Princess Plus Package

[cr8tiv1]

The algorithm gets more complicated than above.  Too many variables.  

 

What if you are elite and have 50% off Medallion Net?

Which stateroom category are you in?  ($16/ppd, $17/ppd, $18/ppd)

drink $unknown) + 18%

 

Princess Plus [ - (Medallion Net net cost) - (crew incentive x number of days) ], then take the balance and calculate how many drinks (cost of drink + 18%) you plan on having.  

 

Repeat for Princess Premium:  

 

Or chock it up to convenience.  For me, the breakeven point was 2 alcoholic drinks a day and convenience to order soft drinks and water whenever.  But this was under the old plan ($40 or $50).

 

It got complicated when they raised the price and added the dessert and gym classes that I have absolutely no interest in.  Or the 2 specialty dinners, photo package, and theater seats for the Premium.

 

For me, I have all my cruises booked under and old rate for 2023.  After this year, I will just use OBC to buy ala carte.  

 

I'm retired.  Life should not be this complicated.  

[Steelers36]

Yes, it is possible to go dizzy with numbers.  It is pretty simple for us. 

 

We always book cabins that have the $16/pp Crew Appreciation (CA).  We always get Medallion Net and that is going to now cost $7.50 with our 50% discount.  $16 x 2  +  $7.50 x 2 = $47.  Plus x 2 = $120.  No way, do we drink anything close to $73/day ($120 - $47).  And I don't even have to think about the days off the ship when the potential to spend and drink doesn't even exist for most of the day.

[cr8tiv1]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Yes, it is possible to go dizzy with numbers.  It is pretty simple for us. 

 

We always book cabins that have the $16/pp Crew Appreciation (CA).  We always get Medallion Net and that is going to now cost $7.50 with our 50% discount.  $16 x 2  +  $7.50 x 2 = $47.  Plus x 2 = $120.  No way, do we drink anything close to $73/day ($120 - $47).  And I don't even have to think about the days off the ship when the potential to spend and drink doesn't even exist for most of the day.

Order of operations at work!  Thank you from a math teacher.  
 

For all others ….  ($16 x 2)  +  ($7.50 x 2) = $47

 

💰❤️💰❤️💰❤️💰❤️💰❤️

[justafem]

9 hours ago, memoak said:

You don’t tip your bartenders at land venues ?

We don't go anywhere that would require tipping in the real world.  We very rarely go out to eat, I cook.  Never go to bars or even coffee shops.  I'm sure I would tip the required 20%, but we don't go out to eat where we need to tip. 

 

I believe the price of the drink should include the tip on a ship.  It's not hard to do that, it's that princess wants to account for that money differently for tax purposes.  I get that.  Not mad about it, but wish it were the other way.  

Edited February 24, 2023 by justafem

[caribill]

19 hours ago, rnr4thatsme said:

The second person on my booking is only 19, therefore can’t drink alcohol.  Would that make any difference?

 

I would contact Princess with this question.

[caribill]

12 minutes ago, justafem said:

I believe the price of the drink should include the tip on a ship.  It's not hard to do that,

Then the listed price for each would be higher and less people would order the drinks.

 

No difference than on land in countries with tipping traditions.

 

The listed price for that steak in a restaurant does not include a tip either.

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

I would contact Princess with this question.

Given the number of times this question has been asked and answered,  plus the very clear terms and conditions regarding the fact that both pax have to buy the package, asking Princess is pointless. However, if the poster wants to hear the same answer from a Princess rep, so be it.

[justafem]

16 minutes ago, justafem said:

Not mad about it, but wish it were the other way.  

 

2 minutes ago, caribill said:

Then the listed price for each would be higher and less people would order the drinks.

 

No difference than on land in countries with tipping traditions.

 

The listed price for that steak in a restaurant does not include a tip either.

As I said, I understand the reasoning.  Thanks for playing. 

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, caribill said:

No difference than on land in countries with tipping traditions.

 

The listed price for that steak in a restaurant does not include a tip either.

There is a huge difference. On land, the tip is discretionary.  On board it is compulsory. As you have no option but to pay the 18% service charge, it should be included in the advertised price.

[caribill]

1 minute ago, wowzz said:

There is a huge difference. On land, the tip is discretionary.  On board it is compulsory. As you have no option but to pay the 18% service charge, it should be included in the advertised price.

