Switching from Millennium to Sapphire Princess

[rhsjr]

Because of continuing pod issues on the Celebrity Millennium, we are thinking about switching our southbound booking to the Princess Sapphire. Is it worth the switch?:mad:

[agabbymama]

Because of continuing pod issues on the Celebrity Millennium, we are thinking about switching our southbound booking to the Princess Sapphire. Is it worth the switch?:mad:

 

If the itineraries are anyway similar, I would definitely make the switch. I booked Constellation for New England/Canada in '05 for fall of '06 before I heard about the pod problems, and worried constantly over the year, kept watching the boards for news. It's not a pleasant waiting period. We took the cruise and didn't have any problems (other than an itinerary change), but I would not ever book an M-class cruise again until the legal battles have ended and the pod propulsion system totally replaced, not just repaired. These cruises are too expensive to book knowing there is an existing problem. We take a chance that anything can happen at anytime, but why compound that when the problem is known in advance?

[fti]

I was on the Summit last month (I believe similar ship to Millenium) and the Diamond Princess last summer (sister ship to Sapphire).

 

Though the Celebrity was nice, I would definitely sail the Sapphire over the Summit, even if it weren't for the pod problems.

 

I would guess the itineraries are a bit different - Princess usually goes to Glacier Bay and College Fjord, Celebrity often to Icy Strait Point and Hubbard Glacier. I also really enjoy Glacier Bay so that would tip the scale for me.

 

John

[NancyIL]

I think the itinerary on Princess is a bit better for a first cruise to Alaska - going to College Fjord and Glacier Bay.

[Italy52]

Went on the Sapphire for our first cruise to Alaska and enjoyed it very much. Although the ship is larger than the Island and the Coral, it didn't seem that big in terms of people on board. Enjoy!

[Sunshine Gal]

If the itineraries are anyway similar, I would definitely make the switch. I booked Constellation for New England/Canada in '05 for fall of '06 before I heard about the pod problems, and worried constantly over the year, kept watching the boards for news. It's not a pleasant waiting period. We took the cruise and didn't have any problems (other than an itinerary change), but I would not ever book an M-class cruise again until the legal battles have ended and the pod propulsion system totally replaced, not just repaired. These cruises are too expensive to book knowing there is an existing problem. We take a chance that anything can happen at anytime, but why compound that when the problem is known in advance?

 

Hi Rhsjr,

 

I agree with agabbymama 100%. I have cruised on both lines and I would make the switch in a heartbeat. The Princess experience in Alaska is also much better in my opinion. The Sapphire is also a much newer ship than the Millennium. I have also heard of the heartbreak that these pod problems have caused in the past. If it was a cruise that you had done several times before it might be worth taking the chance but for me the risk of missing ports is way too great a risk to take on an Alaskan cruise. The Celebrity Summit and Infinity also have suffered from this same problem over the years. When everything is working the Celebrity m-class ships are good but when the pods fail there have been major disappointments in the past and these problems have not been permanently fixed. Hal also does a good job in Alaska but I think you might enjoy the change to a Princess cruise.

 

You are very wise to have done your homework about this issue, since only about 3% of all cruisers ever have used these boards most cruisers do not have any information about these problems and when these pod problems do happen they are totally unprepared.