Can the All Inclusive Beverage package be purchased on board?

I've been reading these threads, then I went to the Princess web site, http://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/beverages/ and it says: Package is NOT available for purchase within 3 days of sailing.

Is that true? I don't mind the $56.35 a day, but I'm confused! Thanks,

PS I'm going on the Grand Princess to Alaska next week July 30th!

You can't purchase the package online close to your departure, but once onboard you will have no problem getting the package

You can pre-purchase using the order form under Gifts & Services but not so close to sailing. If you're going to pre-purchase, you have to do it at least four days before sailing. You can also purchase it onboard. No difference in price.

Hard to avoid someone trying to sell it to you once you board.

Hard to avoid someone trying to sell it to you once you board.

You've got that right! It will be "in your face" onboard. Not a problem to purchase it after boarding. :rolleyes:

You've got that right! It will be "in your face" onboard. Not a problem to purchase it after boarding. :rolleyes:

I haven't found them to be in your face, but everywhere. No hard sell but lots of places to buy it.

You've got that right! It will be "in your face" onboard. Not a problem to purchase it after boarding. :rolleyes:

It's not "in your face" on Princess, not like Royal Caribbean. There were a few places scattered around ship selling it - we bought ours at a table in the atrium on Dawn, on the same level as the MDR serving lunch.

I wish Princess Australia would get the online price right on it's website though. There is a serious software bug there - it takes the AUD price ($59) and applies the USD-AUD exchange rate to it, giving an incorrect AUD price which Princess then has to adjust once you board.

I just spent quite a bit of time this morning trying to get that through a few thick skulls on FB. Thanks for your comment by the way, Gut. ;)

I haven't found them to be in your face, but everywhere. No hard sell but lots of places to buy it.

That is what I meant. Nobody was really in your face "pushing" it but there were stations all over the place with signs to purchase it. Sorry for overstating the case.

It's not "in your face" on Princess, not like Royal Caribbean. There were a few places scattered around ship selling it - we bought ours at a table in the atrium on Dawn, on the same level as the MDR serving lunch.

 

I wish Princess Australia would get the online price right on it's website though. There is a serious software bug there - it takes the AUD price ($59) and applies the USD-AUD exchange rate to it, giving an incorrect AUD price which Princess then has to adjust once you board.

 

I just spent quite a bit of time this morning trying to get that through a few thick skulls on FB. Thanks for your comment by the way, Gut. ;)

Ouch! I don't understand why so many others "don't understand" about currency exchange rates. It's kind of mind boggling.

That is what I meant. Nobody was really in your face "pushing" it but there were stations all over the place with signs to purchase it. Sorry for overstating the case.

No worries, just didn't want folk to think it'd be high pressure sell.

Ouch! I don't understand why so many others "don't understand" about currency exchange rates. It's kind of mind boggling.

Yeah the web site is just crazy that way.

So an item that's sat US$10, is about Aus$13, they put it on the site at $Aus13, the site then thinks that's US$ so shows it as $17 (all figures rough but close).

Yeah the web site is just crazy that way.

 

So an item that's sat US$10, is about Aus$13, they put it on the site at $Aus13, the site then thinks that's US$ so shows it as $17 (all figures rough but close).

The Princess IT team is somewhat "special".

Note: I just (finally!!!) retired from a career in IT so I'm a bit snarky about stuff that doesn't work properly. ;)

Yes you can. Did anyone ever see Princess turn money down 💸💸💸💸.

Tony

Ouch! I don't understand why so many others "don't understand" about currency exchange rates. It's kind of mind boggling.

It's not a currency exchange rate issue per se, Thrack, at least not of the normal lack of understanding type of issue.

The AIBP package is priced in AUD for our region, and shows on the Princess website under drinks packages separately to the USD package. It's AUD $59. However in the personalizer it shows up as anything from $62 to over $76 depending on what USD-AUD exchange rate was in force at the time you made your booking and that can vary.

The problem is that the price is already in AUD. There is a tiny bug in the personalizer software that doesn't recognise that and so "converts it" again. :rolleyes: This causes no end of confusion, both here and on Aussie FB forums. :eek:

I am unsure whether to purchase prior to sailing (in GBP)or onboard (in USD).

Anyone know which would be the better deal ?

The Princess IT team is somewhat "special".

 

Note: I just (finally!!!) retired from a career in IT so I'm a bit snarky about stuff that doesn't work properly. ;)

So am I. I'm an escapee from the IT industry as well. ;)

I am unsure whether to purchase prior to sailing (in GBP)or onboard (in USD).

Anyone know which would be the better deal ?

It very much depends on what exchange rate the GBP package price was calculated at. You can work that out based on what prices are showing for OBC in your personalizer. Whatever the prices are there buys US $25, $50 and $100 respectively. Do the calculation and check it against the current exchange rate.

The Princess exchange rate for your cruise usually doesn't change unless you cancel and rebook. Sometimes it's very favourable, sometimes it's not.

As an example, for our last cruise, a repo cruise with onboard costs in USD instead of AUD which is more usual down our way, prices were calculated at a .90 exchange rate. The actual exchange rate at departure date was fluctuating between .82 and .86. We bought the package online at a very favourable price and also bought a decent amount of OBC, and were very happy cruisers. :D

The current rate for OBC is $1.43 to £1.

So good I've pre booked most on my predicted on board spend for our two week cruise starting next weekend

The current rate for OBC is $1.43 to £1.

 

So good I've pre booked most on my predicted on board spend for our two week cruise starting next weekend

My cruise personaliser shows the A.I. package at £39:45 per day.Is the 15% gratuity added to that the same as it is if you "pay your way" when it is added every time you buy a drink ?

Princess does not add the grat with every drink you buy like NCL. You only pay it on the orig price when you buy it ( the pkg). No surprises here!

I am unsure whether to purchase prior to sailing (in GBP)or onboard (in USD).

Anyone know which would be the better deal ?

OK, the bank rate that I'm seeing for pounds is $1.31. At that rate, your beverage package would be costing your $51 per day.

Since the going rate for the package is $56 per day, that means Princess is giving you an exchange rate of $1.43/

Bottom line, right now Princess is giving you a better rate than any bank. Buy it now in pounds.

You might also want to consider pre-paying your tips in pounds. If you wait and use money that you've converted to dollars, you'll pay more.

Hi Avo,

You can use your On Board Credit, if you have any, once you are on board - not before.

Sorry if I am repeating.

Ira

you can buy it ahead of time on line like others have said.

You can only buy it on the first two days on board. No matter when you buy it on board you have to pay for the entire length of the cruise.

So if you buy for a 7 day cruise on the first day you pay the same as you if you buy on the 2nd day of the cruise.

So get it the first day!

Enjoy

OK' date=' the bank rate that I'm seeing for pounds is $1.31. At that rate, your beverage package would be costing your $51 per day.

 

Since the going rate for the package is $56 per day, that means Princess is giving you an exchange rate of $1.43/

 

Bottom line, right now Princess is giving you a better rate than any bank. Buy it now in pounds.

 

You might also want to consider pre-paying your tips in pounds. If you wait and use money that you've converted to dollars, you'll pay more.[/quote']

 

Thanks for the advice,that is helpful.

I just learned that $8.05 for soda and more includes gratuities ONLY if you buy it before the cruise. So that is a better deal than on the cruise.

Thanks guys, for your input.:)

http://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/beverages/