coffee package.

[jkeller5271]

I always get the coffee package It was in my cart and go to check out it says out of stock. I know they just changed coffee brand but has anyone purchased on the ship. 

[Ombud]

The coffee & tea package does not exist anymore. It has been replaced by a Zero Alcoholic Beverages pkg at 29.99 + 18% tax / gratuities per day

[jeromep]

2 hours ago, jkeller5271 said:

I always get the coffee package It was in my cart and go to check out it says out of stock. I know they just changed coffee brand but has anyone purchased on the ship. 

The thing about accounting and finance is that anyone can take the numbers and bend them any way they want to make something look good or bad.  I say this because, depending on what you value and how you do your own calculus, Princess Plus looks to be a very good deal for most cruisers.  Even if you do not drink alcoholic beverages, the included gratuities, Internet and beverage package will cover everything non-alcoholic, and if you drink enough coffee, or juices, the package still pencils out for most folks.  The beverage packages just don't pencil out for me any more compared to what you can get with Plus.

[Steelers36]

4 minutes ago, jeromep said:

The beverage packages just don't pencil out for me any more compared to what you can get with Plus.

They were never any good - always over-priced with no real value other than create a marker that Princess can claim guests save against when buying their cruise fare packages.

[555]

That's an awful lot of soda and coffee to be consumed each day for one person to justify $30 and since my wife doesn't hardly drink soda it's totally out of the question.

We'll just bring our own soda and purchase what coffee we want each day if the regular coffee isn't that great.

[Buckeye10640]

18 hours ago, jeromep said:

The thing about accounting and finance is that anyone can take the numbers and bend them any way they want to make something look good or bad.  I say this because, depending on what you value and how you do your own calculus, Princess Plus looks to be a very good deal for most cruisers.  Even if you do not drink alcoholic beverages, the included gratuities, Internet and beverage package will cover everything non-alcoholic, and if you drink enough coffee, or juices, the package still pencils out for most folks.  The beverage packages just don't pencil out for me any more compared to what you can get with Plus.

I do agree that Princess Plus makes more sense than the overpriced independent  drink packages. Coffee package excluded, which of course is now not available. We  now pay-as-we-go for alcohol, prepay for bottled water and carry-on soft drinks. I fully expect them to disallow the carry-on of soft drinks next. 

[FrankieJayIII]

1 hour ago, 555 said:

That's an awful lot of soda and coffee to be consumed each day for one person to justify $30 and since my wife doesn't hardly drink soda it's totally out of the question.

We'll just bring our own soda and purchase what coffee we want each day if the regular coffee isn't that great.

Math out the plus package...  Gratuities... wifi... espresso...  a glass of wine... a bottle of water?

16, 15, 4, 15, 3...   $51...    Would it make sense to plus?  60?  I have no idea. 

[alfieisgod]

The idea that Princess thinks it is reasonable to replace the coffee package - that cost about $35 for a 7 day cruise - with a package that costs $30 per day is very disappointing.  

[Ombud]

1 hour ago, 555 said:

That's an awful lot of soda and coffee to be consumed each day for one person to justify $30 and since my wife doesn't hardly drink soda it's totally out of the question.

We'll just bring our own soda and purchase what coffee we want each day if the regular coffee isn't that great.

1 latte in the morning + pot of tea in the afternoon is only $6 in the International Cafe.  Less if you just want a small latte or drip. It's good coffee IMHO

[Guest ldtr]

3 hours ago, alfieisgod said:

The idea that Princess thinks it is reasonable to replace the coffee package - that cost about $35 for a 7 day cruise - with a package that costs $30 per day is very disappointing.  

I suspect that they do not think it is reasonable.  I expect that the coffee package no longer fit into their systems for tracking, with it being the only x number of units, instead of unlimited for Y number of days.  I noticed some issue that they were having with the cards and confusion with serving staff in how it showed up on their systems.  From their point of view easier to do away with then trying to fix the system to deal with a one off type package. I had servers confuse it with Plus package.  Also reached the end of some cruises with most of the drinks remaining because the IC did not charge it correctly.

 

I suspect that in their view the reasonable solution is the plus or premium packages

[jagoffee]

5 hours ago, alfieisgod said:

The idea that Princess thinks it is reasonable to replace the coffee package - that cost about $35 for a 7 day cruise - with a package that costs $30 per day is very disappointing.  

Actually they eliminated the Coffee package.  They did not replace it.  You can now have a choice of 3 packages that have unlimited speciality coffee.  It is from an all non alcoholic package, the Plus, or Premier.  All much more expensive, include much more, and are priced on a per day basis.

 

I do not think anyone believes it is a reasonable replacement, because it is not.

[Steelers36]

I feel like CC members keeping posting asking this question in the hopes a new answer comes in the responses.  The coffee package was sent overboard.

