Question about Sky Suite/Premier or Plus package necessary?

[familycruising4]

My family and I are going to be in a Sky Suite on the Sky Princess in July, and I'm trying to compare the offerings included in the Premier or Plus packages to see if we need these, or if they duplicate the benefits we'll already be getting. Could anyone who has suite experience please weigh in? We are new to Princess, and the website is pretty confusing. I've tried comparing the lists of benefits to figure it out but thought you who have done this would actually know!

 

From what I can tell, the Sky Suite does not include gratuities, wifi, or OceanNow/the room service delivery fee. I know we'll get a full bottle bar setup with mixers and access to the concierge and elite lounges, but I don't think we'd be getting included soft drinks with our meals (nor am I clear on whether we could get soft drinks included with our bar setup in the room), and I don't know if we can get free pina coladas (or other alcoholic drinks) in the concierge or elite lounges. We don't care about the photo package, fitness classes, or prizes. We get reserved theater seating already. I think we get a specialty dining meal already on embarkation day, the ultimate balcony dinner, and reserve dining, so I don't think we need extra specialty dining meals. So I think what we'd be paying for out of pocket, if we don't get a Premier or Plus package, would be gratuities, wifi, room service delivery fee/OceanNow setup fee, soft drinks at meals, and pina coladas if we can't get them in the lounges. Am I missing anything?

 

Thank you for any guidance you can offer!

[Mara4166]

We have just booked the Sky suite for next April and also have added plus.  We can easily get drinks in our room or in the concierge lounge, but we also enjoy sitting out at a bar and having a cocktail before dinner and having wine with dinner.  It would probably be cheaper for us to pay as you go but we like having all inclusive so that everything is pre paid and there will not be a massive bill at the end of the cruise.  It also means reviewing our folio is easier since there will be very few extra charges.  If your cruising style is to drink in your room and the concierge lounge and limit what you are drinking at meals and at the various bars then no need for plus or premier.

[skynight]

There is really  crossover from the Sky Suite benefits and the plus or premier benefits. Your last sentence is basically correct.

You will be able to get drinks in the suite lounge. For my purposes I have calculated that it takes around 3 alcoholic beverages/pp/day to break even with the plus fare. 

Edited July 11 by skynight

[1025cruise]

I just came off Enchanted and was in a suite (not a Sky Suite, too rich for my blood).

No blended drinks in the Concierge Lounge during the happy hour. 

If you wanted a soda at lunch/dinner, without the Plus package you would need to pay for it, or go to the lounge and grab one on your way.

I ended up paying for Plus so I wouldn't have to worry about it, but I ended up with buyer's remorse. For us, if we went a la carte, by the time we added gratuities and a single multi-device wifi package, I was half way to the cost of the Plus package.  However, I feel I could have easily just paid a la carte for the stuff we did order and been happy.

[skynight]

My post should read very little crossover.

[memoak]

There is really no crossover in benefits. The plus package includes WiFi, Gratuities, 2 casual meals, drinks in the MDR and bars. None of these  come with suites. In our opinion the concierge lounge is really not that much. We only use it to grab an early morning coffee and get help with specialty dinner reservations. We would rather have pre dinner cocktails at bars with music 

[KarmaCruisers]

7 hours ago, skynight said:

There is really  crossover from the Sky Suite benefits and the plus or premier benefits. Your last sentence is basically correct.

You will be able to get drinks in the suite lounge. For my purposes I have calculated that it takes around 3 alcoholic beverages/pp/day to break even with the plus fare. 

Drinks are only provided between 5-7 in the suite lounge..but those drinks aren’t counted against you (ie: they’re included because you’re a suite guest)

and damn! Y’all ballers! That’s like a $30k suite for 7-days!

[KarmaCruisers]

7 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

 

No blended drinks in the Concierge Lounge during the happy hour. 

 

We got lucky; the attendants in our suite lounge on the discovery, went down to the wakeview bar and got us any drink we wanted (but we did have the plus package..but I don’t think it mattered TBH)

[HaveDogWillTravel]

You might find this thread helpful  The Sky Suite has a much, much, much higher level of service than any other suite.  Our refrigerator was stocked with beer, water, sodas and sparkling water.  We were gifted a couple of bottles of wine by our SEM.  We did not have a package and really didn’t need it at all.  

 

Edited July 12 by HaveDogWillTravel

[happy42cruise]

I'm debating the same thing.  I love not having to think about ordering what I want to order (food or drinks), having the wi-fi & gratuities included, & the specialty dining but we don't drink that much anymore, & I'm the only 1 using the wi-fi so I'm on the fence.  I like the freedom to order something I don't know that I will like & not feel guilty about wasting that cost if I don't like it.  If you want the freedom to just order what you want wherever you are & can afford the package I would say go ahead & buy it.  If you would rather take sodas & drinks with you from your room or just pay as you go then don't purchase it.  You will love the Sky suite. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

Cannot really comment as far as the Sky suite portion of your question, but either the Plus or Premier package is a very nice fit for *any* cabin really... It fills in with most of the other amenities that you may very well wish to have for your cruise. It's nice not having to worry about extra things being charged to your folio!

 

@familycruising4, welcome to Cruise Critic!

Edited July 15 by Rick&Jeannie