New Unlimited Features Make Princess Cruises' Premier Package the Best Value in Cruising

[FLAlaska]

18 minutes ago, Mara4166 said:

 

Could it be an App versus website issue?  I always book via the website and have never been charged.  Maybe people who book via the App are charged and people who book via website are not????

 

it would be typical for Princess IT

Nah, I tried it on the web. Got charged..

[CruisinChandlers]

15 minutes ago, Mara4166 said:

In cruise personalizer when you use the web version of the App. 

 

Thanks. I tried to log in on the website, but it says my Booking Number has already been claimed. I logged out of the App to see if that would make it work, but it still says the same thing on the website. Oh well, it was worth a try. 

[canadarocks]

1 hour ago, Wishing on a star said:

Amen!!!!

We have pre-paid for two SD,  Can't get it refunded, except for refundable OBC after we cruise.  And I sure am hoping that Princess has this thing with non-refundable OBC being used up first sorted out.   

That SD is an extra, that should always be refundable...  no way they should keep that money in their pocket. 

Are you sure? We don't sail until February but I have pre-booked SD and cancelled them. My CC was credited back the amount. Took awhile, but I definitely got the refund. 

[cheezenip]

3 hours ago, 555 said:

We'll be traveling with no package & enjoying all the free stuff. 

In theory, those of use who travel with no package will get an added bonus for "free"....less passengers in the MDR means quicker service and better prepared entrees (kitchen prep / cooking time improves since more of the workload burden will be moved to the casual / specialty dining venues). That's the hope. 😉

Edited August 15 by cheezenip

[JGmf]

6 minutes ago, CruisinChandler said:

Thanks. I tried to log in on the website, but it says my Booking Number has already been claimed. I logged out of the App to see if that would make it work, but it still says the same thing on the website. Oh well, it was worth a try. 

 

Same exact thing happened to me a few hours ago when I tested the notion of a work-around to not get charged for my included SD reservations.  Same message about booking number being claimed.  That's when I just gave up and called them.

[canadarocks]

2 minutes ago, CruisinChandler said:

 

Thanks. I tried to log in on the website, but it says my Booking Number has already been claimed. I logged out of the App to see if that would make it work, but it still says the same thing on the website. Oh well, it was worth a try. 

You can get around this. After you get the "already been claimed" message - Scroll to the bottom of the Ocean Ready profile page (where it says log in using booking number). Enter your name, birthdate, and booking number. After taking you back to the original message, that will work eventually. Usually takes two tries. 

[Retired-N-Happy]

2 hours ago, 555 said:

Unless you're planning on doing some heavy drinking? 

The drink menus on the Sun are different from the rest of the fleet.  There are many new drinks that are priced between 16-20 that you'd need the Premier package to enjoy without paying the price difference plus tip.

Tried to upgrade at the 80 rate and was told the system is down.  If we're stuck with the 90, I'll pay the extra 280 (14x20) and we'll just increase the number of nights of specialty.

[cruisinsince75]

3 hours ago, CruisinChandler said:

 

Looks like they are trying to compete with all inclusive upscale lines like Azamara, Oceania, Seabourn, Silversea, and Regent.  
 

Unfortunately, with Princess price increases and then add on the Premier package, it works out to be the same or higher as some of the other options.  We were looking to do a TA cruise November 2025.  To do the Sun Princess Signature Suite (301 sf) includes Premier Package price is $6700+ pp.  15 days from BCN.  
 

To do the Seabourn Ovation Verandah Suite (302 sf) All Inclusive is $6300+ pp  14 days from BCN.  Oh and it includes $2200 pp OBC  

 

Edited August 15 by cruisinsince75
Wanting to add comment not quote

[startedwithamouse]

2 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

On the Sun Princess in June it was just for production shows.

But that was the previous package. It says for all shows in the press release. 

[JimmyVWine]

6 minutes ago, cruisinsince75 said:

To do the Sun Princess Signature Suite (301 sf) includes Premier Package price is $6700+ pp.  15 days from BCN.  
 

