The
Sapphire Princess
is a cruise ship for the Princess Cruises line which entered
service in 2004. It is one of the largest cruise ships of
the World. The ship currently operates a trans-Tasman
circuit during the southern hemisphere summers, from Sydney
down to Hobart before cruising across the Tasman to Milford
Sound and going around New Zealand up to Auckland.
It was built in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, an
oddity given that most cruise ships today are constructed in
Europe. Its only "sister" ship is the
Diamond Princess.
The ship's hull was originally called the Diamond Princess.
Construction was delayed when a huge fire swept through the
ship during construction. Because the ship's completion
would be delayed, her sister ship which was being
constructed at the same time assumed the role of the
Diamond. This name swap helped to keep the delivery date of
the current Sapphire on time, while delaying the delivery of
the Diamond just a bit.
Year
entering service: 2005
Registry: Bermuda
Tonnage (GRT): 116,000
Cruising Speed: 22 knots (maximum)
Capacity: up to 2,670
Decks: 18 for passengers
Crew: 1,100
Officer Nationality: British / Italian
Cruise / Hotel Staff Nationality:
International
Destinations: Alaska’s Inside Passage in
summer; Mexican Riviera and a variety of Australia/New
Zealand and Asia voyages |