To Plus or not to Plus.., our experience

[remydiva]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

Is that still a "thing" ?

I know they have special drinks only at P&E HH as a lady we sat with ordered some blue martini thing that was only available during that time. But don’t know if it was a special price.

 

The whole P&E is run differently now.
 

No card in your room telling what appies are available or special drinks on west dates. Just a letter ( which our steward never left for us; I had to check at CC loyality desk several days into cruise to see if they even had it anymore) that said where and when it was plus the Grapevine tasting, 

[PescadoAmarillo]

My drinking behavior over a week or two is significantly different than over a month or two, and much different on a cruise than at home. I’ve had Plus one time, for one week and was not able to fully enjoy the alcoholic part of it. On our upcoming cruise, there is nothing to stop me and, really, trying new drinks is what I’m most looking forward to. That’s the benefit of Plus to me…trying things I wouldn’t otherwise order. I suspect that after two weeks, I’ll be abstemious the rest of the year. But there is little doubt that I’ll get my value out of the package.  

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, InTheDrink said:

Thank you!

Do you know what they charge for water?

Either $2 or $2.50 plus 18% gratuity per bottle for a 500ml bottle of still.  You can also pre-purchase 12 for $7.08 prior to sailing. 

[Buckeye10640]

4 hours ago, ldtr said:

 

 

1 hour ago, InTheDrink said:

Thank you!

Do you know what they charge for water?

Might be a couple dollars for a small bottle, maybe $1.50 plus grat. I dont think I have ever purchased one....lol. I do always pre-purchase  at least one 12pk for $7-$8 (includes grat). 

Edited May 8, 2023 by Buckeye10640

[Steelers36]

8 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

On our upcoming cruise

Huzzah!

[InTheDrink]

2 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

Either $2 or $2.50 plus 18% gratuity per bottle for a 500ml bottle of still.  You can also pre-purchase 12 for $7.08 prior to sailing. 

Thanks!

[nini]

16 hours ago, wowzz said:

That is no longer the case.

There was an interview with John Padgett recently where he stated that cruise members can keep personal tips,  whatever the customer does with autotips. 

Thanks @wowzz

I appreciate the information .

[Happiest when cruising]

6 hours ago, wowzz said:

Is that still a "thing" ?

They actually had free drinks last week on the Crown. A fun cocktail or wine, and something else. Well... one free drink as they didn’t come back to our area to see if anyone wanted another one. I do understand that many people have a drink package, but for those that don’t, it was a nice touch.

[nini]

10 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

Perhaps none of this is any of your business.  Princess offers various packages and it’s up to us to decide if we want it or not.  Period.  Yes, Princess makes money on the packages, but you are not forced to buy it.  How much alcohol people consume is strictly their decision and you have no right to judge anyone.

Thanks @Lady Arwen - I am grateful to be offered choices and act on what is best for us. We do the math each time and move forward.

And of course I trust Princess is making a profit otherwise there would be no Princess.

[nini]

10 hours ago, mtnesterz said:

This reads like a myth. I would be astounded to learn turning in a personal gift is company policy. If you can show this in a Princess document, not a CC post or heresay, I'd be interested to read it. 

It is/ was NOT a myth. We began cruising with Princess in 2003 and have cruised with them many times, and this WAS the case and confirmed by talking with crew. As @wowzz has stated, it has now changed. 

[nini]

9 hours ago, remydiva said:

I do realize that and explained it further in a later post.

To clarify , we pay the daily crew appreciation AND tip extra to those who go above and beyond,

Thanks for your clarification. We do the same as well.

[mtnesterz]

12 minutes ago, nini said:

It is/ was NOT a myth. We began cruising with Princess in 2003 and have cruised with them many times, and this WAS the case and confirmed by talking with crew. As @wowzz has stated, it has now changed. 

I am happy to know this has been changed. Didn't seem right for the working crewmember, nor respectful of the passenger's generosity giving the gift. Thanks for taking time to get back to me.

[nini]

34 minutes ago, mtnesterz said:

I am happy to know this has been changed. Didn't seem right for the working crewmember, nor respectful of the passenger's generosity giving the gift. Thanks for taking time to get back to me.

No problem. Where in California are you? My first 28 years were in S. CA

[Buckeye10640]

7 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

My drinking behavior over a week or two is significantly different than over a month or two, and much different on a cruise than at home. I’ve had Plus one time, for one week and was not able to fully enjoy the alcoholic part of it. On our upcoming cruise, there is nothing to stop me and, really, trying new drinks is what I’m most looking forward to. That’s the benefit of Plus to me…trying things I wouldn’t otherwise order. I suspect that after two weeks, I’ll be abstemious the rest of the year. But there is little doubt that I’ll get my value out of the package.  

That was the fun part for me, ordering new drinks to try and not thinking about  having paid $12 for something I didnt even end up liking.

 

Nice to hear you will be cruising again!

[CruizinSusan70]

On 5/7/2023 at 7:57 AM, Expat Cruise said:

We do not drink alcohol drinks. Wife does drink coffee, and we have soft drinks. But even if we did drink, the packages are nothing but a money making option for the cruise line.  If you look at all the time off the ship in port, it makes it even more to that you should not fall for purchasing the packages. 

