Princess Cruises
Island Princess
- Cruises
- 34
- From
- $529
Ship comparison
Island Princess vs Sapphire Princess
Princess Cruises
Sapphire Princess
- Cruises
- 107
- From
- $228
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Island Princess is a large Princess Cruises ship carrying 2,214 passengers, in service since 2002. Sapphire Princess is a large Princess Cruises ship carrying 2,670 passengers, in service since 2004.
Choose Island Princess if you want more of a party or a more active cruise: it outscores Sapphire Princess for party (6.5 vs 5.0) and active (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Sapphire Princess if you want a lower starting fare or more cruises to choose from: its cruises start from $228 (vs $529) and it has 107 cruises on sale (vs 34).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Island Princess | Sapphire Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Princess Cruises | Princess Cruises |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2002 | 2004 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2009 | — |
| Gross tonnage | 95,627 | 115,875 |
| Passengers | 2,214 | 2,670 |
| Crew | 900 | 1,238 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.5 | 2.2 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 43.2 | 43.4 (better) |
| Decks | 16 | 13 |
| Length | 965 ft | 952 ft |
| Beam | 122 ft | 121 ft |
| Speed | 24 mph | 25 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 7 / 10 | 8 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 34 | 107 |
| Upcoming sailings | 92 | 113 |
| Cruise lengths | 4–50 nights | 2–42 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $529 | $228 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Island Princess leads on 3 of the ten, Sapphire Princess on 2, with 5 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Princess Cruises
Island Princess
Princess Cruises's Island Princess was built to Panamax size. This means she can offer you the exclusive experience of sailing through the Panama Canal!
Highlights
- Travel Europe, and visit Cannes, Mykonos, Barcelona and Venice on an Island Princess Mediterranean cruise.
- Ogle the engineering feat that is the Panama Canal, right from your stateroom or balcony!
- Swim against the current in the lap pool or practice your putting on the nine-hole putting green.
- What could be more exhilarating than watching a first run movie under the stars at sea?
Sailing now
34 cruises on sale, from $529.
Princess Cruises
Sapphire Princess
Sapphire Princess from Princess Cruises is the perfect ship for sightseeing, featuring more than 700 balconies from which passengers can step out and enjoy the refreshing ocean breeze.
Highlights
- Cooking demonstrations and photography classes via ScholarShip@Sea
- Rest and relaxation in the Lotus Spa
Sailing now
107 cruises on sale, from $228.
Questions
Island Princess or Sapphire Princess?
Which is bigger, Island Princess or Sapphire Princess?
Sapphire Princess is bigger at 115,875 gross tons, against 95,627 gross tons for Island Princess. Island Princess carries 2,214 passengers and Sapphire Princess carries 2,670.
Which ship is newer, Island Princess or Sapphire Princess?
Sapphire Princess is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2004 against 2002 for Island Princess.
Which has more space per passenger?
Sapphire Princess, with 43.4 gross tons per passenger against 43.2 on Island Princess. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Sapphire Princess, with one crew member for every 2.2 passengers against one for every 2.5 on Island Princess.
Which is better for families?
Sapphire Princess scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10, against 7.4 for Island Princess.
Still deciding?
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