Princess appears to have pulled a swifty with Plus/Premier drinks value limits

[OzKiwiJJ]

35 minutes ago, arxcards said:

I think you are going off half cocked and there is a miscommunication over a set of T&C that hasn't updated.

 

We have cruised on an old ($85) premier package. The cap for drink prices was $30, as is the case for the current $95 package.

 

We didn't get priority seating, fitness classes, Alfredo's, Ocean now delivery, fat desserts in our $85 fare. However, we did get $25 OBC and drinks up to $30.

 

Your recent email says nothing about changes to drink price caps. Your wine menu shows Plus by-the-glass inclusions. They have one menu, not an old plus menu & a new plus menu.

 

There is no weasel clause in action, apart from Ocean Now & Prix Fixe charges being imposed to something that was free at the time of booking, as they did a year ago. You are just allowing the inconsistencies of Princess documentation to play on your insecurities. I can assure you that you can drink shitty glasses of wine to the value of $22 on your old plus package.

No, I'm not going off half cocked. I had a discussion elsewhere with someone who is currently on Coral, who had booked the Plus fare before December 2022, and who is limited to $16 without paying extra. I didn't believe it at first then I checked the T&Cs on the website which, as shown in my original post, now have two different sets of conditions depending on when you booked your Plus fare. I don't know exactly when this changed but it wasn't like that last time I looked although that was probably a few months ago. 

 

However there seems to be some variation as to what people are experiencing. It may be ship-dependant. It seems like a total mess. Since we only paid $40pp per day, as long as we get our internet, bottled water, coffees, some of our favourite cocktails abd liqueurs, and 25% discount on wines by the bottle we'll have got our money's worth. I've given up expecting Princess to offer decent wines by the glass.

 

Go to the bottom of those T&Cs and you'll see the weasel clause which gives Princess the right to change as much as they like about the drinks package, with no notice, and whatever version of the T&Cs are in place when your cruise starts is what you're stuck with. 

Edited March 23 by OzKiwiJJ

[Jacster99]

6 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

No, I'm not going off half cocked. I had a discussion elsewhere with someone who is currently on Coral, who had booked the Plus fare before December 2022, and who is limited to $16 without paying extra. I didn't believe it at first then I checked the T&Cs on the website which, as shown in my original post, now have two different sets of conditions depending on when you booked your Plus fare. I don't know exactly when this changed but it wasn't like that last time I looked although that was probably a few months ago. 

 

However there seems to be some variation as to what people are experiencing. It may be ship-dependant. It seems like a total mess. Since we only paid $40pp per day, as long as we get our internet, bottled water, coffees, some of our favourite cocktails abd liqueurs, and 25% discount on wines by the bottle we'll have got our money's worth. I've given up expecting Princess to offer decent wines by the glass.

 

Go to the bottom of those T&Cs and you'll see the weasel clause which gives Princess the right to change as much as they like about the drinks package, with no notice, and whatever version of the T&Cs are in place when your cruise starts is what you're stuck with. 

I would have been interested to hear what you had to say about my comment, but nobody has even mentioned it. I notice this happens a lot when Princess puts out conflicting information. Most people cling to one or the other, saying it is right.

[arxcards]

22 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

No, I'm not going off half cocked. I had a discussion elsewhere with someone who is currently on Coral, who had booked the Plus fare before December 2022, and who is limited to $16 without paying extra. I didn't believe it at first then I checked the T&Cs on the website which, as shown in my original post, now have two different sets of conditions depending on when you booked your Plus fare. I don't know exactly when this changed but it wasn't like that last time I looked although that was probably a few months ago. 

 

However there seems to be some variation as to what people are experiencing. It may be ship-dependant. It seems like a total mess. Since we only paid $40pp per day, as long as we get our internet, bottled water, coffees, some of our favourite cocktails abd liqueurs, and 25% discount on wines by the bottle we'll have got our money's worth. I've given up expecting Princess to offer decent wines by the glass.

 

Go to the bottom of those T&Cs and you'll see the weasel clause which gives Princess the right to change as much as they like about the drinks package, with no notice, and whatever version of the T&Cs are in place when your cruise starts is what you're stuck with. 

The T&C's you have shown were up on the website over a year ago, and they were wrong and confusing then. Nothing has changed since they were put on Princess.com early last year. The weasel clause was in place way back then too, and used to justify why you could no longer dine at Alfredo's as complimentary , and that they had the right to charge an Ocean Now fee to anyone not having the relevant package.

[OzKiwiJJ]

11 hours ago, Jacster99 said:

I would have been interested to hear what you had to say about my comment, but nobody has even mentioned it. I notice this happens a lot when Princess puts out conflicting information. Most people cling to one or the other, saying it is right.

Sorry, Jacster99, the way this forum works it's easy to miss a post.

 

Did you have to go to Guest Services to get that booklet? That's the sort of thing that should be in your cabin when you board. Many people wouldn't realise there was such a thing.

 

It's getting more and more confusing.

- Some people have been getting the $22 limit, others have been restricted to $16 - someone on Coral right now has experienced that.

