Disappointed how expensive internet plan is for us as Platinums or Elites on a 15 night transatlantic

[lambs2]

Just finished getting the green light setting up our accounts on the Medallion app for our April 16 TA sailing on Emerald. This will be our first Princess cruise since pre-covid days and the first time using Medallions as our last cruise was on the Pacific Princess which was our favorite ship. We were spoiled for years getting some free internet each cruise as Platinums or Elites and it was always sufficient to occasionally check email, send a few pics back home on Facebook, and check our post cruise reservations and flights. Simple needs as not particularly tech savvy or needy. Got a shock today. All we are offered via Medallion pre-cruise for our TA is a 1 or 4 device plans. Least expensive cost WITH OUR 50% discount) - $75..  We feel that is outrageous. Thought I read there was a 1 day plan? Guess if there is, it is only offered on board. Other thoughts?

[007colocruz]

So, I just checked my current booking. I was charged $140 US for my 4 device internet, 14 day cruise as an elite. Travel summary says Elite Discount.

Do  I get OBC back from that when I am on board?

[AtlantaCruiser72]

You all do realize that Princess internet is the absolute lowest priced of any of the major cruise brands?  Most others charge upwards of $20-25/day for similar internet service.  The fact that you get a 50% reduction as elite makes it even more cost effective.  $9.95/day for a 1 device package ($5/day after elite discount) is an absolute BARGAIN!!!!!!!

[lambs2]

007colocruz -

 

The 50% off Elite Multi-deice plan is $150. for my sailing of 15 nights. So you did get the discount (if you want to call it that!)

Edited March 26, 2022 by lambs2

[lambs2]

5 minutes ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

You all do realize that Princess internet is the absolute lowest priced of any of the major cruise brands?  Most others charge upwards of $20-25/day for similar internet service.  The fact that you get a 50% reduction as elite makes it even more cost effective.  $9.95/day for a 1 device package ($5/day after elite discount) is an absolute BARGAIN!!!!!!!

Not for those of us who used to get a set number of hours free as a reward for loyalty its not. Guess it is all relative.

Edited March 26, 2022 by lambs2

[billco]

32 minutes ago, lambs2 said:

Just finished getting the green light setting up our accounts on the Medallion app for our April 16 TA sailing on Emerald. This will be our first Princess cruise since pre-covid days and the first time using Medallions as our last cruise was on the Pacific Princess which was our favorite ship. We were spoiled for years getting some free internet each cruise as Platinums or Elites and it was always sufficient to occasionally check email, send a few pics back home on Facebook, and check our post cruise reservations and flights. Simple needs as not particularly tech savvy or needy. Got a shock today. All we are offered via Medallion pre-cruise for our TA is a 1 or 4 device plans. Least expensive cost WITH OUR 50% discount) - $75..  We feel that is outrageous. Thought I read there was a 1 day plan? Guess if there is, it is only offered on board. Other thoughts?

Not to worry. Internet probably won’t be available for most of your cruise and you will get OBC for it. We sailed on the Regal last November from Southampton to FLL and did not have internet from Ponta Delgada. There is current thread about the Sky Princess not having internet on their TA. We sail April 9 on the Enchanted and I am not optimistic.

[007colocruz]

I had excellent internet last time , I sailed on Sky & Star Princess ships. Too bad about those on current Sky!

[c-boy]

1 hour ago, lambs2 said:

,...." Other thoughts?"

 Just one, after spending thousands on a cruise, what's another 75 bucks.

[DaisyRose]

I for one am very disappointed about all the "cutbacks" I have read about regarding loyalty benefits.  Although my current booking has the Princess plus that includes gratuities and  beverage package, I don't think all future cruises will.  I finally reached elite status, and was so happy when I did.  And now they are reducing so many of those benefits.  I'll miss the loyalty benefit, though it wasn't much, it "encouraged" me to spend a little extra onboard, such as for a specialty restaurant.  I also recently read that only 6 bottles of alcohol instead of the 8 we used to get in the elite mini bar.  And now, half price on Internet instead of a little free time.  I am not really interested in using much Internet while I am on vacation.  I simply like to log in to email every few days to check in with home, just in case there are any issues with families or my dog.  It's very disappointing, and lessens my loyalty to Princess.  I understand they have to make up for many losses during the covid shutdown, but they should not expect to do that in the first year back.  I feel they should try to keep people feeling appreciated, and then they will keep coming back to Princess.  I really no longer feel appreciated or loyal to Princess.  

[Princessfan20]

1 hour ago, lambs2 said:

Not for those of us who used to get a set number of hours free as a reward for loyalty its not. Guess it is all relative.

 

At first we were upset with the cutback but we are OK with the 50% discount now.  

