We originally purchased Princess Plus for our back to back to back cruises upcoming in November 2024 ( 34 days ). After seeing this video and a few others, and doing a little research, we have decided to upgrade to Premiere. Celebrating 40 years of marriage, why not go all the way !! Thanks for the tips here.

@TidalHorizons

3 күн бұрын

I couldn't agree more, I'll be sailing on Sun Princess next week for my 25th Anniversary, so we upgraded as well. Have a wonderful cruise and thanks for watching!

Excellent point: the cruise line is not going to lose money. I buy the packages for convenience. I believe this is the reason for these packages.

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

They'll "lose" money on an individual, someone out of the norm who takes them up on the maximum 15 drinks per day, but overall they won't lose. They absolutely know their demographic which is why packages on Carnival and Royal are so expensive! The convenience and fixed cost is the biggest benefit for me personally. Thanks for watching!

We always choose Princess Plus because it suits our needs.

Excellent Analysis! We usually sail with the Princess Premier option as we enjoy the higher priced Sparkling Wine by the glass. And, I prefer not to have to keep up with the accounting of the difference. This, with the additional dining options, the Photo Package and a more “all inclusive” feel makes it the best choice for us. We are leaving on the Sky Princess this weekend and ready put all of this to the test. Thanks for the great review.

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for watching! I sailed on Sky Princess almost exactly a year ago, fantastic ship, the entertainment was great as I recall. I reiterate, I hope Princess doesn't muck around with this plan anymore, I feel like they have it in a sweet spot in the market. Have a great cruise!

@jackredmond6023

5 ай бұрын

@@TidalHorizons Agree… Thank you!

Loved your concise video. We are sailing on the Enchanted Princess in May and will try the Premium for the first time (5th cruise on Princess). We don't drink alcohol much, maybe 2 drinks the entire cruise. But there is value if you also use the juice bar, specialty coffee and even mocktails, which I enjoy. We typically pass on any photo's on the ship because they are just ridiculous in price. However in the premier package, it includes unlimited downloads. They emphasize the 3 printed photo's, but I think the unlimited downloads to your phone would have some value, especially on special occasion cruising. Finally, now that casual dining has a fee, we will certainly be using that feature as it is included. Without the package, we would probably pass, and just enjoy the buffet, which is typically very good. Bottom line, it's wonderful that everyone can choose what fits them best and make it a wonderful experience. Princess has a very good value, when sailing on other cruise lines, we often pass on the packages.

@TidalHorizons

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching and subscribing! I sailed on Enchanted in November/December last year with the Plus package and I really think that next time I'll upgrade to Premium as well especially on a Transatlantic like we were on. Yes, the unlimited downloads are a bonus for sure as are the casual dining with Premium. I really like the choices Princess gives over the other cruise lines. Hopefully they don't mess with it!

I just booked my 1st cruise and found this video VERY helpful. I choose the plus but wasn’t sure why exactly or what the difference was. So a big Ty. 👍👍

@TidalHorizons

Ай бұрын

Glad it helped you out! Enjoy the cruise and thanks for watching!

Thanks for this wonderfuil overview. The one thing I wish you would have considered is the fact that on most cruises, 75% of the trip a passenger is off the ship when docked at a stopping town. For example, you might spend $108 per day on drinks, but most the time you are off the ship; thus, it might average to $40 per day across the 7 days. No biggie, just would have helped me with my analysis. Thanks again - great video.

@TidalHorizons

4 ай бұрын

Agreed, there are so many variables depending on the cruise, ports, duration and weather come to mind. For me personally, the only thing that might change is that I wouldn't have that beer at lunch, but I'd have it when I got back to the ship before dinner, so really it wouldn't change much for me overall. Generally speaking if you want Wifi and Gratuities included, there aren't many scenarios that I see where it doesn't make sense to take the Plus package. Thanks for watching!

@dalewells4675

4 ай бұрын

@@TidalHorizons - So true. I always sign up for the Premium package for the convenience, knowing that I may be spending more than the benefit received. That is why I was hoping he would take into consideration the days at port. Just so I might be able to say to myself - Self, you are getting a good deal 😊😊

@johnp139

4 ай бұрын

WRONG!!!

@dalewells4675

4 ай бұрын

@@johnp139 ??? What is wrong?

