Is Princess Plus Worth the Money? Real Cost Breakdown

Princess Cruises’ Princess Plus package promises to turn a bare‑bones cruise fare into a nearly all‑inclusive vacation, bundling drinks, Wi‑Fi, crew appreciation and more into a per‑day surcharge.

The price increases and tweaks rolling out for 2025 and 2026 sailings, however, have many travelers asking a hard question: is Princess Plus still worth the money, or are you better off sticking with a Standard fare and paying as you go?

This guide walks through the latest pricing and inclusions, then runs the real numbers for different traveler profiles so you can decide based on facts, not marketing.

What Princess Plus Includes in 2025–2026

Before you can judge value, you need to know exactly what you are buying. Princess has repeatedly adjusted its bundles, and the most recent round of changes affects voyages from 2026 onward, with higher daily pricing but more food and excursion perks, and some lower‑use benefits removed. It is also important to distinguish Princess Plus from both the bare Standard fare and the higher‑tier Princess Premier package.

Core Inclusions of Princess Plus

For most North American guests booking cruises in 2026 and beyond, Princess Plus is priced at about 65 dollars per person per day when purchased at least four days before sailing, or roughly 70 dollars per day on the newer Sphere‑class ships such as Sun Princess and Star Princess.

The exact figure can vary by market currency, but the U.S. pricing sits in this range according to the latest Princess terms and news releases.

At that price, Princess Plus typically includes:

• Plus Beverage Package with most alcoholic drinks, specialty coffees, soft drinks, and zero‑proof cocktails priced up to 15 dollars each, with a daily limit on alcoholic beverages.
• MedallionNet Max Wi‑Fi for one device per person.
• Crew appreciation (automatic gratuities) paid on your behalf for the length of the cruise.
• Four casual dining meals per guest per voyage for 2026 sailings and beyond.
• Waived delivery fees for OceanNow and room service.

Earlier iterations also bundled things like premium desserts, juice bar access, fitness classes, and Medallion shipping. Those have been or will be removed for 2026 departures in favor of more casual dining credits and other high‑demand inclusions.

How Princess Plus Differs From Princess Standard

A Princess Standard fare is your base cruise ticket. It covers your cabin, main dining room and buffet meals, most onboard entertainment, and basic services, but little else. Under Standard, you pay separately for:

• All alcoholic beverages and specialty coffees.
• Sodas and bottled water.
• Wi‑Fi access.
• Automatic daily crew appreciation (gratuities) charged to your onboard account.
• Most specialty and casual up‑charge dining.
• Room service and OceanNow delivery fees on applicable orders.

By contrast, Princess Plus converts nearly all of those à la carte charges into a flat daily fee. Gratuities, Wi‑Fi for one device, many drinks, and some extra dining are included. That is why Princess markets Plus as offering up to 50 to 70 percent savings versus buying everything separately.

What You Do Not Get With Princess Plus

Despite its “all‑inclusive” feel, Princess Plus still leaves some spending categories out of the bundle. With Plus, you will still pay onboard for:

• Drinks priced above 15 dollars (though you receive a discount on some bottled wine and larger water bottles).
• Most shore excursions, unless you move up to Princess Premier for 2026 sailings, which adds a limited excursion credit.
• Full specialty dining experiences beyond your included casual meal credits.
• Spa treatments, casino play, shopping, and other extras.

Understanding these gaps is crucial to deciding if the bundle will cover most of your natural onboard spending or if you will still face significant add‑ons even after paying for Plus.

The Real Daily Cost: Plus vs Paying As You Go

The key to deciding whether Princess Plus is worth it is comparing what you would naturally spend on the same items if you paid individually under a Standard fare. To do that, you have to look at realistic drink prices, Wi‑Fi fees, daily gratuities, and the cost of casual dining and delivery charges on a typical Princess voyage.

Gratuities and Service Charges

Princess lists daily crew appreciation rates in U.S. dollars that vary by cabin category. As of 2025, the line charges about 17 dollars per person per day for interior, oceanview, and balcony staterooms, 18 dollars per person per day for mini‑suites and Reserve Collection cabins, and 19 dollars per person per day for suites, all automatically posted to your onboard account unless they are included in a package or pre‑paid.

Princess Plus includes these daily crew appreciation amounts as part of the bundled price, which means a significant portion of the 65 dollar daily fee is essentially covering something you would almost certainly pay anyway. For a couple in a standard balcony cabin, that is 34 dollars per day of the Plus fee immediately accounted for.

