Coffee card confusion

[famski740]

Questionable?

 

I am cruising on a 14 day Caribbean cruise that is also sold as 2 separate 7 day cruises and if I pre-purchase the Coffee Package it is still the same cost as a 7 day package but it will last 14 days as I only get one cruise card and I only have 1 voyage number.

[pamwigs]

On 8/18/2018 at 6:48 AM, tcdcruiser said:

Coffee and Tea in the Dining Rooms and the Buffet is free BUT the coffee in these venues is not fresh brewed but made from some concoction.

 

Coffee and coffee speciality drinks from the barista (International Cafe) are fresh brewed - think Starbucks, and are not free.

We love the coffee card as you can use it for all minds of drinks at the International Cafe including frozen drinks.

[caribill]

11 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

The way it has been discussed here on CC recently I would say per segment since they don't carry over?

 

There have been some posts from people on B2Bs that said it did carry over to the second segment when the onboard account was not closed out at the end of the first segment, but was carried over to the second segment..

 

I have no idea if that would be true with world cruise segments.

[villauk]

Do we have to prepurchase the coffee card online before the cruise or can we purchase as soon as we board?

[kitty2264]

2 hours ago, villauk said:

Do we have to prepurchase the coffee card online before the cruise or can we purchase as soon as we board?

You will have many opportunities to purchase the cards once on board.

 

We did a B2B on the Royal Princess in November and our coffee cards were valid for both legs of the cruise.  We are elite and we always trade our minibar setup for coffee cards (digitally encoded on our cruise card of course).  My DW likes specialty coffees every morning while I use my card for only brewed coffee and an occasional latte.  The odd thing to me was that when we traded our minibar setup for the 2nd leg of the cruise for coffee cards the barista told me that I then had nearly 30 punches for specialty brews remaining on my card, so they not only carryover but are also accumulative.  I guess I could have used my punches to get coffees for my DW and kept our minibar setup but it wasn't worth the inconvenience.

[LARGIN]

On 8/18/2018 at 2:00 PM, cleopup said:

If i bring a unused card with no expiration date on my next cruise in October, will they take my card and load it on my cruise card or will I keep the card and they will punch it for each coffee.

 

You will not be able to use your card.  Cards without an expiration date expire the end of August 2019.

Edited March 17, 2019 by LARGIN

[Taxwizz]

Princess used to sell a paper Coffee Card that was around $30 and good for 15 specialty coffees.  If you didn't use all the coffees, you could save the card and use it on a future cruise.  No more.  Now any unused purchases are cancelled at the end of your cruise.  You PAID for these coffees, but Princess steals them back.  I cannot imaging that the money stolen fully offsets the Bad Will their actions generate.

 

Another example of the Carnivalization of Princess.

[Taxwizz]

30 minutes ago, LARGIN said:

 

You will not be able to use your card.  Cards without an expiration date expire the end of August 2019.

Another example of the Carnivalization of Princess.

[Jersey42]

1 hour ago, LARGIN said:

 

You will not be able to use your card.  Cards without an expiration date expire the end of August 2019.

Given the question was posted in August of 2018, I bet they were able to use the card in October of 2018.  Old threads can be confusing sometimes.

[majortom10]

What happens if you swap mini bar set up for 2 coffee cards as in the past they delivered coffee cards to your cabin what happens with the new ocean medallion and when and where is it added.

 

[RDC1]

2 hours ago, LARGIN said:

 

You will not be able to use your card.  Cards without an expiration date expire the end of August 2019.

they were cruising in Oct 2018, not 2019. it was an old post

[kitty2264]

18 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

What happens if you swap mini bar set up for 2 coffee cards as in the past they delivered coffee cards to your cabin what happens with the new ocean medallion and when and where is it added.

 

The 15 coffees are encoded onto your ship account, fifteen each for the two people in the cabin.  The barista scans your cruise card or medallion and deducts one coffee each time you get a premium coffee.

[Colo Cruiser]

2 hours ago, kitty2264 said:

The 15 coffees are encoded onto your ship account, fifteen each for the two people in the cabin.  The barista scans your cruise card or medallion and deducts one coffee each time you get a premium coffee.

They go to the person that has the status and earned the perk that was traded. Not split between 2 passengers.

At least that is the way they have done it in mine the last several cruises.

[Astro Flyer]

45 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

They go to the person that has the status and earned the perk that was traded. Not split between 2 passengers.

At least that is the way they have done it in mine the last several cruises.

That’s surprising...would think both elites in a cabin would get one coffee program but obviously not for you.

 

Next month we’ll learn about how the Royal manages the elite exchange for the 2 coffee programs...do you have any experiences when making the swap during the first of B2B 7-day cruises?

 

Ours can only be booked as 2 cruises which are linked together in the same cabin.  Our OceanReady Pass shows both confirmation numbers but is listed as a 14-day cruise.  I’ve read posts that in our situation the coffee program would be valid on both cruises but others who have said no.

 

Unfortunately this appears to be another example of Princess being consistently inconsistent & lacking any standardization.  The coffee program being electronically linked to our onboard account was implemented over 9 months ago & they need a clearly stated policy that’s followed on all ships.  As you know calling Princess could provide one answer & onboard staff a completely different answer...it shouldn’t be that way.

 

 

Edited March 17, 2019 by Astro Flyer

[Colo Cruiser]

17 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

That’s surprising...would think both elites in a cabin would get one coffee program but obviously not for you.

