Princess Premier costs $80–$120 per person, per day on top of your cruise fare, depending on the sailing and booking window. It bundles premium drinks, Wi-Fi, crew appreciation, specialty dining, photo packages, and more into one package.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
Princess Premier is either a great deal or an expensive mistake — depending entirely on how you cruise. Here's the unvarnished breakdown so you can decide before Princess decides for you.
What Princess Premier Costs in 2025–2026
Princess sells its packages in three tiers: Princess Standard (included free on many bookings), Princess Plus, and Princess Premier. Premier sits at the top, and the price reflects it.
Typical 2025–2026 pricing for Princess Premier: $80–$120 per person, per day, added to your cruise fare. On a 7-night sailing with two passengers, that's a $1,120–$1,680 added cost for the couple. Prices fluctuate based on the ship, itinerary, and how early or late you book — flash sales occasionally knock $10–$20/day off.
| Package | Price Per Person/Day | Key Additions Over Lower Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Princess Standard | Included (select fares) | Basic onboard access, no extras |
| Princess Plus | ~$60–$80/person/day | Drinks up to $15, Wi-Fi, crew appreciation |
| Princess Premier | ~$80–$120/person/day | Premium drinks, 2 specialty dinners, photo package, fitness classes, dessert package, room service |
Prices reflect 2025–2026 market rates and vary by sailing. Always verify at booking.
Photo: MSC Cruises
What's Actually Included in Princess Premier
Here's what you get with Premier that you don't get with Plus — this is the list that determines whether the math works for you:
- Premier Beverage Package — drinks up to $20 per serving (covers premium cocktails, wines by the glass, specialty coffees, bottled water, and non-alcoholic beverages)
- MedallionNet Wi-Fi — best available on the ship, one device per person
- Crew Appreciation — gratuities prepaid (~$18–$20/person/day baked in)
- 2 Specialty Dining Meals — one meal each at venues like Crown Grill or Sabatini's (normally $35–$50/person each)
- Premier Photo Package — unlimited digital photos plus prints; à la carte photos run $25–$40 each onboard
- Juice Bar — fresh-pressed juices throughout the sailing
- Fitness Classes — included group classes (yoga, spinning, etc.) that normally cost $15–$25 each
- OceanNow Delivery — food and drinks delivered anywhere on the ship
- Premium Dessert Package — specialty desserts and treats
- Room Service — no delivery surcharge
The big differentiators over Plus are: the photo package, two specialty dinners, higher drink limit ($20 vs $15), and fitness classes. Those four alone can easily justify the price gap for the right traveler.
Photo: MSC Cruises
Key Factors That Drive Whether Premier Is Worth It
1. Your drink habits. If you drink 5–8 paid beverages daily (cocktails, wines, specialty coffees), the beverage package alone covers most of Premier's cost. At $12–$20 per drink without a package, a two-drink-per-meal drinker breaks even fast.
2. Specialty dining plans. Crown Grill and Sabatini's run $35–$55 per person without a package. Two dinners for two people = $140–$220 in savings right there. If you were going to dine at specialty restaurants anyway, this is free money.
3. The photo package reality. Princess photographers are relentless in the best way — formal nights, port departures, character moments. The unlimited digital package (normally $300–$400 if purchased onboard) is a legitimate perk for families or couples who want cruise memories without the sticker shock.
4. Cruise length. On a 3–4 night sailing, Premier is hard to justify — there's not enough time to extract the value. On 10–14 night voyages, the math gets very favorable very fast.
5. How you booked. If Princess included Plus in your fare as a promotion, upgrading to Premier is often offered for $20–$40/person/day as an add-on — that's a much easier decision than buying Premier from scratch.
How to Save Money or Get the Best Value on Princess Premier
- Book during Princess promotions. Princess regularly runs "Plus or Premier Included" deals where one of the packages is bundled into your fare. Locking in Premier during one of these sales saves $80–$120/day off the add-on price.
- Compare the upgrade gap, not the full price. If you already have Plus included, the Premier upgrade is typically only $20–$40/person/day more. That $20–$40 buys you specialty dining, photos, and fitness classes — almost always worth it.
- Calculate your personal drink tab first. Use a simple rule: if you'd spend more than $60–$75/day on drinks, specialty dining, and Wi-Fi separately, Premier pays off. If not, Plus may be sufficient.
- Don't buy the photo package separately onboard. The unlimited digital package purchased onboard runs $300–$400+. If there's any chance you want photos, having Premier baked in is far cheaper.
- Book early for better pricing. Premier prices tend to creep up as sailings fill. Booking 9–12 months out often locks in the lower end of the $80–$100/day range.
- Check CruiseHub for package-inclusive fares — they sometimes list sailings with Premier bundled that aren't prominently advertised: CruiseHub
Who Should Get Princess Premier (And Who Shouldn't)
| Traveler Type | Best Package | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate drinkers + foodies who love specialty dining | Premier | Specialty dinners + drinks combo breaks even easily |
| Light drinkers, skip specialty restaurants | Plus | No need to pay for perks you won't use |
| Families who want cruise photos | Premier | Photo package alone often worth the gap vs Plus |
| Short 3–4 night cruises | Plus | Not enough time to extract Premier's value |
| Fitness class enthusiasts + wellness cruisers | Premier | Classes + juice bar add meaningful daily value |
| Budget-first cruisers | Standard | Skip packages, pay à la carte for what you actually want |
Bottom line: Princess Premier makes the most financial sense on sailings of 7 nights or longer, for couples or families who drink regularly, plan to eat at specialty restaurants at least once, and want cruise photos. For light drinkers on short cruises, Plus or even Standard is the smarter spend.
Want to model out whether Premier pencils out for your specific sailing? Run your numbers through CruiseMutiny — it crunches the real cost of each Princess package against your actual spending habits so you're not guessing.