Which "NEW" Cruise Fare Package Do You Prefer?

[Tedferg]

30 minutes ago, tcdcruiser said:

 

The new additions to Princess Plus (What's New) mentioned above....I cannot find this at Princess.com and it is not mentioned in the Princess Plus T&A.

 

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/beverages/

 

Where can I find this reference?

 

Thx

There is another thread about Princess raising prices on Plus, Premiere - the link there looks like a Press release

[cruzin4us]

Every time I walk by one of the fitness classes, there are always only about 10 people participating.    So my guess is only .0033333333.... percent of the people would take advantage of that.   Stupid call by Princess.

[MissP22]

42 minutes ago, tonit964 said:

I agree with you. I really doubt they read the surveys. I miss the comment cards for the crew because I feel their acknowledgements go unnoticed with the survey.

Princess will keep doing it until people vote with their wallets.

Things will change on a dime when it’s no longer profitable for them.

I always book the plus package as it’s a good value for me and my cruising style but if they keep raising prices/taking things away, I’ll go with Basic fare.

We do also. On our last cruise they were practically pleading with me on the last day of the cruise to mention them in the survey. I suspect that since the cards are gone they're counting on the surveys more than ever. 

Even crew members I had little contact with were asking me to mention them. 

I doubt if I'll ever go for the new package since extra desserts don't mean all that much and I can exercise at my pace just fine. 

Back to basic for us. 

[billco]

1 hour ago, tonit964 said:

I agree with you. I really doubt they read the surveys. I miss the comment cards for the crew because I feel their acknowledgements go unnoticed with the survey.

Princess will keep doing it until people vote with their wallets.

Things will change on a dime when it’s no longer profitable for them.

I always book the plus package as it’s a good value for me and my cruising style but if they keep raising prices/taking things away, I’ll go with Basic fare.

Perhaps people are voting with their wallets and Princess is catering to them.

[RNRcruisers]

This is the first I've heard of the Plus package going up again. I like the beverage package and prepaid gratuities. I really liked them at $40 a day, can handle $50 a day but $60 makes me think hard about it. I'm not sure I drink the extra $10 a day which is all that is valuable to me. Not happy.

 

[MissP22]

18 minutes ago, RNRcruisers said:

This is the first I've heard of the Plus package going up again. I like the beverage package and prepaid gratuities. I really liked them at $40 a day, can handle $50 a day but $60 makes me think hard about it. I'm not sure I drink the extra $10 a day which is all that is valuable to me. Not happy.

 

Just think, you'll be getting two more desserts per day and some  exercise classes for the price now. 😄

[jwattle]

Especially when compared to other lines, Premier still works for us. 

[cruzin4us]

I think the price increase would almost be more tolerable if they just would have said "due to the current market and the cost of inflation, we regret we are going to increase the prices.   We will also will also be increasing the daily gratuities as an incentive to get more crew".    I could have almost stomached that, but the free fitness classes and 2 extra desserts was a stupid reason.

 

[Torfamm]

2 hours ago, cruzin4us said:

I think the price increase would almost be more tolerable if they just would have said "due to the current market and the cost of inflation, we regret we are going to increase the prices.   We will also will also be increasing the daily gratuities as an incentive to get more crew".    I could have almost stomached that, but the free fitness classes and 2 extra desserts was a stupid reason.

 

I agree Princess Plus was a great deal compared to other cruise lines drink packages. I would absolutely have understood a price increase. What bothered me was that the first price increase when Premier was introduced came with a corresponding increase in wine prices that put a number of my regular choices above the price limit for Plus. I wish they’d just raised it $20 at the beginning. I also think this is all a better value for those who take short cruises. Maybe offering a number of specialty dining meals or exercise classes proportionate to the length of the cruise would have been more palatable.

[frogandtoad]

FYI, in addition to the changes to Plus and Premium, here are other changes announced.

