HMSDingy

I should have looked at what we get with the Plus Beverage Package which is included and there are a lot of items that we would normally buy like the specialty coffees and teas, to name a few. I'll probably just add it our our cruise fare seeing that Princess has a favourable CAD to US exchange rate.I also forgot to factor in the 18% gratuities for the drinks and wine we purchase. All told, what we would spend vs the Plus, the Plus comes up on top because of the extras. In any case, our cruise is in August of 2024 we still have plenty of time to mull it over.

It includes the Plus Beverage Package which right there will save us on our cocktails and drinks as well as beer for myself. I think in the end, it will work for us.

Not really a hassle but you're right about the cost. The Plus gives me a 25% off on wine per bottle even at that. it may be more expensive. I would calculate $1000 for the wine based on an average price of $50 per bottle x 20 days, plus CA and maybe 4 drinks per day @$15 for $60 x 20 = $1200, which gives me the same total. With Plus, I would have to add on the cost of wine and at 25% less, about $750 to add on to the $2400.

I re-calculated and Plus might just work for us. As I've stated before, we always have a bottle of wine at dinner and pre-dinner cocktails along with a drink or two in the evenings. If I'm allowed to pick up wine at all of the ports, then all I would have to pay is the corkage fee. But even at that, I'll probably pass the $2400 we would pay for a 20 day cruise. Correct me if I'm wrong, and my new calculations don't even include wi-fi and the extras, but my calculations would be: CA = 32/day x 20 = $640 corkage on 20 bottles of wine = 20 x $20 = $400 drinks = ~6/day @$15 = $90 x 20 = $1800 Total = $2840 I also may not always pick up bottles ashore and that would raise the amount close to $3000.

Thanks for the detailed response. In our case we are booked on a 20 day cruise and by taking Plus our calculations would be double your amounts with also have $65 left over per day The difference for us is that we always have a bottle of wine at dinner and the current Princess price lists have the cheapest wine at $45 which leaves us $20 per day. Even if we buy bottles at the various ports, we're still paying the corkage fee of $20 for $45 left over. We're not heavy drinkers but we usually have a cocktail before dinner and I like to occasionally have a beer with my lunch. I don't think the ls would work for us.

$15 for us Canadians.

Then I'll go with booking on my own. I also find it ridiculous to price this way. Every time I've booked hotels, it's per room, rarely per person unless it's an all inclusive resort.

For our European cruise next year, I checked decent hotels in Barcelona pre-cruise and the best I could find was at 105 €. To that I would have to add about 40 € per trip to and from our hotel. That would make it roughly 185 € which will probably change the closer we get to our cruise. On the Princess website, they have a hotel in Barcelona priced at $209 US which includes transfers. If I factor in the current exchange rates to compare the fares in CAD, we're looking at $271.95 for booking ourselves and $280.06 booking with Princess. If Princess keeps these rates, then I'd book with Princess.

I booked my 2024 cruise with a TA I've used before and not only did ee get the cabin we wanted but was able to get a better one at a later date.

I've seen a similar thread but the last entry was in 2014. We're booked on the Island Princess and have a "bumped" balcony cabin on deck 12. Has anyone had such a cabin and what is your experience. I've seen exterior images of our cabin & it doesn't have a covering and in full view of your neighbours who aren't bump.

I'd be curious to know if trip interruption covers an relative at home becoming gravely ill and having to return home. My MIL is 86 and in relatively good health but one never knows.

We've booked a Europe cruise in August of 2024 and I hear that Canadians now need a travel authorization to travel to most European countries. Anyone else hear of this?

On our next cruise in 2024 the prepaid onboard gratuities are in Canadian funds and come out cheaper if we were to pay in US onboard. Even though the US dollars fluctuates daily, the amount on the Princess website doesn't seem to change.

Last time we sailed was in 2019 and are have booked on a Europe cruise on the Oosterdam in September of 2024. Our last cruise in 2019 was with HAL and I don't recall if there was a formal night. Is there one and how strict are they on the type of clothing?

We booked a Europe cruise for September 2024 with this promo and got a midship balcony for a pretty good price. Worse case scenario, if we cancel, we lose a whole $2.

I appreciate all of the info but DW and I are Italian and we always have a bottle of wine with our meals. Our next cruise is for 20 days & if we factor in a bottle a day with the current average price of $50 per bottle that's a cool $1000 not including any cocktails we will probably have. We're still thinking about it. But although booked, we have a plan B with HAL and they offer wine packages at affordable prices. We have a refundable deposit so no worries there as we might have a family do we can't get out of at the time of our cruise with Princess. The HAL cruise we MIGHT change to is for 18 days and their wine packages would cost us $500 for 16 bottles. There's always the fact that we're allowed to bring a bottle each onboard & pay the corkage fee, Then maybe buy a bottle at each port we visit and just pay the corkage. I know that decent wines are fairly inexpensive in Europe as I have family there. I realize that this might seem to be apples to oranges for some and I apologize for going on & on.

Right you are sir. Most of the extras in these options we wouldn't use so its a mute option for us. Too bad Princess doesn't have wine packages as some of the other lines do. Our last cruise was with HAL and they offer a wine package.

Sorry if I didn't ask this before or even searched it, but how much is the corkage fee?

Does that mean I can pick up bottles at each port we stop at?

Ok but my booked cruise would go up by about $2000 CAD at $60 US per day. The cruise we're booked is for 20 days. I'm just interested in having bottled wine with my supper, as we did in the past on our other Princess cruises.

If I understand it correctly, the Premier Package at $84.99/day for a 20 day cruise would total $1700. What if you only want a wine package, does Princess have one?

Yes, sorry, typed too fast.

As usual your answers are spot on. We'll fly in a day earlier and stay in Rome pre-cruise. That's what we do for all of our cruises regardless of the departure port. I was just curious and apologize for wasting people's time. Thanks Hank, much appreciated..

Yes it is, that's why we plan on staying in Rome for one day after our cruise.