Booked Basic Fare -will test "pay as you go"

[isosika]

We booked B2B 14-day cruises using Princess Plus.  Here is how I looked at the $40 per day that it cost us.  We are Princess Elite doe Wi-Fi is discounted and included here at the discounted rate.

 

$40 minus discounted Wi-Fi $5/day = $35.

$35 minus daily crew gratuity of $14.50 = $20.50

$20.50 minus two beers per day (I don't drink much) @$6.25 each for $12.50 - $8.00

$8.00 used to grab sodas/ water bottles for excursions = $0 and maybe savings $$$.

[wowzz]

25 minutes ago, isosika said:

We booked B2B 14-day cruises using Princess Plus.  Here is how I looked at the $40 per day that it cost us.  We are Princess Elite doe Wi-Fi is discounted and included here at the discounted rate.

 

$40 minus discounted Wi-Fi $5/day = $35.

$35 minus daily crew gratuity of $14.50 = $20.50

$20.50 minus two beers per day (I don't drink much) @$6.25 each for $12.50 - $8.00

$8.00 used to grab sodas/ water bottles for excursions = $0 and maybe savings $$$.

Two beers a day ! 

I obviously live in a parallel universe when it comes to holidays  and beer!

Two beers before lunch, and then start drinking properly in the afternoon.

[cr8tiv1]

When cruising resumed, I was on a 4 and 5 day back to back in October.  My cabin mate did not want to do the Princess Plus so we went without.

 

1.  Paid $5 a day for internet (Elite "discount" that showed up as NON-refundable OBC).

2.  CCL Stock  OBC

3.  NO FCD OBC (too short a cruise b2b)

4.  Small promotional OBC

5.  Had 2 mini bars (suite + elite).  Traded one for 2 coffee cards ($39/each)

6.  Small purchase with 10% elite discount

7.  Suite first night dinner (twice) + gift dinner to Sabatini's

8.  Several visits to Casino

9.  2 bottles of water delivered to cabin every night (suite perk)

10.  Elite Laundry ($0)

11.  Gratuities for a suite.

 

Walked off the ship with less than $25 amount due.  

 

Next cruise is 45 days and purchased with Princess Plus (that's another long story about how difficult it was to remove promotion).  I am looking forward to exploring new drinks, milkshakes, and not having to worry about this and that.  I will have a ton of OBC and nothing to spend it on.  I am going to sit back and relax.  A much needed vacation.  To each his/her own.

[sirclean]

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Next cruise is 45 days and purchased with Princess Plus (that's another long story about how difficult it was to remove promotion).  I am looking forward to exploring new drinks, milkshakes, and not having to worry about this and that.  I will have a ton of OBC and nothing to spend it on.  I am going to sit back and relax.  A much needed vacation.  To each his/her own.

"I will have a ton of OBC and nothing to sped it on."

Perhaps add visits to the spa?  Will you need a haircut over the trip?  Perhaps add an excursion?

A Great 'Problem' to have!

[cr8tiv1]

27 minutes ago, sirclean said:

"I will have a ton of OBC and nothing to sped it on."

Perhaps add visits to the spa?  Will you need a haircut over the trip?  Perhaps add an excursion?

A Great 'Problem' to have!

 

No SPA for me....don't go near the area with a 10 foot pole (and that includes the fitness room/gym....haha).

 

Been there, done that, but did book an excursion that I may have to cancel due to altitude.

 

I did see a Swarovski store...hmmm.

 

Thanks

Edited February 13, 2022 by cr8tiv1

[isosika]

14 hours ago, wowzz said:

Two beers a day ! 

I obviously live in a parallel universe when it comes to holidays  and beer!

Two beers before lunch, and then start drinking properly in the afternoon.

 

Not if you have Gout.  Too much alcohol triggers it, then the severe pain and inability to walk set in.  I've found that 2 beers is the limit - unfortunately.

[wowzz]

13 minutes ago, isosika said:

 

Not if you have Gout.  Too much alcohol triggers it, then the severe pain and inability to walk set in.  I've found that 2 beers is the limit - unfortunately.