 

Next month we’ll learn about how the Royal manages the elite exchange for the 2 coffee programs...do you have any experiences when making the swap during the first of B2B 7-day cruises?

 

Ours can only be booked as 2 cruises which are linked together in the same cabin.  Our OceanReady Pass shows both confirmation numbers but is listed as a 14-day cruise.  I’ve read posts that in our situation the coffee program would be valid on both cruises but others who have said no.

 

Unfortunately this appears to be another example of Princess being consistently inconsistent & lacking any standardization.  The coffee program being electronically linked to our onboard account was implemented over 9 months ago & they need a clearly stated policy that’s followed on all ships.  As you know calling Princess could provide one answer & onboard staff a completely different answer...it shouldn’t be that way.

 

 

 

I spoke with the RS supervisor on the Regal about this last year and they did allow them to be split at first if requested earlier last year but started loading them on one passengers account mid year. He said they were probably going to allow them to be split again but did not know when. After that I just started trading for wine or swapped out what I could for beer. 

 

Due to the change over of room service supervisors from contract to contract and the different policy interpretation from ship to ship I think they put their own spin on it over time.

[Astro Flyer]

34 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

 

I spoke with the RS supervisor on the Regal about this last year and they did allow them to be split at first if requested earlier last year but started loading them on one passengers account mid year. He said they were probably going to allow them to be split again but did not know when. After that I just started trading for wine or swapped out what I could for beer. 

 

Due to the change over of room service supervisors from contract to contract and the different policy interpretation from ship to ship I think they put their own spin on it over time.

Thanks Keith...whatever policy we experience we’ll be happy to again be on a cruise.  And having my 20 beers for our 14 days will enhance my enjoyment. 🍺

 

The free filtered coffee made from ground coffee on the Royal-Class ships in the buffet & dining rooms is good for my tastebuds. ☕

Edited March 17, 2019 by Astro Flyer

[kitty2264]

15 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

They go to the person that has the status and earned the perk that was traded. Not split between 2 passengers.

At least that is the way they have done it in mine the last several cruises.

We have been on the Royal and Caribbean Princess since the new coffee card deal went into effect and both times we were asked which card we wanted to have the coffee packages added to.  Room service gave us the option as to the distribution. The status has nothing to do with it.  If you had booked a suite, for instance, you could trade out the minibar for coffee cards, even if it was your first cruise.

[MGAfhc]

On the Crown in February and traded the minibar for coffee cards. We each got the credit on our accounts. I don't believe it was one that was split. We could use either card, but I doubt that we came anywhere near the total for even one card and it doesn't show on the account, so can't be checked.

[Colo Cruiser]

3 hours ago, kitty2264 said:

We have been on the Royal and Caribbean Princess since the new coffee card deal went into effect and both times we were asked which card we wanted to have the coffee packages added to.  Room service gave us the option as to the distribution. The status has nothing to do with it.  If you had booked a suite, for instance, you could trade out the minibar for coffee cards, even if it was your first cruise.

That was not my experience when the perk is received by trading the Elite mini bar for the coffee package on the Royal or the CB. 

Like I said in my follow up post the policy seems to be fluid.

[dcrow72]

On 8/18/2018 at 1:41 PM, IECalCruiser said:

As others have posted, the Royal class ships have fresh brewed coffee, hot chocolate, and a good selection of tea bags and hot water in the Horizon Court. Unless you want the specialty coffees such as espresso, lattes and the sort, I doubt you will need a Coffee Package. The price is the same onboard so I would suggest you try the coffee first. The coffee on the Royal class ships is not the made from syrup coffee that gets all the complaints on the older ships.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I have had the "brewed" coffee on both Royal and Regal.  I will continue to buy a coffee card/specialty coffee.  It doesn't suit me at all.  My husband didn't mind it but he would drink the last drop of a pot that sat on the burner for 3 hours!  LOL.  If you are a picky coffee drinker, get the coffee card (although no longer a physical card).  It's worth it to me. 

[Krbnsol]

Traveling on the Coral Princess in July, 2019, Whittier Alaska to Vancouver. I can see the price of the coffee card, but curious as to prices of espresso drinks and brewed coffee at the international Cafe. Trying to determine if the card is worth it for me.

[Taxwizz]

It is cheaper (a little) to use the coffee card than to buy a la carte.

BUT only get the coffee card if you are ABSOLUTELY SURE that you will use all the coffees by the end of the cruise.

Princess steals any paid for but unused coffees left on the card at the end of the cruise.  Unlike in the past, you cannot use them on a future cruise.

Cheap crooks.  😫

More of the Carnivalization of Princess.

[JF - retired RRT]

20 minutes ago, Krbnsol said:

Traveling on the Coral Princess in July, 2019, Whittier Alaska to Vancouver. I can see the price of the coffee card, but curious as to prices of espresso drinks and brewed coffee at the international Cafe. Trying to determine if the card is worth it for me.

Google "Princess Cruises Coffee Card picture". Lots of them out there.

[skynight]

On 3/17/2019 at 11:05 AM, Taxwizz said:

Another example of the Carnivalization of Princess.

Don't agree. It was Elite passengers that sparked the elimination of the old system by selling their unused free coffee cards on line, plus the desire of Princess to place everything into your on board accounts.

 

[Taxwizz]

1.  What has Elite status got to do with it?

 

2. And....If you have purchased the card, why is it important who uses this PAID FOR asset?