i like the star...what about sapphire???

[only1deejay]

I am wanting to try sapphire princess west coast getaway 2014(LA to MX back to LA)....is she like the star princess grand class or different....and how is alfredo's pizza??? thanks.:)

[sunsetbeachgal]

The Sapphire is my favorite Princess ship. We loved Alfredos, and the four smaller dining rooms. Felt like you were eating in a restaurant rather than a cruise ship dining room. Great piazza area.

[flamomo]

Aside from the Ocean Princess (formerly the Tahitian Princess), which is a totally different experience, the Sapphire is my favorite ship. I spent a total of 42 days aboard her in 2011, and really enjoyed every single day.

[skynight]

These ships are very similar in design, I have been on both.

Sapphire small positives over Star:

Alfredo's Sit down Pizza. Both ships have pizza by the slice near the pool.

The 4 anytime dining rooms (all have the same menu except for one special menu item specific to each dining room). The 4 dining rooms are about equal in size to the 2 on the Star.

 

Star small positives over Sapphire:

A more open Neptune's Reef and Pool area with more lounges in the area between the pool and the bar. This deck area is not available on the Sapphire.

Vista Lounge, Deck 7 aft which is better for shows, instead of Club Fusion (some call it Club Confusion) on the Sapphire.

An extra pool on Deck 16 aft, the oasis area.

[IECalCruiser]

I am wanting to try sapphire princess west coast getaway 2014(LA to MX back to LA)....is she like the star princess grand class or different....and how is alfredo's pizza??? thanks.:)

We have been on both for at least two weeks but not since their recent drydocks. They are both Grand Class ships but with slightly different layouts. Sapphire doesn't have a specialty steakhouse but converts part of the back of the Horizon Court into a Sterling Steakhouse at night. We are also fans of the "shopping cart handle Skywalkers on the Star but no big deal there. With her recent drydock modifications the Sapphire might just be the best Grand class ship in the fleet :)

[billco]

We sailed B2B cruises to Mexico and Hawaii on the Sapphire last Spring just after the new upgrades.

 

We sailed to Mexico last October and to Hawaii in November on the Star.

 

While we are fine with either, we prefer the Sapphire due to the recent upgrades, the separate dining rooms, and the wider Promenade deck.

[Putterdude]

IMO the Sapphire and the Diamond are the finest ships in the Princess big ship fleet and are a major upgrade of the Grand class ships. In these ships they overcame many of the design flaws that exist in the Grand class.

[sassyredhat]

Haven't sailed Star---next time to Hawaii---but we sailed Sapphire to Hawaii last April, after the upgrades.

Loved the IC...:D We spent alot of time there during sea days, just playing cards, grabbing a latte' or a snack.

We ate at Alfredos, and we thought it was great. The IC area gets very busy, so I would plan accordingly so you get a seat.

Sapphire is a very nice ship.

Pat

[deadzone1003]

I've sailed both ships 2 times each. They are more similiar than different. The Sapphire is a little nicer with the exception of Club Fusion which just doesn't work for Princess. The food is better on the Star with the exception of desserts. Pizza and soft ice cream is much better on the Star; this doesn't take into account for Alfredo's on the Sapphire. This biggest difference is in the aft where you can sun yourself at the Terrace pool on the Sapphire, much more difficult on the Star. Unless you are nit-picker, you will be happy on either ship. Myself, I prefer the Star.

[FoghornLeghorn]

If I may interject a quick Sapphire question, please...

 

We want to spend some time playing cards and watching the ocean...we were told Skywalkers during the day would be good. However, looking at the deck plans, I'm not seeing an elevator? or am I missing it?

 

(old knees and a lot of stairs don't work well for 2 of us)

[LawDog61]

Skywalkers would be perfect for a relaxed afternoon card game. It is a little tricky to get there. Go to the Aft most elevators and go as high as you can (I think deck 17) than get off the elevator, and find the one small elevator that goes up one deck to Skywalkers. Also, there is a esculator but probably only on during certain hours. Definately worth the effort to find it.

