Sapphire Princess vs Grand Princess reviews

[sethro983]

I am looking for recent Sapphire Princess ship reviews yet every time I search the most recent review is from February 2020. Is this ship just now getting back into service? I am currently booked on the Grand for May 2023 but the ship reviews have me rethinking and possibly wanting to switch ships.

Thoughts

[JF - retired RRT]

Sapphire is starting in September. Unless they cancel some of them due to staffing shortages.

[DMullen]

We are booked on the Sapphire for May 2023 as well. I read somewhere that it's scheduled for drydock April 2023 so we should be getting a fresh ship next May.

[sethro983]

Which sailing are you on? Are you concerned about staff shortage cancellations?
 

[sethro983]

5 hours ago, DMullen said:

We are booked on the Sapphire for May 2023 as well. I read somewhere that it's scheduled for drydock April 2023 so we should be getting a fresh ship next May.

Which sailing are you on? Are you concerned about staff shortage cancellations?

[Coral]

She hasn't sailed since COVID (Sapphire). She is a great ship though. No hesitations going back on her. She had a huge dry dock in 2018 before I was last on the ship.

 

I would go on the Grand again. I was on the ship in December and she was great also.

 

Sapphire would be first choice.

[cr8tiv1]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.  Maybe if you listed your concerns about the Grand or the Sapphire, posters will be able to give you some insight.

 

As mentioned, the Sapphire is not online yet.  The Grand has been cruising since Fall 2021.  I have been on the Grand 4 times since post Covid.  I can not say enough about the crew.  They are absolutely fantastic.  It has been decades since I was last on the Sapphire (well, maybe not THAT long, close).  Both are considered smaller ships in the fleet.  Structurally almost identical sister ships.  

 

Will they offer the same itinerary just different embarkation ports?

[Guest ldtr]

25 minutes ago, Coral said:

She hasn't sailed since COVID (Sapphire). She is a great ship though. No hesitations going back on her. She had a huge dry dock in 2018 before I was last on the ship.

 

I would go on the Grand again. I was on the ship in December and she was great also.

 

Sapphire would be first choice.

Was on the Grand in March and half of the hot tubs were not working.

[sethro983]

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic.  Maybe if you listed your concerns about the Grand or the Sapphire, posters will be able to give you some insight.

 

As mentioned, the Sapphire is not online yet.  The Grand has been cruising since Fall 2021.  I have been on the Grand 4 times since post Covid.  I can not say enough about the crew.  They are absolutely fantastic.  It has been decades since I was last on the Sapphire (well, maybe not THAT long, close).  Both are considered smaller ships in the fleet.  Structurally almost identical sister ships.  

 

Will they offer the same itinerary just different embarkation ports?

They offer the same itineraries at almost the same time. I have 2 concerns: one is tha all of the most recent reviews talk about the ship showing signs of wear the other is that I want to upgrade to a penthouse suite (currently in a club class mini suite) and sapphire is the ship that has the suites available on our desired side. 
 

I booked the club class premium package and have realized that the package just isn’t right for either of us (we aren’t drinkers and really don’t care much about the speciality dining) . When I looked at the suite perks it is more appealing to us.

[I Love Cats 1127]

 

We were on Grand Princess in February 2020, the Mexican Riviera cruise just before the ill-fated Hawaii cruise.  We were on Sappire Princess in November/December 2019.  I would happily do another cruise on Sapphire Princess but not on Grand Princess.  Grand Princess was literally a floating dump.  Elevators not working, which meant the ones that were working were really busy.  We were able to use the stairs, but for people who were mobility challenged, it was terrible.  There were buckets in many of the halls catching water dripping from the ceilings. The ship itself was really tatty and worn.  And while there were some great crew members, there were also many issues accessing dining, etc.  It was by far the worst cruise we have done with Princess.  I don't know if the ship has been overhauled in the last two years, but I would not sail on her unless it was.  

[donswife]

We had a very pleasant sailing on the Grand, and if circumstance were right, we would sail her again.  I have not been on the Sapphire yet, but hope our trip in October is a go!  Keeping that in mind, my preference would lean toward the Sapphire because I really like Skywalker lounge, and the wider promenade is a big plus.

