Cruise Spotlight
Helping you find cruise ships you'll love
Grand Princess vs Sapphire Princess
The Princess Cruises Grand Princess was built in 1998. It was renovated in 2019. Grand Princess was the largest and most expansive ship ever to be constructed when it debuted in 1998. It's 6 years older than the Sapphire Princess, which was built in 2004 and renovated in 2018.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Grand Princess is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 949 feet long and 118 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.6 football fields, as wide as 2.2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 17-story building. Compared to the Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess, the Grand Princess is 7% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Princess Cruises Grand Princess holds about the same number of passengers as the Sapphire Princess based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Grand Princess has less space per person compared to the Sapphire Princess.
| Princess Cruises Grand Princess | Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Grand | Gem |
| Gross Tonnage | 107,517 | 115,875 |
| Length | 949 | 952 |
| Beam/Width | 118 | 123 |
| Passenger Decks | 17 | 18 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,600 | 2,670 |
| Crew | 1,150 | 1,100 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.4 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 41 | 43 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Grand Princess has 15 different dining options like The Salty Dog Grill, Main Dining Room, and International Cafe. Of those options, 10 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 4 options have an additional fee.
The Sapphire Princess has 1 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Main Dining Room, Sterling Steakhouse, and International Cafe. 10 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 4 have an additional fee.
The Princess Cruises Grand Princess has about the same number of dining options as the Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess.
Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.
Restaurants on Princess Cruises Grand Princess & Sapphire Princess
| Princess Cruises Grand Princess | Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfredo's Pizzeria | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Buffet | ✓ | ✗ | |
| Burger & Hot Dog Grill | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Burger & Lobster Grill | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Coffee and Cones | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Crown Grill | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Horizon Court | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| International Cafe | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Main Dining Room | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Prego Pizzeria | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Sabatini's | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Slice | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Sterling Steakhouse | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Swirls Ice Cream Bar | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| The Salty Dog Grill | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| World Fresh Marketplace | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. Alcohol is not included in the base price of this cruise ship. To see if you would save money with a drink package, try our Drink Package Calculator.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Princess Cruises Grand Princess has a total of 5 pools and 8 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
The Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess has the same number of pools as the Grand Princess and the same number of hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Sapphire Princess. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
| Princess Cruises Grand Princess | Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 5 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 4 | 4 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 8 | 8 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 6 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Grand Princess, 75% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Sapphire Princess, only 67% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Princess Cruises Grand Princess | Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Adults-only area (additional fee) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Afternoon Tea | ✓ | ✓ |
| Art Auctions | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Putting green | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sports Court | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Princess Cruises is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Princess Cruises Grand Princess will likely be cheaper than on Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a Princess Cruises ship.
| Princess Cruises | |
|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% |
| Soda Price | $2.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $6.25 |
| Drink Package Price | $77 -$100 |
| Internet Plan | $24.99 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | |
Princess Cruises offers two packages to bundle onboard expenses. The Princess Plus package includes daily gratuities, the basic beverage package, 2 fitness classes, 2 casual dining meals, and internet for $60 per day per guest. The Princess Premier package upgrades to the premiere beverage package, wifi for up to 4 devices per guest, two specialty dining meals, unlimited casual dining meals, unlimited fitness classes, and a photo package for $80 per guest per day.
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Founded in 2020, Cruise Spotlight's goal is to help people understand every aspect of cruising. Plenty of sites focus on the perfect Instagram pictures and marketing fluff. We focus on what really matters: onboard expenses, tips for cruise ships, detailed cruise reviews, and more. Our goal is to provide helpful, unbiased information to new and established cruisers. Over the years, we've helped millions of people get the most from their cruise vacation.
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