I fully understand why you need to limit your intake. 

Touch wood, I have escaped the dreaded gout so far.

[JF - retired RRT]

On 2/11/2022 at 6:40 AM, Sentebale said:

Also bought 100 shares of CCL for the $250 OBC, sent paperwork to Princess, sold the shares next day (@$25 gain👍).

 

That could end up being a mistake, if you take more Princess (or Carnival Corp. brand cruises).

 

BTW: we've always done "pay as you go". We don't drink alcohol or soft drinks. Drink the water from the taps. In the past (pre-Covid) didn't have to pay for internet...now we get 50% off & only need one one-device pkg. for both of us. Usually have as much as $900+ OBC for our long cruises, so the only thing that is a charge on our folio is Gratuities.

[Scougs]

I find the package good value, but as has been discussed at length, it all depends on your drinking habits.

 

The two factors that really swing it for me are:

 

- wine with dinner.  I really, really like to drink wine with dinner.  The glasses of wine (at something like $11.50 per glass + gratuity) are TINY. So I will easily use up 3 or 4 drinks at dinner alone.

- cocktails.  One of the joys of being on vacation for me is drinking things I would never drink at home.  The various chocolate martinis in Crooners. Margaritas on deck. Weird and wonderful mixes at Good Spirits at Sea.  All great fun, and you don't worry about what they cost with the package.

 

In the three Princess cruises I've done, I've only reached the 15 limit on two days.  But yes, I have seen people that treat it as a target, not a limit!

[JF - retired RRT]

34 minutes ago, Scougs said:

In the three Princess cruises I've done, I've only reached the 15 limit on two days.  But yes, I have seen people that treat it as a target, not a limit!

🤣🤣

[cr8tiv1]

16 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

When cruising resumed, I was on a 4 and 5 day back to back in October.  My cabin mate did not want to do the Princess Plus so we went without.

 

1.  Paid $5 a day for internet (Elite "discount" that showed up as NON-refundable OBC).

2.  CCL Stock  OBC

3.  NO FCD OBC (too short a cruise b2b)

4.  Small promotional OBC

5.  Had 2 mini bars (suite + elite).  Traded one for 2 coffee cards ($39/each)

6.  Small purchase with 10% elite discount

7.  Suite first night dinner (twice) + gift dinner to Sabatini's

8.  Several visits to Casino

9.  2 bottles of water delivered to cabin every night (suite perk)

10.  Elite Laundry ($0)

11.  Gratuities for a suite.

 

Walked off the ship with less than $25 amount due.  

 

Next cruise is 45 days and purchased with Princess Plus (that's another long story about how difficult it was to remove promotion).  I am looking forward to exploring new drinks, milkshakes, and not having to worry about this and that.  I will have a ton of OBC and nothing to spend it on.  I am going to sit back and relax.  A much needed vacation.  To each his/her own.

Oops….and I hadn’t had a drink…yet. Not 45 days….b2b

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 2/11/2022 at 6:52 PM, venussuz said:

If one person in a cabin gets the alcoholic drink package, doesn't the other person, by default have to?

I believe Princess may allow the other person get the refreshment package. You may need to call Princess to get the deal.

[cr8tiv1]

19 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I believe Princess may allow the other person get the refreshment package. You may need to call Princess to get the deal.

 

Yes, the other is "forced" to purchase the same beverage (alcohol) package.  I tried.

[roxievegas]

We did a 28 day Tahiti cruise out of LA in 2018.  No drink package.  We brought on two 12 packs of diet soda and purchases two cases of water through Princess (I brought on single packets of lemonade to mix in the water and at dinner added the lemonade to the glass of water).  We ordered the coffee package for both of us.  We ordered a glass of wine with dinner a couple of times during the cruise.  We paid the gratuities upfront and ordered the internet and when we were done, the additional cost was maybe around $200 for our on board purchases

 

If you want to save money, you can do it.

[fpsphil]

50 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Yes, the other is "forced" to purchase the same beverage (alcohol) package.  I tried.

