Travelling with children

[Hapytocruise]

Plus and premier question 

If a family of 2 adults and 2 children (7&5) the parents have Plus or premier are the children also required to have it?

[JimmyVWine]

Just now, Hapytocruise said:

Plus and premier question 

If a family of 2 adults and 2 children (7&5) the parents have Plus or premier are the children also required to have it?

No.  They can sail with no package at all, a drink package that covers-non-alcohol drinks, or get Plus or Premier.  When securing a reservation with Packages, the first two guests will get those attached to their account and guests 3 (and 4 if applicable) get charged the "Cruise Only" fare and you will have to contact Princess or your Travel Agent to add whatever package or plan you want for the additional passengers.  And they do not have to be the same.  For example, you could add a package or drinks plan to the 7 year-olds account and nothing to the 5 year old.  Or Plus for the 7 year old and a drink package for the 5 year old.  If you book direct with Princess, you can do this through the Chat function on the website.  I have done this three times and it took me less than 10 minutes each time.  Calling can take much longer.  And if you use a TA, you should have them do it.  You can also add packages and Plans once on board.  There is usually no saving for doing so, and it does involve waiting in a Customer Service Line on Day One which may not be how you want to start your cruise.  Also, they frequently have a table set up somewhere in the Piazza on Day One for signing people up for drink plans.  Not sure if they also handle adding full Packages like Plus and Premier. 

[startedwithamouse]

No if all four guests are in the same cabin and children are guests 3 and four.

 

However, if you have two separate cabins (we do this for space), with one adult/one child in each cabin, then guests 1 and 2 must have the same plus/premier package.

 

 

[JimmyVWine]

9 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

and children are guests 3 and four.

The same holds true even if guests 3 and 4 are adults.

[startedwithamouse]

30 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

The same holds true even if guests 3 and 4 are adults.

Yes. Any age.

[charliedalrymple]

12 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Or Plus for the 7 year old and a drink package for the 5 year old. 

 

I hate to start another "Is the Plus package worth it?" debate--but what could be the benefit of getting the Plus package for a child?

[Beckers419]

My husband and I have the plus package, but I'm not going to purchase a package for the kids.  For them, I'm planning on bringing 2 12 packs of soda and letting them pick one special drink a day to buy.  I'll let my 15 year old have one of our wi-fi devices.  Will be a lot cheaper.

[JimmyVWine]

10 hours ago, charliedalrymple said:

 

I hate to start another "Is the Plus package worth it?" debate--but what could be the benefit of getting the Plus package for a child?

Children get charged daily gratuity, so that part of the Plus fee is baked in.  Kids will use wifi as much or more than adults! 😄  Kids will eat those monstrosity special desserts.  And soft drinks/mocktails are not free. And if the parents are going to dine in Casual Restaurants as part of their package and the kids come along, that is another $15 plus gratuity per visit.

 

WiFi for single device = $25 per day

$17 per day Crew Appreciation (Mini-Suite, which I would recommend if sailing with 4 people)

Two visits to Casual Dining venues ($35 divided over 7 days = $5 per day)

That takes you to $47 out of a daily charge of $60.  If the child will consume $13 per day in juices, sodas, mocktails and desserts, you are at the break-even point.

[Arizona Wildcat]

2 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Children get charged daily gratuity, so that part of the Plus fee is baked in.  Kids will use wifi as much or more than adults! 😄  Kids will eat those monstrosity special desserts.  And soft drinks/mocktails are not free. And if the parents are going to dine in Casual Restaurants as part of their package and the kids come along, that is another $15 plus gratuity per visit.

 

WiFi for single device = $25 per day

$17 per day Crew Appreciation (Mini-Suite, which I would recommend if sailing with 4 people)

Two visits to Casual Dining venues ($35 divided over 7 days = $5 per day)

That takes you to $47 out of a daily charge of $60.  If the child will consume $13 per day in juices, sodas, mocktails and desserts, you are at the break-even point.

