First Impression
Upon boarding our riverboat, the 2008 Sapphire was showing its age despite being rebuilt in 2017 with a few added features.
Stateroom (see below)
The biggest disappointment was our Royal Panorama Suite which was anything but and certainly not worth the premium paid. Website photos showed a sitting area with sofa while in reality the room was too small to accommodate this.
On the first night, our air conditioning gave out. Despite repeated attempts by the Chief engineer, the unit could not be resuscitated. Most uncomfortable with the intense heat wave during our cruise.
Moreover, our stateroom, the last one on the port side was subjected to engine noise, frequent vibrations and occasional diesel fumes forcing us to close the balcony window. Sliding overlapping closet doors were annoying as they were tricky to operate. However, the twin beds equipped with individual motors allowed each person to adjust their mattress as desired.