 

Many land restaurants have a mandatory 18% tip (or more) for parties of 6 or more.

 

And for when the tip is not mandatory, since most Americans tip in land restaurants, the menu cost does not seem as high as the final bill with the optional tip will be.

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

Many land restaurants have a mandatory 18% tip (or more) for parties of 6 or more.

 

And for when the tip is not mandatory, since most Americans tip in land restaurants, the menu cost does not seem as high as the final bill with the optional tip will be.

OK. Simple question.

Princess include gratuities in the prices of the Speciality Restaurants. Why, because with your logic the gratuities should not be included ?

[wowzz]

5 minutes ago, caribill said:

Many land restaurants have a mandatory 18% tip (or more) for parties of 6 or more.

What has that got to do with adding 18% to the cost of a beer, handed to me by the barman ?

[caribill]

10 minutes ago, wowzz said:

OK. Simple question.

Princess include gratuities in the prices of the Speciality Restaurants. Why, because with your logic the gratuities should not be included ?

 

a) Nobody has ever accused Princess of being logical.

 

b) Although the current information on the Princess web site says that tips are included in the Specialty Restaurant price, in the past there have been posts by people who have spoken to knowledgeable officers and were told that since the specialty restaurant staff are part of the tipping pool, none of the cover charge went to tips. Someone needs to ask appropriate management on a ship which is true now.

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, caribill said:

Nobody has ever accused Princess of being logical.

Agreed.

I have no skin in the game. If 18% is being added, fair enough. I just think it would be better for everyone, especially new cruisers,  if the price you see,  is the price you pay.

[caribill]

5 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Agreed.

I have no skin in the game. If 18% is being added, fair enough. I just think it would be better for everyone, especially new cruisers,  if the price you see,  is the price you pay.

That is not the case for:

Hotel room prices on land

Car rental pricing on land

Airline pricing

Movie ticket prices

Theater and sports tickets

Purchases (at least in the USA) at any store since prices do not include the sales tax.

...etc.

 

Why would you expect cruise lines to be any different?

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, caribill said:

That is not the case for:

Hotel room prices on land

Car rental pricing on land

Airline pricing

Movie ticket prices

Theater and sports tickets

Purchases (at least in the USA) at any store since prices do not include the sales tax.

...etc.

 

Why would you expect cruise lines to be any different?

Actually, in the UK and most of Europe, all the cases you quote include taxes in their prices. A hitel room costs £100, that  is what I pay.  A cinema ticket £10 - again that is what I pay.

It is the US which is the outlier.

[caribill]

2 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Actually, in the UK and most of Europe, all the cases you quote include taxes in their prices. A hitel room costs £100, that  is what I pay.  A cinema ticket £10 - again that is what I pay.

It is the US which is the outlier.

 

Right, but that is not the way it is in the USA.

 

And I beleive the UK discount airlines quote a price that is nowhere close to what you actually will pay.

[justafem]

10 minutes ago, caribill said:

That is not the case for:

Hotel room prices on land

Car rental pricing on land

Airline pricing

Movie ticket prices

Theater and sports tickets

Purchases (at least in the USA) at any store since prices do not include the sales tax.

...etc.

 

Why would you expect cruise lines to be any different?

Because cruising IS different.

 

At what hotel is unlimited room service included?  

Purchases on ship are duty free, AKA tax free.

We've prepaid our tax, AKA taxes and fees with our cruise.  

What other venue allow gambling, hires entertainment and takes us to 'exotic' locations, we'd never visit otherwise. 

 

There is no other venue even close to what a cruise does, comparing them is like (someone else quoted about sushi) fish to grapes. 

 

I get it, you want to keep stating the same thing over and over.  This is how cruising currently is.  Wait a while and it'll change or it won't.  

 

Great cruising. 

Edited February 24, 2023 by justafem

[caribill]

1 minute ago, justafem said:

Because cruising IS different.

 

At what hotel is unlimited room service included?  

 

There are a number of "all inclusive" hotels and resorts where this is the case.

 

 

 

1 minute ago, justafem said:

Purchases on ship are duty free, AKA tax free.