[jeromep]

11 hours ago, FrankieJayIII said:

Math out the plus package...  Gratuities... wifi... espresso...  a glass of wine... a bottle of water?

16, 15, 4, 15, 3...   $51...    Would it make sense to plus?  60?  I have no idea.

Actually you are a lot closer to determining if it is a good value than a lot of the other analysis here.  If your plan is to consume exactly what you listed, then it doesn't pencil.  Are you so disciplined that you know that mix of beverages and services is exactly what you will buy on a daily basis?  And no, I'm not saying this in jest, I've known some very disciplined people, creatures of habit.  This could be very realistic for you, and for anyone else.

 

For me, I'm an all day coffee drinker.  I probably have 4-5 cups of Keurig at the office, and then one or two at home in the evening.  I'm such a coffee drinker that when we are out camping I always have a pot of coffee going in the motor home and I even purchased a Coleman drip coffee maker that is propane powered for when we are dry camping and I don't want to run the generator.  With as many "fee" based beverages as I typically consume on a cruise, which is lots of coffee, a pop, a beer or two, and maybe a mixed drink, Plus does pencil out.

 

But your approach is a very good way to evaluate the packages.  Take the fixed costs that the package covers, so the book cost of standard gratuities, book cost of the internet package, and then figure in your estimates of the variable costs, so beverages, premium deserts.

 

I don't begrudge Princess for going down this path.  Anything you can do as a business to get a handle on your income and have it be predictable leads to better overall decision making and operations.

 

I shouldn't have to say this, but every successful business is out there to make a profit, and businesses that don't make a profit don't stay operating very long.  I'm sure that we can all think of a business or provider that impress us every time we visit them.  There is a particularly good steak house in town, someplace that is a bit too expensive to frequent on a monthly basis, but not so expensive that you only go there on anniversaries.  They have been open now for probably 10 years.  They have survived the 5 year mark which is usually the "break even" point that indicates if a restaurant is going to survive or not.  I've never had a bad meal there, they have all been excellent.  That said, I know they are making a profit.  I know I'm paying more for the food and service than they are paying for all their inputs.  The overall value of what I get is sufficient that I don't worry about their profit or feel insulted that they are making a profit.

 

A lot of the talk on the boards bemoaning the changes at Princess are related to the above comments.  While everyone is entitled to their opinion, I can't begrudge Princess for trying to make a profit, especially right now as the entire industry is trying to recover.  Overall CCL is not making a profit yet.  They have tremendous overhead and debt expenses that are eating up any potential for profits.  The change we are seeing at Princess, and it is occurring at the other CCL brands, in some manner, are all a move to try to recover profitability, and possibly more importantly, to stabilize and make predictable, revenue.

[caribill]

38 minutes ago, jeromep said:

  While everyone is entitled to their opinion, I can't begrudge Princess for trying to make a profit, especially right now as the entire industry is trying to recover.  Overall CCL is not making a profit yet.  They have tremendous overhead and debt expenses that are eating up any potential for profits. 

 

Businesses that want profits tend to offer value for purchases. A furniture store that is losing money does not raise prices, but may actually lower them to attract more customers.

 

The amount of local TV advertising for Princess in our area is so high that I suspect Princess is not not attracting enough customers. I am not exaggerating when I say i hear Princess commercials 10 or more times a day. They are on the local major network stations, minor local stations an on stations that are cable only.

[Ombud]

44 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

Businesses that want profits tend to offer value for purchases. A furniture store that is losing money does not raise prices, but may actually lower them to attract more customers.

 

The amount of local TV advertising for Princess in our area is so high that I suspect Princess is not not attracting enough customers. I am not exaggerating when I say i hear Princess commercials 10 or more times a day. They are on the local major network stations, minor local stations an on stations that are cable only.

So Texas cruises are not full?? Eventually Galveston will fill up.

 

I might see 1 or 2 a week in this area. (SF)

[Guest ldtr]

7 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Businesses that want profits tend to offer value for purchases. A furniture store that is losing money does not raise prices, but may actually lower them to attract more customers.

 

The amount of local TV advertising for Princess in our area is so high that I suspect Princess is not not attracting enough customers. I am not exaggerating when I say i hear Princess commercials 10 or more times a day. They are on the local major network stations, minor local stations an on stations that are cable only.

All of the cruise lines are advertising heavily.  I am seeing on CNBC a Princess ad followed by a Celebrity ad or the reverse order several times each hour.  On other channels seeing equally large numbers of advertisements for NCL, Carnival and Royal.  So they are all trying to attract customers back. Even have seen ads for Oceania, Regent and Seabourn. 

 

Based upon the most recent quarter CCL owned lines are being successful with revenue at 95% of 2019 same quarter.  Occupancy at 98%.  Total revenue and earnings/losses better then guidance, in spite of higher interest and fuel costs.  Deposits at a record high.

