LONG REVIEW: Sapphire Mexican Cruise - Oct. 17-24, 2009

[ceilidh1]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned regarding the diverted ports is the savings Princess realized by not going to Mexico. PV is 1200 miles south, San Fran is 350 miles north. The way I figure, Princess saved at least 600+ miles, plus related fuel charges!

 

Fair point..never thought of it from that point of view!

[kooljamming]

That's a great idea in theory and would be my preference if it actually worked. Unfortunately, folks seem to automatically get in line regardless and on the few occasions when I did attempt to bypass the stations I had no interest in I was yelled at for "cutting" by fellow passengers. That's one of the reasons I dislike the buffet on the Sapphire - there seems to be no easy way to get around without standing in a line, even when you know exactly where you want to get to!

 

With all the knowledge I gained here, I was ready for Horizon Court.

The second I was heading to the 'right' station I was given the evil eye.

Finally it felt too much like cutting, so I waited in line until I was at the right spot. In the meantime I was pushed and poked by people trying to get by me, while waiting on my omelette. Overall one of the best breakfast buffets. The omelette with sweet onion was delicious.

 

I loved the singing and dancing waiters on Carnival. I loved the Alaskan bake parade in the dining room on Princess. Ok, I love music and dance anywhere. I really missed having a live band by the pool :D

[mikjr]

Ok, I love music and dance anywhere. I really missed having a live band by the pool :D

 

YES... I missed the live music too! The last cruises we were on, HAL in 2008 and Princess in 2007, both seemed to be more lively. Live music around the pool every sea day, and special themed food parties at night; Mexican, Asian, and an outrageous dessert bar one night. All of them featured live music with the band, cruise director and staff!!

 

For some reason, the Sapphire mood was very subdued... and I'm not talking about the passengers and diverted ports. There just didn't seem to be a lot going on. Sure hope it's not a trend!!

[gertz]

We were on the Sapphire last April. These were our impressions then.:D

 

Great cruise overall. 4 different production shows which we loved.

 

MDR food was excellent. Pizza was great. HC was fine.

 

They had an omelette station outside the HC.

 

Drinks in Crooners were not watered down and the price is very reasonable. 007's:cool:

 

Did the UST with Josh CD, outstanding.

If we were to have rated this cruise it would have gotten a 5+.:D

 

Also we just got off the Island in August and it was every bit as good.

[kooljamming]

YES... I missed the live music too! The last cruises we were on, HAL in 2008 and Princess in 2007, both seemed to be more lively. Live music around the pool every sea day, and special themed food parties at night; Mexican, Asian, and an outrageous dessert bar one night. All of them featured live music with the band, cruise director and staff!!

 

For some reason, the Sapphire mood was very subdued... and I'm not talking about the passengers and diverted ports. There just didn't seem to be a lot going on. Sure hope it's not a trend!!

 

Hmmm, something to think about, live music and I am game!

Our cruise made it to Mexico (February 09) and had a more relaxed/subdued/boring mood. My usual time on deck listening to a live band or doing active things was spent on our aft balcony rocking to the sounds on my Ipod. They had line dancing during the day, which was fun but quite crowded. I guess others wanted to shake their legs as well;). This was still a great vacation, just lacking food/taste I really enjoy or the music I treasure on most cruises. The aft balcony was like adding bacon or cream to anything, just has a way of making everything better:D I met a lot of fun, wonderful people, so a subdued/boring mood doesn't make for a boring cruise. The live bands were fantastic and the night club was rocking a few nights until way past 1 am. Having a bit more of the sail-away type atmosphere during the cruise would have been great.

[pg.]

There is one thing I do miss on Princess,, but really enjoyed on Carnival( but it was years ago,, so don't know if they still do it) and that was the Steel Drums band playing on the pool deck during the afternoon and early evening.. that was so tropical and wonderful,,, makes you just want to get a rum punch,,, LOL

[roe2ship]

Does the Sapphire never have a live band at the pool?

[Coco Creek]

Thanks for the review. I was on the Sapphire two weeks earlier and concur with most your remarks.

 

I was really surprised at how little the CD, Billy London, interacted with passengers. I would rank him at the bottom of all CD's I have sailed with.

 

I hated the freestyle dining, but that's just me.

 

I thought the comedians, particularly Derrick Cameron, saved the entertainment.

 

All in all, it is not a cruise I would repeat.

[Christapie]

Thanks for the review. I was on the Sapphire two weeks earlier and concur with most your remarks.

 

I was really surprised at how little the CD, Billy London, interacted with passengers. I would rank him at the bottom of all CD's I have sailed with.

