Harley0711

Thank you.   Just thought someone here may have already "invented the Wheel" so to speak

Looking for someone who has stayed there in the past year and can give an aprox taxi cost from airport and what was the breakfast costs.  I have tried calling the Hotel and can not get the call through.  Princess has a Pre Stay, however, the cost is $468pp for a 2 day stay - it does include transfers but I just booked the Same Hotel through Expedia for $318 for 2 days, I get my own transfer - I can go back to the airport and get Princess at $69pp.  

So, any advice

We are currently on Royal Princess. They are accepting our old coffee card and our new card does have an expiration date of Dec. 2018.

It is my Strong Opinion that Princess Will accept the older coffer cards as long as they have unpunched places.. So,, Use that NEW card Before you use the old card, lol

Sorry, I'm late to this game.

I'm sailing Nov 2018. If I buy a coffee card, will the expiration date be 12/31/18? Or ??

This has SO been BEAT Death - yes

Somewhere on this thread a poster said they had gotten a card on the Ruby that did not have an expiration date. Can someone who has gotten one in exchange for mini bar recently confirm?

We have six of those cards with no expiration date. At this point princess is still not sure how those cards will be handled in the future. My guess is that princess will continue to honor the cards with no expiration dates for punches to get to specialty coffees until those just disappear. Princess has not gone in a direction to say that those cards will no longer be good and that is what people are worried about. It is my opinion that it Not anything to worry about, cards with no expiration dates will be good, my opinion

 

And something just occurred to me. If you buy a groupon for a restaurant - it has an expiration for the value of the deal, but it reverts to a simple gift card for the value of what you paid, which never expires. In other words, if I buy a 75.00 deal for a dinner worth 100.00 and I don't use it, I have a 75.00 gift card. So, maybe they should figure the cost you paid for each punch, and you get that credit towards your beverage.

 

Hopefully by the time I have a sip and sail so trade the mini bar for coffee card decision, they'll have enough complaints that the punches remain valid.

You are looking at these card as IF there are in the USA - these ships are Not regestered here, therefore not following our rules on gift cards

Update. My wife spoke to the hotel manager. Coffee cards to be rolling one year expiration dates. He said the policy was on the Internet. Where, I don’t know.

 

 

If what you were told IS True then this policy has been going on since June of 2017... Look at the dates below

 

 

Rwas just on the grand in Dec - they are 'testing / trying out a newctype of internet package. Several different ways to buy - up to unlimited daily. NOT faster , just mewer.. It says fasyer but it is NOT. Ask at the internet cafe .

I just got off the phone with customer service. He insisted that coffee cards have no expiration date and he confirmed with his supervisor. I have a feeling this is a case of the right hand not knowing what the left is doing,

I love these calls and the 'Supervisor' who confirms I AM full of Crap....

Lets make a deal,, I will send you a picture, if I am wrong,,,, I will pay Double for next cruise and if you are wrong, I get a free cruise.. I hate managers who know it all, LOL

I agree that the system knows how many cards are sold and how many are given out to Elite And a smart system should also have to consider that it just sold 15 cups Per card - and budget for that - History has also shown that a certain percentage NEVER get used at all or leaves some punches and those are never used - so in the end, History shows that the 'House' again wins.... Customer has bought something they Never use...

Now for the Elites that have the Drink package - You could take the Coffee cards and have fun with them, look for that person that You think is deserving and just say 'Merry Christmas' and hand them a card. Super nice thing to do or if you don't want to give for free - offer up for say $10. I know I wanted a card - $10 would be a Christmas gift.... just thinking

I am betting the old cards will be just fine - they will eventually be 'Punched out'

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BTW - new Coffee cards NOW have an exp date - seems it 12-31-18 After that they are Dead.

Perhaps, but I would think that the ship would know how many punches (cards) were sold or given away and each cruise. I would also think they would know the exact number of punches used. Thus an easy calculation know they know how many drinks are consumed with the Drink packages.

 

If find it is amazing that anyone could not see that 25 unused coffee cards accumulated by one individual is not the intent of the program nor a good thing for Princess.

 

I am more shocked that it has not be stopped years ago.

Please explain to me How YOU think Princess would know how many punches are used??

Plus as a company, they know that a lpt of the cards will NOT be used - lost, thrown away or just put in a drawer ....

How do I know this??? Just an educated guess. Just like anyother gift card - the company sells them knowning they will not ALL be used - gift cards are a $$$ maker for any company.

There is soda by the Gun and soda by the Can. If you buy the drink package its ONLY by the Gun.. Remember, you can bring on your Own soda - As Much as you want to carry.... Bring a 24 pack - buy that by the can and it will be Over $50. I LOVE Pepsi - however, I gave it up... it was just too hard on my stomach and I am amazed I dont really miss it.. Now wine and beer, different story, LOL>...

anyway,,,, if you like the Gun soda - that the deal to buy,,,, getting it by the glass or drink is just too much

Princess should allow 3 unused cards for a specialty dinner. that come to about $20 per card... get rid of the old cards

I have already ordered coffee cards hope they will issue us with valid cards!!!

