Just to summarize this (as a lot of different things have been brought up) and hopefully find some more people that may have clues about this issue:
My family of 5 is booked across a Mini Suite and an interior room. Kids 12, 12, 14. One Parent in each room. We wanted the "Plus Package" (not the plus drink package). I called and had it added just to myself in one state room, and my wife in the other. The net result is still the same as if we were all in the same stateroom, the first two would have the Plus package. Since we are a family of 5, we had to get two state rooms. We are set up the way we want. We are assuming we will have a method for paying gratuities for our kids since the adults already have it paid for by the plus plan.
Now another family traveling with us has more than 2 kids, so the scenario is the same. They booked a Mini suite and an interior room, one adult in each. However, they are being told it is not possible to just have 1 person with the Plus plan in each room. Repeated calls. Still no luck.
Questions:
1. Others have stated that maybe they should just wait until they are on the boat, and take care of it then. Has anyone successfully done that?
2. Does the booking method matter? I booked online, and they booked via an agent we believe. It was a # for someone at the "Cruise Planners". It seems like a travel agent.
3. Does being paid in full matter? Mine was paid full at the time of my request, there's is not paid in full.
This is our first Princess cruise and booking it has not been fun. This whole thing causes a rub for me - because being forced to get the Plus Package for the first two in the room regardless of the situation the family is in seems unfair - as a family of 4 would not have ANY issue related to this, but a family of 5 is already paying a lot more because of getting 2 staterooms and is now having to buy the plus package for 4 people instead of 2. Just does not make sense. It also does not make sense that a child is charged the same thing for plus as an adult.
Once again thanks for all the responses and if you have any thoughts feel free to share.