 

The internet speed has changed greatly and we liked the unlimited use and we are no longer getting stressed sitting there watching our free loyalty minutes disappear waiting for a page to load.   The old system performed so poorly and I am sure it was a cash cow for Princess because people went through minutes so fast at no fault of their own.  

[JimmyVWine]

22 minutes ago, DaisyRose said:

I for one am very disappointed about all the "cutbacks" I have read about regarding loyalty benefits.  Although my current booking has the Princess plus that includes gratuities and  beverage package, I don't think all future cruises will.  I finally reached elite status, and was so happy when I did.  And now they are reducing so many of those benefits.  I'll miss the loyalty benefit, though it wasn't much, it "encouraged" me to spend a little extra onboard, such as for a specialty restaurant.  I also recently read that only 6 bottles of alcohol instead of the 8 we used to get in the elite mini bar.  And now, half price on Internet instead of a little free time.  I am not really interested in using much Internet while I am on vacation.  I simply like to log in to email every few days to check in with home, just in case there are any issues with families or my dog.  It's very disappointing, and lessens my loyalty to Princess.  I understand they have to make up for many losses during the covid shutdown, but they should not expect to do that in the first year back.  I feel they should try to keep people feeling appreciated, and then they will keep coming back to Princess.  I really no longer feel appreciated or loyal to Princess.  

But it isn't really a cutback when you consider that the internet is unlimited and not just 100 minutes. Sure, there are people who can make due with 100 minutes over the course of a week.  But PCL is looking at the big picture and to the future.  100 minutes of spotty wifi is, to most people these days, like living in the Stone age.  That won't even get you through 2 episodes of The Crown.  If you compare the old pricing of getting 100 free spotty minutes followed by purchasing 300 more minutes at full fare after burning through your free ones to half price of unlimited high speed wifi, you will see that the benefit to Platinum and Elites is still quite a nice perk.  

[donswife]

The free minutes was instituted when the whole system was minute based, and internet packages were sold in minute increments.  Now that it is only sold as unlimited, the free minutes does not fit the model, and just caused a lot of wasted time getting them sorted out/reinstated when the internet did not log off as expected.  On the plus side, the internet is generally so much better now, it is actually useful, especially for people like my DH, who need to be able to work when on vacation.

[jagoffee]

5 hours ago, donswife said:

The free minutes was instituted when the whole system was minute based, and internet packages were sold in minute increments.  Now that it is only sold as unlimited, the free minutes does not fit the model, and just caused a lot of wasted time getting them sorted out/reinstated when the internet did not log off as expected.  On the plus side, the internet is generally so much better now, it is actually useful, especially for people like my DH, who need to be able to work when on vacation.

Internet packages that are based on minutes are becoming very uncommon.  Unlimited for a certain number of days is the new norm across the industry.  Minute packages just do not make a lot of sense.  Too many problems and concerns about the reliability.  I would never buy a minute based package.  Too much pressure concerning logging in, operating, and logging out.  Too difficult to measure accurately.  

[justafem]

I used to have to pay $75 for 150 additional minutes, on top of the included 150 minutes.  The internet was slow, like dial-up slow.  It wasted 3 minutes signing in, let alone getting the work I had to get done in that slow slow slow internet.

 

Now it's $35 for unlimited on a 7 day.  The speed is like early broadband, not as fast as home, but 20 millions times faster than it used to be.  I don't have to worry about going over my paid minutes.  I don't have to log out and I don't have to watch the clock.  

 

Have you been on any other lines?  Disney, you pay per gig.  Expect at least a $300 bill.  Carnival's unlimited is $20+ per day and slower.  You pay according to the "package" you choose. 

 

I'll gladly pay the additional. 

Edited March 27, 2022 by justafem

[caribill]

The old benefit for 7 days of 150 free minutes was worth about 50 cents a minute or $75.

 

So it was a benefit worth $75.

 

Full price now for 7 days is $70 if purchased pre-cruise without any discount or $35 for those with the Internet benefit.

 

So Princess has taken a $75 benefit and changed it into an income stream of $35.

 

However, for those paying for the Plus package which includes Internet, there is no discount at all for Platinum/Elite. The result is $0 Internet benefit anymore for platinum/Elite passengers who pay for the Plus package.

[flviking]

We have ATT for our cell phones. $50 or $100 for a 30 day cruise plan depending on the data and minutes you want to buy. Far more affordable.

[logan25]

I agree about the slow to nonexistent internet on Princess transatlantic cruises.  
 

After Regal got out of range of Fort Lauderdale, I could only occasionally text my husband and there were whole days nothing could be sent or received.  Forget about surfing or sending photos.  It got slightly better once the ship was in range of Europe.

