SAPPHIRE PRINCESS Reviews

We thoroughly enjoyed our selves on the Transatlantic to Boston. Much has been written about our embarkation in Copenhagen, yes it was as bad as they say.

It was a bad ending to two enjoyable days in Copenhagen before boarding the ship. We took the Hop on Hop off bus which stopped directly in front of our hotel the Marriott Copenhagen. We also walked all around the area which is on the water and lots of restaurants and sights nearby. Their breakfast was the most varied and interesting I have ever had at a Marriott, we are Marriott members. I highly recommend this hotel as a place to stay before a cruise, it was short cab ride to the terminal, and a short ride from the airport as well.

The Sapphire Princess is the perfect size, and not crowded. Plenty of seats in the theater and restaurants. We had a mini suite and I can’t say enough about how comfortable and spacious it is for two for a two week trip. We had an excellent steward, and many great waiters in the restaurants, and we tried most of them during the two weeks.

The best was the buffet, the food here was varied and excellent. Our favorite specialty casual restaurant was Churiscuria. We are not big meat eaters, but the salad bar was superb and varied, and I enjoyed the chicken along with my husband. We enjoyed Alfredo’s pizza also and went there twice. Sabatini’s was very good, lots of food a bit too much for us. Crown Grill was our least favorite. We had an odd experience, we made reservations and showed up on time. They told us they did not have a reservation for us. With lots of concern on the hostess face and no promise we could be seated, she left to see what she could do. Then came back and directed us into an almost empty restaurant. I have no idea what the problem really was. The menu was not that appealing to us, but we decided to try something, and were disappointed with my vegetarian meal, and my husband had the roast beef. We also ate in the International Dining room, Vivaldi and Santa Fe. They were all good, the wait staff could not have been better. We went to tea twice in the dining room, don’t miss it. The quiche and deserts at the international cafe are special another must try.

We enjoyed all the shows, the activities staff were really excellent especially Charlotte and Mau.

I did crafts and we both enjoyed trivia, and liars club. The special entertainers on this cruise were exemplary, like the Trawlermen, and Irish band from the UK. All week there was lots to do and see.

I was sorry to see they shrank the library down to a few shelves, and added two offices in the library, Cruise Next and the Loyalty Desk. People on this cruise were carrying books, and lots of reading going on, a nice library adds to the experience. Since it was cold much of the time, the pool both in and out was mostly empty, with lots of chairs.

The ports were great others have described them in great detail, we enjoyed them all especially Liverpool, we did a great bus tour on the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour. We saw all the important sights, and took some fun photo’s at Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane. The ship docks very close to where the tour starts at Albert Dock.

We love a transatlantic and have done a few, this was our favorite so far. We are considering doing it again next year, many different ports, but the best part is it ends in Boston and we live just 45 minutes away.

This was our 14th cruise on Princess, and it met and exceeded our expectations. We really like the smaller ships in the Sapphire class. The Sapphire is in excellent shape with a good variety of public spaces, both indoors and on deck. The indoor pool area is great in blustery, cool weather as on the Canadian itinerary. Service was the best that we can remember. All Princess ships run rather lean with the staff but this ship is very well organized. Our service in the International Cafe and the Main Dining Room (Santa Fe) was excellent. The hostess in the MDR gave us the same table every night and our waiter and junior waiter were extremely efficient. We found the variety and quality of the food in the MDR and Buffet to be very good, with beef and lobster one night at no additional charge. We have developed the habit of eating in Sabatini's on the first night, and had another good experience. We were very disappointed a couple of cruises ago to see the cutback in Sabatini's: the pasta course has been eliminated but the price stayed at $55. Some of the entrees don't even come with pasta - at what is supposed to be an upscale Italian restaurant. It is still a pleasant experience. The ports from Boston to Quebec City are rather low-key, but enjoyable. We saw a lot of lighthouses! A pleasant surprise was Saguenay, both for the enthusiasm of the local people who greeted us and the pleasant and educational walk along the fjord in Saguenay National Park, led by a park guide. We saw two plays in Charlottetown: "Come from Away," based on the hospitality of the Newfoundlanders who hosted the passengers of diverted aircraft after 9/11, and "Anne and Gilbert," based on the Anne of Green Gables books. Both are highly recommended!

