No exchanges anymore for mini bar to coffee?

[PacnGoNow]

2 minutes ago, highflyingrealtor said:

Just did this swap on the Sky. Quick call to room service was all it took. Funny, we were on so early (10:30) that room service was still working their way up the hall. They hadn’t even stocked the bar yet so we saved them a little time by getting the coffee packages. 😎

You were able to get the 2 coffee packages?  Amazing!  

[highflyingrealtor]

6 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

You were able to get the 2 coffee packages?  Amazing!  

Yep. Charged to each of our accounts, then removed charges the next day.

[SeaYouThere]

1 hour ago, pompeii said:

It's definitely in writing on the Princess site.  I know all things are subject to change at Princess' whim, but here is the policy in writing:

 

   Thank you for posting the information you found online.  We took that screen print and waited in line at passenger service desk and showed it in person to someone at the desk - after trying room service, cabin steward and calling passenger service with no success.  She took down our request and said it would be swapped even though the policy has now changed.  We could have swapped the entire minibar for 1 bottle of wine but my husband doesn’t drink wine and I brought 1 bottle onboard for myself.  Now we know not to expect a minibar exchange in future if we ever decide to cruise Princess again.
We’re still enjoying the cruise on this lovely ship but land vacations are fun too.

I appreciate your help!  
 

[PacnGoNow]

10 minutes ago, highflyingrealtor said:

Yep. Charged to each of our accounts, then removed charges the next day.

Is this current?  Or are you talking about Feb 18 cruise?

[KittyCruiser]

We just returned from a 5 day cruise on the Royal Princess on March 2 and they did the minibar exchange for coffee cards. I was so happy about that since the exchange was removed from the updated pdf list of benefits for elite. 

[highflyingrealtor]

17 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Is this current?  Or are you talking about Feb 18 cruise?

Yes, our sailing was 2/18.

[PacnGoNow]

16 minutes ago, KittyCruiser said:

We just returned from a 5 day cruise on the Royal Princess on March 2 and they did the minibar exchange for coffee cards. I was so happy about that since the exchange was removed from the updated pdf list of benefits for elite. 

This is what it says today on the website:

Is there a way to customize the mini-bar I get as an Elite member?

Yes, you can make changes on board through CrewCall Chat or by dialing room service. Mini bottles of liquor can be exchanged for either the same size of a different type of liquor or beer on a one-to-one basis. You can also exchange the entire setup for: a bottle of wine, coffee cards, sodas only or waters only.

[PacnGoNow]

16 minutes ago, highflyingrealtor said:

Yes, our sailing was 2/18.

Supposedly the changes were for sailings after Feb 20th.  IDK anymore, since the ships are doing their own thing.

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

Supposedly the changes were for sailings after Feb 20th.  IDK anymore, since the ships are doing their own thing.

Are you currently onboard?  Did they make the exchange?  If yes, what vessel? 

Edited March 5, 2023 by startedwithamouse

[DUCHESSRN]

On our second week on Discovery , mini bar situation is disappointing . Also no deserts on room service .

Only Elite perk left seems to be getting on Tender and internet discount .

Royal at Christmas we were treated like royalty … this is a very different experience .

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, SeaYouThere said:

5 hours ago, pompeii said:

It's definitely in writing on the Princess site.  I know all things are subject to change at Princess' whim, but here is the policy in writing:

 

   Thank you for posting the information you found online.  We took that screen print and waited in line at passenger service desk and showed it in person to someone at the desk - after trying room service, cabin steward and calling passenger service with no success.  She took down our request and said it would be swapped even though the policy has now changed.  We could have swapped the entire minibar for 1 bottle of wine but my husband doesn’t drink wine and I brought 1 bottle onboard for myself.  Now we know not to expect a minibar exchange in future if we ever decide to cruise Princess again.
We’re still enjoying the cruise on this lovely ship but land vacations are fun too.

I appreciate your help!  
 

My thinking is that some supervisor on the ship read about the cancellation of the swap for the old coffee "card" package and figured it was universal.

 

It is 150% (more??) absurd to suggest guest cannot swap alcohol and non-alcohol in their mini-bar allotment for alternate choices.  That is a whole different beast then swapping for some other perk or service around the ship. 

 

One outlier ship does not a rule make.  The same sort of thing was going on a year ago in regards to MedallionNet when the Princess App was not giving 50% off a point-of-sale to eligible guests and they were SUPPOSED to receive the 50% as Refundable OBC and one or two ships were not doing that correctly. 

 

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

This is what it says today on the website:

Is there a way to customize the mini-bar I get as an Elite member?

Yes, you can make changes on board through CrewCall Chat or by dialing room service. Mini bottles of liquor can be exchanged for either the same size of a different type of liquor or beer on a one-to-one basis. You can also exchange the entire setup for: a bottle of wine, coffee cards, sodas only or waters only.

Par for Princess. The website doc never seems to match real life in a timely manner.