Hi there, I’ve gained more knowledge from your video including the comparisons at the end than going to the princess official page thank you again and keep them coming

@TidalHorizons

Ай бұрын

That's very kind of you to say and I love the feedback! Yes, there is more coming soon, I'm just getting started! Thanks so much for watching.

NEW SUBSCRIBER! Great info, especially for a first time cruiser like myself! I decided to get the Princess Premium Plus for my first-ever cruise next year. After seeing how much it cost compared to what I wanted to do, I'm glad I did. I didn't know the prices of some things but after seeing what you showed, this will have saved me at least $345!! And I don't even drink alcohol!!!! LOL. Thanks for the info and I can't wait to see more videos from your channel!!

@TidalHorizons

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for Subscribing! I'm glad that was helpful to you and you'll save money even without the alcohol. There are lots of people that comment that the packages are a rip-off, but really when you sit down and do a little math on it, you quickly find out that this is a good value. Royal Caribbean and Carnival, maybe not as much. Lots more to come from the channel and always open to ideas! Thanks for the comments.

Good video. I am sailing with Princess for the first time in 2025. Got a penthouse suite and the premium package. I want to be able to sail and do whatever I want without having to worry about the bill at the end. Thanks for sharing the daily gratuity rates. They seem a little low for suites when you consider the amount of work that gets done on your behalf. We will give our stateroom attendant a really nice parting gift as we leave 🙂

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

I have to agree with you on the tips for the Suite and really like giving that cash to them because it's really for them, not a pool. The suite perks plus the premium package will be great. Thanks for watching.

Finally, a video that tells it like it is. Excellent job

@TidalHorizons

Ай бұрын

Glad you liked it and thanks for watching.

Thanks for this. Great explanation that I can share with my husband who just doesn't understand the cost breakdown

@TidalHorizons

3 ай бұрын

Very glad it was helpful to you! Thanks for watching!

The Plus Beverage Package is US $64.99 per day plus 18% service charge (totaling $76.70 per day) for all itineraries except Australia. For all Australian-based vessels, the package is AUD $110.00 per day which includes a service charge. You will be charged the full amount for the complete voyage at the time of purchase.

Very nice! Thanks for

hi ive just subscribed to your channel, nice to be onboard :) we have booked our first ever princess cruise for may 2026 on the crown princess for a 2 night cruise :) i decided to buy for us the princess premier package :) we have never had anything like this before and never had a drink package so im really excited to have this package :) it makes me feel like we are at an all inclusive resort hehe

@TidalHorizons

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for subscribing! You are going to love the drinks package and especially the Premium Package, it really does take some of the stress out of things knowing they are taken care of already. If you haven't seen it already, we just debuted a new video aimed mainly at new Princess Cruisers with some tips and tricks to prepare for the cruise and make embarkation day easier. Check it out! kzread.info/dash/bejne/gZOto8emnLGsgLA.html

@travelwithdebandnick

4 ай бұрын

@@TidalHorizons awesome just about to check out the video :) thanks heaps for sharing the link :)

I agree, hopefully they will leave this package as is - intact. Thank you for the comprehensive video, it’s appreciated. Princess offers the only *package that we purchase. (The other’s are ridiculous). The regular coffee on Princess Cruise ships = is pretty vile. I drink a lot of coffee. (to the point, that I’ve brought a small French press). Add in the gratuities, drink package, two casual dining options, wi-Fi, and two fitness classes, we save a bit by purchasing the Plus package. Even though we offer cash tips throughout our cruise. On a sidenote, I remember when Alfredo’s and Gigi’s was included with the cruise. 😔

@TidalHorizons

3 ай бұрын

I have to agree with you on the other packages although it depends who I'm sailing with I suppose. The coffee on most ships is just gross, the specialty coffee is so much better. It doesn't take much for Plus to work out for you. The change to the casual dining I think was only last year, perhaps June? Thanks for watching!

That was a great breakdown! I'm a career server lucky enough to sometimes take a cruise. I love to indulge in a nice scotch or port after dinner and will easily consume six to ten drinks a day on vacation. My wife is a teacher and likes a cocktail at the shows after a glass of two of wine over supper. We also absolutely look forward to a nicer meal. Princess premier is worth every penny for us!

