CruizinSusan70

But the OP is on a Plus fare, so.....the OP will be able to get 2 $15.00 three course packages at Alfredo's over the course of their cruise. If shared, that 2 packages would double to 4. These don't have to be redeemed at just Alfredo's but at any casual dining place on board. The problem with the Salty Dog though is the current $18.00 charge that will be reduced to $15.00 is charged per person, so it's implied that sharing would not be allowed since each person is charged. But, it could change to a la carte similar to Alfredo's, and then sharing could possibly work.

Tell us how you really feel. Less kids on Princess is a good thing. But Princess is far from perfect. The buffet on X is 10 times better than what Princess offers , but even with the new changes, the Plus package is a great value for us compared to other lines. That's why we currently have 9 future cruises on Princess booked and only 5 on Carnival, 2 on X and 3 on RCI.

We were on the Discovery for 14 days last year and this week just booked for 15 days in 2025. We loved the ship. We also did two 8 day sailings on the Horizon, which is the older sister of the Panorama in 2018 & 2019. Both sailings we stayed in the Havana area. Had a great time.

I'm also a stockholder. I don't like the changes regarding Alfredo's. We ate there practically every port day and at the MDR each sea day. We were not impressed with the lunch time offerings at the buffet on the Discovery or the Majestic. Nothing like the buffets on the Edge Class of X or the included casual non buffet offerings on Carnival. I learned a long time ago that we don't make the rules, we just play the game. The rules of the game have now changed on Princess and we can react to those changes with our pocketbook. Even with the changes, the Plus package is far and away the best value in cruising, to us, maybe others think differently.

There were a few posts on the boards that mentioned that only 25% of the cruisers use the basic fare while 75% have purchased either plus or premier. If 40% of the basic fare cruisers are mad enough to leave Princess, that is only 10% (40% of 25%). 10% disgruntled cruisers can be replaced with virgin cruisers to Princess, especially with the new family oriented sections of the Sphere Class ships. And of course that 40% that I hypothesized could be very high.

That's why they make vanilla and chocolate. The new ships may not appeal to you, but they are the only ships we will sail on. We've done 14 on Discovery and 14 on Majestic. Have future bookings consisting of 28 on the Enchanted, 15 on the Discovery and 28 on the Sun.

Looking forward to our 15 days on the Discovery in 2025 to enjoy their affogatos.

If they are so large, then many will try to share one for lunch, being able to then only use one of the four credits given per couple.

After factoring out the gratuities and wifi, I believe the balance is 29 per day for all of the non alcoholic drinks, plus the 2 included casual specialty visits, and the included ocean now and room service. Only you can determine if it's valuable or not.

Mike, how can an optional package that you have no interest in purchasing since it brings no value to you makes your cruise a lessened experience? And if you have read all of the posts in this thread, there are a small percentage of non drinkers that still purchase the plus package because it does bring them value with the combination of no n alcoholic options with the grats and wifi.

Alfredo's won't be more crowded, but places like the sit down Salty Dog will be. Cruised on the Discovery for 14 days last year and the most people that we ever saw in the venue were 6, a table of 2 and a table of 4. Most of the time, it was crickets and cobwebs.

Maybe on some of the older ships in the fleet that we will never cruise on, but there are substantially more that 10 tables on the Majestic as well as Discovery. And on the Discovery for 14 days last year, sea day lunch time waits were over an hour for lunch, so we decided to just go to the MDR and enjoy Alfredo's on a port day when it was easier to get in without a long wait.

Peruse the boards of all of their competitors. Long time cruisers of just about every cruise line are complaining about one thing or another. The grass is not always greener elsewhere. But, if you have not cruised on X or Y before and you give them a try, you don't know what you're missing from what was previously offered.

It's not 60-80 worth of only beverages. You're forgetting about the 16.00 per day for grats and the whatever per day for wifi. As drwbrt said, there are a small percentage of people that can consume a lot of non-alcoholic drinks on a daily basis in order to make the plus package valuable to them after factoring in the wifi and gratuities as well.

There are a small percentage of cruisers that the package works for that don't consume a drop of alcohol. It has been reported on the boards that some like to consume the non alcoholic options of the package and combined with the wifi and grats, it still brings them value. There are three different options between the two packages and the standard fare that will meet the needs of all cruisers depending upon what their preferences are.

What other nonsense are you going to try to run up the flag pole and hope comes true? The drink packages on Carnival, Princess and HAL will remain at a 15 quantity limit. Many moderate drinkers have hoped for a lesser limit because they don't want to spend as much. If you don't want to spend as much all you need to do is cruise on Princess and buy the plus package. You get drinks, drinks tips, regular tips and wifi for 60/day. On Carnival, it would cost you over 100 for the same inclusions. 60 for Cheers, 10.80 for drink tips, 16 for grats, 17 for wifi.

Carnival still allows it, but according to your signature you've never cruised on her so you wouldn't know.

So that's a good reason to no longer cruise on a rust bucket and cruise on a Royal Class or, gasp, a Sphere Class ship.

But that glass only gets refilled 14 times.

Carnival Corp consists of nine different cruise lines and a small percentage of disgruntled Princess cruisers that may choose other lines is a drop in the bucket in the overall picture. And of course, many who are puffing out their chest via the boards and threatening to leave for other pastures may not leave at all or if they do may come back with their tail between their legs since the grass is not always greener elsewhere.

Best of luck with that since your next three cruises are all on MSC, LOL.

Then turn the Princess cards into members only purchase and leave it at 10% just like Carnival. This way if anyone wishes to get the Princess cards they need to pony up for a membership.

But it's a cruise ship, so it's 1 ply. 🧻

Gratuities, wifi, all the soda, water and espresso based coffees you would want, two visits to Alfredo's or other casual specialty venues. That's a lot of return, brings a lot of value to many cruisers, even those who are mature enough to enjoy a few adult beverages and have it become no where near the "drunk package" as you call it.

There are frugal cruisers on Princess that only book inside cabins, don't purchase Plus package, bring their own soda on board and try to spend as little as possible, with a small percentage even removing their gratuities. As the costs associated with cruising start to ramp up, they may find themselves at a crossroads. Take the left fork and quit cruising altogether. Take the right fork and you'll have to subject yourself to cheaper cruise lines that are entry level in order to afford to cruise, such as, gasp, Carnival or MSC, the two value leaders that often have rock bottom prices on many of their sailings. In the future when Princess no longer gives that cruiser the vacation value that they have been accustomed to, they may in fact reach that intersection in which they will have to determine if they're going to turn left or turn right and possibly choose a more value oriented ie cheaper cruise alternative.