Changes to Princess Plus, room service fees, Alfredo's and others. Fee changes. Etc

[Barbie075]

On 7/27/2023 at 10:41 AM, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

As someone who always books with Plus the ability to dine at Ocean Terrace and/or O’Malleys on my upcoming cruise on Enchanted, with no extra fees, is a win as these were both a’la carte previously. 
 

In essence it feels that Princess are adding dining charges in formerly complimentary venues, and for room service, for those who choose not to Plus. This makes Plus that much more attractive a value. 

You had better upgrade to Premier then, as you will only be entitled to two meals for free as a Plus, after that you will have a pay a la carte pricing.

[LeeW]

11 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

But if the rations are considered casual dining, then we only get the rations twice, whether we're at sea for 7 days or 14.

Correct.  And you have to pay extra in cash (no account available on the lifeboat) if you are Standard.

[vjmatty]

13 minutes ago, suekel said:

My hubby is 6' 7" 275. There is no sharing!  Be nice though. 

Sharing wasn’t my idea…. give me all, and I’m only half his size

[Steelers36]

38 minutes ago, dlh015 said:

That is precisely what I see in mine, too. I booked mine on June 4th this year. Figure I should get the new stuff. I have a little over 2 months before the cruise sails...hopefully I will get an update before then...

Yes, you get the new stuff because you are on the $60 Plus plan (booked since Dec 14/22).

[Steelers36]

19 minutes ago, getaway101 said:

My question is....We already have Premier for our upcoming September cruise.  Will it be included or do we have to upgrade yet again for a fee of course.

Did you book since Dec 14 and do you have the newest $80 Premier plan?  If so, then fine.  Otherwise, you don't get the new things unless you upgrade to $80 level.

[getaway101]

1 minute ago, Steelers36 said:

Did you book since Dec 14 and do you have the newest $80 Premier plan?  If so, then fine.  Otherwise, you don't get the new things unless you upgrade to $80 level.

Yes,  We paid the $80. pp per day.  But my travel summary does not show the new items.

Edited July 29, 2023 by getaway101

[Steelers36]

5 minutes ago, getaway101 said:

Yes,  We paid the $80. pp per day.  But my travel summary does not show the new items.

LOL - give IT a little while to update systems.

[jajohnson]

It would be interesting to know what percentage of the complaints and negative comments posted here were also sent directly to Princess management as well.

[spunks]

1 hour ago, gah_cruise said:

Why the $5 charge for room service if you use the phone?  Is it a better service (eg quicker and hotter) than the app?

we never use the card because we wake up at different times. One day it might be 6AM one day it might be 7:30 am...so either they wake us up or we wake up and have to wait an hour. This is a very simple concept.

[MITDOAC123]

I have more ideas to pass to CEO Padgett to make the princess plus package even more of a savings.

 

Offer

- a free baggage fee,(after installing $50 per suitcase fee)

- free hot dogs by the pool (new normal would be $5 ea)

- free chair by the pool ( a potential savings of $20 a day)

- free show attendance ( another $20 a day savings)

- free dessert at international cafe( new normal would be $5)

- free use of pool towels $5

- free admission to pool side sail away party ( instead of a new $20 fee)

 

Just these small changes would increase the Princess Plus package savings by more than $800 a couple on a 7 day cruise. I’m sure there are more things that can be offered for free as well as part of the package. Free soap in the rooms? Free housekeeping? Free use of ships elevators?

The potential for savings is endless!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest ldtr]

38 minutes ago, getaway101 said:

My question is....We already have Premier for our upcoming September cruise.  Will it be included or do we have to upgrade yet again for a fee of course.

Did you buy before or after the last price increase for packages?  If before then not all included, if after then it is included.

[coo359a2]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

Job is yours,  Please report back by next Tuesday.  😉

 .  . Above my computer skills trying to navigate unfriendly cruise sites and dig out information. Plus there are a number on this thread that are already talking about how much better other cruise lines for benefit costs  that surely they can post what they already know for a fact.  I only know what Princess charges. . 

