Day 1 of the new Premier Package has arrived

[memoak]

Would love to know if people on ships that now have premier unlimited specialty dinners if there are slots open for booking on board

[coo359a2]

Hoping someone posts a copy of the included SD "prix fixe menu" for Crown Grill so we know what our meals might be.

[canadarocks]

9 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

Hoping someone posts a copy of the included SD "prix fixe menu" for Crown Grill so we know what our meals might be.

??????? 

[coo359a2]

7 minutes ago, canadarocks said:

??????? 

 

See post #82 that shows what is on the App  for the new Premier package.  If that's how it will work, just curious on what that menu will be.

[memoak]

17 minutes ago, canadarocks said:

??????? 

There is a reference on the app and website to pre fixe menus in unlimited premier dining and there is no explanation 

[Sea Hag]

16 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

 

See post #82 that shows what is on the App  for the new Premier package.  If that's how it will work, just curious on what that menu will be.

Just throwing this out here. From my point of view, the specialties have always been pre fixe, with some add-ons. It's been one cover charge for appetizer, main, and dessert. Sounds like pre fixe to me. I'll be surprised if they put out a separate menu for this.

 

Definition from the wisdom of the internet:

 

A prix fixe (a French term meaning “fixed price”) is a menu that offers a full meal at a set rate. Typically, that means diners get three courses consisting of an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. Diners choose from multiple options for each of the three courses, but the price remains the same no matter the selection.

Edited September 2 by Sea Hag

[Kay S]

24 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

Just throwing this out here. From my point of view, the specialties have always been pre fixe, with some add-ons. It's been one cover charge for appetizer, main, and dessert. Sounds like pre fixe to me. I'll be surprised if they put out a separate menu for this.

 

This is how I took it.  The Prix Fixe is just the same menu they've always had.

[Stosh68]

Ate at the crown grill last night with the new premier package.   It’s the same menu, the same policies.  Three courses and dessert.  Upcharge for an additional main or addon mains like lobster.   
 

The new premier doesn’t get you a dozen filet mignons.  

[greenie082756]

22 minutes ago, Stosh68 said:

Ate at the crown grill last night with the new premier package.   It’s the same menu, the same policies.  Three courses and dessert.  Upcharge for an additional main or addon mains like lobster.   
 

The new premier doesn’t get you a dozen filet mignons.  

We usually get the Plus package, so my question is from a newbie with Premier.

Are the gratuities included with specialty dining? 

Just curious as I was surprised that it was added on to our bill along with the dinner charge of course we had the Plus package, so I expected the charges for dinner however it used to include the tipping in the cost. 

We will be using the Premier package for our longest ever cruise with Princess of 54 days, so I am just planning. 

[canadarocks]

Thank you @Stosh68 for the firsthand account! 

[Anonymous234]

4 hours ago, Kb55kb said:

Any speed test run on the new "max" wifi?

Everyone in this thread except us cares about food only.  Nothing on Reddit either.  

[MsSoCalCruiser]

17 hours ago, ShelaghL said:

I haven't read through all this thread, but I'm getting fed up with Princess moving the goal posts on packages. I have Premier Plus on my next cruise with Princess (April 25) but now find I haven't actually got the full package as they've changed it yet again. I have one more cruise booked with Princess (Oct 25). I haven't and won't be booking any packages as by the time we go it will have changed again. I'll just pay as I use. After that I doubt if I'll sail with Princess again.

You will have the full package that you paid for. The only difference is that there is now a more expensive package that includes more stuff if you choose to purchase that. I’m not sure what is upsetting you? Enjoy your cruise. 

[reedprincess]

18 hours ago, ShelaghL said:

I haven't read through all this thread, but I'm getting fed up with Princess moving the goal posts on packages. I have Premier Plus on my next cruise with Princess (April 25) but now find I haven't actually got the full package as they've changed it yet again. I have one more cruise booked with Princess (Oct 25). I haven't and won't be booking any packages as by the time we go it will have changed again. I'll just pay as I use. After that I doubt if I'll sail with Princess again.

What is "Premier Plus?

 

AFAIK, Princess only has two packages, Plus and Premier.   

Which do you have?

