First Elite Cruise- Mini Bar set up

Hi, I'm sailing my first cruise as Elite and I heard through the grapevine that you can request a coffee card instead of the alcohol in your mini bar. I know they'll switch out for different types of soda which is great but I generally have about 1-2 drinks in a year so the alcohol is wasted on me. Has anyone ever traded their alcohol for a coffee card successfully?

Any other Elite things not printed in the official PCL materials that I should know about?

Hi, I'm sailing my first cruise as Elite and I heard through the grapevine that you can request a coffee card instead of the alcohol in your mini bar. I know they'll switch out for different types of soda which is great but I generally have about 1-2 drinks in a year so the alcohol is wasted on me. Has anyone ever traded their alcohol for a coffee card successfully?

 

Any other Elite things not printed in the official PCL materials that I should know about?

You must trade in the entire mini bar, all the spirits, beer, water and soda, not just the alcohol, for two coffee packages. There are no more coffee cards. No partial trade ins for one coffee package. You do this by calling room service.

You must trade in the entire mini bar, all the spirits, beer, water and soda, not just the alcohol, for two coffee packages. There are no more coffee cards. No partial trade ins for one coffee package. You do this by calling room service.

Hmmm... Well, I already bought a 12 pack of water for the stateroom and was planning on bringing a 12 pack of my favorite soda so that could be worth it for me. Thanks.

Any tips for getting the most out of my new status?

Trade-in rules, straight from the source:

https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/membershipFAQ.page

I’m an Elite member, is there a way to customize my mini-bar?

Yes, you can make changes onboard by dialing room service. Mini bottles of liquor can be exchanged; liquor can also be exchanged for beer. You can also exchange the entire setup for: a bottle of wine, coffee cards, sodas only or waters only.

Hmmm... Well, I already bought a 12 pack of water for the stateroom and was planning on bringing a 12 pack of my favorite soda so that could be worth it for me. Thanks.

 

Any tips for getting the most out of my new status?

I think these are the best elite benefits:

Laundry, fill out the slip, place laundry in the bag(s), leave on the bed for the steward. Normally returned in one or two days unless there are lots and lots of Elites on board.

Priority Tender Service, show up at the tender ticket location and generally be seated on the next tender out.

One of the first to board, providing you are there when boarding begins.

So if I want to exchange all the alcohol for beer, is it just the mini bottles that they take or do they also take all the water and sodas?

I think these are the best elite benefits:

Laundry, fill out the slip, place laundry in the bag(s), leave on the bed for the steward. Normally returned in one or two days unless there are lots and lots of Elites on board.

Priority Tender Service, show up at the tender ticket location and generally be seated on the next tender out.

One of the first to board, providing you are there when boarding begins.

I find these two perks in the order listed as the ones I would list. Especially laundry, can't remember how frustrating it was for my DW and I to get laundry done sometimes when the rooms were packed.

The coffee 'cards' go on your cruise card. If there are 2 people in the room, you can have a 'coffee card' put on each persons card. If only 1 person in the room you put 1 card on & when that is finished.....all the punches....you can put the other 1 on.

Sharon

So if I want to exchange all the alcohol for beer, is it just the mini bottles that they take or do they also take all the water and sodas?

We just took our first cruise as Elite and exchanged the hard alcohol for beer and the soda for water.

So if I want to exchange all the alcohol for beer, is it just the mini bottles that they take or do they also take all the water and sodas?

A 50 ml bottle of spirits can be exchanged 1 for 1 for a bottles of beer, normally Dos Equis. They can also be exchanged 1 for 1 for non-alcoholic beverage on the menu.

Princess Elite Mini-bar Set up and questions:

"Princess Elite Mini-bar

Question:What will my mini-bar consist of?

Answer:Elite members will get a one-time complimentary mini-bar set-up (1per Elite stateroom) which consists of two (2) miniature bottles each ofCognac, Gin, Vodka and Scotch Whisky, two (2) 12 ounce cans of beer, two (2) 12ounce cans/bottles of tonic water, two (2) 12 ounce cans of Coca Cola, two (2)12 ounce cans of Sprite, two (2) 0.5 liter bottles of water, two (2) 11 ouncebottles of Perrier. The contents of the mini-bar are subject to change.