@braddavistube

4 ай бұрын

Edit to add, also as a career server, I do throw down some cash on top of the included gratuity. I know it is much appreciated!

@TidalHorizons

4 ай бұрын

Sounds like you know exactly where the value is for you then, Premier makes a ton of sense for you if you like to upgrade your experience! Thanks for watching!

I'm a big drinker, literally 6'5" 380 lbs. So the drink package on a cruise is something I pay attention to. First of all, Princess uses the European standard of 1 oz. per shot vs the US's standard of 1.5 oz. per shot. So, 15 drinks per day only equals 10 US drinks. Granted, this is only for mixed drinks... beer, wine, etc. will still be the same. And while most beers will cost you $7.00, you can get a Fosters for $10.00 that is 25 oz. It only counts as one drink, even though it slightly more than two... basically the best bang for the buck going. So what it comes down to, if you are getting a drink package, the question is the Plus or the Premium? AKA, $15 max vs $20 max per 15 drinks/day. Drink-wise, there are very few drinks that fall into this $15-20 category, but what there is are rather good. But what they don't say is that there are no "well" alcohols on the ship. Every vodka, run, tequila, whisky, etc., are all rather good named brands. So don't worry about getting cheap booze in a drink, the only difference will be whether or not it is good, or really good. Package-wise, IMO, if all you are looking at is alcohol, the Premium isn't worth it. BUT... when you factor in that the Premium includes 2 Speciality Dining options ($40/each), plus unlimited Casual Dining ($15/each) vs only 2 Casual Dining with the Plus, IMO, it is a no-brainer to pay the extra $20/day for the Premium. Yeah, they don't make it easy to figure out what is best. But IMO, I'd rather spend more now and not worry about the cost of anything while on the cruise.

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

Couldn't agree with you more. The Premium is the way to go if you are a wine drinker who likes the better ones and/or for the Specialty/Casual Dining or if you prefer the Grey Goose to Smirnoff etc. And you are correct, no cheap booze onboard, it's all name brand. You mentioned the Fosters cans but for me it's the big pop-top bottles of Grolsch! Thanks for watching!

@Matt-SquirrelCop

4 ай бұрын

I like your rationale, however I think you really get shafted when you upgrade to the Premier on longer cruises as you still only get 2 specialty dinners. We have an upcoming 21 day cruise on Princess and it would cost us $840 to upgrade but still only includes 2 specialty dinners. When they change it to 2 dinners every seven days then I’ll upgrade for sure but until then I can’t justify it.

@fmadden71

4 ай бұрын

@@Matt-SquirrelCop I couldn't agree with you more about the longer trips still only giving you 2 speciality dinners with the Premier whether it is a 7 day or 21 day cruise. They really need to change that. And also change the number of Casual dining meals with the Plus from 2 to 2 per week also. It seems like a no-brainer, but it hasn't changed yet. But, since the change of having Casual dining being unlimited now with the Premium, I would still lean towards it, Granted, the longer the cruise, the less chance I would pay for it. Probably for 14 days, but yeah, not worth it for 21. Especially since the MDRs have such good food and you can just pay the extra when wanted. Plus the drink packages prices really rack up the entire costs of the trip. They must hate non-drinkers. lol

Thanks. Excellent ingight. For us the calculation was also swayed by number of sea days. If the majority of days are sea days then we we're more likely to drink & use internet.

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

Oh tell me about it! 7 days in a row on the transatlantic on Enchanted this past fall. My estimation in the video was way lower than what I was consuming on that voyage! Thanks for watching!

New subscriber here. I totally agree on your evaluation of the packages. I’m a huge Princess fan and I think I’m going to try the premier package on the cruise I’m going to book for next February.

@TidalHorizons

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for subbing! I agree with you, for me I think I'll be going Premier next time too. Not sure when my next Princess cruise will be, hopefully Sun Princess sometime this spring or summer.

Thanks for the breakdown. Now I don't have to do the research to figure if the plus package works for us.

@TidalHorizons

6 күн бұрын

My pleasure and thanks for watching!

What I don't appreciate is the two dining experiences per cruise -no matter how long the cruise is. For a three-day cruise, it is good. For a three-week cruise, it is a rip-off. Who at Princess thinks that is a fair deal?