 

I hated the freestyle dining, but that's just me.

 

I thought the comedians, particularly Derrick Cameron, saved the entertainment.

 

All in all, it is not a cruise I would repeat.

 

Wow bummer to read as we are on this next week.....and I was really excited....

[kooljamming]

Wow bummer to read as we are on this next week.....and I was really excited....

 

Take things here with a grain of salt. This is a beautiful ship with a lot to love and enjoy. Go with an open mind knowing good or bad, others vacation experience won't necessarily be yours.

[RickEk]

Does the Sapphire never have a live band at the pool?

 

On our sailing last year on the Sapphire, there was a live band at the pool at sailaway, there was a live band at the pool during the afternoons on sea days, there was a live band at the pool for the Mexican Fiesta night party...

[mikjr]

On our sailing last year on the Sapphire, there was a live band at the pool at sailaway, there was a live band at the pool during the afternoons on sea days, there was a live band at the pool for the Mexican Fiesta night party...

 

I'm curious... did they serve food at the Mexican Fiesta?

 

We had the band at sailaway also. Can't say I remember the band on sea days... but they might have been there.

[mikjr]

Wow bummer to read as we are on this next week.....and I was really excited....

 

I wouldn't let anything you read on the boards bum you out. we all have our opinions... some good, some not so good. A lot of what you read is very subjective... based on past cruise experience or comparisons with other cruise lines.

 

Even though this cruise did not compare to others we have taken... we had a GREAT time!! The ship was beautiful, the food was very good, the service was very nice... and as I said in my review... we were disappointed with some things, but it all worked out well.

 

So... remain excited!! enjoy your cruise!!! And as they always say... any day on a cruise ship... is a great day!!

[Jasperdo]

That's a great idea in theory and would be my preference if it actually worked. Unfortunately, folks seem to automatically get in line regardless and on the few occasions when I did attempt to bypass the stations I had no interest in I was yelled at for "cutting" by fellow passengers. That's one of the reasons I dislike the buffet on the Sapphire - there seems to be no easy way to get around without standing in a line, even when you know exactly where you want to get to!

 

That's how I felt about the Horizon Court buffet area. It's a good idea in theory, but in practice it didn't always work. For starters, the area is small and cramped, and when it's busy, you can't help but bump into people. Second, the way the room is designed, everyone is funnelled into one end of it, which creates an unnecessary line. If I entered through the other end, I would get the evil eye, even though the buffet area is designed to do exactly what I was doing. Go right to the station you wanted, Without having to wait in line.

 

I thought the food at the Horizon Court was excellent, however. Some very good dishes. Much better that typical buffet food. I just wished the buffet area was bigger, and that people would understand that you don't need to stand in line.

[4cats4me]

Wow bummer to read as we are on this next week.....and I was really excited....

 

Don't let it get you down... we just got off the Sapphire about 3 weeks

ago and just booked another on her ... we sail again in 4 months;)

 

We had plenty of entertainment. You just had to look for it, but it

WAS there, and as far as this no live band by the pool discussion, we

had live music by the pool every day! Not all day, but certain hours,

12 - 2 and then of course there were plenty of pool games and activities,

and in between they played piped in music [which was still music]

 

and then the band would resume again from 3:30 until 5:00 I believe.

 

We had lots of active people on our cruise, every showroom was filled

to the gills every night and the Wheelhouse was full of dancers

 

You will have a great time. It will be what you make of it.....

[4cats4me]

That's how I felt about the Horizon Court buffet area. It's a good idea in theory, but in practice it didn't always work. For starters, the area is small and cramped, and when it's busy, you can't help but bump into people. Second, the way the room is designed, everyone is funnelled into one end of it, which creates an unnecessary line. If I entered through the other end, I would get the evil eye, even though the buffet area is designed to do exactly what I was doing. Go right to the station you wanted, Without having to wait in line.

 

.

 

After having been on several Princess cruises, and the Sapphire 4 times,

we were P.O'd that they had closed the center gates to HC on our

cruise last month. I sure hope they're still not doing this when we go

again in February. All it did was create unnecessary congestion, and

if you only wanted one item at peak times, they didn't even want to

let us in! I proceeded in through the out door anyway -- no way was

I going to wait in a line of 40 to 50 people because of a situation they

created. I wonder if they're trying this "new" method fleetwide or if

it was inherent to the Sapphire. We thought surely they'd open the center gates after day one [as has always been the tradition] but

no -- the congestion abounded for the entire week. That was the

only dispositive part of the cruise for us

[RickEk]

I'm curious... did they serve food at the Mexican Fiesta?