 

 

 

I am not sure what that has to do with anything. It is tax free on the ship because taxes are not being collected for any government by the cruise line.

 

However when you leave the ship at the end of the cruise, you may have to pay a tax (duty) on some or all of your onboard "tax free" purchases, depending on where you disembark and where you live and what the country's exemption limit is.

 

(And (again depending on where you live) duty free prices on a ship are higher than what you would pay for the same item at home even after paying taxes.)

[justafem]

1 minute ago, caribill said:

 

There are a number of "all inclusive" hotels and resorts where this is the case.

 

 

 

 

I am not sure what that has to do with anything. It is tax free on the ship because taxes are not being collected for any government by the cruise line.

 

However when you leave the ship at the end of the cruise, you may have to pay a tax (duty) on some or all of your onboard "tax free" purchases, depending on where you disembark and where you live and what the country's exemption limit is.

 

(And (again depending on where you live) duty free prices on a ship are higher than what you would pay for the same item at home even after paying taxes.)

It's how it is. 

If you want to change it, get it changed.  

Stop tagging me please, all you want is for someone to make a perceived mistake so you can keep the conversation going.  I'm done playing your game.  

[wowzz]

30 minutes ago, caribill said:

And I beleive the UK discount airlines quote a price that is nowhere close to what you actually will pay.

Yes, but that is dependent on number of suitcases, choosing your seat etc. Nothing to do with taxes or gratuities. You keep trying to pick holes in other people's point of view, but seem to have little success.

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

 

I would contact Princess with this question.

 

5 hours ago, wowzz said:

Given the number of times this question has been asked and answered,  plus the very clear terms and conditions regarding the fact that both pax have to buy the package, asking Princess is pointless. However, if the poster wants to hear the same answer from a Princess rep, so be it.

PCL's published T&C's on the Plus and Premier Fare options state that the under-age guest will receive the zero-alcohol package.  There is no mention of a lower price, so it would seem that the guest must pay $60 for that as well.  Anyone hear that a  Princess rep can alter that rate?

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, wowzz said:

It is the US which is the outlier.

Hey, we are also outlier's in the GWN (that's nickname for Canada, especially this time of year).

[wowzz]

8 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

 

PCL's published T&C's on the Plus and Premier Fare options state that the under-age guest will receive the zero-alcohol package.  There is no mention of a lower price, so it would seem that the guest must pay $60 for that as well.  Anyone hear that a  Princess rep can alter that rate?

I would imagine that from a Princess point of view, the economic justification for offering the packages depends to a large extent on both passengers in the cabin buying the package.

Once you start allowing exceptions to this rule,  the profitability of the packages becomes more problematic. 

I would be extremely surprised if a mere rep would have the authority to change the t&c's,  or even a manager, come to that. 

[kilili]

20 hours ago, konatyme said:

Speaking of figures, I'm trying to figure out exactly how many drinks one person would have to drink in order to make the Plus pkg a good value. In doing that, I think I'm confusing myself (not hard to do!) Would I simply subtract the standard fare from the Plus fare and that amount would be what would need to be consumed? Or would I first subtract gratuities and wi-fi from the Plus fare (since they are included), then the remaining amount would be what would be needed to be used for drinks?

Sorry if this isn't clear--as I said, I am confusing myself!

@konatymekeep in mind I have yet so sail Princess (first time this summer).  But this is how I do my math (all prices per day, per person).  Plus package  includes one device WIFI, Plus drinks package, Crew Appreciation.  WIFI is 15.00 a day, and Crew Appreciation is 14.50 a day (the category I chose), which comes to 29.50 a day, leaving the remaining 30.50 for the drinks, and the two desserts.  This is less expensive than both the "Zero Alcohol Package" and the Plus Beverage Package".  So if you were considering either of these packages then Plus would be the way to go.  Now how much would you have to drink to make that limit.  If you drink alcohol, the lowest priced drinks (last menus I saw before any of the anticipated price jumps) is ~7.50-8.00, with gratuities this would be ~8.85 - 9.44,  So for the lower end drinks or beer, you would need around four drinks a day, if you went to the limit of 15.00 for the drinks, then you would break even with two.  This is IF you did not drink anything else, like sodas, coffee or bottled water. Once you start to add those, then you break even with fewer alcoholic drinks.

 

Hope this helps.