Princess Plus

[Roberto256]

19 hours ago, Expat Cruise said:

The basic cruise fares are a lost leader to hook you in. It is all the extras that make cruising much more costly now.

 

Perhaps you're thinking of 'loss leader'.

 

https://www.shopify.com/blog/what-is-loss-leader-pricing#:~:text=Loss leader pricing is a,attempting to increase market share.

 

"Lost Leader" refers to a situation like John Padgett and the Princess Medallion (class) App...

 

[terrierjohn]

On 5/31/2023 at 1:09 AM, travmagic said:

We recently cruised with Princess and the Princess Plus package.

We are thinking about booking for next year but probably won’t do the package again.

Here’s my question, do they ever offer special promotions or deals for that package or are they always 60.00 pp/pn for the Plus?

TIA!

We recently had a 50% off PP and a deposit of only £1pp special offer in the UK.

[Expat Cruise]

54 minutes ago, Roberto256 said:

Perhaps you're thinking of 'loss leader'.

 

https://www.shopify.com/blog/what-is-loss-leader-pricing#:~:text=Loss leader pricing is a,attempting to increase market share.

 

"Lost Leader" refers to a situation like John Padgett and the Princess Medallion (class) App...

 

A better example than Shopify would be Costco. Costco loses an estimated $30 to $40 million a year by keeping rotisserie chickens at $4.99 each. The company has stated they would rather keep members happy and increase the foot traffic. They believe it brings members in for extra trips just to pick up a chicken. But members leave after spending over a $100 on average because they see other things. 

 

As for John Padgett, based upon the App alone, which was his project, he should have been terminated, not made President. 

[MissP22]

14 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

Do you also remove the gratuities? (Those of us who book with Princess Plus obviously pay them.)

No, I don't and usually give something extra where deserved. 

[PMGS247]

13 hours ago, Expat Cruise said:

This is why it is only a suggested amount in the terms of use, it is not a real require fee. It has not more meaning than just being a suggestion. It really is not a savings, that should be factored into this, because should not be part of any cruise line package.

 

Maybe I'm just old school and some would say behind the times. But I still believe a gratuity is between the guest and the crew member they want to reward. It should not involve the cruise line in any way. 

 

Your outlook is just overly idealistic and regardless of how you slice up the terminology comes off as an excuse for you to spend less at the expense of the crew, not the cruise line.

 

In theory I don't disagree with your outlook but it's not the reality in which we live.  If someone can influence change on this, I'm on board...show me where to sign. Until then, to be flippant about disregarding/removing those charges, will not have a good look.

 

Savings in this context is anything that you would have spent anyway.  For the overwhelming majority of cruises, these charges fit that description and thus are 100% factored into this calculation.

[Expat Cruise]

1 hour ago, PMGS247 said:

 

Your outlook is just overly idealistic and regardless of how you slice up the terminology comes off as an excuse for you to spend less at the expense of the crew, not the cruise line.

 

In theory I don't disagree with your outlook but it's not the reality in which we live.  If someone can influence change on this, I'm on board...show me where to sign. Until then, to be flippant about disregarding/removing those charges, will not have a good look.

 

Savings in this context is anything that you would have spent anyway.  For the overwhelming majority of cruises, these charges fit that description and thus are 100% factored into this calculation.

You're entitled to your point of view and if it works for you, that is great.  Just as I'm entitled to my point of view. As I have stated many times, I follow the contract of passage. This is what works best for us, and is 100% within contract law. 

[gah_cruise]

21 minutes ago, Expat Cruise said:

You're entitled to your point of view and if it works for you, that is great.  Just as I'm entitled to my point of view. As I have stated many times, I follow the contract of passage. This is what works best for us, and is 100% within contract law. 

you are quite correct that it is within contract law....but keep spouting on about it in a public forum does make you sound like a tight fisted grump

 

Edited June 2, 2023 by gah_cruise

[Expat Cruise]

3 minutes ago, gah_cruise said:

you are quite correct that it is within contract law....but keep spouting on about it in a public forum does make you sound like a tight fisted grump

 

Or a very smart businessman who knows how to maximize profit and ROI. It is the business of the cruise lines to get as much profit as they can. A smart businessman gets the best deal they can. The system is broken, the only way to fix it is to speak up and take actions to make the cruise lines change.  I'm happy with my choices.

 

[kywildcatfanone]

It's pretty obvious what cruise lines are doing is working, as they are doing more and more, and raising costs and raising costs.  It is what it is.  At some point in the near future, packages won't be optional.  I can only see it heading this way given the amount of money they generate for the cruise lines. 

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

It's pretty obvious what cruise lines are doing is working, as they are doing more and more, and raising costs and raising costs.  It is what it is.  At some point in the near future, packages won't be optional.  I can only see it heading this way given the amount of money they generate for the cruise lines. 

I could almost agree with your thinking except for the fact that they want to keep the base price down as low as possible to attract future customers. That's the first thing most people consider what shopping around. 

