Elite benefit question

[Go-Bucks!]

I'm Elite, but haven't cruised since the pandemic started (got back from my last cruise the day before the port closed). I'm ready to book a cruise and looked at the Elite benefits on Princess.com to see if you can still trade the minibar setup for specialty coffees. It only said other liquors, wine, soda or water. Has anyone been able to get the coffees lately or know if they've done away with that option? TIA.

[karatemom2]

We used to trade our mini bar set up for the coffee card, but I think that went away when they went to the new Plus and Premier package programs. We now just trade ours out for water and Diet Coke. There is no such thing as a coffee card anymore to my knowledge.

[Steelers36]

17 minutes ago, Go-Bucks! said:

I'm Elite, but haven't cruised since the pandemic started (got back from my last cruise the day before the port closed). I'm ready to book a cruise and looked at the Elite benefits on Princess.com to see if you can still trade the minibar setup for specialty coffees. It only said other liquors, wine, soda or water. Has anyone been able to get the coffees lately or know if they've done away with that option? TIA.

Guess you have not been on this forum much either for this past year or more.  The coffee package was cancelled a long time ago.  As such, there is no program to swap a mini-bar to. 

 

But, yes, you can swap the contents for your own preferences.  I always get 10 beer and 10 Perrier.. unless I was on B2B's and I might get some bottled water in lieu of some of the choices. 

 

PS - Buckeyes are having a great season and love it.  But, as usual, it all comes down to the Michigan game.

Edited November 15, 2023 by Steelers36

[Go-Bucks!]

I have not cruised since March, 2020 because of shutdowns and mandates...decided to wait till normalcy returned. Unfortunately I don't drink alcohol or soda pop so it seems like a waste to trade the minibar for water. Thx for the info!

 

Very happy with my Buckeyes this year!!  😊

Edited November 15, 2023 by Go-Bucks!

[kywildcatfanone]

49 minutes ago, Go-Bucks! said:

I'm Elite, but haven't cruised since the pandemic started (got back from my last cruise the day before the port closed). I'm ready to book a cruise and looked at the Elite benefits on Princess.com to see if you can still trade the minibar setup for specialty coffees. It only said other liquors, wine, soda or water. Has anyone been able to get the coffees lately or know if they've done away with that option? TIA.

That benefit was removed earlier this year or last year.   They keep taking away loyalty benefits.

[kywildcatfanone]

7 minutes ago, Go-Bucks! said:

I have not cruised since March, 2020 because of shutdowns and mandates...decided to wait till normalcy returned. Unfortunately I don't drink alcohol or soda pop so it seems like a waste to trade the minibar for water. Thx for the info!

 

Very happy with my Buckeyes this year!!  😊

Your options are very limited now.  You went from something that had actual value to something that doesn't have much value at all.

The changing world of cruising.

[Steelers36]

7 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

Your options are very limited now.  You went from something that had actual value to something that doesn't have much value at all.

The changing world of cruising.

Although unfortunate for this guest, many of us find great value in the mini-bar with 20 beverages (10 & 10) included.  Perhaps that is more because we book Standard and not Plus/Premier.

[kywildcatfanone]

3 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Although unfortunate for this guest, many of us find great value in the mini-bar with 20 beverages (10 & 10) included.  Perhaps that is more because we book Standard and not Plus/Premier.

I suppose if you drink beer or trade for other alcohol, it retains most of its value.  If trading for water and soda the value is way less than when you could get the coffee.  That was sort of my point.  Sorry if that wasn't clear. 

[Steelers36]

1 minute ago, kywildcatfanone said:

I suppose if you drink beer or trade for other alcohol, it retains most of its value.  If trading for water and soda the value is way less than when you could get the coffee.  That was sort of my point.  Sorry if that wasn't clear. 

You are quite right and I figured you were going in that direction.  I realize it doesn't mean nearly as much to folks on packages.  But it is part of our equation when evaluating package value for us.

 

If they ever changed it to all non-alcohol, it would certainly be worth less, but after grumbling I would still take what I could get.  We don't drink soda either.

[karatemom2]

I don't view it as taking away value or loyalty benefit. The benefit is still there and regardless of what you switch your mini bar out for, the actual dollar value is comparable to what you would pay for those items onboard which is probably in the 50 to 60 dollar range. We generally get 10 bottles of water and 10 sodas that we would pay $2 to $3 dollars for if we were buying them at the bar. 

 

The Elite minibar benefit didn't change in value. Princess simply stopped offering the coffee card because they replaced that program with different package options. That is completely a separate decision from anything related to loyalty programs.

 

The fact is now that the coffee package no longer exists, they just don't have the option to make that switch. It is just a shift in product offering, nothing to do with loyalty perks. 

[memoak]

1 hour ago, Go-Bucks! said:

I'm Elite, but haven't cruised since the pandemic started (got back from my last cruise the day before the port closed). I'm ready to book a cruise and looked at the Elite benefits on Princess.com to see if you can still trade the minibar setup for specialty coffees. It only said other liquors, wine, soda or water. Has anyone been able to get the coffees lately or know if they've done away with that option? TIA.

