Princess Cruises Plus & Premier Package Changes (July 2025): What You Need to Know
Princess Cruises has long been a favorite cruise line of ours since it offers a slightly refined experience, MedallionClass innovation, and flexible onboard dining options. Over the years, their optional bundled offeringsPrincess Plus and Princess Premier have become go-to upgrades for guests like us looking to simplify and save on essentials like drinks, Wi‑Fi, gratuities, dining, and more.
We’ve been a fan of the packages since they were released and have tried Plus and Premier on several ships over the years, most recently on the Sun Princess (Premier) and the Sky Princess (Plus)
This week (July 22, 2025), Princess announced changes to both packages that will affect bookings made for 2026 voyages and beyond. While prices have gone up slightly, the cruise line has also added new features and removed some features that Princess calls “under-used”. In this post, we’ll walk you through a break down the old vs. new benefits, and explain what these changes mean for your next cruise.
INTERESTING UPDATES
Since the rollout of the Princess Plus & Premier updates, there has been a lot of pushback from the travel agent and consumer community. It was just announced that Princess Cruises has walked back some changes to the Plus package now excluding premium coffee and tea from the beverage count (15 per day). Additionally there was a lot of confusion about what soda / soft drinks were included. Princess stated that what came from a fountain was included but items in a can were not. That has now officially changed. You can ask for a can (but expect to be served a fountain drink of you don’t specifically ask for the can!)
A Quick History of Princess Packages
When Princess Cruises first launched the Princess Plus package, the goal was to give travelers an all-in-one way to bundle common add-ons including drinks, Wi-Fi, and gratuities, at a discount. As demand grew, Princess Premier was introduced as a luxury-tier option, offering unlimited drinks, enhanced dining, photos, theater seating, and more. This made Princess Cruises truly all inclusive, a stand out from most mass market cruise lines (and why we love(d) it!)
These packages became particularly popular for their value: guests could save hundreds of dollars per voyage by bundling rather than purchasing each feature separately. However, as passenger behavior evolved, Princess analyzed onboard data and adjusted the packages to better reflect what most guests actually used. That leads us to the July 2025 update.
Princess Plus Package
What It Is
The Princess Plus package is designed for cruisers who want a streamlined vacation experience without going fully premium. It includes a mid-tier beverage plan, Wi‑Fi for 1 device, gratuities, and a few perks—just enough to simplify budgeting, but not overwhelm casual travelers.
This tier has always struck a balance between affordability and convenience, and has been one of Princess’s most popular upgrades.
What’s Changed in July 2025?
Starting July 22, 2025, for sailings in 2026 and beyond, Princess has made the following updates to the Plus package:
- Price has gone up slightly.
- Some “underused” perks have been removed.
- Other features like casual dining and Wi‑Fi have been enhanced.
Here’s a side-by-side chart comparing the old and new versions of the Princess Plus package:
Princess Plus: Old vs. New
| Feature | Old (pre–July 22 2025) | New (post–July 22 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price (pre‑cruise) | $60/day (non-Sphere), $70/day (Sphere ships) | $65/day (non-Sphere), $70/day (Sphere ships) |
| Beverage package | 15 drinks/day (≤$15 each); unlimited non-alc drinks | 15 total drinks/day (incl. coffee/soda/cocktails); +12 bottled waters/day |
| Casual dining meals | 2 per voyage | Increased to 4 per voyage |
| Wi‑Fi | MedallionNet Classic (1 device) | MedallionNet Max (1 device) |
| OceanNow & room service | Fees waived | Still waived |
| Crew appreciation | Included (gratuities prepaid) | Still included |
| Removed features | Premium desserts, juice bar, Free Medallion shipping, fitness classes, Princess Prizes |
Our Thoughts on the New Plus
These changes reflect real usage patterns, according to Princess. For example, the cruise line says fitness classes and gelato were rarely used by a majority of passengers, while casual dining venues like Alfredo’s or the Salty Dog Grill were high in demand. Increasing the number of included casual meals adds meaningful value. But we ask ourselves why removed anything from the package? If a feature was allegedly “rarely used”, leaving it on doesn’t cost the cruise line anything, it just looks like offering less for more money. In the end, it seems petty and makes the package a harder sell.
