Princess plus v Princess Premier

[sandancer]

We have decided to take the Plus package on our Princess cruise this summer. For an extra £15 pp pd we could have the Premier package. If anyone has tried both, could you comment on if the extra cost of £360 is worth it. 

[Wonders By Wallis]

15 minutes ago, sandancer said:

We have decided to take the Plus package on our Princess cruise this summer. For an extra £15 pp pd we could have the Premier package. If anyone has tried both, could you comment on if the extra cost of £360 is worth it. 

It was for me. It allowed me to order different kinds of drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) throughout the cruise. I loved watching a movie from the hot tub, ordering an old fashioned to sip and having it delivered to me. I also like the two specialty restaurant meals and the casual restaurants that are included. The reserved seating for the theater is a bonus. On my last cruise I got upgraded to a mini-suite so it was nice having the extra cost for the gratuities included without having to pay more. 

[2and2]

We only cruise once every three or four years. I work fifty-six hour work weeks, so I do not even want to worry about what something is costing on board. I want top shelf drinks, I want the best food, no buffets, and if I want a keepsake photo I can get one. The 401 k might take a hit, but this blue collar worker rarely gets to live it up like that. I don't want to do the math. Of coarse it favors the bean counters from corporate.

[memoak]

We are good with the plus package. 99% of our favorite drinks fit in the plan. We usually only go the specialty restaurants once or twice a cruise one of which is comped since entail in suites. Most of our cruise are on Grand class ships with few casual eateries so 2 of those are plenty. We eat mainly in the MDR and after 56 cruises never really want to do any photos. But I guess each to his own. Most of our cruises are 14-21 days so the difference in price would be quite high

[tulok]

I agree with @Wonders By Wallis. I am in finance and always looking at numbers. Don’t want to even think about them on vacation. And I like champagne and appetizers on the balcony before going down to dinner. Being spoiled on a cruise is what it is all about.

But it is definitely a personal choice.

[Wonders By Wallis]

25 minutes ago, tulok said:

And I like champagne

Yes. The Premier package means I can order proper Champagne whenever I want and not sparkling wine. Even though I don't drink to excess, ordering Champagne and top shelf whiskey got me my money's worth. 🙂

[Thrak]

We take the Plus package but have been disappointed with the wine selection. I've looked at actual wine lists and there are much better wines that "fit" the Plus package but they are never offered. If they know I have the Plus package when I ask for a wine list they give me the generic list with entries such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, etc. No brand names or years. It's stupid and really peeves me since, as I said above, I know there are better wines that fit within the price range of Plus. I'm not a wine connoisseur by any means but just giving a generic variety of wine is insulting.

[Wonders By Wallis]

1 minute ago, Thrak said:

I'm not a wine connoisseur by any means but just giving a generic variety of wine is insulting.

Like top shelf spirits. You may need to ask explicitly. Have you tried that? I had a Caymus Cabernet in the Crown Grille that was wonderful on my last cruise. 

[memoak]

17 minutes ago, Thrak said:

We take the Plus package but have been disappointed with the wine selection. I've looked at actual wine lists and there are much better wines that "fit" the Plus package but they are never offered. If they know I have the Plus package when I ask for a wine list they give me the generic list with entries such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, etc. No brand names or years. It's stupid and really peeves me since, as I said above, I know there are better wines that fit within the price range of Plus. I'm not a wine connoisseur by any means but just giving a generic variety of wine is insulting.

I think you will find that there are several really good wines within the plus package at Vines. Most bars do not have a wide range of wines. On the Crown in October there was a really nice Zin for $15 

[Thrak]

24 minutes ago, Wonders By Wallis said:

Like top shelf spirits. You may need to ask explicitly. Have you tried that? I had a Caymus Cabernet in the Crown Grille that was wonderful on my last cruise. 

 

I would like to be able to look at the actual wine list that shows the vintner and the year. I know they have them but they don't offer them to us as we are lowly Plus users. I need to get a copy of a list somewhere - but of course they seem to differ by ship - and have it handy for reference. I "think" I even saw a wine list on the TV listing for the buffet. Maybe I'll check for lists that way and take a pic of the list so I can remember what is actually within the price range. I'd love to upgrade but...

[memoak]

3 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

I would like to be able to look at the actual wine list that shows the vintner and the year. I know they have them but they don't offer them to us as we are lowly Plus users. I need to get a copy of a list somewhere - but of course they seem to differ by ship - and have it handy for reference. I "think" I even saw a wine list on the TV listing for the buffet. Maybe I'll check for lists that way and take a pic of the list so I can remember what is actually within the price range. I'd love to upgrade but...

Vines has a printed menu with prices. I am a lowly plus passenger also

Edited January 23 by memoak

[2and2]

1 minute ago, Thrak said:

 

I would like to be able to look at the actual wine list that shows the vintner and the year. I know they have them but they don't offer them to us as we are lowly Plus users. I need to get a copy of a list somewhere - but of course they seem to differ by ship - and have it handy for reference. I "think" I even saw a wine list on the TV listing for the buffet. Maybe I'll check for lists that way and take a pic of the list so I can remember what is actually within the price range. I'd love to upgrade but...

I am lowly at the factory I work at. Again that is why I am premier on vacation. I definitely think it is worth it . 

