Elite mini bar set up

[sunsetme]

Is it a standard set of drinks in each set up? does it depend on your cabin category at all? I know you can change it out.

[skynight]

It is standard no matter the cabin category. Assuming they have the inventory it is 8 x 50ml spirts, 2 beers = 10 alcoholic beverages. Then 6 cans of soda, 2 club soda or Perrier, 2 still water = 10 non alcoholic beverages.

Elites in full suites get two set ups per voyage. 

Edited November 3, 2022 by skynight

[Steelers36]

9 minutes ago, sunsetme said:

Is it a standard set of drinks in each set up? does it depend on your cabin category at all? I know you can change it out.

Yes, I change ours out every time.  I wish they would let us pre-order as it is a PITA for both Room Service and Guest.  For they prep the standard and deliver it generally before you board.  Then, you have to call them up for the exchange (along with scores of others).  And then they have to build new minibar combinations and again visit the cabins to pick up the old and deliver the right things - and that all takes time and delays.

 

So, you can exchange the 10 alcohol for other alcohol or non-alcohol.  You can exchange the non-alcohol for any non-alcohol.  Our typical exchange is all alcohol for 5+5 in two different beers and then 10 Perrier for the other half. 

 

I wish we could exchange half the minibar for one coffee package (if you want this too, then lobby Princess for it).  But, NO, you can only exchange the entire minibar for TWO coffee packages.

 

[skynight]

8 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Yes, I change ours out every time.  I wish they would let us pre-order as it is a PITA for both Room Service and Guest. 

 

The mini bars come pre-shrink wrapped. It would be difficult for staff to deliver 400+ mini bars if they had to specifically select and sort by cabin. With all the inclusive fares now it might be better to eliminate the mini bars for those who select the inclusive fares and provide maybe 2 specialty dining meals, a special lunch, upgrade the plus drink dollar amount from say $12 to $15, something like that. The only good elite benefits remaining are the priority tender service, and the best one laundry. 

[avonlady6390]

I was just on the discovery princess and got a bottle of wine for the liquor part a note said they did not have any mini bottles of liquor and two bottles of beer along with Perrier reg water and 2 cans of diet coke 2 cans of sprite 2 cans of tonic.  The only things I used were the water and gave the wine to a neighbor cabin.  I had the plus package so did not bother me too much.

[Steelers36]

26 minutes ago, skynight said:

The mini bars come pre-shrink wrapped. It would be difficult for staff to deliver 400+ mini bars if they had to specifically select and sort by cabin. With all the inclusive fares now it might be better to eliminate the mini bars for those who select the inclusive fares and provide maybe 2 specialty dining meals, a special lunch, upgrade the plus drink dollar amount from say $12 to $15, something like that. The only good elite benefits remaining are the priority tender service, and the best one laundry. 

Not sure I agree with you.  Don't see them arrive shrink wrapped.  And they seem to be getting creative assembling a 10+10 on at least some ships.

 

Someone still has to assemble and someone has to deliver.  A recent survey indicated majority do not keep the default.

 

At least we can jump the process on a B2B by calling on last day of a segment.

 

On the part about subbing something else for Elites on Plus or Premier - that totally makes sense.  I'd only add a buck to drink limit as that can add up quickly for drinkers over course of a voyage.  Nothing will be perfect or suit everyone.  Whatever they might offer will be something in limited supply.  Maybe just a bottle of wine since those are not free in package.  But then scores would want to change the default varietal.

Edited November 3, 2022 by Steelers36

[voljeep]

I agree ... IF ... all you want to do is swap out the entire mini bar set-up for coffee package(s).  and 'maybe' a full swap out for a bottle of wine

[PacnGoNow]

Anyone know if the limit is still $40 bottle of wine for the switch out?  Not sure there’s much of a choice.

[suekel]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

The mini bars come pre-shrink wrapped. It would be difficult for staff to deliver 400+ mini bars if they had to specifically select and sort by cabin. With all the inclusive fares now it might be better to eliminate the mini bars for those who select the inclusive fares and provide maybe 2 specialty dining meals, a special lunch, upgrade the plus drink dollar amount from say $12 to $15, something like that. The only good elite benefits remaining are the priority tender service, and the best one laundry. 

In 19 cruises, I have never had one shrink wrapped

[voljeep]

9 minutes ago, suekel said:

In 19 cruises, I have never had one shrink wrapped

have you seen them on the carts before they were put into your cabin??