 

Which considering the percentage of CCL lines that Princess represents would not be possible if Princess was doing poorly.

Edited March 27, 2023 by ldtr

[KatRangoon]

It doesn't make sense to me. The package they used to have was more affordable, but this one means I'll need 6 coffees a day to break even. If this was offered on a day by day basis, I might be tempted to get it on our At Sea days since it includes hot chocolate and tea, but it says I have to purchase it for every day of the cruise and when I'm in Port all day, I'd probably only have one in the morning before I leave, and one after dinner with dessert.  

 

If they were smart they would offer it on a daily basis or drop the price to make it more tempting. They'd make more money in the long run. As it is, I'll buy two $4.00 cups a day and supplement with what's available in dining or what I can get in Port.

[jeromep]

9 hours ago, caribill said:

Businesses that want profits tend to offer value for purchases. A furniture store that is losing money does not raise prices, but may actually lower them to attract more customers.

Value is a very gray area.  If you and I are presented a similar product, I may find great value in it and you may find no value in it.  This is not an exact science for any business, it is more of an art form... providing value, that is.

 

Is value dollars and cents?  To some people, maybe.  Is it a vacation where you can walk up to a bar or coffee counter, ask for something and not be charged for it?  Maybe.  Is there value in a vacation which has already been paid for months in advance and you don't have little charges here and there while you are vacationing?  For some yes.

 

The furniture store example is an interesting metaphor.  Furniture stores seem to come and go.  One of them in my area is always having a going out of business sale only for that same brand to pop up again, sometimes in the same location with the same name and same staff, only a couple weeks after they supposedly closed, or maybe they never really closed at all, it was just a ruse.  Furniture is also fairly high margin with limited resale value.  People always complain about new cars loosing a huge amount of their value as soon as they drive off the lot.  Well, vehicles have nothing on bedroom sets.  They go from thousands of dollars to a few hundred immediately.  On a percentage basis furniture looses resale value much faster than vehicles.

 

Lowering prices to create purchase volume may work to resolve a revenue issue for some organizations, but that is a mighty huge gamble.  It is usually easier to do internal cost control to deal with revenue issues with a greater certainty of what will occur to the bottom line.  The same goes for "package sales" which standardize costs to customers for a variable consumption product.

 

The thing about Plus and Premier is that Princess is gambling with each package.  They are gambling that you won't consume enough of the variable priced items for it to impact their profit margins, and you are gambling that you will consume enough of the variable priced items that you come out ahead.  Or maybe you aren't gambling at all, maybe just knowing that you can have beverages and deserts without additional charges is enough to make it valuable.

 

Again, we are all operating in the gray area on this topic.

 

10 hours ago, caribill said:

The amount of local TV advertising for Princess in our area is so high that I suspect Princess is not not attracting enough customers. I am not exaggerating when I say i hear Princess commercials 10 or more times a day. They are on the local major network stations, minor local stations an on stations that are cable only.

I don't watch a lot of TV anymore.  In my area I'm seeing quite a few ads for American Cruise Lines river cruises.  I've not seen anything for a major cruise line in a long time, but I'm not a good test case for media consumption or ad awareness.

 

1 hour ago, KatRangoon said:

It doesn't make sense to me. The package they used to have was more affordable, but this one means I'll need 6 coffees a day to break even. If this was offered on a day by day basis, I might be tempted to get it on our At Sea days since it includes hot chocolate and tea, but it says I have to purchase it for every day of the cruise and when I'm in Port all day, I'd probably only have one in the morning before I leave, and one after dinner with dessert. 

That is more than fair.  You have done your calculus and it doesn't pencil out for you.  I never liked the coffee card.  It felt so mickey mouse.  While it was a good value, I think the last time I calculated the per cup price, if you used all the punches on the card it was like $2.35 or $2.95 per coffee drink/tea/hot chocolate.  But was 15 punches enough for a cruise?  Was it 15 punches?  Would you end up needing to buy another card.  Would you use up that card before the end of the cruise or have to carry it over?  Would it carry over?  All reasonable questions.  All part of the uncertainty about the coffee card that I never liked.  Not liking it doesn't mean I wanted it to go away, but it sure seems like that ship has sailed.

[kywildcatfanone]

23 hours ago, alfieisgod said:

The idea that Princess thinks it is reasonable to replace the coffee package - that cost about $35 for a 7 day cruise - with a package that costs $30 per day is very disappointing.  

It's beyond disappointing, it downright makes me angry.  Also the fact that you can't trade the mini bar for it anyway.

 

I will say this though, I boarded Regal yesterday, and called room service.  The mini bar setup was no in the room yet.  I asked about the exchange for the coffee package and the lady was quick to tell me it was discontinued on Regal 3 weeks ago.  And she immediately offered me $100 goodwill OBC ($50 each) so we could pay for the coffee.  I was quite surprised at how quickly this was offered, but she said since the change, it's the biggest issue room service is getting on embarkation day.