[nini]

2 hours ago, I Love Cats 1127 said:

 

We were on Grand Princess in February 2020, the Mexican Riviera cruise just before the ill-fated Hawaii cruise.  We were on Sappire Princess in November/December 2019.  I would happily do another cruise on Sapphire Princess but not on Grand Princess.  Grand Princess was literally a floating dump.  Elevators not working, which meant the ones that were working were really busy.  We were able to use the stairs, but for people who were mobility challenged, it was terrible.  There were buckets in many of the halls catching water dripping from the ceilings. The ship itself was really tatty and worn.  And while there were some great crew members, there were also many issues accessing dining, etc.  It was by far the worst cruise we have done with Princess.  I don't know if the ship has been overhauled in the last two years, but I would not sail on her unless it was.  

I hope these issues were addressed and fixed during dry dock earlier this year.

[cr8tiv1]

2 hours ago, sethro983 said:

They offer the same itineraries at almost the same time. I have 2 concerns: one is tha all of the most recent reviews talk about the ship showing signs of wear the other is that I want to upgrade to a penthouse suite (currently in a club class mini suite) and sapphire is the ship that has the suites available on our desired side. 
 

I booked the club class premium package and have realized that the package just isn’t right for either of us (we aren’t drinkers and really don’t care much about the speciality dining) . When I looked at the suite perks it is more appealing to us.

 

I can only speak for the Grand Princess.  The Grand just got out of dry dock in April.  I did not have any toilet/ac/etc issues on any of my cruises.  They changed out the sofa between November and March.  A HUGE improvement.  Suite breakfast is in the Wheelhouse.  The full promenade was not available due to restricted crew smoking aft.  

 

Not that it matters to me, but the center staircase only goes between deck 5 and 7.  All elevators were in working order.  The Grand has milkshakes up on Lido Deck.  

 

Suites on both ships will have one mini bar that you can exchange for like items (10 alcohol/10 non).  You will also receive 2 bottles of water every night.  Sometimes it doesn't happen on the first night since there is water in the mini-fridge.  There is a big difference between Club Class service and Suite Perks.  

 

I would not hesitate to book the Sapphire, but given the choice, I will take the Grand.

 

Yes, admit that I am a Grand Princess cheerleader.  

[sethro983]

29 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

 

Suites on both ships will have one mini bar that you can exchange for like items (10 alcohol/10 non).  You will also receive 2 bottles of water every night.  Sometimes it doesn't happen on the first night since there is water in the mini-fridge.  There is a big difference between Club Class service and Suite Perks.  

 

I would not hesitate to book the Sapphire, but given the choice, I will take the Grand.

 

Yes, admit that I am a Grand Princess cheerleader.  

If I switch to the suite I end up on the port side going north to Alaska. Is this really a big deal

[Coral]

42 minutes ago, sethro983 said:

If I switch to the suite I end up on the port side going north to Alaska. Is this really a big deal

It is fine. I have done RT sailing (Vancouver to Whittier and then back to Vancouver) and both sides are great. I wouldn't worry about that.

[phabric]

I know that some on the older ships had moving  roof over the main swimming pool.

 

Does the Sapphire have that roof?

[capriccio]

57 minutes ago, phabric said:

I know that some on the older ships had moving  roof over the main swimming pool.

 

Does the Sapphire have that roof?

Yes it does but the two times we have been on the Sapphire (California Coastal in 2012 and Norway in 2019) the roof was closed the entire time (which we preferred) so I don't know how often it is opened if that is important to you.

[phabric]

7 minutes ago, capriccio said:

Yes it does but the two times we have been on the Sapphire (California Coastal in 2012 and Norway in 2019) the roof was closed the entire time (which we preferred) so I don't know how often it is opened if that is important to you.

Going on 32 day Hawaii & South Pacific April 2024.

I think you are also on it.  There is already a Roll Call for this cruise.

We cruised together on the 12 day British Isles in 2013 together.

[capriccio]

24 minutes ago, phabric said:

Going on 32 day Hawaii & South Pacific April 2024.

I think you are also on it.  There is already a Roll Call for this cruise.

We cruised together on the 12 day British Isles in 2013 together.

Yes we are and we were!  One my brothers and his wife are going with us too. I'll make sure we sign up on the roll call.

[Coral]

2 hours ago, capriccio said:

Yes it does but the two times we have been on the Sapphire (California Coastal in 2012 and Norway in 2019) the roof was closed the entire time (which we preferred) so I don't know how often it is opened if that is important to you.

It is rarely opened.