Drinks and Beverage Spending

Princess bar menus typically price:

• Domestic and standard beers around 7 to 8 dollars plus service charge.
• Glass of house wine roughly 9 to 11 dollars.
• Standard cocktails about 11 to 13 dollars.
• Specialty coffees around 3 to 5 dollars.
• Soda around 3 dollars per can.

The Plus Beverage Package, included with Princess Plus, covers most of these up to a 15 dollar price ceiling per drink, with a per‑day alcoholic drink limit that falls in line with industry norms. Specialty coffees and teas have been made effectively unlimited within the package without counting towards this cap based on recent policy adjustments.

If you are likely to have, for example, two specialty coffees, three alcoholic drinks, and a couple of sodas in a day, your raw bar and coffee bill under Standard could easily reach 50 dollars or more per person per day once the automatic service charge is factored in. That already pushes you close to the full daily Princess Plus fee before considering Wi‑Fi or casual dining.

Wi‑Fi and Connectivity

MedallionNet, Princess’s branded Wi‑Fi service, is sold per device per day when purchased à la carte on a Standard fare. Pricing can vary by length of cruise and promotions, but a typical range is around 15 to 20 dollars per device per day for the faster Max product.

Princess Plus includes MedallionNet Max for one device per person. For a connected traveler who plans to check email, scroll social media, and maybe stream a bit of music or video, paying for Wi‑Fi separately on a seven‑night cruise could add 100 dollars or more per person to the trip cost. With Plus, that connectivity is built into your daily fee.

Dining Extras and Delivery Fees

Princess has increasingly leaned into casual and specialty venues that carry a surcharge, whether as a flat cover charge per visit or individual menu pricing. Casual spots like sit‑down pizzerias or pub‑style venues might run 14 to 20 dollars per person per meal, while full specialty dining restaurants commonly fall in the 39 to 49 dollar range per person.

Under the latest version of Princess Plus for 2026 sailings, you receive four casual dining meals per guest per cruise, which could easily represent 50 to 80 dollars in value over a weeklong voyage if you would have dined at these venues anyway. Meanwhile, OceanNow and room service delivery fees that might otherwise be a few dollars per use are waived.

When you add up the realistic cost of gratuities, Wi‑Fi, a modest daily drink habit, and a couple of casual dining visits, the total for a typical cruiser quickly exceeds the 65 dollar per day Princess Plus fee, especially on sea days when onboard spending naturally rises.

Sample Cost Breakdowns for Different Traveler Types

Value is not one size fits all. A light‑drinking, tech‑free cruiser will see Princess Plus very differently from a cocktail‑loving, always‑online traveler. To get specific, it helps to run the math for a few common personas on a seven‑night Princess sailing using recent pricing norms. These are estimates, but they show where the break‑even points tend to fall.

The Dry Cruiser: Little or No Alcohol

Imagine a traveler who rarely drinks alcohol, perhaps one glass of wine every other night, but enjoys specialty coffee, uses Wi‑Fi daily, and tips at the standard rate. Under a Standard fare, this person might spend per day:

• Crew appreciation in a balcony cabin: 17 dollars.
• Wi‑Fi for one device: about 18 dollars.
• Two specialty coffees: about 8 dollars total.
• Sodas and bottled water: maybe 6 dollars.
• Occasional glass of wine averaged out: perhaps 4 dollars per day.

That adds up to around 53 dollars per day before any casual dining or delivery fees. Add even one casual dining meal every other day, averaged at 10 dollars per day, and you reach roughly 63 dollars. Compared to a 65 dollar Princess Plus fee, this dry cruiser is essentially at break‑even or slightly behind, depending on promotions and actual use.

For a truly light‑spending non‑drinker who does not care about Wi‑Fi, the equation changes. Without Wi‑Fi, the daily spending might drop close to the 25 to 30 dollar range for gratuities and the odd soda or coffee. In that case, Princess Plus would almost certainly not be worth the money.

The Moderate Drinker: A Few Daily Cocktails

Next, consider a typical vacationer who enjoys drinks but is not aiming to maximize a package: perhaps three alcoholic beverages per day, plus a coffee and a soda, with Wi‑Fi and standard gratuities. On a Standard fare, their daily cost might look like this:

• Crew appreciation: 17 dollars.
• Wi‑Fi: 18 dollars.
• Three alcoholic drinks at an average of 12 dollars each plus service: roughly 40 dollars.
• One specialty coffee: about 4 dollars.
• One soda: about 3 dollars.

