If you’re planning a Princess cruise, you’ve probably noticed the option of booking a Princess Plus fare. But is Princess Plus worth it? Here’s everything you need to know about this fare type on Princess Cruises.
Listen to this articleTraditionally, only select luxury cruise lines were all-inclusive, not charging passengers for alcoholic drinks, crew tips, and (more recently) unlimited Wi-Fi.
But now several premium cruise lines have developed more inclusive fares, including Princess Cruises with Princess Plus.
Let’s go over everything that Princess Plus includes—which perks you get with this fare, what it costs per cruiser, and whether or not it’s a good value for you.
What is Princess Plus?
Princess Plus is a fare type that includes a variety of amenities that cruisers used to have to pay for separately.
When you book Princess Plus, you’ll get the Plus Beverage Package, unlimited Wi-Fi, and crew gratuities, all included in your fare.
This isn’t a limited-time-only sale. Instead, the cruise line is now offering passengers the option to pay a slightly higher fare in exchange for a variety of perks that usually come with a daily charge.
Princess Plus vs. Princess Standard or Princess Premier
Although Princess used to offer just one fare type, they now have three: Princess Standard (formerly Princess Savers), Princess Plus, and Princess Premier.
Princess Standard is the cruise line’s fare-only product with just the basic inclusions: lodging, meals, and a (very) limited selection of drinks.
Princess Premier is the newest fare type, launched in May 2022. This even more inclusive fare has all the features of Princess Plus with some extras like top-shelf drinks and free specialty dining.
You can choose Princess Standard, Plus, or Premier for any stateroom category, from a basic inside cabin to a luxurious full suite.
It’s similar to how many low-cost airlines offer a base fare without any extras, but for a slightly higher price you’ll have free checked bags, priority boarding, and seat selection.
Princess Plus isn’t like upgrading to business or first class on a plane—you’re still in the same cabin class on the ship, but with some extra amenities thrown in.
You may also like: The 10 Worst Cruise Ship Cabins to Avoid
How much does Princess Plus cost?
Princess Plus costs an additional $40 per person, per day, on top of the base cruise fare.
As an example, let’s say you’ve booked a seven-day cruise in an oceanview cabin that costs $1200 per person including taxes and port fees.
With Princess Standard, your cruise will cost $1200 + $14.50 per day for automatic gratuities. Your total cost would be $1301.50.
With Princess Plus, your cruise will cost $1200 + $280 for the upgrade (equal to $40 per day). Your total cost would be $1480.
For less than $180 total, you’ll have a drink package and unlimited Wi-Fi for the entire seven-day sailing.
Which drink package is included with Princess Plus?
Princess Plus includes the Plus Beverage Package for guests age 21 and over, or the Coffee & Soda Package (formerly the Premier Coffee & Soda Package) for guests under 21.
The Plus Beverage Package includes:
- Spirits*
- Cocktails*
- Wine by the glass*
- Beer*
- Fountain soda
- Specialty coffees
- Fresh juices
- Bottled water (500ml only)
- Teas
- Frappés at Coffee & Cones
- Hot chocolate
- Milkshakes
- Red Bull energy drinks
- “Zero-proof” mocktails
*with a menu price of $12 or less
Princess does limit alcoholic drinks to 15 per day, per person. Non-alcoholic drinks are unlimited with this package.
The Plus Beverage Package normally costs $59.99 USD per person, per day. A service charge of 18% is included when booking, bringing the cost to $70.79 per day.
The Coffee & Soda Package includes:
- Premium and specialty coffees and teas
- Fountain sodas
- Fresh fruit juices
- Hot chocolate
- “Zero-proof” mocktails
- Frappes at Coffee & Cones
- Smoothies
- Red Bull energy drinks
- Milkshakes
The Coffee & Soda Package is usually $19.99 USD per person, per day. An 18% service charge is included when booking, bringing the daily cost to $23.59.
For more info on Princess beverage packages, be sure to read my Princess Cruises Drink Packages: The Ultimate Guide for all the details.
What is the internet package with Princess Plus?
With Princess Plus, unlimited MedallionNet Wi-Fi is included in the fare. You’ll get their unlimited internet package for one device per person, which is fast enough to let you video chat and stream programs.
All Princess ships now have the MedallionNet technology, which they claim is the best Wi-Fi at sea!
MedallionNet Wi-Fi is normally priced at $9.99 per person per day when you purchase before your cruise. (Platinum and Elite guests receive a 50% discount on individually-purchased internet packages, reimbursed as onboard credit.)
With the included Wi-Fi package, you can use messaging apps like WeChat, Facebook Messenger, or WhatsApp to keep in touch with friends and family back home. However, the Wi-Fi won’t work to send or receive SMS text messages.
Learn more about this in my post How to Text on a Cruise Ship for Free
Which gratuities are included with Princess Plus?
On Princess cruises, a daily gratuity is charged to your onboard account. Daily gratuities go to housekeeping staff as well as to other behind-the-scenes workers.
