When to buy internet package

[caribill]

9 hours ago, steelers36 said:

We have pre-booked for our cruise for $75, but I do intend to find out what is being offered on board the first day.  There has been some posters claiming you don't really get the Platinum/Elite benefit as others get a first day deal.

 

 

If you have not pre-purchased an Internet package, when you first sign on to the Internet on the ship you will be offered your normal Platinum/Elite number of minutes with the option to give that up and pay for an unlimited package. There have been posts saying that the price of the unlimited package using this path is lower than if you had purchased the same package pre-cruise.

 

If you pre-cruise purchase a Internet package, I do not know if you will see the Platinum/Elite minutes as an option when you first sign on. After all, having pre-purchased an unlimited package there is no need for any additional minutes.

[pms4104]

3 hours ago, itf said:

I'm a bit confused by Sky Princess. It's going to have Medallion Net but we can only buy minutes not days on the cruise personaliser. Anyone got any idea?

Just be patient ... for my Feb 2020 on the Emerald, the personalizer first showed several minutes pkgs, then no internet offered, then unlimited MedallionNet available.  Funny, tho, for our Oct on the Crown, an OM sailing, only mimutes currently offered

[itf]

1 minute ago, pms4104 said:

Just be patient ... for my Feb 2020 on the Emerald, the personalizer first showed several minutes pkgs, then no internet offered, then unlimited MedallionNet available.  Funny, tho, for our Oct on the Crown, an OM sailing, only mimutes currently offered

 

We're going in Dec. I'm wondering if it's because Sky is new or because we're on a back to back on one booking that it's not showing.

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

 

If you have not pre-purchased an Internet package, when you first sign on to the Internet on the ship you will be offered your normal Platinum/Elite number of minutes with the option to give that up and pay for an unlimited package. There have been posts saying that the price of the unlimited package using this path is lower than if you had purchased the same package pre-cruise. 

 

I wonder if it works this way on a Medallion Net ship.  I suppose it might offer you the initial free minutes, but then you buy a per-day or balance-of-cruise package after that.  No more minutes packages offered is what I mean.

 

If you pre-cruise purchase an Internet package, I do not know if you will see the Platinum/Elite minutes as an option when you first sign on. After all, having pre-purchased an unlimited package there is no need for any additional minutes. 

 

Right - but I have no interest in the free minutes, nor in buying internet by the minute.  That said, it might work like previously when we could only buy minutes packages pre-cruise.  It appeared as a shipboard account credit and then add minutes package on board as a charge when sign up and they offset in the account.  So, I am thinking similar process, but I will find out for sure on June 1.

See above notes.

 

I suppose if one could first use up the benefit minutes, if offered, on a Medallion Net ship and then buy an unlimited package for rest of the cruise at an even lower price (due to total days reduced by one or two), that would be a bit enticing - but do they put the brakes on the per minute plan so that it runs slow?  And will that package price still be discounted?  It would seem reasonable to NOT be discounted as the member benefit was received as free minutes rather than 25% package discount.  So, one might find that the package for balance of cruise costs more than the discounted full cruise package (if you are still with me). 

 

[CRUZBUDS]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

 

If you have not pre-purchased an Internet package, when you first sign on to the Internet on the ship you will be offered your noral Platinum/Elite number of minutes with the option to give that up and pay for an unlimited package. There have been posts saying that the price of the unlimited package using this path is lower than if you had purchased the same package pre-cruise.

 

If you pre-cruise purchase a Internet package, I do not know if you will see the Platinum/Elite minutes as an option when you first sign on. After all, having pre-purchased an unlimited package there is no need for any additional minutes.

 

another reason for us to not book the package ahead, besides hoping the Platinum discount was going to be better, is there was no option to use OBC.  There was no option ahead of time to apply our Platinum discount.  

 

We had a ton of OBC on this trip - we used all of our non-refundable, but still have about $600 coming our way from Princess from our refundable credits.   

 

As I and others have said - it was crazy simple to login on board - or discount was there and all I needed to do was click on it.  

[caribill]

22 minutes ago, CRUZBUDS said:

 

another reason for us to not book the package ahead, besides hoping the Platinum discount was going to be better, is there was no option to use OBC. 

 

Right.    Pre-cruise you can only use OBC to book Princess shore excursions.

[caribill]

18 hours ago, steelers36 said:

For our upcoming Medallion cruise, Medallion Net is offered at 25% off for Platinum/Elite.  This brought price to $75/pp from $100/pp.  If Princess is going to be consistent with the discount in lieu of free minutes benefit, your numbers don't compute and I would have called and inquired. 

 

You indicated only $20 off.  $149 less 25% is $112.75.  $149 less $25 is $124.  I am rounding.  You got the offer on board off $111+, so that looks to me like you got the correct pricing - 25% off the rate for lower Captain Circle membership levels.  

 

IDK why you would not have got the lower price pre-booking.

 

 

 

Because as in the past pre-cruise pricing is for anybody and does not include any benefit for Platinum/Elite passengers.

