Soda Package

[phabric]

3 hours ago, californiagirl said:

We boarded Discovery today. I wanted to give everyone an update about the soda package.  We ate lunch in the dining room.  When we requested Diet Cokes our server scanned my medallion.  She said we did not have the soda package.  I said I purchased it last week.  She didn’t argue with me and brought my husband and I Diet Cokes.  We went to guest services.  They said yes we do have the soda package and showed us the icon that is next to our pictures if we have the soda package.  She said we were not charged for our drinks at lunch.  I’m not sure what was wrong.  I tested it later at a bar and had no problem.  

I have had this happen on 2 of my cruises.  I am presently on Caribbean Princess, he even said I did not have Medallion Net.  I showed him the Travel Summary where it showed I paid for the soda, WiFi, tips.  He tried to say, the computers were still downloading will no one else was being told they did not have Plus/Premier packages.  

[Nicole&Pete]

Hello all,

 

I see there is now a video about this on YouTube;

 

 

This video quotes a price of $17.69 which is again a different price.the website is still showing $12.99 plus 18%;

https://www.princess.com/html/global/personalizer/ssv/beverages/classic-soda-package-disclaimer/

[Nicole&Pete]

All,

 

I thought I would message everyone to say that I have had this finally resolved by princess. They say they have escalated this internally because there has been so much confusion over prices. 

 

They told me there is a new package called zero alcohol which reading between the lines is what they want to now push and that is $35.39 per person per day. I am guessing the soda package will not be available for much longer. 

 

She told me that the soda package is currently priced at $17.69 which I think is where she got the £14.33 as a conversion to pounds sterling. 

 

When I told her the website is currently showing $12.99 plus 18% ($15.32) she said she could not change the price of the soda package available to me but would honour the price on the website for me by giving me the difference back in OBC. 

 

She told me they were urgently looking into this. So my recommendation is if you want the soda package book it now before they change the price on the website, book it for $17.69 and then ask Princess for the difference between what you paid and the website price back as OBC. 

 

 

[phabric]

Presently on Caribbean, this week, I ask a bar crew if you can  purchase the soda package on board “yes, only the first 2 days”.

 

My agent last week was able to add soda package to my 2 cruises for 2024.

Edited March 1, 2023 by phabric

[PacnGoNow]

13 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

All,

 

I thought I would message everyone to say that I have had this finally resolved by princess. They say they have escalated this internally because there has been so much confusion over prices. 

 

They told me there is a new package called zero alcohol which reading between the lines is what they want to now push and that is $35.39 per person per day. I am guessing the soda package will not be available for much longer. 

 

She told me that the soda package is currently priced at $17.69 which I think is where she got the £14.33 as a conversion to pounds sterling. 

 

When I told her the website is currently showing $12.99 plus 18% ($15.32) she said she could not change the price of the soda package available to me but would honour the price on the website for me by giving me the difference back in OBC. 

 

She told me they were urgently looking into this. So my recommendation is if you want the soda package book it now before they change the price on the website, book it for $17.69 and then ask Princess for the difference between what you paid and the website price back as OBC. 

 

 

Of course there’s confusion!  They expect guests & crew to learn by word of mouth?  

 

Updates online should have the effective dates, prices, package details and T & C.  If you’re eliminating a package, then say so.  

 

So, who did you talk to?  Princess rep by a phone call?

 

The ship’s crews seem to be confused also.  I still am.  

 

Did she say they discontinued the coffee package?  And soon the classic soda package?

 

Is the Zero Alcohol package supposed to take the place of these soda and coffee packages?  Very expensive if you just want coffee. 

 

Thank you for the info.  I’m happy they have resolved your problem.

 

 

[that]

Can you post a photo of the icon?

[PacnGoNow]

3 hours ago, that said:

Can you post a photo of the icon?

Soda package is back on the website.

Cruise personalize

onboard services 

beverage packages

 

[that]

Thank you!  My CVP added it to voyage this

morning.

[brisalta]

7 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

Soda package is back on the website.

Cruise personalize

onboard services 

beverage packages

 

 

I was going to post that as well. Here is the screenshot from the Cruise Personalizer:

 

 

Sadly there is not a self contained coffee and tea package.

Edited March 2, 2023 by brisalta

[Nicole&Pete]

Just now, PacnGoNow said:

Of course there’s confusion!  They expect guests & crew to learn by word of mouth?  

 

Updates online should have the effective dates, prices, package details and T & C.  If you’re eliminating a package, then say so.  

 

So, who did you talk to?  Princess rep by a phone call?

 

The ship’s crews seem to be confused also.  I still am.  

 

Did she say they discontinued the coffee package?  And soon the classic soda package?

 

Is the Zero Alcohol package supposed to take the place of these soda and coffee packages?  Very expensive if you just want coffee. 

 

Thank you for the info.  I’m happy they have resolved your problem.

 

 

I couldn’t agree more, if they are going to change something they need to update all systems and the website before making the change and implement it all at the same time so everyone knows what’s going on.

I emailed Princess on the weekend and to my surprise the person who also responded to me by email phoned me directly yesterday to sort out the issue which is something I don’t  experience much with Princess customer service. It may have helped that I linked the YouTube video about the drinks package on the email to explain that this is getting some social media attention. She told me she has escalated it internally to sort the issue out.

