Rooms
The three-deck atrium is Sapphire's heart. Note the delightful Art
Nouveau glass-and-brass designs on its elevators. From late afternoon
into early evening, a string quartet fills it with beautiful music.
Forward of the atrium on Deck 7 you'll find the hypernautical
Wheelhouse Bar. Aft is the safari-themed Explorer's Lounge. At the
stern, the showroom/cabaret/lounge Club Fusion, a secondary show
lounge like no other at sea, offers live music, disc jockeys, gambling
machines, 42 high-definition TVs, and Princess Idol, a multi-round
talent contest based on American Idol. In the corner, take the
circular staircase to the intimate (but virtually view-less) Wake View
Bar.
Off the atrium on Deck 6, the Sapphire's African-themed casino is one
of the largest at sea. Play blackjack, Caribbean stud, craps,
roulette, or any of myriad slot and video poker machines. Unlike most
megaship casinos, wide expanses of miles of open space separate the
various gaming tables and slot machines; for once, the room isn't
patently designed to keep you inside and gambling.
That said, though, we will note with sadness that it isn't terribly
difficult to get lost looking for the various dining rooms.
Churchill's Lounge, the one-time sports bar, is now behind the casino and is used for the cognac and cigars set. The sports paraphernalia is still there, but seems oddly out of place. (The bars in the atrium on Decks 5 and 6 are smoke-free, as too are Club Fusion and all indoor dining areas.)
By lowering the SkyWalker discos -- still aft, with magnificent views
off the stern -- Princess has in one fell swoop made even more sleek
the exterior appearance of the ship and kept the stern swimming pool
from being shaded. The reconceived discos also feature their own
125-foot balconies.
The Captain can marry passengers, whose friends and families ashore
can witness the whole shebang on the Internet, via the ship's Webcam.
Cuisine
Each of the four themed alternative restaurants aboard offers
delectable choices. But because their ranges are constricted, it's a
very good thing that their menus are supplemented by the International
Dining Room's full menu, which changes each evening.
Princess's special Champagne Breakfast includes a half-bottle of
chilled champagne, a warm basket of homemade pastries, smoked salmon,
a medley of fruits and berries, and Alaska King Crab quiche. It's
served in-cabin, and costs $25 for two.
Restaurants
How not to love this: any passenger in any restaurant can request a
special item from any of the others. And diners in the traditional
restaurant can order from the menus of the specialty restaurants! So, if you and your dear spouse disagree about where to eat on any given night, you can still get that grilled steak from the Savoy.
The huge, handsomely decorated Horizon Court, on Lido Deck, serves as
a 24-hour casual-dress alternative dining area. Instead of standing in
a single buffet line, you move freely among the various stations.
Breakfast here is better than in the dining room.
On the stern on Deck 6, the traditional, assigned-seating 518-seat
International Dining Room is the ship's largest dining room -- and the
hardest to find, look for the aft elevators or stairs.
Amidships, just aft of the atrium on the port side, the Asian-themed
Pacific Moon features fresh sushi and a don-'t-miss sampler comprising
pot sticker, dim sum, and spring roll. Next door, at the
Southwestern-themed Santa Fe, fresh guacamole is prepared right before
your eyes. One deck down, Vivaldi's serving staff wear Italian
tricolore vests. Next door, the Savoy serves prime rib.
At Sabatini's, whose atmosphere is that of an Italian trattoria, you
order only your main course. Everything else -- antipasti, shrimp,
crab cakes, mussels, homemade pastas - is served as a sampler. The courses just keep coming to the point where you actually start to laugh each time the waiter arrives with yet another delectable tidbit. El momento del verdad (as the bullfighters say, "moment of truth") occurs when he asks what you would like for your main course. You're already full! By
meal's end, you will wonder if you'll ever be able to move again.
A gourmand's dream come true, for a $20 surcharge. Forward of the
Horizon Court, the newly rechristened Savoy has the same
carnivore pleasing menu as the Sterling Steakhouses on the rest of the
fleet, requires reservations, and charges a $15 cover.
The restaurants offer a good wine selection, from $20 to $50 per
bottle. If you bring your own wine aboard you will be levied a $10 fee to remove the cork.
Service
When it comes to restaurants, the best service comes from choosing the traditional dining option where you get the same table and servers every night. The downside, of course, is that you give up flexibility. You are allowed to change your mind after you board the ship, so why not choose traditional when booking and see how you like your table and tablemates? If it isn't a love connection, switch to the personal choice dining. Other onboard service aspects; bar and cabin service, are universally exemplary.
Tipping:
A per-person per-day charge of $10 is added automatically to your
stateroom account for dining and stateroom personnel. This applies to
all passengers, including children, regardless of their dining
choices. The amount may be increased or lowered at the Purser's
Reception desk during the cruise.
A 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to all beverage tabs.
Gratuities for spa, casino and other staff are at your discretion.