@TidalHorizons

3 ай бұрын

Agreed on the dining, they should have more for longer cruises.

Well Done!

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

My wife and I along with our two daughters are going on Princess next month. We got the Premium package since our daughters can piggyback onto a few of the items. Wifi is one of them with our room being able to use 8 devices (4 for me and 4 for the wife). That actually is great since then we each can have our phone and another device connected without having to switch. Also, the reserved seating can be used for everyone in our cabin. Princess says the 4 specialty meals (2 for both of us) cannot be used with our daughters, but the app acted like it would have paid for all 4 of us at 1 restaurant. The photo package includes them of course. For a family of 3 or 4, the Premium is much more enticing. 2 or 1, then Plus is probably the way to go.

For our first Princess cruise in June 2024 for 14 days we chose the Premier package. Even your own daily math was well over the $80 per day price. Ala cart we would just bring onboard a couple cases of our favorite sodas and drink the included beverages. We don't drink alcohol at home and rarely on trips and won't waste money on drinks we never tried before. With the package we will try new drinks and not worry about not liking them. With Premier we have a larger selection of drinks to sample from in our search to find ones we might like.

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! For me after doing the video and looking at what I spend in extras, I will go Premium next time if it's just my wife and I travelling. If we have the kids with us, it's less worth it because we don't tend to have as much time to enjoy the specialty restaurants or evenings the same way, Plus all the way then.

@johnp139

4 ай бұрын

Learn how to write.

Your analysis is spot on! Most people forgot about the 18% gratuities will be added to...almost everything! Upgrade from Plus to Premier is worth every pennies if you travel with teenagers. It's even more worthy if you can use the OBC for the upgrade.

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

Ha! My OBC is instantly allocated to my better half for the spa!

@dalewells4675

4 ай бұрын

But, he missed a very critical aspect of cruising. Very seldom is a passenger on the ship for the full length of the cruise. Thus, when touring at a stopping point, those expenses do not add to your total bill. Therefore, if a person spends $108 per day on drinks, what is the average over the cruise length when many of the days you are off the ship. Just my opinion, but it would have helped. GREAT VIDEO though.

@johnp139

4 ай бұрын

Why?

Thank you for your insight. I too did the math for my 7 day trip and I found the Princess Plus was the right package for me but only if I wanted WIFI as well as all the other items this package offered. Princess Premier was not worth it if I only wanted to dine in a specialty restaurant twice. (I calculated using WIFI, dining twice in a casual restaurant and twice in a specialty restaurant and I only calculated drinking 1 soda, 1 water, 2 alcoholic beverages per day plus a specialty coffee.)

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! The Wi-fi is a really important thing to take into account, because if you don't need it, it doesn't make as much sense. It's also important to point out (and I'll do this next time I revise the video), that just because you don't take the internet package or Plus/Premium, it doesn't mean that your phone or tablet won't work for the Princess Medallion app which can be helpful for navigating and seeing what's going on around the ship. That part is free, you just won't get to internet sites other than a select few. You could also purchase a 24 hour plan if you wanted to check in on things at home, check in for flights or other basic tasks.

Cruising from Sydney to San Franciso in April, got the Plus package. If you're gonna be at sea for that long, you might as well spurge!!

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

Yes! An absolute must for you. You may even want to upgrade to the Premier if the Casual dining restaurants are something you might use more frequently. I know on our last long cruise, we got tired of the Main Dining Room, so they were a good option. Thanks for watching!

Thx for explaining about the ease of swapping devices! Been wondering, & had a hard time finding the answer. (Specifically looking at Princess, so thx for that too) Also nice to know you only pay the difference for higher priced drinks. Obviously for us Plus makes sense, Premium I could already tell not so much. Here’s a question I’ve had & can’t seem to get a good answer, though I do get why. You touched on it. I like to tip extra, but when tips are “included” how much do the staff actually truly see of that? I doubt they are paid enough to begin with and am happy to help. I want to be generous for good service, but if it’s “included,” not super outrageously so. Let’s just say we’re not wealthy & have worked for tips in the past. Just want to be very fair, plus a bit. Any thoughts? Tbh, on Plus we would make up the difference with wifi & drinks alone, so I’m not too worried. Thx for this vlog, coming in v handy for first timers!