 

 

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how could they issue a Non Valid card?

We are on the Golden in a couple of days time. I have two coffee cards with some punches but with no purchase date nor ship name on which they were purchased. I wonder what will happen.

 

 

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Nothing bad will happen - you will be able to use the punches as they were sold AND the brewed coffee will be given to you - worst case would be that they write the ship and cruise date on the back but that has not happened to us - I currently have Seven coffee cards and Only one has a ships name on it

I would think the prepaid punch part would fall under Gift Card regulations which in the US requires 5 years. The free brewed coffee part might well expire at the end of cruise or at a specified date if the cruise is not marked. We trade the mini-bar for cards and toss them at debarkation regardless of what is left on them.

That would be a good argument if the ship was an American registered vessel? Although their headquarters in in the US from what I have learned the Ship is Not US registered.

If you toss them at disembarkation why not hand them to someone embarking? Kinda pay it forward kindness

Here is my .02

The old cards ( we have 7 unpunched ) will eventually be used. I am betting that Princess Will honor the 'Punches) on Coffee - either speciality or brewed -

The new Cards will have that drop dead date - buy it or not - buyers chioce

We are Elite and often book when the 'Sip & Sail' is offered. Thats how we collected our 7 cards. We trade the Mini Bar for 2 coffee cards. Well, we have 2 up coming 'Sip & Sail' booked - what do you suggest we swap for??

I plan to write Princess 'think it will do any good?' And suggest they offer other services for the not needed/wanted Mini Bar set up?

As far as these new cards with expiration dates - 12/31/18 - wonder how long That date will stand before a new date is given. Meaning now its almost a year away but as the weeks march on - it gets closer and closer. Get my meaning.

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U can bring / carry all the soda you want when you board

As stated , any Temp Visa will be taken care of by Princess or Private company. With that said - we used Alla Tours for all the ports -GREAT and much cheaper than Princess and smaller group. Search my name here for report of list Passport in Russia - yo do Not want this to happen to you

I will be sailing on the Grand tomorrow for ten days.. We shall see what the hubbub is all about.

with any luck, yours should go well. if anything, it may be plumbing. Great shows and the new lights in the shows are really great. Please come back and let us know - have a good cruise

There is the issue -- you are a supporter and not a cheerleader.

 

When one is a cheerleader ... when your cabin throne doesn't flush,

you quickly realize that it's not the fault of the cruiseline for

not maintaining the plumbing, but rather your own fault

for needing it.

 

P.S. I don't think it's time for Grand to be scrapped, it has to go to Australia first.

Requirement of (Princess) maritime law.

[emoji4]

I would type more but I need to go to the bathroom. I know it’s my fault [emoji79]

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Just wondering what type of "refurbishment" the OP believes Grand is in need of.

 

Because had they taken even the briefest look at either the Grand Princess page on the Princess website--or other recent threads on here--they would have found out that Grand is actually ahead of the fleet having received in December 2016:

 

• a brand new MUTS screen
  
• Sabatini's completely remodeled into Sabatini's Trattoria
  
• the new Cups and Cones replacing the old ice cream stand
  
• the kids and teens clubs rebranded as Camp Discovery
  
• all new or reconditioned tables and chairs in the Horizon Court
  
• completion of adding Princess Luxury Bed to every stateroom
  
• the usual rehab or replacement of carpet and soft furnishings in public areas
  

So if you are reading reviews that discuss the ship's condition be sure they are from 2017 and not before.

 

And remember that most of the grousing is simply from people who booked a ship launched in 1998 but were expecting "new ship smell" and all the other megaship bells and whistles. They have only themselves to blame for having unrealistic expectations due to their failure to ask before booking.

Interesting. I have sailed on Princess 23 times and 5 on the Grand - first was in 1999 - last 2 were Sept 2017 and December 2017. Both times the ship had both small and bigger problems. You say that if we have an issue its our fault for not understanding that the ship is almost 20 years old and in need of constant repair? Both times this past 2 cruises we attended the Captains circle party and were told that on each cruise we had between 1200 & 1300 FIRST time Princess cruisers. I wonder just how many totally realized that this ship was that old? I am guessing not - they were/are hard working people who save for that first cruise and have both seen commercials and read the brochures. I am an avid supporter of Princess and have 5 more cruises already booked and will continue to cruise.

You only have One chance to make a first impression. On both cruises the main concern I Kept hearing was 'Plumbing and A/C. // Water buckets in the hall were common. AC not so much on the Dec cruise but still an issue for those with 'inside' cabins. I know ships can have issues and I normally just 'Roll' with it. And the Crew was 'as Always' Very good and tried Very hard - Beds were Great.

They are great shows

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