Princess raising prices of plus and premier packages

[cruzin4us]

4 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

Just curious, what do you use internet for on a cruise? I use it a lot at home but on a cruise, apart from occasional check of email. I see no purpose. I can always check email in port.

I personally use it for 2 things....1. to check my bank acct and 2. to watch Netflix (I cruise quite a bit and most of the movies I've seen that I care to watch).

 

[Tedferg]

3 minutes ago, cruzin4us said:

I personally use it for 2 things....1. to check my bank acct and 2. to watch Netflix (I cruise quite a bit and most of the movies I've seen that I care to watch).

 

Got it, thanks, though how often is it good enough for streaming?

[cruzin4us]

Are the new ice cream deserts the Tyra Banks ice cream?

 

https://www.princess.com/news/news_releases/2022/11/lifes-sweetest-reward-smize-cream-new-super-premium-ice-cream-created-by-iconic-supermodel-tyra-banks-soon-available-fleetwide-on-princess-cruises.html

[cruzin4us]

1 minute ago, Tedferg said:

Got it, thanks, though how often is it good enough for streaming?

 

Sometimes......On the Ruby last month to Hawaii, I was able to stream the entire 15 days.   On the Discovery (CA Coastal & Mex Riviera) in October I couldn't connect to the internet almost the entire cruise.   

[Tedferg]

1 hour ago, JeffT237 said:

A typical day for us would be 2-4 adult beverages each so even at $60pp we would still purchase it. 

Sorry to nitpick, $60 -15 is $45, Beer is $6.25, many cocktails and Scotch, Vodka are $8 - 10. So that's more than 4 drinks each, every day. DW would not come anywhere near that on any day. I like a drink but would find that a stretch every day. WiFi is useless and coffee is infrequent for us.

[MissP22]

9 minutes ago, cruzin4us said:

I personally use it for 2 things....1. to check my bank acct and 2. to watch Netflix (I cruise quite a bit and most of the movies I've seen that I care to watch).

 

Same here except that I can download loads of movies and not even use the internet except for checking email and 99% of the time it's spam anyway. 

Goodbye plus package & back to BYOB for us. 

[555]

It was fun for a while but

[dog]

Reserved seating? Oh brother!

[PRINCESS Sweet Pea]

They are raising prices, but adding a few so-called perks.  I don't think I would use ten dollars a day in the extra perks!  But, darn, this doesn't start unti Feb.  After our cruise.  I would really like the reserved theater seating.  Wonder how much seating will be blocked off for that?  But, that is only for the premium package.

 

It doesn't mention the new ice cream.   Just the Gelato and Swirls.   But, then I don't know how we would get the new ice cream, even if we did want it.

[Shelly97060]

Here’s a list of the increases planned:

 

[cruisequeen4ever]

I love the fancy desserts and fresh juices and smoothies, but they’re not worth an extra $20 per day to me.  As for the fitness class perk, that’s the opposite of a perk for me personally. Lol

[cruisingrob21]

2 minutes ago, Shelly97060 said:

Here’s a list of the increases planned:

 

I usually dont get PP because I just dont drink enough to make it worthwhile when compared with the internet discount for platinum and elite and gratuities.  The internet was nice for $5/day for platinum and elite members when it was fast, the last few times its been so slow (supposedly because princess switched internet vendors sometime during the pandemic).  So paying more for less doesn't make much.  Maybe this will reduce the number of users on the internet to speed it up.  PP was always a decent package when compared to other lines but its value is being diminished with price increases that don't align with the other price increases.  $10 per day increase to account for up to a $1.50 increase for gratuities and $5 increase for internet (or $2.50) doesn't make sense so I think they mispriced this.  If they want to incentivize people into PP, keep the price the same while increasing the ala carte price of the extras.

 

 

[PRINCESS Sweet Pea]

I am hoping that our medallions are shipped, and they arrive well before the cruise.  I remember a thread a couple weeks ago about problems with shipping the medallions.  At first I thought maybe they were going to not ship some of them.  But it seems to be an error in the tracking system in the App.   What a peek into the future!  Anyhow, we booked and cruise before the new stuff  kicks in.  We do have the confirmation that we ordered medallions with zero charge.  I want to be ready to just walk on the ship!

 

[MissP22]

Looks like we'll be getting our Medallion's at the terminal. 

The lines will probably return to what they were when we all received cruise cards. 

I'm almost surprised that there not charging for the Medallions. 

Edited December 1, 2022 by MissP22

[dweeb]

Not shipping the Medallions will cause extra work for Princess at the port.  I'm not paying to have my Medallions shipped to me.  I'll pick them up at the port.  One less thing to worry about if I forgot something!

Edited December 1, 2022 by dweeb
spelling

[ChutChut]

19 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

Looks like we'll be getting our Medallion's at the terminal. 

The lines will probably return to what they were when we all received cruise cards. 

I'm almost surprised that there not charging for the Medallions. 

Don't count on getting them in the terminal either. I ordered customized wristbands and no one could find them in the terminal or on the ship. They did provide me with non-customized bands and gave me a substantial refund. Princess found them the 2nd day and delivered them to our cabin (this happened to many passengers). So now I have two wristbands (was provided the 2nd pair for free).

