Plus package usage while in port

[Knickearth]

I just finished reading a thread that shows a princess policy that in certain US ports the plus.premier package cannot be used until in International waters.  The complaint was that princess offers nothing for the fact that a U.S, port intensive cruise has so many days tour package is useless.

 

my question is does this also apply to European and Caribbean ports?

[memoak]

3 minutes ago, Knickearth said:

I just finished reading a thread that shows a princess policy that in certain US ports the plus.premier package cannot be used until in International waters.  The complaint was that princess offers nothing for the fact that a U.S, port intensive cruise has so many days tour package is useless.

 

my question is does this also apply to European and Caribbean ports?

This is a very minor issue. There are a couple of states whose state laws do not allow package alcohol sales. However that is only a few ports. I have cruised all over west coast and Hawaii and that issue does not exist

[Knickearth]

I agree.  I would like to know if any foreign ports have same laws.  We are cruising in Europe and Caribbean and there are ports I am unable to get off in.  I would love a glass of wine and hope the package will cover it.  Bringing my own bottles is not an option.

[skynight]

In Feb/Mar 2025 I cruised to western, eastern and southern Caribbean ports from Ft. Lauderdale with the plus fare. I remained on board at most ports. There was never an issue asking for alcoholic beverages with the plus fare. There is less staffing since less passengers are on board.

There is a single issue that I am aware of for sailings out of Galveston, TX. Texas laws require that any alcohol served while in Texas waters must be from stock purchased in Texas. It is may understand that until the ship is out to sea alcoholic beverages are limited. 

[Cruise Raider]

There is very new verbiage on the Princess website:  

 

 

It may or may not be only for the new premier packages with unlimited beverages and it may or may not be for all US ports of call for cruises in that have embarkation in one of the states listed above (line 3 of the terms and conditions listed on the Princess website).  I have requested clarification from my Princess Planner.  

Edited Friday at 11:28 PM by Cruise Raider

[echoshipmate]

I have been told by my princess planner that because of the language in the premier package that says "unlimited" alcohol and not the previous 15 drinks per day you can buy drinks but they will be charged, and you will pay, to your onboard folio until you hit international water. It's the unlimited language that is the problem according to her.

[latebloomer56]

35 minutes ago, echoshipmate said:

I have been told by my princess planner that because of the language in the premier package that says "unlimited" alcohol and not the previous 15 drinks per day you can buy drinks but they will be charged, and you will pay, to your onboard folio until you hit international water. It's the unlimited language that is the problem according to her.

Is that why we weren't charged with the plus on our last cruise from LA? 

[memoak]

35 minutes ago, echoshipmate said:

I have been told by my princess planner that because of the language in the premier package that says "unlimited" alcohol and not the previous 15 drinks per day you can buy drinks but they will be charged, and you will pay, to your onboard folio until you hit international water. It's the unlimited language that is the problem according to her.

I am surprised that there has been no communication from Princess to people who upgraded to premier. We have plus which does have a limit. I wonder if they might just say you can’t go over 15 drinks while in those ports ?  The coastal usually spend all day into the late evening on those cruises but I wonder if there has been a recent coastal cruise with the new premier

[memoak]

2 minutes ago, latebloomer56 said:

Is that why we weren't charged with the plus on our last cruise from LA? 

What do you mean you weren’t charged. If you pay pre cruise did they give you credit ?

[Josie201]

Can’t they just delay running the charge through ?  

[BettyCruiser]

I guess I’ll just stick to Princess cruises out of Florida and sail other cruise lines from the CA, NY, MA and WA that serve drinks on the package purchased with no charge or just charge the tax. I don’t ever plan to sail out of Texas or Virginia.

