Plus package vs Premier package

[wallyj]

@Its the journey, there is a recent live from Enchanted where they posted the daily Patters so you can see the hours when food is served. 
 

Usually on Sea days, lunch was available around 11:30-1:30 and dinner was 5:30-9.

 

I know Enchanted started a late night bites offering with a limited menu at O’Malley’s from 9-11 pm. Unfortunately, even with Plus or Premier, the food would still carry a charge. I talked to the HGM and was told this was a ‘test’ offering, so no ideal if it will be continued or revised to have included with Plus/Premier. No ideal if late night bites being offered on Discovery.

 

Late night bites at O’Malleys on Enchanted started 5/18/24 and was still offered when I disembarked on 6/29/24.
 

 

[Cruise Raider]

17 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

Sailed on Discovery last April. No O'Malley's. Looking at the deck plans on the Princess site there is still no O'Malley's.

I’ve seen photos of the SD GastroPub when it was being switched over to O’Malley’s.  I believe that was completed a couple of months ago.  I wasn’t aware they moved The Catch yet but the Princess deck plans are showing that it has swapped out locations with Sabatini’s. 
 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

On 7/20/2024 at 5:16 PM, AnyMajorCruiseDude said:

Don’t forget the prizes.  We have won 5k cash, a free cruise, free chefs table, free flowers, 25 and 250 obc.  

Congratulations! Have you won any of that recently?

[MsSoCalCruiser]

On 7/20/2024 at 8:42 PM, Cruise Raider said:

We’ve won a cruise and &25 OBC a couple of times.  
It’s probably better than the casino.  

Congratulations!  Did you win anything recently? I’m wondering if they are still giving out the great prizes. 

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

1 hour ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

Congratulations! Have you won any of that recently?

Yes.  Won the free cruise just a couple months ago

[MsSoCalCruiser]

6 hours ago, AnyMajorCruiseDude said:

Yes.  Won the free cruise just a couple months ago

That’s awesome! 

[Iamcruzin]

What exactly are casual meals in the plus package?

[Cruise Raider]

1 hour ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

That’s awesome! 

It really was!  Just finished it and one of the best cruises ever!  

[Miss-Lizzie]

I love that people are saying it's up to what you prefer. This is only my second Princess cruise and the first one was 12 years ago. 

I have been doing RCL and Disney and we decided to give Princess another try. I don't remember them having these packages 12 years ago. 

We decided on the premium package because I really like good wine/champagne and I am not sure what quantity of wine is in the plus vs premium. My husband likes high end whiskey, bourbon etc  So we decided to take the premium. Plus we will go to the specialty restaurant and even though my husband will not go near a gym,  I will probably be there early in the morning if they have a easy going class to stretch. I am on vacation. Then it will be mimosa time. Lol. 

Thanks for all the information you guys are great. 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

2 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

It really was!  Just finished it and one of the best cruises ever!  

I’m so happy for you! 

[MacMadame]

2 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

What exactly are casual meals in the plus package?

They are in specific restaurants (Gigis/Alfredos, Vines) or are a popup within another restaurant on sea days (i.e., Alfredos inside Sabatinis) sometimes for dinner but often just for lunch.

 

If you post your ship, someone will pipe in with the exact ones on that ship.

[Cruise Raider]

18 minutes ago, Miss-Lizzie said:

I love that people are saying it's up to what you prefer. This is only my second Princess cruise and the first one was 12 years ago. 

I have been doing RCL and Disney and we decided to give Princess another try. I don't remember them having these packages 12 years ago. 

We decided on the premium package because I really like good wine/champagne and I am not sure what quantity of wine is in the plus vs premium. My husband likes high end whiskey, bourbon etc  So we decided to take the premium. Plus we will go to the specialty restaurant and even though my husband will not go near a gym,  I will probably be there early in the morning if they have a easy going class to stretch. I am on vacation. Then it will be mimosa time. Lol. 

Thanks for all the information you guys are great. 

If you like good wine and good whiskey, then definitely go with the premier package.  There is one good Chardonnay and one good Zinfandel on the plus package, but only at Vines and that bar is only open later on sea days.  In all other venues, it’s pretty much limited to Canyon Road.  Ask for the champagne with your mimosa .. it is better that way.  
 

[Miss-Lizzie]

4 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

If you like good wine and good whiskey, then definitely go with the premier package.  There is one good Chardonnay and one good Zinfandel on the plus package, but only at Vines and that bar is only open later on sea days.  In all other venues, it’s pretty much limited to Canyon Road.  Ask for the champagne with your mimosa .. it is better that way.  
 

