Is Princess Plus Really Worth It?

[Torfamm]

On 3/14/2023 at 10:56 AM, wowzz said:

I'm sure you are right,  but even five alcoholic drinks,  plus assorted juices, mocktails,  coffees etc more than makes the Plus  package pay for itself. 

At $15 a glass, wine drinkers easily get value out of the Plus package. A cappuccino in the morning, a couple of bottles of water during the day, and two glasses of wine at dinner are right around the break even point for a day. 

[Dogonfire]

Question: It says 2 fitness classes per Plus pkg. does that mean 4 on a back to back cruise?

[caribill]

On 3/14/2023 at 1:48 PM, FrankieJayIII said:

I want the reserved seating in case we are late,

 

Does not work that way.

 

Unused seats are released 5 or 10 minutes before the show, so do not arrive at the last minute.

 

And since the number of seats in the reserved area is less than the number of people eligible to sit there, there may not be any seats available for you even if you show up early.

[MissP22]

57 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

Does not work that way.

 

Unused seats are released 5 or 10 minutes before the show, so do not arrive at the last minute.

 

And since the number of seats in the reserved area is less than the number of people eligible to sit there, there may not be any seats available for you even if you show up early.

I saw the crew checking in people holding tablets for that reserved seating on the Enchanted. I'm not sure how it worked but they did make an announcement 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the show that those seats were open to the general public. 

[stevenr597]

Princess Plus goes back to a time when virtually everything was included, not "optional" as is commonplace in many of today's cruse lines.

We are doing a Trans-Atlantic on the Regal Princess in October. Expect to have a lot of free time on the ship.  Because of this,  taken this plan for convenience. 

We are also traveling Club Class.  

Edited March 20, 2023 by stevenr597
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[billco]

9 hours ago, Dogonfire said:

Question: It says 2 fitness classes per Plus pkg. does that mean 4 on a back to back cruise?

Yes. Just completed B2B2B2B2B cruise on Discovery Princess with Plus Package on each segment and was eligible for 2 classes each segment. Actually took 3 yoga classes.

[Dogonfire]

1 hour ago, billco said:

Yes. Just completed B2B2B2B2B cruise on Discovery Princess with Plus Package on each segment and was eligible for 2 classes each segment. Actually took 3 yoga classes.

Thank you, thats great to know! Im not a classy person lol pardon the pun, Im a distance runner but would like to give something new a good try. 

[caribill]

1 hour ago, billco said:

Yes. Just completed B2B2B2B2B cruise on Discovery Princess with Plus Package on each segment and was eligible for 2 classes each segment. Actually took 3 yoga classes.

 

If I understand correctly, you were eligible to have 10 free classes over the five segments and chose to take only three.

 

If that is a typical use of this benefit of the Premier package, it is window dressing for the package the same way that 70 fancy desserts would be if those five segments were 7 days each.

[CruisingWalter]

On 3/13/2023 at 7:00 PM, EDH75 said:

Wifi is normally $10 per day each and crew appreciation is $224 each so that comes out total of $728.  So the question is can we drink a total of $1200 in 14 days?  That divides out to basically $44 per day each for alcohol / juice?  So basically we need drink 3 or 4 cocktails each per day.

 

Daily Gratuity is approx. $18 per person, per day.

MedallionNet WiFi is approx $15 per device, per day or a total of $33/day for Gratuity and WiFi per person

 

$60-$33 = $27 per person, per day for the Plus Beverage Package. The package includes drinks up to $15 and includes specialty coffees in addition to juices and alcohol. You also get the desserts which on the Sky Princess meant two gelatos each day if you wanted them (and you do) 🙂

 

For many people $27/day per person works out in their favor for the drinks package. If that doesn't work out in your favor, then skip the Plus. 

Edited March 20, 2023 by CruisingWalter

[Kineticoh20]

If you buy plus when you board will Princess take from your ship board credit first?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Kineticoh20 said:

If you buy plus when you board will Princess take from your ship board credit first?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anything purchased on board (other than FCD's) is charged to your on board account.  Any OBC balance you have offsets charges and in the end you owe the difference or you may have a refund if you have Refundable OBC left over.  Princess "consumes" your Non-Refundable OBC first.

 

[billco]

21 hours ago, caribill said:

 

If I understand correctly, you were eligible to have 10 free classes over the five segments and chose to take only three.

 

If that is a typical use of this benefit of the Premier package, it is window dressing for the package the same way that 70 fancy desserts would be if those five segments were 7 days each.