 

Interestingly, I now see this package for sale this morning on my personaliser. A little annoying as I have had to faff about speaking to Princess directly and now I could just buy it online. 
 

Still I hope to get my OBC soon for the difference in website price and price I’ve actually paid.

 

I see from others on this post that it is showing $17.69 on the personaliser and I can see the website is still showing $15.32. 

 

 

[caribill]

On 2/24/2023 at 1:16 PM, t&atravel said:

Looks like the price has gone up from what the website shows then.  The website still says 12.99 pd (+18% = $15.32). 

 

$17.63 would be $14.95 + 18% gratuity.

[PacnGoNow]

3 hours ago, Nicole&Pete said:

I couldn’t agree more, if they are going to change something they need to update all systems and the website before making the change and implement it all at the same time so everyone knows what’s going on.

I emailed Princess on the weekend and to my surprise the person who also responded to me by email phoned me directly yesterday to sort out the issue which is something I don’t  experience much with Princess customer service. It may have helped that I linked the YouTube video about the drinks package on the email to explain that this is getting some social media attention. She told me she has escalated it internally to sort the issue out.

 

Interestingly, I now see this package for sale this morning on my personaliser. A little annoying as I have had to faff about speaking to Princess directly and now I could just buy it online. 
 

Still I hope to get my OBC soon for the difference in website price and price I’ve actually paid.

 

I see from others on this post that it is showing $17.69 on the personaliser and I can see the website is still showing $15.32. 

 

 

Did you email customerrelations@princesscruises.com

 

Interesting, I’ve sent numerous polite emails for months and have heard nothing.

 

 

[Nicole&Pete]

Just now, PacnGoNow said:

Did you email customerrelations@princesscruises.com

 

Interesting, I’ve sent numerous polite emails for months and have heard nothing.

 

 

So there is a UK email address as well as the one you have used above. Like you I have sent emails to the UK email address and had no response for ages. So I tried to use the US email as you have quoted above to see if that would get me to someone faster and what they did was send it on to the UK team and I think through that process my email got seen to quicker than normal by the UK team. Very strange but I think that’s what happened.

[PacnGoNow]

16 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

So there is a UK email address as well as the one you have used above. Like you I have sent emails to the UK email address and had no response for ages. So I tried to use the US email as you have quoted above to see if that would get me to someone faster and what they did was send it on to the UK team and I think through that process my email got seen to quicker than normal by the UK team. Very strange but I think that’s what happened.

Was your call back from the UK or the US?

[Nicole&Pete]

Just now, PacnGoNow said:

Was your call back from the UK or the US?

UK. I think the US forwarding on my email to the UK team meant the UK team dealt with it quicker. 
 

 

[Nicole&Pete]

Just now, PacnGoNow said:

Was your call back from the UK or the US?

By the way I emailed back the contact at Princess to ask about the coffee package and they say this has been discontinued.

[PacnGoNow]

25 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

By the way I emailed back the contact at Princess to ask about the coffee package and they say this has been discontinued.

Thank you for the information.

Very disappointed though.  ☹️ 

[damiross]

The prices for all of the drink packages are absurd.  

 

Why don't they give the total price instead of the package price plus a surcharge?

 

Why can't they make non-alcoholic drinks gratis?  Or may free with meals?

 

 

[warren buffet]

On 2/24/2023 at 1:16 PM, Shelly97060 said:

@californiagirl cans of soda are $2 and soda from the gun is $1.50  ( each would add 18% gratuity), 

why would someone pay 17 dollars a day when you can get it from a bar for 2 dollars per 12 oz. it makes zero sense to do so

[damiross]

23 hours ago, warren buffet said:

why would someone pay 17 dollars a day when you can get it from a bar for 2 dollars per 12 oz. it makes zero sense to do so

It's more than just sodas.  You can get mocktails.  If I remember correctly, these were about $6 or $7 a few years ago.  You can also get smoothies.

[ChemistBabe]

On 3/2/2023 at 4:05 PM, warren buffet said:

why would someone pay 17 dollars a day when you can get it from a bar for 2 dollars per 12 oz. it makes zero sense to do so

 

We are getting the soda package for our kids (10 and 15) so they can get drinks as they wish without giving them charging privileges!

 

On our Disney cruises, the kids enjoyed mocktails and I know they will enjoy smoothies.  I makes it easier for us (and more fun for them) if they can have "everything included".

[OccasionalSanta]

Boarded the Crown yesterday. I could not pre-purchase soda or coffee package. I was able to get Mrs. OS the soda package. The charge turned out to be $15/day. I was told that the coffee package was "not available on this cruise," but there was no reason for this. The implication is that it might be available on other cruises, but still unsure.

[Senga]

19 hours ago, damiross said:

It's more than just sodas.  You can get mocktails.  If I remember correctly, these were about $6 or $7 a few years ago.  You can also get smoothies.

We have only been on Grand Princess and Regal Princess and neither had smoothies.  Next up is Sky in May so, we shall see.

[phabric]

8 minutes ago, Senga said:

We have only been on Grand Princess and Regal Princess and neither had smoothies.  Next up is Sky in May so, we shall see.

Try a virgin Dirty Banana 

[Senga]

22 hours ago, phabric said:

Try a virgin Dirty Banana 

I HATE bananas!