Booking Fare Survey: Which Cruise fare do you book? With or Without the Princess Plus Pacakage

[umbluemusic]

For us it comes down to the voyage. We have a Christmas 2021 cruise booked, 10 days, a few sea days. It’s just me and my spouse. We went for the plus when we booked it ages ago - I don’t think I would now at its current price, but it is nice to order and try different cocktails etc without worrying over the bill. We will have a little OBC too from our FCDs but probably will just use that on an ornament or something for our tree when we get home. 
 

if we had a more active cruise where we would be off ship a lot I would just book basic. 

Edited July 4, 2021 by umbluemusic

[Prometheus1]

Have only gotten the drink package once while cruising. I did feel like I had "to get my monies worth"  (think I would have spent less not getting the package). Didn't get any more drink packages after that.

Now, having not cruised for 16 months , I have  decided that I want to get on the ship and not worry about every drink, coffee, soda etc and how much it costs.  As far as wifi, I repeatedly had issues getting logged  out and losing my free minutes. Im booking Princess Plus from now on.(my next cruises on princess are plus)  Im actually really happy they have the all inclusive option now. I like a mimosa in the morning and several glasses of wine throughout the day, also my traveling companion can have her own  internet now. Im just grateful that cruises are starting again.  Again as someone said before- we have choices, just have to decide which option works best for your individual preferences

[Jeter02]

5 minutes ago, umbluemusic said:

For us it comes down to the voyage. We have a Christmas 2021 cruise booked, 10 days, a few sea days. It’s just me and my spouse. We went for the plus when we booked it ages ago - I don’t think I would now at its current price, but it is nice to order and try different cocktails etc without worrying over the bill. We will have a little OBC too from our FCDs but probably will just use that on an ornament or something for our tree when we get home. 
 

if we had a more active cruise where we would be off ship a lot I would just book basic. 

I have to see if it's the same price difference for the saver versus the the Plus on that cruise. Because right now I know it's about $270 or $280 for a seven day so I'm curious to see what they going prices for that 10-dayer. I'm pretty sure we're on the same cruise for Christmas 2021. Will you be sailing the enchanted?

[Jeter02]

2 minutes ago, Prometheus1 said:

Have only gotten the drink package once while cruising. I did feel like I had "to get my monies worth"  (think I would have spent less not getting the package). Didn't get any more drink packages after that.

Now, having not cruised for 16 months , I have  decided that I want to get on the ship and not worry about every drink, coffee, soda etc and how much it costs.  As far as wifi, I repeatedly had issues getting logged  out and losing my free minutes. Im booking Princess Plus from now on.(my next cruises on princess are plus)  Im actually really happy they have the all inclusive option now. I like a mimosa in the morning and several glasses of wine throughout the day, also my traveling companion can have her own  internet now. Im just grateful that cruises are starting again.  Again as someone said before- we have choices, just have to decide which option works best for your individual preferences

Agreed. The beauty of having a choice what works for you is what makes your cruise experience. 

[southamptoncruisers]

3 minutes ago, Jeter02 said:

Agreed. The beauty of having a choice what works for you is what makes your cruise experience. 

So very true.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, southamptoncruisers said:

Since a third of the the plus fare is the premium drinks package it is quite obvious that it does not benefit non drinkers. However myself on sea days as a minimum I will have 3 beers in the morning, a glass of wine with lunch, 3 beers in the afternoon, a pre-dinner beer, two glasses of wine and a beer with dinner and a couple of shorts for the theatre. £30 per day with wifi and tips is a bargain.

And I used to wonder if anyone could actually reach the 15/day limit.  

 

PS - It's more like 50% for drinks - not just 33%.

Edited July 4, 2021 by Steelers36

[oskidunker]

1 minute ago, Steelers36 said:

And I used to wonder if anyone could actually reach the 15/day limit.  

I would be dead.

[Jeter02]

5 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

And I used to wonder if anyone could actually reach the 15/day limit.  

