Agree or Disagree?

[dhdoug]

Looking at new Princess packages and what’s included, fitness class, childish looking specialty desserts I am going to be inclined as a long time Princess supporter to just go with the standard package and pay as you go which seems like the best value without the needless and unused add ones. My guess is that alcohol consumption along with Princess package sales will decrease.

What do you think?

[voljeep]

we currently have PLUS and are considering upgrading to PREMIER for our next cruise🤑

[MustangGT]

We have 4 cruises coming up that we don’t have the package.  Lots of OBC so we should be okay.  However, our 32-day cruise in 2024 with 22 sea days?  Yup!!  Definitely went with Plus on that one!  When a cruise is port intensive, we are off the ship too much to benefit.

That’s what works for us and I am happy that everyone has a choice for what works for them!  
Smooth sails! ⚓️🚢🛟

[Lady Arwen]

We have Plus for our next cruise.  No interest in the fancy desserts or fitness classes, but we will happily imbibe our share of adult beverages and froufrou coffees.  No need to worry about gratuities, except for extras,  and we need wifi for both of us.  We did the math and it works out in our favour both in dollars and convenience.

[memoak]

Plus is perfect for us and always has been. If we paid by the drink we would have an enormous bill. Plus it means we have prepaid for most everything in advance and can walk off with a very small bill for specialty restaurants or discounted bottles of wine. If we do well in the casino we might even walk off with money in our pocket

[sandyoftheseas]

MY DH and I usually but the standard package.  We both don't drink a lot of alcoholic drinks  maybe 1-2  a day we are elite so we have soda with our dinner if I do want a fancy dessert it may be 1 a cruise and we do go to the gym but we prefer DIY rather than classes.  The only time we purchases the plus package was when they have a special deal and mathematically it made sense. We usually have some OBC with shareholders  and FCC too.

[LACruiser88]

We have been booking with the Plus Package and it has definitely paid off for us.  We enjoy wine and we always come out ahead financially.

[phoebe2m]

Our upcoming cruise is the last with the Plus package. We purchased when it was $40 a day and we about break even. We just don't drink enough to justify $60 a day per person. 

[Ken the cruiser]

I would think it would come down to the math, depending on your loyalty status. For example:

 

Here's the various daily gratuity rates after Feb 20, 2023, depending on cabin category:

 

 

Here's the daily Unlimited Internet Package rate for 1-device, with a 50% discount if you're either Platinum or Elite.

 

 

Here is the daily cost for the various drink packages: 

 

 

 

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

I guess this just goes to show that Princess has actually done *something* right! There seems to be an offering that fits everybody's preference.  We generally go with Plus just so that all the extras we would normally get are covered. 

[Sea Hag]

The packages don't make financial sense for us. We do better just paying for the things we actually use.

 

[Sea Hag]

Duplicate post. Internet problem woes around here this morning.

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Sea Hag
duplicate

[PEB]

If we get a package in a deal when we purchase a cruise fine but we will not be buying any of the packages because we just would not get the use out of them.

[Ken the cruiser]

BTW all of our currently booked cruises are with the old $40 pp/day Plus Package. However, when we book any future cruises, as we are going to be Elite within the year, we'll be going a la carte as my DW only drinks water and I have a couple glasses of wine at dinner and can live without my triple Baileys while watching the show. 😂

[Hlitner]

To us it is relatively simple math.  Consider that the plus package covers tips ($17 a day), Internet and drinks.  Our normal habits generally include at least 3 (usually 4 or 5) cocktails plus wine (at some lunches) and or a few beers.  On sea days or port days when we often just stay on the ship there will be a morning Bloody Mary or Mimosa.  The package is a no-brainer.  We also get a fair amount of OBC, but a good portion is refundable (Princess usually sends us a check after the cruise) and we use the non-refundable for alternate dining and upgrading some of the drinks. 

 

 

Hank

[Guest ldtr]

we do not buy the packages. While we might have an alcoholic drink every day or two we find that with the OBC we get and the Elite benefits we buy what we want on board including some excursions, maybe the enclave, maybe a specialty dining or two, etc. Generally we end a cruise with a near zero balance.

Edited January 20, 2023 by ldtr

[Coral]

I have bought the Plus package in the past. My future cruises will be with standard (no package).