Not sure I understand. Just because I have a benefit doesn't mean I have to use it. I was eligible for five free Grapevine Wine Tastings - only went to four. Canapes on formal nights - didn't take any or any of the fancy desserts. I didn't take more yoga classes, because I felt I got a better practice on my own. I'm sure there were others who took all the classes they were eligible for and possibly bought more. I did take all the OBC I was eligible for and used it to buy plus packages on two of the cruises.

Edited March 21, 2023 by billco

[billco]

7 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Anything purchased on board (other than FCD's) is charged to your on board account.  Any OBC balance you have offsets charges and in the end you owe the difference or you may have a refund if you have Refundable OBC left over.  Princess "consumes" your Non-Refundable OBC first.

 

After my 5 B2Bs I learned a little about Princess Folio accounting. During the cruises OBC was cumulative and the folio would show the total of the two accounts. On the last day our total folio showed $400 military refundable OBC ($50+$50+100+100+100) and $41 nonrefundable OBC, so I thought I would be getting a check for $400 in a few weeks. Not so. The first day home we got two email summaries of charges. The folio I got in my email reflected a charge of $176 transferred from my wife's account. Princess then deleted a $100 Shareholder credit and 2 $50 FCCs to make my total credit $200 less and the check I'll be receiving $241 instead of $400. 

Edited March 21, 2023 by billco

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, billco said:

After my 5 B2Bs I learned a little about Princess Folio accounting. During the cruises OBC was cumulative and the folio would show the total of the two accounts. On the last day our total folio showed $400 military refundable OBC ($50+$50+100+100+100) and $41 nonrefundable OBC, so I thought I would be getting a check for $400 in a few weeks. Not so. The first day home we got two email summaries of charges. The folio I got in my email reflected a charge of $176 transferred from my wife's account. Princess then deleted a $100 Shareholder credit and 2 $50 FCCs to make my total credit $200 less and the check I'll be receiving $241 instead of $400. 

So, I think you would have said you should have had $441 - $176 = $265 remaining as clearly your wife's balance owing exceeded your Non-Ref OBC.  Weren't your folios already combined as one while on board as you first mentioned?  Seems odd math to me - such as where did the $176 come from?  What was the net combined balance upon disembark?  (I have never left a ship with a balance owing to me so I don't have any personal experience  - and neither of us gets the military OBC).

[caribill]

2 hours ago, billco said:

Not sure I understand. Just because I have a benefit doesn't mean I have to use it. I was eligible for five free Grapevine Wine Tastings - only went to four. Canapes on formal nights - didn't take any or any of the fancy desserts. I didn't take more yoga classes, because I felt I got a better practice on my own. I'm sure there were others who took all the classes they were eligible for and possibly bought more. I did take all the OBC I was eligible for and used it to buy plus packages on two of the cruises.

 

The Grapevine Wine Tastings, whether you attended or not, did not cost you anything. The formal night canapes whether you ordered them or not did not cost you anything.

 

But when you paid for the Plus or Premier package, you paid money and chose not to use what you had paid good money for.

 

The point is that Princess justified the price increase by including items that they probably figured people would not utilize. Princess should remove the junk items that people do not want and reduce the cost of the packages.

[MissP22]

8 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

The Grapevine Wine Tastings, whether you attended or not, did not cost you anything. The formal night canapes whether you ordered them or not did not cost you anything.

 

But when you paid for the Plus or Premier package, you paid money and chose not to use what you had paid good money for.

 

The point is that Princess justified the price increase by including items that they probably figured people would not utilize. Princess should remove the junk items that people do not want and reduce the cost of the packages.

I think you're summed it up very concisely. 

Dabble a  few glitzy items on a brochure & they'll think they're getting a real bargain. 

[memoak]

42 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

The Grapevine Wine Tastings, whether you attended or not, did not cost you anything. The formal night canapes whether you ordered them or not did not cost you anything.

 

But when you paid for the Plus or Premier package, you paid money and chose not to use what you had paid good money for.

 

The point is that Princess justified the price increase by including items that they probably figured people would not utilize. Princess should remove the junk items that people do not want and reduce the cost of the packages.

We have no use for the NEW items. We average 8-12 drinks a day so that alone pays for it

[WAvoyager]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

 

The Grapevine Wine Tastings, whether you attended or not, did not cost you anything. The formal night canapes whether you ordered them or not did not cost you anything.