 

PS - It's more like 50% for drinks - not just 33%.

I've never wondered if someone could actually reach it a 15/day limit, I've always thought to myself there's no way so one can. 🤷‍♀️

[lesnpatty]

9 hours ago, pompeii said:

Keep in mind that you are actually paying twice the $15.50/day for your partners Red Bull, coffee, etc, if you yourself don't indulge in those extras, since you both have to purchase the plus fare.

I do have a bottled water, sodas, virgin Pina coladas so we both get our $15 50 .a day worth of drinks a day.  :)

[pompeii]

43 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

And I used to wonder if anyone could actually reach the 15/day limit.  

 

PS - It's more like 50% for drinks - not just 33%.

And that was actually only 13, lol.  Although he did say at a minimum...

[voljeep]

and it seems like the amount of OBC you have also plays into the PLUS or not decision ... - esp for the not's

[caribill]

10 hours ago, Jeter02 said:

I have to see if it's the same price difference for the saver versus the the Plus on that cruise. Because right now I know it's about $270 or $280 for a seven day so I'm curious to see what they going prices for that 10-dayer.

 

It is $40/person/day. So for one person for 7 days it is $280.

 

For 10 days, it will be $400/person.

[caribill]

Actually, Princess Plus has been a way for Princess to increase the price of cruising.

 

It used to be that Princess would have sales that involved having lower prices. This led to many people not booking until a good sale (lower pricing) came along.

 

So Princess wanted to convince passengers to book earlier, not later hoping for a lower price.

 

But they still needed to have sales. So the new sales kept the pricing the same, but added perks at no cost which effectively lowered the price of that cruise without reducing the list price.

 

For example, they would have a sale in the late spring that included the beverage package at no additional cost. Or in the fall they had the 3-for-free which included as one of the three gratuities at no addiitional cost.

 

But then they came up with Princess plus. They kept the basic pricing the same (Princess Savers) and increased the cost of the cruise by $40/day with Princess plus. This replaced keeping the basic pricing the same but adding free perks.

 

The only sales they have now is to have, for example, a free specialty dining experience and this applies to both savers and plus fares.

 

Result, no sales anymore that actually lower the cost of cruising by giving the beverage package or gratuities at no additional cost. Keep the cruise price the same and have the customer pay $40/day more and have the customer think they have a great deal.

 

Although the list of included perks is different, Princess has basically converted 3-for-free to 3-for-pay-more.

[Jeter02]

3 hours ago, caribill said:

Actually, Princess Plus has been a way for Princess to increase the price of cruising.

 

It used to be that Princess would have sales that involved having lower prices. This led to many people not booking until a good sale (lower pricing) came along.

 

So Princess wanted to convince passengers to book earlier, not later hoping for a lower price.

 

But they still needed to have sales. So the new sales kept the pricing the same, but added perks at no cost which effectively lowered the price of that cruise without reducing the list price.

 

For example, they would have a sale in the late spring that included the beverage package at no additional cost. Or in the fall they had the 3-for-free which included as one of the three gratuities at no addiitional cost.

 

But then they came up with Princess plus. They kept the basic pricing the same (Princess Savers) and increased the cost of the cruise by $40/day with Princess plus. This replaced keeping the basic pricing the same but adding free perks.

 

The only sales they have now is to have, for example, a free specialty dining experience and this applies to both savers and plus fares.

 

Result, no sales anymore that actually lower the cost of cruising by giving the beverage package or gratuities at no additional cost. Keep the cruise price the same and have the customer pay $40/day more and have the customer think they have a great deal.

 

Although the list of included perks is different, Princess has basically converted 3-for-free to 3-for-pay-more.

Oh, I definitely remember when everyone would wait for the 3 for free sale. And people with book a bunch of sailings during that sale.

[pompeii]

15 hours ago, umbluemusic said:

 

if we had a more active cruise where we would be off ship a lot I would just book basic. 

