Coffee card gratuity?

[kwazi07]

I was thinking of purchasing the specialty coffee card.

 

I'm wondering if the 18% gratuity is charged on the price of the card or the price of each individual drink you buy. I'd be a little annoyed if it's per drink, which is really an incentive to buy the smaller coffees and therefore get less value out of the card :rolleyes:

[Bp491]

Anytime I have purchased a coffee card the final price was final. There was no additional service charge. If there was it is already built into the initial cost. You get one of the special coffees and the punch your card up to 15 (I think). Regular coffee or tea, at the International Cafe are not punched. They can also be used in the gelato and ice cream shop.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Bp491]

I'm referring to Princess cruises

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[cruzgryphon]

I was thinking of purchasing the specialty coffee card.

 

I'm wondering if the 18% gratuity is charged on the price of the card or the price of each individual drink you buy. I'd be a little annoyed if it's per drink, which is really an incentive to buy the smaller coffees and therefore get less value out of the card :rolleyes:

 

If you're talking about the new coffee card that they just introduced - I'm pretty sure the gratuity charge is included in the cost of the card. I purchased one for my Jewel cruise last week and it was a pretty good savings - about $20 compared to buying individually. The only potential challenge is using them all up by the end of the cruise (they aren't transferable to future cruises).

[Clarea]

I was thinking of purchasing the specialty coffee card.

 

I'm wondering if the 18% gratuity is charged on the price of the card or the price of each individual drink you buy. I'd be a little annoyed if it's per drink, which is really an incentive to buy the smaller coffees and therefore get less value out of the card :rolleyes:

If a gratuity is charged (and I cannot imagine it would not be charged), it will be charged when you initially purchase the card, not on each individual drink you order.

[Croozin Soozin]

The 18% gratuity (service charge) is added to the cost of the card - $31.00 plus the 18% = $36.58. There is no other charge when you order a drink. I bought it for my husband on our 12 night cruise, so easy to use the whole card, or most of it anyway. I think he had only 2 punches left at the end.

[mollyeilis]

It's charged when you buy the card. So it's 31 and then 36 final price with the gratuity.

 

They haven't been ringing anything up.

 

However, on Adventure in this sailing, they insist that a drink is ONE shot of espresso. We get iced drinks. Which are automatically Grande. Which means two shots of espresso. So they are marking down two for every one drink we get.

 

DH has met with the beverage manager who says he sort of agrees that it doesn't say "shot of espresso", but he's still standing firm.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kwazi07]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

 

I assume that the card is transferable? I couldn't drink 15 drinks alone on a five day cruise, but if I can share it with the others in my party it would be great!

[Croozin Soozin]

Yes, they don't care who uses it!

[Tinious]

However, on Adventure in this sailing, they insist that a drink is ONE shot of espresso. We get iced drinks. Which are automatically Grande. Which means two shots of espresso. So they are marking down two for every one drink we get.

 

DH has met with the beverage manager who says he sort of agrees that it doesn't say "shot of espresso", but he's still standing firm.

 

I prebought my card for January sailing because at the time I heard/saw/read that you could use it at Starbucks. Then they backed that out. Now I'm hearing it's "per shot of espresso", so when I order a large for my wife and I it's going to be 4 ticks instead of 2... So instead of "15 drinks", it's going to be 7.5, meaning for $36 it's going to be $4.80 a drink. Have I even saved anything at that point?

[mollyeilis]

I prebought my card for January sailing because at the time I heard/saw/read that you could use it at Starbucks. Then they backed that out. Now I'm hearing it's "per shot of espresso", so when I order a large for my wife and I it's going to be 4 ticks instead of 2... So instead of "15 drinks", it's going to be 7.5, meaning for $36 it's going to be $4.80 a drink. Have I even saved anything at that point?

 

 

 

If you're on Adventure and they stick to this, then they will charge two ticks if you have a Grande.

 

An iced latte of that size on this sailing is $3.75. By my calculations yes you're still saving but it's not how the card reads or how it's being sold ahead of time. The real problem is if you're getting three shots or a venti and being charged 3 ticks for it.

 

Off we go to GS again because in three years they still haven't fixed the arcade credit machines and how they relate to the C&A deal for kids. Sigh.

[MelissaMcC]

I just recently purchased two. One online and one on board. They add 18% to the purchase price so once you buy it your grat is paid. I could get any type or size on Empress for one tick. So it was about half price per coffee with the card

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Tinious]

If it's $36 for 15 shots, that's $2.40 a shot after gratuity. If a double-drink costs $3.75 plus 18% ($4.43) then I've paid $4.80 for $4.43 worth of product.

 

Yay.

[MelissaMcC]

Must be a ship specific thing. Last week (on Empress), I got large double shots that are listed as $4.00 plus grat for one punch off the card.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited December 21, 2016 by MelissaMcC

[mollyeilis]

Must be a ship specific thing. Last week (on Empress), I got large double shots that are listed as $4.00 plus grat for one punch off the card.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

 

That's why my posts on the subject have all been careful to mention "Adventure on this sailing" and variations of the sort.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MelissaMcC]

That's why my posts on the subject have all been careful to mention "Adventure on this sailing" and variations of the sort.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

Yes, they really should be across the board on these things. It's new so I'm guessing they have to work out kinks. Might be worth waiting to get on board to buy after you can ask the Cafe staff what the policy is on doubles.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[mollyeilis]

Staff tried to make a comment about how Ily makes them conform to standards. But since there are illy cafes in Seattle that DH goes to he knows that that's just not true. And since they don't sell Tall iced lattes, and a Grande needs two shots (to keep up with any sort of standard!), they are causing the situation.

 

I think that when they sold the cards simply onboard they could make whatever rules, but to buy it ahead of time when it's just "drinks" to then find out it's certain drinks...just NO.

 

I mentioned in another thread that they took care of us, but it doesn't help all the others in this situation on this sailing. It's not ok IMO.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk