How is the new digital coffee package working

[abbydancer2003]

Noone forces you to purchase a coffee package...you know the terms now going in...and you should know by now that the terms are 'subject to change'...:cool:

 

I think, personally there's a difference between terms subject to change, and not being able to get what you purchased (and not getting a refund).

 

If this counted as a gift card under Princess's home state, they'd have to honor them. Which it doesn't.

[kywildcatfanone]

You just answered my question.

 

It would seem that if we can see our daily charges, then somehow they should be able to

implement the digital coffee card too.

 

Yeah, maybe they have added it in the 5 weeks since our cruise, but I had to ask, it wasn't on your onboard account at all. Would think it would be easy for them to add the usage so you could know where you stood without asking a bartender.

[voljeep]

I think, personally there's a difference between terms subject to change, and not being able to get what you purchased (and not getting a refund).

 

If this counted as a gift card under Princess's home state, they'd have to honor them. Which it doesn't.

 

that has yet to be determined...please be sure to update the forum when you, or anyone else has first hand experience with a punch not being honored...

 

lining up for a craft beer...;p

[Pierlesscruisers]

Noone forces you to purchase a coffee package...you know the terms now going in...and you should know by now that the terms are 'subject to change'...:cool:

 

simple solution now - pay as you go

 

 

now about after 8/2019 - well, at least have the popcorn on hand for those threads;p

 

True, no one forces you to purchase a coffee package. The problem here, however, is that that after someone acquired their coffee package, be it through purchaseor trading in a mini-bar or whatever, one party decided to change the rules. What would have been a more honest way of doing it, would have been to design a new "style" of card that would be subject to the new rules. Those old cards which were purchased/obtained under the old rules would have continued under the old rules and the new ones would have been under the new rules. That would have been fair to all parties involved. At least to my way of thinking it would have been. To some extent, that is what was done in the current situation.

 

Tom

[abbydancer2003]

that has yet to be determined...please be sure to update the forum when you, or anyone else has first hand experience with a punch not being honored...

 

lining up for a craft beer...;p

 

I have a beverage package on my next two Princess cruises and it's unlikely we'll sail Princess without one before the one we have in 2020.

[IECalCruiser]

The problem was caused by Princess staff not always putting the ship number and voyage date on the back of the coffee cards when exchanged for the mini-bar. The terms on the back of the card before the last “New Grounds” cards stated “Complementary coffee and tea only applicable to voyage of purchase.” It also stated “Unused specialty coffees redeemable on next voyage.” There was no verbiage stating that the punches never expired.

 

I have no sympathy for those who exchanged the mini-Bar for coffee cards and sold them on eBay. I would think that with at least 14 months advanced notice, most people who actually bought coffee cards will have an opportunity to use up any cards with remaining punches as they should not have more than one card.

 

As stated in the terms of the new coffee package, Princess really needs to come up with packages varying by cruise length. Perhaps with 7, 14, 21 and 28 specialty coffees. Another option could be to switch the coffee package to a per day price like the soda package but I don’t know what that price would be.

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edited August 8, 2018 by IECalCruiser

[land lover]

I wonder what's going to happen next August when people who don't cruise frequently or aren't on Cruise Critic go to use their paper cards. When they bought them, they were told the punches didn't expire. They now find out that they did and Princess basically stole part of the 35.00 they paid.

 

1/3 will complain, and P will probably give them electronic punches to shut them up, 1/3 will understand and 1/3 lost/ misplaced or threw the card away after their cruise so it does not matter.:D;)

 

I do not view Princess as stealing anything.....policies change.

 

Very few people have lost very much maybe 5 bucks at the most..so many coffee cards have been bought with OBC, exchange for bar set ups...the people that have purchased them out right with cold cash....most likely do not have extras laying around, maybe a few punches but they probably have already broken even.

Edited August 8, 2018 by land lover

[RDC1]

I wonder what's going to happen next August when people who don't cruise frequently or aren't on Cruise Critic go to use their paper cards. When they bought them, they were told the punches didn't expire. They now find out that they did and Princess basically stole part of the 35.00 they paid.