The OP said they would give one child a tablet so no WIFI charges.  Bringing sodas on board.  One special dessert or drink a day is no big deal.

When we cruised with grandkids the waiters simply brought them "kids " desserts that were well beyond anything we would eat.  They enjoyed spoiling them.  Waiters got nice tips.   We never were billed extra. 

[GK95]

13 hours ago, charliedalrymple said:

 

I hate to start another "Is the Plus package worth it?" debate--but what could be the benefit of getting the Plus package for a child?

 

Personally for us, there isn't a benefit to having our child on it. I switch the kid's phone to the wifi at night when we're in the room if they want to watch something on their phone. That premium dessert, we share them because they're so big. We bring sodas on board for the child, but we can also order an adult beverage and a soda and the kid can have them that way. And they carry around a reusable water bottle to keep hydrated. We also tip the room stewart extra whether the adults have a plan or not. We've told them that we're spending a lot already for the experience and there's no need for them to suck down 10 sodas a day. And they're okay with that. 

Edited March 7 by GK95

[JimmyVWine]

36 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

The OP said they would give one child a tablet so no WIFI charges.  Bringing sodas on board.

Was I replying to the OP?

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 3/6/2024 at 12:06 PM, JimmyVWine said:

If you book direct with Princess, you can do this through the Chat function on the website.  I have done this three times and it took me less than 10 minutes each time.

you can do it through a cruise personalizer online and don't have to utilize the Chat function or call Princess.

[Torfamm]

14 hours ago, charliedalrymple said:

 

I hate to start another "Is the Plus package worth it?" debate--but what could be the benefit of getting the Plus package for a child?

Two plus cruise packages can be a better value at $120 per day than a stand alone plus drink package for the adult ($76) , wi-fi ($24.99 for one device) and crew appreciation for two. ($36).
 

 

[JimmyVWine]

4 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

you can do it through a cruise personalizer online and don't have to utilize the Chat function or call Princess.

Really?  The first time I did this, I started my Chat by asking if I could self-service this need through my Personalizer or if I had to call.  The Chat person said that I could not do it myself, but that she could take care of it for me if I gave her my Booking Number.  5 minutes later I was done.  The second time I just went straight to Chat.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

4 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

Really?  

log in

click on manage cruise

click on web version of the personalizer if doing it on a computer

click on personalizer link at the bottom again

click on Beverage tab at the top

 

and voila:

 

 

same for spa, excursions, extras, etc.:

 

[JimmyVWine]

8 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

click on Beverage tab at the top

That is only for the Beverage Packages, and not for Plus/Premier Cruise Packages.  If I wasn't clear earlier, I apologize, but what I was adding was the full Cruise Package.

Edited March 7 by JimmyVWine

[Itchy&Scratchy]

6 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

That is only for the Beverage Packages, and not for Plus/Premier Cruise Packages.  If I wasn't clear earlier, I apologize, but what I was adding was the full Cruise Package.

that one is under Bundles (bottom of my previous post).

 

 

 

 

 

 

The moment you click on Manage My Cruise, this huge banner will hit you right in the face:

 

Edited March 7 by Itchy&Scratchy

[JimmyVWine]

10 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

that one is under Bundles (bottom of my previous post).

Thanks.  That is definitely new since a web update.  Was definitely not there when I booked or when I added the Package for the third person.  However, when I click on it, I see this:

• Applies to guests 1 & 2. Additional guests can be added onboard.

Edited March 7 by JimmyVWine

[BamaVol]

On 3/7/2024 at 12:46 AM, charliedalrymple said:

 

I hate to start another "Is the Plus package worth it?" debate--but what could be the benefit of getting the Plus package for a child?

There are some out there that could eat their weight in specialty desserts daily.  Not recommended, of course. But gratuities, internet, mocktails, water, soda, casual dining might get them to breakeven.