What You Need to Know About the New Princess Packages
Cruise travelers who’ve relied on Princess Cruises’ bundled packages to simplify their vacation planning are about to face a very different landscape. As of July 22, 2025, Princess has increased the daily prices of its Plus and Premier packages—while simultaneously removing several popular perks.
These updates apply only to cruises sailing on or after January 14, 2026, but the new packages are already available for booking. If you’re planning a Princess cruise in 2026 or beyond, it’s important to understand what’s included, what’s changed, and how the new pricing structure may impact your plans.
This article breaks down every component of both packages to help you decide if either option still offers good value—or if it makes more sense to skip them altogether.
➡️ If your sailing is in 2025, you’ll want to review this article on the current Princess package structure, which outlines the offerings for departures before the January 2026 changes take effect.
What’s Changed: At a Glance
The new package updates involve both price increases and perk reductions:
- Daily pricing has gone up:
- Princess Plus: now starts at $65/day
- Princess Premier: now starts at $100/day
- Several perks have been removed, including:
- Juice bar access
- Premium desserts
- Medallion shipping
- Group fitness classes
- Princess Prizes
- A new perk has been added (Premier only):
- Shore excursion credit of $100–$300, depending on cruise length
These changes apply to cruises departing on or after January 14, 2026. If you’ve already booked a package for a 2026 sailing, Princess will honor the previous version or allow you to upgrade to the new structure by paying the difference.
Princess Package Pricing Details
There are now multiple pricing tiers depending on when you purchase, which ship you’re sailing on, and whether you choose Plus or Premier.
Base prices (if purchased pre-cruise and not sailing on Sphere-class ships):
- Princess Plus: $65 per person, per day
- Princess Premier: $100 per person, per day
Additional surcharges:
- +$5/day if purchased within 4 days of sailing or onboard
- +$5/day if sailing on Sun Princess or Star Princess
Princess requires that the first two guests in each stateroom select the same package. Solo travelers and third or fourth guests can purchase independently.
New Princess Package Pricing
| Princess Plus | Princess Premier | |
| Pre-Cruise, Most Ships | $65 | $100 |
| Onboard, Most Ships | $70 | $105 |
| Pre-Cruise, Sun & Star Princess | $70 | $105 |
| Onboard, Sun & Star Princess | $75 | $110 |
Beverage Package Updates
Both Plus and Premier include Princess’s corresponding beverage package, but several conditions have changed.
What’s Included:
- Alcoholic drinks (beer, wine by the glass, cocktails, spirits)
- Specialty coffee and tea
- Fountain sodas (note: canned sodas are not included)
- Frappes, Red Bull, and mocktails
- Up to 12 bottles of water per person, per day
- Plus includes the above drinks valued at $15 or less; Premier includes drinks with a menu price up to $20.
Key Changes:
- Bottled water now has a limit of up to 12 bottles per day for both Plus and Premier packages.
- The 15-drink-per-day cap on the Plus package now includes all beverages except specialty coffee and teas. Previously, all non-alcoholic drinks were unlimited.
- Premier package remains unlimited for all drink types.
- Juice bar access has been removed and is now charged a la carte at $8–$12 per drink.
- Canned sodas are available but only at a 25% discount, bringing the price to $2.66 each.
While the drink packages still offer good value for many guests, these adjustments reduce the overall flexibility—particularly for Plus package users.
Dining Perks
Dining on a Princess cruise is divided into four main categories, each offering a distinct experience. Included Dining is available to all guests and features plenty of options for each meal as well as snacks. Casual Dining offers a relaxed atmosphere with a set menu, typically carrying a $14.99 cover charge unless included in a package. Specialty Dining provides a more elevated experience, with menus curated by renowned chefs and a cover charge of $55–$60. Finally, Experiential Dining turns dinner into an event with immersive venues, often requiring a reservation and an additional fee, usually around $149 per person. The specific lineup varies by ship, so it’s worth checking in advance to plan your onboard meals.
| Standard Package | Princess Plus Package | Princess Premier Package | |
| Included MDR, Buffet, poolside burgers & pizza, soft serve ice cream, International Cafe (venue names vary by ship) | FREE | FREE | FREE |
| Casual Alfredo’s Pizzeria, O’Malley’s Irish Pub, Ocean Terrace Sushi, Salty Dog Gastropub, Gelateria, Kai Sushi, Planks BBQ, Vines Wine Bar | $14.99 | 4 meals per cruise | unlimited |
| Specialty Crown Grill, Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria, The Catch by Rudi, Umai Teppanyaki & Hot Pot, The Butcher’s Block by Dario, Churrascuria Brazilian Grill, Makota Ocean, Love by Britto | $55 | $55 | unlimited |
| Experiential Spellbound, 360, Chef’s Table | $149 | $149 | $149 |
Dining has long been a strong point for Princess Cruises, and the packages reflect that emphasis—but with some limitations.
Princess Plus:
- Four casual dining meals per cruise (e.g., Alfredo’s, O’Malley’s)
- Room service delivery included (normally $5/order)
- OceanNow® delivery activation fee waived (normally $14.99)
Princess Premier:
- Unlimited casual and specialty dining (1 per mealtime)
- Room service delivery included (normally $5/order)
- OceanNow® delivery activation fee waived (normally $14.99
What’s Not Included:
- Experiential dining venues (e.g., Chef’s Table, Spellbound, 360) are not included in either package and carry a separate $149 per person charge.
Note on dining reservations: While Premier offers unlimited access, reservation demand has significantly increased. Not all tables are available to book in advance, but additional capacity is sometimes held for walk-ins or released closer to sailing.
What’s Stayed the Same
No major changes here, but these perks still matter.
- Wi-Fi: Package holders have exclusive access to Princess’ prioritized WiFi network, MedallionNet MAX.
- 1 device for Plus (worth $24.99 per day)
- 4 devices for Premier (valued up to $44.95/day)
- Gratuities: Included in both (valued at $17–$19/day)
- Photo Package (Premier only): Unlimited digital photos + 3 printed 8x10s per person
- Reserved Theater Seating (Premier only): First dibs on good seats—but arrive early
What’s Been Removed
As part of the update, several perks previously included in both packages have been eliminated:
- Premium desserts
- Juice bar access
- Medallion shipping
- Group fitness classes
- Princess Prizes onboard promotion
Princess has stated these were removed due to low usage, but their removal reduces the total value of the packages—especially for Plus package holders.
The Newest Perk: Shore Excursion Credit
A major new addition to the Premier package is a shore excursion credit. This change aligns Princess more closely with competitors like Holland America and Norwegian, who offer similar benefits in their upgraded packages. Guests will receive shore excursion credit based on the length of their sailing.
| Sailing Length | Shore Excursion Credit |
| 6-9 Days | $100 |
| 10-20 Days | $200 |
| 21+ Days | $300 |
Princess Package Math: Breaking Down the Value
If you’re trying to determine which package makes financial sense, we’ve put together a video where we breakdown the math.
Which Princess Package is right for you?
The updated packages simplify some elements—but also reduce overall value by removing lesser-used perks. Whether it makes sense to purchase one depends on your preferences and usage patterns.
Standard Fare
You enjoy having a different menu at the MDR everyday.
You want to disconnect during your cruise.
You prefer to tip personally with cash.
Princess Plus
You enjoy a few cocktails or specialty coffees each day.
You use WiFi to say connected.
You like having a few extra dining options.
Princess Premier
You plan to dine at specialty venues daily.
You need multiple Wi-Fi connections.
You value excursion credit and onboard photo packages.