That is approximately 82 dollars per day without considering any casual dining or delivery fees. In this scenario, Princess Plus at 65 dollars per day saves this traveler around 17 dollars daily, or nearly 120 dollars over a seven‑night cruise. If they also use their four casual dining credits, the savings grow further.

The Social Group or Couple: Two People Sharing the Same Habits

Because the package price is per person, two adults in a cabin will each need Princess Plus for both to receive the benefits, though the crew appreciation inclusion, Wi‑Fi, and casual meal credits will scale accordingly. For a couple in a balcony cabin, daily out‑of‑pocket costs on Standard might resemble:

• Crew appreciation for two: 34 dollars.
• Wi‑Fi for two devices: 36 dollars.
• Six alcoholic drinks between them: around 80 dollars including service.
• Two specialty coffees and two sodas: around 18 dollars.

That total of about 168 dollars per day compares to a Princess Plus outlay of roughly 130 dollars per day for both. Over a seven‑night trip, that difference translates to more than 260 dollars in favor of the Plus package, before you even assign a value to four casual dining credits each and waived delivery fees.

For a couple who drinks minimally and uses limited Wi‑Fi, however, the math can reverse, especially on port‑intensive itineraries where they may spend more time ashore than at the bar.

Families and Intergenerational Groups

Families add complexity, as Princess Plus pricing applies individually, and package rules for younger guests can differ. Still, the same basic logic holds. Teens or young adults who will heavily use Wi‑Fi, soft drinks, mocktails, and casual dining may generate enough daily spend to justify the package, particularly when you factor in that their crew appreciation is covered.

On the other hand, school‑age children who largely drink included juices and water, and who fall under different gratuity expectations, might not benefit as much. Families should model spending per person rather than assuming a bundle makes sense for everyone in the cabin.

Princess Plus vs Princess Premier: When to Upgrade

As Princess raises prices and enhances its two top bundles, some travelers may find themselves debating not just whether to buy Princess Plus, but whether to stretch to the higher‑tier Princess Premier. Premier commands a larger daily fee but unlocks unlimited specialty and casual dining, more robust Wi‑Fi, and valuable shore excursion credits for future 2026 cruises.

What Princess Premier Adds

For 2026 voyages, Princess Premier is priced at about 100 dollars per person per day when purchased pre‑cruise, or roughly 105 dollars on Sphere‑class ships. It includes everything in Princess Plus and layers on:

• Premier Beverage Package, covering drinks priced up to 20 dollars each with no daily alcoholic drink cap.
• MedallionNet Max Wi‑Fi for up to four devices per guest.
• Unlimited specialty dining on many ships at select venues, plus unlimited casual dining.
• Shore excursion credit scaled to voyage length, such as 100 dollars per person on 6 to 9 day cruises, 200 dollars on 10 to 20 day voyages, and higher amounts on very long itineraries.
• Unlimited digital professional photos, priority or reserved theater seating, and other perks.

The exact mix can vary by ship and sailing, but the clear design goal is to provide a nearly all‑inclusive onboard experience for guests who would otherwise spend heavily on dining, drinks, Wi‑Fi, and excursions.

Who Should Consider Princess Premier Instead

Premier begins to make financial sense if you:

• Enjoy higher‑end cocktails or wines that would routinely exceed the 15 dollar cap of the Plus Beverage Package.
• Intend to dine in specialty restaurants multiple times on a weeklong cruise.
• Need Wi‑Fi for multiple devices, such as a phone, tablet, and laptop, or plan to share with a partner.
• Value the included shore excursion credit and photo package.

If you conservatively assign a 50 dollar per person shore excursion credit to a weeklong cruise, plus perhaps 50 to 80 dollars in specialty dining you would otherwise pay, the incremental 35 dollars per day above Princess Plus can be recouped quickly. Guests who live in the spa, specialty restaurants and bars are often better off leveling up to Premier rather than trying to keep spending under control with Plus.

For moderate drinkers who do not care about unlimited specialty dining or photo packages, Princess Plus remains the better‑balanced value choice.

Key Factors That Determine if Princess Plus Is Worth It

There is no single yes or no answer that fits every Princess guest. Instead, a handful of personal habits and trip features tip the scales either toward or away from Princess Plus. Thinking honestly about your preferences before you book will help you avoid buying a package you will not use or skipping one that could save you hundreds.

