Princess Cruises Premier and Plus Packages now 30% more expensive

• Princess has made key changes to their Princess Premier and Princess Plus packages.
• They have raised prices from 20-30%, meaning the premier package can cost about $400 more over a two week cruise.
• They have also both added and cut some of the included perks.

Princess Premier and Plus packages, the two opt-in packages on Princess sailings, have become a popular option for Princess cruisers. 

However, the line announced this morning that packages will rise in price. Princess Plus will now cost $79 per day, compared to $65 before and Princess Premier will now cost $129 per day, compared to $100 before. This represents increases of about 20 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively. 

The packages will come with some new benefits. Princess Premier will now have a shore excursion credit for $100 for sailings of six days to nine days, $200 for sailings of 10 to 20 days, and $300 for voyages of 21 or more days.

The plus package will feature two more casual dining meals per voyage.

However, the changes will also lead to several perks adding out. There will be no more premium desserts, juice bar access, Medallion shipping fitness classes and Princess prizes. 

Fans of Princess Cruises have had a mixed reaction, many are of course upset about the rise in prices. However, some others still believe it is the best value at sea, and are understanding as to why prices had to rise.

One cruiser wrote about the new changes: “Charging more for less. Period” and another wrote: “This is getting ridiculous”.

Cruisers expressed a general sentiment of feeling ‘nickled and dimed’ by the new changes.

Another cruiser wrote: “Let the cruise lines know you are willing to pay anything…and you will.”

One cruiser reiterated the importance of running the numbers before buying a package.

“Not surprising and will continue to go higher as long as people buy them! Do the math as to what’s included and buying those things as you go. We did and buying a package would not be beneficial for us.”

However, others have written comments in support of Princess such as “It is still the best package of all the cruise lines” and “The cost of everything is going up, why are you surprised?”

Drinks package tweak has cruisers upset 

The changes also included an important tweak to how the drinks package will work as part of Princess Plus. Previously Princess Plus would entitle a guest to 15 alcoholic drinks per day, however, now it will only entitle customers to 15 drinks of any kind.

This means drinks like fountain sodas, specialty coffees and teas, frappes, red bull will count towards that total of 15 drinks, which they did not count towards previously. 

Furthermore, the packages no longer include access to the juice bar.

One cruiser wrote: “This sucks. My wife loves the juice bar, and including coffee and sofa in the 14 drinks limit significantly lowers the appeal of Princess Plus. We probably won’t be purchasing a package after our 2026 sailing.”

Another wrote: “Wow, so they capped the drinks to both non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks to 15 total per day. 

“Overall, that is a big devaluation.”

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Are the new Princess Premier and Plus packages better value?

The Princess Premier and Plus packages were probably the best and cheapest options to get both a drinks package and Wi Fi across any cruise line. And, as we have seen with the Carnival Cruise Line loyalty program changes, there are new cost pressures on cruise lines.

But the price rises and removal of some perks do seem to tilt the value proposition in favour of the line. For example, someone on a two-week cruise will now pay an extra $29 per day for Princess Premier, or $406 in total, only to receive a $200 shore excursion credit. Furthermore, they will no longer have premium desserts, juice bars access, fitness classes and the other cut perks.

Someone who uses the Plus Package, will now have an extra $196 per fortnight, for just two extra meals, that generally cost about $25 each. Then they will also be missing the perks that have now been cut.

The packages now appear to have less monetary value to passengers. Until now they have been extremely reasonably priced, so perhaps it should be no surprise that things are changing. But cruisers surely won’t be thrilled at the changes.

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Are the Princess packages still worth it?

As always, whether the Princess packages are worth it to you, will always depend on your own individual cruising preferences. 

As far as getting a drinks package and Wifi goes, Princess Plus is still far cheaper than anything you’d find on comparable lines in Australia such as Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises.

Princess Premier also still remains a good deal, and especially stands out as a good deal to those who enjoy Princess dining, as the unlimited specialty dining is a great bonus.

And it could be argued that many won’t miss premium desserts, juice bars access and fitness classes.

The best thing you can do is to work out whether the packages would be worth it to you, is to sit down and analyse the perks, then estimate how many drinks you think you would order, how much specialty dining you would indulge in and so on, and simply do the math on whether the packages work for you.

If it is a complete given that you will get a drinks package and a Wi Fi package on whatever cruise you do, then the packages will still definitely be worth it for you.

However, if you’re not a big drinker, it’s probably worth some more thoughtful consideration as to whether you’ll get enough value from the packages, particularly after the increases. 

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What do the packages contain now?

Princess Premier Package $129 per day 

• A new shore excursion credit, varying by voyage length: $100 (6–9 days), $200 (10–20 days), and up to $300 for voyages of 21+ days.
• Premier Beverage Package
• Unlimited casual and specialty dining,
• Four-device Wi Fi
• Fees waived for OceanNow®
• Room service delivery
• Unlimited digital professional photos 
• Reserved seating for theatre shows

Plus package $79 per day

• Four casual dining meals (up from two)
• Plus Beverage Package
• Single device wi-fi
• Fees waived for OceanNow®
• Room service delivery

What do you think of the changes? Tell us in the comments below.