 

In addition to the changes to our fare bundles noted above, the following changes will also go into effect with new bookings made on or after Dec 14, 2022:

 

• Crew appreciation: The daily Crew Appreciation charge is based on stateroom category, and effective Dec 14, 2022, will increase to: $16 per guest in Interior, Oceanview and Balcony (was $14.50), $17 per guest in Mini-Suite and Club Class (was $15.50), $18 per guest in Suites (was $16.50) for voyages sailing on or after Feb 20, 2023. Whether included in a fare bundle or paid separately, this daily charge recognizes our crew for exceptional service they provide and is shared among the many members of our crew in hotel, dining and entertainment throughout the fleet. Your clients with existing bookings will have the opportunity to pre-pay the crew appreciation for their cruise at the current rate until Dec 13, 2022.
• MedallionNet Wi-Fi: MedallionNet®, the best Wi-Fi at sea, effective with voyages sailing Feb 20, 2023 and beyond, will be priced as follows: $15 per day for single-device plan; $40 per day for four-device plan.
• Medallion shipping: Complimentary Medallion shipping to a guest's home or office will continue for guests purchasing Princess Plus or Princess Premier. Guests who book with Princess Standard on or after Dec 14, 2022, can receive their Medallions at their port of embarkation, or they can elect to have the Medallions shipped for a nominal fee of $10 per stateroom. Be sure to encourage your clients to have their Medallions shipped to them prior to their cruise as this will make their embarkation an even more effortless experience.

[c-boy]

4 hours ago, billco said:

Perhaps people are voting with their wallets and Princess is catering to them.

there ya go. Everything is going up in cost/price.  I'm paying thousands for a cruise, another twenty bucks isn't gonna ruin my vacation. 

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, tcdcruiser said:

 

The new additions to Princess Plus (What's New) mentioned above....I cannot find this at Princess.com and it is not mentioned in the Princess Plus T&A.

 

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/beverages/

 

Where can I find this reference?

 

Thx

As usual, Princess IT is behind the 8-ball in updating the website to document the latest changes.  Perhaps they are waiting until closer to the effective date because folks can still book under the old pricing until around mid-December.

[Steelers36]

11 hours ago, Jeter02 said:

With the rollout of these new so-called new benefits, alongwith price hikes in the cruise fare packages, which do you prefer now? The Princess Basic, Princess Plus, or the Princess Premier? 

 

Besides the addition of some new benefits which I find personally for me quite comical with the contradiction of fancy desserts and gym classes being a very interesting combination. Princess now has also raised the prices of these packages as well.

 

Just curious to see if this changes people's minds on the packages that they have gone for in the past, but may now change their minds on in the future.

 

I'm personally have always been, and will continue to be the standard basic princess package. No need for add on as I drink nothing but water typically. Now with the added desserts in gym that does nothing for me as I'm not a big sweet eater and nor do I spend my vacation in the gym or ever pay for gym classes. 

 

With these changes I feel like Princess is starting to slowly have an identity crisis, by adding some of these nonsensical things. Once again just my opinion.

No doubt the survey is skewed as those who are most unhappy with the new pricing or not interested in the packages, may tend to vote. 

 

I think it would be more illustrative if the survey asked what package have you been booking under?  What do you foresee booking under going forward?  

 

My conjecture is that there won't be much slide (loss) from those who are booking Premier.  $5/pp/day isn't going to make a huge dent in someone spending those extra big bucks.  And they do get unlimited extra goodies thrown in and are really getting a deal since the $5 doesn't necessarily even cover the fixed cost increases for MedallionNet and Crew Incentive, notwithstanding the desserts.  So, a Premier Fare booker isn't going to change course IMO.

 

I think there will be loss from the Plus to Standard with it going from $40/pp/day to $60/pp/day in a relatively short time period.  I think that is where the change will be and "somewhat" less people are going to take on the Plus (at least if they give it some thought).  Perhaps not if they are just shopping between lines and PCL is still competitive. 

 

It is true that $4.00 to $6.50 of the latest $10 increase is going to Crew Incentive and MedallionNet (the range is recognizing some get a discount and some don't).  So, only a portion of the latest $10 is attributed to drinks and desserts.  Maybe I am wrong and many will call it a wash and not change habits.

 

[MissP22]

24 minutes ago, c-boy said:

there ya go. Everything is going up in cost/price.  I'm paying thousands for a cruise, another twenty bucks isn't gonna ruin my vacation. 

I'm sure you meant to type $20 per day. 

[JimmyVWine]

Couldn't answer the survey because my choice isn't represented.  It is:

**On a domestic (U.S.) we will go Basic and bring our own supply of wine, drinking very little of the ship's alcohol and will not miss the perks of either package one little bit.

**On cruises from foreign ports where we cannot bring on our own wine, we will evaluate Plus to see if it works for us.  But the increased price coupled with the downgraded $12 and under wines makes this a tough pill to swallow.  Still, the math might work.  TBD.

[c-boy]

8 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

I'm sure you meant to type $20 per day. 

Yep ... 20 @ day  x  14 days. Good to have ya back. 

[iamaqt2]

8 hours ago, chabad said:

How about this. I don't drink liquor. But I do enjoy soda. If I want soda, I have to buy a drink package which contains liquor among other items. How about bringing back the old soda only package from days of old. I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way. What do you all think?

I'm able to purchase a soda only package for my cruise...

 

[Ombud]

10 hours ago, jinpasco said:

April Fools.joke. Just what every ........sugary desserts and gym classes. 

Well if I ate 2 additional sugary desserts I'd need gym classes (wouldn't go & prefer my gelato without toppings)

[Shelly97060]

9 hours ago, chabad said:

How about this. I don't drink liquor. But I do enjoy soda. If I want soda, I have to buy a drink package which contains liquor among other items. How about bringing back the old soda only package from days of old. I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way. What do you all think?

 They still offer the basic soda package for $11.79 per day.  You can purchase through the cruise Personalizer. 

[chabad]

On 11/28/2022 at 5:37 PM, MissP22 said:

.

43 minutes ago, iamaqt2 said:

I'm able to purchase a soda only package for my cruise...

 

Yes, I have seen this package for soda, juices and mocktails. However, in the old days they had a strictly soda only package, which was half the price. I don't need the juices or the mocktails. Juice I happily get free of cost for breakfast and lunch daily. I can live without smoothies and mocktails. I just kindly ask for my soda. Such a simple request.  

 

[Jeter02]

8 hours ago, billco said:

Each passenger receives a detailed survey following a cruise. Usually takes 1/2 hour for me to fill it out.

They don't really listen to them , even though I'm hopeful one day maybe they will. 

[damiross]

1 hour ago, c-boy said:

there ya go. Everything is going up in cost/price.  I'm paying thousands for a cruise, another twenty bucks isn't gonna ruin my vacation. 

A few dollars more isn't the point, in my opinion.  The point is nickel-and-diming  

If you look at it as a percentage, these really aren't small increases. 

 

The Wi-Fi is increasing by 50%. 

The gratuities are going up roughly 10%.

The plus is going up 20%

The premier is going up 5%

 

It would be nice if they offered a package with sodas.  We don't drink that much.  And I can't drink more than 4 or 5 drinks a day because I tend to nurse on them rather then drink they fast.    I think Princess is doing their customers wrong by not offering soda program.

[Jeter02]

7 hours ago, t&atravel said:

This survey should have had a question on what we would have chosen prior to the change in the packages.  How are you going to know how many are choosing differently?  As it stands it really isn’t going to tell you anything.

I actually did the same exact survey several months ago when they first came out with the premium package. Thought it was time for an update after seeing all these so-called wonderful new added benefits. Cue the eye rolls on the "newly added".

[Nelsj099]

I have never cruised Princess but I am going with them for the first time this summer to Alaska.  The only reason that I took the Plus package was when I booked it was the Love Boat sale and that got me 200 shore ex credit.  I went back and priced out wifi, crew appreciation, and a soda and coffee package which I would have bought and it came out to 2 dollars less.  On NCL I get free drinks in the casino, and never buy the drinks package.  I always by the wifi as a solo cruiser I tend to spend a fair amount of time on wifi, but I also buy their specialty dining packages.  

 

 I am a bit tempted to upgrade to Premier before the price increase because of my screen addiction.  ( I want 2 devices). But, still not sure that I will do it. 

[iamaqt2]

2 hours ago, Nelsj099 said:

I have never cruised Princess but I am going with them for the first time this summer to Alaska.  The only reason that I took the Plus package was when I booked it was the Love Boat sale and that got me 200 shore ex credit.  I went back and priced out wifi, crew appreciation, and a soda and coffee package which I would have bought and it came out to 2 dollars less.  On NCL I get free drinks in the casino, and never buy the drinks package.  I always by the wifi as a solo cruiser I tend to spend a fair amount of time on wifi, but I also buy their specialty dining packages.  

 

 I am a bit tempted to upgrade to Premier before the price increase because of my screen addiction.  ( I want 2 devices). But, still not sure that I will do it. 

You can use as many devices as you want on Plus.  You just have to log off one before you log onto the next device.