 

If they don't cruise frequently then they are not in the class most impacted, the elites that got a lot of free coffee cards by trading in mini-bars.

 

As far as the infrequent cruisers I would expect most have used all or most of their punches since they had not plans for another cruise, lost or threw away the card if it had punches left.

[Wehwalt]

I sold out at the top of the market, this spring, selling I think my nine remaining full cards, to my profit and that of eBay. The partial cards I have left will be used up by the end of August. I simply dislike to see an Elite perk go down in what it is actually worth. Not what the contents sell for, what it is worth, and as most of you know, what something is worth is what you can get for it.

 

Anyhow, all in all, I'd expect I cleared a grand in coffee cards the over the five years I've been Elite. Mustn't be greedy.

 

(Full disclosure: the above is 84 percent trolling and 100 percent true)

[TinaLee]

How do they handle the coffee cards being exchanged by Elite passengers? We used to get two cards (or 30 coffees) when we exchanged our mini bar. Will they now put one "card" on each of our sign and sail cards? I ask because my husband does not drink coffee at all - he purchases the soda and more which covers his occasional hot chocolate, while I drink 3-4 cups a day... obviously I would like to have all 30 on MY card for our upcoming 10-day Caribbean Princess cruise. Any insight?

 

Thanks-

Tina

[OR_Cowboy_1952]

I continue to hear confusion. The “coffee card” is no more. You are offered a “coffee package” that includes up to 15 speciality coffees and all the brewed coffee, tea, and hot chocolate you can drink during your cruise. The Coffee Package is added to your ship account. The 15 specialty coffees can be shared with others on your cruise.

[Colo Cruiser]

As far as I know it is not implemented on all ships yet is it?

[Astro Flyer]

As far as I know it is not implemented on all ships yet is it?

Based on this statement from the new coffee program’s T&Cs it’s fleetwide.

 

The New Grounds Coffee Package has gone digital for voyages beginning in June 2018. View Coffee Package full terms & conditions.

 

Have a paper New Grounds Coffee Card purchased for voyages prior to June 2018? View Coffee Card full terms & conditions.

[Colo Cruiser]

Based on this statement from the new coffee program’s T&Cs it’s fleetwide.

 

The New Grounds Coffee Package has gone digital for voyages beginning in June 2018. View Coffee Package full terms & conditions.

 

Have a paper New Grounds Coffee Card purchased for voyages prior to June 2018? View Coffee Card full terms & conditions.

 

 

Thanks Frank.... :)

[Astro Flyer]

Thanks Frank.... :)

 

You’re welcome Keith...good to have you back & missed your insightful posts. [emoji4]

[pthjudy]

Based on this statement from the new coffee program’s T&Cs it’s fleetwide.

 

The New Grounds Coffee Package has gone digital for voyages beginning in June 2018. View Coffee Package full terms & conditions.

 

Have a paper New Grounds Coffee Card purchased for voyages prior to June 2018? View Coffee Card full terms & conditions.

Looking at the terms and conditions, it’s rather vague. Can anyone say if in the last month on any ship has the old paper cards been accepted? We use them only for brewed coffee and still have a few totally unpunched. They were mini bar exchanges.

[Astro Flyer]

Looking at the terms and conditions, it’s rather vague. Can anyone say if in the last month on any ship has the old paper cards been accepted? We use them only for brewed coffee and still have a few totally unpunched. They were mini bar exchanges.

Any unused cards can use card punches for either specialty or brewed coffees up until the expiration date on the card such as 12/31/18 or lacking an expiration date then up until 8/31/19.

 

“Coffee cards are valid until the expiration date printed on the card. If NO expiration date is printed on the card it is valid until August 31, 2019”

 

Several people have posted being able to use old card punches since the new digital coffee program was implemented in June 2018.

[kywildcatfanone]

Have not experience it...but when you call room service requesting the exchange wouldn't you just say you want both "cards" on your Cruise card. Because if you were cruising solo and pre-ordered 2 coffee packages they would load them to only one card.

 

We did this last month, they put one on each card in the cabin.

