Sapphire Princess: Sanitation Record & Health Report
ShipTea Verdict
Sapphire Princess is currently riding a 99 out of 100 on her latest CDC inspection, which puts her comfortably above the fleet-wide average of 96.7 (median 98) that we track across all 162 ships in this database. That's a genuinely strong number, and the trajectory makes it sweeter: her only two inspections on record went 94 in November 2025, then a jump to 99 this past July. Officially that's an "improving" trend, though let's be honest, two data points is barely enough to call a trend at all — it's more like watching someone ace the retake after a rough first try. Still, a 2004-built ship fresh off a 2025 refurbishment pulling a near-perfect score is exactly what you want to see after the yard work.
Where things get less shiny is belowdecks in the galley. The food safety score sits at 84.0, earning a grade we've bluntly labeled "Needs Scrubbing" — a notably different story than the sanitation triumph one deck over. It's the kind of split verdict that makes you wonder if the inspectors handed the vessel-sanitation team a trophy and left the kitchen crew a sticky note. As for outbreak history, we'll level with you: CDC outbreak data is currently unreachable for this ship, so we can't tell you it's clean and we won't pretend otherwise — treat that column as a known unknown rather than a green light.
Who it's for: cruisers chasing an Asia-based itinerary who want a Princess Grand-class ship with a recently refreshed interior and a sanitation report that's currently outshining most of the fleet — she's your gal, running heavy rotations out of Tokyo (32 sailings) and Singapore (10), with a brief, almost novelty appearance out of Boston (2 sailings) for anyone on the other side of the planet. Who should skip it: anyone who treats "Needs Scrubbing" as a dealbreaker regardless of what's happening on the sanitation side, or anyone who wants a long, boring inspection history to point to — with only two records logged, Sapphire Princess is still building her file, and this verdict comes with an asterisk until the data catches up.
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 50 sailings on the schedule through August 2027, mostly from Tokyo (37) and Singapore (10), most often on 11-night voyages (trips run 7 to 42 nights). The next departure is November 6, 2026 from Fort Lauderdale.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caribbean Princess | Princess | 93 | Feb 9, 2026 |
| Grand Princess | Princess | 78 | Oct 16, 2026 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|
| 16 nights, one-way from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles | Nov 6 | 16N |
| 20 nights, one-way from Los Angeles to Tokyo | Nov 22 | 20N |
| 34 nights, one-way from Los Angeles to Singapore | Nov 22 | 34N |
| 28 nights, one-way from Tokyo to Singapore | Dec 12 | 28N |
| 42 nights, round-trip from Tokyo, Japan | Dec 12 | 42N |
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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.