Coffee Card Alert

[Bunti]

Lots of good information and discussion, but I am still not sure where to get the card to begin with.

[Nymue]

You can but it at the Coffee bar on the ship :p OR on most ships, any bar with an Espresso machine.

 

Lots of good information and discussion, but I am still not sure where to get the card to begin with.

[spongerob]

Its appalling that they charge for it anyway. :mad:

Princess isn't alone in this. I found this in a Celebrity crusie review:

 

The coffee bar was a nice touch and it was close to where people play cards so it was a happening place, a few free food items but a charge for drinks even a regular coffee.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=33839

 

It's like anything these days, if it takes more than a token amount of work to accomplish, you're going to pay for it.

 

I've always been able to get brewed coffee at no extra charge when using the card. I like that because I no longer need to bring a coffee maker with me. If this signals a policy change, I guess I'm going to have to make room for the 4-cupper again. :mad:

[bickee]

We also just got off the Crown and when we asked at the International Cafe...they said no to unlimited brewed coffee. Now whether or not our server was incorrect or not, we don't know. But we didnt' buy it.

[Stevesan]

I still have my card from GP March 2007 cruise. Although brewed coffee was included, there is no mention of that on my "Jack Of Java" card. Neither is it dated nor marked as cruise specific.

 

Others state that it will carry forward to a subsequent cruise. Thank you. I did not know that. I still have two punches open. I'll take it along on my Crown cruise in February.:)

 

As I recall, it cost @ $25 for a seven day cruise. I drink very little specialty coffees, but it works for me as long as it includes brewed coffee.

If not, fuggedaboudit!!!:mad:

 

Others asked "how to purchase the card". It was hard to avoid them during boarding day. It seemed that every staircase and open deck had a crew member flacking coffee and soda cards.

[dcrow72]

just got off Crown Saturday and used the coffee card. You could have unlimited "gourmet" (aka good regular coffee) and 15 specialty coffees. Bought one card and would sometimes be able to get 2 coffees depending on who was working or I'd have to get a latte and a regular for my husband. Never charged me a penny for the regular coffees. The coffee in the buffet was horrible and I couldn't drink it. Room service and the dining rooms were much better. The coffee card coffee was excellent and well worth it.

[rdhead43]

Hi...we are currently on the Dawn Princess and I purchased the obigatory coffee card in order to enjoy fresh brewed coffee in the mornings. Alas, when DH went to fetch it for me this morning, he was told that it was only good for the specialty coffees and you still had to purchase the brewed coffee. This is a change we did not know about. :( No it's not going to ruin our cruise, but it is a disappointment....thought the rest of you would want to know...

That's an insult, pure and simple. What other trick will they think of next, having to pay for tap water?

 

rdhead43

[rdhead43]

That's an insult, pure and simple. What other trick will they think of next, having to pay for tap water?

 

rdhead43

I'll add something else to this post. I took a cruise a few years back (I won't mention the line because it's off the topic) but the price was reasonable, but not cheap by any means. BUT, from the time I got on the ship to the time I left it, I was nickeled and dimed to death. They had the nerve to CHARGE us to tender to one of the ports. I'll never take a cruise on them again.

 

These companies have learned to lower their cruise prices to GET YOU ONBOARD, and then, once they have you trapped, they charge you for every little thing.

 

It's a nasty way of doing business, and I'm seeing it more and more.

 

rdhead43

[Eddie4Paws]

We were on the Dawn on the last Alaska cruise in September (9/18). We had a coffee card, and we tried to use it for a latte for my husband and a brewed coffee for me. It came back with two punches on it. I told the manager that I'd been told the brewed coffee was included, but no punch. He said that as of two cruises before our, they were told to punch for any coffee drink, including brewed.

 

Apparently the Dawn also now has a small and a large brewed coffee. They said that's why they now punch and you get a large (16 oz vs 12oz I think) with your punch.

 

We used the card for the specialty coffee drinks, and paid the 1.00 for the brewed. The manager did give us a free specialty drink the next day because of the misunderstanding.

 

I have no idea if this is going fleetwide.

 

abby

 

Geez, if that's the case, I would rather pay $1 for a cup of brewed instead of having it charged against my coffee card. I'm glad the manager compensated you for the misunderstanding.

[ssminnow]

ginger gets my coffee every morning.

[Stevesan]

That's an insult, pure and simple. What other trick will they think of next, having to pay for tap water?

 

rdhead43

 

There's always a crew member pushing a cart selling bottled water. I see him/her frequently in Lido buffet.

 

That is carrying coals to Newcastle. The ship's water is purer than the bottled stuff.

 

Ye gads, how did we survive before bottled water came along???:rolleyes:

[34TigerLily]

ginger gets my coffee every morning.

Love your answer! Didn't understand it until I looked at your name.

[AliceS]

I'm Ginger in our cabin.

[rdhead43]

Love your answer! Didn't understand it until I looked at your name.