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! The Internet packages are probably a video that could be done by itself, I'll put that on the list. Tipping is a very sensitive thing on a cruise and you'll find that most staff don't like talking about it. Perhaps it's that they don't come from cultures where tipping is the norm. The way Princess used to do things is tell you that x amount went to your Stateroom Attendant, y went to your waiter and z goes to the assistant waiter. Now with anytime dining, you don't have that same relationship with the waiter and assistant waiter. What they say now is: "Whether included in a fare bundle or paid separately, this daily charge recognizes our crew for exceptional service they provide and is shared among the many members of our crew in hotel, dining and entertainment throughout the fleet." For me, if I've had good service from my stateroom attendant, I get an envelope from Guest Services and give an extra $50 cash on the final night. More for a longer than 7 day cruise. Normally I don't give anything extra to the dining room staff except last cruise which was 15 days were we had the same wait staff and they were fantastic. It's nice to know that it goes directly to them and it's cash in hand that they might be able to use for something essential on their next day off. Thanks again for watching!

Yep - either package is fine for me personally, however my wife enjoys a better wine and cocktails, plus the other additional things, on our recent Sky princess cruise, we didn't stress about it trying to work out the value but certainly got our drinks value+ had a couple of photos taken, wouldn't normally bother and the same again concerning special dinning venues, wouldn't normally bother but we did enjoy going so for us made it a more inclusive cruise experience and have booked the plus package for our return on Sky next year, celebrity for us this year

@davidmarsden305

5 ай бұрын

Sorry meant to say premier rather than plus

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

It really doesn't take a lot to make Premium worth it, which is funny because I always took Plus when I really should have gone Premium. I guess it just takes the extra research making a video to find out! We're working on a Celebrity package video now, what did you opt for there if you don't mind me asking?

@davidmarsden305

5 ай бұрын

@@TidalHorizons- we booked the apex and chose Aqua class

Excellent! Love this analysis! Was very helpful!

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Starting a 32 day cruise on Princess tomorrow (4/5) I went Premium and am looking forward to calculating impact with vs without on an extended cruise. I’m thinking the extraordinary length will be more than enough to get past the urge to overuse drinks or add ons and settle down to a more normal consumption level.

@TidalHorizons

3 ай бұрын

Yes, that will be interesting for you because I always find you have that little party feeling early on and then tail off. I think where you might find some extra value with Premium on a long cruise is the unlimited casual dining. I know in the fall of 2023 we were on a 29 day back to back and that really changed things up for dinners and lunches. Have a fantastic trip!

Australian. Travelling to USA for cruise. Appreciation not included.

@TidalHorizons

23 күн бұрын

So what are they charging for the package in AUD? It would be interesting to do a comparison for you guys too!

I am going on a Carnival cruise in April. Just the alcohol package is $69 a day per person.

@TidalHorizons

4 ай бұрын

That's a great example of the differences. I haven't been on Carnival in a couple of years, but I recall that their drinks without the package were considerably cheaper than Royal or Princess. I guess Carnival expects their passengers to drink more than Princess, which isn't unexpected... completely different demographic. Enjoy your cruise and thanks for watching!

Very informative video . Sailing 23 March Panama Canal . I am not an alcohol drinker . I couldn’t eat those 2 huge desserts . Not interested in exercise classes . Didn’t get neither plus or premier pkg . Just paid separate water pkg , Wi-Fi pkg and gratuities . At the end of sailing will reevaluate my decision. 😊

@TidalHorizons

4 ай бұрын

Have a wonderful time! I'll be sailing through the Panama Canal around the same time with Explora Journeys. If you think about it on your return, please let us know how it worked out for you.

@lizmillan9662

4 ай бұрын

@@TidalHorizons I sure will

@johnp139

4 ай бұрын

NO SPACES BEFORE A PERIOD!!! Learn how to write!!!

@johnp139

4 ай бұрын

Learn how to write. “Didn’t get neither”???

@ellenm2873

Ай бұрын

So how was not getting the package? Did it work out on the billing when you completed the cruise? I don’t drink either but may get an occasional Diet Coke. I will rely on iced teas and my own lemonades I make with water and lemons. Do they have free sugar free lemonades? Did it work out with wifi too? My first cruise coming up.