[So_Tweetie]

The Plus and Premier packages are SO much better than what Royal Caribbean has to offer, but it seems Princess would be well-served to pirate an employee from Royal Caribbean who can teach them how to manage this aspect of the business. Allowing state laws to burden the customer is not ideal when the company can apparently, considering how Royal Caribbean does, handle it behind the scenes. Unless Princess realizes that by making Premier "unlimited", they can capture revenue in these states that outweighs the handful of customers who actually take advantage of drink #16+ during the rest of a sailing. 

 

I would be surprised if they actually differentiate between Plus, old Premier and new Premier on sailings. You will most likely get onboard in these ports and be told that your package is invalid until international waters regardless of which you've purchased. 

Edited Saturday at 12:53 AM by So_Tweetie

[memoak]

7 minutes ago, So_Tweetie said:

The Plus and Premier packages are SO much better than what Royal Caribbean has to offer, but it seems Princess would be well-served to pirate an employee from Royal Caribbean who can teach them how to manage this aspect of the business. Allowing state laws to burden the customer is not ideal when the company can apparently, considering how Royal Caribbean does, handle it behind the scenes. Unless Princess realizes that by making Premier "unlimited", they can capture revenue in these states that outweighs the handful of customers who actually take advantage of drink #16+ during the rest of a sailing. 

 

I would be surprised if they actually differentiate between Plus, old Premier and new Premier on sailings. You will most likely get onboard in these ports and be told that your package is invalid until international waters regardless of which you've purchased. 

Why has there not been any communication from Princess. I still have doubts of any of this and I have not heard from anyone about this happening on. Alaska sailings out of Seattle 

[latebloomer56]

48 minutes ago, memoak said:

What do you mean you weren’t charged. If you pay pre cruise did they give you credit ?

I had a sail away margarita and nothing showed on our cabin charges, I watched because the medallion and this package were new to us.

[So_Tweetie]

7 minutes ago, memoak said:

Why has there not been any communication from Princess. I still have doubts of any of this and I have not heard from anyone about this happening on. Alaska sailings out of Seattle 

I wouldn't advertise it if I was Princess, much better to try and mitigate customer dissatisfaction in the hours before International Waters. This is how it's been handled in Galveston; the company relies on customers not understanding whether it is a reflection of Texas law or company policy, and that many parrot the falsehood that refusal to serve even non-alcoholic beverages is Texas law.

 

"Sure you paid us $80 (now $90) to have an all-inclusive experience today and we won't even serve you a Diet Coke, but we gave you a $25 OBC for the inconvenience! Be mad at Texas, not us!" 

 

Now it looks from @Cruise Raider screenshot like they won't even be offering that concession of $25. 

 

I don't WANT to believe it, but it rings true to my Galveston experience. 

[memoak]

17 minutes ago, So_Tweetie said:

I wouldn't advertise it if I was Princess, much better to try and mitigate customer dissatisfaction in the hours before International Waters. This is how it's been handled in Galveston; the company relies on customers not understanding whether it is a reflection of Texas law or company policy, and that many parrot the falsehood that refusal to serve even non-alcoholic beverages is Texas law.

 

"Sure you paid us $80 (now $90) to have an all-inclusive experience today and we won't even serve you a Diet Coke, but we gave you a $25 OBC for the inconvenience! Be mad at Texas, not us!" 

 

Now it looks from @Cruise Raider screenshot like they won't even be offering that concession of $25. 

 

I don't WANT to believe it, but it rings true to my Galveston experience. 

Texas has always had that law however ai question other states. I have been seen this before in California 

[So_Tweetie]

2 minutes ago, memoak said:

Texas has always had that law however ai question other states. I have been seen this before in California 

Princess policy regarding packages in Texas does not reflect Texas law. They do not even give you non-alcoholic beverages without charge until international waters. I agree though that this is surprising to hear about with regard to California and Washington. I lived in WA for 32 years and never heard about anything like the Texas laws regarding unlimited drink packages. 🤷‍♀️

[startedwithamouse]

Wonder if this applies to cruise ships in ports, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Catalina Island? Left out Santa Barbara and Monterey, since they no longer visit. 