 

I can't stomach the $20 increase per person per day this past year. I booked the Plus package as a convenience in the past as I don't drink alcohol. 

[JimmyVWine]

We view the newly added "benefits" of PLUS (lollipops and spin classes) to be a distraction, but do not figure them in to the overall price.  Knowing that we will not be partaking, the math is simply:  Are Gratuities, wi-fi and unlimited drinks at $15 per day worth the price of the package.  (Yes, I know that the number of drinks is technically limited to 15 per day, but to us, that is the functional equivalent of "unlimited".  We never hit half that number.)  Before the lollipops and spin classes, the math was a true no brainer.  Now that they have upped the price, it is still worth it to us for foreign cruises where we cannot tote along wine from our cellar that is already bought and paid for.  But for cruises out of US ports, we will revert back to bringing our own wine and paying OOP for the rest.  As to the question presented: Will alcohol consumption decrease? For us, yes.  Without PLUS we won't have as many fruity drinks by the pool, or glasses of rum/scotch after dinner.  With the package, these are a given.  Paying out of pocket, we will think long and hard about whether we need that last drink at 10:30 at Bellini's, if you know what I mean.  

[dog]

Great to have a choice!

[MissP22]

Considering the lousy internet, exercise classes we wouldn't use and desserts we wouldn't eat I doubt if I would be tempted to purchase it.

 

We hit the 15 drinks per day on our last cruise most days but I should say we didn't drink all of them. 

Looks like we'll forgo the internet & resort to the RumRunners once again. 

[BamaVol]

I plan to pitch a fit when they deny me my 16th drink of the day.

 

Just kidding.  But after a 44 year career in accounting, I always run the numbers before making a decision.  The Plus package will save us money. Not sure that Premier would.

 

We both use the internet, tip, exercise and drink adult beverages.  She might try a dessert. I will not. 
 

As with anything, YMMV.  And I don’t really care what other people do.  I’ll let Princess worry about that.  If they see a way to make more money by eliminating, enhancing or shrinking either of those plans, I expect they will. Then I just have to run the numbers again.

 

Most of you seem like sensible people who would do the same thing.  But trying to influence Princess beforehand is foolish.  We are too small a sample, and unscientifically selected at that, to base line-wide decisions on. They’ve just set this up.  It’s too soon to make further changes without data.  Let them see at least a few months of actuals.

Edited January 20, 2023 by BamaVol

[Tedferg]

Have always had plus but at $60 it is not worth it. Wi-Fi is not important to us, so I do not include it in my math. At $40, convenience was the decider, at $50 I did the math and waivered, OBC would make the difference, at $60 - no need for math. Next cruise is port intensive, and we'll go a la carte, then decide for future.

 

I thought moving from allowing one person to buy beverage package to forcing both to buy at $40 was a well thought out plan and a win win for passengers and Princess. Moving it to $50 stretched the decision but was still a good plan and many would stay with it. At $60, witness these discussions, I think Princess might reconsider it. One factor in this will be how well Wi-Fi works.

Edited January 20, 2023 by Tedferg

[Rick&Jeannie]

55 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

Duplicate post. Internet problem woes around here this morning.

 

You must be on board a Princess ship!!! 😄

[voljeep]

19 minutes ago, BamaVol said:

The Plus package will save us money. Not sure that Premier would.

we are considering Premier for a little 5 day cruise ... the 2 specialty dinners each brings the value closer to the PLUS package - having our Princess CVP looking into that and possibly applying the medical professional discount.  Should hear back later today/tonight/tomorrow.  Might be a re-book and prepared to lose our $1 deposit promotion currently booked under.

[BamaVol]

2 minutes ago, voljeep said:

we are considering Premier for a little 5 day cruise ... the 2 specialty dinners each brings the value closer to the PLUS package - having our Princess CVP looking into that and possibly applying the medical professional discount.  Should hear back later today/tonight/tomorrow.  Might be a re-book and prepared to lose our $1 deposit promotion currently booked under.

We all place different values on the individual components. Never having sailed with Princess, I am hoping I will not be disappointed with the dinners in the MDR that I have paid for with my fare.  If I am, the next time I run the numbers, specialty dining will receive a higher value.  Of course, that means that what comes with the base fare will have a lower value which might mean the next cruise is on another line.