Price Rises: Gratuities, Wifi, Medallion Shipping 🤑💰

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, Flyinby said:

We ordered 2-12 packs, and others in our group with "plus' came by often to mooch a bottle; they had to order it and wait around for it to be delivered, which was pretty annoying.

Why didn't they just stop by at any bar and pick up a couple of bottles ? 

[Cruise Raider]

On 12/11/2022 at 8:55 AM, memoak said:

Does this mean they will have different dessert menus for each person at a table ?  That could lead to a lot of arguments in my opinion

It’s my understanding that you can get premium desserts at the ice cream bar.  So far, I’ve never really seen anyone at the counter ordering one so, I am assuming there is a charge.  Instead of closing it down, they’ve chosen to add it as a premium dessert.  I bet not there will be a line there now.  
Some people love Ice cream but for me, it is something I just don’t care that much for.  I might have one spoonful of it once a year.  

[chamima]

15 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

It’s my understanding that you can get premium desserts at the ice cream bar.  So far, I’ve never really seen anyone at the counter ordering one so, I am assuming there is a charge.  Instead of closing it down, they’ve chosen to add it as a premium dessert.  I bet not there will be a line there now.  
Some people love Ice cream but for me, it is something I just don’t care that much for.  I might have one spoonful of it once a year.  

 

 

So there is no included (and I don't say free because we've paid to be on the cruise) ice cream or soft serve anymore at the Ice Cream Bar?

[rjack22]

I am confused.   I know that they are not mailing the medallions to those of us in the US anymore for free.     What date is this effective?    Are you grandfathered in if you paid final payment before Dec 14 but are not sailing until Feb 25?   Will I still get them mailed us me?

[dog]

23 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

 

So there is no included (and I don't say free because we've paid to be on the cruise) ice cream or soft serve anymore at the Ice Cream Bar?

By the pool on Enchanted Princess there was ice cream soft serve, popcorn included in your cruise fare.

 

 

no one was at gelato place anytime I went past on Enchanted or Discovery.  They were not getting the business on Alaska or New England cruises.

[srpilo]

On 12/22/2022 at 7:54 PM, Steelers36 said:

 

 

I did not get an answer to the cost of a single day MedallionNet on-board, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it increase from the former $20/day.

 

Just curious, do Elites get the 50% discount on the single day rate onboard too or only on the full cruise package ?

[Guest ldtr]

2 hours ago, rjack22 said:

I am confused.   I know that they are not mailing the medallions to those of us in the US anymore for free.     What date is this effective?    Are you grandfathered in if you paid final payment before Dec 14 but are not sailing until Feb 25?   Will I still get them mailed us me?

If you ordered the medallions prior to the change date you are grandfathered in, you did not to have made final payments.  I made sure to order mine for cruises up through next December.

[MissP22]

On 12/19/2022 at 3:39 AM, caribill said:

 

Not necessarily.

 

They can list the special desserts on the menu with a price, but with an asterisk that says if you have xxx package, there will be no fee.

It should be interesting to see how it all works out.

They can't seem to charge the standard drinks correctly now. I can't imagine the incorrect billings when the new package begins. 

We've had 5 bad charges from one bar in the past 10 days.

Edited December 28, 2022 by MissP22

[Flyinby]

14 hours ago, wowzz said:

Why didn't they just stop by at any bar and pick up a couple of bottles ? 

I didn't ask.  They did get water sent to their room (small bottles, large ones cost even if you have plus, apparently), but I'm not inclined to tell someone in my family to "get their own damb water" if they ask for a bottle or I offer them one.

 

Perhaps they didn't know that the bar dispenses bottles of water, or perhaps Princess doesn't make that clear...I didn't know that, but then I don't use the "plus". 

 

At the buffet, my daughter (plus) asked for water, the guy asked if she wanted a bottle or glass, she said bottle, and he proceeded to poke at his screen and said it would be delivered.  After about 15 minutes we left, sans water bottle.

[wowzz]

3 minutes ago, Flyinby said:

I didn't ask.  They did get water sent to their room (small bottles, large ones cost even if you have plus, apparently), but I'm not inclined to tell someone in my family to "get their own damb water" if they ask for a bottle or I offer them one.

 

Perhaps they didn't know that the bar dispenses bottles of water, or perhaps Princess doesn't make that clear...I didn't know that, but then I don't use the "plus". 

 

At the buffet, my daughter (plus) asked for water, the guy asked if she wanted a bottle or glass, she said bottle, and he proceeded to poke at his screen and said it would be delivered.  After about 15 minutes we left, sans water bottle.

Fair enough.

Just seemed a trivial complaint.

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, srpilo said:

Just curious, do Elites get the 50% discount on the single day rate onboard too or only on the full cruise package ?

Yes.  50% has applied to all Medallion Net purchases.

[Incognito1]

On 12/27/2022 at 7:29 PM, Flyinby said:

I suspect they've lowered the quality of the "ordinary" desserts in order to make the upgrade desserts more desirable.

Exactly this.  On our last cruise, desserts pretty much consisted of mousses and cake products.  Disappointing.