 

In the past when you first signed on when on the ship with your Platinum/Elite benefit, you were offered the opportunity to also add additional minutes at a price that was not available pre-cruise.

 

In other words, if you get a Platinum/Elite benefit, always wait until you are on the ship to purchase an alternative.

[caribill]

2 hours ago, steelers36 said:

 

 

I suppose if one could first use up the benefit minutes, if offered, on a Medallion Net ship and then buy an unlimited package for rest of the cruise at an even lower price (due to total days reduced by one or two), that would be a bit enticing - but do they put the brakes on the per minute plan so that it runs slow?  And will that package price still be discounted?  It would seem reasonable to NOT be discounted as the member benefit was received as free minutes rather than 25% package discount.  So, one might find that the package for balance of cruise costs more than the discounted full cruise package (if you are still with me). 

 

 

No, so the free minutes might be enough if MedallionNet is on your ship. May still not be enough if only the slow PrincessConnect is on your ship.

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, CRUZBUDS said:

 

another reason for us to not book the package ahead, besides hoping the Platinum discount was going to be better, is there was no option to use OBC.  There was no option ahead of time to apply our Platinum discount.  

 

We had a ton of OBC on this trip - we used all of our non-refundable, but still have about $600 coming our way from Princess from our refundable credits.   

 

As I and others have said - it was crazy simple to login on board - or discount was there and all I needed to do was click on it.  

 

1 hour ago, caribill said:

 

Because as in the past pre-cruise pricing is for anybody and does not include any benefit for Platinum/Elite passengers.

 

In the past when you first signed on when on the ship with your Platinum/Elite benefit, you were offered the opportunity to also add additional minutes at a price that was not available pre-cruise.

 

In other words, if you get a Platinum/Elite benefit, always wait until you are on the ship to purchase an alternative.

I have to really disagree with both of you on the point about not getting Platinum/Elite benefit pre-cruise.  As a matter of fact, I phoned Princess and inquired about the internet package cost on our upcoming Medallion Net Cruise.  The regular price was/is $100 for the cruise, but my Personalizer offers it at $75 (because we are Platinum members).  I did this as I wanted to understand what my benefit would be with the new Medallion system (this is our first Medallion cruise).  

 

Now, if I somehow find the price is even cheaper on board, I will probably inquire about getting an additional rebate back. 

 

What might be annoying for us Platinums/Elites is if the regular customers board and don't have to pay $100 booking the package on embarkation day and can book for something close to $75.  THAT definitely would lay waste to our member benefit perk.

 

However, if we Platinums/Elites can get the same price of $75 upon boarding, then I cannot disagree that it is okay to wait.  But it is not necessary.  I booked ahead to "protect" our pricing, with the intent to find out what really happens on board.  Perhaps in future I will defer pre-paying if I have a lot of OBC to burn and it works out okay.  

 

Edited May 5, 2019 by steelers36

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

 

No, so the free minutes might be enough if MedallionNet is on your ship. May still not be enough if only the slow PrincessConnect is on your ship.

Right.  I did think that's the way it would work.  Medallion is not slowed down. 

 

We were on Majestic in Feb with Princess Connect.  They offered both traditional Minute Plans, plus the new unlimited daily (or full cruise plans).  I took the full cruise plan as we got a Platinum discount on that.  I am not sure if the Internet was slow for others or not.  I would not survive on the benefit minutes alone. 

[nst22]

On 5/3/2019 at 7:44 PM, leck57 said:

I didn't want a start a new thread as this post is along the same lines. I just tried to purchase an internet package for my cruise on the Royal in August but the option has disappeared from my Personalizer. It was there last week and even when I log on there is a message to take advantage of pre purchased internet packages. When I click on the internet purchase option all I am getting is the ship to shore calling option. There are no internet purchase options at all.

Anyone else having this problem? I will call them but I assume it is one of the many website glitches that Princess has.

Likewise, just went to buy internet package for June 22 Alaskan cruise on Royal. Was there last week. Gone now. Only ship to shore. Last week it said order up to three days prior to embarkation.

 

[Mike_DeA]

I'm seeing pre-cruise price of $59.99 for unlimited internet on my upcoming 7 night Caribbean Princess voyage.  Will my onboard price be different/higher?  I'm Elite if that matters.

[leck57]

19 hours ago, nst22 said:

Likewise, just went to buy internet package for June 22 Alaskan cruise on Royal. Was there last week. Gone now. Only ship to shore. Last week it said order up to three days prior to embarkation.

 

 

The pre purchase internet option just reappeared on my Personaliser - I purchased before it disappeared again!

[nst22]

Thanks! I also just purchased it. There must have been a short glitch in their website. 

[caribill]

23 hours ago, Mike_DeA said:

I'm seeing pre-cruise price of $59.99 for unlimited internet on my upcoming 7 night Caribbean Princess voyage.  Will my onboard price be different/higher?  I'm Elite if that matters.

 

It is supposed to be less onboard if you sign up on the first day when you first try to access your elite minutes.