Price of drinks at the princess platinum/elite lounge in $AU

Intelopers, are they illegals or those who just had an easier path to status?

Just call them Gatecrashers.:cool:

Just call them Gatecrashers.:cool:

It would be fine if they bought us drinks or something but when they just rock up and steal the lounges. :eek:

It would be fine if they bought us drinks or something but when they just rock up and steal the lounges. :eek:

And the prawns, and the guacamole and the corn chips and the cheese and the smoked salmon and all the other goodies in ye olde Elite/Platinum/Suite Lounge. That is why we do first sitting dinner these days, so I don't go and scoff all that tucker pre dinner.:mad:

I don't think I will gatecrash the Grills lounge on QM2, the Gurkha security officers will whip their kukris out real smart. I don't think my credit card travel insurance will cover those injuries.

Hi Happysnapper, re: your 5 Princess ships there may have been a Platinum/Elite Lounge without you knowing. My wife and I were on the Emerald last November from Singapore to Sydney and were talking to some new found friends after trivia in the Vista Lounge. The staff started to clear the room of passengers who were not Platinum or Elite and set up tables with canapes etc. The cocktails were all $5.00. There was no publicising of this lounge to our knowledge hence as we will be on the Golden in September 2017 I was interested to know if the lounge exists and apparently it will be in Skywalkers I certainly will check. It is great value.

It should be on Golden, Paul. They certainly had it when we cruised on her last year - unfortunately we hadn't reached Platinum at that time. The annoying thing about having it in Skywalkers is that they block off access to the walkway up to Skywalkers, instead of just blocking off the bar. There were a couple of times when we would have liked to watch sailaways from that walkway but couldn't.

This is where the cocktail sauce is mandatory.:p

 

I prefer the guacamole.:D

Amazing, regular Princess cruisers will have a Platinum and Elite lounge on all the larger ships. The cocktails will now be $7.00 AUD and most other drinks are way more expensive than previous cruises. Basic beers $7.00. I had a look last year and these were the prices quoted. I contacted Princess, no reply, and said that the drinks had increased at about 10 times the rate of inflation. They obviously care less.

Golden had their platinum/elite lounge in Skywalkers.

Amazing, regular Princess cruisers will have a Platinum and Elite lounge on all the larger ships. The cocktails will now be $7.00 AUD and most other drinks are way more expensive than previous cruises. Basic beers $7.00. I had a look last year and these were the prices quoted. I contacted Princess, no reply, and said that the drinks had increased at about 10 times the rate of inflation. They obviously care less.

Amazing, regular Princess cruisers will have a Platinum and Elite lounge on all the larger ships. The cocktails will now be $7.00 AUD and most other drinks are way more expensive than previous cruises. Basic beers $7.00. I had a look last year and these were the prices quoted. I contacted Princess, no reply, and said that the drinks had increased at about 10 times the rate of inflation. They obviously care less.

Remember the AUD has dropped considerably against the USD and that is a more likely reason for drinks price increases. A lot of the provisioning for Princess ships comes from the US.

Personally I'm more than happy to pay $7 for a cosmo - it would cost $15 or more in a Sydney bar.

It would be fine if they bought us drinks or something but when they just rock up and steal the lounges. :eek:

We always have to remind staff to check. When it is busy, we ask again. After a while they get the message. I also agree with the comments anout the farmed, washed and sterilised prawns, we do not eat them. The wishy washy tomato sauce has no roots in a cocktail sauce. Now I am getting picky:eek:

 

Personally I'm more than happy to pay $7 for a cosmo - it would cost $15 or more in a Sydney bar.

The 'Chairman of the board' is my preference.

We always have to remind staff to check. When it is busy, we ask again. After a while they get the message. I also agree with the comments anout the farmed, washed and sterilised prawns, we do not eat them. The wishy washy tomato sauce has no roots in a cocktail sauce. Now I am getting picky:eek:

The 'Chairman of the board' is my preference.

I haven't tried that one (yet).

My regular cocktail on Princess is a Pomegranate Martini - like a Cosmo but with Pomegranate liqueur instead of Cointreau.

