Elite minibar exhange Medallion -coffee cards

[sashas_mom]

Just returned from the Royal and as usual, we exchanged our mini bar for the coffee “cards” which are now programmed into the Medallion.

since this was only a 7 day cruise, we never used the second “card”.  It was shown on our bill as a $36.00 charge and then a credit for each of us. (I believe that’s the cost, correct me if I’m wrong)  I was told that you can’t use that $36.00 for anything.  I appreciate this perk, but I feel they are taking part of that perk away from us.  I’m hoping they will let each of us exchange it for water, soda or a shipboard credit, instead of of us having 2 coffee “cards” we should be able to choose what each wants.  . Also, we now  pay for the Gelato, which used to be covered on the coffee card.  Please Princess, if you are reading this, consider giving us more options for the exchange.  

Edited May 9, 2019 by sashas_mom

[kywildcatfanone]

I've made this complaint, let you split the coffee package with another package if you don't drink a ton of coffee products a day, but I don't see them changing it.  They are eliminate perks, and this is just one of them.

Edited May 9, 2019 by kywildcatfanone

[sashas_mom]

I was told to let them know how I feel about it, which I did on my survey.  Also the 

officers at our Meet and Greet mentioned how important Cruise Critic has been to them in gaining knowledge how to improve things.  They even joked about whenever they need to know anything, they check Cruise Critic. I’m hoping if enough of us complain, they might reconsider it.

 

[skynight]

Agree, Should be 1/2 the mini bar for one coffee package. Also feel coffee packages need to vary in amount and cost depending on the itinerary.

[pms4104]

21 minutes ago, skynight said:

Agree, Should be 1/2 the mini bar for one coffee package. Also feel coffee packages need to vary in amount and cost depending on the itinerary.

Half the liquor portion or half the water/soda portion for coffee pkg?  Way different values involved.

 

Agree that coffee pkgs available for purchase should be appropriate to cruise length.  Isn't that what Princess promised when they replaced the paper cards with digital?

[fishywood]

The perk is the minibar. That has not changed.

OP says they exchanged the minibar for two coffee cards "as usual". So the alternate perk is the same.

I don't see what has been taken away from anyone---other than the ability to sell/give away any unused punches for another person to use on their future cruise, which has always technically been again the rules but casually treated as a *wink wink* by Princess until last year.

There has always been the ability to exchange the minibar for all water--or item by item for canned sodas. Perhaps someone who drank more water than coffee would come out ahead if making the exchange for water on their next cruise and just purchased one coffee card between the two of them. Though the 12 pack of water is quite inexpensive if purchased before sailing.

Expecting Princess to "customize" on a case by case basis what each individual Elite or Suite passenger can trade their minibar for can never work, and asking for such treatment will always smack of questionable motives at the very least (especially if expecting OBC if no other resolution is reached). If one's first reaction to being provided a free perk is not "thank you" but "I want something else instead" the demise of the entire perk could be imminent when Princess gets tired of this type of totally unnecessary negative feedback for what is still a fine benefit.

 

[sashas_mom]

13 minutes ago, pms4104 said:

Half the liquor portion or half the water/soda portion for coffee pkg?  Way different values involved.

 

Agree that coffee pkgs available for purchase should be appropriate to cruise length.  Isn't that what Princess promised when they replaced the paper cards with digital?

Where did you read that?  I couldn’t find anything about it.

[sashas_mom]

15 minutes ago, fishywood said:

The perk is the minibar. That has not changed.

OP says they exchanged the minibar for two coffee cards "as usual". So the alternate perk is the same.

I don't see what has been taken away from anyone---other than the ability to sell/give away any unused punches for another person to use on their future cruise, which has always technically been again the rules but casually treated as a *wink wink* by Princess until last year.