Thanks Cruise Raider. I will ask for the champagne and I am more of an imported wine person over domestic. Canyon Road is not something I would buy normally. Sorry I'm a wine snob. Lol 😆 

[Cruise Raider]

6 minutes ago, Miss-Lizzie said:

Thanks Cruise Raider. I will ask for the champagne and I am more of an imported wine person over domestic. Canyon Road is not something I would buy normally. Sorry I'm a wine snob. Lol 😆 

We are probably known as wine snobs, too but we prefer California wines over imported most of the time.  And Canyon Road isn’t one we would ever drink at home, either.  
Plus, they’ve been so good about getting us proper wine glasses.  This isn’t included in the premier package but you can pay extra to get this one.  One of the best cabs we’ve ever had!  

[Miss-Lizzie]

32 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

We are probably known as wine snobs, too but we prefer California wines over imported most of the time.  And Canyon Road isn’t one we would ever drink at home, either.  
Plus, they’ve been so good about getting us proper wine glasses.  This isn’t included in the premier package but you can pay extra to get this one.  One of the best cabs we’ve ever had!  

Thanks, I will try to buy it ahead of time to see if we would like before we cruise. We just have an international wine company that we do tasting with before we buy so that is why we prefer international. But I will go buy this and try it. I stick to Malbec from Argentina at restaurants. Haven't found one I haven't liked. 

 

[sultan_sfo]

48 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

...
 This (ie Caymus) isn’t included in the premier package but you can pay extra to get this one.  One of the best cabs we’ve ever had!  

...

Only few ships offer Caymus by-the-glass. But on non-Vines ships the Bar Manager sometimes makes an exception for us @$29 per glass which is the Vines price. With Premier Package it is only $9 + $1.6 extra per glass.

 

If you happen to be in Napa, go to Caymus Vineyard for their Caymus "Special Selection".

 

Mermaid Mimosa is made with Cattier Champagne ($19).

Edited August 21 by sultan_sfo

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

If you like good wine and good whiskey, then definitely go with the premier package.  There is one good Chardonnay and one good Zinfandel on the plus package, but only at Vines and that bar is only open later on sea days.  In all other venues, it’s pretty much limited to Canyon Road.  Ask for the champagne with your mimosa .. it is better that way.  
 

 

What is the good Zinfandel at Vines? The stupid Plus wine menu doesn't list the actual wines.

[sultan_sfo]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

 

What is the good Zinfandel at Vines? The stupid Plus wine menu doesn't list the actual wines.

A popular one is: Seghesio Old Vines Zinfandel, Dry Creek, Sonoma County for $17 (included in Premier). Most Princess Bars have it.

[Miss-Lizzie]

1 hour ago, sultan_sfo said:

Only few ships offer Caymus by-the-glass. But on non-Vines ships the Bar Manager sometimes makes an exception for us @$29 per glass which is the Vines price. With Premier Package it is only $9 + $1.6 extra per glass.

 

If you happen to be in Napa, go to Caymus Vineyard for their Caymus "Special Selection".

 

Mermaid Mimosa is made with Cattier Champagne ($19).

Mermaid mimosa is right up my alley, will be drinking alot of that, thanks 

[memoak]

2 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

What is the good Zinfandel at Vines? The stupid Plus wine menu doesn't list the actual wines.

I can’t remember the winery except that I think it starts with an E.   It is listed at Vines at $15. I remember asking at Vines a few weeks ago how many cases they had. I usually had 2-3 glasses a day

[memoak]

3 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

If you like good wine and good whiskey, then definitely go with the premier package.  There is one good Chardonnay and one good Zinfandel on the plus package, but only at Vines and that bar is only open later on sea days.  In all other venues, it’s pretty much limited to Canyon Road.  Ask for the champagne with your mimosa .. it is better that way.  
 

On the Grand a week ago Vines was open on sea days starting at 11:00 and on port days at 4:00

[Cruise Raider]

31 minutes ago, memoak said:

On the Grand a week ago Vines was open on sea days starting at 11:00 and on port days at 4:00

As it is on most itineraries but sometimes, you may want a good glass of wine while in port with your lunch.  

[memoak]

1 minute ago, Cruise Raider said:

As it is on most itineraries but sometimes, you may want a good glass of wine while in port with your lunch.  

Vines wines are only available when Vines is open. Most of those wines if not all are not available in other venues. If so with the plus package we just order a wine a little more expensive and pay my the difference. Paying $3-5 is cheap compared to the $30 per day difference per person for premier especially on 14-21 day cruises that we take

[Cruise Raider]

4 minutes ago, memoak said:

Vines wines are only available when Vines is open. Most of those wines if not all are not available in other venues. If so with the plus package we just order a wine a little more expensive and pay my the difference. Paying $3-5 is cheap compared to the $30 per day difference per person for premier especially on 14-21 day cruises that we take

I think you are making my point for me.  The options are very limited in other bars when Vines is not open, even if you wish to pay extra per drink.  

[memoak]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

I think you are making my point for me.  The options are very limited in other bars when Vines is not open, even if you wish to pay extra per drink.  

I don’t disagree with you about wine but we really only drink wine at dinner and plus covers all of our cocktail preferences so $60 extra per couple on 2-3 week cruises doesn’t really cost out for us.