Your Drinking Style and Preferences

The biggest swing factor is how much and what you drink. Princess Plus rewards guests who:

• Average at least two to three alcoholic drinks per day, plus specialty coffees or sodas.
• Prefer cocktails, wine, or beer that fall under the 15 dollar price cap.
• Like the freedom of not mentally tallying every order against a growing bar tab.

By contrast, Plus often fails to pay off for cruisers who stick to tap water and included juices, or for guests who are content with one or two drinks on formal nights only. Those travelers may be better served by buying a small soda package or occasional à la carte beverage instead.

Your Need for Wi‑Fi

Wi‑Fi is the second major driver of value. If you can truly disconnect, spending nothing on internet for the week, then a large chunk of the Princess Plus value proposition disappears. But for many modern travelers, particularly Americans sailing in the Caribbean or Alaska, staying connected is non‑negotiable.

In realistic terms, if you would otherwise buy MedallionNet Max for one device every day of your cruise, you might be spending around 15 to 20 dollars per day just on connectivity. Bundling that into Princess Plus, alongside drinks and gratuities, often nudges the package into clear “worth it” territory.

How Much Time You Spend Onboard vs Ashore

Itinerary matters. A transatlantic crossing or Panama Canal sailing with many sea days gives you ample opportunity to use Wi‑Fi, enjoy drinks by the pool, and sample casual venues. Your daily onboard spending naturally rises, which makes Princess Plus more attractive.

On a port‑intensive Mediterranean or Alaska itinerary where you are ashore from morning to late afternoon almost every day, your time for onboard drinking and casual dining shrinks. Guests on these cruises may find they simply do not consume enough onboard to justify the full Plus fee, especially if they book long ship‑run excursions that start early.

Your Attitude Toward Budgeting and “Mental Math”

Some travelers value peace of mind as much as pure dollars‑and‑cents savings. Paying a slightly higher upfront cruise fare that includes drinks, Wi‑Fi, and gratuities can make the onboard experience feel more relaxed. You order what you want and watch far fewer line items stack up on your final bill.

Others prefer the control of paying only for what they actually use, even if that means tracking spending closely and saying no to extra coffees or cocktails. If you fall squarely in the “I want to know I got a deal” camp, it is worth doing the math with conservative assumptions before you commit to Plus. For some, the psychological comfort of an almost all‑inclusive fare justifies breaking even instead of saving.

How to Maximize Value If You Buy Princess Plus

If you decide Princess Plus aligns with your cruising style, a few tactics can increase the value you extract from the bundle. These strategies do not mean over‑consuming to “beat the system,” but rather making sure you use what you have paid for and avoid duplicate charges.

Buy the Package Pre‑Cruise

Princess explicitly prices Princess Plus and Premier lower when purchased at least four days before sailing. If you wait to add the package onboard or within that four‑day window, an extra charge per person per day applies, which eats directly into any savings you might see.

Booking the package at the time of reservation, or adding it later through your cruise personalizer before the pre‑cruise deadline, locks in the lower rate and gives you time to plan how you will use the inclusions.

Use Your Casual Dining Credits Strategically

With four casual dining credits included on 2026 sailings, Princess Plus buyers should make a plan instead of letting them expire unused. Research your ship’s qualifying venues in advance and decide when you want a break from the main dining room or buffet.

If you enjoy pizza, gastropub fare, sushi, or tapas, aim to schedule those meals on evenings when the main dining room menu is less appealing or on sea days when you are looking for something different at lunchtime. Each casual credit redeemed at a venue you would have willingly paid for boosts your effective savings.

Leverage Specialty Coffees and Non‑Alcoholic Options

Even if you do not drink heavily, you can unlock value in Princess Plus through premium non‑alcoholic beverages. Specialty coffees, cold brews, frappes, mocktails, and bottled waters are all covered under the Plus Beverage Package’s price limit.

Ordering a specialty coffee in the morning, a crafted mocktail in the afternoon, and sparkling water or soda with dinner can easily replace spend that would otherwise show up on your folio. This is especially helpful for light drinkers who still want to see the package pay off.

Stay Within the Beverage Package Limits

Understand the Plus Beverage Package rules, including the price ceiling per drink and the cap on alcoholic beverages per day. If you routinely order top‑shelf spirits or premium wines priced above 15 dollars, you will pay the difference plus gratuity on those items, reducing the net gain from the package.

To keep value high, choose drinks that fall at or below the covered price point and avoid treating the plus package as a reason to drink beyond your comfort level. The best outcome is a vacation where you feel both relaxed and that you spent wisely.

