How much are "free gratuities" worth?

[new2cruise]

We have the choice of not taking the "best sale ever" and since we're not big drinkers, we're trying to decide the actual value to us, since not taking it is cheaper.  Do the standard tips differ according to your cabin (larger cabin, larger tips?)  I know you calculate it by number of days and number of passengers.  We're looking at a mini suite for 2 people for 7 nights.  What would be the standard tip for that?

[voljeep]

The guest folio will reflect the pre-payment, by Princess Cruises, on behalf of the guest for the suggested gratuities in the U.S. dollar amounts of $14.50 per person per day for Interior, Oceanview, and Balcony staterooms, $15.50 per person per day for Mini-suite and Club Class staterooms and $16.50 per person per day for Suites.

Edited December 20, 2020 by voljeep

[new2cruise]

Thanks Voljeep!  That's exactly what I needed!

[voljeep]

29 minutes ago, new2cruise said:

Thanks Voljeep!  That's exactly what I needed!

remember - the 'beverage package' includes both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks - well outlined on the Princess website

 

also included in BSE is a specialty dinner, and unlimited wifi

 

also 'upgraded cabin location' - say book cat BB but pay the price for BE - ( all about location )

[new2cruise]

For the cruise I'm looking at, they give two options - Best Price which includes specialty dinner, a location upgrade, and a $50 onboard spending credit, or a Best Value option which has the same as the Best Price, and adds free wifi package, premium beverage package with tips, and full onboard gratuities.  But that package costs $280 per person more.  We are not heavy drinkers and we can live without wifi for a week (especially since we can get it in port) so the only advantage for us was the gratuities.  Based on what you told me above, our gratuities would run us $105 per person for a 7 night mini-suite, so we're better off with the Best Price option - unless I'm calculating it wrong.

[voljeep]

3 minutes ago, new2cruise said:

.  We are not heavy drinkers and we can live without wifi for a week

what would be a 'typical beverage consumption' day for you on a non-driving vacation including both alcoholic and NON-alcoholic beverages - bottled water(s), coffee, specialty coffees, fountain soda etc

[new2cruise]

This trip will be an Alaska cruise where we'll be off the ship for most of the day when we're in port. We'll bring refillable bottles for water for when we leave the ship. We'll bring the allowed 2 bottles of wine with us and we'll have a drink sometimes before dinner. We usually have tea with breakfast and dinner, and water at lunch and dinner.  If we got the beverage package we'd drink a little more than that, but for what they charge, we can live without it.

[Thrak]

Remember that the beverage package includes bottled water - regular bottled water, Perrier, and San Pellegrino - as well as "gun" soda, coffee, tea, etc. It also includes the 18% tax placed on all alcoholic beverages.

 

We never purchased the alcohol package in the past because it was too expensive. With the new program it's a good deal for us. I can start the day with a Vanilla Latte or perhaps a double espresso. I can have a beer at lunch, a glass of vine before dinner, and a drink in the evening. That covers the cost of the daily drink portion of the Princess Plus or Best Sale Ever promotions.  That's not really heavy drinking.  If I'm on a ship with milkshakes available I might have a Vanilla Malt mid-day.

 

If I have just the morning coffee and two drinks in the evening I have covered the cost of the alcohol portion of the promotions. Including the 18% gratuity my two preferred drinks - Chairman of the Board Martini and 24K Gold Margarita - run more than $11 each. For us, it's really not a problem to decide.

[voljeep]

4 minutes ago, new2cruise said:

This trip will be an Alaska cruise where we'll be off the ship for most of the day when we're in port. We'll bring refillable bottles for water for when we leave the ship. We'll bring the allowed 2 bottles of wine with us and we'll have a drink sometimes before dinner. We usually have tea with breakfast and dinner, and water at lunch and dinner.  If we got the beverage package we'd drink a little more than that, but for what they charge, we can live without it.

good decision - enjoy your cruise

 

peace out

stay safe 😷

stay hydrated 🧊

[brisalta]

4 minutes ago, new2cruise said:

This trip will be an Alaska cruise where we'll be off the ship for most of the day when we're in port. We'll bring refillable bottles for water for when we leave the ship. We'll bring the allowed 2 bottles of wine with us and we'll have a drink sometimes before dinner. We usually have tea with breakfast and dinner, and water at lunch and dinner.  If we got the beverage package we'd drink a little more than that, but for what they charge, we can live without it.

