No more Coffee Cards

[Astro Flyer]

Will we still be able to use a punch on the card for Gelato?

 

That option at Gelato’s on the Royal & Regal ended several months ago & now cost $3.50.

[Twogaterz]

I pre-purchased coffee cards for our Royal Princess trip (arrived home yesterday) and they were paper and punched when we ordered our favourite cappuccinos. They had an expiry date of Dec 31 2018 on them and we just used them depending on who had the card with them at the time. There was no concern about ‘sharing’ at all. I do think on a couple of occasions the staff only punched for one coffee when we ordered two. The cards weren’t named and were great. However the coffee in the dining room wasn’t too bad and I believe they served brewed. We had coffee in the buffet and that wasn’t great but it wasn’t really bad ( had much worse in a hotel in Italy last year!). We used up our cards over 12 days and we could have bought more on board for $31 each.

[sunsetbeachgal]

I’m on the Royal now and they are definitely selling them. Just sitting at IC and they are telling people about them

 

 

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[IECalCruiser]

The complementary fresh brewed coffee in the Horizon Court on Royal class ships is pretty good. DW drank it most of the time and only used a coffee card punch for an Americano at the IC as we left for early tours. Wish they would retrofit older ships with those coffee brewers.

 

 

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[IECalCruiser]

Just another poorly written Princess terms & conditions change in policy.

 

The new T&C for our upcoming 14-day cruise shows the new policy & is $35.65 for 15 specialty coffees. Based on this T&C statement how many pre-purchased specialty coffees will vary based on itinerary:

 

“pre-purchase of a specified number of specialty coffees (numbers vary by itinerary) during the voyage of purchase“.

 

For a Spring 2019 7-day cruise it’s also $35.65 for 15 specialty coffees so their T&C statement contradicts what’s available in my Cruise Personalizer. If based on itinerary then a shorter cruise would have fewer specialty coffees at a lower price.

 

Our cruise in 2 weeks shows the new T&C and it won’t be long until I know more about the implementation of this new policy.

Frank, Between DD, DW, and me we have 7, 8, 20, and 28 day cruises booked and they all offer only the 15 drink package. It would be nice to have a cheaper 7 drink package and perhaps a 21 drink package. I don’t drink coffee but DW likes fresh brewed and DD needs 1-2 vanilla soy lattes every morning.

 

 

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[Burgmeister]

I purchased the card for our recent cruise on the Sapphire. I used it for tea and then got the thing clipped for my wife to have the speciality coffees (she used 6) and I thought it was money well spent. If we cruise Princess again we won't bother with the card if it can't be used in this way. I can get free tea in HC and the wife can pay individually for her coffees - if she chooses to have them. She hasn't had speciality coffees on any of our other cruises so she may not even bother.

[Burgmeister]

Interesting that they have changed the rules on already purchased coffee cards. I bought the card on the understanding that any unused punches were valid indefinitely - this is now not the case.

 

 

Classic mis-selling (bait and switch). Don't know about US law but that is defintiely illegal in the EU.

[Micahs Grandad]

Will we still be able to use a punch on the card for Gelato?

 

We did it on the Crown last week with no problem. However did have Gelato numerous times in Rome and Italian ports and found gelato on the ship to suffer in comparison

[voljeep]

same coffee package offered on both our 7 day cruise in Nov/18 - Regal and

 

3 day cruise on SKY - 12/4/19 - both the up to 15 coffee(s) use it or lose it.

 

No way on the 3 day for that to work...maybe just not updated yet

 

would be a good deal if this same package is offered for 14 day and longer...

[pompeii]

The package details say you can purchase onboard.

 

 

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I haven't been able to find that in the package description.....can someone point me to it?

 

If the Princess system can add it to your card on board, I wonder why they can't add it to your card within 3 days of sailing?

[myfuzzy]

Wow, I bought the "celebrations" breakfast a couple of months ago, which includes the balcony breakfast, coffee card and two mugs. We normally use only about half the punches on the card. Now it looks like we will have to boost up our coffee drinking. I don't like to pay for items, then find out you have to use everything or lose it. I feel if you purchase a card, give them your money, it should be up to you, how you use it.

[moki'smommy]

I haven't been able to find that in the package description.....can someone point me to it?

 

If the Princess system can add it to your card on board, I wonder why they can't add it to your card within 3 days of sailing?

Because at 3 days prior to cruising they begin the process of making up the cards and getting things ready to be sent to the port. This is not an unusual time frame; many cruise lines do not allow excursions to be booked or canceled or cruises to be booked in the normal fashion at the 3 day mark. They aren't going to use the "work around" system for something as small as a coffee card.