You can’t switch out to something that no longer exists. That would be the equivalent of trying to change fries to soup when the restaurant no longer makes soup

[Go-Bucks!]

Maybe I can sell my liquor bottles to someone...just kidding! I'll just be buying my daily latte with my OBC. It seems weird that they still offer replacement with other liquor or wine...I would think those are more expensive than coffee.

[worldtraveller]

I just take the liquor (or trade it in for a bottle of wine) and donate it to my local volunteer group as part of a prize for a fundraiser.

[BETELVE]

A couple of times in the past year, the latest being April on Caribbean Princess, I got a $40 credit at guest services for turning in my package.

[kywildcatfanone]

45 minutes ago, BETELVE said:

A couple of times in the past year, the latest being April on Caribbean Princess, I got a $40 credit at guest services for turning in my package.

I was able to do this on our first cruise right after the announcement about this benefit cut was made.  I think I will ask on my upcoming cruise for OBC and see what happens.  Can't hurt to ask.  

[skynight]

On 11/15/2023 at 6:39 PM, Go-Bucks! said:

Maybe I can sell my liquor bottles to someone...just kidding! I'll just be buying my daily latte with my OBC. It seems weird that they still offer replacement with other liquor or wine...I would think those are more expensive than coffee.

Not really. In the past 15 specialty coffees between $4 & $5 each = $60/$75. Plus add the brewed coffee, maybe one or two per day for another $10 or so. The bottle of wine is around $30/$40 with a cost to Princess probably far less in relation to price than the coffee.

But, in the end I don't think the elite mini bar trade had anything to do with the elimination of the coffee package. The driving force, I believe, was the push to sell plus and premier fares. 

[ldubs]

On 11/15/2023 at 12:15 PM, karatemom2 said:

We used to trade our mini bar set up for the coffee card, but I think that went away when they went to the new Plus and Premier package programs. We now just trade ours out for water and Diet Coke. There is no such thing as a coffee card anymore to my knowledge.

 

How exactly to you make this trade?  We will be Elite on our next cruise.  We seldom drink alcohol, so swapping out for soda or water would be a plus for us.  

[skynight]

4 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

How exactly to you make this trade?  We will be Elite on our next cruise.  We seldom drink alcohol, so swapping out for soda or water would be a plus for us.  

You call room service or sometimes the cabin steward will handle, and let them know what items you wish to trade for what. Example, all eight mini bottles for spirts and the two beers for 5 diet cokes and 5 Perrier waters.  

[ldubs]

2 minutes ago, skynight said:

You call room service or sometimes the cabin steward will handle, and let them know what items you wish to trade for what. Example, all eight mini bottles for spirts and the two beers for 5 diet cokes and 5 Perrier waters.  

 

Thanks!!  

[karatemom2]

21 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

How exactly to you make this trade?  We will be Elite on our next cruise.  We seldom drink alcohol, so swapping out for soda or water would be a plus for us.  

You just need to call the Room Service line and let them know you want to switch out your minibar and tell them the items you would prefer. We generally call on the first afternoon/evening on ship. They are busy so be prepared to hold and it generally won’t get switched out until the next day depending on their bandwidth. But they will come by and take the setup away and leave the items you requested. For us that is generally 10 bottled water and 10 Diet Cokes. And you don’t have to be there when they come by. Lots of times they switch it while we are out the first day and we come back to find it done. 

[ldubs]

40 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

You just need to call the Room Service line and let them know you want to switch out your minibar and tell them the items you would prefer. We generally call on the first afternoon/evening on ship. They are busy so be prepared to hold and it generally won’t get switched out until the next day depending on their bandwidth. But they will come by and take the setup away and leave the items you requested. For us that is generally 10 bottled water and 10 Diet Cokes. And you don’t have to be there when they come by. Lots of times they switch it while we are out the first day and we come back to find it done. 

 

Thank You!! 

[modem9]

Even if you have the Plus package, one advantage of swapping out for the soda is they give you cans of soda.  Using the plus package for drinks, you can only get soda in a glass, no cans.

[skynight]

1 minute ago, modem9 said:

Even if you have the Plus package, one advantage of swapping out for the soda is they give you cans of soda.  Using the plus package for drinks, you can only get soda in a glass, no cans.

Good point. But, some have reported on these boards that canned soda is now available with the packages. I'll see for myself in a few months.

[modem9]

1 minute ago, skynight said:

Good point. But, some have reported on these boards that canned soda is now available with the packages. I'll see for myself in a few months.

I hope that is true.  We will be on the Sapphire in 12 days so we will also check if out and report back.  I prefer getting a can so it lasts longer and doesn't spill quite as easily as we move around.

[Musky Ike]

2 hours ago, modem9 said:

I hope that is true.  We will be on the Sapphire in 12 days so we will also check if out and report back.  I prefer getting a can so it lasts longer and doesn't spill quite as easily as we move around.

Off the Sapphire last month and yes, can soda and bottled water were included on the package at any bar.