| Overview
Sapphire Princess, which began sailing its inaugural season this June, represents (along with sister ship Diamond Princess) an evolution in Princess' Grand-class concept. The ship, at 116,000 tons, beats out Grand Princess and its brethren for biggest-in-fleet status. In a year in which Princess unveiled an unprecedented three new ships, what's special about this one?
Like the Diamond, Sapphire offers a unique-to-cruising interpretation of Personal Choice Dining, with one set-seating dining room, and four fee-free themed restaurants (ship designers were able to expand the number of dining rooms by halving the size of existing restaurants, meaning the eateries are cozier and more intimate than other cruise lines' main dining room facilities).
In addition to these new approaches to at-sea dining, Princess has introduced (to both Sapphire and Diamond Princess) Club Fusion, a secondary show lounge. Club Fusion replaces the fleet's Vista Lounge, and features state-of-the-art sound, high-definition video screens and a pretty hip dance floor.
Also setting the ship apart is its Asian-themed Lotus Spa, offering an extensive menu of services, including those specifically tailored for men and teens (teen services are often shorter, less aggressive and less expensive).
Princess has expanded its signature Skywalker's Lounge on Sapphire Princess, adding 35 percent more space, plus a new 125-foot wide balcony.
With 29 computer stations and a coffee and pastry bar, Sapphire Princess' Internet Cafe is not only more fun than Princess' usual utilitarian facilities -- it's bigger.
Sapphire Princess may well be one of the largest ships in Princess' fleet, but after the first few days onboard I'd completely lost that "where on earth is..." feeling. With an abundance of intimate, non-crowded spaces, it can almost feel cozy and small. Still, this ship has what it takes to appeal to kids of all ages: cutting-edge programs for youngsters, traditional entertainment options for cruise veterans and a mix of the contemporary and the conventional for everyone in between.
Because of this, there is a distinct multi-generational feel onboard, which pleasantly surprised me; this ship is wonderfully suited for families, and older passengers traveling with children and grandchildren. Still, traveling as a young couple, we never felt out of place or crowded -- even with upwards of 2,670 passengers onboard.
Public Rooms
The very core of Sapphire Princess is its Grand Plaza atrium. It's not a contender for tallest or widest at sea, nor does it aim to be; it's just a warm central area to meet for a drink, do some souvenir shopping at the boutiques or -- my favorite -- check out the latest "foodie" works of art. One afternoon I admired a delicate chocolate Eiffel Tower, another a piano sculpted entirely of bread. The little touches and fine details that make this ship special are apparent here -- tiny square tiles placed "just so" along the woodwork, sweeping marble staircases with smudge-free brass banisters, glass-backed elevators and a funky lighting fixture of frosted aqua- and vanilla-colored petals of glass.
Atrium bars are truly "public" areas, out in the open with seats sprawling toward other meeting spaces, all great spots to hear the piano and string-instrument players that entertain daily. "Rat Pack"-inspired Crooner's is a fabulous little space, with an almost too precious "Tee Many Martoonis" menu. Specialty martinis span three pages (and at reasonable prices, too -- choose from the Sinatra size, $5, or the Deano size, $8); regular spirits and even caviar are also available here. I sat on a smooth leather barstool and sipped a Scarlet Martini (Tanquerray, Cointreu and grenadine), while admiring the bar's muted dulce de leche and ebony decor, and stained glass panels depicting staffs and music notes. Staff here is wonderfully friendly, willing to make suggestions and tweak your drink until it's just the way you want it. Passengers line the tables along the windows for games of chess or cards. Prefer a tasty coffee drink and prime people watching? Check out the Lobby Bar.
One of the ship's most stunning public areas is Skywalker's Disco & Observation Lounge high up on the Sky Deck. Though already a Princess staple, Skywalker's on Sapphire Princess actually hangs over the aft end of the ship, so that its 125-ft. balcony and dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows offer fantastic, unobstructed panoramas both day and night (when you can observe the ship's wake by moonlight). The decor is a nod to outer space with stars and swirls, but done with great style -- I loved the brass table lamps with miniature moon-shaped cutouts. After hours, Skywalker's becomes a hopping club scene, but I preferred it as a quiet place for a cocktail-with-a-view before supper. Even more intimate (but less scenic) is the Wake View Bar, hidden deep within the ship on the Fiesta Deck. Hint: Access this space via the spiral staircase in Club Fusion on the Promenade Deck. This is a very quiet place during the day to have a cocktail and collect your thoughts, or even to do some reading, with no music and little chatter -- it was unusually empty during my sailing. At night, however, this neglect is understandable due to Wake View's nearness to the often-rambunctious Club Fusion crowd.
