6 weeks into new PLUS/PREMIER- Reviews Please

[FrankieJayIII]

It's been 6 weeks since the new plus and premier packages have been released and there are cruisers who have had experiences with Plus VS. Premier...

 

Including differences.   Account charges at the end... etc.

 

What are your thoughts now that you have had a chance to EXPERIENCE the levels of service?

[cr8tiv1]

I am so sorry....

 

Mark me two of the 58 that have viewed your thread.  I am also curious and floored that no one has given their first hand experience.  I was on the Diamond.  The three times I was up on the Lido Deck, and passed Cones, there were no passengers waiting/ordering their "specialty desserts".  Did not see anyone eating it at the tables. 

 

That is a very sad commentary for Princess....Or is it a wise business move?  Charge $10 more and pocket the money since no one is taking advantage of this must have perk.

 

Same with the reserved seats in the theatre for the production shows.  All three 7 PM shows/seats went empty.  They took the blue covers off about 5 minutes before show time and a few moved in.  The theater was never crowded.  

[fpsphil]

Just off our first “new plus” cruise on the Discovery. Honestly didn’t use any new features except the increased drink price

[kaseyoz]

I have seen a few say gratuities are included in the plus fare.

however I cannot see any mention of it on the Princess site.

are they included as that is quite a large amount.

[cr8tiv1]

11 minutes ago, kaseyoz said:

I have seen a few say gratuities are included in the plus fare.

however I cannot see any mention of it on the Princess site.

are they included as that is quite a large amount.

 

Plus/Premier Beverage Packages includes:

 

Crew Appreciation (Valued at $16, $17, $18)

One WiFi connection (one device at a time valued at $15)

15 Drinks under $15.

And an assortment of other not useful enclosures.

 

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

 

[kaseyoz]

4 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Plus/Premier Beverage Packages includes:

 

Crew Appreciation (Valued at $16, $17, $18)

One WiFi connection (one device at a time valued at $15)

15 Drinks under $15.

And an assortment of other not useful enclosures.

 

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

 

I can see it is added on here but it does not show up when I access the princess website.

 

i wonder if it is because most cruises booked in Australia have gratuties added at the base price. We dont have added daily tips here.

think i need to double check  with Princess as it will be more worth it for us if the tips are not  already included.

PRINCESS PLUS

• Princess® dining, accommodations and entertainment
• MedallionClass® experience
• Plus Beverage Package 
  (drinks up to $22 each)
• Wi-Fi (1 device per guest)
• NEW Premium desserts (2 per day)
• NEW Fitness classes (2 per cruise)
• NEW Unlimited juice bar

---

Total Value: $164 AUD
per day per guest

Overall Savings of 60%!

---

Your Cost: $65 AUD
per day per guest

 

 

[kaseyoz]

Now i have looked closer I see my price is in Australian dollars. Which makes your price equal about 95 australian dollars. Maybe cost of the tips?
bit confusing.sorry 

[drk]

We are just off the Regal and had the Plus package.  Went to the Gelato place and asked if I could get a 2 scoop gelato ($4) instead of the big $10 included dessert and was politely told know.  Makes no sense.

[billco]

Tried the Yoga Fitness classes (two included in Plus, unlimited in Premier). First two were crowded, not much after that. I didn't attend more, because they were charging $30 for a 30 minute basic yoga class and I didn't care for the instructor.

 

Had Premier for a week. Only thing we added was $18 Silverado cabernet vice $9 Canyon Oaks. Liked Canyon Oaks better, but we're among those who can't tell oak from pear at the wine tastings.

 

Didn't win anything from Princess Prizes when we returned to our cabin. Just better luck next time or casino is closed.

 

For us Plus is fine.

Edited April 8, 2023 by billco

[Torfamm]

1 hour ago, kaseyoz said:

I can see it is added on here but it does not show up when I access the princess website.

 

i wonder if it is because most cruises booked in Australia have gratuties added at the base price. We dont have added daily tips here.

think i need to double check  with Princess as it will be more worth it for us if the tips are not  already included.

PRINCESS PLUS

• Princess® dining, accommodations and entertainment
• MedallionClass® experience
• Plus Beverage Package 
  (drinks up to $22 each)
• Wi-Fi (1 device per guest)
• NEW Premium desserts (2 per day)
• NEW Fitness classes (2 per cruise)
• NEW Unlimited juice bar

---

Total Value: $164 AUD
per day per guest

Overall Savings of 60%!

---

Your Cost: $65 AUD
per day per guest

 

 

You are right, the packages do not include gratuities on Australia cruises since they are included in the cruise fare. It’s spelled out on the terms and conditions https://www.princess.com/cruise-deals-promotions/plus-premier-cruise-packages/

[annlee]

The premium dessert thing is so crazy. Was on Sky TA abd had 2 of those ic desserts, really just wanted a few spoonfuls of gelato. Gave the ic maker $5 each time b/c the thing is so absurd. In what world would someone eat 2 of them a day? You can have them shove an unopened nip of Absolute in the top, too, because who doesn't chase an ic sundae w/ vodka?🤓

Absolutely bonkers.

