Plus vs Premier
Comparison

Standard/Plus/Premier Comparison

Here is a comparison table of the Standard, Plus, and Premier packages. Below I give my thoughts on who each package is best suited for.

The table above probably makes it look like you are missing out on a lot if you don't get the Plus or Premier package. However, remember that there are still tons of dining options and lots of entertainment that is included in your cruise fare. Not to mention that the glaciers and ports will not look better just because you spent more money.

Now with that being said, personally, we will be getting the Plus package and we consider it a fantastic value. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Perhaps the least obvious but a significant value add is the included gratuities (Called Crew Appreciation by Princess). Automatic gratuities are required for all guests and the amount varys by stateroom type, costing between $17 and $19 per person per day. Because this is a required expense, having them included in the package means you're only paying $43 per person per day more than a standard passenger.
2. If you're interested in almost any alcohol at all, the Plus package starts to make sense very quickly. It includes all alcohol that is $15 or less. If purchasing something above $15, you only pay the difference. Now you might be asking, "This is a cruise ship, won't the drinks be expensive, so how much is even included?". I thought the same thing before we took our 12 night cruise on the Regal Princess last Spring. It turns out, quite a lot is included. Only a single drink that I purchased was not fully covered and I only paid a difference of <$3 (Johnnie Walker Gold Label). I had 18 different beers, 1 sake, 7 different bourbon, whiskey or cognac, and 16 different cocktails or frozen drinks. I still have a list of everything that was available if anyone is interested. For the most part, only top shelf liquor or wines were not included. If you are interested in those, the Premier package makes a lot of sense since that includes drinks up to $20. It only takes ~3-4 drinks per day to make up the cost of the Plus package and that is excluding all the other benefits. By the way, purchasing the drink package al a carte is more expensive than just getting the Plus package.
3. Alcoholic drinks are not the only beverages included in the package. When purchased separately, the classic soda package is $15 per day and includes soda, juices, mocktails and smoothies. The zero alcohol package is $30 per day and adds bottled water, hot chocolate, Pellegrino, Evian, and Red Bulls. The Plus package includes all of that in addition to everything else.

Tip:

You are allowed to bring a 12 pack of 12oz sodas on board per person. For those of you who aren't happy with the on board selection or aren't buying any packages, this is a great option to change up your drink choices. You can also bring MIO pods or powder mixes on board but consider how you'll get them to Vancouver since you'll need to fly.

4. The Plus package includes 1 device wifi per person. You are able to change which device is connected at any time in case you want to connect a laptop or tablet. Everyone has different opinions about having wifi access on the ship. Some can't live without it (and if you're leaving kids at home then it's practically a necessity) and some want to truly be disconnected. I tend to fall into the latter half but I do appreciate being able to look things up when needed. Especially if you're keeping up with your excursion status. Unlike most cruise itineraries, all of the ports except the departure one are still in America so you should be able to use your phone when we're docked.
   Buying wifi al a carte will cost $25 per day for a 1 device plan. We thought the speeds were perfectly reasonable to search things or scroll social media but that was in the caribbean so there is no telling how it will be in Alaska.
5. The value of 2 included casual dining is up to you. The dining page has a little more info on the available restaurants but there are only two. For those of you who don't eat seafood or don't like sushi, the casual meals will be of limited value. For people like me who enjoy sashimi and Japanese beer, it's a nice addition.
6. Perhaps the most underrated aspect of the Plus package is the free OceanNow service, more details are explained in the Medallion page but it is the ability to order food and drinks from your phone and have them delivered to you anywhere on the ship. This sounds like a gimmick until you realize you can order food and drinks even during the off hours of restaurants and bars.
7. One small but nice benefit is that shipping of your medallion is included. Standard passengers have to pay for shipping to get the medallion ahead of the sailing or pick it up at the port for free. Not a huge deal but it lets you skip a step when getting on the boat. Just don't forget it at home!
8. In my opinion, the value of the rest of the benefits will differ greatly from one person to another. The premium desserts are not anything special and I may workout but I'm not interested in fitness classes. If you are interested in these though then great!

Princess clearly prices the al a carte items at a premium to push you towards the Plus/Premium package and that's why I think this ends up being a great value.

A couple thoughts about the Premier package. The inclusion of unlimited specialty dining is nice but there are only two of those restaurants on board so I don't think the value is really there unless you will eat at them multiple times.

Tip:

Typically getting the Plus or Premier package requires everyone in the stateroom to get the same thing. There is a quirk in the way packages work on Princess though since only the 1st and 2nd guests in a stateroom are required to purchase the package. For those of you who may be stuffing a 3rd or 4th person in the room, they are not required to purchase it. Those passengers won't be able to use your casual or specialty dining meals but they can share your wifi plan and passing drinks is extremely easy on board.