Princess' signature Wheelhouse Bar is another great place to meet before a meal, with friendly bar service, a cozy members-only-club atmosphere and nautical art and history displayed throughout. Though I enjoyed having an un-crowded place for pre-dinner drinks, it was almost disappointing to see that this venue was not more populated at this time, as the jazz-y live music was quite good. (The scene -- and the dancing -- picks up a little later in the evening.) Sports fans and cigar enthusiasts should scoot down to Churchill's Lounge, a combination cigar lounge and sports bar. Though an odd pairing, this is the ideal place to view satellite broadcasts of various sporting events when available.
Club Fusion, a new-for-Princess entertainment venue, serves as a dance club, theater and game room, with super lighting and sound. This lounge features a whopping 42 high-definition video screens, which gives it the high-tech feel of a big-city hangout. This space is truly multi-purpose: A nice-sized dance floor attracts nightlife lovers, and tabletop slot machines keep gamers entertained. Explorer's Lounge, with the feel of an African safari, is a cabaret-style lounge featuring singing and dancing acts as well as occasional magicians and comedians. Snag a spot near the Tangier-inspired windows. Princess' trademark shows, however, take place in the two-story Princess Theater, which seats 705. The most striking element here is a huge, black backdrop curtain laced with twinkling fiber optic lights -- very, very neat (and no doubt very expensive). Seats do indeed fill up, so be sure to arrive early; drink service is available, and prompt.
Sapphire features Princess' largest-to-date Internet Cafe, with 29 computer stations, and tables with cup-holders for laptop users. Assorted pastries and muffins are available during the early hours, and specialty coffees and soft drinks are available for purchase (though the "bartender" was often off duty during port calls). There are some nice touches here, including Frank Sinatra tunes, frosted glass and metal detailing throughout, and sleek black monitors and keyboards (the actual connection is touch and go, though). Sit in the first few seats on either the left- or right-hand side upon entering if you enjoy people watching while waiting for your e-mail to download. Access is 35 cents per minute, which sounds cheap, but printing will soak you $1 per page (so print out your Cruise Critic port profiles before you leave home). Wireless access is available to laptop users who purchase a code at the Purser's Desk; access is $10 per 30-minute block, and signals are available in the Internet Cafe and the atrium area.
The Library is a cozy reading room with an extensive collection of fiction and non-fiction books, as well as CDs and listening stations (comfortable chairs with a space to plug in headsets and built-in CD players -- you can check out CDs from the library or you use your own), and a cluster of computers with Internet access. Directly outside is a Writing Room, an open space with plenty of seating for composing letters and postcards. The Princess Fine Arts Gallery, off of the Grand Plaza on the Plaza Deck, features reproductions and original artwork, available for purchase. Hearts & Minds Wedding Chapel, a small but functional space for vow renewals and the like, doubles as a classroom for free and for-fee Computers@Sea classes.
With so many people onboard, you might think getting around the ship would be difficult, but traffic was light or non-existent pretty much everywhere on the ship -- with the exception of the Promenade area between Club Fusion and the Explorer's Lounge, especially when formal or gangway photos are on display (pay counter is here as well). Getting back and forth, forward to aft, on the Lido Deck can be a bit of a challenge, as you must cut through Horizon Court, an even more difficult feat at busy chow times like lunch. Also, the International Dining Room is located in the dead end of an aft-ship maze I often found myself in by accident. You have to climb back up a flight to Promenade Deck and find another staircase or elevator, midship or forward -- there's no other way out (the medical center is actually directly beneath this space, I finally learned).
Entertainment
The Princess Theater comes alive at night with Broadway-style productions and comedy shows. On this sailing, we caught "Piano Man," a really fun and well-done show with sexy costumes, highlighting hits by artists ranging from Billy Joel to Elton John, Liberace to Barry Manilow. What really packed the house, though, were the comedians (on this sailing, I caught Steve Scott and Kevin Hughes). Both nights I showed up too late to inconspicuously slide into a seat, and so stood in the back laughing non-stop.
With its 42 high-definition video screens, Club Fusion is the perfect space for what seemed to be its best-attended interactive event -- "Princess Idol." A spin on the popular "American Idol" television series, several rounds occur throughout the cruise. Contestants sing karaoke-style on the stage area, and are displayed on screen intermittently with messages for the audience like "make some noise" -- always fun, though the talent was often questionable. After Princess Idol, disco and old-school dance numbers ("Brick House," anyone?) run well into the evening, though few people stick around; most night owls head up to Skywalker's for dancing and stargazing.