 

But when you paid for the Plus or Premier package, you paid money and chose not to use what you had paid good money for.

 

The point is that Princess justified the price increase by including items that they probably figured people would not utilize. Princess should remove the junk items that people do not want and reduce the cost of the packages.

Where do these “free” wine tastings and canapés come from?  I need to make sure I request mine on my next cruise!

 

oh wait - I’m guessing they come “free” when you’ve paid for a nicer cabin or something…?

 

everything has a cost - sometimes it’s just more obvious that you’re paying.

Edited March 21, 2023 by WAvoyager

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

The point is that Princess justified the price increase by including items that they probably figured people would not utilize. Princess should remove the junk items that people do not want and reduce the cost of the packages.

 

My vote is that they should keep all of the current offerings but reduce the price back to $50 and then do what some other cruise line (NCL??) did which is to allow the guest to pick the three options that they valued most.  Drinks/Gratuities/Desserts; or Drinks/Gratuities/WiFi; or Gratuities/WiFi/Fitness Classes.  That way people get what they are going to use and Princess gets some valuable market research at no cost by simply tallying up which options were the most popular.

[billco]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

The point is that Princess justified the price increase by including items that they probably figured people would not utilize. Princess should remove the junk items that people do not want and reduce the cost of the packages.

I can't disagree with that. I can see Princess removing the junk items without reducing the cost of the packages. Either way I would still buy the package, so I look at the class as a freebie. I also can't believe people will pay $30 for a 30 minute basic yoga class. 

[billco]

13 minutes ago, WAvoyager said:

Where do these “free” wine tastings and canapés come from?  I need to make sure I request mine on my next cruise!

 

oh wait - I’m guessing they come “free” when you’ve paid for a nicer cabin or something…?

 

everything has a cost - sometimes it’s just more obvious that you’re paying.

They are elite benefits.

[PMGS247]

2 hours ago, caribill said:

 

The Grapevine Wine Tastings, whether you attended or not, did not cost you anything. The formal night canapes whether you ordered them or not did not cost you anything.

 

But when you paid for the Plus or Premier package, you paid money and chose not to use what you had paid good money for.

 

The point is that Princess justified the price increase by including items that they probably figured people would not utilize. Princess should remove the junk items that people do not want and reduce the cost of the packages.

 

There is a lot of noise in there....personally I will get zero usage out of the classes or juice bar, and will probably get minimal usage out of the desserts.  Maybe 2-3 over the course of the cruise..2/day is excessive.

 

Having said that when I assess the value I just ignore the stuff I won't use.  Someone else did the math nicely though and pointed out 1 device Wi-Fi is $15 / day, crew appreciation $18/day.  Just those two alone covers $33 of the $60 plus package cost.  That leaves the beverage package for $27/day.  That's pretty low.  I don't know that there's a lot left to squeeze out of that.  Don't get me wrong, I'd love to hear they did that, but it's a slam-dunk for a lot of people as-is, even completely ignoring the [largely useless] new stuff.

[caribill]

1 hour ago, PMGS247 said:

 

Someone else did the math nicely though and pointed out 1 device Wi-Fi is $15 / day, crew appreciation $18/day.  Just those two alone covers $33 of the $60 plus package cost.  That leaves the beverage package for $27/day. 

 

Cabins below mini-suite have crew appreciation of $16/day. Platinum/Elite status means Wi-Fi is worth $7.50/day.

 

So for those people $23.50/day is covered of the $60 plus package cost leaving the beverage package for $36.50/day/person.

 

For many people that is worth it.

[PMGS247]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

 

Cabins below mini-suite have crew appreciation of $16/day. Platinum/Elite status means Wi-Fi is worth $7.50/day.

 

So for those people $23.50/day is covered of the $60 plus package cost leaving the beverage package for $36.50/day/person.

 

For many people that is worth it.

Yeah I guess those variables can shift. DW and I always do mini suites so it is $18/day,  but I didn’t realize platinum got discounted wifi (lol I guess I’ve been buying the package for a while). Still, $27 vs ~$35 doesn’t move the needle much. One drink.

[Tedferg]

3 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

 

 some other cruise line (NCL??) did which is to allow the guest to pick the three options that they valued most.  Drinks/Gratuities/Desserts; or Drinks/Gratuities/WiFi; or Gratuities/WiFi/Fitness Classes. 

Princess used to have a sale that did just that, It was probably the most popular sale.