Cruise Spotlight
Helping you find cruise ships you'll love
Sapphire Princess vs Emerald Princess
The Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess was built in 2004. It was renovated in 2018. It's 3 years older than the Emerald Princess, which was built in 2007 and renovated in 2025.
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 Sapphire Princess is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 952 feet long and 123 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.6 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 18-story building. It's about the same size as the Princess Cruises Emerald Princess.
Number of Passengers
Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess holds 13% fewer passengers than the Emerald Princess based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Sapphire Princess has more space per person compared to the Emerald Princess. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess | Princess Cruises Emerald Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Gem | Crown |
| Gross Tonnage | 115,875 | 113,561 |
| Length | 952 | 951 |
| Beam/Width | 123 | 159 |
| Passenger Decks | 18 | 19 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,670 | 3,080 |
| Crew | 1,100 | 1,200 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.4 | 2.6 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 43 | 37 |
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 Sapphire Princess has eleven different dining options like Sabatini's, Sterling Steakhouse, and International Cafe. Of those options, ten are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other four options have an additional fee.
The Emerald Princess has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Main Dining Room, Coffee and Cones, and International Cafe. nine of these restaurants are complementary and the other five have an additional fee.
The Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess has about the same number of dining options as the Princess Cruises Emerald Princess.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Sapphire Princess might be a better choice then the Emerald Princess. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
Restaurants on Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess & Emerald Princess
| Restaurant | Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess |
Princess Cruises Emerald Princess |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Included | |||
| Burger & Hot Dog Grill | ✓ | ✗ | |
| Burger & Lobster Grill | ✓ | ✗ | |
| Coffee and Cones | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Main Dining Room | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Swirls Ice Cream Bar | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| The Salty Dog Grill | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| World Fresh Marketplace | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| A la carte | |||
| International Cafe | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Vines Wine Bar | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Flat fee | |||
| Alfredo's Pizzeria | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Crown Grill | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Sabatini's | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Sterling Steakhouse | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| The Salty Dog Gastropub | ✗ | ✓ | 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 Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess has a total of 5 pools and 8 hot tubs.
The Princess Cruises Emerald Princess has the same number of pools as the Sapphire Princess and fewer hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Sapphire Princess.| Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess | Princess Cruises Emerald Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 5 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 4 | 4 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | ||
| Total Hot Tubs | 8 | 7 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 6 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive |
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. You might up paying more while on board the Sapphire Princess. Only 67% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Emerald Princess, 80% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess | Princess Cruises Emerald Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Adults-only area (additional fee) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Afternoon Tea | ✓ | ✓ |
| Art Auctions | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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 Sapphire Princess will likely be cheaper than on Princess Cruises Emerald 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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