Question:What if I have a specific request for how I’d like my mini-barstocked?

Answer:Your mini-bar will consist of a selection of liquors, soft drinks,beer, still and sparkling water. Once on board, you may contact Room Service tochange your mini-bar selection. Certain restrictions apply.

Question:Can I exchange the items in my Elite mini-bar for wine?

Answer:You may exchange all of your mini-bar items for one bottle of winevalued at $40 or less.

Question:Can I exchange the items in my Elite mini-bar for full bottles ofliquor?

Answer:No. Miniature bottles of liquor (50 ml) may be exchanged on aone-for-one basis with other miniature bottles.

Question:Can I exchange the non-alcoholic items in my Elite mini-bar foralcohol?

Answer:No. Non-alcoholic beverages may be exchanged on a one-for-onebasis with other non-alcoholic varieties.

Question:What if I don't want any alcohol in my Elite mini-bar?

Answer:If you do not wish to have any alcohol in your mini-bar we will behappy to exchange your mini-bar for one of the following:

• Alcoholic beverages may be exchanged for non-alcoholic beverages on a one-for-one basis
  
• Full mini-bar may be exchanged for two (2) Coffee Cards
  
• All water mini-bar setup will consist of eight (8) 1.5 liter bottles of water
  

This used to be available on the website , but no longer unfortunately .. Should answer your questions ! Enjoy your new Elite perks.

I was on the Grand Princess two weeks ago. Just call room service and they will come pick up the entire mini-bar. The coffee cards are loaded onto your cruise card. If you have two people in the cabin, then each person gets 15 fancy coffees and unlimited brewed coffee and special teas. We also used the cards at Coffee and Cones to get the coffee frappes. It can take a couple of hours for the coffees to load to your card, so just ask at the IC to make sure the card is ready to go.

I was on the Grand Princess two weeks ago. Just call room service and they will come pick up the entire mini-bar. The coffee cards are loaded onto your cruise card. If you have two people in the cabin, then each person gets 15 fancy coffees and unlimited brewed coffee and special teas. We also used the cards at Coffee and Cones to get the coffee frappes. It can take a couple of hours for the coffees to load to your card, so just ask at the IC to make sure the card is ready to go.

Do you have to go anywhere to get the coffee card loaded onto cruise card?

Do you have to go anywhere to get the coffee card loaded onto cruise card?

No, room service just said to give it a couple of hours to load. We went down to the IC later that day and they scanned the card and said it was ready to use. It works pretty much like the regular alcoholic beverage package, except that it's coffee products. Towards the end of the cruise, we asked how many we had left and they were able to tell us. We finished our coffees on the disembarkation day in the dining room. It will work there too.

One of us is Elite and one is Platinum. If we want to exchange for coffee cards, will we still get 2 cards?

One of us is Elite and one is Platinum. If we want to exchange for coffee cards, will we still get 2 cards?

Yep - I am elite & my partner not but I exchanged for 2 coffee cards & they put one on each cruise card no problems.

Yep - I am elite & my partner not but I exchanged for 2 coffee cards & they put one on each cruise card no problems.

It was the same for us. I'm elite and my sister is Ruby. We were sharing the cabin and they put one on each card for us. Room service gave me the choice of keeping both, but it was only a ten-day cruise, and I wanted to share with my sister anyway. :)

I almost forgot to mention. If you go and pull a copy of your bill, it will show a charge for the coffee card. I went to Passenger Services and they explained that the charge is to track the inventory, and that it would disappear in about twenty-four hours. The next day, the charge was gone. I would only be concerned if the charge stayed on for more than a couple of days. It's kind of like how they charge for the laundry, then give you the credit if you are elite.

Hi, I'm sailing my first cruise as Elite and I heard through the grapevine that you can request a coffee card instead of the alcohol in your mini bar. I know they'll switch out for different types of soda which is great but I generally have about 1-2 drinks in a year so the alcohol is wasted on me. Has anyone ever traded their alcohol for a coffee card successfully?

