Changes to Princess Plus, room service fees, Alfredo's and others. Fee changes. Etc

[Steelers36]

53 minutes ago, DougH said:

I sail in less than 2 weeks. Not great news for me

When we book a cruise we acknowledge PCL can make changes anytime they choose.

[Kellyansapansa]

Controversial opinion: I'm okay with these changes if it means that Princess can recover from the devastating impacts of the pandemic shutdown and rebuild with a sustainable business model. I want to be able to keep cruising for many years to come and Princess is my preferred choice. Price is not the primary decision factor for me but I do like that they now have three levels available to suit my budget for each individual cruise. Having said that, I also understand that people don't like change and this is a big one.

[lolo11]

2 hours ago, Sea Hag said:

I'm not happy either. We have four cruises booked with Princess, not nearly as many as some here. When I booked these, to my mind I was buying a "product." Some parts of that product were Alfredo's/Gigi's at no charge, room service at no charge, and the daggone medallion functions for drink and food deliveries that they so strenuously marketed at us. Now, they've changed the product. I expect prices to go up, and I certainly haven't been surprised about that, but I don't expect that a purchase I've made will change into something else. I'm not saying I wouldn't have booked these cruises if the switcheroo happened before I booked, but I will say that I'll be looking long and hard at other options for three out of four of the cruises we have booked.

Exactly 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, jwattle said:

They only get expedited check in, not boarding, with plus and premier 🙂

 

Once checked in, guest is resdy to board.  To me, it comes down to when guest arrives a terminal relative to commeneent of boarding which isn't a known time with precision.

[ceilidh1]

6 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Carmen and Marsha didn't phrase it the way I did, but they pointed out at least twice that there is free pizza at Slice on Lido.  Once a person asked about kid's pricing and they were referred to Lido for free.  Yup, I bet guests aren't going to be happy paying adult price for a kid.  Kids get SD for 1/2 price, as an example.

That was me - I asked that question as I travel with a teen (as 2nd guest) and a 12 year old who has aged out of 50% off kid pricing (under 12). I'm already forced to pay for Plus/Premier for a teen if I want it myself...now we can't go to our favorite venue onboard (Alfredos) without having to pay extra. It's so disappointing.

[Steelers36]

3 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

That was me - I asked that question as I travel with a teen (as 2nd guest) and a 12 year old who has aged out of 50% off kid pricing (under 12). I'm already forced to pay for Plus/Premier for a teen if I want it myself...now we can't go to our favorite venue onboard (Alfredos) without having to pay extra. It's so disappointing.

Well I imagine the average 12+ yr old could down one of those pizzas without much effort.

[sunviking90]

In the end, it is what it is. What really irks me is the spin on it as if they have added value to the packages and this is a great thing. Not true. The packages aren’t any more valuable than they were yesterday, just because they started charging for somethings that used to be free. At least be honest and say “due to rising costs, so that we can continue to provide the quality experience our guests expect, we are now charging for…… etc.” They must think we are all stupid.

This is what the CVP I occasionally use posted on her FB page. “MORE VALUE”. Sheesh.

 

[Steelers36]

7 minutes ago, sunviking90 said:

In the end, it is what it is. What really irks me is the spin on it as if they have added value to the packages and this is a great thing. Not true. The packages aren’t any more valuable than they were yesterday, just because they started charging for somethings that used to be free. At least be honest and say “due to rising costs, so that we can continue to provide the quality experience our guests expect, we are now charging for…… etc.” They must think we are all stupid.

This is what the CVP I occasionally use posted on her FB page. “MORE VALUE”. Sheesh.

 

 

I get that there is marketing hype, but outside of Alfredo's/Gigi's, the other casual dining place did have charges already.

 

 

Edited July 28, 2023 by Steelers36

[sunviking90]

Just now, Steelers36 said:

I get that there is marketing hype, but outside of Alfredo's/Gigi's, the other casual dining place did have charges.

 

 

Point taken. I guess Alfredo’s is the only one we go to, so the others were never on my radar anyway.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

I booked a last minute 19 day LA to NYC sailing for Aug 21 just 3 days ago. I have 34 days in December (SA/ Antarctica) and 13 days for a B2B starting March 31 2024 for the eclipse. I have 269 days completed so I’m a nobody with respect to “most traveled guest”. But I do have skin in the game. 
 

After my initial holy s**t reaction I went back and really looked at my cruising style. I looked at what I actually did and stopped thinking about what I think I might do. 
 

In general I have bought plus or premier for shorter sailings but went standard on longer ones. 
 

So I thought, why would that have to change?  
 

For me, on my next 19 day sailing in the emerald it doesn’t. There is no Alfredo’s. So no loss there. After paying grats and internet (as elite) I have  $723.50 to spend on the “nickel and diming” before it is advantageous to buy premium (because that’s where I’d want to be if I drank the koolaid). 
 

Since I bring my own wine (princess wine is simply not good enough to justify paying for it when I only drink white)there’s no way I would spend $723.50 on room service or extra dining venues. I buy cases of water on the personalizer at $7 a case and I bring my own coffee. 
 

I will continue to book Oceania, Windstar and Cunard. But I will also continue to book Princess when the itinerary and price warrants it. It just will be a bit less frequently. 

[Thrak]

2 hours ago, Ombud said:

It's directly from the website. Encouraging you to look it up yourself

@yeoman there isn't inconsistent messaging on Princess.Com, it's actually incredibly clear. I'm not on FB so the only way I know what's coming down the pipeline is thru cruise critic & rechecking Princess news releases

 

 

 

I'm not on FB either but it's easy to access the webinar without belonging to FB.