Pretty dumb that both passengers in a room have to have same package. I don't drink but my wife does. Big cost difference. We do love Princess though.

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

It may still work out for you with the wifi, gratuities and non-alcoholic beverages. Really have a close look. What will really blow your mind is Celebrity where everyone has to have their "All Included" package. I have a video coming out next week about this and it's insane what they are charging. Thanks for watching!

I value the WiFi and gratuity at approximately $34/day. If you have 2 beverages per day, then you've received $60 of value for the Plus package. IMO, the other items hold no value. So if you don't drink and you don't need WiFi, the Plus package isn't worth it. Some cruise lines include WiFi, and beer/wine, with meals, plus taxes and port charges in the cruise fare.

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

Wi-Fi is only that much if you have the Platinum/Elite discount. Wi-Fi price as of January 22nd, 2024 is $24.99 pp/day and $16.00 to $18.00 for Gratuities is $40.99 to $42.99. But again, it's all about establishing value for yourself. Once you get into the Luxury cruise lines yes, they do "include" those but you are just paying for them a different way. I also stand by "they aren't going to lose money". Thanks for watching!

@DaveM-FFB

5 ай бұрын

@@TidalHorizons I agree. The WiFi price is intentionally inflated because they want you to purchase the Plus or Premium package instead. The "real" value is closer to $16/day (which is still overpriced), considering you can pay $9/day for an Unlimited Data Global Day Pass using a Solis Lite 4G hotspot when docked at the port or off the ship in 135+ countries. That's what I do. I don't need WiFi from 6pm to 6am because I'm eating dinner, watching a show, or sleeping.

All my research indicates that crew appreciation is no longer included in Princess Plus or Premier. This makes the deal less affordable??

@TidalHorizons

24 күн бұрын

So I believe that crew appreciation isn't built into the packages for Australian or New Zealand based guests, but I don't have absolute confirmation of that. It is definitely included for North American passengers. Are you from Aus or NZ?

Never happened to me.

Unfortunately, if you are not a drinker, it still doesn't add up. Sure I could add the cost of special desserts, etc but I wouldn't buy that stuff normally. We go on a lot of cruises and typically spend under $60 per day for basic cruise fare. I have taken cruises where we didn't pay anything extra other than gratuities. Would I rather have another cruise or a package where I wouldn't use much of the perks? Another cruise of course!

@TidalHorizons

3 ай бұрын

Well, it's not for you and no one is forcing anyone to take it! I think the better question to ask yourself is if all-inclusive lines are worth it for you. I would however maintain that if you are a non-drinker but want soda, coffee and bottled water plus the other perks, it doesn't take much to make sense for you.

@allent1034

3 ай бұрын

Glad to hear they are not forcing anyone to take it! True that if you are going to buy the way overpriced sodas, etc it wouldn’t take many to equal the cost of Plus.

If you are on a princess cruise, go get a massage at the lotus spa. I can walk without a lip now!!

@TidalHorizons

4 ай бұрын

My wife heartily agrees with you! Any onboard credit we get instantly gets used up at the Lotus Spa! Massages aren't for me, but I'll indulge in the Thermal Suites on some trips!

On the Princess+, if you don’t drink alcohol does the drink package apply to speciality coffees?

@TidalHorizons

2 ай бұрын

Yes, absolutely they are included. Pretty much every coffee I drink onboard is a specialty coffee... the regular stuff is awful!

So I don’t drink alcohol and only need wifi I guess with my phone to touch base with my family. I don’t eat desserts ( but isn’t it free with dining?) and I can walk instead of exercise classes( can you pay that separately- do they charge for that or the gym?)? I don’t think I need a package? Someone reserved this for me ( my uncle in a group), and I don’t see any packages? When do they add this? And is there a no package option? Thank you- it is my first time on a cruise.

