Princess Premier No Longer Available to Book

[startedwithamouse]

The new Princess Premier is no longer a booking option when sailing out of California, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington State due to unlimited alcohol sales being a violation of state ABC laws.

 

As of August 15, 2024, the Princess website shows Princess Plus only as the only bundle option when sailing out of these ports; Princess Premier is not available.

 

The only guests getting Premier for these states are ones who purchased the bundle prior to it being changed to unlimited alcohol.

 

Here's the question, is Princess allowing you to purchase the Premier on Day 2 of a voyage while on board to be in compliance of these ABC laws?

 

From the Princess website:

"On sailings that begin in ports in the United States of California, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington, the alcoholic beverages portion of a Package will not take effect until the ship on which the guest is sailing is in international waters, as determined by Princess Cruises, and therefore any alcoholic beverages purchased by a guest before a ship is in international waters will be charged to a guest’s onboard account; no discounts will be provided to the Package price or refunds as a result of this."

 

 

Edited September 29 by startedwithamouse

[JGmf]

Well, that puts a damper on day one on my NE cruise out of Brooklyn in October.  Wonder what happens when we are docked in Boston? 

[Rick&Jeannie]

Following!

[memoak]

4 minutes ago, JGmf said:

Well, that puts a damper on day one on my NE cruise out of Brooklyn in October.  Wonder what happens when we are docked in Boston? 

I am sailing from Seattle today. One of my friends booked in early September and was able to book the premier 90 and it shows on his travel summary   So how would you explain that ?

[Rick&Jeannie]

Like I've *always* said...Princess Cruises, consistently inconsistent.

[BlerkOne]

I'm not sure that is accurate - at least for the reason given.

 

You never could use any package on cruises out of Galveston on Princess for any bar service (including bottled water) until the ship was in international waters. That has to do with Texas tax laws.

[startedwithamouse]

10 minutes ago, memoak said:

I am sailing from Seattle today. One of my friends booked in early September and was able to book the premier 90 and it shows on his travel summary   So how would you explain that ?

 

 

Oh good, you can go over this with the future cruise consultant then on what they're seeing/what they can book?

 

Edited September 29 by startedwithamouse

[PacnGoNow]

14 minutes ago, memoak said:

I am sailing from Seattle today. One of my friends booked in early September and was able to book the premier 90 and it shows on his travel summary   So how would you explain that ?

Please update us, when you find out. TIA

[cruisinsince75]

4 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

I'm not sure that is accurate - at least for the reason given.

 

You never could use any package on cruises out of Galveston on Princess for any bar service (including bottled water) until the ship was in international waters. That has to do with Texas tax laws.

That's true!  It makes no difference if Princess Plus or Premier, or Premier90.  It is the TABC.  It treats the ship same as a landside bar until it exits Texas waters.  They can sell you a some limited drink choices, but cannot give them to you.  Hence the reason they give you a $25pp OBC.

[t&atravel]

Not sure what you’re looking at.  Just upcoming cruises?  It’s probably more that they have reached capacity.  Premiere is showing as a choice for me for cruises in 2025.

[startedwithamouse]

1 minute ago, t&atravel said:

Not sure what you’re looking at.  Just upcoming cruises?  It’s probably more that they have reached capacity.  Premiere is showing as a choice for me for cruises in 2025.

Which port and itinerary? 

[oteixeira]

Funny, NCL is unlimited, and they sail out of many of the same ports listed above without issue.

[Arizona Wildcat]

29 minutes ago, JGmf said:

Well, that puts a damper on day one on my NE cruise out of Brooklyn in October.  Wonder what happens when we are docked in Boston? 

I would hope you are visiting Boston.  Amazing city and close to pier with local transport 1 block away.

I suspect other cruiselines will be changing shortly to comply with the new enforcement of liquor laws

Edited September 29 by Arizona Wildcat

[reedprincess]

No idea what you're looking at or who you spoke too, but that's not accurate.

 

I'm literally looking at a roundtrip SF on Ruby, Nov 2, 2024, and both Plus and Premier are available to hook, at the standard $60/90.  