The Asian-themed Grand Casino is a marriage of Vegas glitz and Far East glamour, with images of gondolas on the earth-toned walls surrounding clanging slot machines and gaming tables. Chips may be charged to your stateroom account, but be aware there is a three percent surcharge for this. After several visits to the casino I was ready to throw in my gambling towel, until I had a stroke of (albeit modest) luck on the triple-cherry quarter-slot in the far right corner -- martinis at Crooners were on me that evening! Note: Grab a change bucket before you sit down, or else you'll have to carry your winnings to the counter in cupped hands; the buckets aren't scattered about the room conveniently, at least not by the last sea day.
On the activities front, Sapphire offers a medley of the usual suspects like line dancing classes, art auctions, cooking demonstrations (complete with a galley tour), shopping seminars and onboard movie-viewing -- I found a group enthralled by "Master and Commander" in the Explorer's Lounge during a day in port. Also worth checking out: Ceramics@Sea, where you can purchase a piece of earthenware (prices fall in the high teens and low twenties), and decorate with an unlimited supply of paints and supplies at your disposal; return (to the Conservatory) as many times as you'd like or need to complete your piece. For the best selection, attend a session early in the week. I showed up close to the end of the cruise (a good mix of children and adults were participating), and all of the picture frames were already works-in-progress. I settled for a flat tile, $18, which works nicely as a trivet/hot plate/kitchen tchachki.
Family
Sapphire's kids and teen facilities (The Fun Zone and Off Limits, respectively) cover nearly 10,000 square feet of space. Programs are broken into two groups -- Princess Kids (Princess Pelicans, ages 3 - 7 and Princess Pirateers, ages 8 - 12) and Off Limits for Teens (ages 13 - 17). Pelicans might spend time painting their own T-shirts, while Pirateers might participate in "Edutainment" programs such as whale-watching and coral reef studies. Teen programs include a spin-off of "The Dating Game" and casino nights. All-ages activities include Shipboard Olympics, pizza parties and karaoke. Advance sign-up is required for port-day activities. An outdoor play area and tykes-only paddling pool are located just outside the center.
Kid-friendly activities take place elsewhere on the ship, too, including a "Wizard of Oz" sing-a-long one afternoon in Club Fusion. Group kid-sitting is available for $5 per hour from 10 p.m. through 1 a.m. Pre-booking is required, and private babysitting is not available.
The number of young children onboard was never overwhelming. In fact, as I already mentioned, the only place I ever noticed an increased kid presence was by the pool areas during the day, where they were happily occupied. I ran into a great number of teens, however, in the evenings, giggling in elevators and hanging around the whirlpools and buffet. They still appeared to be having fun, but were perhaps tired of (or "too cool" for) the ship's organized activities.
Gratuity
Princess assesses a $10-per-day charge automatically to each passenger's shipboard account. Go to the purser's desk if you want to make adjustments -- up or down. Please note that a 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to all bar tabs.
-- By Melissa Baldwin, Associate Editor.
Fellow Passengers
There were a lot of multi-generational groups on this sailing -- families, and older folks traveling with their children and grandchildren -- but very few young couples.
Note: Staff members were wonderful about helping wheelchair-bound passengers on and off the ship during port calls. A team of three helped one woman up a steep gangway (picture a 45-degree angle); she smiled and cracked jokes with them the whole way up.
Dress Code
During a seven-week cruise, there are two formal nights (cocktail dresses, gowns or dark pants suits for ladies, dark suits or tuxedos for men), and five smart casual nights (most men wore a shirt/tie/sports jacket outfit while women dressed up skirts or pants with a nice blouse, shoes and jewelry). During the day, resort casual seemed to be the norm.
Fitness and Recreation
There are five pools (and plenty of poolside bars) onboard Sapphire, including a kids-only wading pool and an adults-only fitness pool. The indoor Calypso Reef & Pool, covered by a retractable crystal magradome, is done up in a coral reef motif, while Neptune's Reef & Pool, a spacious open-air area with colorful mosaics and lots of space for tanning, fills the ship's full-size outdoor pool requirement (both are located on the Lido deck). There is also an out-of-the-way Terrace Pool at the aft end of the ship on the Aloha deck just below.
Nowhere else on the ship did I feel as much of a kid-presence as I did by Neptune's, whether sunny or overcast. Plenty of adults mill around this area -- enjoying a snack, reading a book or just relaxing -- but seem to favor the whirlpool tubs (there are eight in total on the ship) when it comes to swimming. Still, many a father or fun-loving cruiser can be seen poolside tossing kids into the air and water.
