Sapphire Princess: Sanitation Record & Health Report
ShipTea Verdict
The Sapphire Princess is a 2004-built Grand-class veteran that just gave the CDC a glow-up moment: after limping in with a 94 on November 16, 2025, she came back on July 21, 2026 with a 99 — an improving trend that's basically a ship saying "I heard you, I fixed it." With only two inspections on the books, the sample size is small, but a 99 is about as close to spotless as CDC scoring gets, and it sits nicely above the fleet average of roughly 95. Refurbished this year and still hauling 2,678 passengers across 16 decks after more than two decades at sea, she's proof that a Mitsubishi-built hull from 2004 can still show up to inspection day looking sharper than ships half her age.
Here's the twist: the sanitation report card says "excellent," but the kitchen report card says "see me after class." A Food Safety Score of 84.0 lands her a "Needs Scrubbing" grade — which is a very different conversation than the CDC number and worth knowing before you build your cruise around the buffet. It's the classic mixed transcript: acing the science test, bombing the pop quiz. Outbreak data for this ship isn't available right now, so we're not going to pretend we know that history one way or another — just flagging that it's a blind spot in the file, not a clean bill.
Who it's for: cruisers who want a well-worn, recently refurbed Grand-class ship with a genuinely strong and improving CDC track record, and who aren't going to lose sleep over a food safety grade that says "room for improvement." Who should skip it: anyone whose cruise vacation hinges on top-tier dining confidence — with only two inspections logged and a "Needs Scrubbing" food safety mark, the Sapphire Princess earns a cautious nod rather than a standing ovation.
Sapphire Princess at a Glance
Sapphire Princess is a Princess Grand-class ship in the Princess fleet, built in 2004 and refurbished in 2025. It carries 2,678 passengers and measures 115,875 gross tons. Sapphire Princess has 49 sailings on the schedule through July 2027, mostly from Tokyo (32) and Singapore (10), most often on 14-night voyages (trips run 7 to 42 nights). The next departure is September 23, 2026 from Boston.
We have 2 CDC inspections on record for Sapphire Princess. The most recent results ran 94 (Nov 2025), 99 (Jul 2026), up 5 points across that span.
Princess Grand-Class Sister Ships
Sapphire Princess has 2 sister ships in the Princess Grand class. Here is how their latest CDC scores compare.
| Ship | Line | Latest CDC score | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Princess | Princess | 93 | Jul 11, 2026 |
| Caribbean Princess | Princess | 93 | Feb 9, 2026 |
Score History
Outbreak Timeline
No outbreaks on record for the Sapphire Princess.
Outbreak history for this ship is not currently available from the CDC.
Environmental Rating: B
Making Effort
Score Breakdown
Friends of the Earth Report Card
USCG Environmental Compliance
✓ Clean environmental compliance record — no MARPOL deficiencies on file.
Needs Scrubbing
Food Safety Sub-Score based on 3 inspections with item-level data.
Food Inspection Breakdown
Item-level deductions from the most recent inspection with detailed data.
| Item | Category | Type | Deducted | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #11 | Employee Health & Illness Management | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #12 | Employee Cleanliness & Handwashing | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #13 | Food Safety Management & Knowledge | Critical | -3 | 5 |
| #14 | Employee Appearance | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #15 | Food Sources & Receiving | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #16 | Food Temperature & Time Control | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #17 | Food Protection & Prep Practices | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #18 | Cross-Contamination Prevention | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #19 | Food Storage & Handling | Non-Critical | -2 | 2 |
| #20 | Food Display & Service | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #24 | Food-Contact Surface Cleaning | Critical | -3 | 5 |
| #25 | Wiping Cloths Cleanliness | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #26 | Equipment Sanitization | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| Total Food Deductions | -8 | 50 | ||
⚠ 6 points deducted from critical food safety items.
How Is This Calculated?
The Food Safety Sub-Score extracts deductions from 13 food-specific CDC VSP inspection items (items 11-20 and 24-26) covering employee hygiene, temperature control, cross-contamination, food storage, and equipment sanitation. The maximum possible food deduction is 50 points. Score = 100 × (1 - food deductions / 50).
Crew Treatment: Fair Passage
This score reflects how Princess treats its crew — based on employee reviews, flag state quality, safety compliance, and editorial assessment. All ships in the Princess fleet share this line-level rating.
Glassdoor Employee Rating
★★★★☆ 3.4Based on 1,439 employee reviews
Score Breakdown
Flag State Quality
Sapphire Princess is registered under a Paris MOU White List flag state — the highest safety and compliance tier. Flag State Score: 100/100
Upcoming Sailings
| Voyage | Departs | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 9 nights, one-way from Boston to Quebec City | Sep 23 | 9N |
| 9 nights, one-way from Quebec City to Boston | Oct 4 | 9N |
| 9 nights, one-way from Boston to Quebec City | Oct 13 | 9N |
| 14 nights, one-way from Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale | Oct 23 | 14N |
| 16 nights, one-way from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles | Nov 6 | 16N |
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Should You Book?
Good For You If...
- You want a ship with an excellent latest score (99/100)
- You like ships that are trending upward
Proceed With Caution If...
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Frequently Asked Questions
The latest CDC sanitation score for the Sapphire Princess is 99/100 as of July 21, 2026.
No, the Sapphire Princess has never failed a CDC inspection. All recorded scores have been 86 or above.
No, the Sapphire Princess has no recorded gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on file with the CDC.
The Sapphire Princess has a latest CDC sanitation score of 99/100. See the full inspection history and our ShipTea verdict for a complete assessment.
Based on CDC VSP inspection item-level data, the Sapphire Princess has a food safety score of 84/100 ("Needs Scrubbing"). This sub-score focuses on 13 food-specific inspection items covering temperature control, cross-contamination, and sanitation.
The Sapphire Princess was last inspected by the CDC on July 21, 2026.