Princess unveils premium add-on package

Princess Cruises has introduced a premium add-on package that includes unlimited wifi, premium beverages and the chance to win $100,000. 

The new Princess Premier package goes on sale on June 1, for voyages departing June 25 and beyond, and will cost £60pp per day. It includes:

• Unlimited MedallionNet wifi for up to four-devices
• A beverage package covering wines by the glass, spirits and cocktails up to $18 and the bar service charge
• 25% off bottles of wine, speciality coffees, smoothies, and bottled water
• Two speciality dining meals per person
• Digital downloads of all photos taken by professional staff onboard, and three prints
• Entry into the new Princess Prizes onboard promotion
• Crew gratuities

It builds on the line’s existing Princess Plus package, which offers unlimited wifi for one device; a beverage package covering drinks up to $12, with 25% off bottles of wine, speciality coffees, smoothies and bottled water; and crew gratuities. There is also the Princess Standard package, which is included in all fares.

John Padgett, Princess Cruises president, described them as “good, better and best”, adding: “There’s an option for everyone and all of them deliver great value.

“Guests have overwhelmingly embraced the convenience and value offered in Princess Plus, so we are adding Princess Premier to take our inclusivity options to the next level.” He said Princess Plus has been “extremely successful”, with more than half of guests opting for it. 

Padgett told Cruise Adviser he believed UK guests would embrace the new package. He said: “I can tell you that the UK audience for Princess, disproportionately, compared to all other guests in the world, go after Princess Plus. So I think that the UK audience is going to love Princess Premier.”

The new package introduces the Princess Prizes concept. Every time an adult guests enters their stateroom they will have the chance to win prizes including $100,000 and a cruise for two every year for the next decade. Cash credits and dining and wine tasting experiences will also be available, and if a guest wins it will be displayed on the screen next to their door, on their stateroom TV and in the app.  

“So when you’re headed back to your stateroom, now there’s going to be a bit of excitement and adrenaline that you just may win a prize,” Padgett explained. “So we’ve taken something as basic as a door lock, and we’ve improved it to a personalised interaction. We made it hassle free and now we’re taking it to an emotional experience.”

As part of the package guests will also receive unlimited photographs from the professional photographers on board. Padgett acknowledged that while guests love to have their photos taken, the consumer mindset has evolved in recent years, and many people think photos should be free. “The traditional transactional nature of the [on board cruise] photo business doesn’t apply anymore,” he explained. “We know memories are priceless. They’re once in a lifetime. And that’s why we’re so happy to include photos in the Premier package and we think this will add so much value to the consumers, because they do cherish those memories.”

The Princess Plus package currently costs £30pp per day, increasing to £40 from June 1. Customers who have already booked a Princess Plus package can upgrade to the Premier package for an extra £20pp per day, saving £10pp per day.

Padgett also revealed that the line will hold the keel-laying ceremony for its first Sphere-class ship on June 8 in Italy. It is slated to launch in late 2023 and will be the line’s first LNG-powered vessel.