Edited July 29, 2023 by coo359a2

[Guest ldtr]

18 minutes ago, getaway101 said:

Yes,  We paid the $80. pp per day.  But my travel summary does not show the new items.

The new terms start in August.

[coo359a2]

double post

Edited July 29, 2023 by coo359a2

[villauk]

19 minutes ago, getaway101 said:

Yes,  We paid the $80. pp per day.  But my travel summary does not show the new items.

 

Mine has just been updated with all the new T&Cs and we sail in 3 weeks. What I did find interesting was point 6

Will I receive the new perks if I purchased Princess Plus or Premier at the old rate of £40/£60 per day?
You can absolutely upgrade to the new perks at the new price! If you do not wish to upgrade, you can enjoy the package with the original perks as you initially purchased them.
 

So, I can enjoy the perks as I initially purchased them: meaning I have unlimited access to Alfredo’s as that was available when I initially purchased and booked my cruise 😉!

[wineglass]

On my presently booked 15 day cruise, plus+ would add $900 per person to my fare. Remove gratuities and internet and that means almost $400 per person to spend on drinks. They are not adding value, they are adding something you used to get included free. If you are just standard basic, you are now charged for what you used to get free. Not happy

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, Astro Flyer said:

Wasn’t it possible to previously order it on the app? Guess it’d cost me $14.99 per cruise to do it on the app or TV? Where is the cost savings for Princess by requiring using a card instead of simply on the app?
 

Another example of a not well thought out change by Princess.

 

 

Cards all get picked up, sorted and processed at one time.  App on TV requires someone to read and evaluate the request at time it is generated.  First a bit more efficient then the second.

 

Another reason and the most likely is they are leaving the card as an option to cut down a bit on complaints since it gives an out on fees.

 

The phone charge certainly makes sense based upon the amount of time the Room service line is busy now that ships are getting back up to full capacity.

 

The charges basically do 3 things from the cruise lines point of view

 

1. pushes more to packages

2. Cuts down on room service demand and delivery demand

3. Increases revenue for the demand that exists 

Edited July 29, 2023 by ldtr

[kywildcatfanone]

2 hours ago, whitecap said:

Boy, you two sound just like the DW and me.  We eat 95% of our meals at the buffet; 5% at the Lido grill/pizza and the IC.  We go to a specialty restaurant only if it is gifted.  We have sailed the Caribbean, with Princess, 39 times and have done about every excursion so none of those.  A slow stroll through the port area and back to the ship is our usual activity.  Relax, and decompress.  Now that Princess has decided to try being more like Royal Caribbean, Sun Princess, with two entire decks for kids/families (don't get me wrong, I have nothing against kids or families as long as the kids are seen and not heard and the parents maintain control 😂), and adding additional fees with less and less benefits for loyalty, the atmosphere aboard Princess ships might be changing.  We'll see and then make whatever change we need to in order to continue to cruise and enjoy ourselves without the feeling of being taken to the cleaners.  

Yep, this is exactly us.  Which is probably why we will avoid the new ships, since it looks like the adults only area is moving to the sanctuary from what I have been able to see, so no separate retreat area for adults only that I can tell.  I've asked that question in the thread on the Sun, but never gotten a response, and at least looking at the deck plans a couple of weeks ago, saw nothing about a separate retreat area and pool.  If anyone can comment, please.

[spunks]

1 hour ago, coo359a2 said:

I wonder if someone has made a comparison chart showing actual costs (i.e. gratuities/drinks/internet/"tax" on drinks and other benefits) between Princess, RCL, NCL, Celebrity, other CCL lines so that someone could see these differences.  Then add the basic cruise costs to costs of benefits  and you could tell if the grass is greener on the other side. 

