To package or not to package?

[teddie2]

We are looking at a trip for next summer and this is our first time cruising

 Going with friends of ours who have cruised before

 They're encouraging us to take the Premier package

 We don't really drink much maybe a glass of wine with dinner and not every day

 We don't drink coffee we just drink tea in the morning and mostly water during the day

 We don't really care about specialty dining but they said if we didn't take the package and they did we would not be able to go to specialty dining with them. They said it would be hard to make a reservation if we did not have the premiere package.

 I thought that we could just pay for those meals

 I would like to pay separate for Wi-Fi tips and pay as I go for my drinks since I don't drink as much I think that's going to be much cheaper than spending $3200 for a lot of stuff we're never going to use

 Just wondering others thoughts on this who have cruised before

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by teddie2

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

Whether the package is right for you is very personal. Some will get great value (like me!!!)... others not. Sounds to me like you really won't benefit from the package... especially the Premier package.

 

From what you have said... it sounds like you won't benefit from the Premier Package much.

[GottaLuvCruising]

We're so disappointed with the changes that our dilemma is Princess or not.  We're seriously looking at other cruise lines.  New system just doesn't work for us.  

[karatemom2]

You should not let them pressure you into spending money on benefits you won’t fully use. Like you, we don’t find the plus or premier packages cost effective based on our onboard patterns and prefer to pay as we go for the services we are using. We would certainly pay more with the package so it just doesn’t make sense for us. 
 

In terms of specialty dining, you absolutely DO NOT need the package to make reservations with your friends. You can pay for your meal separately and there is no issue there. They will happily make a reservation for your entire group. 
 

I would just nicely, but firmly let them know you do not plan to purchase the package but are very much looking forward to having a great cruise sharing their company. 

[dreams_of_travel]

9 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

You should not let them pressure you into spending money on benefits you won’t fully use. Like you, we don’t find the plus or premier packages cost effective based on our onboard patterns and prefer to pay as we go for the services we are using. We would certainly pay more with the package so it just doesn’t make sense for us. 
 

In terms of specialty dining, you absolutely DO NOT need the package to make reservations with your friends. You can pay for your meal separately and there is no issue there. They will happily make a reservation for your entire group. 
 

I would just nicely, but firmly let them know you do not plan to purchase the package but are very much looking forward to having a great cruise sharing their company. 

Excellent advice.  I am not a fan of others pressuring me (or anyone) to get the package/s.  It is very personal, and one has to make the choice based on their own.  I was very pro package purchase before the changes.  Three of my upcoming cruises were booked under the old system, and one next fall is cruise only.  I am just fine with pay as I go now, mostly b/c it is a whole lot cheaper than paying for things I would not use (hello fitness classes on a cruise LOL!).  YMMV

[Ombud]

Yeah @teddie2 just do the math. Here's mine per day:

80 Premier pkg + 9% ins

-16 gratuities 

- 3 tea at International Cafe (free elsewhere)

- 15 +18% lunch at Alfredos (not doing it every day)

- 3 bottled water if I forgot to buy weeks worth for $7 pre-cruise

0 wine as I can carry on 2 bottles

 

So where am I getting another $37 × # cruise days value?? 

 

Added: I unplug ex connect with others onboard via the app / download urgent emails as walking through various terminals / respond to only urgent ones getting back on ship / then back to being unplugged 🙂

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by Ombud

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

8 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Yeah @teddie2 just do the math. Here's mine per day:

80 Premier pkg

-16 gratuities 

- 3 tea at International Cafe (free elsewhere)

- 15 +18% lunch at Alfredos (not doing it every day)

- 3 bottled water if I forgot to buy weeks worth for $7 pre-cruise

0 wine as I can carry on 2 bottles

 

So where am I getting another $37 × # cruise days value?? 

 

WiFi?

[Ombud]

2 minutes ago, Snaxmuppet said:

10 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Yeah @teddie2 just do the math. Here's mine per day:

80 Premier pkg + 9% ins

-16 gratuities 

- 3 tea at International Cafe (free elsewhere)

- 15 +18% lunch at Alfredos (not doing it every day)

- 3 bottled water if I forgot to buy weeks worth for $7 pre-cruise

0 wine as I can carry on 2 bottles

 

So where am I getting another $37 × # cruise days value?? 

 

WiFi?

I do NOT need wifi every day as I can connect via app to those onboard and download/reply emails takes less than 5 minutes walking around in port terminal. Download -> head off to explore -> respond to urgent only ones while getting back on. I LOVE being unplugged! 

 

This is my list -- yours may vary

[teddie2]

Exactly. When I did the math it did not make sense for us but what aboutvmyvfriends comment re the specialty dining and not being able to dine with them? It's only 2 nights so I am not going to buy a package just for that but I was curious if that's true.

[jwattle]

You can pre-reserve and purchase your specialty dining through the app without the package.

[reedprincess]

32 minutes ago, teddie2 said:

Exactly. When I did the math it did not make sense for us but what aboutvmyvfriends comment re the specialty dining and not being able to dine with them? It's only 2 nights so I am not going to buy a package just for that but I was curious if that's true.

Ask them which nights they're reserving their specialty meals for - then you go on app/website and book dinner for yourselves also, same time and restaurant, and pay for them at time of booking.  It's actually quite simple.  You do not need a package to purchase specialty dining at all, nor are advance (or onboard) reservations restricted to package holders.. 

You're good. Hold strong! 

[Oxo]

1 hour ago, GottaLuvCruising said:

We're so disappointed with the changes that our dilemma is Princess or not.  We're seriously looking at other cruise lines.  New system just doesn't work for us.  