The Takeaway

Princess Plus delivers strong value for many, but not all, Princess Cruises guests. Once you strip away marketing language and look at the real cost breakdown, three line items do most of the heavy lifting: daily gratuities, Wi‑Fi, and beverage spending.

For a typical adult in a balcony cabin who will buy internet access, drink a couple of alcoholic beverages per day, and enjoy the occasional specialty coffee or soda, Princess Plus at around 65 dollars per person per day often comes out ahead of paying à la carte.

On the other hand, travelers who drink little or no alcohol, can truly unplug from Wi‑Fi, or spend most days ashore may find they cannot justify the full daily fee, especially when sailing in regions with busy port schedules. For these guests, Princess Standard with selective extras or a limited soda or coffee package may be more economical.

Ultimately, the decision hinges on an honest assessment of your habits and priorities. If you value simplicity, like the idea of a mostly bundled bill, and expect a moderate to high level of onboard spending, Princess Plus is often worth the money and can produce meaningful savings.

If you are a minimalist cruiser or a disciplined budgeter, running your own numbers before you book can ensure your vacation dollars go exactly where you want them to.

FAQ

Q1: How much does Princess Plus cost per day now?
For most 2026 sailings, Princess Plus is priced at about 65 dollars per person per day when purchased at least four days before departure, with a slightly higher rate around 70 dollars per day on newer Sphere‑class ships such as Sun Princess and Star Princess. Prices can vary by market currency and may be higher if purchased onboard or within four days of sailing.

Q2: Does Princess Plus include gratuities?
Yes. Princess Plus includes daily crew appreciation, which Princess normally posts to your onboard account as an automatic daily charge. The inclusion of these gratuities accounts for a significant portion of the daily package cost, especially for guests in balcony and higher cabin categories.

Q3: What drinks are covered by the Plus Beverage Package?
The Plus Beverage Package, included with Princess Plus, generally covers most beers, wines by the glass, cocktails, spirits, specialty coffees, sodas, and zero‑proof cocktails priced up to 15 dollars each on the bar menu, subject to a daily limit on alcoholic drinks. Bottles of wine and larger bottled waters usually receive a discount rather than being fully included.

Q4: Is Wi‑Fi really included with Princess Plus?
Yes. Princess Plus includes MedallionNet Max Wi‑Fi access for one device per guest. This is the line’s higher‑speed internet option and is typically sold separately on a per‑device, per‑day basis to Standard fare guests. Having it included can represent substantial savings for connected travelers.

Q5: Are shore excursions included in Princess Plus?
No. Shore excursions are not included in Princess Plus. However, the higher‑tier Princess Premier package for 2026 voyages adds a shore excursion credit that scales with cruise length. With Plus, you will still pay for excursions individually, either booked in advance or onboard.

Q6: Do both people in a cabin have to buy Princess Plus?
Princess generally requires that if one adult in a stateroom purchases a Premier‑ or Plus‑level package that includes alcoholic beverages, all adults of legal drinking age in that cabin must purchase the same package. This is intended to prevent sharing and ensure fairness. Children and minors follow separate beverage and pricing rules.

Q7: Can I buy Princess Plus just for some days of the cruise?
No. Princess Plus is sold for the full length of the voyage for each eligible guest who purchases it. You cannot selectively apply the package to only certain days of your cruise, so you should consider your overall itinerary, including how many days you will realistically use the benefits, when deciding.

Q8: What changed recently in the Princess Plus package?
Recent updates increased the daily price while adding more casual dining meals per voyage and refining other inclusions. Some lower‑usage benefits such as complimentary premium desserts, certain fitness classes, and some Medallion‑related perks have been removed for 2026 sailings, while popular elements like specialty coffees and dining flexibility have been enhanced.

Q9: Is Princess Plus worth it if I do not drink alcohol?
It can be, but it depends on your other habits. If you plan to buy Wi‑Fi, drink specialty coffees and soft drinks, and use your casual dining credits, you may still come close to or surpass the daily cost of Princess Plus. If you neither drink alcohol nor need internet access, and rarely visit casual or specialty venues, then a Standard fare with minimal add‑ons will likely be cheaper.

Q10: How can I tell if Princess Plus will save me money?
The best approach is to estimate your daily spending on three categories under a Standard fare: gratuities, Wi‑Fi, and drinks (including coffee and sodas), plus a rough figure for any casual dining you expect to purchase. If that total consistently approaches or exceeds the Princess Plus daily rate for your sailing, the package is likely to save you money or at least provide break‑even value with added convenience. If your estimated total is far lower, you are probably better off without it.