Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Is a 2011 Coffee Card valid for IC?

PinotBlanc

By PinotBlanc,
in Princess Cruises

 Share

Recommended Posts

Colo Cruiser

Colo Cruiser

Posted
Posted (edited)
Is my 2011 specialty coffee card still valid at the International Café on Princess ships.

 

Thanks. I'll find it if it's valid.

 

Penny

 

 

Usually only valid if there are punches left.

If its the old style they may exchange it for a new one.

Edited by Colo Cruiser
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Pam in CA

Pam in CA

Posted
Posted
Is my 2011 specialty coffee card still valid at the International Café on Princess ships.
Yes. Any punches left can be used to get either brewed or specialty coffee. If one punch is left, you'll get one coffee. The unlimited brewed coffee for the card is good only for the cruise the card is purchased. It was never intended to be forever.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Stevesan

Stevesan

Posted
Posted

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 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.

__________________

 

If you are accustomed to good quality coffee, you definitely will want a coffee card. The vile concoction in the Horizon Court (buffet) is syrup based. Room service is also syrup based.

 

Not that syrup-based coffee is always a bad thing. My hometown source, http://www.javacoffee.com/, informs me there are different grades for syrup coffee, just as with ground coffee.

Regardless of grade, the taste of syrup based is always going to be somewhat inferior to an equivalent grade of ground. Based on flavor, Princess must use the lowest grade (cheapest) available.

 

Not all ships have the Int'l Cafe. They do, however, have a Coffee Bar for regular and specialty coffees.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
FritzG

FritzG

Posted
Posted

We just used the last punches on a card we bought in 2009 on our January, 2014, Emerald cruise. DH only uses the card for brewed coffee so he had almost all of the punches left. On our Ruby b2b in March he didn't buy a new card because he had 4 cards from previous cruises with no punches on them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LewesBeach

LewesBeach

Posted
Posted

I was told by servers on 2 different cruises that since the card has the voyage number written on the back, it is not valid on another cruise. Can anyone confirm or deny? Or is this another instance where every ship will be different depending on who the manager is?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Colo Cruiser

Colo Cruiser

Posted
Posted
I was told by servers on 2 different cruises that since the card has the voyage number written on the back, it is not valid on another cruise. Can anyone confirm or deny? Or is this another instance where every ship will be different depending on who the manager is?

 

Its another instance where every ship handles it a different way.

Take it anyway and give it a try.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Pia1913

Pia1913

Posted
Posted
I was told by servers on 2 different cruises that since the card has the voyage number written on the back, it is not valid on another cruise. Can anyone confirm or deny? Or is this another instance where every ship will be different depending on who the manager is?

 

Voyage number means you can't get unlimited fresh brewed, designer teas and hot chocolate on other ships. But you can use it and will be punched for each item you select. There are many employees who have not been educated on coffee cards, since they were hired after the new ones went into effect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PinotBlanc

PinotBlanc

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I'm hooked on the coffee at the International Café. We'll take remaining cards with us. If they work it's a bonus. Otherwise, we'll purchase cards and be happy the ship has an IC. Previously we used the cards on Emerald and Coral (where I recall the IC was small, but lots of seating in the piazza.) We often took a table at the IC on Emerald and waited for service.

 

Thank you for taking time to post.

 

Penny

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Pam in CA

Pam in CA

Posted
Posted
I was told by servers on 2 different cruises that since the card has the voyage number written on the back, it is not valid on another cruise. Can anyone confirm or deny? Or is this another instance where every ship will be different depending on who the manager is?
It doesn't really matter does it since the card was bought on another cruise and was used for unlimited coffee on that cruise. You know that even if the server doesn't. The punches are valid.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Wehwalt

Wehwalt

Posted
Posted

When I was on the Pacific Princess, the ones that were brought to me by room service in exchange for my minibar setup as Elite, were not marked. I used them without incident. The coffee servers get to know you.

 

Now I did happen to be there when two of the crew, a server and supervisor, were discussing coffee cards, and they were saying that the ship was transitioning to the new printing of coffee cards, that were different. I was able to show them the one I was using then, that I had gotten on the Ruby (I had used up one of the ones I had gotten on the Pacific Princess and so was using up a partially-used one from the Ruby). I showed them the difference was the lack of the words "Hot Chocolate". And I saw one that they were looking at, it had the name of the ship on the back (I think it was from someone poolside who had ordered a drink). It may be that if you get the card at the coffee bar, they write the ship's name on it. I have something of a surplus of coffee cards, I will offload some on my brother when we cruise together on the round-South America on the Ruby next January.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Pia1913

Pia1913

Posted
Posted
When I was on the Pacific Princess, the ones that were brought to me by room service in exchange for my minibar setup as Elite, were not marked. I used them without incident. The coffee servers get to know you.

 

Now I did happen to be there when two of the crew, a server and supervisor, were discussing coffee cards, and they were saying that the ship was transitioning to the new printing of coffee cards, that were different. I was able to show them the one I was using then, that I had gotten on the Ruby (I had used up one of the ones I had gotten on the Pacific Princess and so was using up a partially-used one from the Ruby). I showed them the difference was the lack of the words "Hot Chocolate". And I saw one that they were looking at, it had the name of the ship on the back (I think it was from someone poolside who had ordered a drink). It may be that if you get the card at the coffee bar, they write the ship's name on it. I have something of a surplus of coffee cards, I will offload some on my brother when we cruise together on the round-South America on the Ruby next January.

 

I changed the mini bar two different times and none of those cards were marked. I still have three empties and 2 partials. Certainly enough for my upcoming cruises now and of course I supplement with my own coffee too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bazshirl2

bazshirl2

Posted
Posted
I changed the mini bar two different times and none of those cards were marked. I still have three empties and 2 partials. Certainly enough for my upcoming cruises now and of course I supplement with my own coffee too.

Pia , as an Elite member I was unaware that you could exchange your minibar set up with a 15 serve coffee card. Is this standard Princess policy or dependant on the cruise ? Barry (from down under ) :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
caribill

caribill

Posted
Posted
as an Elite member I was unaware that you could exchange your minibar set up with a 15 serve coffee card. Is this standard Princess policy or dependant on the cruise ?

 

This is relatively new (6 months?) and is standard at least on the USA based ships.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...