 

[Mary Ellen1]

5 hours ago, Mary Ellen1 said:

Came here to say this.   Just boarded the Discovery Princess, called to switch out the mini bar for soft drinks, and were told they no longer do this.   As recently as one month ago,  we were able to do this onboard the Royal Princess.  Not happy.

Update. They finally switched out the minibar for cokes, but it took several phone calls. *Almost* more trouble than it was worth (except we really didn't want the alcohol).  What a run-around.

[cr8tiv1]

19 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

One outlier ship does not a rule make.  The same sort of thing was going on a year ago in regards to MedallionNet when the Princess App was not giving 50% off a point-of-sale to eligible guests and they were SUPPOSED to receive the 50% as Refundable OBC and one or two ships were not doing that correctly. 

 

🙋🏻‍♀️ That was me on the Grand, post covid.  Received NON-refundable OBC for Medallion Net.  Went up the ranks: Internet Manager, Customer Service agent, Loyalty Officer....who said she would get back to me.  Never got back to me.  "I showed them!"  

 

As if we don't talk to others?   Had a running conversation with someone on the another ship (same dates).  Had conversations with folks on Cruise Critic.  

[that]

1 hour ago, DUCHESSRN said:

On our second week on Discovery , mini bar situation is disappointing . Also no deserts on room service .

Only Elite perk left seems to be getting on Tender and internet discount .

Royal at Christmas we were treated like royalty … this is a very different experience .

So disappointing

 

[Happiest when cruising]

7 hours ago, Mary Ellen1 said:

Came here to say this.   Just boarded the Discovery Princess, called to switch out the mini bar for soft drinks, and were told they no longer do this.   As recently as one month ago,  we were able to do this onboard the Royal Princess.  Not happy.

That seems crazy. I understand they dropped the option to switch for the coffee package, but soda now, too. 

[Happiest when cruising]

1 hour ago, Mary Ellen1 said:

Update. They finally switched out the minibar for cokes, but it took several phone calls. *Almost* more trouble than it was worth (except we really didn't want the alcohol).  What a run-around.

It looks  like you could switch for all soda or all water, not a mix of both. As per their website. I hope they sort all this out soon. 

[DUCHESSRN]

1 hour ago, Mary Ellen1 said:

Update. They finally switched out the minibar for cokes, but it took several phone calls. *Almost* more trouble than it was worth (except we really didn't want the alcohol).  What a run-around.

We got 6 Diet Coke and cans of Tonic , yuk to Tonic .

Like you several calls . 

[caribill]

9 hours ago, SeaYouThere said:

We just boarded Discovery Princess today and tried to swap out the 8 little bottles of liquor for beer and were told no also.  We could change them for something called “mixed soft drinks” but not specifically Diet Coke which is all I’d be tempted by.   
I don’t remember seeing Princess ever state in writing the minibar could be swapped but we’ve been doing it for years now and wish we’d known before boarding.

Currently on the Princess web site
 

"Yes, you can make changes on board through CrewCall Chat or by dialing room service. Mini bottles of liquor can be exchanged for either the same size of a different type of liquor or beer on a one-to-one basis. You can also exchange the entire setup for: a bottle of wine, coffee cards, sodas only or waters only."

[cr8tiv1]

36 minutes ago, caribill said:

Currently on the Princess web site
 

"Yes, you can make changes on board through CrewCall Chat or by dialing room service. Mini bottles of liquor can be exchanged for either the same size of a different type of liquor or beer on a one-to-one basis. You can also exchange the entire setup for: a bottle of wine, coffee cards, sodas only or waters only."

So who isn’t getting the memo?  And I thought the room steward is taking care of the mini bar?  

[caribill]

7 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 And I thought the room steward is taking care of the mini bar?  

It has always been calling Room Service for us, as recently as last December.

 

I think in the past if you asked the cabin steward, he.she just called Room Service for you.

[cr8tiv1]

1 minute ago, caribill said:

It has always been calling Room Service for us, as recently as last December.

 

I think in the past if you asked the cabin steward, he.she just called Room Service for you.

Me too, but lately, it’s been reported on CC to ask Room Steward.

 

I’m so confused. 🤪

[PacnGoNow]

10 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

Are you currently onboard?  Did they make the exchange?  If yes, what vessel? 

No, soon though.

 

I was replying to highflyingrealtors post above. They sailed Feb 18, so that was before the Feb 20th change for many ships.

 

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

Currently on the Princess web site
 

"Yes, you can make changes on board through CrewCall Chat or by dialing room service. Mini bottles of liquor can be exchanged for either the same size of a different type of liquor or beer on a one-to-one basis. You can also exchange the entire setup for: a bottle of wine, coffee cards, sodas only or waters only."

 

4 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

So who isn’t getting the memo?  And I thought the room steward is taking care of the mini bar?  

I'd be asking to speak with the F&B Manager.

 

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Me too, but lately, it’s been reported on CC to ask Room Steward.

 

I’m so confused. 🤪

That's just folks who don't know who really handles it.  Some Stewards may ask the guest to call RS, and some may just do it for them.  Less things can go wrong in the exchange request if guest does it themselves.  I do it as soon as we get in the cabin so we are among the first on the exchange list.