Princess Premier Review: Is the All-Inclusive Package Worth It?

Thinking about going all-inclusive on your next Princess cruise? The Princess Premier package promises to cover pretty much everything – but is it really worth the cost?

I tested it out on a week-long cruise aboard Sun Princess and dug into the details, so you don’t have to. Here’s everything you need to know before deciding if Princess Premier is right for you…

For transparency, I want to tell you that I was invited aboard as a guest of Princess Cruises, but as always, the cruise line has no control over my content and all of my opinions are my own.

What Is Princess Premier?

Princess Premier is the top-tier package that Princess Cruises offers, designed to turn your cruise into an all-inclusive experience. It includes nearly every extra you’d typically pay for onboard.

In short, it’s a bundle of all the little things that can add up to hundreds during your cruise.

Princess Cruises also offers a Plus Package, which is a bit cheaper, but doesn’t include as much. You can read my comparison of Plus and Premier here.

Don’t Overpay for the Package

Before we get into things, I have one important tip for you…

If you want the Premier pages, buy it before your cruise! It costs $5 per day more if you wait until you’re on the ship. You can still add it within the first two days onboard, but it’s more expensive that way.

Also, if you’re cruising with children, you don’t need to buy the Premier package for them. And you probably shouldn’t, because they can’t use a lot of it like the alcoholic drinks, fitness classes and Princess Prizes.

Your kids can either:

• Get the lower-tier Princess Plus package
• Stick to the standard cruise fare

Some perks like Wi-Fi, photos and desserts can be shared with kids. Drinks, however, are strictly non-shareable.

About The Inclusions…

Now let’s take a closer look at everything you get with the package…

Unlimited Drinks Is A Huge Money Saver

If you enjoy a few cocktails by the pool or like wine with dinner, this package pays for itself quickly.

The included drink package covers any drink up to $20 — that includes:

• Fancy cocktails
• Top-shelf spirits
• Craft beers
• Wine by the glass
• Barista-made coffees

By the time you’ve ordered your fourth drink of the day, the package could have already paid for itself!

But what if you drink cheaper drinks like soft drinks and bottled water? Well, I have a calculator that will work out your expected bar bill, based on the 2025 drinks prices on Princess ships. Just pop your email in below and I’ll send that to you…

One thing to watch out for: canned soft drinks are NOT included in the package. (Weird, I know). Fountain sodas are covered, but if you ask for a can of Coke Zero, expect a charge.

Tip: some bartenders will pour the can into a glass for you so it counts as a fountain drink!

Also note: bottles of wine aren’t included, but you do get 25% off. If you’re someone who splashes out on premium bottles, you can save a lot.

Unlimited Cruise Photos Will Make Your Holiday SO Memorable

Cruise ship photographers are everywhere — formal night, outside the ship at ports, they even green screen backgrounds at embarkation. Usually, the photos are pricey (like, “$83 for a five pics” pricey).

But with Princess Premier, you can:

• Get all your digital photos free (download them straight to your phone via the app)
• Choose three prints at no extra cost (via the Photo Studio onboard)

We normally skip the photo ops, but this time we went all out! The photographers are genuinely brilliant, and you get memories you’d never capture with a selfie.

All the Specialty Dining You Want

Specialty restaurants can cost $20 to $60+ per person, per meal. But with Premier, you can try as many as you like.

We dined at:

• Umai Teppanyaki – The kids loved this one
• Love By Britto – The most romantic restaurant ever
• Sabatinis – The most exquisite Italian
• Alfredo’s – The pizza is incredible
• Umai Hot Pot – An interactive cooking experience

There are plenty more as well, including steakhouses, fish restaurants and pub food. Take a look at this six-course meal at Love By Britto before you tell me that you’d prefer to dine in the main dining room..!

Even with dietary restrictions (vegan, vegetarian, and picky kids), the staff were brilliant. Once you note your requirements, each restaurant is informed in advance and prepares something off-menu if needed.

Princess Prizes Is A Fun Little Extra

Each time you enter your stateroom while the ship is at sea, you’re automatically entered into a prize draw via the screen by your door. You might win spa treatments, jewellery, wine tastings, speciality dining meals and so much more!

We didn’t win, but it added a bit of fun every time we returned to the cabin.

Reserved Seats in the Theatre

Trying to get a good seat at a production show can be chaotic. But with Princess Premier, you get a reserved section, so you can stroll in 5 minutes before curtain up and still get a great view.

Note that this only applies to the big production shows, not smaller acts.

Room Service and Ship-Wide Deliveries

Room service delivery is included, with no extra fees. We made good use of it for lazy brunches on the balcony, late-night bottled water, glasses of wine while getting ready and kids snacks!

And with OceanNow delivery, you don’t just have to order it to your room. You can order food and drinks to be delivered anywhere on the ship! And if you move, the crew members can track you using your medallion so they will bring it right to you!

Getting a mojito delivered to my hammock on the top deck was a highlight of my cruise!

Other extras include unlimited fitness classes, a juice bar and huge ice-creams that come in big beer mugs.

Gratuities Taken Care Of

Tips for the crew are usually charged at $17 per person, per day (or $19 if you’re in a suite). These are included in the package, so straight away you can consider it as costing $73 per day instead of $90.

Suggested read: Can You Refuse To Pay Gratuities On A Cruise?

The Wi-Fi Is Fast

Cruise ship wi-fi is usually hit and miss. And I’ve found that the more people are using it, the slower it can be. However, despite Sun Princess being a huge ship, and lots of people having the wi-fi packages, the onboard wi-fi was always super fast. That’s because Princess reserves the fastest wi-fi for Plus and Premier Package guests, while everyone else gets the standard wi-fi.

Having four devices is handy too because you don’t need to log in and out. I used one login for my phone, one for my laptop (because I often work while at sea) and I have one to each of the kids so they could watch their iPads while I got ready to go out.

Who Is Princess Premier Good For?

We loved the Premier Package. Last year, we got the Plus Package, but next time we will get Premier again. Even though my husband doesn’t drink alcohol it’s still worth it for us.

Princess Premier is perfect if you:

• Enjoy premium drinks
• Want to dine in multiple specialty restaurants
• Like having your photos taken
• Use Wi-Fi a lot
• Don’t want to think about extra charges onboard

It’s not for you if you:

• Don’t drink at all
• Are happy with main dining and the buffet
• Never use onboard photographers
• Aren’t fussed about little extras

Final Thoughts

For us, Princess Premier was 100% worth it. We drank cocktails guilt-free, tried new restaurants every night, got loads of fab photos, and avoided a nasty bill at the end.

Even if you don’t use every single perk, the value quickly adds up. And best of all? It makes the cruise feel truly carefree.

Thinking about it? Do the maths. Check out my full breakdown of Princess Plus vs Princess Premier to see which suits you best.

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