Princess Plus worth the money?

[BlerkOne]

5 hours ago, PMGS247 said:

 

This is an interesting non-math based take seemingly entirely on subjective feel of what's nice to have rather than looking at the economics.

 

 

Perception is supreme.

[Lady Arwen]

26 minutes ago, memoak said:

Likewise. We seem to be the same type of cruisers

Honestly, I just can’t take all the calculations and spread sheets and group meetings and debates and seventeen different opinions.  If I’m paying over $10,000 for a cruise, why would I be so overly concerned about spending a few hundred more for something that really enhances my experience.  You either want it or you don’t.

[ExploringTheGlobe]

1 hour ago, drwbrt said:

I don't disagree, but can I have some clarity here?  I get to exceptional value on Plus very quickly.  Because so many of the inclusions on Premier are also included in Plus it makes it harder to recover the additional $20/day.  See the below based on a 7-day.  I'd love your thoughts.  A couple notes:

• I have prioritized these inclusions based on my preference (gratuities and wifi are automatic for me, I don't really care about the premium ice cream sundaes).
• I can and will consume more beverages that listed, but I was very conservative and used the non-drinker in my party as the example.
• Casual dining was figured as daily lunch (2x for plus, 5 additional for premier)
• I valued the photo package based on the prints included, this could be worth a lot more
• Prizes is a calculated value (expected return)
• Assumed daily fitness class usage
• I valued Reserved Seating as what I would cash tip in order to get a reserved seat

 

If you're so inclined I'd love your thoughts.  I think Plus is a no-brainer for me, I think Premier is still a value-winner for me, but Plus-->Premier isn't as compelling as Standard-->Plus.

 

 

OH, I love a good spreadsheet!!!

 

I think the biggest things for me with Premier, the specialty dinners (especially since they have gone up in price) and I like the expensive wine!  If there is a Vines on the ship, it definitely is a no brainer for me to go with Premier.  Could I just pay the difference, sure, but I also really value not having a bill at the end of the cruise! 

[no1racefan1]

'Worth it' is such an individual thing. It depends on a lot of factors, I think. Sure, if I'm taking a $10K cruise, maybe I don't care about spending an extra $1K for the Plus package. But....I'm taking a $2K cruise and I'm on a budget, and I've determined the Plus package is not even close to worth it.

 

We are doing a 7-day Alaska cruise in an interior stateroom (booked the cheapest room possible). I've tried to be realistic about what we will spend.

I don't drink coffee. DH only drinks black coffee. So no spending on coffee.

Neither of us drink soda. I may have 1-2 ginger ales onboard if I start feeling seasick.

We both drink water probably 98% of the time on a regular basis. I'll probably have a couple of hot chocolates when it's cold out on deck.

I don't drink alcohol. DH may have a scotch or glass of wine with dinner. He may also bring a bottle of wine onboard--although we've never done that before, and don't know if we'll go to the trouble.

We've never bought internet, but I think we'll buy the 1-device plan to keep tabs on our dog.

We probably would have utilized room service 1-2 times, but it's not something we do regularly, and it will be easy to go without. 

We're on Sapphire Princess, so there aren't a lot of casual dining options anyway, and I can certainly forego pizza for 7 days since we rarely eat it.

It's highly doubtful that we'd have used OceanNow delivery even if it was still free, because I've seen so many reports of it not working well.

I already planned on picking up our medallions at check in because I've heard it's not that big of a deal, and there's no way I'm giving Princess more money just for them to send me something they are requiring me to use on their ships.

 

Crew appreciation = $224

Internet = $105

Drinks = $200? Honestly probably not even that much

Total: $529

 

Plus package: $840

 

I am disappointed in the changes to the packages, since room service and casual dining options were included in my fare when I booked it. I've expressed my disappointment to Princess. However, I don't feel like the changes are enough to negatively impact my trip, nor will they push me into booking a package I'm not going to get value out of. If I spend an extra $300+, it's going to be on a cabin upgrade!

 

I have seen people say they book it just for peace of mind and not having to worry about all the little extras adding up. That's not my personality because I don't want to pay for something I'm not fully utilizing, but when deciding whether it's worth it, I think you just have to be honest with yourself and what your habits are.

 

 

 

[memoak]

12 minutes ago, no1racefan1 said:

'Worth it' is such an individual thing. It depends on a lot of factors, I think. Sure, if I'm taking a $10K cruise, maybe I don't care about spending an extra $1K for the Plus package. But....I'm taking a $2K cruise and I'm on a budget, and I've determined the Plus package is not even close to worth it.

 

We are doing a 7-day Alaska cruise in an interior stateroom (booked the cheapest room possible). I've tried to be realistic about what we will spend.

I don't drink coffee. DH only drinks black coffee. So no spending on coffee.