[floridalover5623]

True, no one forces you to purchase a coffee package. The problem here, however, is that that after someone acquired their coffee package, be it through purchaseor trading in a mini-bar or whatever, one party decided to change the rules. What would have been a more honest way of doing it, would have been to design a new "style" of card that would be subject to the new rules. Those old cards which were purchased/obtained under the old rules would have continued under the old rules and the new ones would have been under the new rules. That would have been fair to all parties involved. At least to my way of thinking it would have been. To some extent, that is what was done in the current situation.

 

Tom

Yes, it would have been fair to everyone but since Princess couldn't be bothered to be fair & logical about the situation, it seems to me that they've lost respect for their loyal customers.

With that in mind, my respect for the cruise line has diminished also.

[SeaCBear]

I'm surprised how many people feel they could never drink 15 coffees or teas in one week. Do most people only have one coffee a day?

 

I don't really drink (an occasional cider), but I love good coffee and tea. I know I'll have no trouble using my coffee package. I'll start the day with a cappuccino, and I"ll have another later in the day, or a nice tea. That's 14 hot drinks, with one leftover for another day.

 

What I DO wish is that Princess had a beverage package similar to Celebrity's Premium Non-Alcoholic option. I always get that when on Celebrity, as I can have unlimited specialty coffees, great teas, AND San Pellegrino, bottled water, juice, mocktails, etc. I don't like pop/soda, so I have no interest in the soda packages Princess offers.

[Cruise2End]

I'm surprised how many people feel they could never drink 15 coffees or teas in one week. Do most people only have one coffee a day?

 

I don't really drink (an occasional cider), but I love good coffee and tea. I know I'll have no trouble using my coffee package. I'll start the day with a cappuccino, and I"ll have another later in the day, or a nice tea. That's 14 hot drinks, with one leftover for another day.

 

What I DO wish is that Princess had a beverage package similar to Celebrity's Premium Non-Alcoholic option. I always get that when on Celebrity, as I can have unlimited specialty coffees, great teas, AND San Pellegrino, bottled water, juice, mocktails, etc. I don't like pop/soda, so I have no interest in the soda packages Princess offers.

That’s because the “15 coffees or teas” that they’re referring to aren’t just basic coffee or tea. They’re lattes, frappes, mochas, espressos, etc. I drink a pot or more of coffee each day, but rarely drink the ‘specialty coffee drinks that are limited to 15.

[Jo and Rob]

There was no sticker when we were on the Sapphire in June and July. The staff scanned your cruise card as they do for other purposes. If you just wanted a brewed coffee or tea they sometimes skipped the scanning but that varied with who was working and how well they knew you. They always scanned for specialty drinks and could tell you how many “ punches” you had left if you asked. Did not really slow the process in any way.

 

So it is on Sapphire. An earlier post suggested it wasn't. How can you tell it is on your cruise card?

[Jo and Rob]

I'm surprised how many people feel they could never drink 15 coffees or teas in one week. Do most people only have one coffee a day?

 

I don't really drink (an occasional cider), but I love good coffee and tea. I know I'll have no trouble using my coffee package. I'll start the day with a cappuccino, and I"ll have another later in the day, or a nice tea. That's 14 hot drinks, with one leftover for another day.

 

What I DO wish is that Princess had a beverage package similar to Celebrity's Premium Non-Alcoholic option. I always get that when on Celebrity, as I can have unlimited specialty coffees, great teas, AND San Pellegrino, bottled water, juice, mocktails, etc. I don't like pop/soda, so I have no interest in the soda packages Princess offers.

 

I agree the package on Celebrity is brilliant. It has everything you want. Even the classic has unlimited speciality coffees.

[floridalover5623]

So it is on Sapphire. An earlier post suggested it wasn't. How can you tell it is on your cruise card?

I suppose you could always ask any bartender or barista to check it for you.

[Jo and Rob]

I suppose you could always ask any bartender or barista to check it for you.

 

So can you get freshly brewed at any bar? We are quite a distance from the International cafe and it would be good to get unlimited coffee on deck.