princess plus package pricing in advance vs on board

[jff50]

I am interested getting the package for my upcoming cruise.  Is the price to buy it on the ship the same as buying it pre-cruise? if I buy it onboard, I figure part of it would come out of my OBCs,

[lx200gps]

3 minutes ago, jff50 said:

I am interested getting the package for my upcoming cruise.  Is the price to buy it on the ship the same as buying it pre-cruise? if I buy it onboard, I figure part of it would come out of my OBCs,

That's exactly our experience when we did the upgrade onboard the Discovery last October. The price was precisely the same on board as it was online ahead of time, and the upgrade was done within minutes of us boarding and went live instantly.  They station the folks doing the upgrades within feet of the embarkation area when you board, so they will very easy to find. The cost did come out of our OBCs

[reedprincess]

Same price in advance or aboard. Princess doesn't discount pretty much anything for buying in advance. Excursions, sometimes, but that's about it. 

[nasa1974]

The biggest difference between advance purchase (when booking your cruise) or on board is that if purchased when booking your cruise, the trip insurance will be more, and your medallion gets shipped to your home for free. If you try to purchase as an upgrade after you have booked your cruise, I'm not sure what happens. But it's all the same price.

[ccqueenanne]

35 minutes ago, nasa1974 said:

The biggest difference between advance purchase (when booking your cruise) or on board is that if purchased when booking your cruise, the trip insurance will be more, and your medallion gets shipped to your home for free. If you try to purchase as an upgrade after you have booked your cruise, I'm not sure what happens. But it's all the same price.

 

When you book Plus onboard, you actually get a $10 refund on the cost, because you didn't get the medallion shipped. So that's a bonus, in addition to getting to use your OBC. The only real risk is that the price for Plus could rise between now and your cruise. Usually that gets announced in advance, so as long as you keep an eye on the boards prior to your cruise, you should be fine.

[cr8tiv1]

Just hope that Princess doesn't raise the rate between now and then.

 

My experience with excursions...Not on sale pre-cruise but cost rises as you get closer to cruise date.

 

Cost of Plus/Premier added to insurance can be costly.  Usually...Princess announces rate increase and there is a mass purchase pre-cruise.  I've done that.  

Edited February 10 by cr8tiv1

[SusanMM]

Hello everyone.  We just had a very strange thing occur with our booking.  We booked and paid for cruise including Princess Plus package.  Our online profile showed the extras in the package until just a short while ago.  On Monday, our TA contacted us to tell us that Princess has unilaterally cancelled our Plus package and will be processing a refund to us, and that if we still want the package we will have to wait until we board the ship to purchase it.  She was not given a reason for this.

Has anyone else encountered this?  If so, do you know why it has been done?  I just find it unsettling.  TIA

[nasa1974]

Very strange. The price won't be any different purchasing on board the ship. Since you booked your cruise with the Princess Plus check with your TA to make sure your trip insurance cost adjusted showing the difference in price minus the Princess Plus package. You should get a refund on the trip insurance.

[jagoffee]

19 hours ago, SusanMM said:

Hello everyone.  We just had a very strange thing occur with our booking.  We booked and paid for cruise including Princess Plus package.  Our online profile showed the extras in the package until just a short while ago.  On Monday, our TA contacted us to tell us that Princess has unilaterally cancelled our Plus package and will be processing a refund to us, and that if we still want the package we will have to wait until we board the ship to purchase it.  She was not given a reason for this.

Has anyone else encountered this?  If so, do you know why it has been done?  I just find it unsettling.  TIA

Makes no sense to me?  When did you originally book your cruise.  Did you pay $60 a day per person or only $50?

 

I wonder if your TA made so kind of error?  She was not given a reason does not sound like a very good TA IMO, since it is her job to find out.  
 

When is your cruise?  Did you get free medallion shipping?  If not perhaos you were over charged and our due a $10 credit?

 

 

Edited February 16 by jagoffee

[Thrak]

20 hours ago, SusanMM said:

Hello everyone.  We just had a very strange thing occur with our booking.  We booked and paid for cruise including Princess Plus package.  Our online profile showed the extras in the package until just a short while ago.  On Monday, our TA contacted us to tell us that Princess has unilaterally cancelled our Plus package and will be processing a refund to us, and that if we still want the package we will have to wait until we board the ship to purchase it.  She was not given a reason for this.

Has anyone else encountered this?  If so, do you know why it has been done?  I just find it unsettling.  TIA

 

I would need an in-depth explanation as to why this has happened. Sounds weird to me.

[Arizona Wildcat]

20 hours ago, SusanMM said:

Hello everyone.  We just had a very strange thing occur with our booking.  We booked and paid for cruise including Princess Plus package.  Our online profile showed the extras in the package until just a short while ago.  On Monday, our TA contacted us to tell us that Princess has unilaterally cancelled our Plus package and will be processing a refund to us, and that if we still want the package we will have to wait until we board the ship to purchase it.  She was not given a reason for this.

Has anyone else encountered this?  If so, do you know why it has been done?  I just find it unsettling.  TIA

To the OP.  Some details please.  When is your cruise etc.

