New Princess Plus Fares Coming - Includes Bev Pkg, Grats, WiFi!

[Astro Flyer]

A flyer showing upgrade options to Princess+ amenities.

 

P-plus-retro.pdf

Edited February 29, 2020 by Astro Flyer

[AtlantaCruiser72]

1 hour ago, CarelessAndConfused said:

 

In the meantime, I can't imagine the bad will that will be created if people unknowingly purchase the PBP for $70 a day when they could have had it for $15.

 

 

If you wish to cancel the purchase at any time prior to sailing you can do so and receive a full refund of the purchase price. Princess Plus pricing applies to all sailings departing 4/1/20 and beyond, so plenty of time to cancel the purchase of the PBP and refare (or add the upgrade code to your existing fare/perks) under the Princess Plus program if desired. 

Edited February 29, 2020 by AtlantaCruiser72

[Adventures ahead]

15 hours ago, Italy52 said:

I wish I could take advantage of the promotions.  However, we only need grats --- we get wifi free minutes from our Princess status and we don't drink alcohol.  The soda we do drink is very minimal so no value to us there.  I wish we could have a code that would give us OBC and free grats----that is something we could use.

 

Between complimentary internet minutes, one mini bar set up and the two bottles of wine we're allowed to bring onboard, we're only interested in free grats and OBC. The '3 for Free' sale, that also includes an upgraded location within your booked category, would continue to work best for us and I'm sure we're not alone. I hope Princess is listening and continues that annual sale.

 

OTOH, happy that Princess is offering fares with packages that will benefit a lot of other passengers. It may also keep them from straying to other lines that have offered similar packages for years.

[Adventures ahead]

Duplicate post.

Edited February 29, 2020 by Adventures ahead

[AF-1]

I guess this is one way for Princess to keep people loyal to their brand

[Italy52]

1 hour ago, Adventures ahead said:

Between complimentary internet minutes, one mini bar set up and the two bottles of wine we're allowed to bring onboard, we're only interested in free grats and OBC. The '3 for Free' sale, that also includes an upgraded location within your booked category, would continue to work best for us and I'm sure we're not alone. I hope Princess is listening and continues that annual sale.

 

OTOH, happy that Princess is offering fares with packages that will benefit a lot of other passengers. It may also keep them from straying to other lines that have offered similar packages for years.

The 3 for Free also works best for us because of our Princess perks.  However, that is not always available when we book --- this new program seems to be available more frequently.  We will probably be going back and forth with Princess and Celebrity (perks that are suitable for our needs) rather than stay more loyal to Princess.  Don't really want to do that but a perk is a perk.

[Coral]

9 hours ago, Astro Flyer said:

A flyer showing upgrade options to Princess+ amenities.

 

P-plus-retro.pdf 331.07 kB · 31 downloads

This is giving people options if they have sip and sail. BSE did not. As always - thanks for posting!

Edited February 29, 2020 by Coral

[voljeep]

4 minutes ago, Coral said:

This is giving people options if they have sip and sail. BSE did not. As always - thanks for posting!

if you want 'any' of the options...drinks, grats, wifi … it now looks like you have to take ALL, as you can't now book a new cruise without Princess Plus, then add BEST2DG, just the drinks, and grats, if you just wanted to use your current 'free minutes' based on your level , platinum or higher 

 

wifi at $ 10 pp pd is not that great of a deal when it costs 2 people $ 100 for a 5 night cruise, without the option of one person getting the unlimited upon boarding , and the other just using their 'free' allocation

 

but for us - we will book it every time it is available and just 'accept' the inflated wifi cost to get the excellent PBP's and the grats that we always pay anyway

 

 

[pcur]

On 2/26/2020 at 7:26 PM, RocketMan275 said:

I certainly hope this is an optional add on package and not something added to all fares.  

Our Big Box store travel agency does this now, even during the GSE promo.  I booked our cruise for this October last year and the grats and wifi were inclusive in the price.  Right now Big Box has the choice of adding drinks/grats/wifie, or just going with the Big Box's onbord credit/store cash card.

