Princess Plus bought before recent announcements

[memoak]

45 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

And don't forget you have to pay that $160 for the last day when you leave the ship early morning. 😄

So why wouldn’t I still drink the night before  we dock ?  disembarkation day is day 8 of a 7 day cruise

[memoak]

We never use room service and  our next 7 cruises are all on grand class ships so no pizza restaurant. No need to get the upgrade from the old plus package

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, villauk said:

 

 @Cruise till you drop wasn’t denying that, what they were saying is there is a way that good companies handle these things and what Princess has just done isn’t one of them.

 

I agree there are good ways to handle changes.  Princess announces fees for a couple of things that were previously free.  Or, they increase the price of Specialty restaurants.  Ignoring packages, how should Princess handle this for people with current bookings?  

[villauk]

Just now, ldubs said:

should Princess handle this for people with current bookings?  

 

I’d be more than happy getting exactly what I thought I’d purchased when I paid my final balance 3 months ago as I don’t want the fitness classes or the desserts. 

[ldubs]

8 minutes ago, villauk said:

 

I’d be more than happy getting exactly what I thought I’d purchased when I paid my final balance 3 months ago as I don’t want the fitness classes or the desserts. 

 

Princess is implementing charges for pizza in the atrium area and room service.   Those things were free at the time of your final payment.   Seems the big complaint is that instead of an effective date for the new charges, they should implement them for fares purchased after a given date.  The latter would be very difficult to administer I think.   

 

 

[ldubs]

20 minutes ago, memoak said:

We never use room service and  our next 7 cruises are all on grand class ships so no pizza restaurant. No need to get the upgrade from the old plus package

 

For me it is hard to justify that upgrade.   Essentially an additional $10 per person per day for a couple pizza dinners and to avoid a $5 room service fee (or a one time $15 Ocean Now activation fee).  

[voljeep]

3 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

For me it is hard to justify that upgrade.   Essentially an additional $10 per person per day for a couple pizza dinners and to avoid a $5 room service fee (or a one time $15 Ocean Now activation fee).  

and we don't even have Alfredo's/Gigi's on the CB - nope - we'll stay with PLUS50 - pay the 14.99 for one phone and all orders on the app from that phone, my wife's - will she 'absorb' some of my 15?

hmmm - we have ordered 2 cabs, and a chard before - she can take the 'hit' easily

[ldubs]

16 hours ago, Cruise till you drop said:

I watched the video and he is exactly correct and does a good job scathing Princess on their unprecedented greedy move.  We “were” also loyal customers and for various reasons including this one, we’ve changed from Princess to Celebrity for Jan 2024 and 2025.

 

I thought he was very incorrect in strongly implying that one must pay to upgrade from an existing package.  Unless I have significant misunderstanding, that is simply not the case.  

[villauk]

6 minutes ago, ldubs said:

The latter would be very difficult to administer I think.

 
And yet Princess were very quick to offer me the upgrade as they could tell straight away that I had the ‘old’ package when I used the chat facility 🤔. You forgot to mention the Medallion that they promoted in order to obtain my business now becomes an extra cost, and I didn’t really mind not being able to receive mine prior to boarding, even though now it appears it cost $10 to have it shipped if not on a package - which obviously I can’t as they don’t provide shipping to everyone. 

[ldubs]

1 minute ago, villauk said:

 
And yet Princess were very quick to offer me the upgrade as they could tell straight away that I had the ‘old’ package when I used the chat facility 🤔. You forgot to mention the Medallion that they promoted in order to obtain my business now becomes an extra cost, and I didn’t really mind not being able to receive mine prior to boarding, even though now it appears it cost $10 to have it shipped if not on a package - which obviously I can’t as they don’t provide shipping to everyone. 

 

Oh, I'm sure they will be happy for folks to buy the upgrade.   A fee for shipping the medallion on request makes sense to me.  Of course, that doesn't mean it isn't a new fee.  

 

As things currently sit, I'm pretty happy with the options included in the basic fare and paying for those over and above things I want.  My concern, not limited to Princess, is that the basic fare gets diluted to the point it has little value by itself.  Conversely, because I am not a heavy user of alcoholic beverages, I am also concerned with a move to all inclusive fares. 

[villauk]

1 minute ago, ldubs said:

 

Oh, I'm sure they will be happy for folks to buy the upgrade.   A fee for shipping the medallion on request makes sense to me.  Of course, that doesn't mean it isn't a new fee.  

 

As things currently sit, I'm pretty happy with the options included in the basic fare and paying for those over and above things I want.  My concern, not limited to Princess, is that the basic fare gets diluted to the point it has little value by itself.  Conversely, because I am not a heavy user of alcoholic beverages, I am also concerned with a move to all inclusive fares. 

 

I did buy the package but now it’s been diluted; it’s been more about the rollout for me and how badly they have handled it.
 

If it’s of any benefit to you, X (Celebrity) tried fully inclusive fares only for a while and they had to backtrack.

[voljeep]

2 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

Oh, I'm sure they will be happy for folks to buy the upgrade.   A fee for shipping the medallion on request makes sense to me.  Of course, that doesn't mean it isn't a new fee.  

 

As things currently sit, I'm pretty happy with the options included in the basic fare and paying for those over and above things I want.  My concern, not limited to Princess, is that the basic fare gets diluted to the point it has little value by itself.  Conversely, because I am not a heavy user of alcoholic beverages, I am also concerned with a move to all inclusive fares. 

what else could Princess remove from the 'basic/Standard' fare that they haven't already?