Hmm, imagine 500 kids on board. 50% get the dessert. Pity the poor crewmember who has to make 250 of the diabetic bombs.

 

Edited April 8, 2023 by annlee

[waltd]

52 minutes ago, billco said:

Tried the Yoga Fitness classes (two included in Plus, unlimited in Premier). First two were crowded, not much after that. I didn't attend more, because they were charging $30 for a 30 minute basic yoga class and I didn't care for the instructor.

 

Had Premier for a week. Only thing we added was $18 Silverado cabernet vice $9 Canyon Oaks. Liked Canyon Oaks better, but we're among those who can't tell oak from pear at the wine tastings.

 

Didn't win anything from Princess Prizes when we returned to our cabin. Just better luck next time or casino is closed.

 

For us Plus is fine.

I also take a lot of yoga classes.  When we were on the Diamond in December  I also did not care for the yoga classes they offered.  I think it was also the instructor  I had an issue with.   I passed on the classes. 

[wrongwaywatson]

We had the Plus.  We did not try the $10 dessert.  I did see one person with it.  It looked way too much for me to eat and not something I would want.  I didn't did any extra coffee (would have probably spent $4 a day on coffee) and didn't have any more than 2 alcohol drinks per day.  Some days none.   We only had the package this time, because it was about the same price as paying gratuities, wifi and the old coffee price.  Won't pay more for it, though.

[FrankieJayIII]

i'm going on a cruise and i'm ordering the desert with absolutely NO TOPPINGS, except chocolate sauce 

 

do you think that would fly.  😜 

[wrongwaywatson]

4 minutes ago, FrankieJayIII said:

i'm going on a cruise and i'm ordering the desert with absolutely NO TOPPINGS, except chocolate sauce 

 

do you think that would fly.  😜 

I don't know why not!

[Musky Ike]

39 minutes ago, FrankieJayIII said:

i'm going on a cruise and i'm ordering the desert with absolutely NO TOPPINGS, except chocolate sauce 

 

do you think that would fly.  😜 

We had them leave off booze and the candies on top on our last cruise.

 

[GK95]

I was on the Sky Princess in March but had the Plus that didn't include classes or desserts. We saw people getting the desserts and they were way too much. Who could eat two of those a day for 7 days?? We just booked on the Sun Princess for June, 2024 and got the Plus package. My teenager might want one of those desserts but I'd be surprised if my husband and I ever eat one. We will probably take the fitness classes depending on what's offered. 

[Ellipooh]

Does someone have a picture of one of these monster desserts? I’m really curious after reading this thread…

[Ellipooh]

…I thought the Plus package included 1 specialty dining and the Premier included 2 such credits. 

But looking today I find 0 specialty dining for Plus (still 2 for Premier). Did something change or am I mis-remembering?

[JimmyVWine]

7 minutes ago, Ellipooh said:

Did something change or am I mis-remembering?

Mis-remembering. Plus has never included a SD credit. There was a promotion a ways back (“Best Sale Ever?”) when you could get Plus for $40 per day AND a SD credit. But that credit was in addition to the Plus package and not an inclusion within it. Maybe that is what you are remembering. 

Edited April 8, 2023 by JimmyVWine

[1sttimertoalaska]

When we went on the Enchanted in March 2022, we LOVED having the plus. We are not big drinkers but we loved being able to order drinks from wherever we were and having them delivered to places like Princess Live while we played trivia etc. and never waited too long.  We also loved trying all of the different drinks because ordering from the app gave such a big menu of drinks and it was fun to try new things. I am sure the ship had limited capacity but the service was stellar. 
 

We just got off the Regal last month and upgraded to the Premier. I have mixed feelings. Ordering drinks this cruise on the app was horrible. After three or four times of ordering and never getting our drinks—even when we sat in Good Spirits 20 feet from the bar—we gave up. I loved ordering from the app because I’m not a big drinker and I appreciated the detailed menu. If I just went up to the bar, I’d never know what to get. So, the few times we ordered on the app, we waited 30 minutes to an hour and never got our drinks. They would be processing or order received but not ever made. When we would go to the bars to get them, they would be out of ingredients or just never made. Even when we used the app to order specialty coffees to our cabin before dinner we waited over an hour and they never arrived. Later, they were marked off as delivered.
 

The good thing about the premium, and why we upgraded, was because I was able to share my wifi with my kids. They are still Ruby and would’ve paid full price. DH and I did have one specialty dessert. I asked for it without all of extra stuff so it was just a sundae with a piece of brownie. Nothing special about it. They should just give you gelato.
 

As for Princess prizes, we just got the message of “better luck next time” every time we opened the door—which began to make me feel like loser every time I went to the cabin. 😂 Just kidding, we never really expected to win. They don’t do a drawing at then end of the cruise anymore and when I looked at the prizes, they odds of winning are very slim—like 1 in 500 wins a specialty dinner or something like that. 