- Some people have received emails confirming they will get the $22 limit but I just got a sales pitch to upgrade email and there is no way we'll be paying over $5000 to do that (we're doing the world cruise) given the poor quality wines by the glass. 

- there may even be some variance from ship to ship, or possibly even depending on the length of the cruise.

 

People can only report their own experiences but forget that curcumstances can change, often without notice, which is why I put up this thread. I'll find out for real in just over five weeks!

 

 

[cruiselover53]

Watched the news last night.  People are being killed everywhere  in wars. Others are starving to death.  Let's raise a glass in their memory.  Just saying.

[LittleFish1976]

19 minutes ago, cruiselover53 said:

Watched the news last night.  People are being killed everywhere  in wars. Others are starving to death.  Let's raise a glass in their memory.  Just saying.

There are definitely more important issues in the world but this is a cruise forum so the issues here are going to be mundane but pertinent to the topics at hand.

 

I'm happy to talk about wars and other even more brutal unequal injustices but I think we'll have to do it elsewhere.

[Jacster99]

3 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Sorry, Jacster99, the way this forum works it's easy to miss a post.

 

Did you have to go to Guest Services to get that booklet? That's the sort of thing that should be in your cabin when you board. Many people wouldn't realise there was such a thing.

 

It's getting more and more confusing.

- Some people have been getting the $22 limit, others have been restricted to $16 - someone on Coral right now has experienced that.

- Some people have received emails confirming they will get the $22 limit but I just got a sales pitch to upgrade email and there is no way we'll be paying over $5000 to do that (we're doing the world cruise) given the poor quality wines by the glass. 

- there may even be some variance from ship to ship, or possibly even depending on the length of the cruise.

 

People can only report their own experiences but forget that curcumstances can change, often without notice, which is why I put up this thread. I'll find out for real in just over five weeks!

 

 

Yes, I wanted to know exactly what was included in my package and they gave me that.  I don't even know if it is correct.  It doesn't have a date on it, but you could use it to prove your case if you are charged the difference.  Note that there is no difference between the old and the new.  I don't know how much I was given, as I always asked when ordering if it was included and I was never charged.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Jacster99 said:

Yes, I wanted to know exactly what was included in my package and they gave me that.  I don't even know if it is correct.  It doesn't have a date on it, but you could use it to prove your case if you are charged the difference.  Note that there is no difference between the old and the new.  I don't know how much I was given, as I always asked when ordering if it was included and I was never charged.

Thanks. That's an excellent summary. I hope I can get that on our upcoming world cruise. It's all very confusing but hopefully those who read this thread and the post I put on the world cruise toll call will at least be aware of the potential issue and check exactly what they are entitled to. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, cruiselover53 said:

Watched the news last night.  People are being killed everywhere  in wars. Others are starving to death.  Let's raise a glass in their memory.  Just saying.

So you decide to be snarky just because the issue doesn't affect you? 🤔 

 

I booked a fare in good faith and expect to get what I paid for, which I believe is perfectly reasonable.

[Jacster99]

26 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Thanks. That's an excellent summary. I hope I can get that on our upcoming world cruise. It's all very confusing but hopefully those who read this thread and the post I put on the world cruise toll call will at least be aware of the potential issue and check exactly what they are entitled to. 

Actually it was given to me by a senior staff member who asked if she could help as I was waiting at the service desk.  The leaflets were sitting on top of the desk for anyone to take. I have never had any idea what I was entitled to, as I didn't buy the package.  I think my TA gifted it to me.  But it would definitely be the old one.

[OzKiwiJJ]

18 minutes ago, Jacster99 said:

Actually it was given to me by a senior staff member who asked if she could help as I was waiting at the service desk.  The leaflets were sitting on top of the desk for anyone to take. I have never had any idea what I was entitled to, as I didn't buy the package.  I think my TA gifted it to me.  But it would definitely be the old one.

You may have unwittingly booked a Plus fare which includes the drinks and internet packages. When Princess introduced the Plus fare the online booking engine defaulted to that rather than the standard fare so your TA may have just booked that fare for you without saying anything about the difference. 

[Jacster99]

2 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

You may have unwittingly booked a Plus fare which includes the drinks and internet packages. When Princess introduced the Plus fare the online booking engine defaulted to that rather than the standard fare so your TA may have just booked that fare for you without saying anything about the difference. 

 

2 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

You may have unwittingly booked a Plus fare which includes the drinks and internet packages. When Princess introduced the Plus fare the online booking engine defaulted to that rather than the standard fare so your TA may have just booked that fare for you without saying anything about the difference. 

No, I booked my own fare, and they didn't have plus fares then.  It was November 2017, for the 2019 cruise.  I then took a move over to 2020.  What could go wrong, I thought lol.  And the system still defaults to the plus fare. I don't know when the package was booked. but I noticed it a couple of years ago.  It says compliments of my TA but he said he didn't know anything about it.  Same thing also happened with my other move over booking, also booked through him.  

