My Thoughts on The NEW Princess Plus/Premier Packages: #Cruise #Travel #Princess
Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.
Creator's Key Takeaways
I've seen a lot of commentary around the issue since the announcement yesterday and I was honestly surprised
I recognized and found humor in the announcement methodology which was to add perks to these packages and say there was no increase in price
remember their prices are significantly lower than other Cruise Lines when it comes to what you get in total
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Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.
About our Bacon Score methodologyYouTube Video Description↓
I've cruised twice with Princess since the restart. During those trips, I loved and saw massive potential in the Medallion and OceanNow, but did not find sufficient value in the Plus/Premier packages to buy them on either sailing. When I encountered the Premium Desserts on Caribbean Princess, I was both disappointed in and concerned for the brand (no need to rehash that now). I truly started to wonder if they were headed for bankruptcy. Increased costs will always be ill-received by most, so I hardly blame Princess for trying to blend the introduction of new fees into a press release celebrating how the new costs would *not* apply to passengers with Plus/Premier packages. It seems a lot of people were offended by that approach..Insult added to injury? The other lines I have sailed with since the restart are Royal Caribbean (six times) and NCL (twice). For what Princess is now offering at $60 pp/day, you would *easily* be looking at spending $160 pp/day on Royal Caribbean. I am less confident in quantifying it for NCL but I would guess it's similar to or more expensive than the new Princess Plus plan. The drink and dining packages on both Royal and NCL come with an additional gratuity added on, and while they don't add gratuities to it, the internet is a separate and very expensive purchase on both lines. In my view, the adjustments Princess has made to the packages puts them ahead of the competition and makes them more attractive to someone with my personal style of cruising. Of course I am sad to see room service and previously-free dining options coming at a charge, but the writing has been on the wall about that for a while. These changes, for me, significantly increase the likelihood that I will purchase the Plus package on our upcoming cruises. That's a win for Princess in my book.