Cruising with Carnival and Royal Caribbean’s namesake brands often means purchasing a number of add-ons to get the most out of your cruise vacation.
Neither cruise line offers an all-inclusive cruise package and all the extras add up, increasing your final cost significantly.
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You’ll incur additional fees for optional onboard extras like WiFi, alcoholic drinks, soda, coffee, specialty dining, room service, shore excursions, and even some entertainment options.
In addition to optional add-ons, daily gratuities will be automatically added to your onboard account, unless you choose to prepay gratuities at booking.
Combine daily gratuities with several onboard extras and you may be in for a shock when you review the bill at the end of your cruise.
Carnival Corporation's Princess Cruises is out to change the billing experience and satisfy travelers who want a more all-inclusive cruise experience.
The cruise line has revamped its top-tier onboard cruise package, the Princess Premier package to add more value, and less worry, for its guests. With the enhanced Princess Premier package, cruisers get higher-speed WiFi, specialty dining, drinks, premium fitness classes, and more. And it’s all unlimited.
The nearly all-inclusive cruise package costs $90 per person, per day and is paid for at booking to prevent end-of-cruise bill shock.
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Nearly all-inclusive cruise package now available on Princess Cruises
The enhanced Princess Premier package is on sale now and available for sailings on or after Aug. 31, 2024.
One of the most attractive aspects of the Princess Premier package is the unlimited drink package, which includes alcoholic beverages, specialty coffees, smoothies, and bottled water. It's a truly unlimited package that's not limited to 15 alcoholic beverages per day as is the case on Carnival Cruise Line ships.
With the unlimited alcoholic beverage offerings, you can choose from more than 75 spirits, 40+ wines by the glass, and 20+ crafted cocktails. The package even includes top-shelf spirits and high-end cocktails priced up to $20 each.
Access to specialty restaurants every night of your Princess cruise is another impressive highlight of the Premier package. Beyond the main dining rooms, Princess Cruises offer popular specialty steakhouse, seafood and Italian restaurants.
For even more dining flexibility and indulgences, unlimited casual meals and premium desserts are included in the Premier package too.
Wi-Fi fit for work-at-sea cruisers is another enticing Premier package perk.
The onboard package offers prioritized access to the highest-performing Princess Wi-Fi service, MedallionNet Max, for up to four devices per guest. Princess Cruises says Starlink will typically be the internet network available with MedallionNet Max.
Related: Carnival's Princess Cruises gives passengers something many want
Princess Premier cruisers also get unlimited access to a variety of boutique fitness classes including Pure Barre, Club Pilates, CycleBar, YogaSix, Stride, and StretchLab.
Other perks of the nearly all-inclusive cruise package include unlimited professional photos, unlimited free delivery for room service and OceanNow onboard delivery service orders, reserved seating for production shows, and the opportunity to win special prizes during casino hours.
For even more convenience, crew appreciation gratuities are covered when you purchase the Premier package.
Is the Princess Premier package worth the price?
For cruisers who want an all-inclusive resort-style experience at sea, the Princess Premier package offers remarkable value.
It would be difficult to get all the amenities offered in this package for a price even close to $90 per day on any cruise line.
According to Princess Cruises, guests can save $220 per person per day with this nearly all-inclusive cruise package.
If you don’t think unlimited amenities are necessary for you, consider the Princess Plus package. It’s an onboard cruise package offering some of the Premier options with set limits.
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The Princess Plus package is $60 per person per day. According to Princess Cruises, it offers a savings of $93 per day per guest.
Keep in mind that the Premier and Plus packages only include onboard experiences so they’re not truly all-inclusive. Additional fees would be required for shore excursions in your cruise’s ports of call and for certain items over the cost limits set by the various packages.
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