To package or not to package?

[JF - retired RRT]

5 hours ago, teddie2 said:

Exactly. When I did the math it did not make sense for us but what about my friends 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.

As others stated...you do NOT need the package to dine with your friends.

[Torfamm]

7 hours ago, teddie2 said:

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

 

Some of this might depend on how long your cruise is.  On a short 4 night for example, the premium package can make some sense to get the 2 specialty dining meals along with whatever other benefits you might enjoy - free room service, use of Ocean Ready, bottled water, exercise classes etc. On a longer cruise, I wouldn't imagine that you would come out ahead. 

 

There is no reason you can't book specialty dining with your friends if they have a meal credit and you don't.  We've done it and had no problem.

[Torfamm]

5 hours ago, reedprincess said:

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! 

You can link your bookings and reserve one table for all of you. 

[DCThunder]

42 minutes ago, Torfamm said:

You can link your bookings and reserve one table for all of you. 

And even if you don't the waiters in the specialty restaurants will charge meals to different accounts if you ask.

[Torfamm]

1 minute ago, DCThunder said:

46 minutes ago, Torfamm said:

You can link your bookings and reserve one table for all of you. 

And even if you don't the waiters in the specialty restaurants will charge meals to different accounts if you ask.

Yes, good point. If they don't want to reserve before the cruise, they can possible wait and deal with it onboard.

[teddie2]

Thank you all for this information .. very helpful.  I just talked with one of the princess reps but I think she does not work directly for Princess. I started out with a guy I really liked,, but when I started asking him more specifics about room availability he said he did not have access to the page he would need to get that info for me but was passing me on to a collegue sitting next to him ( I think BS ) and then I got disconnected but then some woman called me back and said Connor had tried to connect her but we got cut off.. This one I did not like so much.. too salesy.. she kept trying to upsell me even though I told her we don't drink and dont care about all the other stuff in the package.  Her email said contractor so I think they passed me on to one of the contractors and I am sure she was working from home as it was quiet and when I spoke with Connor I could hear the noise of a call center in the background.  
So odd.. I liked him and he was more straightforward

Again thanks for all the info.. I think you guys are more helpful than the cruise planners!.  

[Steelers36]

10 hours ago, teddie2 said:

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

 

Stand your ground.  Do your friends get something from the TA who sells the package?  LOL.

 

I have never bought the package and I have never had a problem booking SD reservations.  You and your friends should share your booking codes with each other and setup each other a Travel Companions in the App.  Your friends can book the SD using a Dining Party of all four of you and you can pay your own cover charges.  You need to book as a party of for at SD location anyway, so one or the other couple needs to book for everyone.

 

[Steelers36]

8 hours ago, reedprincess said:

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! 

This is wrong and poor advice.  Both couples need to be booked together - otherwise two reservations for two people are made.  This isn't what they want - unless dining at separate tables and it takes up space for other guests who want to book.

[antsp]

6 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

This is wrong and poor advice.  Both couples need to be booked together - otherwise two reservations for two people are made.  This isn't what they want - unless dining at separate tables and it takes up space for other guests who want to book.

No they don't, you canink up with someone with there booking number 

[Steelers36]

9 minutes ago, antsp said:

No they don't, you can link up with someone with there booking number 

Yes, you link other guests as Travel Companions and then include everyone in a Dining Party.  But they need to be booked together for SD reservation in order to be at one table is what I was saying.

[Bwana Tom]

My wife and I have taken 25 cruises on Princess and all of those but 2 or 3 has not included the package plans and most of those were when Princess Plus was "ONLY" $40. For us it simply didn't make any sense for us. Then it went to $50 and we said, "no way in He...", then shortly after that Plus became $60. Like everyone else said every individual is different and you need to do the math for you personally and ignore all others. And as far as their hotshot Princess Prem. that certainly is out of the question as well. Princess pushes these packages so hard is because they make money on them. I am sure you will still enjoy yourself and will appreciate that extra cash in your pocket that you can spend as you like.   

[LRCruzr]

On 10/16/2023 at 9:27 AM, teddie2 said:

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

 

Glasses of wine range from $8 to $28. Best to pay as you go

[kywildcatfanone]

If you drink "enough", it's worth it. You decide what is enough.

 

Someone posted the other day they can go to a hotel bar and spend $300 a night, so the package makes sense for them,  bit you need to do the math that makes sense to you and decide.

 

We don't get packages ourselves because the value to us isn't there.  Only you can decide for yourself. 

 

Some get the package just for the convenience of not dealing with individual purchases. 

[kywildcatfanone]

On 10/17/2023 at 9:04 AM, Bwana Tom said:

because they make money

A lot of money.

[teddie2]

11 hours ago, LRCruzr said:

Glasses of wine range from $8 to $28. Best to pay as you go

Yeah I think that's the plan as we are not big drinkers. Thanks

[Cruisemeister2002]

We are on Sky Princess next year and have taken the package that allows the 15 x $15 drinks per day. Must admit after 17 previous cruises this is our first time we have taken a package. Can't really explain why as neither I or my wife are big drinkers. But then I feel pleased I did as it takes the problem, if you can call it that, out of having to check your onboard spend as previously when going back to the cabin late afternoon I go through what I have spent and a running total because I usually try to stick to a certain amount for the whole cruise and seeing as most of our expense is drinks, alcoholic and otherwise it made sense. I will still allow a spend for onboard alongside the already purchased package. Allowed I know sounds a bit harsh. But nothing worse than coming home to a huge credit card bill that in all honesty you didn't want.

[memoak]

Everyone is different   Back in the 90’s when drinks were $5-$6 we still ran up a bar bill of $50 per day per person. We now take plus on every cruise and save like crazy.  

[trbarton]

I have always had the Princess Plus since it has been offered & I have 35 cruises on Princess. I’m not a big drinker but on a cruise I enjoy having a drink occasionally, at lunch & dinner & occasionally throughout the evening. & don’t worry about the cost. Since it includes my wi-Fi and gratuities I don’t owe anything more at the end of my cruise. I’m aware it may not be for someone that doesn’t drink much. 
 

Tom😀