 

I think almost everyone has plus or premium on the cruise. I never really saw anyone actually pay for a drink. (Based on the folio I was emailed at the end of the cruise, I don’t think my kids, who didn’t have a plan, didn’t get charged for a couple of their sodas—but were charged for my husband’s specialty dessert so I called it even. 😉 ) This kind of makes it difficult to get drinks. By the pool as well as in the open areas, we rarely saw servers and there were long lines at the bars. Since, it became so hard to get a drink, I think I had only 1-2 drinks and a specialty coffee a day.  So, until they have more servers and figure the app mess out, the plus and premium is not worth it to me. 

[FrankieJayIII]

oh boy was amped until you got on a ship where it was terrible.

 

makes me sad 

[startedwithamouse]

Just finishing a B2B on Discovery. Our account statement is a few dollars. We had OBC for both and missed port refund for the first voyage and we ate at Salty Dog and Crown Grill. We like the food at the Bistro, but the location is like a mall. 

 

We have Plus, and didn't try the new desserts. They just didn't look good at all, and I'm saving carbs and calories for alcohol. The juice bar offerings are delicious and a welcome reset/refuel. We each had three to four each per day, early morning, after workout (class or treadmill) and with breakfast. Booster and rejuvenator are the best, with little sugar. The classes, there didn't seem to be a lot of "im trying the class just because I have the package" cruisers. Maybe a couple were new to the Barre workout and Yoga was Yoga 101, very basic. Premier seats for the shows, we probably saw 10 or so each night go to the premier seats before they opened up to other passengers.  

Edited April 9, 2023 by startedwithamouse

[warren buffet]

6 hours ago, drk said:

We are just off the Regal and had the Plus package.  Went to the Gelato place and asked if I could get a 2 scoop gelato ($4) instead of the big $10 included dessert and was politely told know.  Makes no sense.

you didn't think to order one of those included gelato desserts. give away the alcohol (if you dont drink and the other dessert at the top) and have 3 scoops of gelato to share?

[warren buffet]

Just now, 1sttimertoalaska said:

When we went on the Enchanted in March 2022, we LOVED having the plus. We are not big drinkers but we loved being able to order drinks from wherever we were and having them delivered to places like Princess Live while we played trivia etc. and never waited too long.  We also loved trying all of the different drinks because ordering from the app gave such a big menu of drinks and it was fun to try new things. I am sure the ship had limited capacity but the service was stellar. 
 

We just got off the Regal last month and upgraded to the Premier. I have mixed feelings. Ordering drinks this cruise on the app was horrible. After three or four times of ordering and never getting our drinks—even when we sat in Good Spirits 20 feet from the bar—we gave up. I loved ordering from the app because I’m not a big drinker and I appreciated the detailed menu. If I just went up to the bar, I’d never know what to get. So, the few times we ordered on the app, we waited 30 minutes to an hour and never got our drinks. They would be processing or order received but not ever made. When we would go to the bars to get them, they would be out of ingredients or just never made. Even when we used the app to order specialty coffees to our cabin before dinner we waited over an hour and they never arrived. Later, they were marked off as delivered.
 

The good thing about the premium, and why we upgraded, was because I was able to share my wifi with my kids. They are still Ruby and would’ve paid full price. DH and I did have one specialty dessert. I asked for it without all of extra stuff so it was just a sundae with a piece of brownie. Nothing special about it. They should just give you gelato.
 

As for Princess prizes, we just got the message of “better luck next time” every time we opened the door—which began to make me feel like loser every time I went to the cabin. 😂 Just kidding, we never really expected to win. They don’t do a drawing at then end of the cruise anymore and when I looked at the prizes, they odds of winning are very slim—like 1 in 500 wins a specialty dinner or something like that. 

 

I think almost everyone has plus or premium on the cruise. I never really saw anyone actually pay for a drink. (Based on the folio I was emailed at the end of the cruise, I don’t think my kids, who didn’t have a plan, didn’t get charged for a couple of their sodas—but were charged for my husband’s specialty dessert so I called it even. 😉 ) This kind of makes it difficult to get drinks. By the pool as well as in the open areas, we rarely saw servers and there were long lines at the bars. Since, it became so hard to get a drink, I think I had only 1-2 drinks and a specialty coffee a day.  So, until they have more servers and figure the app mess out, the plus and premium is not worth it to me. 

do you think only people who get at least plus get to use the medallian? everyone gets once and can order from it even if on a base cruise fare.   the plus/premier may very well cause longer lines at the bars because (human nature) if people have already pre paid for a drinks plan,, they will tend to order more.    how long was the regal cruise, how much of capacity do you think the ship was and what port did it leave from?   I think the younger adults the crowd on a ship is the more people will tend to drink alcohol.     The ships also hire staff for 6 or 9 month contracts. so they hire based on around 75 percent capacity.  if a sailing has more than that they will definately be short staffed