 

Based on my experience, I would not expect any passenger connectivity in the Atlantic Ocean.

[WAvoyager]

3 hours ago, logan25 said:

I agree about the slow to nonexistent internet on Princess transatlantic cruises.  
 

After Regal got out of range of Fort Lauderdale, I could only occasionally text my husband and there were whole days nothing could be sent or received.  Forget about surfing or sending photos.  It got slightly better once the ship was in range of Europe.

 

Based on my experience, I would not expect any passenger connectivity in the Atlantic Ocean.

Some have stated they were told Princess switched providers for the satellite service.  Others were told Sky was having a problem with needing an additional part.  It’s highly unlikely that Princess will not resolve this problem for TA sailings, the main question is when.

 

I would say it’s safe to assume the problem won’t be fixed on any near term sailings.

[adstz]

3 hours ago, flviking said:

We have ATT for our cell phones. $50 or $100 for a 30 day cruise plan depending on the data and minutes you want to buy. Far more affordable.

Have you used this on board a ship? You still have to connect to the ship's wifi as there would be cell signal out at sea. Just curious if this works in the middle of nowhere.

Edited March 27, 2022 by adstz

[donaldsc]

21 hours ago, lambs2 said:

Just finished getting the green light setting up our accounts on the Medallion app for our April 16 TA sailing on Emerald. This will be our first Princess cruise since pre-covid days and the first time using Medallions as our last cruise was on the Pacific Princess which was our favorite ship. We were spoiled for years getting some free internet each cruise as Platinums or Elites and it was always sufficient to occasionally check email, send a few pics back home on Facebook, and check our post cruise reservations and flights. Simple needs as not particularly tech savvy or needy. Got a shock today. All we are offered via Medallion pre-cruise for our TA is a 1 or 4 device plans. Least expensive cost WITH OUR 50% discount) - $75..  We feel that is outrageous. Thought I read there was a 1 day plan? Guess if there is, it is only offered on board. Other thoughts?

 

If that is $75 for the entire cruise, that is only $5.36 per day.  I don't consider that an  outrageous price.

 

DON

[Steelers36]

12 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

 

If that is $75 for the entire cruise, that is only $5.36 per day.  I don't consider that an  outrageous price.

 

DON

Umm, minor point, but 15 days goes evenly into $75 for $5/day.

[Steelers36]

22 hours ago, lambs2 said:

Just finished getting the green light setting up our accounts on the Medallion app for our April 16 TA sailing on Emerald. This will be our first Princess cruise since pre-covid days and the first time using Medallions as our last cruise was on the Pacific Princess which was our favorite ship. We were spoiled for years getting some free internet each cruise as Platinums or Elites and it was always sufficient to occasionally check email, send a few pics back home on Facebook, and check our post cruise reservations and flights. Simple needs as not particularly tech savvy or needy. Got a shock today. All we are offered via Medallion pre-cruise for our TA is a 1 or 4 device plans. Least expensive cost WITH OUR 50% discount) - $75..  We feel that is outrageous. Thought I read there was a 1 day plan? Guess if there is, it is only offered on board. Other thoughts?

Yes, you can book single day(s) on board.  The cost is $20/day, less your discount.  So, if you think you only need internet for less than 50% of the voyage days, then just buy a day-at-a-time.

 

You can also elect to have one of you purchase the plan and share the access.  BUT, only one of you can be connected at a time due to the 1-device limit.

[cruisingram1]

I liken the change here to the change in our cell phone plans. My first cell phone plan (dates me for sure) included 20 minutes. Used to turn phone off when I wasn’t talking very fast. Then it went to 40 minutes. 100. And now we’re all used to unlimited talk, text and data and don’t look back. I’m thrilled with unlimited for $35. I paid $100 on a RCL cruise a number of years ago and thought IT was a bargain. Actually convinced hubby he needs too and signed up for 4 devices for $70. Will share with our cruising companions. And now Platinum and Elite can get their discount pre-cruise on Medallion app. No need to request adjustment when you board. Can’t use OBC if you buy before cruise. And understand it’s a bit more when you sign up on board. Maybe someone who has experienced can clarify. 

[TravelingCartwheels]

22 hours ago, billco said:

Not to worry. Internet probably won’t be available for most of your cruise and you will get OBC for it. We sailed on the Regal last November from Southampton to FLL and did not have internet from Ponta Delgada. There is current thread about the Sky Princess not having internet on their TA. We sail April 9 on the Enchanted and I am not optimistic.

 

Could you link me to that thread?  I'm having difficulty finding it.  Many thanks!

[JillK]

7 minutes ago, TravelingCartwheels said:

 

Could you link me to that thread?  I'm having difficulty finding it.  Many thanks!

 

Here you go: