Princess 'Plus' and 'Premier' packages

[Aus Traveller]

I received an email from Princess with details of their new Plus and Premier packages. It is the usual marketing trick - a 'better' produce at a higher price. Whether or not the product is better probably depends on the individual. The fitness classes and premium desserts wouldn't interest everyone. Here are the details:

 

You'll be able to upgrade to the new or keep the old at the current price

We wanted you to be the first to hear that we're adding brand-new experiences and offerings to our existing packages ❯. What's new:

Princess Plus — now $65 per day per guest! premium desserts Juice Bar (smoothies and juices) fitness classes

Princess Premier — now $95 per day per guest! premium desserts Juice Bar (smoothies and juices) fitness classes reserved theatre seating Medallion accessory

We'll share more details later, but for now know that you'll be able to keep your current Plus or Premier package at the existing price or upgrade to the new enhanced package. After all, we know you love options! New packages go on sale starting 16 December and apply to cruises sailing 20 February 2023, and beyond.^

[MicCanberra]

Yes, got the same, cannot say I am impressed, I would rather have the existing Princess Plus package at $40

[arxcards]

These are really weird. It is essentially a drinks package, so increasing the price of a drink package discourages passengers from having that add-on.

 

Pairing these decadent ice cream based desserts with fitness classes is also a weird combo.

[Aus Traveller]

11 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Yes, got the same, cannot say I am impressed, I would rather have the existing Princess Plus package at $40

I agree. We don't book the Plus package, but our daughter who plans to book a Princess cruise soon, is really keen on the $40 deal. I don't think she will be tempted at the higher price.

[arxcards]

4 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Yes, got the same, cannot say I am impressed, I would rather have the existing Princess Plus package at $40

That package has been $50 for a few months.

Essentially, this is just another price rise, as with everything else that is going up in price. They are just bloating it to make it seem like a good idea for some.

 

We have $50 plus and $70ish premier booked for cruises next year. We will not be paying to upgrade those to the new format, as we will be too busy drinking to eat ice cream.

[bretts173]

The plus package at @40 a day is ridiculously cheap.  

[OzKiwiJJ]

20 minutes ago, bretts173 said:

The plus package at @40 a day is ridiculously cheap.  

It was. At $50 it's still a reasonable deal unless you like decent quality wines with meals. They haven't honoured the "25 wines by the glass" that the drinks package is supposed to have, there are only 9.

 

At $60 it starts losing it's value and offering "premium desserts" that look like something that would more suit a children's birthday party is almost an insult. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

I just read the email. It's $65 pp per day here. We won't be getting the Plus package on any new Princess cruises we book. We'll stick with the ones we already have booked - which includes the 2024 world cruise at the original $40pp per day. 

 

It might be time to start looking at the luxury lines.

[arxcards]

43 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I just read the email. It's $65 pp per day here. We won't be getting the Plus package on any new Princess cruises we book. We'll stick with the ones we already have booked - which includes the 2024 world cruise at the original $40pp per day. 

 

It might be time to start looking at the luxury lines.

It will be.

If you want the $50 version, you still have up to December 14th to book, then it changes to the $65 version beyond that.

[Ozwoody]

Its almost like their trying to put you of plus packages....🤷‍♂️

 

I agree if princess keep this trend, and devalue their loyalty programs, people will start looking else ware for cruises.

[arxcards]

23 minutes ago, Ozwoody said:

Its almost like their trying to put you of plus packages....🤷‍♂️

 

I agree if princess keep this trend, and devalue their loyalty programs, people will start looking else ware for cruises.

Medallion resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. 😂

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

It will be.

If you want the $50 version, you still have up to December 14th to book, then it changes to the $65 version beyond that.

I've already got enough cruises booked between now and the 2024 world cruise, thank goodness.

[OzKiwiJJ]

47 minutes ago, Ozwoody said:

Its almost like their trying to put you of plus packages....🤷‍♂️

 

I agree if princess keep this trend, and devalue their loyalty programs, people will start looking else ware for cruises.

We've got the Westerdam cruise coming up so we'll see how that suits us. They had reasonable fares with drinks packages, internet, excursion credits, and speciality restaurants included. Not gratuities though unfortunately.

 

It's a shame as Princess suits us in so many ways. 

[joejoe 59]

We got the same email today. We only have one Princess cruise booked in 2024 & that plus package was booked at $30 a day...no we won't be upgrading.