There has always been the ability to exchange the minibar for all water--or item by item for canned sodas. Perhaps someone who drank more water than coffee would come out ahead if making the exchange for water on their next cruise and just purchased one coffee card between the two of them. Though the 12 pack of water is quite inexpensive if purchased before sailing.

Expecting Princess to "customize" on a case by case basis what each individual Elite or Suite passenger can trade their minibar for can never work, and asking for such treatment will always smack of questionable motives at the very least (especially if expecting OBC if no other resolution is reached). If one's first reaction to being provided a free perk is not "thank you" but "I want something else instead" the demise of the entire perk could be imminent when Princess gets tired of this type of totally unnecessary negative feedback for what is still a fine benefit.

 

In my survey I expressed appreciation for this perk.  That doesn’t mean there can’t be improvements.  We usually sail two week cruises so having two cards were great! However on a one week cruise, where we only used the value of one card, it would be nice to have another option instead of having to get two cards.  

[voljeep]

3 minutes ago, sashas_mom said:

In my survey I expressed appreciation for this perk.  That doesn’t mean there can’t be improvements.  We usually sail two week cruises so having two cards were great! However on a one week cruise, where we only used the value of one card, it would be nice to have another option instead of having to get two cards.  

how about one coffee card and one soda/water portion of the mini bar ?

[paul929207]

With all the complaining about the minibar, I would not blame Princess if the went back to the original setup and said take it or leave it.

[bemis12]

3 minutes ago, paul929207 said:

With all the complaining about the minibar, I would not blame Princess if the went back to the original setup and said take it or leave it.

 

I would definitely do that if I were Princess.  That would stop the complaints (eventually), and make the stewards' life easier.

 

There is no amount that can be given to people without them wanting more.

[Colorado Coasty]

4 hours ago, sashas_mom said:

Just returned from the Royal and as usual, we exchanged our mini bar for the coffee “cards” which are now programmed into the Medallion.

since this was only a 7 day cruise, we never used the second “card”.  It was shown on our bill as a $36.00 charge and then a credit for each of us. (I believe that’s the cost, correct me if I’m wrong)  I was told that you can’t use that $36.00 for anything.  I appreciate this perk, but I feel they are taking part of that perk away from us.  I’m hoping they will let each of us exchange it for water, soda or a shipboard credit, instead of of us having 2 coffee “cards” we should be able to choose what each wants.  . Also, we now  pay for the Gelato, which used to be covered on the coffee card.  Please Princess, if you are reading this, consider giving us more options for the exchange.  

How did you get the coffee card loaded on your medallion when you made the exchange?

[sashas_mom]

9 minutes ago, Colorado Coasty said:

How did you get the coffee card loaded on your medallion when you made the exchange?

Once they remove the minibar from your cabin they automatically programmed it to our accounts. 

[skynight]

2 hours ago, pms4104 said:

Half the liquor portion or half the water/soda portion for coffee pkg?  Way different values involved.

 

Agree that coffee pkgs available for purchase should be appropriate to cruise length.  Isn't that what Princess promised when they replaced the paper cards with digital?

4 bottles spirits, 1 beer, 3 soda, 1 Perrier, 1 plain water is what I would consider to be half the mini bar.

[kywildcatfanone]

17 hours ago, fishywood said:

Expecting Princess to "customize" on a case by case basis what each individual Elite or Suite passenger can trade their minibar for can never work,

Would seem to be quite easy to say another option is one coffee package and whatever they would consider the value of 1/2 the soda/water package.  Not hard at all.

17 hours ago, sashas_mom said:

asking for such treatment will always smack of questionable motives

Can you explain why I would have questionable motives just trying to get something that is cheaper than their current offer?

[palolake]

My husband drinks coffee.  I do not.  So when we get the coffee cards, I get screwed.  I know it's a perk and I should be "happy" I'm getting it but I'm still getting screwed.  He can't stand regular Princess coffee so that's what we switch to instead of keeping the liquor.  It would be nice if we each had a choice.