 

Princess is newly offering the Premier unlimited alcohol.  

 

They can't "discriminate" and not serve the unlimited guests  and only serve people who don't have the drink packages/bundles, so they choose to not serve anyone?

 

Thoughts?

 

According to California's Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) law, it is illegal to offer "buy one drink, get one free" or similar drink specials. Other prohibited practices include: 

 

 

• Selling alcohol below cost 
   
   
• Offering free alcohol 
   
   
• Lowering alcohol prices to promote sales 
   
   
• Selling or serving an unlimited number of drinks for a fixed price during a set period of time 
   
   
• Creating drink specials that attempt to circumvent the law 
   
   

However, licensees can offer a food and drink combination for a special price, as long as the drink is not free. The price paid for a meal alone must be less than the price for a meal and an alcoholic beverage. 

 

 

The ABC regulates the manufacture, importation, and sale of alcoholic beverages, as well as the licensing and operation of alcoholic beverage retailers

Edited Saturday at 02:57 AM by startedwithamouse

[phonejock]

This situation would have been a problem on our August 28th embarkation from Boston. For some reason the ship that was docked in front of the Emerald departed late, so we did not sail till almost 9pm. I have seen here on CC that passengers sailing out of Galveston,TX were given a $25 credit to offset the buying drinks. That would not been helpful for us as we had a wonderful dinner that night at Sabatini’s and both of us had a couple glasses of wine that were about $18 each.  First world problem, I know. Got to love those unintended consequences. 

 

[skynight]

Post 18. I don't see how Princess' plus and premier packages are contrary to the CA regulations you posted.

Not below cost

Not free

Not lowering of prices, the price is fixed

Not unlimited, limit of 15 drinks/day

Not selling drink specials. Price limits are set at $15 and $20 from standard menu price lists. 

[memoak]

29 minutes ago, skynight said:

Post 18. I don't see how Princess' plus and premier packages are contrary to the CA regulations you posted.

Not below cost

Not free

Not lowering of prices, the price is fixed

Not unlimited, limit of 15 drinks/day

Not selling drink specials. Price limits are set at $15 and $20 from standard menu price lists. 

 Premier is now  unlimited. That may be the problem 

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

Post 18. I don't see how Princess' plus and premier packages are contrary to the CA regulations you posted.

Not below cost

Not free

Not lowering of prices, the price is fixed

Not unlimited, limit of 15 drinks/day

Not selling drink specials. Price limits are set at $15 and $20 from standard menu price lists. 

Premier changed to unlimited. That is the issue.

[ceilidh1]

I upgraded to the new premier package on my 4 day coastal. Vancouver-Victoria-San Francisco. No issue using the package in any port over the past 4 days, and no tax charged on drinks (unlike NCL). Disembarking this morning from Sapphire,

[skynight]

15 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Premier changed to unlimited. That is the issue.

I would assume that if the issue every came up Princess would address it with some sort of limit while in CA ports. I don't know if ever offered in CA, but I have been to events where the cost includes both food and open bar. 

Edited Saturday at 02:27 PM by skynight

[Renophi]

11 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Premier changed to unlimited. That is the issue.

Seems to me that if the wording of "unlimited" is the only issue they could put a crazy cap on it in the fine print such as 99 drinks or something equally absurd to get around the rules.

 

12 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

I upgraded to the new premier package on my 4 day coastal. Vancouver-Victoria-San Francisco. No issue using the package in any port over the past 4 days, and no tax charged on drinks (unlike NCL). Disembarking this morning from Sapphire,

 

Thank you for sharing this! We have a 7-day coastal booked in November (including 2 nights in San Francisco) which is just a staycation for us. We don't plan on leaving the ship as we are from the West coast. We will be watching this closely as without the benefits of the premium package we would definitely cancel this one.

 

We understand the rules for our Galveston cruise in January and will just enjoy our mini bar or their short beverage menu until we hit international waters.