The Lotus Spa is infused with Asian flavor, and perhaps one of the reasons the design is so well executed is that the ship was actually built in Japan. (Sapphire Princess, like Diamond Princess, was built at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard in Nagasaki -- the first cruise vessels to come out of Japan in 14 years.) Camel and sage walls and chairs induce immediate relaxation; tall exotic plants and heavy black doors framing opaque glass transport you to the Far East. Another nice touch? Spa staffers wear black kimono-style frocks accented by big, bright flowers, designed exclusively for Princess by L.A. fashion maven Sue Wong.
Lotus Spa products rate high on the hit list as well. Specialists use the seaweed-based Phytomer line for face and body treatments, Carita for hair care and Creative Nails for manicures and pedicures. The icing on the cake of my basic Princess Manicure was definitely a gentle hand massage with creamy Citrus & Green Tea moisturizer. I couldn't leave without picking up a perfect-size-for-purses bottle of my own -- a steal at $4! There is also an outdoor swim-against-the current pool, a sauna and a heavenly thermal suite where you'll find heated tile lounge chairs with water running through them. (The thermal suite may be used by anyone receiving a spa treatment that same day.)
Sapphire has a high-tech fitness center with 35 cardiovascular stations, 17 weight training stations and 12 spinning cycles; a center court for Ping-Pong, tennis and basketball; a jogging track; shuffleboard areas; and a nine-hole putting course (hours fluctuate). Cyber Golf, a for-fee golf simulator, looked like two claustrophobic cubbyholes in which players aim the ball at an image projected on the back wall. Then again, I am neither a sports fan nor a video game enthusiast, and the gentleman putting there that afternoon assured me he was enjoying playing like Tiger Woods, even if just for a day. Reservations can be made via Princess' concierge service.
Also neat: look for the super-sized chessboard, with pawns and other playing pieces nearly as tall as some of the ship's younger guests!
Cabins
This ship, like all of the relatively recent builds in Princess' fleet, offers affordable outside and balcony staterooms: More than 70 percent of the ship's cabins are outside, and 78 percent of these feature private verandahs (748 of its 1,337 total passenger cabins). Standard interior cabins, at 168 square feet, feature a roomy closet, shelves hidden behind a mirrored door, bathroom with shower, twins-to-queen bed underneath a mirror surrounded by pastel padding, a small table off to the side for room service or other items, small refrigerator, private safe, and a desk area with large mirror and TV with remote control (unwind to CNN, ESPN, Discovery Channel, movies, Princess programming and more). Standard outside (oceanview) cabins include these same amenities but measure 183 square feet -- and, of course, a view. An outside with a balcony is just that: an outside room with all of the usual amenities, plus a private verandah (237 - 300 square feet).
My mini-suite with balcony (354 square feet) was very spacious, adding a seating area with Pullman couch, cocktail table, bathrobes, corner chair, an extra TV and, of course, a private verandah. However, our Dolphin Deck verandah was anything but "private" -- it is completely visible from decks above as it juts out past the rest of the ship's balconies, the same design flaw we noted on sister ship Diamond Princess (verandahs on the Caribe deck also jut out, though not as far, and are about halfway exposed). Still, there is much to be said about these cabins. Switches controlling pretty much every light are all within an arm's reach of the bed, and pleasant sea-inspired artwork dresses the walls. Turndown service is available to all cabin categories, and is quite lovely with different chocolate-y treats left behind each evening. Suites include whirlpool tubs and a wet bar, and a grand suite clocking in at 1,329 square feet will get you a separate dining area and personal computer.
Bathrooms are quite comfortable (particularly in mini-suites and above with their full tubs), and stocked with Lotus Spa-original shampoos, soaps, conditioners and creams. The hair dryer (available in all cabins) isn't wonderful; I wish I'd had room in my suitcase to pack my own. Balcony furniture consists of a plastic patio table and two chairs, plus two padded lounge chairs (also plastic, but sturdy) and a tiny center table for ashtray, snack tray...whatever. Verandahs become slightly fancier (teak, etc.) as one moves up the suite scale.
There are two connecting family suites on this ship (each with two bathrooms), and 27 handicap-accessible cabins.
Dining
Dining options are seemingly endless onboard Sapphire Princess. There are five main dining rooms -- the set-time, set-seating International Dining Room, and four specialty restaurants for passengers who've chosen "Anytime Dining."
Personal Choice Dining is more of a restaurant-type option; in this case you can eat in any of four, themed (no surcharge) dining rooms, and you can eat whenever you like and with whom you like. Want to have a table for two one night and a table for eight the next? No problem. Want to eat at 6 p.m. one night and 8 p.m. the next? No problem. The only catch is the themed dining rooms get filled up, and reservations are suggested.