Neither of us drink soda. I may have 1-2 ginger ales onboard if I start feeling seasick.

We both drink water probably 98% of the time on a regular basis. I'll probably have a couple of hot chocolates when it's cold out on deck.

I don't drink alcohol. DH may have a scotch or glass of wine with dinner. He may also bring a bottle of wine onboard--although we've never done that before, and don't know if we'll go to the trouble.

We've never bought internet, but I think we'll buy the 1-device plan to keep tabs on our dog.

We probably would have utilized room service 1-2 times, but it's not something we do regularly, and it will be easy to go without. 

We're on Sapphire Princess, so there aren't a lot of casual dining options anyway, and I can certainly forego pizza for 7 days since we rarely eat it.

It's highly doubtful that we'd have used OceanNow delivery even if it was still free, because I've seen so many reports of it not working well.

I already planned on picking up our medallions at check in because I've heard it's not that big of a deal, and there's no way I'm giving Princess more money just for them to send me something they are requiring me to use on their ships.

 

Crew appreciation = $224

Internet = $105

Drinks = $200? Honestly probably not even that much

Total: $529

 

Plus package: $840

 

I am disappointed in the changes to the packages, since room service and casual dining options were included in my fare when I booked it. I've expressed my disappointment to Princess. However, I don't feel like the changes are enough to negatively impact my trip, nor will they push me into booking a package I'm not going to get value out of. If I spend an extra $300+, it's going to be on a cabin upgrade!

 

I have seen people say they book it just for peace of mind and not having to worry about all the little extras adding up. That's not my personality because I don't want to pay for something I'm not fully utilizing, but when deciding whether it's worth it, I think you just have to be honest with yourself and what your habits are.

 

 

 

The packages are really not made for cruisers like you. The only free casual dining you will not get free anymore is the pizzeria and unless you will be using room service or ordering through the app there is really no reason I can see for you to get a package the dollar amounts really don’t add up

[Steelers36]

7 hours ago, SleeStack1 said:

Currently, Princess lets you buy the package onboard on day 1.  This allows for use of OBC and/or gift cards you might get at 8% off.  That changes the math quite a bit.

 

My personal valuation for our upcoming cruise is as follows

 

P+  (at 8% off) is $55.20 pppd

Here is an example of how the math varies by individual.  I would view a discount on a GC as cash in my pocket and not a discount on on-board spending.  You look at it differently - and it works for you.  NP there.

 

I evaluate the value of a package to us based on its merits alone - even if I might have $1,000 OBC (that amount has never happened to me for a single voyage).

[HMSDingy]

16 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

 

Following up, here is a math example for someone like us who don't spend much on bar and other things. 

 

Another big factor for us is that we get a free mini-bar in the cabin due to being Elite and that gives me 10 beers and 10 Perrier (after swapping items).  So, you can see this is a beverage supply at no cost.

 

Crew Appreciation (CA) = $32 x 10 = $320

Internet = $15 x 10 = $150 (this is because we get is at half price being Elite level - your cost is double)

Ocean Now = $0 (We would get our own things from bar of food venue and not wait for it to come and them to find us)

Room Service = $0 (Never used it before and wouldn't now)

Casual Dining = $34 (we would typically go to Alfredo's/Gigi's a couple of times.  I suppose I might have a special burger if it was available on my ship and I would certainly try O'Malley's once.  But we would never order a 3-course meal for lunch).  If a ship we were on had all of these, bump this up to $50 to be safe.

Juice Bar = $18 (guessing - might try it if a drink appealed)

Ice Cream Sundaes = $0

Gelato = $8

Bar Drinks = $20 max

 

Total for a 10-night voyage = ~$550.

Plus for 10-night voyage = $1,200.

 

Balance for bar tab = $1,200 - $550 = ~$650.  Per day = $65.

 

We would not spend $65/day on wine and drinks.  If I was buying wine on board, I would purchase bottles and one bottle last us two days certainly.  This is us - not anyone else necessarily.

 

That said, I do bring on a supply of wine whenever possible for me to do so.  There is a $20 corkage fee beyond the first two bottles (1/pp) and I am aware of what Princess menu prices are compared to retail plus the corkage.  I have also found I am not always charged corkage.

 

So, this is one example and you can do your own figuring based on what you guys like to drink.

Thanks for the detailed response. In our case we are booked on a 20 day cruise and by taking Plus our calculations would be double your amounts with also have $65 left over per day

 

The difference for us is that we always have a bottle of wine at dinner and the current Princess price lists have the cheapest wine at $45 which leaves us $20 per day. Even if we buy bottles at the various ports, we're still paying the corkage fee of $20 for $45 left over. We're not heavy drinkers but we usually have a cocktail before dinner and I like to occasionally have a beer with my lunch.  