It should be on Golden, Paul. They certainly had it when we cruised on her last year - unfortunately we hadn't reached Platinum at that time. The annoying thing about having it in Skywalkers is that they block off access to the walkway up to Skywalkers, instead of just blocking off the bar. There were a couple of times when we would have liked to watch sailaways from that walkway but couldn't.

That's what makes it a Platinum Elite Privilege.

The 'Chairman of the board' is my preference.

I don't mind the Rob Roy once you teach them to hold the Roy ;) Have to be careful though after 3 weeks mine eventually became a whole glass of Chivas with two or three pieces of ice :halo: Made the ramp down from Skywalkers to dinner a little wobbly some nights???

Remember the AUD has dropped considerably against the USD and that is a more likely reason for drinks price increases. A lot of the provisioning for Princess ships comes from the US.

 

Personally I'm more than happy to pay $7 for a cosmo - it would cost $15 or more in a Sydney bar.

What cheeses me off is that we are a captive market. Most of maybe consume just a tad more on board than we would otherwise do AND we do it seven days a week! That is the difference. Every bar and eatery is guaranteed a good roll up, staffing and catering is easier and more profitable in these circumstances AND no G.S.T..

That's what makes it a Platinum Elite Privilege.

I expected them to start the exclusion zone at the actual entrance to Skywalkers, not the entrance to the walkway. There wasn't a person in sight either so it wasn't that Skywalkers was crowded or anything.

On Celebrity the Elite function only takes over half of the Sky Lounge, leaving room for the rest of us to enjoy the view.

What cheeses me off is that we are a captive market. Most of maybe consume just a tad more on board than we would otherwise do AND we do it seven days a week! That is the difference. Every bar and eatery is guaranteed a good roll up, staffing and catering is easier and more profitable in these circumstances AND no G.S.T..

If you don't like it, don't cruise Princess, but you might find prices are even higher on other cruise lines. IMHO Princess prices are reasonable.

I expected them to start the exclusion zone at the actual entrance to Skywalkers, not the entrance to the walkway. There wasn't a person in sight either so it wasn't that Skywalkers was crowded or anything.

 

On Celebrity the Elite function only takes over half of the Sky Lounge, leaving room for the rest of us to enjoy the view.

Well, that's how it works on Princess and when we've been on ships with Skywalkers it's always been full of PE guests during the allocated hours. Not having this privilege on Australian based ships detracts from the appeal of sailing with Princess including of course the old ships we're offered.

That's what makes it a Platinum Elite Privilege.

Yes, that it is. Spent a lot of money to get these perks.

I don't mind the Rob Roy once you teach them to hold the Roy ;) Have to be careful though after 3 weeks mine eventually became a whole glass of Chivas with two or three pieces of ice :halo: Made the ramp down from Skywalkers to dinner a little wobbly some nights???

Scotch on the rocks is fine, or even with just a dash of water.

I expected them to start the exclusion zone at the actual entrance to Skywalkers, not the entrance to the walkway. There wasn't a person in sight either so it wasn't that Skywalkers was crowded or anything.

 

On Celebrity the Elite function only takes over half of the Sky Lounge, leaving room for the rest of us to enjoy the view.

I have been on X when there were so many Elite and higher that the whole lounge was utilised. This was one reason why they introduced the three free drinks loaded onto the card at most bars around the ship. Now they have gone back to the half lounge as many Elites do not bother going to the lounge anymore, due to the loaded drinks or they have drink packages anyway.

Well, that's how it works on Princess and when we've been on ships with Skywalkers it's always been full of PE guests during the allocated hours. Not having this privilege on Australian based ships detracts from the appeal of sailing with Princess including of course the old ships we're offered.

Just one of the reasons why cruising on the Sun, sea or dawn was unappealing to me.

Having just returned from our alaskan cruise on the star princess. The evening drinks was great. We nibbled on lovely tasty morsels and drank copious drinks for $5 US before staggering to dinner, feeling very relaxed and happy.

Having just returned from our alaskan cruise on the star princess. The evening drinks was great. We nibbled on lovely tasty morsels and drank copious drinks for $5 US before staggering to dinner, feeling very relaxed and happy.

I really like the corn chips and the guacamole that they have.:D