[geoherb]

Interesting that they have changed the rules on already purchased coffee cards. I bought the card on the understanding that any unused punches were valid indefinitely - this is now not the case.

 

Classic mis-selling (bait and switch). Don't know about US law but that is defintiely illegal in the EU.

That's my thought too. If it isn't illegal for a company to change the terms retroactively like this, it should be. We have three coffee cards with 38 punches left between them. DH will use at least 15 punches on our upcoming trans-Atlantic on the Royal for his cappuccinos with dessert at dinner.

 

We traded our suite's minibar setup on the Royal for two of the three coffee cards last December. The third one DH bought on the Caribbean last August. None of them have expiration dates.

 

I still remember the uproar here nearly 15 years ago when Princess started charging for espresso-based drinks in the dining room.

 

I sent a complaint to Princess using the online email form. It had a "desired outcome" space, so I asked for on-board credit equal to one coffee card on our upcoming cruise. We'll see what Princess's response is.

Edited June 7, 2018 by geoherb

[moki'smommy]

 

I still remember the uproar here nearly 15 years ago when Princess started charging for espresso-based drinks in the dining room.

And Princess has learned over the years that initially there will be much uproar and then the vast majority of passengers will settle down and accept the new ruled. Bottom line, they win.

[talljaycruiser]

Personally, I think the regular coffee in Horizons and the MDR is quite good. Here's my favorite free coffee drink:

 

Get a cup of the free vanilla ice cream (or try chocolate)

Put the ice cream in plastic drinking cup from the buffet.

Add coffee (or decaf) and stir until ice cream is just melted.

Get a second cup (or two) of ice.

Pour the coffee/ice cream mix over the ice and enjoy what I call a tallatte!

[Knickearth]

so this seems to also mean that elites no longer can trade in the mini bar for 2 free coffee cards. Feels like a loss of a perk we loved.:)

[skynight]

so this seems to also mean that elites no longer can trade in the mini bar for 2 free coffee cards. Feels like a loss of a perk we loved.:)

Also a loss of value. Mini Bar value around $70. Coffee package value $35.

[ggprincess2004]

We don' use the coffee cards for brewed coffee, only the espresso based beverages. So putting a use it or lose on remaining punches for us is not a good thing. We never drink brewed coffee at home either. We loved being able to trade the mini bar for 2 coffee cards. The old system seemed fair and really worked for us. Hate to see it go away.

[CanuckCurlers]

So if the new cards are not transferable does that mean I have to get up, get dressed and find my way to the International Cafe to get my morning latte? My dear husband loves the journey down there, his visits with the staff because there are few people around, plus the ability to serve his dear wife.

[myfuzzy]

So if the new cards are not transferable does that mean I have to get up, get dressed and find my way to the International Cafe to get my morning latte? My dear husband loves the journey down there, his visits with the staff because there are few people around, plus the ability to serve his dear wife.

 

Yeah, same here. We are on the CB in Sept, so that means we go to the IC grab our coffee's and then head to the Lido for breakfast....Not sure where the coffee comes from if you order it there. Anyone know?

[cruzsnooze]

 

And as I mentioned on another post, if you over purchased (meaning is shows on your SBA cards on a cruise), full refunds would be issued as OBC. So no need to sell them.

Maybe that was an issue, people bought the card and got brewed coffee only then returned the cards at the end of the cruise.

[voljeep]

if both have the coffee package - seems like one person could get two coffees...

[pms4104]

With enough complaints, Princess could disallow any mini bar tradeouts ... or drop the mini bar perk for suites and elites.

 

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[Ellipooh]

So if the new cards are not transferable does that mean I have to get up, get dressed and find my way to the International Cafe to get my morning latte? My dear husband loves the journey down there, his visits with the staff because there are few people around, plus the ability to serve his dear wife.

 

Yeah, same here. We are on the CB in Sept, so that means we go to the IC grab our coffee's and then head to the Lido for breakfast....

 

If you both have the coffee package, you are both entitled to coffee -- no matter who gets it. The early riser takes both coffee cards to the IC and returns with 2 coffees. Easy (and follows the rules).

 

If only one person has the package, well...

[calvin31]

No one knows yet if you can buy more than one coffee (or specialty coffee) at a time. Terms don’t say. I would imagine you can, so let’s just wait to see what the practice really is and then complain about that if we have to. :)

 

 

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