[nini]

On 2/27/2020 at 12:29 AM, Mud_Shark said:

I am on the other side.  This offer is of no value to us as non drinkers.  I am concerned this will spell the end of the traditional sales that were of value to us like the 3 for free.  If that disappears, likely we will too.  We have had some great cruises, but also don't mind other vacation plans, so cruising has to attract us with offers that have value.

 

Don

My DH does not drink alcohol, but he does enjoy "Virgin" Pina Coladas, or other fancy

fruity drinks without alcohol, hot cocoa drinks, herbal teas, fruit juices.

 These would add up to a considerable expense without the PBP.

 

So, I always get into some heavy math calculations before I choose which sale/ promotion

is best for us. The gratuities alone for a 7 day cruise are $203.00

We do get WIFI because we are now Platinum, so for example, we opted to not go with

the BSE on our upcoming British Isles cruise because our OBC is actually more valuable

in this instance!

[Astro Flyer]

5 hours ago, Coral said:

This is giving people options if they have sip and sail. BSE did not. As always - thanks for posting!

You’re welcome & glad that those with S&S will now be eligible.

 

I’ll crunch the numbers however like BSE it appears that Princess+ won’t be cost effective for us in addition to our elite benefits. Once we took a river cruise with unlimited drinks so we know the PBP isn’t worthwhile for us even at the reduced price.

[Coral]

13 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

You’re welcome & glad that those with S&S will now be eligible.

 

I’ll crunch the numbers however like BSE it appears that Princess+ won’t be cost effective for us in addition to our elite benefits. Once we took a river cruise with unlimited drinks so we know the PBP isn’t worthwhile for us even at the reduced price.

I took a river cruise with unlimited drinks (and don't drink) and loved not being nickel and dimed. I do have BSE on my next trip. Looking forward to Mocktails, hot chocolate and fresh squeezed OJ on the ship :) It didn't cost that much more to add it on my sailing.

[Tedferg]

15 hours ago, Astro Flyer said:

A flyer showing upgrade options to Princess+ amenities.

 

P-plus-retro.pdf 331.07 kB · 74 downloads

 

5 hours ago, Coral said:

This is giving people options if they have sip and sail. BSE did not. As always - thanks for posting!

Sorry I don't understand these comments. Isn't the flier in first post the add ons to existing booking for BSE ? Don't these go away with Princess Plus ?

 

Coral what are the extra options for Sip&Sail ? Do you mean adding Grats + WiFi to sip&sail ? Isn't this a BSE option ?

 

Lastly I saw somewhere on CC that there is now only one option to add Drinks/Grats/WiFi at $40 pp pd. If that is true isn't that just the same as Princess Plus ???

 

Obviously I am confused 😞

 

[Coral]

10 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

 

Coral what are the extra options for Sip&Sail ? Do you mean adding Grats + WiFi to sip&sail ? Isn't this a BSE option ?

😞

 

Before BSE came out, there was a promo to add to Sip and Sail advertised. The day it came out, it was removed. Those who had Sip and Sail had to re-fare to BSE, they couldn't add amenities. 

 

Thankfully - some friends I look out for, I suggested they re-fare from Sip and Sail to Cybersale and they saved $$$ and then was able to add Sip and Sale and Gratuities the next day. So it worked for them. But it takes someone crazy like me to think through that and look at prices.

[Tedferg]

7 minutes ago, Coral said:

Before BSE came out, there was a promo to add to Sip and Sail advertised. The day it came out, it was removed. Those who had Sip and Sail had to re-fare to BSE, they couldn't add amenities. 

 

Thankfully - some friends I look out for, I suggested they re-fare from Sip and Sail to Cybersale and they saved $$$ and then was able to add Sip and Sale and Gratuities the next day. So it worked for them. But it takes someone crazy like me to think through that and look at prices.

Thanks for the clarification. Separate from your comments, I thought BEST### add ons  were only for existing bookings prior to BSE announcement. It seems, though I did not test this, that one could book new Basic fare and add BEST### to that. I find that surprising. I would also be surprised if one could add BEST### to Basic fare under Princess Plus.

