Coffee Card - buy one to share?

[pablo222]

So you're under the impression that you get unlimited brewed coffee for the rest of your life by spending $30 on a coffee card and leaving one punch remaining?

 

Why pick on her? Many, many people here believed that.

They used to brag about laminating their coffee cards, and

using them cruise-after-cruise.

 

Of course, after enough bragging, even the slow princess caught on

and changed the design of the card and added new restrictions.

 

It is sometimes hard to predict just how unreasonable

people will be, until you see them in 'action'.

[Cauzneffct]

Why pick on her? Many, many people here believed that.

They used to brag about laminating their coffee cards, and

using them cruise-after-cruise.

 

Of course, after enough bragging, even the slow princess caught on

and changed the design of the card and added new restrictions.

 

It is sometimes hard to predict just how unreasonable

people will be, until you see them in 'action'.

 

A thousand pardons, this was the first time I've seen a live person make the claim in earnest. I can totally understand someone thinking "you know, I bet if I leave a punch, I can game the system and keep getting free coffee on subsequent voyages." I find it much harder to buy people actually thinking that Princess intended that the purchase of a coffee card conveyed a lifetime benefit or could be willed down from generation entitling the bearer to free coffee, and thus their actions were legitimate.

[WVBill]

We purchased two coffee cards on our Ruby cruise in 2012.

The space on the back for Ship/Cruise was not filled out.

We had both regular brewed coffee (no punches) and specialty coffees (for which they punched)

At the end of the cruise there were punches left on both.

 

We took the same cards on our Ruby cruise in 2013.

When we went to get coffee, we presented our cards.

We had both regular brewed coffee (no punches) and specialty coffees (for which they punched)

At the end of the cruise there were punches left on both.

 

We will take the same cards on our Golden cruise in September.

When we go to get coffee, we will present our cards.

If they accept them for regular brewed coffee (whether they punch it or not) we will drink the coffee.

 

We will continue to do this until the cards are completely punched or they refuse to take the card - at which point we will buy new cards.

 

I do not "expect" to get free brewed coffee for life but if Princess wants to give it to me I will not turn it down.

[pablo222]

A thousand pardons, this was the first time I've seen a live person make the claim in earnest. I can totally understand someone thinking "you know, I bet if I leave a punch, I can game the system and keep getting free coffee on subsequent voyages." I find it much harder to buy people actually thinking that Princess intended that the purchase of a coffee card conveyed a lifetime benefit or could be willed down from generation entitling the bearer to free coffee, and thus their actions were legitimate.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/archive/index.php/t-1355961.html

[centralcalicruzer]

So you're under the impression that you get unlimited brewed coffee for the rest of your life by spending $30 on a coffee card and leaving one punch remaining?

 

While I'm certain that is was never the intention of Princess to allow unlimited brewed coffee for life, and those that purposely left one punch on their card so they could use it on multiple future cruises were obviously going out of the lines of what Princess intended with the unlimited brewed coffee portion of the card, I certainly didn't get the impression that's what this person was trying to do. If someone had used only, say, half of their punches on one cruise and used the other half of the coffee card on a subsequent cruise, I see no problem with them also getting the free brewed coffee during the time period that Princess allowed that. It seems like so often people on this board are so quick to judge and assume that someone is trying to "get away with something". A simple question about the coffee card and the person is accused of trying to get something for nothing. And honest inquiry about jeans in the dining room and the person is practically told they are a slob and should be happy with the buffet. Someone from a non-tipping culture genuinely wants to know and understand about our American tipping custom and they are accused of being cheap. This forum is supposed to be about people helping other people with their questions about cruising, not make them feel like an idiot for asking.

Ok, sorry for the rant, just get tired of seeing people berated on here instead of assisted. :)

[jsiegel]

Maybe if it's completely unused they may allow you to trade it for one currently issued. I would give it a try. Otherwise, you can use old cards for either the specialty coffee or the brewed, however, they will punch the card for all types. I would surely see if they would trade it though since completely unused.

 

I tried to trade in an unused old card for a new one on the Sapphire at the IC this past April and they would not. I might have been able to find someone else to trade it (another bar) but it wasn't worth the hassle. I had it along mainly for my husband's daily cappuccino as we both find the syrup coffee acceptable for plain coffee.

 

Jackie

[pablo222]

A thousand pardons, this was the first time I've seen a live person make the claim in earnest. I can totally understand someone thinking "you know, I bet if I leave a punch, I can game the system and keep getting free coffee on subsequent voyages."

 

The people here are like prison inmates -- they have endless time

to think up ways they can get something for themselves.

 

Princess is obviously the cruise line for them ... Escape Completely ...

and all that.

[mom07]

OK thanks for the information

 

No, I was not trying to do something shady to get "free brewed coffee for life"

 

I have only cruised on Princess once before so did not know about the new rules.

 

Most of the other cruise lines offer free brewed coffee. For example, on Royal Caribbean, the brewed coffee is available in all of the dining areas and in the Royal Promenade at the cafe promenade. It is Seattle's best and is brewed and at no additional cost.

[gumboroux]

At the International Café and some lounges:

 

Brewed coffee is $1.25/cup, most specialty coffees are $2.50-$2.75 for a regular size, espresso $1.75.

 

$33.35, including gratuity, buys a coffee card with fifteen punchouts for specialty coffees, and unlimited brewed coffee at the cafes and lounges that have brewed coffee. You can also use it in the dining rooms for brewed and specialty coffees. The server is directed to take two punch outs for double shot orders, some do, some don't.

Since the coffee card is for a discrete quantity it's not time limited. If there are punch outs remaining at the end of the cruise the card will carry over to the next cruise. The unlimited brewed coffee does not carry over.

 

So am I to understand that you pay for any coffe on a princess ship? We leave to go on our first cruise Wed. and have to plead ignorance on this subject.

[IECalCruiser]

So am I to understand that you pay for any coffe on a princess ship? We leave to go on our first cruise Wed. and have to plead ignorance on this subject.

Coffee made from concentrated syrup is free. Fresh brewed coffee from the International Cafe and some bars cost extra. DW has fresh brewed in the morning but the "free" stuff if she has any later in the day.

[Wavesprite]

We were just on the Grand and I had a card and was able to get my Latte and a hot chocolate (no punch taken) each time......

[pwlee49]

As long as you in the same ship , you will get a way with it ! When you go to Golden , is the different ship , you will not get what you want !