[iamaqt2]

I'm cruising solo on Royal in a few weeks and was torn about adding any package at all as I'm elite and it was a short 7 day Vancouver to LA coastal.  But this is part of a much longer 35+ day cruise to Australia, so I ponied up for the new Premier package yesterday to see how it would work to get SD.  Prior to adding the package SD reservations were almost non-existent.  As soon as I opened the app after the adding Premier, it opened up almost any time I wanted except for 1 day.  Granted I'm only working with Crown Grill and Sabatinis, but I'm booked in for every other day at times that I'm happy with except for 1 day. 
This isn't my first time using Premier and I've appreciated the dedicated seating in the theater and the unlimited photography.  

[Stosh68]

8 hours ago, Kb55kb said:

Any speed test run on the new "max" wifi?

I did run a test yesterday in port at Seattle and just now south of Ketchikan.  7.66 and 7.67 down and 1.72 and .96 up.  
 

I didn’t bother posting since StarLink on Alaska cruises isn’t known to be spectacular and might not be indicative of speeds on more southerly cruises.  

[Anonymous234]

28 minutes ago, Stosh68 said:

I did run a test yesterday in port at Seattle and just now south of Ketchikan.  7.66 and 7.67 down and 1.72 and .96 up.  
 

I didn’t bother posting since StarLink on Alaska cruises isn’t known to be spectacular and might not be indicative of speeds on more southerly cruises.  

Alaska or not, they clearly continue to throttle the upload speed to oblivion even with "Max" what a joke.

[ShelaghL]

On 9/2/2024 at 5:12 AM, Retired-N-Happy said:

Where did you see this about a special 3 course menu?  And if you have an unlimited package and you choose to only eat one course, they are certainly not going to hold a gun to your head to eat all three.

I agree - I am diabetic and so don't eat desserts. If it's compulsory to have 3 courses (why?) then I'll just order a dessert and leave it - to me that's just a waste of food.

[ShelaghL]

7 hours ago, Anonymous234 said:

Everyone in this thread except us cares about food only.  Nothing on Reddit either.  

Hi - I don't! I'm diabetic and eat a very restricted diet to avoid going on medication. I've never cruised for the food - I cruise for the multiple destinations. neither my husband nor I are 'foodies'. I eat mainly salads with fish or vegetarian food. I have to order the night before on every cruise ship we've sailed on.

[Colorado Coasty]

5 hours ago, ShelaghL said:

I agree - I am diabetic and so don't eat desserts. If it's compulsory to have 3 courses (why?) then I'll just order a dessert and leave it - to me that's just a waste of food.

And if you don't finish it, you will go straight to bed.

Of course you don't have to have dessert, just say "no thank you".

[Cruisemeister2002]

23 hours ago, ShelaghL said:

Hi - couldn't agree more. There are already ships that have separate restaurants and areas of the ship for suite passengers - Cunard, MSC and NCL for example, but I guess they will have paid alot more. Having sailed sine 2004, I agree that standards have dropped - I remember silver service in the MDR on P&O!

Hello to you. Most of my cruises were under the P&O flag until last year when we had a pretty awful 35 night cruise on Ventura. So have changed allegiance to Princess this year. All of the things stated were actually P&O. You are right that those in suites have paid more and good luck to them if they have that sort of money available. I don't. But feel for a person not particularly well educated, although I did get a couple of City & Guilds in catering, I have done well to be able to cruise 18 times and counting. We normally go for an inside cabin, a) because of cost and b) because we prefer to spend our money on shopping and sight seeing when ashore. If we are on a trip to a shopping mall we are the ones who need 4 seats for the two of us on the way back. I also remember silver service in the MDR on P&O ships, On one occasion a fellow passenger on our table suggested we could do with a bit more food. I think for the rest of the cruise we got double portions and I think it was on a different cruise where our waiter said he grew the vegetables at the back of the ship. The days of a full size truckle of Stilton has been replaced by a pancake of cheese in silver foil. I know you shouldn't look back and ships are fabulous today but I still fondly remember my cruises on Oriana and Aurora. I know Aurora is still sailing but from my own point of view having a pink bathroom is a bit too much old hat for me now. I'm off on Sky Princess shortly.