@TidalHorizons

Ай бұрын

Hello! I think you'll still find Princess Plus to work for you even if you aren't drinking alcohol but assuming you will probably take advantage of the specialty coffee, teas, soda/pop and juices. Those start to add up too because they are not included in the cruise fare but will be in the package. Between the wifi package, daily gratuities and the non-alcoholic beverages, you are likely to come out on top. I agree that the fitness classes don't really hold a lot of value, nor do the premium desserts which generally speaking are specialty ice cream desserts at the ice cream or gelato bar. Yes, there is a no-package option, you aren't obligated (in most cases) to have the package. There are rules about first and second passenger in a stateroom must have the same package. If you are looking at the official Princess Booking Confirmation, you should see details about Princess Plus in the Payment Details section. Have a look at the video again and take note of some of the typical prices for non-alcoholic beverages and see what you might be spending each day with or without the package. Thanks for watching!

I heartily agree with you. I have cruised on both Celebrity and Princess recently. The princess plus package is much more economical. Celebrity recently removed crew gratuities from the package and made them a separate item, making their package relatively more expensive. Also be aware of the 20% service charge which is not included either. I hope princess stays the course and does not get into the nickel and diming that is becoming even more prevalent on other lines. 🤑

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! I'm working on a similar comparison for Celebrity now, it should be out in the next week or so. They are not clear on their package pricing, it's variable depending on the sailing and the fare class you choose to book in, so it's making it difficult to analyze the same way. It's also far more expensive. Princess.... listen to your loyal passengers and don't mess around with the packages!

So with the Plus, does each guest get 1 device of WiFi? Or is that 1 device per stateroom

@TidalHorizons

3 ай бұрын

It's one per passenger who has Princess Plus.

If I don’t buy the drink package, can I buy WiFi only? And how much for a day? Thanks

@TidalHorizons

24 күн бұрын

You can but Wifi only for $24.99 per day per person when purchased for the entire voyage. Otherwise it's $29.99 per day per person. There are also multi-device packages. Hope that helps and thanks for watching!

@trangtran-vb2bn

23 күн бұрын

@@TidalHorizons thanks for responded.

I would get the packages, but my partner doesn’t drink or care about Wi-Fi, so I can’t get it.

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

With Princess, have a close look at it because between the gratuities being included and what your partner spends on non-alcoholic beverages, it can often work out in your favour still if you are having a couple of drinks per day and perhaps use the casual dining. I wondered about that travelling with kids (who obviously don't drink!) and it still worked out in our favour by a lot. Thanks for watching!

I’m guessing that bottled water is included on both packages. Thank you.

@TidalHorizons

3 ай бұрын

Excellent guess! Yes, small bottled water is included, but you'll be charged for the large ones, so insist on the small ones.

@johnbolton5569

3 ай бұрын

@@TidalHorizons thank you for answering me so quick. I’m going to take another guess that it’s available at any bar?

@TidalHorizons

3 ай бұрын

Most bars will have water or you can order through the OceanNow feature in the Princess App.

So let's say I don't buy any of these packages, and I want to buy myself a fancy coffee. It's $5 and I pay at the point of sale. Am I still responsible for an 18% gratuity for the full day?

@TidalHorizons

4 ай бұрын

You'd pay an 18% gratuity on the coffee that you bought, effectively making your $5.00 coffee a $5.90 coffee. If you don't buy anything for the rest of the day, you don't pay anything else.

I just checked Princess's web site and the Plus is $76.69 per person per day and not $60.00 per person per day. When do you suppose the price was raised?

@TidalHorizons

4 ай бұрын

Are you in the US? Canadian and Australian prices are different.

@etrammell425

4 ай бұрын

@@TidalHorizons US. It's now $64.99 per day plus 18% service charge totaling $76.70 per day. AUD $110 per day which includes the service charge.

@TidalHorizons

4 ай бұрын

@@etrammell425 www.princess.com/en-us/cruise-deals-promotions/plus-premier-cruise-packages#princess-plus-link Everything I'm seeing still says $60.00 and to my knowledge, they don't charge 18% on top of the $60.00.

@etrammell425

4 ай бұрын

@@TidalHorizons Thank you for checking on this. I was in my Cruise Personalizer (online not the app) and clicked on Beverages. I saw those new prices under the Plus Package. Very interesting...

@ofisisay

23 күн бұрын

@@TidalHorizons $60 plus 18% per day

60AUD per day plus. 80AUD premier

Who needs 8 device WiFi package

For me, no package always wins.