 

We had the band at sailaway also. Can't say I remember the band on sea days... but they might have been there.

 

Yes... it was more of a dessert buffet, but there were definitely tables of food and food sculptures.

 

[billet]

After having been on several Princess cruises, and the Sapphire 4 times,

we were P.O'd that they had closed the center gates to HC on our

cruise last month. I sure hope they're still not doing this when we go

again in February. All it did was create unnecessary congestion, and

if you only wanted one item at peak times, they didn't even want to

let us in! I proceeded in through the out door anyway -- no way was

I going to wait in a line of 40 to 50 people because of a situation they

created. I wonder if they're trying this "new" method fleetwide or if

it was inherent to the Sapphire. We thought surely they'd open the center gates after day one [as has always been the tradition] but

no -- the congestion abounded for the entire week. That was the

only dispositive part of the cruise for us

It has been part of the Sapphire process since at least August.

[mikjr]

Yes... it was more of a dessert buffet, but there were definitely tables of food and food sculptures.

 

 

WOW... we had NOTHING like this on our cruise. very disappointing!!

 

Maybe they figured since everyone was already ticked because we didn't make the Mexican ports... they'd just forget the good stuff and save the money!!

[Jasperdo]

After having been on several Princess cruises, and the Sapphire 4 times,

we were P.O'd that they had closed the center gates to HC on our

cruise last month. I sure hope they're still not doing this when we go

again in February. All it did was create unnecessary congestion, and

if you only wanted one item at peak times, they didn't even want to

let us in! I proceeded in through the out door anyway -- no way was

I going to wait in a line of 40 to 50 people because of a situation they

created. I wonder if they're trying this "new" method fleetwide or if

it was inherent to the Sapphire. We thought surely they'd open the center gates after day one [as has always been the tradition] but

no -- the congestion abounded for the entire week. That was the

only dispositive part of the cruise for us

 

It seems like the center gate was closed sometimes, and open at other times, when we were on the Sapphire back in February. I see no reason for doing that. The buffet is designed with numerous individual serving stations, and yet, instead of spreading everyone out, they allow lines to form. I feel that Princess needs to address this problem by having wait staff inform people to use all 3 entrances when they see a line form.

[mikjr]

It seems like the center gate was closed sometimes, and open at other times, when we were on the Sapphire back in February. I see no reason for doing that. The buffet is designed with numerous individual serving stations, and yet, instead of spreading everyone out, they allow lines to form. I feel that Princess needs to address this problem by having wait staff inform people to use all 3 entrances when they see a line form.

 

The center gate was closed the whole time during our cruise. It would have been nice to have had it open.

 

I also noticed that, given the flu issue, the only place they had Purell dispensers was at the Horizon court. some ships we've cruised lately have had them outside ALL the food restaurants.

[ceilidh1]

The center gate was closed the whole time during our cruise. It would have been nice to have had it open.

 

I also noticed that, given the flu issue, the only place they had Purell dispensers was at the Horizon court. some ships we've cruised lately have had them outside ALL the food restaurants.

 

We were on the Sapphire in May and then again in September. The centre gate to the buffet was never open on either cruise and you were only allowed in one gate and out the other (which gate was in and which was out seemed to change constantly). Thus, a line formed and you actually had to cut through the middle of it to get out of the buffet area with your food. Thankfully, the food was excellent but getting it was a real pain!

[tequilasunrise]

Iany day on a cruise ship... is a great day!!

 

I second that!!!:D The rest is just details.

[watergal]

We sailed on the Sapphire last year and found similarities to your experiences.

The cocktails are diluted, specifically the 'fruity' ones. I like vodka martinis but they were disappointing and I have to agree that if Princess would offer a half-decent drink at an affordable price, there would be no issue re bringing alcohol on board. They charge exorbitant prices for their pictures, alcohol and half-decent coffee - perhaps they should rethink this approach. All-Inclusives such as Sandals provides first class - everything! Don't have to pay for additional food/services, it's included. Good booze; good food; good service; good - everything. I am also not surprised at the 'poll' with regard to who gave the best service. Did Princess not see a pattern? Those who have to rely on 'tips' gave the best service while those who are salaried such as cruise directors, could care less if you like them or not....and mostly ...not!:(

[Coco Creek]

Wow bummer to read as we are on this next week.....and I was really excited....

 

Did not mean to bum you out before your trip. There were aspects of the trip that I thought were sub-par and the itinerary was not appealing to me.

 

That does not mean that the trip will not a big plus for you.