Coffee Card Question

[Bluesky014]

It has been 3 years since our last Princess cruise and I understand that coffee cards are no more, and that it is loaded onto your cruise card.

Previously my husband purchased a card (as he likes a flat white coffee) and when he ordered a coffee I also got a filtered coffee - both drinks off the same card but only his was punched.

Can we still do this, or do we have to both purchase a card to be loaded on our cruise card.

Many thanks

[Colo Cruiser]

18 minutes ago, Bluesky014 said:

It has been 3 years since our last Princess cruise and I understand that coffee cards are no more, and that it is loaded onto your cruise card.

Previously my husband purchased a card (as he likes a flat white coffee) and when he ordered a coffee I also got a filtered coffee - both drinks off the same card but only his was punched.

Can we still do this, or do we have to both purchase a card to be loaded on our cruise card.

Many thanks

You do not both have to buy but only the 15 specialty coffees are supposed to be shared.

The 2 coffees you mentioned are part of the unlimited brewed coffee? Not sure what a flat white is so he may have to use a punch for one of them?

I think you may find that the barista may not even worry about it.

This is how it shows up on the Medallion now so you can keep track of how many you used right away.

 

[Thrak]

It's "unclear" as the stated policy is clear but the enforcement is unclear. The "owner" of the "card" or "package" is entitled to "unlimited" fresh-brewed coffee. The owner is also entitled to 15 "specialty" coffees/teas/whatever. Is the package structured to allow the "owner" to procure fresh-brewed coffee for others? No. Does it happen? Frequently. When we were (very) new cruisers my wife had a coffee package and I did not. My wife ordered a hot chocolate and the coffee steward (also a wonderful wine steward) started making me a hot chocolate as well. I quickly told him I didn't have a coffee package - only my wife did. He smiled at me and made me a hot chocolate with steamed milk and said it was "okay". I was actually worried about it as I really liked Christopher and didn't want him to get in trouble. (Like I said, we were very new cruisers.) Anyway, the package benefits are "supposed" to be only for the package holder. I still, to this day, don't push the package. I'm just a weirdo that way. Other's always get extra fresh-brewed coffee for their spouse/whatever/whomever. I don't. Like I said, I'm a weirdo. I have, however, given away a bunch of "punched" coffee.

Edited January 28, 2020 by Thrak

[rentlady]

Did I understand this right, plain old fashion brewed coffee is unlimited? Can I get this in the international cafe and lounges? We are not into specialty coffee and wondered if room service would bring  a pot or just 2 cups of regular coffee with these cards?

[Fosters1951]

1 hour ago, Colo Cruiser said:

You do not both have to buy but only the 15 specialty coffees are supposed to be shared.

The 2 coffees you mentioned are part of the unlimited brewed coffee? Not sure what a flat white is so he may have to use a punch for one of them?

I think you may find that the barista may not even worry about it.

This is how it shows up on the Medallion now so you can keep track of how many you used right away.

A flat white is a specialty coffee (espresso shot and steamed milk - with little to no milk froth) so would require a 'punch'.

[MissP22]

Just now, Thrak said:

I have, however, given away a bunch of "punched" coffee.

Hold onto them.

Some ships still accept the cards.😉

[Croptop]

4 hours ago, rentlady said:

Did I understand this right, plain old fashion brewed coffee is unlimited? Can I get this in the international cafe and lounges? We are not into specialty coffee and wondered if room service would bring  a pot or just 2 cups of regular coffee with these cards?

Yes. You can have all of the brewed coffee that you want as long as your coffee package still has at least 1 specialty coffee available. Once you've consumed 15 specialty coffees, your free brewed coffee is gone as well.

 

You can get brewed coffee in the International Cafe. Some ships have an additional coffee bar in the buffet area (I know that the Regal does). You can order coffee with room service but I don't know what you get or where it comes from so I hope someone else will chime in with an answer for you on that.

[Croptop]

OK. I was just grabbing a refill from the IC so I took the opportunity to ask the barista where the room service coffee comes from. He told me that it does NOT come from the IC as room service "has its own kitchen and pantry". He did not know if the coffee that comes from there is brewed or from the syrup but I suspect that it would be the same coffee that is served in the dining rooms. 

[pablo222]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

Hold onto them.

Some ships still accept the cards.😉

After all the bleating here, that's pretty funny.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Croptop said:

You can have all of the brewed coffee that you want as long as your coffee package still has at least 1 specialty coffee available. Once you've consumed 15 specialty coffees, your free brewed coffee is gone as well.

Wrong.  This is not the way it worked, although it is a bit moot since the cards are no more and now the New Grounds package lasts only for the length of the particular cruise it is purchased on.  The free unlimited brewed coffee was only available for the FIRST cruise on which a brand new coffee card was initiated.  After that cruise, any left-over punches could be used to pay for either regular coffee or specialty coffee drinks.  Anyone who managed to get free regular coffee cruise after cruise (seems doubtful it would go on forever) must have been seeing a barista who either looked the other way or wasn't checking the card to see it marked from a prior voyage.