@shawnmartin95358

4 ай бұрын

Unless you want either the drink package or others

@skylineuk1485

3 ай бұрын

Depends on the cruise line for us and we have sailed with 6 or 7 different lines with multiple cruises on each to date. NCL, MSC and Princess do good packages while others like RCCL do not in our view. We easily meet the drink, WiFi etc price point as we priced it individually, but your mileage may vary depending on your holiday habits especially what you drink and how often.

@lauriejohnson-daley3753

3 ай бұрын

We don’t drink alcohol/sodas/special juices, we don’t need wifi on a ship, we don’t eat “special” desserts. For some, a package just isn’t worth purchasing.

@shawnmartin95358

3 ай бұрын

@@lauriejohnson-daley3753 photos?

@skylineuk1485

3 ай бұрын

@@lauriejohnson-daley3753yeah like I said “your mileage may vary” depending on what you do. We would never buy a package on RCCL now as we don’t drink enough to make it work but for some it does work but at the same time we do drink/wifi etc enough for a NCL Free at Sea, MSC or Princess Plus package to work for us so there we buy the package well beforehand usually at discounted rate where possible. Buying any package once onboard is usually horrendously priced also.

What if a room just consists of an adult and a child??? They need these packages for children.

@TidalHorizons

5 ай бұрын

The Princess Plus package still works if you are an adult and child, trust me we tested this during our family trip in the fall. Between the gratuity and wifi (assuming they have their own device of some kind) and the drinks that they will have, it's still worth it. Coming up in a week or so, I'll have a similar breakdown for Celebrity. Their packages REALLY DON"T work for children. Thanks for watching!

Clearly an agent of the cruise line. First, the cruise it's self is overpriced. The beverage packages are an outright robbery!!!!!

@TidalHorizons

3 ай бұрын

Value is personal, care to share your math on what you spend on a cruise vs. the packages?

They are not going to lose money ON AVERAGE!!!

i dont want the wifi or juice or fittness or desserts i will not use the MDR and i only tip my cabin steward what is good for me and the cost please.... iwill drink about 6/7/8 beers a day can you help

@TidalHorizons

4 ай бұрын

Well, let's assume that your beers are $9.00 each and you drink 7 of them. That's $63.00 + 18% gratuity = $74.34. And if you removed the automatic gratuities from your room and gave $10 per day to your cabin steward, you'd be up to $84.34 per day. Princess Plus would include everything for $60.... seems like it would work for you and save you some cash.

@tonyracks2956

4 ай бұрын

@@TidalHorizons but it will cast me $1000 for the whole holiday and thats not including my wife then it would be $2000

@TidalHorizons

4 ай бұрын

How long is your cruise?

@tonyracks2956

4 ай бұрын

@@TidalHorizons 20 nights

@johnp139

4 ай бұрын

Perhaps they will offer a writing class that YOU CLEARLY CAN USE!!!

Both packages are a scam

@TidalHorizons

Ай бұрын

I'm not sure as a package they are a scam if you plan on using the items contained within them. You could argue that drinks are overpriced or wifi is too expensive or that you don't believe in gratuities. Care to elaborate?

@Dangic23

Ай бұрын

@@TidalHorizons Customers had the option to purchase the packages they wanted/needed. With plus and premium, customers now have to buy a package at a set price that includes many unnecessary items just to get the items needed because no longer available individually. So now we are forced to pay more. That’s literally a scam.

@TidalHorizons

Ай бұрын

You still have the option to purchase it or not purchase it, you aren't obligated. You can still buy wifi by itself or pay or not pay gratuities if you don't take the packages. I guess the only thing they've done is eliminate stand-alone beverage packages. I would 100% agree with you if we were talking about Royal Caribbean or NCL packages here but I do think that Princess has done a good job with theirs. Always love getting people's perspectives on things, so thanks for commenting and watching!

@Dangic23

Ай бұрын

@@TidalHorizons Yes, the drink packages are the issue. People who don’t drink alcohol are paying for alcohol just to get the coffee and the soda packages. All the other stuff added to the plus/premier are just fluff to make it look like it has value. Too easy to decipher

With princess plus, you get 1 wifi device per person. If both cruisers have a iphone and a ipad, can you disconnect your iphone from wifi and use your ipad? Just asking for a friend.

@TidalHorizons

3 ай бұрын

Yes, absolutely you can do that and it's very easy. I wouldn't upgrade just to save switching between devices.