Any Sapphire Secrets or tips?

[new2cruise]

There doesn't seem to be as much info about the Sapphire as there is about the other Princess ships.  So if you have any info you'd like to share, I'd love to see it.

 

Thanks!

[Thrak]

Only sailed Sapphire once. Was supposed to sail her 33 days this November/December but that was cancelled. Scheduled on her 26 days in January of 2022. If we ever do actually manage to sail Sapphire Princess again I'll try to check out the Wake View Bar. I don't know if it's open or ever staffed. In order to reach it you start in the back corner of Club Fusion - back by the bandstand - and take some spiral stairs down.

 

Club Fusion - all the way aft on Promenade Deck (Deck 7)

 

The deck plans show the Wake View Bar on Fiesta Deck (Deck 6)

 

Like I said, I have no idea if it's even open let alone staffed. It's just an area I had no idea about the one time we sailed Sapphire Princess.

Edited December 23, 2020 by Thrak

[gerig]

3 hours ago, Thrak said:

Only sailed Sapphire once. Was supposed to sail her 33 days this November/December but that was cancelled. Scheduled on her 26 days in January of 2022. If we ever do actually manage to sail Sapphire Princess again I'll try to check out the Wake View Bar. I don't know if it's open or ever staffed. In order to reach it you start in the back corner of Club Fusion - back by the bandstand - and take some spiral stairs down.

 

Club Fusion - all the way aft on Promenade Deck (Deck 7)

 

The deck plans show the Wake View Bar on Fiesta Deck (Deck 6)

 

Like I said, I have no idea if it's even open let alone staffed. It's just an area I had no idea about the one time we sailed Sapphire Princess.

 

[gerig]

is this an inside or outside bar?

[getting older slowly]

1 hour ago, gerig said:

is this an inside or outside bar?

inside from photos I have seen.... pretty average   see video

 

Wake View Bar, Sapphire Princess - YouTube

 

Six small port holes.... really no wake view... compared to an aft cabin

 

Don

[sewgood]

It is an inside and has never been staffed the few times I went down the stairs but it is very easy to overlook the entrance to it.

[SinbadThePorter]

Not the Sapphire, but on Diamond two years ago the stairwell was closed off and looking down it seemed to be used for furniture storage.

[sewgood]

One of the things we loved about the Sapphire was the extra wide promenade deck which I think only the Diamond and the Sapphire have on the grand class ships.

So there were plenty of deck chairs outside on deck 7 which you could fall alseep on listening to the sound of the waves. Lots of room for deck walking here as well.

We sailed on her last year on a 37 day repositioning cruise so we had plenty of time to relax. A great ship for this and lots of outside viewing areas like all the grand class ships.

[capriccio]

The Sapphire has a pool (Calypso Reef) and seating area (the Conservatory) one deck up that are covered and has floor to ceiling glass on both the port and starboard sides (solid walls fore and aft).  That was fantastic on our 2019 Norwegian Fjords cruise for fjord viewing.  There are glass doors on each side to the outside deck.  In cold weather we would run outside for pictures then back in to watch the scenery.  Its a great location for cold/cool weather cruises.  I queried you tube and found this video: 

 

[Thrak]

The conservatory (on any ship that has one) is a favorite place to hang out and read. Mostly quiet other than the occasional ping pong players. Food and drink are both nearby. Great place in cold or warm weather.

[caribill]

3 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said:

Not the Sapphire, but on Diamond two years ago the stairwell was closed off and looking down it seemed to be used for furniture storage.

 

It was open when we were on the Diamond 10 years ago. The main use seemed to be for AA meetings each afternoon.

 

 

[Thrak]

7 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

It was open when we were on the Diamond 10 years ago. The main use seemed to be for AA meetings each afternoon.

 

 

Using a dead bar for AA meetings. Okay, that works I guess.