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Jacster99 said:

 

No, I booked my own fare, and they didn't have plus fares then.  It was November 2017, for the 2019 cruise.  I then took a move over to 2020.  What could go wrong, I thought lol.  And the system still defaults to the plus fare. I don't know when the package was booked. but I noticed it a couple of years ago.  It says compliments of my TA but he said he didn't know anything about it.  Same thing also happened with my other move over booking, also booked through him.  

In that case maybe Princess upgraded your booking to Plus. Nice one if they did! 😊

 

I think the Plus Fares came out early 2021. It shows in the 22/23 brochure which was published in February 2021. So if your 2020 cruise was moved to 2022, then to 2024 they may have added Plus as a bonus. 

[Jacster99]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

In that case maybe Princess upgraded your booking to Plus. Nice one if they did! 😊

 

I think the Plus Fares came out early 2021. It shows in the 22/23 brochure which was published in February 2021. So if your 2020 cruise was moved to 2022, then to 2024 they may have added Plus as a bonus. 

They certainly didn't add it in to the fare, and it said compliments of my travel agent. There are separate amounts for the beverage and wi-fi. Anyway it is more than enough for my needs.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Jacster99 said:

They certainly didn't add it in to the fare, and it said compliments of my travel agent. There are separate amounts for the beverage and wi-fi. Anyway it is more than enough for my needs.

Sadly their wines by the glass are very poor, half of them are de Bortoli cask wines in bottle form so if you enjoy good wines you'll be disappointed. Plus they only offer 9 wines instead of the 25 wines by the class they claim in the package promos. But they do have a fantastic range of cocktails. If the Good Spirits special cocktail list is still within the Plus price limit do try a few, especially the Butterfly. However I'd don't recommend the Coco-Cafe one at night if you want to get any sleep that night! 😁

[resordanis]

Just noticed on Medallion App it show my drinks price as $15  Hope it is an old listing and not AUD.

Edited March 24 by resordanis

[OzKiwiJJ]

12 minutes ago, resordanis said:

Just noticed on Medallion App it show my drinks price as $15  Hope it is an old listing and not AUD.

That sounds like the USD limit for the $65 Plus package. I've heard there is a bug in the app where it is quoting prices depending on whether that ship is operating in USD or AUD at the moment. 

[Jacster99]

2 hours ago, resordanis said:

Just noticed on Medallion App it show my drinks price as $15  Hope it is an old listing and not AUD.

Me too.  The carelessness & sloppiness is starting to annoy me.  No wonder people are confused.  As far as I know it has never been AUD15 so it must be USD.  Someone should tell them there are other countries that use dollars and it would make sense to use currency codes.

[Jacster99]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

That sounds like the USD limit for the $65 Plus package. I've heard there is a bug in the app where it is quoting prices depending on whether that ship is operating in USD or AUD at the moment. 

It's in Australia, so operating in AUD.

[Jacster99]

2 hours ago, resordanis said:

Just noticed on Medallion App it show my drinks price as $15  Hope it is an old listing and not AUD.

Mine doesn't say AUD.

[resordanis]

My app doesn’t even have the right cabin! Not even my old cabin, nor the upgraded, just another random cabin number!

[resordanis]

17 hours ago, Jacster99 said:

Yes, I wanted to know exactly what was included in my package and they gave me that.  I don't even know if it is correct.  It doesn't have a date on it, but you could use it to prove your case if you are charged the difference.  Note that there is no difference between the old and the new.  I don't know how much I was given, as I always asked when ordering if it was included and I was never charged.

This is excellent. Just hope it hasn’t changed by next week. I have the document saved, thank you. That is all I thought I would be covered for actually, didn’t think anything else. I know the white wine is $14 by the glass, horrible as it is, so I will see what else is available, but I thought the next price was $23.

[Jean C]

1 hour ago, resordanis said:

My app doesn’t even have the right cabin! Not even my old cabin, nor the upgraded, just another random cabin number!

That's a worry - you could phone and ask for your issue to be referred to their technical team. That worked like magic for me, although different issue.

[Belmont Babe]

Forgive me for being perhaps "thick" but does that leaflet show that (standard fare) If I have elected to pay for OceanNow, I can have food delivered anywhere on the ship for the whole cruise, or anywhere except for my cabin, for which I will have to pay another $7.50 every time? Or is the $7.50 only if I phone in the order from my cabin?

[resordanis]

2 hours ago, Belmont Babe said:

Forgive me for being perhaps "thick" but does that leaflet show that (standard fare) If I have elected to pay for OceanNow, I can have food delivered anywhere on the ship for the whole cruise, or anywhere except for my cabin, for which I will have to pay another $7.50 every time? Or is the $7.50 only if I phone in the order from my cabin?

I can answer this one as we had a standard package in February. I did pay the fee to activate the OceanNow for one of us only and got food delivered anywhere on the ship. We didn’t have room service except for breakfast (free). I understand the $7.50 if for every order. We then paid as we went and felt that was the better option for us at the time. Quite honestly we didn’t need to activate the OceanNow as we really didn’t use it a great deal. Depending on the length of cruise I probably would not activate again for a short cruise. Considering our next is 21 nights we will activate one only! Hope that helps