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

[devonuk]

On 7/28/2023 at 10:13 AM, Neil_c said:

Also for us UK based. We cannot get the medallion sent to our home so we will never be green lane even with the package 

Last weekend out of Southampton on the Sky there were no Green or Blue lanes just one queue. 

[Neil_c]

11 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

I remember the days when:

you had notepaper and envelopes in your cabin (with the ship name and "written at sea" on the paper)

the soda package was less than $10 a day and included a tumbler and cool curly straw with an animal attached

turndown service with chocolates and (sometimes) towel animals

passport book with collectable stamps each cruise

coffee cards and ability to switch out the mini bar for them and use them on other sailings

 

Not saying that any of the above had much impact on me, persoanlly, but they are still cuts to what WAS there and now isn't...

Was on sky in June. Had turndown service (no chocolates). Also a couple of towel animals. 

[SCX22]

38 minutes ago, MBandJSinUK said:

The gaping hole in their plans is for guests that booked nice and early (pre-Dec 22) getting Plus50/Premium and CANNOT still cancel free of charge or have already paid in full (voyages within the next 90 days). These guests will pay more than was agreed when booking.

 

Not sure what the T&C for the packages was before the new announcement on 27/07, but now the T&C explicitly state "Packages and their parts may be changed or revoked at any time...."  Maybe look for this verbiage with your previous package.

[dsukid]

5 hours ago, Te Aroha said:

Lots of pages so sorry if this has already been asked.

 

World cruises or longer than 50 day voyages is it still only two free meals at the above on the Plus package? Seems a little unfair to me and should be every two weeks at a minimum.

You can tell they didn't think this through. 

[shandryl]

I booked in May and this is my Plus PKG. I have the 1.0 pkg and will miss out on the 2.0 pkg. 🤷‍♀️

*PLUS BEVERAGE PACKAGE with SERVICE CHARGE included for guests 21 years old or older. Those under 21 will receive the Plus Coffee & Soda Package. *WI-FI is unlimited, one device per guest. *CREW APPRECIATION is pre-paid for applicable guests in the cabin *PREMIUM DESSERTS (2 per day) *FITNESS CLASSES (2 classes) *JUICE BAR *FREE MEDALLION SHIPPING prior to sailing

[rosevew]

I'm still amazed that they are marketing as added value. On our 24 night cruise, it would cost us over $700 more just to eat in Alfredo's once every day, maybe for lunch. Double that if we wanted to eat there twice a day. I don't call that added value by any stretch.

I don't eat in Alfredo's every day but, equally, I had the choice.

[schnapperin]

Any new menu for the salty dog ? Ruby only has that one casual diner apart of vines for the caribeen cruises 

[Guest ldtr]

4 hours ago, CynCyn said:

Interesting.  I could get AARP and teacher, or can you stack?

Not sure. Have not made any new bookings with HAL since these were recently announced. Have bookings but all made before these programs.

[MBandJSinUK]

40 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

 

Not sure what the T&C for the packages was before the new announcement on 27/07, but now the T&C explicitly state "Packages and their parts may be changed or revoked at any time...."  Maybe look for this verbiage with your previous package.

 

 

You make great point - thanks. My thought is that the changes are not to the plus/premium packages in respect of something being removed creating a cost for us. These changes are to the cruise itself given the Ocean Now app, Room Service and Alfredos/Gigis were not charged but now are charged. The fact that they've added these "additions" to the package is secondary and to make the packages look better value. For a 12 days cruise, I estimated for us that it would add over $100 each - others' calculations will differ. 

[Guest ldtr]

3 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

So, what you're saying is that the people most up in arms come from those that sail in Suites losing Butlers on X, versus standard fare passengers on Princess upset over paying 14.95 for Ocean Now and having to pay for Alfredo's coupled with those that also have Plus being relegated to only two included visits.

 

Either way, first world problems.

Just an example that other cruiselines are changing as well. No cruise line is static.

