Princess Cruises introduces all-inclusive Premier Package

[caribill]

12 hours ago, MileHighAko said:

I'm curious about the Princess Prizes. Is it only available to premiere customers? Can you purchase it separately? 

 

 

From the announcement:

 

For a one-time entry fee per stateroom of $20 per day, when purchased separately, every time an adult guest accesses their stateroom with their Medallion*, they will have the chance to win grand prizes that include $100,000 in cash and a cruise for two every year for the next decade, along with prizes won on every voyage that range from a cruise for two in a balcony stateroom, onboard cruise credits from $25 up to $250, wine tastings, and chef's table dinners. Guests can also win entries for an end-of-cruise drawing in which someone will win at least $5,000 every voyage.

 

(To me "one-time entry fee" and "per day" contradict each other unless Princess means they will charge you only $20 once a day for this fantastic opportunity.)

 

I wonder how many people will now spend many of their waking hours just unlocking their door with the Medallion over and over to get as many entries as possible.

[caribill]

11 hours ago, CarolCoupon said:

My July 2022 and June 2023 cruises were booked with Plus.  They both list "Premier Beverage Package Including Service Charges" drink package in the Personalizer under Onboard Services.  Terminology...

 

Be sure to take a screen shot of that wording. Show it on board if they deny you the Premier Beverage Package features.

[caribill]

11 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

 

Agree to photos - zero value to us.  Might buy one photo if really want one every once in a long while.

 

 

In the past digital downloads of photos have been relatively low resolution.

 

The announcement does not say these now will be high resolution downloads.

[caribill]

9 hours ago, Daniel A said:

In the current economy, Padgett has a choice to make:  1.  Raise the cruise fares (inflation.)  2.  Keep the fares stable and reduce some services (shrinkflation.)  Name your poison.

 

On the recent Carnival Corp stock analysts conference call, it was stated that on board revenues are up significantly due in great part to existing pre-purchased packages. So items such as the Plus package pricing was already generating more income per passenger than ever before.

 

In the current economy, Princess is just trying to generate even more of what already is higher income.

[Torfamm]

The specialty dining benefit is the one that puzzles me. Two meals on a cruise no matter what the length of the cruise just seems weird although if I think of it as an OBC, I suppose it is somewhat reasonable. What I really don’t understand is how they expect us to take their advice to “book early” when it isn’t possible to book specialty dining pre-cruise without paying for it. I wonder if they’ll be adding an option to pay with package credits or regular OBC?

[bafinegan]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

 

Be sure to take a screen shot of that wording. Show it on board if they deny you the Premier Beverage Package features.

I think the main difference will be that some drinks will no longer be covered under the "old" plan because drink prices will be increasing.  The new, higher tier package is an attempt to cover those drinks in a package.  MSC has a similar tier system.

[dreaminofcruisin]

".. along with prizes won on every voyage that range from a cruise for two in a balcony stateroom, onboard cruise credits from $25 up to $250, wine tastings, and chef's table dinners. "

 

So...if you are winning these prizes, you better win them early in the cruise since you have to use them while on the cruise, especially if it's a shorter cruise....such a strange idea this whole contest thing is....

🙄

[phonejock]

IMHO, the biggest concern will be booking the specialty restaurants. I have reads numerous complaints here and on Facebook about having to pay first and then get reimbursed. More importantly, (at least to me) is just being able to secure a reservation. If a good amount of people have the new package, it will be imperative that you book a dinner as soon as you book your cruise.

 

[mjmalino]

9 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

 

I swear to God that I never saw any mention of PLUS in the name of a Princess Drink package before posting the above.  It said Premier twice in my Cruise Personalizer under Onboard Services. 

 

Now, it calls them both PLUS!!!  Clearly the IT Team is doing their usual bang-up job!! Surely they are due for a raise or at least a bonus.  Here is my Onboard Services page now: 

 

 

Packages are not added to your booking until they are paid for. Prices include service charge.

Plus Beverage Package$70.79 per person, per day

Enjoy a wide range of drinks for $59.99 per day plus a 18% service charge. The Plus Beverage Package includes any individual beverage item such as fountain soda, bottled water, cocktails, spirits, wine by the glass, beers, coffee and tea, up to $12 (retail value). A 25% discount is also offered on all bottles of wine when purchased in bars, dining room or specialty restaurants.

View full Plus Beverage Package terms & conditions.

Select

Plus Beverage Package$86.99 per person, per day

The Plus Beverage Package includes any individual beverage item such as fountain soda, bottled water, cocktails, spirits, wine by the glass, beers, coffee and tea, up to $16 AUD (retail value). A 25% discount is also offered on all bottles of wine when purchased in bars, dining room or specialty restaurants.

View full Plus Beverage Package terms & conditions.

 

BOTH package names are now Plus!!!..  What next, pray tell?

 

 

Your link to an informational marketing page shows the new names for the drink packages (i.e. outside the Cruise Personalizer).

 

I feel pretty proud of myself - if I do say so myself - at nailing the new correct package names which I honestly had not seen before posting.  If only I was as smart at some other things...........

 

 

Oh darn, it was Carnac, wasn't it?  Very good.  Thanks so much for the correction.  Now I feel bad and my apologies to all the Carson fans out there.  There was only one and they broke the mold.

 

 

Same package, if you look, one is US Dollars, one is Australian Dollars.