Once they've made a decision on the cruise line, adding the extra packages is easy.

[Russ Lomas]

On 6/1/2023 at 6:48 AM, antsp said:

Some cruises are really cheap at the moment, completely disagree with you 

I agree with you there.  We booked a one-week cruise for March 2024 in our prime holiday season for $693 Canadian (inside cabin before taxes).  RCCL was asking more than triple this price for the same cruise on their ship.  Normally we would not buy the Plus package, but we thought, even after adding in the Plus package, we would still be $700 less per person than the same week on RCCL (and that would have been on RCCL with no drink package, no internet, and no gratuities prepaid).

 

Cheap base pricing got us to book this cruise and we still felt the Plus package was a great deal.

[Roberto256]

23 hours ago, Expat Cruise said:

A better example than Shopify would be Costco. Costco loses an estimated $30 to $40 million a year by keeping rotisserie chickens at $4.99 each. The company has stated they would rather keep members happy and increase the foot traffic.

You completely missed the point.

Probably intentionally.

"Loss Leader!!!"

 

BTW, the link was to a definition of 'loss leader', not an example.

 

Edited June 3, 2023 by Roberto256

[Roberto256]

16 hours ago, Expat Cruise said:

Or a very smart businessman who knows how to maximize profit and ROI. 

My observation:

People who announce how smart they are, usually aren't.

[Expat Cruise]

1 hour ago, Roberto256 said:

You completely missed the point.

Probably intentionally.

"Loss Leader!!!"

 

BTW, the link was to a definition of 'loss leader', not an example.

 

Missed nothing if you want to change the subject and attack the Princess Cruises President, then maybe you should start your own thread, not take a reply that was directly on point and change to fit your needs. 

[Roberto256]

2 hours ago, Expat Cruise said:

Missed nothing if you want to change the subject and attack the Princess Cruises President, 

You posted "lost leader"

The actual phrase is "loss leader"

If you're a "very smart businessman" as you claim, I wouldn't expect you to make such a mistake.

 

I hope that is succinct enough for your smart business mind.

 

 

[Roberto256]

On 6/2/2023 at 5:00 AM, Expat Cruise said:

As for John Padgett, based upon the App alone, which was his project, he should have been terminated, not made President. 

 

2 hours ago, Expat Cruise said:

 if you want to change the subject and attack the Princess Cruises President, then maybe you should start your own thread, not take a reply that was directly on point and change to fit your needs. 

 

As you continued the discussion (quoted above for you) about the princess cruises president, you're hardly in a position to complain about it.

 

[Hlitner]

We have never been a fan of the auto grats system (have posted this thought many times over the years) and prefer the upscale lines where prices are higher, but grats are not part of the equation (we actually had a crew member refuse a tip on Seabourn).    That being said, we understand that this has become an industry tradition (we have been cruising for 50 years) and go along with the program.  That being said, since the cruise lines play this game we seldom tip extra!  We figure if the cruise line wants to set a grat amount, and add grats on to drinks, than we except their standard.  Since we do anytime dining, we do not have a regular wait staff.  If we happen to get an extraordinary cabin steward, who goes above and beyond, than we will reward him/her in addition to the auto grats.  

 

In the bars (we do enjoy adult beverages), we sometimes get a very special bar tender or bar waiter.  In that case, we may directly slip that person some extra cash, but that is not our norm

 

In the old days, when tips were personal (usually via envelopes handed to individuals) we were much more generous than the "guidelines."  

 

As to "packages" on the mass market lines (like Princess) I do see the wisdom in folks paying for what they want, rather than paying for things they do not want.  Consider that when we cruise on Seabourn (or other luxury lines) everyone pays a higher price for what is essentially an all-inclusive cruise experience.  This means that the folks who do not drink booze are subsidizing those of us who do imbibe.  We have heard some grumbling from teetotalers that they are forced to subsidize drinkers...but that simply goes with the territory on the luxury lines.  Arguably, the system used on Princess (and many other mass market lines) does make some sense since those who do not drink or use the Internet need not pay for those items.

 

Hank

[travmagic]

Thank you all for your responses, some nice, some not so nice!😇

We will keep watching until we book. Will probably do the package again though.

[PacnGoNow]

12 minutes ago, travmagic said:

Thank you all for your responses, some nice, some not so nice!😇

We will keep watching until we book. Will probably do the package again though.

CC is like a box of chocolates…

You never know what you’re going to get!

😳

[PMGS247]

On 6/2/2023 at 10:52 AM, Expat Cruise said:

You're entitled to your point of view and if it works for you, that is great.  Just as I'm entitled to my point of view. As I have stated many times, I follow the contract of passage. This is what works best for us, and is 100% within contract law. 

 

Agreed.  But also 100% is the poor optics, just pointing that out....clearly you're fine with that, but the flippant attitude and what appears to be indifference to short changing the crew is always going to leave a bad taste with most of your peers.  It may meet some technical requirement, but in the practical world - that's the appearance.