OK...here is our look at the differences between RCCL and Princess:

 

It used to be that RCCL was always cheaper than Princess, but Princess allowed us to "stack" OBC benefits so that the money usually came out about the same....i.e....being a military veteran would pay something like $100.00 , being a stockholder of CCL stock paid $100.00..having cruised over 50 times with Princess paid $100.00, plus any TA given benefits...so a total of $300.00 plus on a 7 day cruise. This is onboard credit that could go toward tips, drinks, etc or even specialty restaurants. RCCL would only give a stockholder benefit, and even then if you did not have any discounts....plus 1 Princess!

 

Princess gives a one time mini bar setup of 8 little bottles, 2 bottles of beer, 2 Perrier and 6 soft drinks per cruise no matter how many days the cruise. RCCL gives 4 drinks PER DAY at any bar for Diamond, 5 per day for Diamond plus and 6 per day for Pennical.....plus 1 RCCL

 

The sad thing is that within the last year Princess has done away with the over 20-30-40-50 times cruise bonus....gone. Next they took away the benefit stacking. You can now take EITHER the Vet bonus or the stockholder, but not both.....minus 1 Princess.

 

Princess does still allow unlimited free laundry service for Elite members( 15 cruises), but they now take up to 72 hours to return it.

 

RCCL allows a small bag of laundry per cruise for Diamond Plus...plus one for Princess

 

No more free internet for Platinum and Elite for Princess..RCCL gives 2 free days internet per Diamond Plus member in the cabin. ..Plus one for RCCL....internet is Voom starlink...very fast plus another for RCCL

 

Princess has been reducing benefits ....RCCL has not 

 

Doug

[Guest ldtr]

For all of the angst, discussion an debate.  In reality the changes are

 

Making Gigi's/Alfredo's  a charged venue

Adding $14.95 charge to activate App ordering 

Adding $5 per order room service charge when ordering by phone

 

Most of this discussion is largely because the announcement (the one aimed at TAs) focused on packages and why TA's should push them to their clients.  Instead of being a announcement of the price increases themselves.  

 

There have been far larger changes in the past with more economic impact that generated less angst and confusion.  

[bubbaed]

8 minutes ago, wineglass said:

On my presently booked 15 day cruise, plus+ would add $900 per person to my fare. Remove gratuities and internet and that means almost $400 per person to spend on drinks. They are not adding value, they are adding something you used to get included free. If you are just standard basic, you are now charged for what you used to get free. Not happy

In this example, $400 would be roughly $26/day on drinks. A $9 glass of wine + gratuity is $10.62. So any more than 2 drinks a day (not sure if you drink, but your handle suggests you do drink wine) and it might make sense to upgrade to Plus. Then you get some extras including bottled water, coffees, and most of the new fees waived.

[Guest ldtr]

1 minute ago, spunks said:

OK...here is our look at the differences between RCCL and Princess:

 

It used to be that RCCL was always cheaper than Princess, but Princess allowed us to "stack" OBC benefits so that the money usually came out about the same....i.e....being a military veteran would pay something like $100.00 , being a stockholder of CCL stock paid $100.00..having cruised over 50 times with Princess paid $100.00, plus any TA given benefits...so a total of $300.00 plus on a 7 day cruise. This is onboard credit that could go toward tips, drinks, etc or even specialty restaurants. RCCL would only give a stockholder benefit, and even then if you did not have any discounts....plus 1 Princess!

 

Princess gives a one time mini bar setup of 8 little bottles, 2 bottles of beer, 2 Perrier and 6 soft drinks per cruise no matter how many days the cruise. RCCL gives 4 drinks PER DAY at any bar for Diamond, 5 per day for Diamond plus and 6 per day for Pennical.....plus 1 RCCL

 

The sad thing is that within the last year Princess has done away with the over 20-30-40-50 times cruise bonus....gone. Next they took away the benefit stacking. You can now take EITHER the Vet bonus or the stockholder, but not both.....minus 1 Princess.

 

Princess does still allow unlimited free laundry service for Elite members( 15 cruises), but they now take up to 72 hours to return it.