That's another point that many might be forgetting when they decide on Plus.  On days when you're off the ship you'll get much less value out of the Plus fare than on sea days.  So on port intensive cruises, it would especially pay to do the math before deciding.

[chabad]

59 minutes ago, pompeii said:

That's another point that many might be forgetting when they decide on Plus.  On days when you're off the ship you'll get much less value out of the Plus fare than on sea days.  So on port intensive cruises, it would especially pay to do the math before deciding.

Very true!

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, Jeter02 said:

Oh, I definitely remember when everyone would wait for the 3 for free sale. And people with book a bunch of sailings during that sale.

Guilty as charged - but not quite accurate.  I would book as soon as interested in a particular voyage to secure the space and then await certain promotions to see if better value.  We can always re-fare up to FP Date.  But that is pretty much gone now.  Although our recent bookings did get the cabin category upgrade for the "xF" base fare and the Specialty Dining.  That's not bad considering the old stuff is gone.  And if you wanted Plus - it was just like to old 3FF Sale and Sip&Sail combined into one.

[Jeter02]

2 hours ago, pompeii said:

That's another point that many might be forgetting when they decide on Plus.  On days when you're off the ship you'll get much less value out of the Plus fare than on sea days.  So on port intensive cruises, it would especially pay to do the math before deciding.

💯% correct!

[Jeter02]

46 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Guilty as charged - but not quite accurate.  I would book as soon as interested in a particular voyage to secure the space and then await certain promotions to see if better value.  We can always re-fare up to FP Date.  But that is pretty much gone now.  Although our recent bookings did get the cabin category upgrade for the "xF" base fare and the Specialty Dining.  That's not bad considering the old stuff is gone.  And if you wanted Plus - it was just like to old 3FF Sale and Sip&Sail combined into one.

Hey, it's not your fault if a good promotion comes your way 😉. Like said you booked your cruise and then you would refer no harm in that.

[Mr Happy Toes]

Thanks everyone for your help.I called Princess this morning and was able to change my booked over to the Princess Plus rate at $40 per person per day.

The cost breakdown is Gratuities 14.50 x 2 per day = 290.00

                                         Wi-Fi            9,95 x 2 per day = 199.00

                                         Drink Pkg   15.55 x2 per day = 311.00

                                         Total                                             800.00

 

Thanks again. 15.55 for drinks I think is a good deal and it includes all gratuities.

Edited July 5, 2021 by Mr Happy Toes

[Jeter02]

11 minutes ago, Mr Happy Toes said:

Thanks everyone for your help.I called Princess this morning and replace was able to change my booked over to the Princess Plus rate at $40 per person per day.

The cost breakdown is Gratuities 14.50 x 2 per day = 290.00

                                         Wi-Fi            9,95 x 2 per day = 199.00

                                         Drink Pkg   15.55 x2 per day = 311.00

                                         Total                                             800.00

 

Thanks again. 15.55 for drinks I think is a good deal and it includes all gratuities.

Congratulations! I know you'll enjoy your perks come your cruise. 😉

[southamptoncruisers]

18 hours ago, pompeii said:

And that was actually only 13, lol.  Although he did say at a minimum...

Strange how you would assume that I'm a man. I leave two drinks over for my husband to have as he will reach his 15 drinks limit. 

[pompeii]

16 minutes ago, southamptoncruisers said:

Strange how you would assume that I'm a man. I leave two drinks over for my husband to have as he will reach his 15 drinks limit. 

Sorry about that - my apologies.   I thought about doing the s/he instead but obviously decided against it.  My bad.  And I can relate...I am referred to as a "he" on here on occasion.

[voljeep]

25 minutes ago, southamptoncruisers said:

I leave two drinks over for my husband to have as he will reach his 15 drinks limit. 

and risk having your entire beverage package(s) revoked and no refund ???

[southamptoncruisers]

4 minutes ago, voljeep said:

and risk having your entire beverage package(s) revoked and no refund ???

Yes, we live life on the edge. Treading that fine line between good and bad.