[Barry ATL]

We sailed the Sapphaire Princess the year she was launched.  At that time, the steps were off of a bigger lounge.  Since DH is in a chair, we asked about wheelchair access, and a staff person took us through the dining room to go in.  We were told that very few guest go there, so it is mostly a hiding place for the crew that are allowed in public areas.  There was nothing special about the place.  

[skynight]

Sapphire has the main International DR on deck 6 aft just like other grand class ships. Instead of the two mid ship DR's on deck 5 and 6 the area is split into four half sized DR's which are open at various times. The DR's all have the same menus. When the ship was launched in 2004 the idea was to have different menus in each DR, example Pacific Moon was Asian, Santa Fe was steakhouse. That idea lasted less than a year.

The Sapphire has Alfredo's, deck 5 mid ship. The menu is pizza, not the extended menu on royal class ships. No Crown Grill. It has the Sterling Steakhouse in an aft seating area on the Horizon Ct. Sabatini's is fairly small.  

[JF - retired RRT]

16 hours ago, Thrak said:

Only sailed Sapphire once. Was supposed to sail her 33 days this November/December but that was cancelled. Scheduled on her 26 days in January of 2022. If we ever do actually manage to sail Sapphire Princess again I'll try to check out the Wake View Bar. I don't know if it's open or ever staffed. In order to reach it you start in the back corner of Club Fusion - back by the bandstand - and take some spiral stairs down.

 

Club Fusion - all the way aft on Promenade Deck (Deck 7)

 

The deck plans show the Wake View Bar on Fiesta Deck (Deck 6)

 

Like I said, I have no idea if it's even open let alone staffed. It's just an area I had no idea about the one time we sailed Sapphire Princess.

That was gonna be MY suggestion!! Only sailed on the Sapphire once (our first cruise ever) and discovered this "secret" location early on.👍

[moobear67]

It's been awhile since anyone posted on this thread, but does anyone happen to know if there is a "secret" door on 8 fwd where the cabins end, that goes through the unmarked area on the deck (next to cabin E101), then there is another door on the right, out to the promenade on deck 8? Apparently other Princess ships are known to have this "secret door", wondering if Sapphire does too? 

[that]

Yes

[AVCruzers]

That Wake View Bar is dark and dingy!  Only went down to see where it was but no one used it. 

[Cannons Creek]

Was going to book Cabin

On 1/28/2023 at 8:53 AM, that said:

Yes

Was going to book Cabin e101 on Sapphire but wanted to know if the public are able to use this door out to the promonade or is it a crew only door?  Also does anyone know if E101 would be a quiet room or is there a lot of crew using this door. Is it crw quarters at the front of Emerald Deck. Hoping someone can help with this before I book. Thanks. 

[that]

It is not quiet

 

[Cannons Creek]

Thanks for that but is it a crew only door or are the public allowed to use it to get to promonade? So does the crew use the door next to E101 to get to their quarters?  Thanks for prompt reply. 

[skynight]

Fairly certain those deck 8 doors are entry into crew quarters. There will be some daytime pedestrian traffic passing by the window on the deck 8 promenade. The deck 8 promenade is closed off after dark and in rough seas. The area on deck 7 just below will have anchor storage and its operating machinery. Noisy if there is a tender port. You will also hear the forward thrusters when in use. Being that far forward you will hear and maybe feel the sea against the hull. The rougher the sea the more noise. In rough water forward cabins move more then those closer to mid ship. Fairly certain that there is no passenger access to the deck 8 forward promenade from deck 8. You have to enter from deck 7 and climb up the stairs. There is no seating on this forward section of the promenade.

[Cannons Creek]

Thanks for that reply. Wondered why 101 and 102 were both still available. Thought we might be able to shortcut out to front promenade if in 101. But if crew only doors this won't be possible. I don't mind rough seas and and anchor noises but if that deck 8 corridor is the only entrance to the crew quarters guess it will be quite busy. The view looks  good from E101 but will have to rethink booking it now in light of your comments.