[Thrak]

2 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

Are you sure of this or is it speculation? I see no mention of what's happened to the -50 packages. There used to be a note before this mess explaining what the -50 packages (NEW items) didn't get. Now it is gone..

 

Yes, unless they either lied or misspoke in the webinar I am sure. I have 2 cruises booked with the Plus 50. I am no longer eligible for free room service or free "find me" delivery of drinks, etc. Princess promised one thing and then changed their mind and took it away. When we agree to the passage contract we acknowledge that they have the "right" to do this. Like it? No. Can change it? No. Life has smacked me upside the head many times. Nothing to be done about it.

[wrongwaywatson]

So, most evenings I order hot tea from room service.  Nothing else, just a pot of hot water and tea bags.  According to this, I will now be charged $5.00 each time?

Edited July 28, 2023 by wrongwaywatson

[beg3yrs]

1 minute ago, Thrak said:

 

Yes, unless they either lied or misspoke in the webinar I am sure. I have 2 cruises booked with the Plus 50. I am no longer eligible for free room service or free "find me" delivery of drinks, etc. Princess promised one thing and then changed their mind and took it away. When we agree to the passage contract we acknowledge that they have the "right" to do this. Like it? No. Can change it? No. Life has smacked me upside the head many times. Nothing to be done about it.

Thanks for that, I think. We're in the same boat (pun intended), see you on the April 3 Discovery Princess sailing. Have to think hard if we want to upgrade.

[ebeluga]

23 minutes ago, wrongwaywatson said:

So, most evenings I order hot tea from room service.  Nothing else, just a pot of hot water and tea bags.  According to this, I will now be charged $5.00 each time?

Yep, me too, just want hot water in the evening. I guess I will have to save the jug from the morning breakfast room service and go to International Cafe or Lido now to refill the jug.

Edited July 28, 2023 by ebeluga

[Princessfan20]

Is it true that people with the Standard package will now pay for theater seats to see a show?

[Busy Mum]

20 minutes ago, ebeluga said:

Yep, me too, just want hot water in the evening. I guess I will have to save the jug from the morning breakfast room service and go to International Cafe or Lido now to refill the jug.

I’m sorry, without reading all the previous posts, are they now charging for room service? I’ve heard nothing of these dining changes, I’m in Australia. Think Princess is loosing the plot. Vicki. 🙂

[ceilidh1]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

Well I imagine the average 12+ yr old could down one of those pizzas without much effort.

Sure - but now I not only have to pay for a drink package for a teen who isn't old enough to drink, can't get the free medallion shipping as I'm in Canada, can't get into green lane to "skip the line", and now if the teen and I utilise our Alfredos "perk" I also have to pay $14.99 for the 12 year old to eat with us...

 

As an aside, today I got off my first cruise with Cunard. Their room service is completely free and one of the best room service menus I have seen on a ship. On the other hand, their drink package (drinks only) was $70 per person per day. I understand why Princess is doing what they are doing, but it doesn't mean I agree with it. It does mean that now I look at other options rather than staying loyal to Princess.

[lennythenose]

2 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

and now if the teen and I utilise our Alfredos "perk" I also have to pay $14.99 for the 12 year old to eat with us...

I just wanted to clarify something. I understand having to pay anything for what has been included is not good. But I thought I read that the $14.99 was for the 3-course dinner and other items would be individually priced. So just a pizza will be something less?  Or did I misunderstand?  Not defending the change, just confused 

[Steelers36]

4 minutes ago, lennythenose said:

I just wanted to clarify something. I understand having to pay anything for what has been included is not good. But I thought I read that the $14.99 was for the 3-course dinner and other items would be individually priced. So just a pizza will be something less?  Or did I misunderstand?  Not defending the change, just confused 

Correct.  The pizza may only be about 50% of the meal charge of $15.  Menus will come in due course but we may get an idea from Salty Dog menu as what they might do.

[Astro Flyer]

23 minutes ago, Busy Mum said:

I’m sorry, without reading all the previous posts, are they now charging for room service? I’ve heard nothing of these dining changes, I’m in Australia. Think Princess is loosing the plot. Vicki. 🙂

Yes…$5 per order and also $14.99 to use the app to order drinks & food and $14.99 for a 3 course Alfredo’s Pizzeria meal or à la cart pricing…all of these are for Standard fares.

 

Edited July 28, 2023 by Astro Flyer

[suzyed]

23 minutes ago, Busy Mum said:

I’m sorry, without reading all the previous posts, are they now charging for room service? I’ve heard nothing of these dining changes, I’m in Australia. Think Princess is loosing the plot. Vicki. 🙂

They will charge a one-time fee of $14.99 for room service IF you don't have Plus or Premier.

[Steelers36]

4 minutes ago, suzyed said:

They will charge a one-time fee of $14.99 for room service IF you don't have Plus or Premier.

No... the one time $15 charge is to allow use of the Ocean Now feature to order and receive drinks where you are... not room service.  Has to be separate thing.

 

And to all.. let's skip the penny BS by PCL and call it the $15 it is.

Edited July 28, 2023 by Steelers36

[Steelers36]

31 minutes ago, Princessfan20 said:

Is it true that people with the Standard package will now pay for theater seats to see a show?

So you are joking right... or getting BS from other social media?

[Busy Mum]

5 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

Yes…$5 per order and also $14.99 to use the app to order drinks & food and $14.99 for a 3 course Alfredo’s Pizzeria meal or à la cart pricing…all of these are for Standard fares.

 

Wow & thanks for the clarification. Vicki. 🙂