I don’t think there’s a force to buy the package based on the terms and conditions

[cr8tiv1]

24 minutes ago, fpsphil said:

I don’t think there’s a force to buy the package based on the terms and conditions

 

Do all 4 guests in a stateroom receive the Premier Beverage Package, Wi-Fi and crew appreciation?
YES. When this fare is selected, it will automatically be defaulted to all guests in the stateroom. The third and fourth guests can opt out of this package by calling Princess or their travel advisor. For guests under the legal drinking age, the Premier Coffee & Soda Package will be applied before sailing.

 

I'm not sure we are referring to the same packages.  But when buying the Premium Beverage Package, passengers 1 and 2 must both purchase the package.  

[fpsphil]

13 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Do all 4 guests in a stateroom receive the Premier Beverage Package, Wi-Fi and crew appreciation?
YES. When this fare is selected, it will automatically be defaulted to all guests in the stateroom. The third and fourth guests can opt out of this package by calling Princess or their travel advisor. For guests under the legal drinking age, the Premier Coffee & Soda Package will be applied before sailing.

 

I'm not sure we are referring to the same packages.  But when buying the Premium Beverage Package, passengers 1 and 2 must both purchase the package.  

 

I think that's the T&C of Princess Plus. The Premier Beverage Package which I posted doesn't have that language in it. Also the fact it clearly states one drink per order is the kind of control that would make it allowable for only one passenger in the cabin to have it (slows down the ability of people to share it). Also the regular soda package also has the exact same language in it.

 

Edit: From another site: 

On Princess cruises, does every person need to get the same package?

Most cruise lines require that if one person has a drink package, then everybody in the cabin must have one. However, on Princess Cruises that is not the case. You may buy a drink package for only one person if you wish.

Edited February 13, 2022 by fpsphil

[voljeep]

if you book the "Princess Savers Fare" - then yes - one person in the cabin can purchase the Premier Beverage Package, and the other person does not have to purchase the package

[fpsphil]

1 minute ago, voljeep said:

if you book the "Princess Savers Fare" - then yes - one person in the cabin can purchase the Premier Beverage Package, and the other person does not have to purchase the package

Which is what I booked. The saver fare was over $500 dollar per person difference for Cabo in April. When factoring in the fact my GF maybe has 1-2 drinks per day max its way cheaper to not do plus.

[voljeep]

5 minutes ago, fpsphil said:

Which is what I booked. The saver fare was over $500 dollar per person difference for Cabo in April. When factoring in the fact my GF maybe has 1-2 drinks per day max its way cheaper to not do plus.

so, just to be clear, you both will be doing pay as you go, correct?

 

and also both be paying for gratuities, and possibly wifi?

[fpsphil]

Just now, voljeep said:

so, just to be clear, you both will be doing pay as you go, correct?

 

and also both be paying for gratuities, and possibly wifi?

Doing the premier package for myself as I drink alot and will take full advantage of it, everything else we will be paying as we go and will get a single 4 device pack of wifi to share across us. Also got $75 per person OBC with the fare so that will cover my GF's drinks if she decides to have any.

 

Would normally do the Plus but with the deal I got it did not make sense to do it. Alaska in May for example it was 350 per person more to do it with plus so we both have plus.

[voljeep]

4 minutes ago, fpsphil said:

Would normally do the Plus but with the deal I got it did not make sense to do it.

so, for you $70 per day for the drink package, $15 or so for grats each, and a wifi package.

you must have got a great deal - casino ? friends or family ?

 

[fpsphil]

Just now, voljeep said:

so, for you $70 per day for the drink package, $15 or so for grats each, and a wifi package.

you must have got a great deal - casino ? friends or family ?

 

 

Not sure but it showed up on my account when I log in now.

[Ombud]

23 minutes ago, fpsphil said:

 

Not sure but it showed up on my account when I log in now.

Wow!! Not nearly as great for solos!! This is the only one where I'm cutting it close but still not worth $720. And yes, 2 bottles isn't enough. Maybe doing 3. 

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, roxievegas said:

If you want to save money, you can do it.

Not much of a holiday though !