[chamima]

8 hours ago, Incognito1 said:

Exactly this.  On our last cruise, desserts pretty much consisted of mousses and cake products.  Disappointing.

 

No souffles?

[dog]

14 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

No souffles?

Discovery & Enchanted has them.

[memoak]

13 hours ago, Incognito1 said:

Exactly this.  On our last cruise, desserts pretty much consisted of mousses and cake products.  Disappointing.

That is strange in our 4 cruises this year there were a good selection of desserts if we wanted them. Usually full after appetizers and mains 

[Cruise Raider]

6 hours ago, chamima said:

 

No souffles?

I believe we had soufflés on at least 4 nights and once at lunch on our last cruise.  

[Ombud]

On 12/28/2022 at 7:09 AM, Cruise Raider said:

It’s my understanding that you can get premium desserts at the ice cream bar.  So far, I’ve never really seen anyone at the counter ordering one so, I am assuming there is a charge.  Instead of closing it down, they’ve chosen to add it as a premium dessert.  I bet not there will be a line there now.  
Some people love Ice cream but for me, it is something I just don’t care that much for.  I might have one spoonful of it once a year.  

Yes there is a charge at Gelato. Problem (for Princess) is that I can get the flavors in MDR with only a few toppings. I don't like toppings because its sweet enough already so I eat my ice cream, sorbet, and gelato plain

[chamima]

2 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Yes there is a charge at Gelato. Problem (for Princess) is that I can get the flavors in MDR with only a few toppings. I don't like toppings because its sweet enough already so I eat my ice cream, sorbet, and gelato plain

 

I LOVE ice cream! It  is one of my favorite foods.

I agree that toppings ruin it. So those premium desserts pictured look terrible to me. But I would ( and  have) paid extra for a scoop of really good gelato.. (Remember when Gelato used to be included in the coffee card?)

[Flyinby]

22 hours ago, wowzz said:

Fair enough.

Just seemed a trivial complaint.

It wasn't exactly a complaint, it came bundled with a positive comment:

"I'd say the $7 bottled water packages are the best bargain of the whole cruise.  We ordered 2-12 packs, and others in our group with "plus' came by often to mooch a bottle; they had to order it and wait around for it to be delivered, which was pretty annoying."

 

Having the 24 bottles of water in our room, easy to grab whenever the need arises or if we're headed out, was great, as opposed to those who had to order it sent individually and/or wait for it in room or elsewhere...hence several found it easier to "mooch" one of ours, or we just offered them one when we were leaving.  Even if I did have plus, which I won't, I'd probably still order a 12-pack or two just for the convenience.

 

Our room service for coffee etc. was very good, usually showing up in probably 10 minutes or less, but having the water already there was still more convenient than having to order it.

[Flyinby]

3 hours ago, memoak said:

That is strange in our 4 cruises this year there were a good selection of desserts if we wanted them. Usually full after appetizers and mains 

They do have a decent selection, but in our case the problem was more with quality.  Good cheesecake, for example, should be rich and creamy, not light and fluffy...but then it's not only Princess who pushes off the air-filled version, it's gotten to be quite common.  There were some good desserts, some disappointing, and about half the time I opted for the build-your-own sundae, which was made with surprisingly good ice cream or gelato.

 

I've learned to be careful and judicious with starters and other preliminaries, so I don't spoil the main course, which of course comes at the end of the meal 8^).

 

The pastries, tarts, etc. at the coffee place sort of qualify as desserts, and they were mostly pretty disappointing.  They all looked nice, but were often stale, flavorless, or an odd combination of flavors.  I always liked the tarts with coffee on previous cruises, but both the fruit and pastry this time was just not that good...I'd generally get 3-4 at a time that looked good, and then sort out one that actually tasted good, and left the rest.

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, Flyinby said:

They do have a decent selection, but in our case the problem was more with quality.  Good cheesecake, for example, should be rich and creamy, not light and fluffy...but then it's not only Princess who pushes off the air-filled version, it's gotten to be quite common.  There were some good desserts, some disappointing, and about half the time I opted for the build-your-own sundae, which was made with surprisingly good ice cream or gelato.

 

I've learned to be careful and judicious with starters and other preliminaries, so I don't spoil the main course, which of course comes at the end of the meal 8^).

 

The pastries, tarts, etc. at the coffee place sort of qualify as desserts, and they were mostly pretty disappointing.  They all looked nice, but were often stale, flavorless, or an odd combination of flavors.  I always liked the tarts with coffee on previous cruises, but both the fruit and pastry this time was just not that good...I'd generally get 3-4 at a time that looked good, and then sort out one that actually tasted good, and left the rest.

At the International Caffe the selection has increased, but unfortunately the quality seems to have dropped.  In the past used to often get a light lunch there.  On recent cruises not so much.  

[notatubaplayer]

So for a couple, both elites, what will the current internet charge be on an 8 day cruise?

[memoak]

5 hours ago, notatubaplayer said:

So for a couple, both elites, what will the current internet charge be on an 8 day cruise?

Depends on what package you have. Unlimited internet is included on both plus and premier packages 

Edited December 30, 2022 by memoak