Price Rises: Gratuities, Wifi, Medallion Shipping 🤑💰

[cr8tiv1]

I have decided that waiting for Princess to actually do what they say is like holding your breath under water.  

 

Do you remember the Medallion roll out?  (YEARS later)

 

Do you remember booking a particular ship to only have you moved over?  (for me it was three ships total...at which point I said "no thank you).

 

Do you remember:  We are going to fix the Caribbean Princess (or fill in the black) propulsion problem that took years?

 

Do you remember....

 

I was taught to think things through BEFORE making an grand announcement.  

[justafem]

4 hours ago, caribill said:

 

My question is:  Are the premium desserts all totally new or are they taking what has been a number of "free" desserts and will charge for them if you do not buy one of the packages?

They are new ice-cream desserts.  Much like you'd get for a kid on their birthday. It's a wow factor thing.  If people don't have the package, they might order one for an upcharge or next time they cruise, get a package that includes them.  Marketing.  

[Grego]

On 12/5/2022 at 5:59 PM, runner2013 said:

We won't pay for a medallion if we don't get a plus package in the future, five extra minutes at the check in desk won't bother us. 

I agree.  They should wave the fee for Elite members.

[Grego]

4 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I have decided that waiting for Princess to actually do what they say is like holding your breath under water.  

 

Do you remember the Medallion roll out?  (YEARS later)

 

Do you remember booking a particular ship to only have you moved over?  (for me it was three ships total...at which point I said "no thank you).

 

Do you remember:  We are going to fix the Caribbean Princess (or fill in the black) propulsion problem that took years?

 

Do you remember....

 

I was taught to think things through BEFORE making an grand announcement.  

 Excellent points.   I was brought up in the Jack Welch era of GE where we were taught to think through the "what if" factor before making a decision.

[caribill]

5 hours ago, justafem said:

They are new ice-cream desserts.  Much like you'd get for a kid on their birthday. It's a wow factor thing.  If people don't have the package, they might order one for an upcharge or next time they cruise, get a package that includes them.  Marketing.  

 

I agree that is what the pictures show, but until we see the total menu for these desserts, we will not know for sure.

 

If the two adults in a cabin have a package but the 3rd/4th passengers (usually children) do not, are the two with the package allowed to share the special deserts with their children who do not have a package?

 

Beverage package drinks cannot be shared. Will the rules be the same for desserts?

 

 

[Steelers36]

10 hours ago, caribill said:

 

My question is:  Are the premium desserts all totally new or are they taking what has been a number of "free" desserts and will charge for them if you do not buy one of the packages?

I imagine it is something other than dinner menu items.

[shamrockace]

What if us little people are only offered jello?  Will our food be like school lunches? 🤣 or hospital food?

[dog]

8 hours ago, caribill said:

 

I agree that is what the pictures show, but until we see the total menu for these desserts, we will not know for sure.

 

If the two adults in a cabin have a package but the 3rd/4th passengers (usually children) do not, are the two with the package allowed to share the special deserts with their children who do not have a package?

 

Beverage package drinks cannot be shared. Will the rules be the same for desserts?

 

 

It is wait and see—- if you have a package - order from room service- whoever is in your room can eat & drink whatever is delivered. 
No point in speculating. we will find out when the time comes.

[PurpleHays]

22 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

I really think that they need to keep the $50 Plus with gratuities, drinks and Wi-Fi and if they want to, add a middle level with desserts and spin classes. (Kind of oxymoronic if you ask me). And top it off with the Premium package. 

^^^^^This. I don't want paid desserts for spin/exercise classes. Just drinks and (working) wifi. And working wifi isn't a deal breaker. Totally agree with the middle package. Maybe make it a "pick three" kind of thing.

[jagoffee]

On 12/9/2022 at 9:47 PM, Steelers36 said:

No doubt there will be guests looking for rebates or credits.  I am thinking they aren't going to be fully ready with the new desserts and juice bars before February?  Maybe they will come up with something else to offer guests who have already booked the new plans.  Shouldn't be very many people booking after Dec 14 and sailing before Feb. 

 

You believe if one books a cruise that departs in January 2023 after December 14, they will pay the higher price?  Even though the new program does not start until February?  

 

I believe that they will only need to pay the higher price if they book a cruise departing after February 1.

 

We will  find our on December 15.  

[Steelers36]

8 hours ago, jagoffee said:

We will  find our on December 15

Or the 14th if Princess IT has act together.  YGIAGAM.  Or better.

Edited December 11, 2022 by Steelers36

[shamrockace]

15 hours ago, shamrockace said:

What if us little people are only offered jello?  Will our food be like school lunches? 🤣 or hospital food?

If you don’t eat yer meat, you can’t have any pudding!  
 

not everyone will get this……l

[memoak]

Does this mean they will have different dessert menus for each person at a table ?  That could lead to a lot of arguments in my opinion

[SantaFeFan]

4 hours ago, shamrockace said:

If you don’t eat yer meat, you can’t have any pudding!  
 

not everyone will get this……l

 

Got it! One of my favorites. 

[gah_cruise]

4 hours ago, shamrockace said:

If you don’t eat yer meat, you can’t have any pudding!  
 

not everyone will get this……l

How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat?
You! Yes, you behind the bike stands
Stand still, laddy!

[mthomp5]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

Does this mean they will have different dessert menus for each person at a table ?  That could lead to a lot of arguments in my opinion

Yeah….can you imagine…

 

It’s not uncommon for people to share an appetizer or share a bite to taste with a tablemate/friend.   But when it comes to the “premium desserts”, they’ll say, sorry I can’t let you have a bite; not even a small taste.    Kinda like no sharing with drink package.   They’ll need the dessert police!

[claymoh]

We are booked "after" the changeover, but our invoice is the price before. Figured we would be on "plan a", aka Princess plus 50, and they would track the two based on people's prior comments.

 

Now this week in our emails about our cruise, it mentioned our benefits with the new plan like the desserts and $15. So with this email "specifically about our booking" and our existing invoice that didn't change, I wonder if they are just grandfathering everyone in to prevent customer a relations disaster when they roll out the highly likely drink price increases (probably a 25% hit to make $12 go to $15)?

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, claymoh said:

We are booked "after" the changeover, but our invoice is the price before. Figured we would be on "plan a", aka Princess plus 50, and they would track the two based on people's prior comments.

 

Now this week in our emails about our cruise, it mentioned our benefits with the new plan like the desserts and $15. So with this email "specifically about our booking" and our existing invoice that didn't change, I wonder if they are just grandfathering everyone in to prevent customer a relations disaster when they roll out the highly likely drink price increases (probably a 25% hit to make $12 go to $15)?

Discussed at length elsewhere. If you already purchased Princess Plus, you will get drinks up to $15. 

Unfortunately (!) you won't get the naff desserts or the keep fit classes that no one goes to! 

[chamima]

To everyone complaining about Princess raising prices. Celebrity announced today that they are raising drink package prices tomorrow.  One day’s notice!

And they were already higher than Princess. 

[claymoh]

6 hours ago, wowzz said:

Discussed at length elsewhere. If you already purchased Princess Plus, you will get drinks up to $15. 

Unfortunately (!) you won't get the naff desserts or the keep fit classes that no one goes to! 

The email for our booking says our booking includes it, but...  you are right.  When you log in it says it doesn't,  nice...

Edited December 19, 2022 by claymoh

[caribill]

On 12/11/2022 at 10:55 AM, memoak said:

Does this mean they will have different dessert menus for each person at a table ?  That could lead to a lot of arguments in my opinion

 

Not necessarily.

 

They can list the special desserts on the menu with a price, but with an asterisk that says if you have xxx package, there will be no fee.

[chamima]

16 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Not necessarily.

 

They can list the special desserts on the menu with a price, but with an asterisk that says if you have xxx package, there will be no fee.

 

57 minutes ago, Shelly97060 said:

I just noticed in Cruise Personalizer there is now an option to purchase a Premium Dessert package.  It’s under Food and Beverage Experiences.
 

 

Mystery solved. The "special" desserts will be available at Gelateria, Swirls or Coffee and Cones.

 

 

16 hours ago, brisalta said:

 

At least the "Stateroom Bottled Water Package $7.08 for 12 (500 ml) bottles" has not changed.

 

Celebrity has just done away with their water and lower priced non-alcoholic packages.

 

*

Edited December 19, 2022 by chamima

[syymisc]

Has anybody been able to order WiFi on the MedallionClass App since Tuesday of last week (12/13/2022)?

 

Our Apps are not showing our Captain's Circle status correctly. It should be Platinum instead of Gold that's shown currently. We chatted and called Princess numerous times and couldn't get this issue resolved. The last time we called about a week ago, we were told the issue was resolved on their end but we needed to wait for a few days for the right status to show up on the App. Well, it's still incorrect as of 11pm Central today (12/20/2022).

 

At this point, not only is our circle status shown incorrectly, the Medallion-Net package is displayed as "No Plans Available To Purchase" for the 2 bookings we have. Is anybody seeing the same issue right now? Thanks.

[Steelers36]

I had posted on this thread or another concerning the new price increases related to MedallionNet.  

 

As we know, the single device plan is increasing from $10 to $15 and the 4-device plan is increasing from $20 to $40.  My contact had been away, but the answer as to on-board versus pre-cruise has been answered.  There is no longer an increase once on-board.  Same pricing applies.  So, if a guest is having trouble pre-ordering and not receiving the 50% off, they can wait until on-board and price is the same.  Also helps folks who prefer to use OBC to pay for MedallionNet. 

 

I did not get an answer to the cost of a single day MedallionNet on-board, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it increase from the former $20/day.

 

[Flyinby]

On 12/19/2022 at 3:41 PM, chamima said:

 

 

Mystery solved. The "special" desserts will be available at Gelateria, Swirls or Coffee and Cones.

 

 

 

Celebrity has just done away with their water and lower priced non-alcoholic packages.

 

*

Having just returned from our 10-day Mexico trip, I'd say the $7 bottled water packages are the best bargain of the whole cruise.  We ordered 2-12 packs, and others in our group with "plus' came by often to mooch a bottle; they had to order it and wait around for it to be delivered, which was pretty annoying.

 

I suspect they've lowered the quality of the "ordinary" desserts in order to make the upgrade desserts more desirable.  I was not too impressed with the desserts...would rate the buffet desserts at maybe a 2 out of 5.  The dining room desserts were somewhat better, but mostly I found myself ordering the sundae, which is good, rather than things like the cheesecake that's more like a cake than a cheesecake. The special pink Princess heart-shaped dessert seemed well-liked among others in our group, but I didn't try it myself.

 

I was happy the buffet was back after Covid, but it was pretty borderline.  If you like anything breadlike with breakfast, the buttermilk biscuits are good, but not much else...lots of stale muffins and toast abound.  The fruit bowls...cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, and pineapple were often old, soggy, or just not good to begin with, with the exception of the pineapple which was generally OK.

 

We did enjoy the cruise, with our large family group, but the food was not the reason, and it has gone downhill since our 2019 cruises.  I'd rather see them improve the quality of what they offer, rather than just add another "premium" layer you need to get something decent.