Princess drops a useful Wi-Fi option as package prices rise

Princess Cruises is removing its standalone four-device Wi-Fi plan while keeping four-device access in Princess Premier. Anyone who wants to connect four devices without the top-tier bundle will need multiple standalone plans instead. That is a more awkward purchase than it needs to be.

The replacement two-device plan has a use. But I’d keep both options available. Passengers looking for internet access should be able to choose a straightforward plan without having to weigh the merits of unlimited dining and a drinks package.

The Wi-Fi changes come alongside a US$5 per person, per day increase for Princess Plus and Princess Premier on voyages departing on or after October 13, 2026. Princess has not announced any changes to the benefits included in either bundle.

The new standalone Wi-Fi choices

The two-device plan will cost $39.99 per day before departure. Bought onboard for the entire voyage, it will cost $47.99 daily. A single day of access purchased onboard will cost $55.99.

For one device, the revised price will be $27.99 per day before sailing or $33.99 daily when purchased onboard for the full cruise. A single-day onboard purchase will cost $39.99.

Both Plus and Premier include MedallionNet Max, which provides priority access to the best available bandwidth, typically through Starlink. Plus covers one device, while Premier covers four. MedallionNet Classic remains the standard tier, using a combination of satellite networks and terrestrial 5G where available.

Premier therefore retains a tidy, four-device offering while the standalone route becomes a matter of combining plans.

What Plus and Premier will cost

Pre-cruise purchases of Plus will rise from $65 to $70 per person daily. Premier will increase from $100 to $105. Passengers purchasing onboard will pay $75 for Plus, up from $70, and $110 for Premier, up from $105. The saving for buying before departure remains $5 per person, per day for either package.

Sun Princess and Star Princess already carry a $5 daily premium over those fleet rates. Their Plus prices are expected to reach $75 before sailing and $80 onboard. Premier is expected to cost $110 before departure and $115 onboard, per person daily.

This follows the July 2025 package increase, when the daily price rose by $5 for Plus and $10 for Premier.

Princess has also left an important question unanswered: whether passengers who have already purchased a bundle for an affected departure will owe the difference. That needs a clear answer before anyone with a paid package can know where they stand.

The first U.S. sailing subject to the changes will be a sold-out, 10-night Mexican Riviera voyage from San Francisco aboard Ruby Princess.

The benefits remain substantial, but relevance matters

Both packages cover crew appreciation and waive OceanNow and room-service delivery fees. In her letter to travel advisors, Carmen Roig, Princess Cruises’ senior vice president of North America sales and trade marketing, confirmed that the crew-appreciation component continues to go directly to crew members.

Plus includes four casual-dining meals per guest per voyage and up to 15 drinks daily, priced at no more than $15 each. Premier includes unlimited casual and specialty dining, along with unlimited drinks priced up to $20 each.

Premier also includes reserved theater seating, professional photos and shore-excursion credit based on voyage length. That credit is $100 for cruises lasting six to nine days, $200 for those lasting 10 to 20 days, and up to $300 for voyages of at least 21 days.

“We periodically review our offerings to ensure they continue to provide meaningful benefits while reflecting changes in our operating environment,” Roig wrote. “We believe both packages offer strong value.”

There is plenty in Premier for passengers who will use it. But a long benefits list does not answer every purchasing need. Someone who wants four devices connected should not need an appetite for specialty dining and $20 drinks to make the simplest available option worthwhile.

Compare Princess Cruises sailings by price on Cruise Lookup.