This was a British Isles and TransAtlantic cruise. I really enjoyed the ports of Lerwick, Stornoway, Belfast and Liverpool. I believe I would have enjoyed Cobh more but we did a tour to Blarney, which was overrated. The Sapphire was in good condition but I did not really like the layout of the ship. It is quite "choppy". The piazza is a bit small and not much seating, especially when the International Cafe is there and when there is entertainment. The theatre shows we're good. The food was OK but not special, even on formal nights. Variety was lacking. However, the service from the wait staff was excellent.

During the 5 day TransAtlantic, the activities were lacking and boring and since the weather was cold, windy and foggy, everyone was inside making finding a place to sit difficult.

I did appreciate that the upsetting was minimal.

Embarkation was totally unorganized and a lengthy process.

The biggest issue we had was precruise. An error was made in our booking from Princess a year after we booked and communication to get it fixed was impossible and very stressful. The app was not working great all the time and the dining reservations was a nightmare.

We have done 19 Cruises on different lines and this is the only one that was not up to par.

A very good cruise from Copenhagen to the British Isles, and Ireland, across the Atlantic to Nova Scotia and Boston. What kept this cruise from being excellent was a subpar cruise director, poor service in the Wheelhouse

Bar, bland entertainment outside of the main theater, and limited things to do on sea days.

Nice ship, really good food in the main dining rooms (but not the buffet), excellent entertainment in the main theater, good service all around.

One other note: not enough chairs in the atrium. People were taking chairs from the bars to watch entertainment. So, if you wanted a table at the bar, you stood!

Never a problem getting a chaise lounge in the conservatory, good pizza, and coffee wasn’t too bad at the buffet. (But getting a burger at the grill was a challenge. Twenty minute wait!)

Lastly, embarkation was a disaster in Copenhagen. Princess said it was because of immigration, but they didn’t communicate well, and having a set time to show up was a joke. Waited two and a half hours in the chaos. Princess could have given everyone a 25 to 50 dollar credit as a sign of good will, but they didn’t.

Boarding Sapphire Princess in CPH

Arranged for pick up at hotel at 10:30 for our 11:00-11:30 check in time

Taxi driver dropped us off. However could not leave his cab. I had to get a Porter to come over and collect our bags since we are both handicapped. We headed toward the terminal for check-in and was told we could not go in. We needed to go to terminal 1 as they were late getting security set up and it would be a couple of hours. We refused to go to terminal 1 because we had a low charge on our scooters. and were allowed to wait at terminal 2 until they opened. Took a couple of hours. It was the worst embarkation ever. No communication. Got checked in and lead to exit door to right. After line was not moving, had us to go to the oher side of the terminal where we waited in another line in the rain to go through passport control. It was more of a problem with new procedure instituted at the port and computer issues, not Princess related, but communication could have been better.

Sapphire Princess

Love the size with 1000 less pax than the Regal

Easy to maneuver around

Lots of accessible bathrooms

Chair hogs moved indoors to the Piazza during cooler weather.

Loved the Piazza otherwise

No noise bleed to other venues such as Sabatinis and Crown Grill

Love Vines, Good Spirits. International Cafe

Hate location of International Restaurant for afternoon tea. Only way to access is rear elevator down from deck 7

Getting on and off the ship with scooters has been very difficult and challenging. The ramp has a lip at the top that is difficult to get over and then drops.

Can't access the launderette either the way the doors swing and the lips at the thresholds. Dodging housekeeping carts along the way. Will send laudry out in the future.

Haven't found any automatic doors to the promenade deck.

Liked the enclosed and covered Calypso pool area.

We try to avoid buffets, but they seem to be well laid out, but congested to use with scooters. Staff again were very helpful.