The drink cap adjustment may feel like a downgrade to some, including myself. Unfortunately, now all drinks (alcoholic and non) count toward the 15 per day. However, the inclusion of 12 bottles of water helps offset that, allegedly. Again, it seems petty but limiting the bottles of water feels like now I have to count my consumption which takes pleasure away from the cruise. In reality I may not drink 12 bottles of water or 15 diet cokes, but even having to think about it takes away from the experience.
Upgrading Wi‑Fi to MedallionNet Max ensures stronger performance for streaming and messaging, so that’s a small bonus.
Princess Premier Package
What It Is
The Princess Premier package is the cruise line’s top-tier bundle. Think of it as the “VIP” option designed for guests who want unlimited access to premium features like specialty dining, drinks, fast internet, and even shore excursion credits.
Launched after the Plus package, Premier became the best value for high-frequency cruisers or anyone looking for an all-in-one luxury experience without nickel-and-diming onboard. This was our go-to package for longer cruises.
What’s Changed in July 2025?
As of the July 2025 update:
- The Premier package is more expensive by $10/day.
- Princess has added a tiered shore excursion credit.
- Unlimited specialty dining is still the main feature.
- Like Plus, “low-use” extras were removed.
Here’s a full breakdown.
Princess Premier: Old vs. New
| Feature | Old (pre–July 22 2025) | New (post–July 22 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price (pre‑cruise) | $90/day (non-Sphere), $105/day (Sphere ships) | $100/day (non-Sphere), $105/day (Sphere ships) |
| Beverage package | Unlimited drinks (≤$20 each) | Same + 12 bottled waters/day; 25% off wine bottles/sodas |
| Casual dining meals | Unlimited | Still unlimited |
| Specialty dining | 1 meal per session (lunch & dinner) | Now unlimited every mealtime |
| Wi‑Fi | MedallionNet Classic (4 devices) | Upgraded to MedallionNet Max (4 devices) |
| OceanNow & room service | Fees waived | Still waived |
| Digital photos | Unlimited digital + 3 prints | Same |
| Reserved theater seating | Included | Still included |
| Crew appreciation | Included | Still included |
| Shore excursion credit | NEW: $100 (6–9 days), $200 (10–20 days), $300 (21+ days) | |
| Removed features | Premium desserts, juice bar, Medallion shipping, fitness classes, Princess Prizes |
Our Thoughts on the New Premier
The shore excursion credit is a smart addition and a great value driver, especially for those doing longer cruises. For example, on a 21-day cruise, that’s $300 in included excursions. If you’re already planning shore activities, this essentially gives money back in your pocket.
Premier still includes unlimited drinks and specialty dining, which is rare among cruise lines. Also, upgrading to MedallionNet Max ensures faster, more reliable Wi-Fi which is nice for families or remote workers.
While the removal of some niche perks might disappoint (like Medallion shipping or the juice bar), they were used by less than 5% of passengers according to Princess’s internal data.
HOWEVER, I can tell you on every cruise we’ve been on, plenty of passengers were making use of specialty desserts, the juice bar and even some fitness classes. So I think the removal of these features will do more harm to the marketing effort than the price increase.
So Which Package Should You Choose?
Here’s a simple breakdown of who each package is best for:
Choose Princess Plus if:
- You’re a casual cruiser who enjoys moderate perks.
- You want Wi‑Fi, drinks, and gratuities covered.
- You like the flexibility of a few casual meals but don’t need all the extras.
Choose Princess Premier if:
- You want it all: drinks, photos, theater seating, unlimited dining.
- You value shore excursions and plan to use Wi‑Fi across multiple devices.
- You’re traveling with a partner or family who will all benefit from the bundled savings.
To me, the real value is in the unlimited specialty dining, especially on newer ships with more dining venues!
Final Notes
- These changes apply only to bookings made July 22, 2025 and beyond for 2026+ sailings.
- If you booked your package before this date, your original benefits are honored.
- You can still upgrade from Plus to Premier post-booking. Check your cruise personalizer or with an agent.
Your Turn
What do you think of the updated packages? Are the new dining and excursion benefits worth the price increases? Is Princess Plus vs. Premier which would you choose? Share your thoughts below!