 

I don't think the ls would work for us.

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, PMGS247 said:

As a general rule most people who average at least 2-4 alcoholic beverages per day will benefit from the plus package.

And if do not BYOW on the cruise.

[Steelers36]

10 minutes ago, HMSDingy said:

The difference for us is that we always have a bottle of wine at dinner and the current Princess price lists have the cheapest wine at $45 which leaves us $20 per day. Even if we buy bottles at the various ports, we're still paying the corkage fee of $20 for $45 left over. We're not heavy drinkers but we usually have a cocktail before dinner and I like to occasionally have a beer with my lunch.

I understand.  In my case the cheapos on the wine list are generally not of interest to me.  Some of those are +/- $10 bottles at discount retailers like Total Wine.  I'd be moving up the menu list.  I can score much better price/value proposition from Total Wine or other providers if I am able to obtain the wine and get it on board.  I need a little less than I used to as my wife's consumption has gone down.

 

If I was cruising and not able or not doing BYOW, then I realize it is a different situation.  However, I would have $130 between us to spend on wine every two days (based on our consumption).  I wouldn't be spending that much off the wine list, so the package is still no good for us.  If I had the Plus, I'd have to factor in additional cost every glass of wine as I wouldn't be interested in the no-name Plus wine offerings.

 

Never say never, but as the packages increase in cost beyond what decent wine costs me, it makes them less attractive.  At $40 (not so long ago, but with less frills admittedly), the decision was near borderline.  The subsequent price increases just rocketed it out of range.

[Steelers36]

18 minutes ago, HMSDingy said:

We're not heavy drinkers but we usually have a cocktail before dinner and I like to occasionally have a beer with my lunch.  

We are lucky as we get 10 free beers per voyage segment (due to being Elite members), plus 10 free Perrier.  So we have extra beverages to consume for a change of pace.

[Tedferg]

1 hour ago, drwbrt said:

New to this concept.  Buying onboard generates a "cash-back offer" as OBC?  Is this associated to loyalty or for all passengers?  Does this only work on Plus/Premier or for all purchases?  Does this take place at guest services or can I do so onboard through the app?

I hope I am answering your question. If you upgrade to Plus before you sail, you cannot apply OBC to the purchase. The price of the cruise will increase and so Insurance will also increase.

 

If you wait until you board, the cost of Plus is added to your shipboard account and any OBC is applied against that account. The $10 discount was applied as a credit to our account, not as OBC and no visit to Guest Services.

[drwbrt]

54 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

I hope I am answering your question. If you upgrade to Plus before you sail, you cannot apply OBC to the purchase. The price of the cruise will increase and so Insurance will also increase.

 

If you wait until you board, the cost of Plus is added to your shipboard account and any OBC is applied against that account. The $10 discount was applied as a credit to our account, not as OBC and no visit to Guest Services.

Thanks for explaining.  Makes perfect sense.

[Mike07]

8 hours ago, tonit964 said:

 

Three alcoholic drinks per day will put you at break even. I did that easily on my LA to Hawaii cruise. 

 

Break even? Sure, at their inflated and artificial prices. I value the drinks at roughly what I can pay at Total Wine (and like) and you have to drink way more than 3 to break even.

 

 

[Mike07]

9 hours ago, Oxo said:

Please explain:

alcohol was disgusting by day fifteen.

I really don't understand your comment.

TIA

 

 

Princess allows 15 drinks per day under the package.... drink 15 drinks from maybe lunch to 9 PM for 15 days straight and you'll see what I mean. Then again, this is for average alcohol consumers. Some people can put away a 30 pack every night.

Edited August 16, 2023 by Mike07

[voljeep]

6 minutes ago, Mike07 said:

 

Break even? Sure, at their inflated and artificial prices. I value the drinks at roughly what I can pay at Total Wine (and like) and you have to drink way more than 3 to break even.

 

 

yes, you still, at least for now, have the option to stop at TW and carry wine onboard with you.  and also buy wine at ports

[tonit964]

6 minutes ago, Mike07 said:

 

Break even? Sure, at their inflated and artificial prices. I value the drinks at roughly what I can pay at Total Wine (and like) and you have to drink way more than 3 to break even.

 

 

Apples to Oranges. 

 

When I buy my booze for at home consumption, of course its way cheaper. When I'm on a cruise, it's either pay the $10-$12 per drink as I go or buy the package for way cheaper. I make very good use out of Plus. 

[Mike07]

2 minutes ago, voljeep said:

yes, you still, at least for now, have the option to stop at TW and carry wine onboard with you.  and also buy wine at ports

 

 

True, though don't care for wine enough to do that.

[Mike07]

1 minute ago, tonit964 said:

Apples to Oranges. 