 

Typical alcohol based beverage is between 8 USD and 12 USD.

Tea is included with meals in MDR and self service in buffet.

I am not sure how much the specialty coffees and teas cost.

[skynight]

35 minutes ago, new2cruise said:

For the cruise I'm looking at, they give two options - Best Price which includes specialty dinner, a location upgrade, and a $50 onboard spending credit, or a Best Value option which has the same as the Best Price, and adds free wifi package, premium beverage package with tips, and full onboard gratuities.  But that package costs $280 per person more.  We are not heavy drinkers and we can live without wifi for a week (especially since we can get it in port) so the only advantage for us was the gratuities.  Based on what you told me above, our gratuities would run us $105 per person for a 7 night mini-suite, so we're better off with the Best Price option - unless I'm calculating it wrong.

Here is some information.

The extra amount for the best value option is $40/pp/day which includes the hotel gratuity of $15.50/pp/day (this is separate from the 18% beverage gratuity added to the purchase of each beverage). Net extra becomes $24.50/pp/day. Cocktails cost around $10 to $12. Sodas $2.36. Specialty coffees around $3.50 to $4.50. Estimated beverage prices include the 18% beverage gratuity. Ice tea, lemonade, juice in the morning, hot tea, coffee are free in the buffet all day and evening and in the DR's. About 2 alcoholic drinks/pp/day plus some non alcoholic is the break even assuming you don't use any internet. Unlimited internet is about $10/day/pp, but only one need to purchase it. So, with internet the net additional for the beverage package is around $20/pp/day.

We don't drink very much. But after more than 40 Princess cruises we feel the convenience is worth the price.

Without the best value option your OBC will be used up quickly to cover the daily gratuities of $31/day.

Edited December 20, 2020 by skynight

[Busy Mum]

15 minutes ago, new2cruise said:

This trip will be an Alaska cruise where we'll be off the ship for most of the day when we're in port. We'll bring refillable bottles for water for when we leave the ship. We'll bring the allowed 2 bottles of wine with us and we'll have a drink sometimes before dinner. We usually have tea with breakfast and dinner, and water at lunch and dinner.  If we got the beverage package we'd drink a little more than that, but for what they charge, we can live without it.

Totally agree with you new2cruise, we don’t take the offer that includes the beverage package as we are also not big drinkers. For us it is $80.00 per person, per day, (Aust dollars) a ridiculous price! We also take a bottle each, when International flights are not needed! Hope you enjoy Alaska, it’s wonderful. 
Merry Christmas & stay well & safe.

Vicki. 🙂

 

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

Simple answer for us, we always would take the free gratuities, over the Bev pkg.

Were not big drinkers either.

Sometimes I get the coffee card, but don't need Bev pkg.

[Schonert]

For the Alaska we “had” booked, it was going to cost is $1500 CAD for the two weeks for the Package vs the Basic,  it was not really worth it.  

[Ronnieslady]

Are they not still giving us the coffee cards (or on our room cards) for changing out our mini bar for Elites & or Full Suites?? We don’t drink alcohol, so the coffee cards fun iced teas are plenty for us. 

[susancruzs]

I'm looking forward to it on my next cruises for the convenience factor.  I enjoy a wine or 2 with dinner, and I like specialty coffees.  I don't go to the buffet area, if I want tea I get a pot of tea at the IC plus I like their mint iced tea.  I'm not an excessive drinker but it doesn't take much to make it worthwhile.  

 

Yes, you can exchange for coffee "cards", I did in Nov. 2019, of course, everything is kind of starting up again and might be an assumption.

Edited December 20, 2020 by susancruzs

[cruzsnooze]

If you don't drink alcoholic beverages the package is more then needed. The gratuity is a suggestion and can be adjusted, the $15.50 I find to high and decrease it when in a suite and $14.50 to high for a mini suite. These have become profit for the company and the money doesn't go in full into the crew pockets. As an elite tier there is a nice amount of free internet depending on the length of the cruise. SO it's an individual decision what it's all worth to you.