 

While I'm not happy with the change, at least for this cruise, they satisfied my frustration with this perk removal for loyal customers.  I assume this is a temporary resolution and not permanent for those who call about it.

[kywildcatfanone]

I will go ahead an add this here, since it's already being discussed.  They should offer a non alcoholic package with and without coffee along with the alcohol packages.

You could do wifi/tips/soda packages for $25/day; and one with coffee for $30/day.  That would at least be somewhat reasonable instead of a drinks only package for $30/day, and you still have to pay separately for wifi and gratuities.

 

Here is what we decided to do this week.  We'll see how it works for us for the whole week.  We brought onboard our Sams Club tumblers (think Yeti) that hold ice for days.  We packed 3 packs of our sodas and water(coke zero and sprite zero, and water).  I had one in a checked bag, and the other two in my carry on.  All were fine, no issues out of FLL.  They rarely check anything that I have seen.

I go pay for a coffee because my wife wants one, so it's $7.50/day so $52.50/week for both of us.  If I want more, I just get coffee in the buffet.

Fill out cups with ice, and take water or sodas to the pool or meal location and have that.  I think that will work for us.  Will see how it goes for the whole week.  If that works well, will cost me about $75 for the week.  If we don't want that we have the tea or lemonade they offer. 

[caribill]

4 hours ago, jeromep said:

 if you used all the punches on the card it was like $2.35 or $2.95 per coffee drink/tea/hot chocolate.  But was 15 punches enough for a cruise?  Was it 15 punches?  Would you end up needing to buy another card.  Would you use up that card before the end of the cruise or have to carry it over?

Not the correct math. The card covered 15 specialty coffees and that math is correct.

 

But the card also allowed unlimited brewed coffee, unlimited hot chocolate, and teas. You could use none of the 15 punches and still come out ahead, especially on a longer cruise such as a trans-Atlantic.

[caribill]

3 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

And she immediately offered me $100 goodwill OBC ($50 each) so we could pay for the coffee.  I was quite surprised at how quickly this was offered, but she said since the change, it's the biggest issue room service is getting on embarkation day.

 

That should be a big hint to Princess how much their loyal customers do not like this change.

[caribill]

16 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Businesses that want profits tend to offer value for purchases. A furniture store that is losing money does not raise prices, but may actually lower them to attract more customers.

 

 

 

Another example is Southwest Airlines which suffered a big loss of business following their meltdown last November when they had to shutdown 100% for a couple of days..

 

Now if they were run like Princess, the reaction might have been:

How can re return to profitability and regain customers? Lets discontinue allowing two pieces of checked luggage at no cost and use the fees to make a profit again. Surely that would encourage customers to return again and again!

 

But that is not what SWA did. Instead they are attracting back business by lowering prices. Yes, the lower pricing may not be profitable, but their customers will return and pricing will return to "normal" levels if SWA delivers the travel experience they used to.

[good42n]

On 3/25/2023 at 6:31 PM, jeromep said:

The thing about accounting and finance is that anyone can take the numbers and bend them any way they want to make something look good or bad.  I say this because, depending on what you value and how you do your own calculus, Princess Plus looks to be a very good deal for most cruisers.  Even if you do not drink alcoholic beverages, the included gratuities, Internet and beverage package will cover everything non-alcoholic, and if you drink enough coffee, or juices, the package still pencils out for most folks.  The beverage packages just don't pencil out for me any more compared to what you can get with Plus.

Unless you have no need for internet, one of you drinks no alcohol or fruit juices and little sodas, and the other drinks little alcohol, and no sodas. I figure after gratuities, I have $35/day to deal with—Neither one of us would drink that much. I’ll get the new coffee package for me and nothing for my husband, and pay gratuities on their own. 

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

 

Another example is Southwest Airlines which suffered a big loss of business following their meltdown last November when they had to shutdown 100% for a couple of days..

 

Now if they were run like Princess, the reaction might have been:

How can re return to profitability and regain customers? Lets discontinue allowing two pieces of checked luggage at no cost and use the fees to make a profit again. Surely that would encourage customers to return again and again!

 

But that is not what SWA did. Instead they are attracting back business by lowering prices. Yes, the lower pricing may not be profitable, but their customers will return and pricing will return to "normal" levels if SWA delivers the travel experience they used to.

However compared to their competition Princess is already offering a value,  Even with their price increases their competition (Celebrity and HAL) charge more.

 

Also Princess has not had any major screw ups like SouthWest did, or most of the arlines did last summer.  There is some issues that some people are having with customer service largely related to medallion and DMW, most issues are being handled fine.

 

More issues raised on CC are more along the lines of they changed things and we want it the way it was.