Tauck River Cruises
Sapphire
- Cruises
- 0
- From
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The verdict
Which should you choose?
Sapphire is an intimate Tauck River Cruises ship carrying 98 passengers, in service since 2008. Scenic Azure is an intimate Scenic ship carrying 96 passengers, in service since 2016.
Choose Sapphire if you want more culture, better-rated dining or a more romantic trip: it outscores Scenic Azure for cultural (9.5 vs 7.0), dining (8.5 vs 7.0) and romantic (9.0 vs 8.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Scenic Azure if you want more of a party, a better-rated spa and gym or a newer ship: it outscores Sapphire for party (5.0 vs 3.0) and spa & fitness (5.0 vs 3.5) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its maiden voyage was in 2016 (vs 2008).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Sapphire | Scenic Azure | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Tauck River Cruises | Scenic |
| Ship size | Intimate | Intimate |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2008 | 2016 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2017 | — |
| Gross tonnage | 2,000 | 1,780 |
| Passengers | 98 | 96 |
| Crew | 36 | 36 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 20.4 (better) | 18.5 |
| Cabins | — | 48 |
| Decks | 4 | 4 |
| Length | 361 ft | 262 ft |
| Beam | 37 ft | 38 ft |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 9 / 10 | 10 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | — | 3 |
| Upcoming sailings | — | 57 |
| Cruise lengths | — | 7 to 10 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | — | $4,952 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Sapphire leads on 3 of the ten, Scenic Azure on 5, with 2 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Tauck River Cruises
Sapphire
The river cruise ship ms Sapphire from Tauck glitters along the waters of the River Seine as it explores France's from its rural villages to Normandy’s beaches and Monet’s Giverny.
Scenic
Scenic Azure
Scenic Azure from international travel brand Scenic launched in April 2016 with a custom-built design tailored to navigate the picturesque Douro River of Portugal and Spain.
Sailing now
3 cruises on sale, from $4,952.
Questions
Sapphire or Scenic Azure?
Which is bigger, Sapphire or Scenic Azure?
Sapphire is bigger at 2,000 gross tons, against 1,780 gross tons for Scenic Azure. Sapphire carries 98 passengers and Scenic Azure carries 96.
Which ship is newer, Sapphire or Scenic Azure?
Scenic Azure is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2016 against 2008 for Sapphire.
Which has more space per passenger?
Sapphire, with 20.4 gross tons per passenger against 18.5 on Scenic Azure. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
They are level, with one crew member for every 2.7 passengers.
Which is better for families?
Scenic Azure scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 5.0 out of 10, against 4.0 for Sapphire.
Still deciding?
Tell us what matters and we will match the sailing
Send your dates, budget and who is travelling, and our partner travel agency will come back to you about Sapphire, Scenic Azure or a ship that suits you better.