 

RCCL allows a small bag of laundry per cruise for Diamond Plus...plus one for Princess

 

No more free internet for Platinum and Elite for Princess..RCCL gives 2 free days internet per Diamond Plus member in the cabin. ..Plus one for RCCL....internet is Voom starlink...very fast plus another for RCCL

 

Princess has been reducing benefits ....RCCL has not 

 

Doug

The veterans shareholder change only impacts those where both couples are veterans or where a veteran is sailing solo.  For couples where there is one veteran the stacking still is allowed.  The veteran applies for the veterans benefit, the stock should be owned by the other person in the cabin or in a joint account that includes their name and they apply for the shareholder benefit.  It is only when an individual tries applying for both in their name that is not allowed.

[ceilidh1]

36 minutes ago, MITDOAC123 said:

I have more ideas to pass to CEO Padgett to make the princess plus package even more of a savings.

 

Offer

- a free baggage fee,(after installing $50 per suitcase fee)

- free hot dogs by the pool (new normal would be $5 ea)

- free chair by the pool ( a potential savings of $20 a day)

- free show attendance ( another $20 a day savings)

- free dessert at international cafe( new normal would be $5)

- free use of pool towels $5

- free admission to pool side sail away party ( instead of a new $20 fee)

 

Just these small changes would increase the Princess Plus package savings by more than $800 a couple on a 7 day cruise. I’m sure there are more things that can be offered for free as well as part of the package. Free soap in the rooms? Free housekeeping? Free use of ships elevators?

The potential for savings is endless!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe they could implement turndown service as a perk for package buyers...

😜

[rocker57]

We are going on a cruise in September this year. Received an offer, it was only $1000 for a mini-suite for both of us. I added on the Plus package, which was more than the cruise for 7 days. We were just on a Caribbean cruise in March. My 2 cents on these changes doesn’t really affect us. We only ate at Alfredo’s twice, which is now covered. Never used the app to order a drink as it was easier just to go to the bar, and heard horrendous tales about the length of time to receive your order. Have never once used RS.  I do understand the anger, as like it’s been said, people book months if not years ahead for their cruse, to only find out they are not getting what they were at the time of booking. I’m more irked that they took away traditional dining as I liked that.   We will probably stick to land based vacations now, as I don’t think the value is there in cruising. Everyone says it is cheaper, but for our cruise in March, paid close to $5000 for the cruise, 2 nights hotel in Fort Lauderdale would of cost $1000 if I didn’t use points, and our air fare would of been over $2000, that is $8000 Canadian. I can book a resort for 9 nights, includes everything, multiple restaurants, booze, 24 hr room service, I can get a lounger reasonably close to a pool, or one on the beach, airfare included for 5 - 6000 dollars. I am not a fan of the class system being a plebe, and that is where cruising is heading towards.

[Guest ldtr]

4 minutes ago, bubbaed said:

In this example, $400 would be roughly $26/day on drinks. A $9 glass of wine + gratuity is $10.62. So any more than 2 drinks a day (not sure if you drink, but your handle suggests you do drink wine) and it might make sense to upgrade to Plus. Then you get some extras including bottled water, coffees, and most of the new fees waived.

Here is an example for my case.  Elite, Veteran, wife shareholder (I sold my shares, she bought shares for her account after recent change).  On a recent 22 day back to back.  $700 savings due to Elite benefits (Internet, minibar, laundry, excursion discount), $700 OBC veterans and shareholder for the two cruises ($500 for the 14 day TA, $200 for 8 day BI).  Total out of pocket onboard spend for 22 days  was less than $400 dollars.  Cost to buy package for same period for both about $2600.

 

Impact of new prices increases based upon our actual use on that cruise $75 dollars.  2 trips to Alfredo's and activation of remote ordering on the first 14 day cruise.

 

To be honest the elimination of the coffee cards had more of a financial impact on us since the value of the 2 minibar swaps went  from $240 (4 coffee cards for blended mochas) to $90 (40 soft drinks).