 

[MissP22]

23 minutes ago, palolake said:

My husband drinks coffee.  I do not.  So when we get the coffee cards, I get screwed.  I know it's a perk and I should be "happy" I'm getting it but I'm still getting screwed.  He can't stand regular Princess coffee so that's what we switch to instead of keeping the liquor.  It would be nice if we each had a choice.

 

Why didn't he just drink your portion of the coffee?

Unless it was to much for him to drink?

I could very easily drink 2+ coffees per day.

2 hot cups each morning and 2 cold blended coffees later on.

Edited May 10, 2019 by MissP22

[palolake]

16 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

Why didn't he just drink your portion of the coffee?

Unless it was to much for him to drink?

I could very easily drink 2+ coffees per day.

2 hot cups each morning and 2 cold blended coffees later on.

 

That's usually what happens but that's a lot for one person.  (and that's an awful lot of caffeine you are going through!)  But the point I'm making is that I get no benefit from it. It's a nice perk but it's not benefitting me and it would be nice if each Elite passenger got their choice!

[jagoffee]

2 hours ago, palolake said:

My husband drinks coffee.  I do not.  So when we get the coffee cards, I get screwed.  I know it's a perk and I should be "happy" I'm getting it but I'm still getting screwed.  He can't stand regular Princess coffee so that's what we switch to instead of keeping the liquor.  It would be nice if we each had a choice.

 

The easiest solution is not exchange the mini bar to  two the coffee packages.  Keep the mini bar set up or convert it to what you will enjoy and have your husband buy a coffee package. Unless of course your husband can drink the equivalent of two cards worth of specialty coffees.

[paul929207]

2 hours ago, palolake said:

My husband drinks coffee.  I do not.  So when we get the coffee cards, I get screwed.  I know it's a perk and I should be "happy" I'm getting it but I'm still getting screwed.  He can't stand regular Princess coffee so that's what we switch to instead of keeping the liquor.  It would be nice if we each had a choice.

 

So pick another option. Get a bottle of wine. Keep the original setup. Etc.

[kywildcatfanone]

1 hour ago, palolake said:

 

That's usually what happens but that's a lot for one person.  (and that's an awful lot of caffeine you are going through!)  But the point I'm making is that I get no benefit from it. It's a nice perk but it's not benefitting me and it would be nice if each Elite passenger got their choice!

It would not at all be difficult for Princess to offer a couple of more options for trading out the mini bar for elite/suite guests and offer 1 coffee card and one equivalent value of either water/soda or a combo of them.  They already have those items in the trade setup, just not separated for each guest.

[sashas_mom]

1 hour ago, palolake said:

 

That's usually what happens but that's a lot for one person.  (and that's an awful lot of caffeine you are going through!)  But the point I'm making is that I get no benefit from it. It's a nice perk but it's not benefitting me and it would be nice if each Elite passenger got their choice!

That’s what I was saying.  It would be nice........

[sashas_mom]

3 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

It would not at all be difficult for Princess to offer a couple of more options for trading out the mini bar for elite/suite guests and offer 1 coffee card and one equivalent value of either water/soda or a combo of them.  They already have those items in the trade setup, just not separated for each guest.

Yes.....that would be very nice, at least there would be something the second Elite member could enjoy as well.  

[Ombud]

Were you able to see how many lattes you had left? 

[sashas_mom]

2 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

Would seem to be quite easy to say another option is one coffee package and whatever they would consider the value of 1/2 the soda/water package.  Not hard at all.

Can you explain why I would have questionable motives just trying to get something that is cheaper than their current offer?

Thank you for saying that.  I don’t know why I was accused of being ungrateful, wanting to sell coffee cards, or other questionable motives.....i’d Be happy with your suggestion.  It’s not the value of the second choice, it’s that we would have something else to enjoy. If we are on a long cruise the two cards would be welcomed, if not, another choice would be welcomed in addition to one card.