[Coral]

3 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

Thanks for the clarification. Separate from your comments, I thought BEST### add ons  were only for existing bookings prior to BSE announcement.Correct It seems, though I did not test this, that one could book new Basic fare and add BEST### to that. I think you could but that was several weeks ago when I was playing around with it. I find that surprising. I would also be surprised if one could add BEST### to Basic fare under Princess Plus.

 

I was booking a cruise when this came out. I think I had my TA price the base price with adding Drinks and Gratuities. I figured internet was cheap enough to add on my own. But then I decided to just do all  of it so my booking was during BSE.

Edited February 29, 2020 by Coral

[Iamcruzin]

On 2/27/2020 at 10:36 PM, Thrak said:

 

There are also "add on" codes just like the BSE so you can add on to bookings.

 

 

IMPORTANT:

these prices seem too good to be true.  The drink package alone is a la carte cost more than $40. I always pay the gratuity anyway and DW will drink $30 in wine just between pre dinner and dinner drinks this is a no brainer. 

[Iamcruzin]

On 2/28/2020 at 12:39 PM, Thrak said:

 

I think they fear that, with the rollout of this new pricing structure, promotions such as the 3 for Free will disappear. To a great many folks that seems to be the preferred promotion. It's been such a success it would be a shame if it was no longer offered.

Remind me what was included in 3 for free. It never compelled me to book so It couldn't be much.

[Thrak]

3 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

Remind me what was included in 3 for free. It never compelled me to book so It couldn't be much.

 

From the 2019 Promo:

 

• Free stateroom location upgrades - enabling guests to get the best preferred stateroom available within that stateroom type for the lowest possible fare
• Free onboard gratuities, up to a $15.50 value per day per guest for up to four guests in a stateroom
• Free onboard spending money - up to $800 per stateroom, based on cruise length and stateroom category

[kywildcatfanone]

Makes good marketing. Make people feel they are getting freebies and they will spend more, and still feel good about it.  Win/win for the cruise line.

[Iamcruzin]

1 minute ago, Thrak said:

 

From the 2019 Promo:

 

• Free stateroom location upgrades - enabling guests to get the best preferred stateroom available within that stateroom type for the lowest possible fare  I receive this benefit on Celebrity as part of their loyalty program after one sailing with them
• Free onboard gratuities, up to a $15.50 value per day per guest for up to four guests in a stateroom
• Free onboard spending money - up to $800 per stateroom, based on cruise length and stateroom category

Thanks,  I did price out a cruise during this promotion and  as it turned out Celebrity worked out better per day with their pick your perk program.  

[Tedferg]

Posters ask why PBP would still exist. I did a quick check on a 7 day Alaska cruise. This is still BSE pricing so we need to see how Princess Plus / Saver compare. I am guessing they will be close to BSE fares.

 

Balcony 7 Days BSE $1799 Basic $1419 pp. Assume Wifi has no value, it doesn't to us, free Platinum minutes are more than enough. So difference for 2 pax is $760. , I think it is common to buy  PBP for one and Grats for two is $490 and $203 = $693. So $67 saving.

 

This might be contrived and based on one schedule but does show a saving using PBP.

[kywildcatfanone]

They are selling more alcohol overall with these packages, and ultimately make more money as a result. 

[polmcs]

22 hours ago, polmcs said:

Well no issues with the re-faring, but it looks like I encountered a known problem with the shareholder OBC in that it disappeared from my booking. According to Princess, it should come back on its own at some point tonight. I think I’ll spend it on an excursion so it doesn’t disappear on me again. 🙂  

Well no sign of the shareholder OBC this morning. Looks like I’ll have to call Princess on Monday morning to get it restored.

[Tedferg]

11 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

They are selling more alcohol overall with these packages, and ultimately make more money as a result. 

Agree, also both passengers have to take the package so it avoids sharing etc. I have always thought PBP was expensive, it is just about break even for me but does not work for DW. At a reasonable 'included' price it is an easy decision. Even a lower priced PBP that both passengers had to take would be OK.