whitecap

Your post said "hot items" then you received a muffin. That is a pretty big difference in my book.

But we aren't talking about the "value of the cruise". We are talking about having made a purchase of a service that the provider agreed to, then changed. As I said before, ensure the purchaser that the service they contracted for will be provided and advise that they can also choose to upgrade. Their choice.

You are absolutely correct, with this added: at least one venue, that has in the past been offered as a free venue has been added to the drink packages, removed from a "free" venue to a pay venue; room service that has been a free service has been added to the drink packages, removed from free and is now a pay service. So it isn't just all about the number of drinks or the cost of a drink, it is all the changes in their entirety and most importantly, at least for me, how they went about implementation.

You bet I would complain. Just the same as if I booked a room with a king size bed and upon arrival found I had a room with a cot.

There is a big difference between "hold harmless" and failure to provide a service one has been paid to perform. If I pay you in full to paint my house and you decide that you are only going to paint half of the house, you are in breach of the contract. If I pay in full to Princess to provide me a drink package that contains, a, b, c, d etc. and they decide to drop a and d, without my permission and without us coming to a new agreement, they are in breach of the contract made when they accepted my payment. It is an easy procedure: contact the passengers that have paid for the service, explain that they will continue to receive what they paid for however, they can receive additional amenities by upgrading to the new service. Passenger gets exactly what they paid for or they upgrade to the new package and receive more.

The hypothetical present by gah-cruise had nothing to do with pizza but with a drink package. They entered into a contract with Princess (Princess accepted full payment for the voyage and service to be provided) and then Princess changed the service to be provided without the consent of the passenger. Princess by failing to comply with the contract, must provided the passenger a refund or come to an agreement with the passenger as to what service will be provided.

I have a different opinion in this case. A contract is a contract. If you go into a restaurant and order a burger, the waiter comes back and tells you they are out of burgers, you have paid nothing and therefore there was no contract. In the drink package case, you have fully paid for your voyage and the extra cost of a drink package that Princess has agreed to by accepting your full payment. Should they no longer be able to provide the service, then they must either refund the money or offer a new service that you agree to.

In my opinion I believe "wear your grievance as a badge of honor" would be a signal to Princess to do whatever they want, and I'll sit down and shut up. So, no honor there. "Accept what happened and move on" only signals that you're ok with getting the short end of the stick and will accept anything they do. Option 3 is obviously a good option. But there is a 4th: Once they have accepted payment in full for a service, they are obligated to provide that service. They can change the service for others but by accepting your payment, it becomes a contract, and the contract can only be changed if both parties agree to it. Now with that said, is someone going to sue Princess for changing the contract without their permission? I would say, probably not but then who ever thought that someone would sue Texas Pete Hot Sauce for being manufactured in North Carolina and not Texas? 🤔

So if I understand you correctly, if your Governor asked the public's opinion about building a moat around the Governor's home, although you may be opposed, you would just remain silent because, well, he's gonna do what he's gonna do.

You apparently missed this sentence: Now, chances are they are going to implement some change, but how nice to have been given the opportunity to voice one's opinion BEFORE.

Princess, Carnival, Disney, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, so yes, I have been on other lines and recently, RCCL set out a "survey" regarding their pizza shop, Sorrento. It was a survey and they asked their customers questions regarding the eatery. They didn't announce to a group of TA's that Sorrento had been added to a drink package, will be a fee for those without a package, sell more packages!!! They asked their customers for input. Now, chances are they are going to implement some change, but how nice to have been given the opportunity to voice one's opinion BEFORE.

But many times, it's not just what they are doing as how they are doing it. Lets be hones here, the way Princess has implemented this is horrible.

So true. So let me ask the question: What are "we", the loyal Princess cruisers, going to do about it? Vent on social media, then pay their fees? Vent to Princess, then pay their fees? Maybe let them know by not purchasing their drink package or cancelling one if you have it, to send a message that we know what they're doing and we don't like it and don't want it? Ummm, since I don't purchase the package (four booked cruises) I don't have a dog in this fight, other deciding $5.00 vs. $14.99 vs walking to the buffet/IC for late night snack, it will be interesting to see how others decide to handle it.

Thank you and so glad you all are having a wonderful cruise.

Have you had a chance to check out the buffet and if so, can you give a brief description. Thanks

Oh my goodness! Come quick Mouseketeers, I believe we have discovered who got the Head Mouseketeer placed in the big chair. 🤣 Just kidding!!!!

