kywildcatfanone

You will upset a lot of people with this comment. I think the general understanding is 30 minutes, but there are a lot of people who seem to think if you get up for anything you should take your possessions with you.

My understanding is that if you paid $50 for plus (which is now $60), you would have to pay $10/day to get the new benefits which include 2 meals at Alfredo's. Which is pretty terrible of them by the way. If you paid in full for benefits, and they change the price/benefits, should should still get what you paid for.

So is there going to be an adults only retreat area, or is that now just going to be an expanded sanctuary, since it seems the pool is inside the sanctuary proper?

No

It better be, or I will be visiting the PS desk.

We were told no, but you can take them and ask.

Usually around the 2 week mark to 10 days.

Yep. Princess is still cheaper than Celebrity both in booking prices and packages, but, to me, these package prices are way out of bounds. I can pay for tips and wifi (ouch itself on wifi cost), and bring on sodas and water and at least save quite a bit. If I may, I do have a Celebrity question from a regular Princess cruiser. I know you can bring on water and soda at embarkation and ports, but does Celebrity offer a bottled (aluminum can) water package itself of any kind? Princess let's you buy a 12 pack of bottles for $7, or a 1.5L bottle for $5 (plus gratuity of course) delivered to your room. At least in that scenario, I can buy a package of water and not have to buy it and bring it on board at embarkation, but does Celebrity offer anything similar?

Yep. These packages are ridiculous, and their handling of them are terrible.

That is such a ridiculously high price. It would be worth considering it if they included tips and wifi.

Yep. We have resigned ourselves to paying for our latte's even though it bugs me each time. Was such a simple benefit that cost them next to nothing to provide for a loyal cruiser.

Those "premium" desserts look disgusting.

Yes, that is quite eye opening that it isn't for the cruise you are on. That can be a bit bothersome to my line of thinking.

This is sort of us. By not purchasing plus, because we wouldn't get the benefit of it, I can pay for most of one of us to go on a second cruise. It's simple math/economics that each has to decide for themselves.

Some of us have tried.

Document and take pictures of what you send off. You might not get it all back 🙂

There seems to be little to no benefit to being Elite anymore. Laundry is still there I guess, but we quit using it because they lost clothing. Swapping the minibar used to be decent with the coffee exchange, but now you don't get much. If they are giving priority boarding to package people, then that is gone too.

I could never justify a package at these prices, even the non alcoholic one. I understand the cruise line charges $12-15 for a drink as a price without package, but that pour costs them very little to purchase themselves, so it's almost completely profit. Same as a can of soda. .$50 at the grocery, and $3.50 on board or so? Even if you say it costs another .$50 to get that soda on board, that is still a huge profit. While a bit of effort, at least for now, you can bring onboard non alcoholic drinks and water and that is what I choose to do. I can't look at it as "this is what Princess charges, so this is my baseline". I'm just not wired that way. Same as restaurants that charge $4 for iced tea. I just can't do it and know I'm throwing away all that money. But I do understand that is a personal preference for me, and not everyone sees it that way. The cruise line needs people buying packages, so I in no way want to discourage it.

Yep.

Elites are losing priority boarding without a package?

Facts

Yep, but you still are getting tremendous value, and even though you aren't saving anything and it's costing you more, value, value, value, savings, savings, savings.

I agree with you, but I suspect they have what 20% of the ships are mini or suites, but 80% are buying packages. While they make a lot off the suites, I suspect in sheer volume, they are making more from the packages. But that's just sort of a guess. They make a lot either way off of cabin class and packages.

The non alcohol drink package is $30/day per person. For a 7 day cruise that is $210 or for a couple $420. Three packs of soda at a store near the port is $15. Coffee will cost me $80 last I checked. So $95 vs $420. And we used to get the coffee free with minibar trade in. Ah, another benefit lost. I consider the savings worth the effort. Not to mention the limited options onboard. And for clarity, just like everyone else, I pay what Princess charges for the cruise fare, tips, wifi, etc. If I choose not to take ship excursions or pay exorbitant prices for drinks, or pay food upcharges, they currently are not requiring me to. When it ceases to be optional, then I will vacation elsewhere. They are headed there for sure.

I don't take this as harsh. I view it more as my being savvy in my booking. With that said, they make money off me regardless of what I use or do not use. Even as frugal as I try to be, I still spend money I didn't plan to. Everything is a money maker. Some more than others. If I buy a can of coke, that costs what ,$3.50 or so? They paid less than .50 for it. Typically with our obc, we buy stuff in the gift shops. So, yes, they might make less from me, but every customer is profit. Some might be 10% and some might be 80%.