 

Any other Elite things not printed in the official PCL materials that I should know about?

You get 2 of the coffee packages now.

The coffee 'cards' go on your cruise card. If there are 2 people in the room, you can have a 'coffee card' put on each persons card. If only 1 person in the room you put 1 card on & when that is finished.....all the punches....you can put the other 1 on.

 

Sharon

We just came off our first cruise where they put the coffee "cards" on the cruise card instead of giving you the paper card. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but found that it was kind of nice not having to keep up with that extra card. Plenty of coffees for a 7 day cruise. We still have some old cards that we'll use on a few future cruises that are longer (couple of 10 day and a 26 day -- we'll do these before date Princess says they'll expire).

I was on the Grand Princess two weeks ago. Just call room service and they will come pick up the entire mini-bar. The coffee cards are loaded onto your cruise card. If you have two people in the cabin, then each person gets 15 fancy coffees and unlimited brewed coffee and special teas. We also used the cards at Coffee and Cones to get the coffee frappes. It can take a couple of hours for the coffees to load to your card, so just ask at the IC to make sure the card is ready to go.

I’m a big confused on this new process. DH usually makes a beeline to the IC for coffee, and could easily consume 3 or 4 (he’s a caffeine fiend) by the time the switch out is processed and the coffee “card” is loaded onto his cruise card. Would he have to pay for those coffees? Then go to PAX services and have the charges removed?? Thanks!

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I’m a big confused on this new process. DH usually makes a beeline to the IC for coffee, and could easily consume 3 or 4 (he’s a caffeine fiend) by the time the switch out is processed and the coffee “card” is loaded onto his cruise card. Would he have to pay for those coffees? Then go to PAX services and have the charges removed?? Thanks!

 

 

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Not sure exactly how this would work. Did you trade out minibar previously for the regular cards? It used to be that it took several hours to get those as well (ours were usually in the room around time for dinner). How did he get his coffees then?

I would check with GS desk.

I’m a big confused on this new process. DH usually makes a beeline to the IC for coffee, and could easily consume 3 or 4 (he’s a caffeine fiend) by the time the switch out is processed and the coffee “card” is loaded onto his cruise card. Would he have to pay for those coffees? Then go to PAX services and have the charges removed?? Thanks!

 

 

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I would sort of expect you would have to pay for those since it's before you have the card loaded on your card. Maybe they would remove them if you prearranged with them. Not sure how that works. When we did ours, they had it swapped out when we got to the room after muster drill.

I think he used to use his leftover cards from prior cruises until the switch happened. Have to admit I’ve lost track of whether you can currently still do that or not....oh well, first world problems I know. I think it would be such a no brainer to be able to input your minibar choices in your personalizer ahead of time! Surely all of the calling and switching done chews up a lot of time, or at least that’s my thinking.

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I totally agree that it makes sense to be able to specify your suite or elite preference on the personalizer in advance. In April, prior to the switch to the coffee package, we got our trade out while we were at dinner, so anything purchased that first afternoon would have been on our nickel.

You can still use an "old" coffee card during that first afternoon, but you are basically wasting the punches since you'll have unlimited brew when you do get the new package. I don't think we will use 15 punches on a 7 night cruise, but suppose it is possible. Your best bet is likely to charge the first afternoon to your new cruise card and then ask passenger services to remove them/apply them to the package when the package is loaded. I haven't heard whether anyone has had success with this, but guess I'll find out soon.

I’m a big confused on this new process. DH usually makes a beeline to the IC for coffee, and could easily consume 3 or 4 (he’s a caffeine fiend) by the time the switch out is processed and the coffee “card” is loaded onto his cruise card. Would he have to pay for those coffees? Then go to PAX services and have the charges removed?? Thanks!

 

 

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I used a punch from my old card (before the new one loaded) so I really couldn't say. My advice would be to call room service, as soon as you board the ship, and request the change out. The coffee punches may load more quickly than what I was told. I didn't check right away.