One change made by Princess about a year after launch is that all restaurants, even the specialty dining rooms, serve the same menu (each menu does include a smattering of themed cuisine) but the rooms themselves still offer unique ambiences.
The specialty restaurants are Santa Fe, Pacific Moon and Vivaldi (after 7:45 p.m. only). The former Sterling Steakhouse has been renamed the Savoy.
Added in the restaurant makeover was Princess' signature Sterling Steakhouse; it's located in an unused-at-night section of the Horizon Court buffet area. The space features a more elegant evening look -- and the same menu as the rest of the fleet's Sterling Steakhouses. Service charge is $15.
Note: If you are going the "Anytime Dining" route, you should still stop by the International Dining Room for waiter-service breakfast (or lunch) at least once, which is a nice way to start the day. Also, check out afternoon tea (available daily in one of the main dining rooms), an affair with piping hot tea, petite sandwiches and delicious homemade treats. I walked out after scones and jam feeling (almost) like British royalty.
Even with all of these options, dining at Sapphire Princess' specialty restaurant, Trattoria Sabatini, is not to be missed and is more than worth the $20 per-person cover charge. Go hungry. Service everywhere is excellent, but service here is beyond superb. After ordering our meal, Max, our waiter from Italy, thanked us in Italian (grazie) -- and grinned when I replied, "you're welcome" (prego). The walls are adorned with faux semi-circle windows "overlooking" a painted Mediterranean landscape. This dining experience is a godsend for poor decision makers like myself, who can sit in front of a menu for hours and still feel indecisive -- all you need to order here are your soup (try the cioppino, loaded with fresh shellfish) and your entree (choices range from champagne butter-brushed lobster to tender veal chop). All other courses arrive automatically, including hot and cold appetizer plates, three types of pasta, salad, and poured-at-the-table olive oil for dipping warm focaccia bread. Oh, and you can also choose from a variety of decadent desserts such as tiramisu and cannoli -- if there's room!
Though lines to get into restaurants were generally short, making reservations will further guarantee speedy seating. I had reservations each night during the weeklong cruise and only stood in line once (for Pacific Moon) -- and even then for less than five minutes. Still, many diners without reservations reported waiting only five minutes or so for a table. Reservations can be made for any of the ship's dining rooms and Sabatini's through the Princess Concierge Service. But be aware that booking a "table for two" doesn't necessarily guarantee privacy. My companion and I were looking forward to a romantic meal at Pacific Moon, but we were seated at a long bench-style table, sandwiched between two rather boisterous couples. If you are looking to dine a deux more intimately, book early and specifically ask for a secluded table, or just order in room service.
For more casual dining, visit the 24-hour Horizon Court, with plenty of indoor and outdoor (on the connecting Horizon Terrace) seating. Horizon Court offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, served buffet style, plus a full-service bistro menu from 10:30 p.m. until 4:30 a.m. While round-the-clock dining was ultra-convenient, the food (aside from a really nice breakfast spread) was shy of spectacular, with less selection than some lido buffets at which I've eaten, and during my three visits there at varying times of the day, I was not once approached for drink service.
Sundaes ice cream bar offers ice cream and frozen yogurt sundaes from under $5, all Haagen-Dazs. Create your own by selecting a flavor and toppings (like whole chocolate chip cookies and Caribbean rum cake), or order from their menu of concoctions. Prego, a popular poolside pizzeria, serves paper-thin, hot-from-the-oven slices. Choose from plain cheese, pepperoni or their "designer" pizza of the day -- I particularly enjoyed the four-cheese, no-sauce variety. Also serving up poolside goodies is the Trident Grill, where you'll find (delicious) hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie burgers, grilled chicken, fries and all the fixings. A great place to sit and enjoy these meals is at the long bar-style table behind a waterfall by Calypso Reef & Pool.
Twenty-four-hour room service is available, and includes standard fare: deli and club sandwiches, salads, soup of the day, grilled burgers and cheeseburgers, and a few dessert items. If you have a sweet tooth, order the "chocolate chip cookie" for dessert. I did, expecting just one, and received a plate of four tasty treats -- two traditional chocolate chip cookies and two chocolate chocolate chip cookies. There are no hot breakfast items or egg dishes available through room service, just a continental breakfast of cereal, pastries, fruit, coffee, tea, milk and juice (fill out the form left in your stateroom the night before, and make sure you check off everything you need -- including milk for your cereal). Delivery is prompt, and the food is simple and good. Select wines and champagnes are available for purchase via room service, as well as several liquor-and-mixer specials for $15, and 6-for-5 beer and/or wine packages. Canapes and snacks are available for purchase to accompany your cocktails, from guacamole and chips to pate de foie gras. |