 

You do realize that you spend more time on the ship during your cruise than in any port?  On a typical Caribbean cruise, you may hit 5 ports for say 8 hours a day from 8-4.  I'll go one further and say in Alaska it could be 6 days at 10 hours a day. So it's very easy for a couple that imbibes to get their money's worth.  If I drink 4 drinks a day and my DH drinks 5 and the drinks are 10.00 each, we've reached the 90.00 break even point. And most of our drinks are more than 10 each and my DH drinks more than 5 a day on many days. And coffee, soda and WiFi are now gravy.

 

You're obviously a teetotaler so you think that drink packages are evil and you'll never buy them.  You're certainly entitled to your opinion.

 

On the other hand there are many who cruise for the ship and like to imbibe while on vacation.  At 40 a day, the Plus package was fantastic on our 14 days on the Discovery last year and our upcoming 14 days on the Majestic in Alaska in a few weeks.  We have another 14 day sailing for next year on the Enchanted and will be booking two separate 14 day sailings on the Sun soon for 2024 & 2025.  All of them will have the Plus package included at 60 a day.  After factoring out tips, the drink package at 44.50 a day is cheaper than Carnival, Celebrity, NCL and especially RCI.  

Trust me, we go into this with our eyes wide open, we know the cruise lines make money off of us, but the 60.00 Plus package on Princess brings us value.  It doesn't bring value to teetotalers like yourself.

[CruizinSusan70]

On 5/7/2023 at 9:44 AM, MTNest93 said:

I’m just happy our Plus packages are included at no additional cost as a gift from our TA.  No math required 😀

Have to infer that you're certainly not staying in an inside cabin if you're getting a 840.00 perk on a 7 day sailing.

[CruizinSusan70]

On 5/7/2023 at 10:19 AM, wowzz said:

Yet again it shows that @Expat Cruise is wrong.

I will infer he or she could be a friend of Bill W and that is why their opinion is the way it is.

[CruizinSusan70]

On 5/7/2023 at 11:14 AM, Coral said:

 

If I don't get the plus, I will probably feel guilty ordering a drink as I think they are overpriced and stick with water.

I have $600 OBC.

600 in OBC can get you a lot of hot chocolate, mocktails and a fresh squeezed OJ each morning.  Don't get the plus, get what you want to drink and even after factoring out tips, your drinks won't break 45 a day.  Just don't have alligator arms and enjoy your vacation.

[CruizinSusan70]

On 5/7/2023 at 6:03 PM, Happiest when cruising said:

I’m just curious to know if that daily intake of all kinds of beverages would be the same if you were at home. Of course, if it’s your usual pattern then of course it makes sense to purchase it. 

At home our daily consumption is usually Coke Zero , Pepsi Zero or iced tea.  Our alcohol consumption at home is practically zero. But home life is home life and vacation is vacation and they are located at opposite ends of the spectrum.  While on vacation, we like to imbibe.  We primarily cruise the Caribbean, rarely get off the ship and enjoy each evening at Good Spirits at Sea when on Princess.  

[Coral]

17 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

600 in OBC can get you a lot of hot chocolate, mocktails and a fresh squeezed OJ each morning.  Don't get the plus, get what you want to drink and even after factoring out tips, your drinks won't break 45 a day.  Just don't have alligator arms and enjoy your vacation.

$187 will be for tips. $82 will be WIFI. So that is $269.

[CruizinSusan70]

On 5/7/2023 at 6:48 PM, MTNest93 said:

  So it really has more to do with the agency than our individual TA but it’s free to us none the less. 

I will assume the package was 50 a day last July when you booked.  Even so, an agency can't give you 700 in OBC for a 7 day sailing unless you're staying in one of the top suites on board.  I will infer since it was your daughter's first booking with Princess you lucked out and got it comped.  I certainly would not hold my breath expecting you to get a now 840.00 perk comped on a follow up booking in the future.

[CruizinSusan70]

On 5/7/2023 at 8:14 PM, Expat Cruise said:

If Princess Cruises did not make a great profit on this package, they would not offer it. The majority of the guests purchasing the package will lose money.  Maybe in your case, that is not true, always outliers when you look at a group.

 

With the amount of alcohol many seem to be drinking with this package, maybe they have bigger problems than just the math. Both the American & Australian Medical Associations recommend no more than ten alcoholic drinks per week. That seems to per a daily number for some here.

Ten alcoholic drinks per week is 520 over the course of the year.  I like to do my yearly intake of 520 when we are on vacation.  If I have 7 a day over 70 cruise days, I still have another 30 to consume. 🤣

[CruizinSusan70]

18 hours ago, MTNest93 said:

I can assure you she did not pay out of pocket.  It has to do with the volume of business the agency she works for does with Princess. 

If you truly believe this, I have some oceanfront property in Kansas that may interest you.

[CruizinSusan70]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

$187 will be for tips. $82 will be WIFI. So that is $269.

She did not bring up wifi so neither did I.   I think she is better off by spending the 600 in OBC on tips, hot chocolate, mocktails and her fresh squeezed OJ each morning.  But, she can't have alligator arms and just get water.

[MTNest93]

7 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

If you truly believe this, I have some oceanfront property in Kansas that may interest you.

Haha, so much angst over someone getting a deal 😂.