Old Coffee Card Expiration

[chamima]

I read many reports that the new coffee cards have expiration dates but I don't remember any conclusions about what would happen to the old coffee cards without those dates.

I know I have to use "punches" for everything (included the brewed coffee and better teas) but I want to know if the cards won't even be good for that.

I have about 6 cards (turned in mini bars) and was expecting to be able to use them for the punches.

Anyone have any news on this?

Thanks!

[moki'smommy]

Currently, old cards are being accepted for the "punches" left on them. There have been some interesting statements reported, basically saying that they are valid "for now" or that no decision has been made as to how long the punches will remain valid.

 

The problem is that no one really knows how long Princess will honor these old cards. There have been some discussions as to the legalities of the situation--I'm not a lawyer, and doubt that most of those voicing opinions are experts as to what laws apply to the complex issues involved.

 

My decision, for myself only, is that I'll use cards with expiration dates first. Then I'll use those with no dates, realizing that they will, at some point, likely be no longer valid. And I'll be generous in "paying it forward" for someone without a card--why not put a smile on someone's face?

[pink845]

Received two coffee cards on my last cruise two weeks ago (mini bar exchange) and cards indicate validity only until Dec 31, 2018. Hmm. Not impressed at all with this new policy.

[Thrak]

Received two coffee cards on my last cruise two weeks ago (mini bar exchange) and cards indicate validity only until Dec 31, 2018. Hmm. Not impressed at all with this new policy.

 

Wow. I wonder what the expiration date will be on a card purchased in December. If it's only good for a week or two after purchase I won't bother with them anymore. I like to get one for to share with my wife. I drink the fresh-brewed and she uses the punches. As I am the only one who orders the fresh-brewed coffee using the card it's perfectly legitimate use of the card. However, she doesn't use up a card full of punches on a single cruise and we always take the punched card along for her to use on the next cruise.

[pjules]

I was just on a cruise a couple of weeks ago and didn’t see anything about an expiration date.

 

 

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[moki'smommy]

I was just on a cruise a couple of weeks ago and didn’t see anything about an expiration date.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

From the postings here, it seems that different ships have different cards in stock...some with the 12/31/18 expiration date and some with no printed expiration date. Will be interesting to see what happens throughout the year.

[ehogan]

Hoping for some help...

 

We are coffee lovers and do not drink alcohol. On our next cruise we will be elite. A coffee card swap out would be great, but not if there is an expiry date. Does anyone now if we could swap out for sodas? Not as good a deal, I am sure but better than nothing.

 

Thanks

[chamima]

Hoping for some help...

 

We are coffee lovers and do not drink alcohol. On our next cruise we will be elite. A coffee card swap out would be great, but not if there is an expiry date. Does anyone now if we could swap out for sodas? Not as good a deal, I am sure but better than nothing.

 

Thanks

 

 

Yes- you'll be able to exchange everything in your mini bar for sodas .

(However, I would check with Room Service whether or not your coffee cards would have that expiry date - it seems to be an experiment that is NOT on all ships )

[floridalover5623]

From the postings here' date=' it seems that different ships have different cards in stock...some with the 12/31/18 expiration date and some with no printed expiration date. Will be interesting to see what happens throughout the year.[/quote']

As their old stock without dates runs out their replaces with cards with expiration dates

Yes, it should prove interesting to hear the people after Dec 2018 when their told that the cards they purchased are no longer any good.

It'll provide some good entertainment at the least. :D

[voljeep]

why? - you purchased a card with an expiration date on it...why is it so hard to figure out it won't be good after that???:rolleyes:

[moki'smommy]

My thinking as to what should be interesting is not the reaction of people--if a card says that it expires on a certain date, that's what I'd expect to happen.

 

What I was referring to is that it will be interesting to see how Princess handles cruises later in the year. As of July 1, will they change to cards that expire in 2019? Or will they continue to use the 2018 stock till they run out (which really does seem unfair). They need some sort of policy--cards that are being issued will be good for at least X number of months after issue or something similar.

 

No one will object to getting an undated card. We'd all object to getting a card that expires a few months after our current cruise.

[voljeep]

terms and conditions change - read the fine print sometime - we reserve the right...

 

and you reserve the right to not purchase

 

 

the ONLY point I see here is what Princess will do on previously purchases cards without an expiration date with remaining punches.

 

buy them back with $3 per punch OBC and be done with it...

[Red Hat Cruise Cat]

Just off the Royal, Coffee Cards had December 31, 2018 expiration Date printed on the card.

[tully07]

Recently off the Grand -- new coffee cards had an expiration date of December 31, 2018. I still have an old card with no expiry date and a couple of punches left. I'm holding on to it -- it's still being accepted for specialty coffee, but not for specialty tea or brewed coffee.

[caribbeanboy]

I was last week on the Regal, and used my coffee card I purchased back in November for my Royal Princess cruise. Since it already had some punches in it, the guy wrote the voyage number on the back and told me that I had to use it this cruise. In December I was able to buy gelato with my card on the Royal, not this time though!