To do the Seabourn Ovation Verandah Suite (302 sf) All Inclusive is $6300+ pp  14 days from BCN.  Oh and it includes $2200 pp OBC

True, but if you book a regular Mini-Suite and add in the new unlimited Premier, that price gets cut almost in half.  A little over $7k for two people.  Isn't a Mini-Suite most comparable to an Ovation Verandah Suite? The Signature benefit of having a separate dining room starts to erode when one has unlimited SD.  

[JimmyVWine]

1 minute ago, startedwithamouse said:

It says for all shows in the press release.

Bad wording, no doubt.  As someone who edits other people's writing all the time, I am amazed at what gets released before being fully vetted.  On Sun Princess, for example, there are "shows" in the Piazza. It is simply impossible to reserve space there for even 50 people, let alone all of the people who will purchase Premier.  Same would be true for any ship that has an Explorer's Lounge.  Not big enough to reserve space for even 10% of the people who will buy Premier.  Vista Lounge is bigger, but still not big enough for guaranteed reserved seating.  So it has to mean the main show theater and only the main show theater.  

[startedwithamouse]

Specialty dining, wonder if a sea day lunch option at Catch or Crown Grill to handle the crowd?

 

You can bet Princess will be watching those that share drinks on the package freely.  Let the drink package sharing police commence!   

[Ken the cruiser]

OTOH we are sure glad we recently made Elite so we won't be tempted to get either the Plus ($120/day for 2 people) or the Premium package ($180/day for 2 people), especially when we're on 18+ day cruises! We'd much rather just suffer eating in the Reserve Collection dining area instead of going to specialty restaurants every night and going to get our favorite theater seats 30-40 minutes early.

[adamtoonarmy]

Wonder if I will get the new max wifi on the current premier package. They did announce a couple of weeks ago it was coming to plus and premier. Im not interested in more SD or drinks but I would like the max wifi. Not enough to pay the $240 upgrade mind you….

[cruisinsince75]

22 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

True, but if you book a regular Mini-Suite and add in the new unlimited Premier, that price gets cut almost in half.  A little over $7k for two people.  Isn't a Mini-Suite most comparable to an Ovation Verandah Suite? The Signature benefit of having a separate dining room starts to erode when one has unlimited SD.  

Not Apple to apples.  Both MS and SS are similar size.  Granted!  However It is the extra benefits of the SS that brings it closer to the same level as the Seabourn Ovation.  The Ovation has only 600 guests with a crew of 450 a 1:1.33 guest to crew ratio and is 6 stars.  Since the Sun has over 4300 guests and a 1:2.77 guest to crew ratio you almost need the extra benefits of the SS to get a similar level of service. IMHO

[Ellipooh]

19 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

OTOH we are sure glad we recently made Elite so we won't be tempted to get either the Plus ($120/day for 2 people) or the Premium package ($180/day for 2 people…We'd much rather just suffer eating in the Reserve Collection dining area 

It’s possible I’ve been Day Drinking today, but can you help me understand how Elite status provides Reserve dining? I thought you had to have a higher cabin category for RD

[startedwithamouse]

35 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

Bad wording, no doubt.  As someone who edits other people's writing all the time, I am amazed at what gets released before being fully vetted.  On Sun Princess, for example, there are "shows" in the Piazza. It is simply impossible to reserve space there for even 50 people, let alone all of the people who will purchase Premier.  Same would be true for any ship that has an Explorer's Lounge.  Not big enough to reserve space for even 10% of the people who will buy Premier.  Vista Lounge is bigger, but still not big enough for guaranteed reserved seating.  So it has to mean the main show theater and only the main show theater.  

Yeah, they needed to specify where. 

 

Already looks like a cluster.... waiting to happen. 