[ShelaghL]

9 minutes ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

Hello to you. Most of my cruises were under the P&O flag until last year when we had a pretty awful 35 night cruise on Ventura. So have changed allegiance to Princess this year. All of the things stated were actually P&O. You are right that those in suites have paid more and good luck to them if they have that sort of money available. I don't. But feel for a person not particularly well educated, although I did get a couple of City & Guilds in catering, I have done well to be able to cruise 18 times and counting. We normally go for an inside cabin, a) because of cost and b) because we prefer to spend our money on shopping and sight seeing when ashore. If we are on a trip to a shopping mall we are the ones who need 4 seats for the two of us on the way back. I also remember silver service in the MDR on P&O ships, On one occasion a fellow passenger on our table suggested we could do with a bit more food. I think for the rest of the cruise we got double portions and I think it was on a different cruise where our waiter said he grew the vegetables at the back of the ship. The days of a full size truckle of Stilton has been replaced by a pancake of cheese in silver foil. I know you shouldn't look back and ships are fabulous today but I still fondly remember my cruises on Oriana and Aurora. I know Aurora is still sailing but from my own point of view having a pink bathroom is a bit too much old hat for me now. I'm off on Sky Princess shortly.

Hi - yes I remember the whole stilton! I got tiny morsels of cheese on my last P&O and Fred Olsen cruises. Hope you enjoy Sky - we were on her last year and have 2 cruises on her next year. I find the experience on Princess different to P&O, in a good way. I would class them as 4* whilst P&O are now 3* in my opinion. Better crew ratio and I'd say friendlier and far more helpful on Princess as well (we were on Arvia in April and Britannia in January so recent experience). I think the Princess ships are brighter with better decor and a nice ambience. Enjoy your cruise. One word of caution. The shore excursions on Princess are extortionate. On our cruise next year we have an option to go to Bayeux. The cost is $249.95pp, around £200. We have just done the exact same trip on a Fred Olsen shore tour and it cost £69pp.

[Retired-N-Happy]

7 hours ago, ShelaghL said:

I agree - I am diabetic and so don't eat desserts. If it's compulsory to have 3 courses (why?) then I'll just order a dessert and leave it - to me that's just a waste of food.

They wouldn't force you to order a dessert.  You could just enjoy a cup of coffee if you wanted and then leave.

[Retired-N-Happy]

1 hour ago, Colorado Coasty said:

And if you don't finish it, you will go straight to bed.

You forgot that you have to finish all of your homework before you go to bed as well. And make sure you brush your teeth. 😁

[Robkat]

12 hours ago, iamaqt2 said:

I'm cruising solo on Royal in a few weeks and was torn about adding any package at all as I'm elite and it was a short 7 day Vancouver to LA coastal.  But this is part of a much longer 35+ day cruise to Australia, so I ponied up for the new Premier package yesterday to see how it would work to get SD.  Prior to adding the package SD reservations were almost non-existent.  As soon as I opened the app after the adding Premier, it opened up almost any time I wanted except for 1 day.  Granted I'm only working with Crown Grill and Sabatinis, but I'm booked in for every other day at times that I'm happy with except for 1 day. 
This isn't my first time using Premier and I've appreciated the dedicated seating in the theater and the unlimited photography.  

Could you say whether you used an iPhone or an Android to make your SD reservations?

We're interested because we made a reservation last week for the Regal in April, including the new Premier, and we have not been able to make SD reservations in the App, without being asked to pay.

 

We have also had Premier previously many times, and have never had an issue, as we've always been able to see it noted that we have "dining credits".  

We've had several conversations with CSR agents at PCL, who finally tell us that there's some sort of glitch that the IT dept (horrors!) has to fix.  But in the meantime, we're reading all these accounts of people getting the new Premier, and having no issues making their SD reservations!  So frustrating, so we're now wondering if doing this on an Android might be any part of the issue.

We are flummoxed!

[memoak]

8 hours ago, ShelaghL said:

I agree - I am diabetic and so don't eat desserts. If it's compulsory to have 3 courses (why?) then I'll just order a dessert and leave it - to me that's just a waste of food.

There is never any mandate to eat X amount of courses. We almost never eat desserts in SD dining. App and Main is usually plenty you will not be pressured to order more than you want