Check other cruise lines and you will see they all did the same thing. $$$$$$$

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

1 hour ago, teddie2 said:

Exactly. When I did the math it did not make sense for us but what aboutvmyvfriends comment re the specialty dining and not being able to dine with them? It's only 2 nights so I am not going to buy a package just for that but I was curious if that's true.

But you CAN dine with them!!!!

Just tell the waiter that you are paying and they have a package. 

[Ombud]

8 minutes ago, Snaxmuppet said:

1 hour ago, teddie2 said:

Exactly. When I did the math it did not make sense for us but what aboutvmyvfriends comment re the specialty dining and not being able to dine with them? It's only 2 nights so I am not going to buy a package just for that but I was curious if that's true.

Expand  

But you CAN dine with them!!!!

Just tell the waiter that you are paying and they have a package. 

Waiters are used to separate bills just in case you don't want a night off. Your friends are confusing Premier pkg with Reserve seating. 

 

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by Ombud

[Ombud]

2 hours ago, teddie2 said:

mostly water during the day

Check out a great deal on water. 12 bottles for $7 pre-cruise only. I drink tap onboard but like a bottle off the ship. Available for all itineraries except Australia (& maybe NZ? Not sure about that as my NZ cruises started in Australia)

[DCThunder]

The other thing to factor in is any OBC you might have.  OBC can pay for a lot of cocktails or specialty dining.  

[DCThunder]

12 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Check out a great deal on water. 12 bottles for $7 pre-cruise only. I drink tap onboard but like a bottle off the ship. Available for all itineraries except Australia (& maybe NZ? Not sure about that as my NZ cruises started in Australia)

I fill up a Yeti type insulated cup with water and ice before leaving the ship and carry it in my daypack.  Maybe buy a water bottle on shore to fill it up if necessary, but the ice will last for all of the day.

[donswife]

1 hour ago, teddie2 said:

Exactly. When I did the math it did not make sense for us but what aboutvmyvfriends comment re the specialty dining and not being able to dine with them? It's only 2 nights so I am not going to buy a package just for that but I was curious if that's true.

You don't need a package.  Link your booking numbers so one person can book for the party, but not sure how that would work...it might assign 2 of their included dinners to you and your partner for one of the meals,  and the other meal you would pay for all 4. Depending on how long the cruise is, you might be ready for a night apart!

[memoak]

Just off the Crown ate in speciality restaurants 4 times in 20 days no problem. The restaurants were never full. We drink so we take the plus package but if you don’t drink much the packages really aren’t necessary 

[joeyjeremiah]

Your friends are incorrect. I am sure they mean well and just want all of you to have a great vacation. To package or to not is really up to you. And as others have said for this you really need to do the math. Look at the price of wifi, the price of the gratuities, the price for any beverages you would most likely purchase throughout the day (water, wine, specialty tea, etc), then any of the inclusions that you would use (specialty dining, photo pkg, casual dining cover charge, ocean now delivery fee, fitness classes, desserts, etc). Since the pkg includes things that not everybody will use. If what you would spend is close to the pkg price then the pkg is probably worth it as it gives you the opportunity to try some of the things that you may not think you'd use. But if what you would spend is quite a bit cheaper than the pkg price then the pkg most likely doesn't make sense for you to purchase.

 

As for specialty dining. Once booked you can link your booking number with your friends booking number in the app. Once you have paid in full then you are able to make dining reservations, this includes specialty dining reservations. So if your friends have premier and you have standard then you can go into your app and make a dining reservation for your entire party. When you finalize the reservation it will deduct their dining credit from the total and have you pay for your specialty dining with a credit card. Otherwise you can wait until you get onboard and make the reservation, however the availability may be more limited as more people are booking in advance especially those with the premier pkg. 

Edited October 16, 2023 by joeyjeremiah

[NavyVeteran]

Based on your comments, the Premier package is definitely not for you. You may want to do the arithmetic for the Plus package, it may or may not be a good deal for you.

[PMGS247]

Premier definitely no good, probably not plus either.  As a general rule as long as you would purchase wifi and not cancel your gratuities, you only need a couple drinks per day to cover the cost of the package. If you're not using wi-fi, you would need to drink more to make up for that.  Even more for the premier.  Doesn't sound like you qualify.

 

Always baffles me why people feel the need to push people towards or away from the package.  Good thing you can think for yourself and basically already had the answer with the math in your original post.  You have it right, it's not rocket science to do the math but there's a lot of bad info floating around in both directions.  It's simply not true that you can't get a reservation together.  Even if that was true I'm not sure it's worth all the money you'd be burning by buying an unnecessary package.

[Abercrombie2019]

2 hours ago, Ombud said:

Your friends are confusing Premier pkg with Reserve seating. 

 

 

I think you are correct about this.  

[MissP22]

4 hours ago, Ombud said:

I do NOT need wifi every day as I can connect via app to those onboard and download/reply emails takes less than 5 minutes walking around in port terminal. Download -> head off to explore -> respond to urgent only ones while getting back on. I LOVE being unplugged! 

 

This is my list -- yours may vary

Don't you want to read all the special offers they send you every day.

You might miss out on some great deals or your bank account might be in jeopardy . 😆

[BamaVol]

6 hours ago, GottaLuvCruising said:

We're so disappointed with the changes that our dilemma is Princess or not.  We're seriously looking at other cruise lines.  New system just doesn't work for us.  

Any specific change that has you looking at other cruise lines?  
 

One size doesn’t fit all, but none of the lines have gone unchanged in 20 years.  
 

All of them charge more and most have unbundled things that you might have taken for granted as being included in the base fare.  And lines that haven’t done so were always and remain much more expensive than Princess.

Edited October 16, 2023 by BamaVol