[Redwing55]

I was last week on the Regal, and used my coffee card I purchased back in November for my Royal Princess cruise. Since it already had some punches in it, the guy wrote the voyage number on the back and told me that I had to use it this cruise. In December I was able to buy gelato with my card on the Royal, not this time though!

 

You "had to use it?" Not sure if you can answer, but did that mean it precluded you from using it later if you didn't use all the punches? I get the free regular brewed coffee going bye bye, but the punches? It'll be interesting what happens in 2019 for a ton of us that have the older no expiration date cards.

[caribbeanboy]

Couldn't use it after the cruise, since they wrote the voyage # on the back.

[caribill]

Couldn't use it after the cruise, since they wrote the voyage # on the back.

 

The voyage number is only there to indicate when the unlimited fresh brew can be used. It has nothing to do with the unused punches.

[caribbeanboy]

The voyage number is only there to indicate when the unlimited fresh brew can be used. It has nothing to do with the unused punches.[/quote

 

Nope! The guy told me that it.was good only for this sailing.

[floridalover5623]

 

Nope! The guy told me that it.was good only for this sailing.

You may very well misunderstood him because of his accent or he might not have fully understood how the system works.

The unused punches on the older cards (without a printed date on the back) are good forever but not for the brewed coffee. His writing the ship & voyage on the back limited you to unlimited brewed coffee only on that ship but the punches are good forever on any ship, at any time.

 

They've created a complex system that I'm sure must confuse many people.

[Redwing55]

You may very well misunderstood him because of his accent or he might not have fully understood how the system works.

The unused punches on the older cards (without a printed date on the back) are good forever but not for the brewed coffee. His writing the ship & voyage on the back limited you to unlimited brewed coffee only on that ship but the punches are good forever on any ship, at any time.

 

They've created a complex system that I'm sure must confuse many people.

Yup. I suspect this may take months to get clarified and somewhat consistent. The free fresh brewed should be clear. As for those punches for drinks- they better be good until used up. Not sure how the line is intending to handle cards with that expiration date thing. I think that's what will cause issues.

[floridalover5623]

Yup. I suspect this may take months to get clarified and somewhat consistent. The free fresh brewed should be clear. As for those punches for drinks- they better be good until used up. Not sure how the line is intending to handle cards with that expiration date thing. I think that's what will cause issues.

I'm patiently waiting for Jan 1, 2019 for all the excitement to begin.:D

I pity the supervisors on all the ships trying to explain the small expiration date on the back of the cards.

[Steelers36]

I spoke to one of the senior guys at Patisserie on ISLAND this month regarding the new cards. Their new stock for sale on the ship did have the 12/31/2018 expiry date. He just laughed that one off and said no issue with the cards expiring. They are still taking the oldest coffee cards you can think of if they still have unused punches. I realize this is just one of the ships in the fleet talking here, but it seemed to me that the expiry date situation is not going to be a real issue. It could be that Corporate has already changed mind on this one?

 

All indications are nothing changes - the current blank stock with a date can be used for free regular coffee/tea/hot chocolate and you won't lose the value of those unused punches for future voyages. No doubt 12/31/2019 (or 6/30/2019) cards may come out. I am thinking the expiry date is going to be for new unsold stock and Princess is simply trying to control having blank cards getting into circulation they didn't sell.

[billyball69]

We were on the Ruby Princess Mar 22 and inquired about purchasing a coffee card. My wife asked the employee if there was an expiration date on the card. I don't think so she replied. Then she looked at the card and it stated expiration date was Dec 31, 2018. The employee wasn't even aware of the expiration date. C'mon Princess lets train and inform your employees about what's going on. Needless to say we didn't purchase one since our next cruise isn't until Feb 2019.

[floridalover5623]

I spoke to one of the senior guys at Patisserie on ISLAND this month regarding the new cards. Their new stock for sale on the ship did have the 12/31/2018 expiry date. He just laughed that one off and said no issue with the cards expiring. They are still taking the oldest coffee cards you can think of if they still have unused punches. I realize this is just one of the ships in the fleet talking here, but it seemed to me that the expiry date situation is not going to be a real issue. It could be that Corporate has already changed mind on this one?

 

All indications are nothing changes - the current blank stock with a date can be used for free regular coffee/tea/hot chocolate and you won't lose the value of those unused punches for future voyages. No doubt 12/31/2019 (or 6/30/2019) cards may come out. I am thinking the expiry date is going to be for new unsold stock and Princess is simply trying to control having blank cards getting into circulation they didn't sell.

Sure, he laughed it off but will he be the one there to instruct a crew member to accept a card with an expiration date printed on it next year?

If he was so sure that the punches were going to be accepted forever , then he should have provided a coffee card without the expiration date pre-printed on it.

Doubtful and not funny at all.