Our 5 yr old grandson's would love those sweet sugary desserts but not us. Not sure what marketing guru thought it was a good idea.

In the future we won't bother booking the plus fare. 

I honestly think less people will book the packages especially those like me that aren't big drinkers.

I'm sure we will manage just fine with the extra $1400 in our pockets. 

 

[bretts173]

Am I the only one that still thinks that $65 is more than reasonable. I would well and truly still get my money's worth. I guess this is why I don't cruise on Princess.

[nnps]

23 minutes ago, bretts173 said:

Am I the only one that still thinks that $65 is more than reasonable. I would well and truly still get my money's worth. I guess this is why I don't cruise on Princess.

No, I think the same. I feel everyone is forgetting just how much the packages were previously (and still are for many other lines). I don't get the package simply because I feel it's unhealthy for me.

[MicCanberra]

5 hours ago, arxcards said:

That package has been $50 for a few months.

Essentially, this is just another price rise, as with everything else that is going up in price. They are just bloating it to make it seem like a good idea for some.

 

We have $50 plus and $70ish premier booked for cruises next year. We will not be paying to upgrade those to the new format, as we will be too busy drinking to eat ice cream.

That may be so but my cruise in 2024 has it at $30 or $40.

[adelaidefc]

1 hour ago, bretts173 said:

Am I the only one that still thinks that $65 is more than reasonable. I would well and truly still get my money's worth. I guess this is why I don't cruise on Princess.

Me three...I just paid the equivalent of $90/day for a drinks package on Royal, and was satisified with that given the USD prices there, so $65 seems good. 

[MicCanberra]

5 minutes ago, adelaidefc said:

Me three...I just paid the equivalent of $90/day for a drinks package on Royal, and was satisified with that given the USD prices there, so $65 seems good. 

That is a good price for RCI, considering what they were going for.

[OzKiwiJJ]

46 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

That may be so but my cruise in 2024 has it at $30 or $40.

So far we've booked at $30 (unbelievable value), $40 (still very good value), and $50 (OK but the limited selection of wines gets very boring). I think $65 will be too borderline for us.

 

On Sea Princess in 2019 our average drinks cost pp per day was under $54 and we didn't stint on the wines we bought by the bottle. Add in $7.50 or so for internet and that's only $61.50. Plus we're spending $5-7 pp per day extra for decent wines occasionally and other drinks over the Plus limit. I think wine by the bottle is more expensive now but even so it won't be worth getting the Plus fare.

[Over from NZ]

They can get screwed. Getting really sick of them and cruising is just one of many ways to travel. It's just more arm-twisting to spend more with them. Less seats available to the shows if you don't spend extra. You don't get all the food offerings if you don't pay extra.. and so-on. It's starting to grate.. 

[Elorac123]

11 minutes ago, Over from NZ said:

They can get screwed. Getting really sick of them and cruising is just one of many ways to travel. It's just more arm-twisting to spend more with them. Less seats available to the shows if you don't spend extra. You don't get all the food offerings if you don't pay extra.. and so-on. It's starting to grate.. 

Ditto.  $50 is my limit 

Cheers Carole

[Relaxing Robbies]

We certainly will not be interested at $65 per day. We have paid forthe package on 3 cruises this year and 2 future cruises, and got value from it. However the 5 or 6 drinks we consumed per day when we had the package is more alcohol than we think it is healthy to drink per day. I do not drink coffee ever, and do not drink bottled water because the cruiseship water tastes ok to me. I understand that the $65 is still value to those who like to party, but not for me thanks.

[Aus Traveller]

30 minutes ago, Over from NZ said:

They can get screwed. Getting really sick of them and cruising is just one of many ways to travel. It's just more arm-twisting to spend more with them. Less seats available to the shows if you don't spend extra. You don't get all the food offerings if you don't pay extra.. and so-on. It's starting to grate.. 

This thread is about Princess. I don't know why you say there are less seats available to the shows if you don't spend extra. I haven't found that Princess have the option of paying for seats at shows.

 

We have found that the food available is great, even without paying extra.

[Relaxing Robbies]

8 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

This thread is about Princess. I don't know why you say there are less seats available to the shows if you don't spend extra. I haven't found that Princess have the option of paying for seats at shows.

 

We have found that the food available is great, even without paying extra.

One of the inclusions of the Premier package is reserved seating in the theatre. If some seating is reserved, then there is less available to be used by those who have not paid $95 per day for that package.