[jbobst]

These ships are very similar in design, I have been on both.

Sapphire small positives over Star:

Alfredo's Sit down Pizza. Both ships have pizza by the slice near the pool.

The 4 anytime dining rooms (all have the same menu except for one special menu item specific to each dining room). The 4 dining rooms are about equal in size to the 2 on the Star.

 

Star small positives over Sapphire:

A more open Neptune's Reef and Pool area with more lounges in the area between the pool and the bar. This deck area is not available on the Sapphire.

Vista Lounge, Deck 7 aft which is better for shows, instead of Club Fusion (some call it Club Confusion) on the Sapphire.

An extra pool on Deck 16 aft, the oasis area.

 

While the Star does have a little pool along with the hot tubs on Deck 16, the Sapphire does have a similar pool one deck down from the hot tubs. It is called a splash pool, but not sure if it is bigger or smaller than the one on the Star. It also might be for children only? Not sure, but I'll find out in April!

[trikeman]

If I remember correctly there is an escalator like this up to Skywalkers.

[skynight]

Skywalkers would be perfect for a relaxed afternoon card game. It is a little tricky to get there. Go to the Aft most elevators and go as high as you can (I think deck 17) than get off the elevator, and find the one small elevator that goes up one deck to Skywalkers. Also, there is a esculator but probably only on during certain hours. Definately worth the effort to find it.

 

If I remember correctly at least one on the aft elevators a goes to deck 17 on the Sapphire. But there is a ramp and a stairway that also goes there. Also on the Sapphire, Skywalkers has an outside deck area.

 

One thing I forgot, the Sapphire has a large Wheelhouse Bar, a nice place for ballroom dancing. The Star's Wheelhouse is "L" shaped, smaller and not as nice.

[FoghornLeghorn]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies regarding Skywalkers!

[Jasperdo]

If I remember correctly there is an escalator like this up to Skywalkers.

The Sapphire does not have the moving sidewalk escalator. Only the Princess ships with the "shopping handle" design offer this feature.

[beg3yrs]

The Sapphire does not have the moving sidewalk escalator. Only the Princess ships with the "shopping handle" design offer this feature.

 

The Sapphire does have moving sidewalk. We were on it in Oct/Nov of 2012. You can also see it in the deck plans and your own photo from 2009. BTW, that's a very extensive set of photos. Great shots!

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mytravelphotos/3871200119/in/set-72157615820609554/

[Jasperdo]

The Sapphire does have moving sidewalk. We were on it in Oct/Nov of 2012. You can also see it in the deck plans and your own photo from 2009. BTW, that's a very extensive set of photos. Great shots!

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mytravelphotos/3871200119/in/set-72157615820609554/

The Sapphire doesn't have the long moving sidewalk another poster suggested it did. What the Sapphire does have, though, is a standard escalator that takes you from the elevator lobby on Sports Deck 16 into Skywalkers on Sky Deck 17. That's what my photo shows.

 

Thank you for the nice comment about my photos.

[beg3yrs]

The Sapphire doesn't have the long moving sidewalk another poster suggested it did. What the Sapphire does have, though, is a standard escalator that takes you from the elevator lobby on Sports Deck 16 into Skywalkers on Sky Deck 17. That's what my photo shows.

 

Thank you for the nice comment about my photos.

 

Fair enough regarding the distinction between a moving sidewalk and an escalator. In either case, the person concerned about their knees will not have a problem getting to the wonderful Skywalkers lounge.

[critterchick]

I prefer Star over Sapphire. We found the service to be superb (except for our cabin attendant, who was new on the job and had been thrown into it long before he was ready), while on Sapphire we found the crew to be a little dispirited. And I enjoyed the larger Anytime dining room - we had trouble getting reservations for Anytime Dining on Sapphire, none on Star.

 

But I'm sailing Sapphire next month, so I must like her!;)

[romeyvanb]

I like them all but Sapphire is my fave!