[startedwithamouse]

23 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

OTOH we are sure glad we recently made Elite so we won't be tempted to get either the Plus ($120/day for 2 people) or the Premium package ($180/day for 2 people), especially when we're on 18+ day cruises! We'd much rather just suffer eating in the Reserve Collection dining area instead of going to specialty restaurants every night and going to get our favorite theater seats 30-40 minutes early.

What does elite have to do with packages?

 

You get a minibar and laundry and a couple other perks, not reserve collection dining.

Edited August 15 by startedwithamouse

[LACruiser88]

21 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

What does elite have to do with packages?

 

You get a minibar and laundry and a couple other perks, not reserve collection dining.

Deleted...

 

 

 

 

Edited August 15 by LACruiser88

[Ken the cruiser]

31 minutes ago, Ellipooh said:

It’s possible I’ve been Day Drinking today, but can you help me understand how Elite status provides Reserve dining? I thought you had to have a higher cabin category for RD

You and @startedwithamouse are correct. You have to book a Reserve Collection mini suite or higher category to dine in the RC dining area, which we do. And since the food and service is so awesome in the RC dining area which we already pay extra for, we have no desire to dine in a specialty restaurant. 
 

However, once we made Elite, we now get 10 alcoholic drinks (or Heineken beers in my case) and 10 non-alcoholic drinks (or water in my DW’s case) in our cabin fridge plus we can order a 12-pack of water before the cruise at a super cheap rate. BTW my DW only drinks water and hot chocolate, so we have no need for a beverage package.

 

As far as the Internet goes, we prebook one 4-device package, where we each can be signed on with our iPhone and iPad for $22.50 per day, which is cheaper than each of us purchasing the 1-device package.

 

We don’t need any of the special desserts that come with the packages nor do we need any digital pictures taken by the crew on and off the ship.

 

So when we do the math, paying $120/day let alone $180/day makes no sense for us. YMMV

Edited August 15 by Ken the cruiser

[Ken the cruiser]

8 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

@Ken the cruiser forgot to mention that they are in a Reserve Collection mini-suite for the voyage he was referencing.

 

True. In fact we always book in a RC mini suite or higher on every cruise we book, except for the 2026 Solar Eclipse cruise where M1 cabins were sold out by 10 am the first day the cruise was available to book. The food and service in the RC dining area is that awesome!

[Knickearth]

8 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

Yep. Not sure how a person could possibly drink 15 or more alcoholic drinks in a day, but I guess they can try now.  And making SD always available ensures non package people cannot partake even if they want, as those venues will be packed nightly.  

We were on a ship years ago when the unlimited drinks package was started ( not plus or premier).  I remember by 10 am a portion of cruisers were already drunk.  I thought all these years that was why they limited it to 15 drinks.  I was obviously wrong.  All I know is if my next cruise has too many drunks at any time day or night, I will be cruising other lines.

[cjpj]

9 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

True. In fact we always book in a RC mini suite or higher on every cruise we book, except for the 2026 Solar Eclipse cruise where M1 cabins were sold out by 10 am the first day the cruise was available to book. The food and service in the RC dining area is that awesome!

And I was fortunate enough to get one of those M1 cabins on the Solar Eclipse cruise! So excited. Will be our first RC experience.

Edited August 15 by cjpj

[voljeep]

36 minutes ago, Ellipooh said:

It’s possible I’ve been Day Drinking today, but can you help me understand how Elite status provides Reserve dining? I thought you had to have a higher cabin category for RD

🥂

[kywildcatfanone]

22 minutes ago, Knickearth said:

We were on a ship years ago when the unlimited drinks package was started ( not plus or premier).  I remember by 10 am a portion of cruisers were already drunk.  I thought all these years that was why they limited it to 15 drinks.  I was obviously wrong.  All I know is if my next cruise has too many drunks at any time day or night, I will be cruising other lines.

Unlimited alcohol, even 15 drinks is just ridiculous.  No one wants to be around that.  I may have to look for a new line myself.  Doubling the price of some cruises now with packages.