[Guest ldtr]

3 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Out of curiosity, the points that you accumulated to fly international first class from the west coast and stay at Hiltons for three weeks and have a comped car from Hertz....were these points all accumulated by your own personal vacationing or were they accumulated on your companies dime and you benefited by having the job you have.  Most "normal" people are not able to accumulate enough points for the airline, hotel & car rental perks that you got because of the traveling associated with your job. 

 

Credit cards is the way a lot of points are accumulated quickly these days.

[cruising.mark.uk]

24 minutes ago, MBandJSinUK said:

 

You make great point - thanks. My thought is that the changes are not to the plus/premium packages in respect of something being removed creating a cost for us. These changes are to the cruise itself given the Ocean Now app, Room Service and Alfredos/Gigis were not charged but now are charged. The fact that they've added these "additions" to the package is secondary and to make the packages look better value. For a 12 days cruise, I estimated for us that it would add over $100 each - others' calculations will differ. 

Thanks for your analysis, which I thought was spot on.  Other than 2 things.  The first is the point about T&C.  They have given themselves the right to make changes and, in the big scheme of things, this monster thread is about some pretty trifling changes.  Do those arguing that they should be allowed no penalty cancellation also believe that they should be able to cancel ff the price of a pint of beer or glass of wine goes up by 10% between the time they booked and the date of their cruise?  The second is that no-one is being charged more.  I agree that putting the price of a cruise up after final payment would be out of order.  But that is not what is happening here.  All of the changes are to discretionary spending.   If a passenger who does not have the package doesn't want to pay for Pizza at Alfredos / Gigis, they can get free pizza at Slice.  If they don't want to pay for room service or to activate the app, then they can avoid that by not using room service / the app.  So, no-one is being forced to pay more for anything.

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

1 hour ago, MBandJSinUK said:

The gaping hole in their plans is for guests that booked nice and early (pre-Dec 22) getting Plus50/Premium and CANNOT still cancel free of charge or have already paid in full (voyages within the next 90 days). These guests will pay more than was agreed when booking.

 

This is me

 

its frustrating. I’m tempted to pay the extra to ‘upgrade’ to the new Premier package now. Which is of course what they want.

 

part of the frustration is also that I’m only 3 weeks away from my cruise & seemingly one of the first sailing from UK under this new system

 

It’s not given us, or anyone sailing v soon any time to adjust, and as a result the poor staff are going to get much more frustration thrown at them.

 

it’s also worth saying that Princess are not doing a good job informing currently booked cruisers of this change. Or how having the old packages will affect you.

 

I wouldn’t know if it wasn’t for being on Cruise critic

[beakerone]

I'm cruising in September, also in the UK. I've been online to see about upgrading and there is no option to upgrade the pre-14 December plus package to the new version - it just lists all the elements (including new ones) and says "purchased". I do have the option to upgrade to premier (not worth it for me). I'm therefore going to print this and take it with me. Will advise of outcome on return!

 

Incidentally, I am just back from a cruise booked in July 2022 and I also got the free gelato when that wasn't meant to be included. I only got this once and didn't try to get juice or attend a fitness class. I saw others being advised that the gelato wasn't included for them when they asked but not sure if they were on standard or plus package. This was on Sky.

[cruising.mark.uk]

9 minutes ago, JG&Lcruisingnewbies said:

it’s also worth saying that Princess are not doing a good job informing currently booked cruisers of this change. Or how having the old packages will affect you.

 

I wouldn’t know if it wasn’t for being on Cruise critic

Did you book direct with Princess or via a travel agent?  We received notification about all of this from our travel agent this morning in respect of our next Princess cruise which is not until May 24.  I think that is pretty good communications.

[Blue Midget]

I fall into the category of booked prior to Dec 2022, paid for a package, have now paid in full and sail in a month. When I booked it was clearly advertised as free room service, free Alfredo’s, free use of app etc. I am not loyal to a specific cruise line and have previously booked with RCL, HAl and P&O. I generally choose according to dates, itinerary and value. Irrespective of what the T&C’s state this very much feels to me like a retrospective price increase. The previous changes to plus didn’t bother me as they clearly were extras but in this case they have taken away something I had and stated it will be $140 per person for a 14 day cruise to get it back. I am not going to let it spoil my holiday but I think it would probably prevent me from booking Princess again - not because of the specifics of the changes here but because I can’t trust them to actually provide what I booked and paid for in the first place. The way they have gone about this will I suspect tarnish their brand image more than they realise. It is also going to cause absolute chaos at guest services for the next 3 months……

[PacnGoNow]

7 hours ago, ldtr said:

Though my savings from Elite benefits have totaled enough over the years to pay for several of my cruises on Princess, just as my OBC has.