Stateroom

Spacious

No automatic doors

No drawers for clothes, just open shelves

Ramp to bathroom and balcony is tricky

Great location, mid forward directly by elevators.

Bed is great and very comfortable. Liked having top sheets

Temperature inside has been warm at times even when turned to lowest setting.

Has USB outlets on lamps bedside. Plenty of outlets at desk. None at nightstands.

Glad I brought battery backup for cpap to plug in to avoid extension cord trip hazard.

Unable to use balcony much due to cold weather. Shallow depth, but wide because of accessible stateroom. No dining table. Small table and ottomans.

Staff and Crew

Exceptional service

Edward in good Spirits

Nanni in Crown Grill

Ching in Sabatinis

Sophie in Vines

Everyone has been so attentive and accommodating

Exception is the front desk was not very sensitive to our needs to get our walkers off the ship on disembarkation day. Answer was pretty much, maybe your steward can help. Put them out the night before and hope you can make it to the bathroom without them. Hope you don't fall and sue us.

Food

Churascaria grill sucks. Took away good steaks and beef and left it with cheap cuts of meats that were very tough and had no flavor. Would never go back.

Crown grill has good filets and lobster tail. Lamb chops are good. Crab cakes .sometimes. Potatoes sucked. Come out cold. A little inconsistent on what comes out, sauces, salt, etc. Seems to be a communication issue between orders.

Sabatinis has been excellent and more consistent. Ching has been exceptional. Branzino was very good

Horizon Court and Grill have been disappointing. Food cold for the most part.

International Cafe has been very good.

Alfredo’s was just OK

Ports

Copenhagen. Spent a couple of days pre-cruise. Lovely lunch in Nyhavn. Visited Amalieborg and saw changing of the guards. Saw the Opera house, city hall, and the shopping street.

Lerwick, Scotland (tender port). Very cold and rainy. The coldest winter day i ever spent was the summer day in Lerwick. Rode the scooter around town. Peeked in some of the shops and back to the ship.

Stornoway Scotland. Still cold. Took shuttle bus into town from the port. Wandered some of the shops. Bought a couple Harris Tweed caps. Saw a street preacher sharing the gospel. Then back to the ship.

Belfast, Northern Ireland. Paid for the shuttle into town. dropped off at city hall. Took the HOHO bus to see the sights. Went to St Georges Market. Very livley. Lost my wife a couple of times around the shopping stalls. Wanted to do the Titanic Museum, but short on time and you have to have advance tickets.

Liverpool, England Evreything was right there by the terminal. Hung out with the Beatles. Saw the Ferry cross the Mersey. Albert Docks. Lots of new mixed with the old.

Cobh Ireland. Passed on kissing the Blarney Stone. Took the train over to Cork. Very convernient, right next to the cruise terminal. Had lunch at a pub. Couln't believe a pub not having fish and chips. Headed to the English Market. Amazing displays of meats, produce, and other delecasies. Lots of shops, but also some rain. Back to the ship on the train. Local Grandparents with their grandchildren who love to ride the trains.

5 sea days

Sydney Nova Scotia (not Australia) that woukd have been quite the deviation. Ha! Saw the giant fiddle, cruised the boardwalk, beautiful sunny day. Had lunch (finally fish and chips) before reboarding the ship.

Halifax, Nova Scotia. Again, a beautiful sunny day. we just strolled the waterfront. Went to the Maritime Museum which was awesome. Zuiderdam was in port with us, but not to crowded.

Then our last sea day befor Boston.

Boston Disembarkation

Did facial recognition and it went very smoothly and efficiently.

Locating luggage in the terminal was a nightmare. None of it was where it was supposed to be. Blue 23 was mixed in with a bunch of other numbers. I enlisted a porter to help for the search. Took awhile but finally found them.

However walkers never made it off the ship and it took a long time to track them down.

Then finding the port agent to handover our Ship &Play bag to, became difficult

All in all, a wonderful cruise with many fond memories.