Princess Wifi Increase

[Relaxing Robbies]

29 minutes ago, aussielozzie18 said:

Bugger!  - I missed this post.  3 x 20yo on board for our Alaska cruise.  Just checked - yep $38aud pp, per day for our upcoming cruise.  Ouch!  
 

Weird that the price in the app comes up in AUD but the excursions are in USD.

Check the price for the 4 device plan. I think they have adjusted that so it is now cheaper to buy than several individuals buying a 1 device plan.

[OzKiwiJJ]

43 minutes ago, aussielozzie18 said:

Bugger!  - I missed this post.  3 x 20yo on board for our Alaska cruise.  Just checked - yep $38aud pp, per day for our upcoming cruise.  Ouch!  
 

Weird that the price in the app comes up in AUD but the excursions are in USD.

That's because things like internet and other prepayments go through the Australian office but Princess excursions work differently - the payment you make actually becomes OBC as the excursion isn't charged to your account until the tickets are issued onboard. It's a bit confusing.

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, Over from NZ said:

I don't necessarily agree. They'll just tighten the screws till there's nobody left on the old standard. Then once they get to critical mass.. plus will become standard. I.e. Plus will be the entry level fare.

 

The internet - yes, understood. I'd prefer it was still as it were - with my free 200 minutes. However.. I think the angle right now with the fairly substantial price jump is just to tighten the screws and push even people towards the Plus package. It makes "currently" the plus look more attractive. Once all are on Plus.. they can start pushing the plus price up.. or then split out another version of plus and standard. 

Given that on short cruises there are around 50% on packages, and less than 40% for longer cruises, it would be business suicide to alienate more than half their passengers. Being able to pitch three different fare types works in their favour. Sure, they would like more passengers to take up plus, but 10% would be a gold mine for them. Putting the internet price up will indeed change the tipping point for those undecided whether to get a package or not, but that will be a small %. The key bit mentioned by @Cbtours is that at their core, Plus & Premier are drink packages. Those that don't drink and those that drink little will continue to pay $130 per couple less for each day of their cruise fare.

 

The price of plus will go up again this year, of that I have no doubt. I don't see them splitting into old & new plus again any time soon though. Their relative fare types are not competing with other, but are competing against Royal Caribbean & NCL pricing. As best as I can tell, they are putting up their internet pricing because they can, mostly as their direct competitors already have a similar higher price.

[Over from NZ]

25 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Given that on short cruises there are around 50% on packages, and less than 40% for longer cruises, it would be business suicide to alienate more than half their passengers.

No, you're missing the point. The push is on.. to change that split. As they push it towards a no-brainer for most to go package.. they'll end up with just the holdouts on basic. When there's only a small portion left on basic.. at that point they can easily amalgamate things without any business suicide.  

[arxcards]

5 minutes ago, Over from NZ said:

No, you're missing the point. The push is on.. to change that split. As they push it towards a no-brainer for most to go package.. they'll end up with just the holdouts on basic. When there's only a small portion left on basic.. at that point they can easily amalgamate things without any business suicide.  

I am not missing it, I see it, I just don't agree with it.

The contrary point is that non-drinkers will not buy a plus drink package. They will continue to be part of critical mass, not holdouts. Squeezing another 5% of passengers from standard to plus would be a massive win for the Princess bean counters.

[Cbtours]

1 minute ago, arxcards said:

I am not missing it, I see it, I just don't agree with it.

The contrary point is that non-drinkers will not buy a plus drink package. They will continue to be part of critical mass, not holdouts. Squeezing another 5% of passengers from standard to plus would be a massive win for the Princess bean counters.

Thats right. Us non drinkers would never buy a plus package. I wonder how many plus or premium take advantage of the free fitness classes 😁😁😁

[Jean C]

43 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

Thats right. Us non drinkers would never buy a plus package. I wonder how many plus or premium take advantage of the free fitness classes 😁😁😁

Or those fancy-pants ice cream sundaes - grandkids watching intently a Princess staff member making sundaes for them, courtesy of their parents' packages. Even a random passenger unknown to us offered to get sundaes for our kids, the sundaes not being anything they would want for themselves 🤮 

[Cbtours]

Just now, Jean C said:

Or those fancy-pants ice cream sundaes - grandkids watching intently a Princess staff member making sundaes for them, courtesy of their parents' packages. Even a random passenger unknown to us offered to get sundaes for our kids, the sundaes not being anything they would want for themselves 🤮 

Me neither but if I really wanted one I could spend the $13

[Jean C]

1 minute ago, Cbtours said:

Me neither but if I really wanted one I could spend the $13

Hahaha, save your money 💵  Your cholesterol will thank you 🤣

[Over from NZ]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

I am not missing it, I see it, I just don't agree with it.

The contrary point is that non-drinkers will not buy a plus drink package. They will continue to be part of critical mass, not holdouts. Squeezing another 5% of passengers from standard to plus would be a massive win for the Princess bean counters.

No, totally disagree. You've only got to look at the number of brain-dead already asking the questions repeatedly on the facebook forums. "I don't drink, but should I get the package" they ask. For the US market.. it's not far off already where the non-drinkers are not far wrong in getting the Plus package. They start adding in that the gratuities are included, the net.. things like room service that used to be gratis.. a few long-blacks and those that think bottled water isn't a con. It's not far off price neutral already for the US. A few more tweaks and it's a no-brainer for them - and then they're all going to take it. That's how it's heading.  

[Yaya_in_Oz]

Thanks for the heads up on this. I was able to ring Princess yesterday and pay the cheap price for my upcoming cruise in 40 something days. She also added the cheap price to my booking in Sept. but I didn’t pay as I like to leave that till the final payment in case something happens and I need to cancel but its there in my travel summary.

 

I think it is poor on the part of Princess to increase the price without advising anyone except travel agents. Especially people who have already made their final payment. The app is still showing me as new to Princess despite having mentioned it on my cruise 2 weeks ago and I thought they’d fixed it. Others have mentioned this and they may well now be slugged for the Internet if they haven’t rung up.

 

The amount they have increased it is outrageous for someone like me who basically likes to read the newspapers and check e-mail and maybe tap into some Port information. Others are on it 24/7, using all the streaming services and have high data usage. To them the increase in price maybe worth it. Like anything else, if I can’t see value in it, I won’t buy it. I’ll do what I did before. Use wifi in port and if something comes up that has to be dealt with I’ll just buy one day. I tend to go for port intensive cruises, that is at least 50% ports.

 

I can’t see them getting rid of the standard fare. There’d be a public outcry if passengers who don’t drink or drink little were forced to subsidise those that like their 15 drinks a day! I’m not against packages. They are great for people who will use the inclusions and then don’t have to concern themselves too much with the room account. If the Internet is so important, then some may opt for the Plus package.

 

I don’t think Princess are price gouging but they could be more transparent with their increases and changes. So long as the great, cheerful, helpful service remains I’m happy. At present I’m paying about what I used to pay pre-Covid, so if a few of the trimmings have gone it doesn’t bother me. I’m not a connoisseur of fine food and wine, so they can certainly cook better than I can but I’d certainly encourage people to go with other cruise lines if they are not happy with the product being offered. I like the product, its the way Princesss do business that leaves a bit to be desired.