Major cruise line hikes its popular package prices in move that could hit vacation budgets

Princess Plus jumps to $70/day (up $5), Premier to $105/day (up $5), with higher $75/$110 on new Sphere-class ships — effective Oct. 13.
Wi-Fi shakeup: four-device tier scrapped, replaced by a 2-device option at $39.99/day — same price as a single 24-hour purchase. Raise your hand if that smells like a net downgrade.
Social media says 'no thanks' — Reddit users call the increase the push they needed to either go a la carte or jump to rival cruise lines entirely.
The line is also tightening booking screws: deposits up, final payment due 120 days out for 2027 sailings. In other words, pay more, decide faster.
Princess clearly frames the hike as 'operating environment adjustments' — but passengers are left wondering if the only thing rising faster than prices is the corporate excuse meter.

Brief Summary

Princess Cruises is upping the price of its beloved Plus and Premier bundle packages by $5 per person per day starting Oct. 13, targeting any sailing that departs on or after that date. The Plus package climbs to $70/day ($75 on Sun Princess/Star Princess), while Premier now runs $105/day ($110 on the swankier ships). That buys you the usual smorgasbord of perks — drinks, Wi-Fi, crew gratuities, casual dining — but the bump is already making frequent cruisers choke on their overpriced piña coladas.

Why This Matters

Let's do the grim math: $5 a day sounds like a latte, but for a couple on a 10-day cruise, that's an extra $100. For a family of four, that's $200 walking the plank — before you even consider that the internet package you once bought for four devices is now either a two-device plan or a single-device fleecing tariff. This isn't just a pinch; it's the bean counters systematically dismantling the 'hassle-free vacation' fantasy, one add-on fee at a time.