LOL You're right, I'm a red-head (although it's getting more salt-and-red lately. LOL I have in the past allowed that to get the best of me and have lost my red-head temper, but as I've aged, I've mellowed, although business tricks (expecially cruise-line gouging) still unnerve me, no matter what line is doing them. That's why I like these boards..........we can keep each other informed as to what new accounting tricks await us on our next voyage so we can make an informed decision with that new information of changes in policies or pricing structures. As the Larger cruise companies have acquired the smaller ones Royal Caribbean bought Celebrity, Carnival bought Princes, Holland America.............etc.......etc........etc......they have made some very stingy policy changes. We all need to keep tabs on what tricks await us, and do business with the companies that treat all passengers fairly, in policy and in pricing. (sometimes people would rather get less and pay less, (because they simply don't care about those extras), others would like to pay more for those extras...........hopefully like hotels the cruise industy will maintain all levels of cruise experiences for all levels of tastes or expectations. Everyone is then served according to his or her needs. I just hate the companies who proport to have this and that and then with very little notice start changing things that nickle-and-dime passengers to death. Hmmm, I think my hair is a little bit redder today. LOL

 

rdhead43

[dcrow72]

The coffee card on the crown 2 wks ago was about $25. You could get 15 specialty coffees and unlimited fresh brewed coffee (yes only one at a time). There are a million ways around that too. Get your coffee and then hand off the card to the hubby and he gets his, or get one specialty and one brewed. The card was good in the casino as well; just show it to the waitress and she brought me coffee. The coffee in the Horizon was horrible (in my own and hubby's opinion and we drink a lot of coffee). The dining rooms, room service, casino, and bars that we ordered coffee in were much better than the buffet coffee. They weren't hawking the card anywhere; I had to ask at the International Cafe to buy one, which by the way, was the place to get the best coffee. The kid who worked there regularly told me that they use a special, more expensive coffee there which is why they charge the $1 for it. Either way, it was worth the $1. Like many things, it's all a matter of personal taste. The special coffees were excellent and worth the card alone, but we probably got at least 6-8 cups of regular a day, so either way, if you really like coffee and are a bit fussy, the coffee card is worth it.

[PescadoAmarillo]

We couldn't get the brewed coffee for free with the coffee card last January on the Sun Princess either.

 

The coffee card really IS a card (unlike the soda card, which is a sticker on your ship's card), good for 15 specialty drinks (like lattes, etc.). It costs $25 plus 15% gratuity and, also unlike the soda card, can be shared among several people.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

I bought the coffee card on the SUN, they were hawking it upstairs at the pool during our CC meet and greet, they charged us $30 plus grat for the card and coffee mug, we said we didn't want the mug but were told it was the same price, afterwards we found out you didn't have to buy the mug:mad:

I did get free brewed at the patissarie bar although often not happily and some bar staff did want to punch for it.

[5150lock]

We just got off the Diamond and we had a card. Were told couple times we could not use it for Mochas. We did go to another bar and got them in small paper cups. Lattes, cup, and expresso were fine but no, no not the mochas. Oh well:rolleyes:

[dobiemom]

We just got off the Diamond and we had a card. Were told couple times we could not use it for Mochas. We did go to another bar and got them in small paper cups. Lattes, cup, and expresso were fine but no, no not the mochas. Oh well:rolleyes:

 

I thought the coffee card was for (15) specialty coffees (and then unlimited freshly brewed coffee). Isn't mocha a specialty coffee?

 

BTW Are the lattes flavored, i.e., vanilla or mint or caramel or ??

[Rockwife]

Thanks for the info! I bought two Cafe Americanos every day on my last cruise and that really adds up. (The baristas got to know me so well one of them ended up cautioning me on my caffeine intake! ha ha) I think this card would be worth it for me, especially if it includes brewed.

 

As far as nickel and diming, yeah, it's happening. But, I just booked my fifth cruise in so many years and paid the same price as my first. It seems like *everything* is more expensive than it was five years ago, except for cabin prices. Cruising is still a fantastic vacation bargain!

[vmom]

Thanks for the info! I bought two Cafe Americanos every day on my last cruise and that really adds up. (The baristas got to know me so well one of them ended up cautioning me on my caffeine intake! ha ha) I think this card would be worth it for me, especially if it includes brewed.

 

As far as nickel and diming, yeah, it's happening. But, I just booked my fifth cruise in so many years and paid the same price as my first. It seems like *everything* is more expensive than it was five years ago, except for cabin prices. Cruising is still a fantastic vacation bargain!

 

I agree.

 

Our first cruise was in 1987 and our next cruise in December cost less than what we paid for our 1987 cruise. There might be nickel and diming, but I'd rather have the cruise price kept low and pay as I go along for what I really want and use rather than having to pay more and have extras included that I'm not interested in.

 

I'd rather pay less and buy the coffee card or lattes rather than have the base price of the cruise go up and have the lattes included.

[greydog]

From another thread, they indicated $27.50 before gratuity 15% for card for 15 specialty coffees. They also indicated $1.00 charge for fresh brewed coffee (vs. free from syrup base in buffet).

[Samcorl]

I love the faith some have in Princess Customer Service or whomever you called. Most of what is posted on these boards are based on actual experiences -- a whole lot more reliable than what Princess will tell you on the phone! /Sultan

 

So, you would be more inclined to believe the "barista" over customer service? It might have been an honest misunderstanding by the crew member. Sam

[Julia’s Journey’s]

I agree.

 

Our first cruise was in 1987 and our next cruise in December cost less than what we paid for our 1987 cruise. There might be nickel and diming, but I'd rather have the cruise price kept low and pay as I go along for what I really want and use rather than having to pay more and have extras included that I'm not interested in.

 

I'd rather pay less and buy the coffee card or lattes rather than have the base price of the cruise go up and have the lattes included.

 

I agree with you, this way everyone gets to choose what they want to buy and not paying for tons they don't use with higher prices.

[joan24]

Does anyone know what the price for a cappuccino is?

Joan