[vjmatty]

2 hours ago, Torfamm said:

The specialty dining benefit is the one that puzzles me. Two meals on a cruise no matter what the length of the cruise just seems weird although if I think of it as an OBC, I suppose it is somewhat reasonable. What I really don’t understand is how they expect us to take their advice to “book early” when it isn’t possible to book specialty dining pre-cruise without paying for it. I wonder if they’ll be adding an option to pay with package credits or regular OBC?

 

Another incentive, along with OBC, to book longer cruises as separate B2B's.

[phabric]

For my last cruise 2019, I had purchased in advance the Soda and More package that included soda, virgin drinks and  hot chocolate.  While on the Sky 2019, I had the hot chocolate from the International Cafe. The first time, no charge, second time, there was a charge.  I went to Guest Services and was told hot chocolate was not included in the package.  I told her when I purchased the package, hot chocolate was included.  She had to go in the back room to check, she returned “you are correct when you purchased it was included, I will remove the charge”.

 

There might be many going to Guest Services to complain that they had purchased the old Plus.

[Ombud]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

The 15 per day limit is booze only. lattes, fountain sodas and 1/2 liter waters are unlimited.

Even more reason to cut it to 10

[voljeep]

29 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Even more reason to cut it to 10

I'll take new Premier at 10 - at the $50 pp pd price point, including the 2 SD's each, and "games"

[Steelers36]

2 minutes ago, voljeep said:

I'll take new Premier at 10 - at the $50 pp pd price point, including the 2 SD's each, and "games"

The new Premier is going to be $75/pp/day.  The Plus is going to $50/pp/day.

[voljeep]

3 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

The new Premier is going to be $75/pp/day.  The Plus is going to $50/pp/day.

"at 10" - not 15 drinks per day

 

and i would max it every day - port or not - and so would my wife 😉 🍷 🥃 😈

[Steelers36]

Just now, voljeep said:

"at 10" - not 15 drinks per day

 

and i would max it every day - port or not - and so would my wife 😉 🍷 🥃 😈

Right, but I was just correcting your original price posted of $50 for the Premier as it will be $75.  Enjoy!!

[voljeep]

2 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Right, but I was just correcting your original price posted of $50 for the Premier as it will be $75.  Enjoy!!

it was in response to Ombuds reducing it to 10 drinks - I'll do the 10, but only at the $50 price point - which I am fully aware that is not an option ... at this time

[Steelers36]

1 minute ago, voljeep said:

it was in response to Ombuds reducing it to 10 drinks - I'll do the 10, but only at the $50 price point - which I am fully aware that is not an option ... at this time

<lightbulb comes on>  I get it - you would happily pay 2/3 the current price for 2/3 the drink limit.

[voljeep]

19 hours ago, Mud_Shark said:

and now the increased cost of fuel and supplies.

 

is the "fuel surcharge" far behind now? - when was the last time that was enacted?

[Crystabel]

4 hours ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

".. along with prizes won on every voyage that range from a cruise for two in a balcony stateroom, onboard cruise credits from $25 up to $250, wine tastings, and chef's table dinners. "

 

So...if you are winning these prizes, you better win them early in the cruise since you have to use them while on the cruise, especially if it's a shorter cruise....such a strange idea this whole contest thing is....

🙄

So, will these prizes be redeemable on the current cruise, or only be redeemable on a future cruise? 

[Sea Hag]

15 hours ago, Astro Flyer said:

That’s included with Princess Premier but Princess Prizes can also be purchased for anyone:

For a one-time entry fee per stateroom of $20 per day, when purchased separately, every time an adult guest accesses their stateroom with their Medallion*, they will have the chance to win grand prizes that include $100,000 in cash and a cruise for two every year for the next decade, along with prizes won on every voyage that range from a cruise for two in a balcony stateroom, onboard cruise credits from $25 up to $250, wine tastings, and chef’s table dinners. Guests can also win entries for an end-of-cruise drawing in which someone will win at least $5,000 every voyage.

 

https://www.princess.com/news/news_releases/2022/04/princess-cruises-introduces-all-inclusive-premier-package-offering-top-amenities-at-incredible-value.html

 

This does not appeal to me. Paying $20 per day for a "chance" to win things never would appeal to me, but I'm not much of a gambler. This might be fun for a lot of folks.

[Musky Ike]

Could this be a step toward Princess going "all inclusive" and eliminating the Princess savers option? I hope not. 

[insidecabin]

Looking at my future UK booking I have the premier drinks package listed and it has been listed on the invoices as well.

 

In the booking  there is an option to purchase a plus drinks package at £50.97pppd

 

 

[caribill]

5 hours ago, bafinegan said:

I think the main difference will be that some drinks will no longer be covered under the "old" plan because drink prices will be increasing.  The new, higher tier package is an attempt to cover those drinks in a package.  MSC has a similar tier system.

 

And once again something that made Princess different (and better) than other cruise lines is eliminated.

 

There have been many posts on Cruise Critic in the past about how people appreciated the simplicity of the Princess beverage package. One price. Only a few high end alcohol beverages not included.

 

Some other cruise lines do not include the gratuity in their beverage package and the passenger is charged 18% of the list price for every beverage consumed. So far Princess has resisted being like those cruise lines.

[Tedferg]

21 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

Looking at my future UK booking I have the premier drinks package listed and it has been listed on the invoices as well.

 

In the booking  there is an option to purchase a plus drinks package at £50.97pppd

 

 

I have Plus fare. When I select Beverage Packages in Onboard Services, it points out that I might already have a Beverage package, When I 'Review Confirmed Packages' it shows: I think it always called it Premier, however $685.10 for 10 day cruise - where does that number come from. BTW it always had $685, supposedly compliments from TA, though I paid for it.