Is Princess Plus Worth It in 2026?
Princess Plus is $65 per person per day. Whether that beats paying a la carte comes down to how you actually cruise. Here is the math from official Princess rates - we sell nothing on this page and earn nothing either way.
The short answer
It depends on your drinks per day - and on whether you would buy Wi-Fi anyway. On a typical 7-night cruise for 2 adults who average 3 drinks a day and use Wi-Fi, Plus comes out about $147 ahead of paying a la carte ($1,174 vs $1,321).
Skip the drinks and the Wi-Fi and Standard wins. The break-even gauge in our free calculator shows your exact tipping point.
The worked example, priced both ways
Regal Princess, 7 nights, 2 adults, 3 drinks a day each, 2 specialty meals each, Wi-Fi on 1 device. Official 2026 rates throughout; the only estimate is the $12.50 average drink, taken from the official Princess bar menu (beer $8, most cocktails $12-15).
| What you pay for | A la carte (Standard fare) | With Princess Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Crew appreciation | $252 ($18 x 7 nights x 2 adults) | Included |
| Bar drinks (3 a day each) | $630 ($12.50 avg + 20% service charge) | Included (up to $15 a drink, 15 a day) |
| Specialty dining (2 meals each) | $264 ($55 cover + 20%) | $264 (NOT included in Plus) |
| Wi-Fi (1 device) | $174.93 ($24.99 a day) | Included (1 device per packaged guest) |
| Package price | - | $910 ($65 x 7 x 2) |
| Total | $1,321 | $1,174 |
Plus saves $147 on this trip.
Princess publishes these rates, so for this trip profile the math is exact: the $65/day Plus price (purchases on or after July 22, 2025 for sailings departing on or after January 14, 2026), $18/day crew appreciation, the $55 specialty cover plus 20%, and $24.99/day Wi-Fi. Sun Princess and Star Princess run $70/day for Plus with a $60 + 20% cover.
Where the break-even sits
Packages are insurance against your own bar tab, not free money. On the couple example above, crew appreciation ($252) plus one-device Wi-Fi ($174.93) already cover $426.93 of the $910 package price before anyone orders a drink - and 42 a la carte drinks (3 a day each, 7 nights) would cost $630 once the 20% service charge lands on the $12.50 menu average, about $15 per drink in practice.
- At 3 drinks a day each, with Wi-Fi, Plus wins by $147 on the 7-night example.
- If you rarely drink and skip Wi-Fi, Standard usually wins - there is nothing left for the package to replace.
- Mind the limits: drinks up to $15 each (you pay the difference above that) and at most 15 alcoholic drinks per guest per 24 hours.
- Specialty dining is NOT in Plus - budget $66 effective per adult per meal on Royal-class ships ($72 on Sun and Star) whether or not you buy the package.
What Princess Plus includes - and what it does not
From the official package terms, current for 2026.
Included in Plus
- Plus Beverage Package: drinks up to $15 each, plus specialty coffee and tea, premium bottled water, and fresh juices
- Crew appreciation (the daily gratuity) for packaged guests
- MedallionNet Wi-Fi: one device PER PACKAGED GUEST (two packaged adults = two devices)
- 4 casual dining meals per guest per voyage (Alfredo's, Gigi's, O'Malley's, The Catch casual)
- OceanNow delivery and room service fees waived
Not included
- Specialty dining (Crown Grill, Sabatini's, The Catch, Umai) - covers are $55 + 20% on Royal-class ships, $60 + 20% on Sun and Star
- Drinks over $15 - you pay the difference on pricier pours
- Bottles of wine and champagne
- Charges for unpackaged guests 3-4: their crew appreciation, drinks, and covers bill separately
2026 change worth knowing: the old two-free-specialty-meals benefit became 4 casual meals - specialty dining now lives only in Premier. Princess also removed premium desserts, the juice bar, Medallion shipping, fitness classes, and Princess Prizes from both packages for 2026.
The gratuity details most comparisons miss
- Princess charges a 20% service charge on a la carte bar drinks AND on specialty dining covers. It was 18% until early March 2026, and several official Princess pages still show the stale 18 - the current crew appreciation policy page controls.
- That 20% lands ON TOP of the $55/$60 specialty covers - an effective $66/$72 per adult - and most comparison sites still quote the bare cover.
- Crew appreciation is tiered by stateroom: $18 interior through balcony, $19 mini-suite and Reserve Collection, $20 suites. Packaged guests have it included; unpackaged guests in the same cabin still pay it daily.
- Buying rules: one purchase covers guests 1 and 2 together; guests 3 and 4 may opt in only at the SAME tier (no mixed tiers in a cabin). There is no discounted child rate - a packaged minor pays full price and gets the Zero-Alcohol Package in place of the bar benefit.
How exact is this page?
More exact than most, because Princess publishes its rates. The one estimated number in the table is the $12.50 average drink (from the official bar menu: beer $8, most cocktails $12-15). Plus costs $5 more per day bought onboard ($70, or $75 on Sun and Star, available through day 2). If your quote differs from any number here, type it into the calculator and everything recomputes around it.
Run your own numbers - free, no signup
Same math as this page, tuned to your trip: nights, drinks, meals, kids, stateroom, region. Published Princess rates make the answer exact for your inputs.
Real questions, straight answers
Does Princess Plus include specialty dining?
No. Since 2026, Plus includes 4 casual dining meals per guest per voyage (Alfredo's, Gigi's, O'Malley's, The Catch casual) instead of the old two specialty meals. Specialty restaurants like Crown Grill and Sabatini's still charge their cover - $55 plus the 20% service charge on Royal-class ships, $60 plus 20% on Sun and Star. Only Premier waives specialty covers.
How much is Princess Plus in 2026?
$65 per person per day bought pre-cruise on most ships, and $70 per day on Sun Princess and Star Princess. Onboard it costs $5 more per day and can only be added through day 2. The price bundles the bar package, one Wi-Fi device per packaged guest, and crew appreciation.
Do both adults in a cabin have to buy Princess Plus?
A package purchase applies to guests 1 and 2 on the reservation together. Guests 3 and 4 are not required to join, but if they do, everyone must be on the same package - Princess does not allow mixed tiers in one cabin.
Is there a child discount for Princess Plus?
No. No discounted child rate exists in any official Princess source. A minor who is packaged pays the same daily price and receives the Zero-Alcohol Package in place of the bar benefit, with no refund of the difference.
How many drinks does Princess Plus cover per day?
Up to 15 alcoholic drinks per guest per 24 hours, each up to $15 menu price - above $15 you pay the difference. Specialty coffee, tea, and bottled water sit outside the 15-drink count. Premier, by contrast, has no daily limit at all.
Is Princess Plus Wi-Fi per cabin or per guest?
Per packaged guest. Each guest on Plus gets one MedallionNet device, so two packaged adults have two devices between them. Premier includes four devices per packaged guest.
Keep planning
Every rate on this page comes from official Princess pages (Plus and Premier terms and conditions, the crew appreciation policy, the Crown Grill and specialty restaurant pages, and MedallionNet pricing), retrieved July 11, 2026 and re-verified in our accuracy audit of July 17, 2026. Rates change - always confirm against your own booking.