 

The new package has been out for more than 6 Weeks - and thousands upon thousands upon thousands have bought it, for all sorts of itineraries..

There was a short lived glitch when it was introduced where Premier upgrade wasn't showing for a while, but that's been remedied (for most).

 

Premier is 100% available to be booked on any of those itineraries. Whether the drink portion will be active in those ports, remains to be seen.

 

 

Edited September 29 by reedprincess

[t&atravel]

4 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Which port and itinerary? 

Here’s one, but I looked at several

[memoak]

3 minutes ago, oteixeira said:

Funny, NCL is unlimited, and they sail out of many of the same ports listed above without issue.

I can see an NCL ship from my hotel right now

[PacnGoNow]

Odd.  The UG to Premier 90 started

August 15, 2024, I believe.  So, is this an exception to those buying the premier package due to unlimited drinks?  
 

What about Plus?  You still have to get out to International waters from these States, don’t you?  

 

The way I read it, any drinks you buy will be charged to you, until you are in international waters.  Which these ports will collect tax on these drinks.

Then, the package will take over.
 

Don’t know why Premier 90 can’t be purchased.  Could you UG on day 2?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[memoak]

18 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

 

 

Oh good, you can go over this with the future cruise consultant then on what they're seeing/what they can book?

 

I don’t deal with third party vendors like ONE.   They will tell you anything to sell a cruise. Like when the told me they could book casino deals

[memoak]

19 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Odd.  The UG to Premier 90 started

August 15, 2024, I believe.  So, is this an exception to those buying the premier package due to unlimited drinks?  
 

What about Plus?  You still have to get out to International waters from these States, don’t you?  

 

The way I read it, any drinks you buy will be charged to you, until you are in international waters.  Which these ports will collect tax on these drinks.

Then, the package will take over.
 

Don’t know why Premier 90 can’t be purchased.  Could you UG on day 2?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have never had problem using is plus in any west coast port

Edited September 29 by memoak

[startedwithamouse]

10 minutes ago, reedprincess said:

No idea what you're looking at or who you spoke too, but that's not accurate.

 

I'm literally looking at a roundtrip SF on Ruby, Nov 2, 2024, and both Plus and Premier are available to hook, at the standard $60/90.  

 

The new package has been out for more than 6 Weeks - and thousands upon thousands upon thousands have bought it, for all sorts of itineraries..

There was a short lived glitch when it was introduced where Premier upgrade wasn't showing for a while, but that's been remedied (for most).

 

Premier is 100% available to be booked on any of those itineraries. Whether the drink portion will be active in those ports, remains to be seen.

 

 

 

Upgrades are available.

 

New bookings are not.

 

 

[startedwithamouse]

8 minutes ago, memoak said:

I don’t deal with third party vendors like ONE.   They will tell you anything to sell a cruise. Like when the told me they could book casino deals

 

That's a no then? 

 

You're currently onboard and won't ask the future cruise consultant?

[lx200gps]

20 minutes ago, t&atravel said:

Not sure what you’re looking at.  Just upcoming cruises?  It’s probably more that they have reached capacity.  Premiere is showing as a choice for me for cruises in 2025.

Same result here. Picking a random trip from Boston in mid-2025 as well as a trip out of SP in Nov 2024 (both states being subject to this new "rule") and both trips have Premier as an option available for a new  booking.

 

If this really was caused by the "unlimited" statement being against these state's laws, wouldn't a simple solution be to limit it to a practically unlimited but still capped number like 50 per day. Even the folks who claim they drink 15 a day would be hard-pressed to drink that much ;o)

Edited September 29 by lx200gps

[PacnGoNow]

4 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

 

That's a no then? 

 

You're currently onboard and won't ask the future cruise consultant?

I would ask the Food and Beverage Manager, what’s going on, if I was affected.  JMO

[startedwithamouse]

Just now, PacnGoNow said:

I would ask the Food and Beverage Manager, what’s going on, if I was affected.  JMO

HGM? 

[PacnGoNow]

8 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

 

Upgrades are available.

 

New bookings are not.

 

 

Of course they are!  😳  Makes no sense.