[JeffT237]

1 hour ago, Tedferg said:

Sorry to nitpick, $60 -15 is $45, Beer is $6.25, many cocktails and Scotch, Vodka are $8 - 10. So that's more than 4 drinks each, every day. DW would not come anywhere near that on any day. I like a drink but would find that a stretch every day. WiFi is useless and coffee is infrequent for us.

If you're sorry to nitpick, then why nitpick?  I can assure you with our spending and what we, keyword "we" spend out money on and what type of drinks (both alcoholic and non) that we enjoy, and not you, we are slightly ahead even at the $60 rate. I am very aware of the drink prices as we have recently completed 2 Princess cruises as I've stated previously.  Now I would agree that the WiFi is poor, but it has served us well at times and we always purchase WiFi, again for our own reasoning.  Looking at our past 2 folios, at both price points we were ahead and would have even been slightly ahead at the $60pp.  Our OBC picked up the few times we went above the Plus drink prices.  If the standard fare works for you, that's awesome......enjoy your cruising style as we'll enjoy ours.

[cr8tiv1]

Thanks for the details.  I don't see anywhere that says theater reservations.  Does this mean they will INCREASE military benefits and/or CCL Shareholder credits?  

 

I was on the fence with Princess Plus.  I have it for one of my three 2023 cruises.  Guess that's it for me.  It was a convenient expense before.  Not now.  Love they way they snuck in the crew appreciation and wifi increases.  

[drowelf]

2 hours ago, Tedferg said:

Just curious, what do you use internet for on a cruise? I use it a lot at home but on a cruise, apart from occasional check of email. I see no purpose. I can always check email in port.

Generally for a variety of things Paying some bills, checking email to deal with private tours and other details, general port research.

 

Back before I retired, I would need to to occasionally service my clients while away. Once I got a phone call on Iceland, where I spent the late afternoon before we left port fixing issues via VPN and doing conference calls, although that only lasted until we left port and I lost Mobile Service, but issue fixing went on for a few hours more via ships internet. 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Shelly97060 said:

Here’s a list of the increases planned:

 

On the MedallionNet.  The cynic in me wonders if the huge increase in the 4-device plan (and 50% in the base plan) is a response the the really bad level of response and throughput on many of the ships in several locations.  If they cut down on the number of connections, it gets better for the masses.  Like couples might share a plan, or they will no longer buy the 4-device plan (it has cost the same as two single-device plans, so was convenient to have up to 4 connections).  The cynic says rather than improve the internet speed and throughput, let's just squeeze out a bunch of connections as see if that helps.

 

[c-boy]

Just now, Steelers36 said:

On the MedallionNet.  The cynic in me wonders if the huge increase in the 4-device plan (and 50% in the base plan) is a response the the really bad level of response and throughput on many of the ships in several locations.  If they cut down on the number of connections, it gets better for the masses.  Like couples might share a plan, or they will no longer buy the 4-device plan (it has cost the same as two single-device plans, so was convenient to have up to 4 connections).  The cynic says rather than improve the internet speed and throughput, let's just squeeze out a bunch of connections as see if that helps.

 

huh, the ol reverse psychology  

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Yes, we are Standard fare bookers and each move Princess makes in upping the cost for all-inclusive, just cements our decision more.

 

Crew Incentive = $29/day total.

MedallionNet 4-device plan = $10/day total.

 

Leaves $81 for drinks and treats PER DAY.  Not for us.  Hope they sell lots of it because my stock is on life support.

 

 

I am re-doing the math for us as Standard Fare bookers based on the new pricing posted by @Shelly97060 above.

 

Crew Incentive = $32/day total.

MedallionNet = 2 single-device packages = $15/day total.  (We get 50% discount and I am assuming the new prices quoted in the agents press release are the lowest to be offered).

 

Leaves $73/day for drinks and treats PER DAY.  Still not for us.  Not by a long shot.  Still, I hope it suits and attracts a lot of customers.  I have not done any comparisons, but I have read several posted that indicate Princess was offering its fare packages at better than the competition.  So, maybe they have room to catch up. 

 

Edited December 1, 2022 by Steelers36

[cruisingrob21]

7 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

On the MedallionNet.  The cynic in me wonders if the huge increase in the 4-device plan (and 50% in the base plan) is a response the the really bad level of response and throughput on many of the ships in several locations.  If they cut down on the number of connections, it gets better for the masses.  Like couples might share a plan, or they will no longer buy the 4-device plan (it has cost the same as two single-device plans, so was convenient to have up to 4 connections).  The cynic says rather than improve the internet speed and throughput, let's just squeeze out a bunch of connections as see if that helps.

 

Kind of what I was thinking too - since internet is a sunk cost between hardware and the service for them, they want to charge the right rate to limit users and preserve bandwidth.

[sonomaphil]

As always in the end Plus and Premier works for some and not for others.  

[dog]

Standard fare for me.

 

Had the plus package on 4 day Discivery when I was in PH suite. I did not get my money’s worth re: drinks.