 

[Daniel A]

6 hours ago, Thrak said:

When we were (very) new cruisers my wife had a coffee package and I did not. My wife ordered a hot chocolate and the coffee steward (also a wonderful wine steward) started making me a hot chocolate as well. I quickly told him I didn't have a coffee package - only my wife did. He smiled at me and made me a hot chocolate with steamed milk and said it was "okay". I was actually worried about it as I really liked Christopher and didn't want him to get in trouble.

I like your honesty.  I think the main concept here is that a Princess employee may 'comp' you a coffee/hot chocolate from time to time and that's ok.  What's not ok is to expect that you can share the unlimited beverages from one package with the rest of your party for the duration of the cruise.

[Daniel A]

1 hour ago, Croptop said:

Yes. You can have all of the brewed coffee that you want as long as your coffee package still has at least 1 specialty coffee available. Once you've consumed 15 specialty coffees, your free brewed coffee is gone as well.

 

10 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Wrong.  This is not the way it worked, although it is a bit moot since the cards are no more and now the New Grounds package lasts only for the length of the particular cruise it is purchased on.  The free unlimited brewed coffee was only available for the FIRST cruise on which a brand new coffee card was initiated.  After that cruise, any left-over punches could be used to pay for either regular coffee or specialty coffee drinks. 

Interesting - I took Croptop's post to mean if you are on a cruise and you purchase the Coffee Package and you use up your 15 specialties after a few days, you no longer get the brewed coffee for the remainder of that same cruise.  If that's the case I would be very surprised.

[Steelers36]

22 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Wrong.  This is not the way it worked, although it is a bit moot since the cards are no more and now the New Grounds package lasts only for the length of the particular cruise it is purchased on.  The free unlimited brewed coffee was only available for the FIRST cruise on which a brand new coffee card was initiated.  After that cruise, any left-over punches could be used to pay for either regular coffee or specialty coffee drinks.  Anyone who managed to get free regular coffee cruise after cruise (seems doubtful it would go on forever) must have been seeing a barista who either looked the other way or wasn't checking the card to see it marked from a prior voyage.

 

 

8 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

 

Interesting - I took Croptop's post to mean if you are on a cruise and you purchase the Coffee Package and you use up your 15 specialties after a few days, you no longer get the brewed coffee for the remainder of that same cruise.  If that's the case I would be very surprised.

That could be.  Perhaps I was miss-reading the flow of the thread as there had been commentary about the old cards, but I am not convinced.

 

In the Cruise Personalizer, the package info states:

Save 20% with our New Grounds Coffee Package that includes 15 hot or cold specialty coffee drinks along with unlimited brewed coffee and premium tea for the duration of the cruise.

 

The T&C state:

The package includes the pre-purchase of a specified number of specialty coffees (numbers vary by itinerary) during the voyage of purchase, as well as complimentary brewed coffee and hot chocolate.

 

Nothing about losing the free coffees if all the specialties have been used.  That was not the intent of Princess IMO, so I agree with your skepticism.

Edited January 28, 2020 by Steelers36

[Croptop]

I was, indeed, speaking about the "new" coffee package and not the legacy cards. I just confirmed 5 minutes ago with a barista at the IC here on the Regal (along with a bar manager who was also present at the time): Once you have consumed 15 specialty coffees, you no longer get free brewed coffee. To continue getting free brewed coffee, you would have to purchase another coffee package (which would give you another 15 specialty coffees as well).

 

It's not that shocking to me as this is how the old coffee cards worked as well.

Edited January 28, 2020 by Croptop

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Croptop said:

I was, indeed, speaking about the "new" coffee package and not the legacy cards. I just confirmed 5 minutes ago with a barista at the IC here on the Regal (along with a bar manager who was also present at the time): Once you have consumed 15 specialty coffees, you no longer get free brewed coffee. To continue getting free brewed coffee, you would have to purchase another coffee package (which would give you another 15 specialty coffees as well).

 

It's not that shocking to me as this is how the old coffee cards worked as well.

Seem s to fly in the face of how Princess sells the package in the Personalizer.

[Daniel A]

1 hour ago, Croptop said:

I was, indeed, speaking about the "new" coffee package and not the legacy cards. I just confirmed 5 minutes ago with a barista at the IC here on the Regal (along with a bar manager who was also present at the time): Once you have consumed 15 specialty coffees, you no longer get free brewed coffee. To continue getting free brewed coffee, you would have to purchase another coffee package (which would give you another 15 specialty coffees as well).

 

It's not that shocking to me as this is how the old coffee cards worked as well.

Is there any chance that you could put the question to the Food and Beverage Director while onboard?  I think you can refer questions to the F&B Director through the Passenger Services Desk.  If the barista and bartender are correct that would certainly affect my decision to purchase the New Grounds Coffee Package as Princess clearly states what Steelers36 has posted in that it is supposed to be for the duration of the cruise.