The charge varies, based on the category of stateroom you’re sailing in:
- $14.50 per person, per day for inside, oceanview, and balcony staterooms
- $15.50 per person, per day for mini-suite or club class staterooms
- $16.50 per person, per day for full suites
On a seven-day cruise, you’d pay $101.50 per person in gratuities for inside, oceanview, and balcony staterooms, $108.50 per person for mini-suites, and $115.50 per person for suites.
But with Princess Plus, these daily charges are included in the package.
Learn more: Tipping on a Cruise Ship: What You Need to Know About Cruise Gratuities
What’s the total value of Princess Plus?
The Princess Plus package is valued at $95.28 per person, per day. For those sailing in a mini-suite or suite, you can add an extra dollar or two per day to the value. The higher-priced daily gratuities for these stateroom types are included in the fare.
| Included perks: inside, oceanview, and balcony staterooms / age over 21 | Value (USD) |
|---|---|
| Plus Beverage Package (including bar service charges) | $70.79 |
| Unlimited Wi-Fi | $9.99 |
| Crew Gratuities | $14.50 |
| TOTAL per day | $95.28 |
| Included perks: inside, oceanview, and balcony staterooms / age under 21 | Value (USD) |
|---|---|
| Coffee & Soda Package (including bar service charges) | $23.59 |
| Unlimited Wi-Fi | $9.99 |
| Crew Gratuities | $14.50 |
| TOTAL per day | $48.08 |
Do you have to buy the Princess Plus package when you cruise on Princess?
Princess Plus is completely optional. Guests on Princess still have the option to buy a basic fare that doesn’t include a drink package, internet, or crew gratuities.
Is Princess Plus worth the money?
For many cruisers, upgrading to a Princess Plus fare is a no-brainer. If you’re planning on buying the Plus Beverage Package anyway, you’ll save more than $30 per person per day by upgrading. Plus you’ll have the free Wi-Fi and gratuities included as an added bonus!
If you wouldn’t normally buy a drink package because you wouldn’t drink enough to justify the expense, you still might want to consider this upgrade. If you bought the Plus Beverage Package on its own, you’d need to drink between 6-10 drinks per day (depending on the menu price of the beverages) just to break even.
But with Princess Plus, you could break even with 4-6 alcoholic drinks per day. Or even fewer if you also take advantage of the included specialty coffees and bottled water!
Of course, if you’re looking to cut costs and don’t need a drinks package or internet on your cruise, you have the option to book the lowest fare with Princess Standard.
Princess Plus FAQ
How do you book a Princess Plus fare?
Guests can book through a travel agent or directly through the cruise line. The Princess Plus fare is available to residents of the 50 United States and DC, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
Can you upgrade to Princess Plus after you book your cruise?
As Princess Plus is a fare type and not an add-on, you can re-fare your cruise at the current Princess Plus rate before final payment. However, you may lose any promos or perks from your original booking.
Does everyone in a stateroom have to buy Princess Plus?
When booking Princess Plus, the fare defaults to everyone in the stateroom. However, third and fourth guests in the same cabin can opt out by calling Princess or their travel agent.
Can you use Future Cruise Credit or a Future Cruise Deposit toward a Princess Plus fare?
Yes, you can use an FCC or FCD as payment toward a Princess Plus fare.
What if a guest purchases Princess Plus and is underage?
Guests under 21 on a Princess Plus fare will receive the Coffee & Soda Package instead of the Plus Beverage Package.
What if a guest doesn’t drink alcohol but purchases Princess Plus?
If a guest age 21 or over doesn’t drink alcohol, Princess doesn’t offer substitutions. However, the drink package does include a wide variety of non-alcoholic drinks.
Is Princess Plus available for all stateroom types?
Princess Plus fares are available for all stateroom types.
Resources for your Princess cruise
Book your cruise:
Want to check the current lowest fares for your next Princess cruise? I recommend CruiseDirect. They guarantee the lowest prices and don’t charge a booking fee.
Book your airfare:
If you’re flying to your cruise port, you’ll want to save money on your airline tickets, right? I use both Skyscanner and the Hopper app (mobile only) to find the best deals on airfare.
Book your shore excursions:
To save money on shore excursions, I like booking tours and experiences in port through GetYourGuide or Viator.
Don’t forget travel insurance!
World Nomads is my go-to travel insurance provider for all my travel adventures. Not sure you need travel insurance for your cruise? Read my post Do You Really Need Cruise Travel Insurance to decide for yourself.
More Princess cruise posts you’ll love
Want to learn more about Princess cruises? Here are my top Princess cruise posts you’ll want to read:
- Princess Premier Cruise Package on Princess Cruises
- 21 Princess Cruise Tips You Need to Know
- Princess Cruises Drink Packages: The Ultimate Guide
- Ultimate Guide to Princess Cays
- Ultimate Balcony Dining on Princess Cruises
Have you purchased Princess Plus before? Or are you thinking about buying it for your next Princess cruise? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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