I did post it on another thread but only as a thought. After making a few minor tweeks, I sent it. Does it bother you that it was posted to different threads? Did it ruin your day? Geeze Peeze! Suggestion: seen it, don't read it again. Problem solved.

I agree, which is why I tried to make it stand out in hopes it would garner attention. We'll see.

You are old enough!!! And I thought no one would remember. 🥳

Well, lucky for me, you aren't JP. Hopefully, those that received it will read it in its entirety and understand the confusion they have caused. And hopefully, it will make one or two of them chuckle. Some people need to lighten up and not take things so seriously. And now, its off to the Magic Kingdom, a ride on Its A Small World and a hot dog at Casey's Corner, see you real soon (In case you aren't old enough to remember, that's from the Mickey Mouse Club song.) 🤣

So discouraged with Princess that I sent the below email to Mr. Padgett and to all the VP's on Aug 15th. Note: I did sign the email and provided my contact information. Dear Mr. Padgett; I am writing to express my concern regarding the latest changes that Disney, uh, Princess has made to the Plus and Premier Drink Packages including the higher cost and the removal of previously “no cost” items to the drink packages that are now at a cost. As I have reviewed these changes along with the ever-diminishing loyalty amenities, I find myself describing the current situation as “Mickey Mouse” like and wondering if the person(s) who developed these changes and those that approved them are from another world, maybe Pluto? These changes, which by the way seem to have started when a former Disney executive joined Princess, have caused many conversations among the most loyal of Princess cruisers and almost to a tea cup they agree that the diminished loyalty amenities and current changes are just plain Goofy. Things are so confusing that not even Buzz Light Year can keep up. Donald and Daisy can’t Duck fast enough from all the disparaging comments. When the Pixie dust settled, even Tinker Bell couldn’t calm the masses. Although I have written this with tongue in cheek, I still find myself asking: Is the new goal of Princess to replace loyal cruises with first time/family cruisers? Has Princess decided to no longer be the standout cruise line by simply just becoming more like Royal Caribbean? Has the reduction of Elite in cabin amenities really reduced operational cost, significantly? Did anyone consider that charging a fee for room service will reduce the “tips” received by room service staff or will room service staff get the $5.00 or a share of the $14.99? Did anyone consider how adding a fee to a previously free food venue would be accepted by cruisers? Did anyone consider grandfathering in those passengers who had already purchased drink packages as a show of loyalty? Why weren’t ALL BOOKED PASSENGERS, regardless of whether or not they had purchased a drink package, informed of the changes, and here are the crucial words, before implementation? Why is the email just sent out to booked passengers in conflict with the Princess website (FAQ’s) regarding the room service fee, $5.00 and the $14.99 OceanNow fee? Luckily for most, we are no Dumbos and we can, with the help of Aladdin’s lamp, see a Simba of things to come. Princess must remain the standout cruise line, Elsa we may have to look elsewhere. Sincerely, A Very Loyal Princess Cruiser, disheartened and now sitting on the fence.

We basically do the same thing. Where do we want to go and when; what is our budget; begin the search starting with Princess, then Celebrity, then Royal Caribbean and so on. We grew to Elite on Princess and have lessor status on the other lines. I have become disheartened with Princess over the last year or so because of their very poor communication skills and constant downgrading of amenities for their loyal customers. It almost appears that they are "confusing" people on purpose.

There is nothing in the email that states the "fee is waived" if you have paid the OceanNow fee. Nothing, Nothing!! That is pretty clear.

You have added the blue writing it appears. It is not so stated on the email I received. This is more pee poor communications from a staff that appears to be former Disney characters. Honestly, I have been trying to take all of this in stride but after receiving this email and seeing the contradiction, I'm getting pretty disheartened.

We just got the email as well (sailing Jan 2024)however, there is a contradiction between the email and the Princess website. Website, under FAQ states that the $5 room service fee only applies to room service orders "placed by stateroom phone". The email states: OceanNow delivery: To ensure you can have whatever you need during your cruise delivered directly to you, a nominal access fee of $14.99 per guest per voyage will now apply to OceanNow deliver." Next paragraph: Room service fee: "A $5 delivery fee will be charged for all room service orders (except complimentary stateroom breakfast orders)." No where does it exempt those that have paid the OceanNow fee. Am I confused or is this just another poorly written message from them.