[Colo Cruiser]

8 hours ago, rentlady said:

Did I understand this right, plain old fashion brewed coffee is unlimited? Can I get this in the international cafe and lounges? We are not into specialty coffee and wondered if room service would bring  a pot or just 2 cups of regular coffee with these cards?

If you both plan on drinking brewed coffee at the International Cafe and in lounges then you should get 2 packages.

It is not meant to share for the unlimited brewed coffee.

RS coffee is free regardless........you don't need the coffee package for room service.

RS will bring whatever coffee they serve. On Royal Class ships its brewed anyway.

They will not bring coffee associated with a coffee package to the cabin if thats what you are asking.

[MissP22]

21 hours ago, Croptop said:

I was, indeed, speaking about the "new" coffee package and not the legacy cards. I just confirmed 5 minutes ago with a barista at the IC here on the Regal (along with a bar manager who was also present at the time): Once you have consumed 15 specialty coffees, you no longer get free brewed coffee. To continue getting free brewed coffee, you would have to purchase another coffee package (which would give you another 15 specialty coffees as well).

 

It's not that shocking to me as this is how the old coffee cards worked as well.

Most of the baristas will just continue to give you all the brewed coffee you want but if you are in doubt why not just not use the last electronic punch until the last morning? 

We had one waiter in the DR who wanted to load my old coffee card onto the computer system while the baristas at the IC & bars didn't care & just gave us the coffee.

 

 

20 hours ago, Daniel A said:

Is there any chance that you could put the question to the Food and Beverage Director while onboard?  I think you can refer questions to the F&B Director through the Passenger Services Desk.  If the barista and bartender are correct that would certainly affect my decision to purchase the New Grounds Coffee Package as Princess clearly states what Steelers36 has posted in that it is supposed to be for the duration of the cruise.

You'll get different answers depending on who you question. I think their just as confused as the rest of us. 

 

[Iamcruzin]

On 1/28/2020 at 6:45 AM, Croptop said:

OK. I was just grabbing a refill from the IC so I took the opportunity to ask the barista where the room service coffee comes from. He told me that it does NOT come from the IC as room service "has its own kitchen and pantry". He did not know if the coffee that comes from there is brewed or from the syrup but I suspect that it would be the same coffee that is served in the dining rooms. 

My experience with room service coffee is that it’s drinkable but not hot enough for me.

[sunneesmile]

My question is for those of you who have recently cruised or could be on a ship now.  We have not been on Princess since 2017 (we had the paper cards then)  but are sailing again in May 2020 on a ship that does not have the Medallion. Typically we buy 2 coffee packages. My husband will go down to IC with both cards and get us each a cup of brewed black in the morning while I am still getting dressed and enjoying a slow start, vacation morning. It was never a problem and usually the barista would see him coming after the first couple of days and just pour the coffee without looking at the card(s). So, now that the coffee package is put onto your cruise card, do you think my husband can take both our cruise cards down and still get my coffee along with his? 

[voljeep]

yes

[dznymom]

I ordered the coffee package for my husband and I for our cruise in March.  I expect he will run out of specialties a few days before the end of the cruise.  He will definitely need his good brewed coffee for the entire cruise.  I am sure he will not have an issue, but I will bring with me the page I have printed out that clearly states that 

 

New Grounds Coffee Package$36.58 per person (15 beverages)

Save 20% with our New Grounds Coffee Package that includes 15 hot or cold specialty coffee drinks along with unlimited brewed coffee and premium tea for the duration of the cruise.

 

 

[Daniel A]

32 minutes ago, dznymom said:

I ordered the coffee package for my husband and I for our cruise in March.  I expect he will run out of specialties a few days before the end of the cruise.  He will definitely need his good brewed coffee for the entire cruise.  I am sure he will not have an issue, but I will bring with me the page I have printed out that clearly states that 

 

New Grounds Coffee Package$36.58 per person (15 beverages)

Save 20% with our New Grounds Coffee Package that includes 15 hot or cold specialty coffee drinks along with unlimited brewed coffee and premium tea for the duration of the cruise.

 

 

To be on the safe side, why not let him save one specialty on his card and you could let him have one or two of yours (unless you think you'll run through all 15 too?)  You could also ask the food and beverage manager before hand and avoid a debate later.

[dznymom]

30 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

To be on the safe side, why not let him save one specialty on his card and you could let him have one or two of yours (unless you think you'll run through all 15 too?)  You could also ask the food and beverage manager before hand and avoid a debate later.

I will definitely be sharing my specialties with him, as one a day is probably all I will use most days.  But we usually do our own thing during sea days, so we won't be together much of the time.  

 

I would prefer not to have to explain to him that he needs to save one specialty because Princess might not honor the terms they set forth, so we will just see what happens.  If I see the F&B director, I will ask him the question, though.