[Kenswing]

We exchange everything for ginger ale.  It would certainly save them time and effort to let us pre-order that.

[skynight]

27 minutes ago, suekel said:

In 19 cruises, I have never had one shrink wrapped

They do come shrink wrapped. Most of the time the shrink wrap is removed before supplies are placed into the cabins. I'm not certain if the shrink wrap occurs on shore before the supplies are loaded or if it is done on board. I do agree that if you want a coffee package or the bottle of wine you should be able to pre-select. With the proper program, which I don't believe Princess is capable of achieving now, it would be easy to place the coffee packages on the passenger's accounts. It would also be easy to supply the wine.

For those with inclusive fares something other should be supplied.

Pretty simple program.

Does the passenger have an inclusive fare? If yes, is the passenger elite? If yes, select from the following options.

[suekel]

29 minutes ago, voljeep said:

have you seen them on the carts before they were put into your cabin??

nope

 

[voljeep]

Just now, suekel said:

nope

 

exactly - I have ... tried to "bribe"  the delivery person to put one in our cabin - didn't work ...

[azbirdmom]

3 hours ago, avonlady6390 said:

I was just on the discovery princess and got a bottle of wine for the liquor part a note said they did not have any mini bottles of liquor and two bottles of beer along with Perrier reg water and 2 cans of diet coke 2 cans of sprite 2 cans of tonic.  The only things I used were the water and gave the wine to a neighbor cabin.  I had the plus package so did not bother me too much.

Us too!  Here’s the note we received. Not sure if this is happening on all ships or just the Discovery but the old rules about swaps likely no longer apply. 

[Kay S]

7 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

Us too!  Here’s the note we received. Not sure if this is happening on all ships or just the Discovery but the old rules about swaps likely no longer apply. 

Well, I know what to expect next week...

[sunsetme]

what's the wine they give you?

[azbirdmom]

15 minutes ago, sunsetme said:

what's the wine they give you?

We had a choice of Canyon Road Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay. Who knows if that will stay the same, I imagine it will change based on supplies. 

[Thrak]

I have to wonder why all the local liquor stores seem to have tons of mini bottles but Princess can't seem to get them. I'd much rather have the mini bottles than whatever poop wine they are providing.

[mjmalino]

4 hours ago, skynight said:

The mini bars come pre-shrink wrapped. It would be difficult for staff to deliver 400+ mini bars if they had to specifically select and sort by cabin. With all the inclusive fares now it might be better to eliminate the mini bars for those who select the inclusive fares and provide maybe 2 specialty dining meals, a special lunch, upgrade the plus drink dollar amount from say $12 to $15, something like that. The only good elite benefits remaining are the priority tender service, and the best one laundry. 

I don't think they come shrink wrapped. On our cruise in December we didn't receive any vodka because they were out of the small ones. I was able to trade 4 other bottles for a larger (375ml) one.

[azbirdmom]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

I have to wonder why all the local liquor stores seem to have tons of mini bottles but Princess can't seem to get them. I'd much rather have the mini bottles than whatever poop wine they are providing.

 

Because the consumers who buy those little bottles are willing and able to pay the going rate for them.  Princess isn't.  So I don't think it's just a matter of availability.  It's what they can do with whatever (shrinking) budget they had set for these perks.

[sunsetme]

1 hour ago, azbirdmom said:

We had a choice of Canyon Road Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay. Who knows if that will stay the same, I imagine it will change based on supplies. 

swill

[avonlady6390]

I had the same wine choice as well.  I have the feeling with so many passengers get the plus package they figured we won't complain I was going to take the minis home and use as Christmas gifts to co-workers.

[coolcagolfer]

6 hours ago, voljeep said:

I agree ... IF ... all you want to do is swap out the entire mini bar set-up for coffee package(s).  and 'maybe' a full swap out for a bottle of wine

I thought that Princess discontinued the mini bar swap for coffee cards a couple years ago. Are they now doing the swap?

[MsSoCalCruiser]

4 hours ago, azbirdmom said:

Us too!  Here’s the note we received. Not sure if this is happening on all ships or just the Discovery but the old rules about swaps likely no longer apply. 

Thank you. Unfortunately, I do not like wine. Can you ask if it could be traded in for something like a bottle of rum?