[ldubs]

1 minute ago, villauk said:

 

I did buy the package but now it’s been diluted; it’s been more about the rollout for me and how badly they have handled it.
 

If it’s of any benefit to you, X (Celebrity) tried fully inclusive fares only for a while and they had to backtrack.

 

The package has been diluted only because there are now charges for things that were previously included in the basic fare.  

[CruizinSusan70]

2 hours ago, villauk said:

 

 @Cruise till you drop wasn’t denying that, what they were saying is there is a way that good companies handle these things and what Princess has just done isn’t one of them.

I fully understand.  Have not read anywhere that anyone has received an email from Princess letting currently booked cruisers know about the changes.  Only a miniscule amount of cruisers are active on CC, so there will be many upset and disgruntled cruisers when they read the letter that I assume will be waiting for them in their cabin.  And if course if they don't read it or hear about it on the ship, they will find out about it first hand when they get charged the $5.00 for room service, the $14.99 activation fee or the changes at Alfredo's.

[villauk]

1 minute ago, voljeep said:

what else could Princess remove from the 'basic/Standard' fare that they haven't already?

 

IC, certain bars and lounges only available to those with packages, laundry usage only for certain packages, priority boarding included with packages, theatre seating priority timing for packages, private shows for certain packages, turn-down service priority and reduced unless on a certain package, buffet only and MDR uncharge unless on a package…. The scope is endless.

 

 

2 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

The package has been diluted only because there are now charges for things that were previously included in the basic fare.  

Which ever way you look at it, I’m still getting less for the same amount of money.

[ldubs]

3 minutes ago, voljeep said:

what else could Princess remove from the 'basic/Standard' fare that they haven't already?

 

Fees for (fill in the blanks).  😃

 

I think the International cafe is a likely candidate. Or, pizza/burgers on the Lido deck.    Less likely are MDR and Horizon court.  My personal favorite would be a gangway access fee.  😃

[voljeep]

1 minute ago, ldubs said:

 

Fees for (fill in the blanks).  😃

 

I think the International cafe is a likely candidate. Or, pizza/burgers on the Lido deck.    Less likely are MDR and Horizon court.  My personal favorite would be a gangway access fee.  😃

I agree IC may be the next to fall... mdr, never say never, buffet, lido pizza/burgers - maybe some choices for a fee

[ldubs]

4 minutes ago, villauk said:

 

IC, certain bars and lounges only available to those with packages, laundry usage only for certain packages, priority boarding included with packages, theatre seating priority timing for packages, private shows for certain packages, turn-down service priority and reduced unless on a certain package, buffet only and MDR uncharge unless on a package…. The scope is endless.

 

 

Which ever way you look at it, I’m still getting less for the same amount of money.

 

I agree 100%. 

[villauk]

4 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

I fully understand.  Have not read anywhere that anyone has received an email from Princess letting currently booked cruisers know about the changes.  Only a miniscule amount of cruisers are active on CC, so there will be many upset and disgruntled cruisers when they read the letter that I assume will be waiting for them in their cabin.  And if course if they don't read it or hear about it on the ship, they will find out about it first hand when they get charged the $5.00 for room service, the $14.99 activation fee or the changes at Alfredo's.

 

Nope, I’ve not received an email about the changes for my imminent cruise, but I have received 4 others this week so they do have my correct email address 🤣. I am expecting the letter in my cabin - great start for people just after boarding!

[CruizinSusan70]

2 hours ago, seapals2 said:

Have to agree .. thank goodness Princess still gives us the choice.  I’m sure there are many for whom the package equals value for money.  Just not us.  We enjoy a cocktail .. and have a bottle of wine and a speciality coffee but to spend $160 a day .. every day .. even port days .. is hard to imagine.  

We're happy with Plus and will gladly pay 120 per day.  It's 88 per day after factoring out grants.  Don't really need wifi, so that's gravy.  So, for 44 pppd we get the drink package which is cheaper than the drink package on all of the other main stream US based lines.

We're upset about the Alfredo's changes, but it is what it is.

[CruizinSusan70]

2 hours ago, MissP22 said:

And don't forget you have to pay that $160 for the last day when you leave the ship early morning. 😄

No, disembarkation morning is day 8, and free.

[ldubs]

12 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

I fully understand.  Have not read anywhere that anyone has received an email from Princess letting currently booked cruisers know about the changes.  Only a miniscule amount of cruisers are active on CC, so there will be many upset and disgruntled cruisers when they read the letter that I assume will be waiting for them in their cabin.  And if course if they don't read it or hear about it on the ship, they will find out about it first hand when they get charged the $5.00 for room service, the $14.99 activation fee or the changes at Alfredo's.

 

An email to existing bookings about new or increased pricing would be a good customer service move.    

[CruizinSusan70]

6 minutes ago, villauk said:

 

Nope, I’ve not received an email about the changes for my imminent cruise, but I have received 4 others this week so they do have my correct email address 🤣. I am expecting the letter in my cabin - great start for people just after boarding!

Guest services are going to be swamped with so many people.  The line will be massively long.

[Cruise till you drop]

3 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

An email to existing bookings about new or increased pricing would be a good customer service move.    

No.  A good customer service move would be to honor your original pricing to those that have booked

 

 

Edited August 11, 2023 by Cruise till you drop

[CruizinSusan70]

1 minute ago, ldubs said:

 

An email to existing bookings about new or increased pricing would be a good customer service move.    

It would somewhat nip it in the bud.  But, more importantly, it would alleviate some of the deluge of people that will be inundating customer service with demands of what is going on.