[ocfafc]

I just got off the phone with Princess regarding a question about our July cruise.  During our conversation I asked him a separate question regarding a last minute cruise we just booked for next month.  I have a 300 OBC on that cruise and have not upgraded yet to either the plus or premier package.  He stated that the package was much more to purchase on board then before cruising.  When I pressed him on how much, he put me on hold a fews times and then would come back again saying much more but he did not have the pricing.  I asked who to contact to get the pricing and of course he did not know.  My impression is this guy didn't know "squat".

 

My question has there possibly been a very recent change on purchasing Plus or Premier Packages pre cruise versus onboard?  

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

[that]

No recent changes

 

 

[memoak]

On 2/16/2024 at 4:20 PM, Thrak said:

 

I would need an in-depth explanation as to why this has happened. Sounds weird to me.

Exceedingly strange never heard of anything like this unless the TA somehow ordered plus for only one person in the cabin instead of both. Details Details please

[reedprincess]

14 minutes ago, ocfafc said:

I just got off the phone with Princess regarding a question about our July cruise.  During our conversation I asked him a separate question regarding a last minute cruise we just booked for next month.  I have a 300 OBC on that cruise and have not upgraded yet to either the plus or premier package.  He stated that the package was much more to purchase on board then before cruising.  When I pressed him on how much, he put me on hold a fews times and then would come back again saying much more but he did not have the pricing.  I asked who to contact to get the pricing and of course he did not know.  My impression is this guy didn't know "squat".

 

My question has there possibly been a very recent change on purchasing Plus or Premier Packages pre cruise versus onboard?  

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

No changes 

It's currently still the same price in advance as aboard.  

$60/80usd  Plus/Premier 

[d9704011]

7 minutes ago, reedprincess said:

No changes 

It's currently still the same price in advance as aboard.  

$60/80usd  Plus/Premier 

If you're Canadian, it might be better to purchase in advance.  Pay CAD 81/day directly to Princess or charge USD 60/day, which may end up costing over CAD 82/day afer exchange rate and bank fees.

[ocfafc]

d9704011........I'm almost Canadian.......my grandfather was born in Canada and I live in Washington State! LOL

 

Thanks everyone for the quick replies!  I suspected the guy who I was speaking with from the call center did not know what he was talking about.  

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, d9704011 said:

If you're Canadian, it might be better to purchase in advance.  Pay CAD 81/day directly to Princess or charge USD 60/day, which may end up costing over CAD 82/day after exchange rate and bank fees.

These days, anyone who travels ought to have a USD bank account and at least one USD credit card.  Allows for self-managing currency conversions, including ability to exchange for larger amounts at better rates, buying when CAD is up (relatively).  I'd even add rec to open up a combination CAD/USD investment account at a discount broker.  Better exchange rate options there.  Also, EQ Bank has USD savings account paying 3% which is non-existent elsewhere AFAIK - and a fairly newish option.  Easy link to your main bank for online transfers.   No need to pay egregious bank fees these days to obtain USD. 

 

With the above in place, piece of cake to engage with discount US agencies for pricing that Canadian agencies cannot (or will not) touch.

 

[that]

1 hour ago, ocfafc said:

d9704011........I'm almost Canadian.......my grandfather was born in Canada and I live in Washington State! LOL

 

Thanks everyone for the quick replies!  I suspected the guy who I was speaking with from the call center did not know what he was talking about.  

I suspect commission on sales

[BlerkOne]

On 2/10/2024 at 4:16 PM, nasa1974 said:

The biggest difference between advance purchase (when booking your cruise) or on board is that if purchased when booking your cruise, the trip insurance will be more, and your medallion gets shipped to your home for free. If you try to purchase as an upgrade after you have booked your cruise, I'm not sure what happens. But it's all the same price.

IF you bought Princess insurance...

[elemai]

When I looked at drink packages on line yesterday it was $76 plus change for $15 and below drinks and $100 plus change for up to $20 drinks.  I looked at the packages area and Plus was $60 and Premium $80.  The drink packages did not mention tips WiFi or the other items included.  Confusing.  

Edited March 8 by elemai

[memoak]

1 minute ago, elemai said:

We I looked at drink packages on line yesterday it was $76 plus change for $15 and below drinks and $100 plus change for up to $20 drinks.  I looked at the packages area and Plus was $60 and Premium $80.  The drink packages did not mention tips WiFi or the other items included.  Confusing.  

The drink package by itself is more expensive than a package. It would only make sense if person 2 does not want a package 

[elemai]

22 minutes ago, memoak said:

The drink package by itself is more expensive than a package. It would only make sense if person 2 does not want a package 

Thank you. 

[elemai]

23 hours ago, memoak said:

The drink package by itself is more expensive than a package. It would only make sense if person 2 does not want a package 

Thank you. I have another question.  We are on a b2b that is separate booking numbers.  Can I buy Princess plus on embarkation for the first cruise only or could I just buy for first and buy for second cruise on embarkation day?  Hope that is clear.