 

When I buy my booze for at home consumption, of course its way cheaper. When I'm on a cruise, it's either pay the $10-$12 per drink as I go or buy the package for way cheaper. I make very good use out of Plus. 

 

 

Daily alcohol consumption isn't important enough for me to pay what Princess is asking. It's as simple as that. My liver thanks me for that.

[memoak]

20 minutes ago, Mike07 said:

 

Break even? Sure, at their inflated and artificial prices. I value the drinks at roughly what I can pay at Total Wine (and like) and you have to drink way more than 3 to break even.

 

 

So you don’t drink wine on restaurants ?  Value is different at home and in a food venue

[memoak]

21 minutes ago, Mike07 said:

 

 

Princess allows 15 drinks per day under the package.... drink 15 drinks from maybe lunch to 9 PM for 15 days straight and you'll see what I mean. Then again, this is for average alcohol consumers. Some people can put away a 30 pack every night.

You and I are on different schedules. On a cruise we will have our first drink around 11am and last at like 1:30 in the morning. We average 8-12 drinks on an average day. Evan on a pot day we ate normally eating lunch in port and have a few beers

Edited August 16, 2023 by memoak

[Mike07]

7 minutes ago, memoak said:

You and I are on different schedules. On a cruise we will have our first drink around 11am and last at like 1:30 in the morning. We average 8-12 drinks on an average day. Evan on a pot day we ate normally eating lunch in port and have a few beers

 

 

Probably. I generally do about 10-12 drinks from noon to 9 PM.

 

I guess "value" for me is that I look at $60 per day time 14 days (I generally do about 2 week itineraries), and I decide... "Would I rather have $600 in my pocket (rough estimate taking out gratuities)?" or would I rather have alcohol and wifi on this trip?  When PP was $40, it was easier to make this decision, but the bump to $50 and now $60 is making PP a waste in my pocketbook.

 

The cruising industry is a competitive market, and if Princess prices me out, that's fine. There are plenty of potentially more suitable ships out there that I would like to explore like Viking and Oceania.

[Lady Arwen]

8 minutes ago, Mike07 said:

 

 

Probably. I generally do about 10-12 drinks from noon to 9 PM.

 

I guess "value" for me is that I look at $60 per day time 14 days (I generally do about 2 week itineraries), and I decide... "Would I rather have $600 in my pocket (rough estimate taking out gratuities)?" or would I rather have alcohol and wifi on this trip?  When PP was $40, it was easier to make this decision, but the bump to $50 and now $60 is making PP a waste in my pocketbook.

 

The cruising industry is a competitive market, and if Princess prices me out, that's fine. There are plenty of potentially more suitable ships out there that I would like to explore like Viking and Oceania.

Both Viking and Oceania are much more expensive than Princess, even with a package.  Much more.  Viking requires payment in full at time of booking, even if it’s more than one year away.

Edited August 16, 2023 by Lady Arwen

[Thrak]

9 hours ago, tonit964 said:

Well, yeah, drinking 15 alcoholic drinks everyday for two weeks would get disgusting but you don't have to drink 15 drinks to get your "monies" worth, that's just the limit.

 

Three alcoholic drinks per day will put you at break even. I did that easily on my LA to Hawaii cruise. 

 

Yes, I can drink 15 drinks in one day but it's not my "goal" and doing it even two days in a row is a big, "Nope. Not gonna happen." It's nice to have a Tonic & Lime in the mix from time to time and I don't really need to have a drink in my hand at all times. Since I often drink straight whiskey, double, straight up one needs to be cognizant of the amount of liquor being consumed. A double whisky isn't really all that much liquid and needs to be sipped gently. Tonic and Lime or San Pellegrino make for nice "filler drinks" and help to keep one hydrated rather than blotto. (I'm also fairly "calorie conscious" these days as I recently lost 35 lbs. and alcohol is definitely in the "empty calorie" category - and lots of empty calories to boot.)

Edited August 16, 2023 by Thrak

[Mike07]

Just now, Lady Arwen said:

Both Viking and Oceania are much more expensive than Princess, even with a package.  Much more.

 

 

I am aware. The ships are also smaller, and that is a valuable perk/feature to me. Alcohol is far less valuable to me.

[roxievegas]

3 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

Honestly, I just can’t take all the calculations and spread sheets and group meetings and debates and seventeen different opinions.  If I’m paying over $10,000 for a cruise, why would I be so overly concerned about spending a few hundred more for something that really enhances my experience.  You either 'twant it or you don’t.

I don't spend that much for a cruise so your logic doesn't work for me.

 

If any of you have attended a sales pitch in Mexico at the resorts for time share - all of this math reminds me of those meetings.  You can run the numbers and give all the reasons you want.  Bottom line - run your own numbers and see what sticks.