How’s that?  Old elite bonus? FCC’s?  FCD’s? Just curious.

[Pat King]

1 hour ago, rosevew said:

I'm still amazed that they are marketing as added value. On our 24 night cruise, it would cost us over $700 more just to eat in Alfredo's once every day, maybe for lunch. Double that if we wanted to eat there twice a day. I don't call that added value by any stretch.

I don't eat in Alfredo's every day but, equally, I had the choice.

We were on a Trans Atlantic on Sky and were told that they had customers that ate at Alfredo's twice a day.

[RD64]

2 minutes ago, Pat King said:

We were on a Trans Atlantic on Sky and were told that they had customers that ate at Alfredo's twice a day.

But if they have to start paying for it now, that may also change.

[phabric]

Island and Coral do not have any casual dining.

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

1 hour ago, cruising.mark.uk said:

Did you book direct with Princess or via a travel agent?  We received notification about all of this from our travel agent this morning in respect of our next Princess cruise which is not until May 24.  I think that is pretty good communications.

That is good communication.

I booked via A TA. I’ve not received any info from TA or Princess regarding the new package arrangements. At least not yet, and I’ve less than 3 weeks until travel 😬 

not much I can do about it. I feel for the staff on board more

[Cruisen Elf]

10 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Congrats.  It was hard keeping up with it in real-time on Thursday afternoon.  Posts were flying in at warp speed.

 

Well, it took me 3 days to catch up!  LOL!  Every time I was almost finished, more pages would magically appear!

[EDVM96]

1.4k replies and 66.1k views on a "Can I eat pizza for free at Alfredo's" thread?
Something is wrong. 


 

[JGmf]

1 hour ago, whitecap said:

hadn't given it much thought until a post, several pages ago, alluded to the strong possibility that some on this thread who are glorifying the new changes and charges, just might be Travel Agents.  So, if true, why would they do that?  Could pushing these packages result in high commissions?  

 

Whoa. For those on this thread like me who are being rational and saying the changes are marginal ($5 or $15 here or there - all optional costs), we are not 'glorifying' the new changes, nor are we travel agents, nope...we are just providing context.to the segment here that is running around like their hair is on fire saying they will never sail with Princess again. 

 

Really?  I doubt it.....and if you leave, then kudos to Princess for smoking-out those passengers who won't part with $5 or $15 for those that will -- all for betterment of Princess' survival while still remaining very price-competitive with other lines.

 

I'm not personally happy about the changes, but they are not earth shattering.  Nor would be I be vindictive and righteous and stiff the crew by pulling back the gratuities, which are part of their base salary expectations.

 

 

 

[whitecap]

3 minutes ago, JGmf said:

 

Whoa. For those on this thread like me who are being rational and saying the changes are marginal ($5 or $15 here or there - all optional costs), we are not 'glorifying' the new changes, nor are we travel agents, nope...we are just providing context.to the segment here that is running around like their hair is on fire saying they will never sail with Princess again. 

 

Really?  I doubt it.....and if you leave, then kudos to Princess for smoking-out those passengers who won't part with $5 or $15 for those that will -- all for betterment of Princess' survival while still remaining very price-competitive with other lines.

 

I'm not personally happy about the changes, but they are not earth shattering.  Nor would be I be vindictive and righteous and stiff the crew by pulling back the gratuities, which are part of their base salary expectations.

 

 

 

I truly respect your opinion but please remember, what is "marginal" to you may not be to others.  And also please remember that these changes/add fees, are just another change being made by Princess in what appears to be them trying to mimic other cruise lines.  I personally have been loyal to Princess because of their demonstrated loyalty to me, as a passenger.  My opinion is that the loyalty street has quickly become a one way road and it makes me sad.