[dog]

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said:

If you don't drink alcoholic beverages the package is more then needed. The gratuity is a suggestion and can be adjusted, the $15.50 I find to high and decrease it when in a suite and $14.50 to high for a mini suite. These have become profit for the company and the money doesn't go in full into the crew pockets. As an elite tier there is a nice amount of free internet depending on the length of the cruise. SO it's an individual decision what it's all worth to you.

I will have the Princess plus package for the Dec 21 cruise I am using my FCC on. Rather then have left over FCC that , in my case, can only be used for cruise fare. I found this package with upgrading my cabin category the best way to go. 
 

For another cruise I booked BSE promotions. I am not sure I will keep it since we both get internet, I am elite, so will have minibar setup,  

 

As far as gratuities, it is up to the individual, and we will make sure the crew get them plus extra. They have been out of work a long time and I am sure this will be appreciated. 

[neverbeenhere]

As for the value of free prepaid gratuities, some value the prepaid part as they don't need to budget of the expense after the cruise.

 

 

[caribill]

7 hours ago, dog said:

 

As far as gratuities, it is up to the individual, and we will make sure the crew get them plus extra. They have been out of work a long time and I am sure this will be appreciated. 

If you do not pay the basic gratuities (either as part of the plus package or put on your onboard account), then whatever you give the crew will go into the tipping pool to be shared by all in the pool. If you do pay the basic gratuities, then any extra you hand out may be kept by those you give it to.

[caribill]

9 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

 As an elite tier there is a nice amount of free internet depending on the length of the cruise.

 

Those in the platinum tier also have these free Internet minutes.

[dog]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

If you do not pay the basic gratuities (either as part of the plus package or put on your onboard account), then whatever you give the crew will go into the tipping pool to be shared by all in the pool. If you do pay the basic gratuities, then any extra you hand out may be kept by those you give it to.

We always pay the gratuities and give individual cabin steward & waiters extra. 

[Ombud]

3 hours ago, dog said:

We always pay the gratuities and give individual cabin steward & waiters extra. 

I once read that they prefer paper €£¥A$ tips but I always forget my extra coins for them as well as paper when cruising in Asia / Europe / downunder. Its a hassle to change them back 

 

I get the basic cruise price, trade mini bar for 2 coffee packages, bring on 2 bottles ($15 for 2nd), and have free internet minutes. But BSE would be worth it without the elite / suite add on IMHO 

[CruisinCouple2010]

17 hours ago, Thrak said:

Remember that the beverage package includes bottled water - regular bottled water, Perrier, and San Pellegrino - as well as "gun" soda, coffee, tea, etc. It also includes the 18% tax placed on all alcoholic beverages.

 

We never purchased the alcohol package in the past because it was too expensive. With the new program it's a good deal for us. I can start the day with a Vanilla Latte or perhaps a double espresso. I can have a beer at lunch, a glass of vine before dinner, and a drink in the evening. That covers the cost of the daily drink portion of the Princess Plus or Best Sale Ever promotions.  That's not really heavy drinking.  If I'm on a ship with milkshakes available I might have a Vanilla Malt mid-day.

 

If I have just the morning coffee and two drinks in the evening I have covered the cost of the alcohol portion of the promotions. Including the 18% gratuity my two preferred drinks - Chairman of the Board Martini and 24K Gold Margarita - run more than $11 each. For us, it's really not a problem to decide.

Hi Thrak  

 

I just wanted to ask on ships that do have milkshakes at the ice cream bar are those milk shakes included in the beverage package? I have read all the drinks included on the Princess web site but I don't remember seeing anything about milk shakes.

 

Thanks

[Paula_MacFan]

1 hour ago, CruisinCouple2010 said:

I just wanted to ask on ships that do have milkshakes at the ice cream bar are those milk shakes included in the beverage package? I have read all the drinks included on the Princess web site but I don't remember seeing anything about milk shakes.

 

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

 

Per the terms and conditions in the link above 

• The package includes all, specialty or premium coffees and teas, hot chocolate, fountain sodas, fresh juices (if available), Gong Cha items (if available), Frappes at Coffee & Cones, mocktails, and smoothies as per the menu, Red Bull and Milk Shakes (if available).