[Thrak]

1 minute ago, memoak said:

Vines has a printed menu with prices. I am a lowly plus passenger also

Sadly, our next ship - Discovery Princess - doesn't have Vines. GAH!!!

[Wonders By Wallis]

6 minutes ago, Thrak said:

Sadly, our next ship - Discovery Princess - doesn't have Vines. GAH!!!

But it does have Bellini's (I'll be spending time there next week) and I bet the Crown Gril Bar has a good selection of wines (if it shares its list with the restaurant). 

[suzyed]

56 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

I would like to be able to look at the actual wine list that shows the vintner and the year. I know they have them but they don't offer them to us as we are lowly Plus users. I need to get a copy of a list somewhere - but of course they seem to differ by ship - and have it handy for reference. I "think" I even saw a wine list on the TV listing for the buffet. Maybe I'll check for lists that way and take a pic of the list so I can remember what is actually within the price range. I'd love to upgrade but...

You just have to ask and they will bring you the wine list.  Who told you that  you can't look at it.?

And when you order a wine above the $15 limit you just pay the difference.

Edited January 23 by suzyed

[memoak]

27 minutes ago, suzyed said:

You just have to ask and they will bring you the wine list.  Who told you that  you can't look at it.?

And when you order a wine above the $15 limit you just pay the difference.

Difference plus 18%

[suzyed]

29 minutes ago, memoak said:

Difference plus 18%

yup

[suzyluvs2cruise]

2 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

I would like to be able to look at the actual wine list that shows the vintner and the year. I know they have them but they don't offer them to us as we are lowly Plus users. I need to get a copy of a list somewhere - but of course they seem to differ by ship - and have it handy for reference. I "think" I even saw a wine list on the TV listing for the buffet. Maybe I'll check for lists that way and take a pic of the list so I can remember what is actually within the price range. I'd love to upgrade but...

I agree.....and it's not just on Princess that this is happening. 

[suzyluvs2cruise]

1 hour ago, suzyed said:

You just have to ask and they will bring you the wine list.  Who told you that  you can't look at it.?

And when you order a wine above the $15 limit you just pay the difference.

Have you done this recently? and on Discovery? 

 

[Wonders By Wallis]

14 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

Have you done this recently? and on Discovery? 

 

I'll be on Discovery starting on Saturday and can do this. 

[suzyluvs2cruise]

1 minute ago, Wonders By Wallis said:

I'll be on Discovery starting on Saturday and can do this. 

Look forward to hearing about your experience with a wine list. We'll be on Discovery end of Feb and again for the RT Hawaii. 

[reedprincess]

4 hours ago, memoak said:

We are good with the plus package. 99% of our favorite drinks fit in the plan. We usually only go the specialty restaurants once or twice a cruise one of which is comped since entail in suites. Most of our cruise are on Grand class ships with few casual eateries so 2 of those are plenty. We eat mainly in the MDR and after 56 cruises never really want to do any photos. But I guess each to his own. Most of our cruises are 14-21 days so the difference in price would be quite high

I've done both. Plus has been plenty fine in the past, it covers 95% of what we drink - higher end whiskey and scotch (not top top shelf but plenty good upper middle top brands, Belvedere, Chopin, Ketel One, D'sarrono, Campari, Grand Marnier, etc..

Yes, the wine choices aren't great - and that's one thing I've enjoyed when upgrading to Premier.

I thoroughly enjoyed my unlimited casual dining on Caribbean Princess recently. Ate charcuterie at Vines 3 or 4 times, don't even try Planks or Steamers.. 

Enjoyed my specialty dinimg, one night at Crown Grill for my girlfriend's birthday dinner and at Sabatini's one. As I was going to be dining at CG anyways, at $39 for the dinner, upgrading to Premier for the week made sense - $120 over Plus. 

Took about 30 pics.. I don't usually do so, but why not? Won $25 credit on Princess Prizes.

Ordered a couple bottles of the Caymus Cabernet in both Crown Grill and MDR and got the 25% discount, which was great (same discount on Plus)

Ordered Ocean Now delivery a couple times (covered on both).

 

 

Overall, I more than "for my money's worth" upgrading to Premier..  Would I do it again? Entirely depends on itinerary, who I'm traveling with, etc. Plus is generally good enough - although the unlimited casual dining on Premier is a big "plus" to me, lol... Depends on ship, of course as all casual dining isn't equal for me.. 

 

So, overall - as with any extras ; it depends what's "worth it" to you and you alone, as you're the one paying for it and using it..  

You can try Plus for day one aboard and then decide whether to upgrade - upgrade can be day 1 or 2 Or book Plus, then  Take a look at things aboard and decide to upgrade immediately. Or wait to book either til aboard and take a look at drink menus, food menus, and so forth... 

[Wonders By Wallis]

41 minutes ago, reedprincess said:

Caymus Cabernet

I fell in love with this at my CG steak dinner. 

[beshears]

If I do the Princess Premier package, will that help me get a better seat, or make sure I get a seat in the Princess Live Theater? I know is is smaller than the larger theater, and there will be some things going on there that I want to make sure I see.

[nini]

7 hours ago, memoak said:

I think you will find that there are several really good wines within the plus package at Vines. Most bars do not have a wide range of wines. On the Crown in October there was a really nice Zin for $15 

What was the Zinfandel that you liked?