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Starbucks coffee now being served at all Cafe Promenade's

The Scurvy Pirate
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rudeney "Live from...." Rare

rudeney

Posted
Posted
22 minutes ago, miyanc said:

I bet the baristas, servers and such hate the coffee cards.  No tips.  The quicker you punch the cards, the quicker us addicts still buy coffee and now tip. 

 

Just like with the DBP and UDP, the purchase price of the card includes an 18% gratuity.  

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pyrateslife4me84

pyrateslife4me84

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, miyanc said:

The card is 31$ it would have to be all gratuity for 15 punches

Actually, it’s $36 with the gratuity. I’m sure they are happy to get any money they get. Just like the specialty restaurant servers are happy to serve people on dining plans. An empty table pays less gratuity than a full one. 

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rudeney "Live from...." Rare

rudeney

Posted
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1 minute ago, miyanc said:

The card is 31$ it would have to be all gratuity for 15 punches

 

In my Cruise Planner, it rings up as $36.58 ($31 + 18% gratuity).  I guess if each punch is worth about $4, then the card saves about 50% off onboard prices.  That could also equate to the barista getting 50% less tip.  I do not know how tips from food & beverage packages are distributed, but I could see all the packages like UDP and DBP resulting in reduced tips compared to onboard prices.   Then again, I am sure there are people who buy these packages and don't get more value out of them than onboard prices, and then that means more tips.  Also, people with packages may tip over and above in cash,  which means more money for the crew.  My guess is that it all comes out so that the crew gets a decent amount in tips.

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the penguins

the penguins

Posted
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13 hours ago, rudeney said:

 

In my Cruise Planner, it rings up as $36.58 ($31 + 18% gratuity).  I guess if each punch is worth about $4, then the card saves about 50% off onboard prices.  That could also equate to the barista getting 50% less tip.  I do not know how tips from food & beverage packages are distributed, but I could see all the packages like UDP and DBP resulting in reduced tips compared to onboard prices.   Then again, I am sure there are people who buy these packages and don't get more value out of them than onboard prices, and then that means more tips.  Also, people with packages may tip over and above in cash,  which means more money for the crew.  My guess is that it all comes out so that the crew gets a decent amount in tips.

It only works if you have the small sized drinks otherwise it's actually cheaper to pay as you go. Of course, as others have said, wether it's 2 punches or 1 for a large depends on the ship etc- check before you buy.

Also on our next Anthem sailing we were considering the soft drinks package but the terms state " not valid in any Starbucks licenced venue". Perhaps we will settle for our 4 free Diamond Drinks a day and pay for anything else.

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rudeney "Live from...." Rare

rudeney

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2 hours ago, the penguins said:

It only works if you have the small sized drinks otherwise it's actually cheaper to pay as you go. Of course, as others have said, wether it's 2 punches or 1 for a large depends on the ship etc- check before you buy.

Also on our next Anthem sailing we were considering the soft drinks package but the terms state " not valid in any Starbucks licenced venue". Perhaps we will settle for our 4 free Diamond Drinks a day and pay for anything else.

 

The fine print does state that "Specialty Coffees do not include any beverages served inside licensed Starbucks® stores/cafes."  But it also states that is, "entitles you to any 15 specialty espresso-based coffees."  It doesn't specify number of shots or size.  Maybe it could be that an add-on shot is considered a second menu item,do it's two punched, but the large size is a single menu item.  I think I'd argue that point.  But for me, it's a moot point - I don't really drink specialty coffees.  I prefer just a good cup of black coffee, or maybe a triple espresso if available.  

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GaNavy

GaNavy

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20 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Remember, serving starbucks coffee and being a starbucks are two different things. The gas station down the street from my house "proudly serves starbucks coffee" (i.e., they buy cheapy blended coffees sold by starbucks), but is far from being a starbucks. And for that matter, the greasy cafeteria in my office building "proudly serves starbucks coffee. 

Agreed. A good cuppa depends on both the coffee and the water it's brewed with. I've been told that the difference between gas station Starbucks and "real" Starbucks is that the barista shops all have a system for filtering the water, whereas the gas station will just use what comes from the tap - that's why what you get from the Starbucks store is likely to taste better than what you get from gas station Starbucks.

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the penguins

the penguins

Posted
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8 hours ago, rudeney said:

 

The fine print does state that "Specialty Coffees do not include any beverages served inside licensed Starbucks® stores/cafes."  But it also states that is, "entitles you to any 15 specialty espresso-based coffees."  It doesn't specify number of shots or size.  Maybe it could be that an add-on shot is considered a second menu item,do it's two punched, but the large size is a single menu item.  I think I'd argue that point.  But for me, it's a moot point - I don't really drink specialty coffees.  I prefer just a good cup of black coffee, or maybe a triple espresso if available.  

You are correct. The problem is that RCI don't seem to have issued specfic instructions and ships interprete the rules differently. Hence the advice to check on board before you buy the card and only proceed with the purchase if you happy with how you will be charged. Our last Royal cruise was on Independence and their interpretation was small 1 punch, large 2 punches. They refunded the cost of the card.

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Mabel the Great..Dane

Mabel the Great..Dane

Posted
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9 hours ago, rudeney said:

 

The fine print does state that "Specialty Coffees do not include any beverages served inside licensed Starbucks® stores/cafes."  But it also states that is, "entitles you to any 15 specialty espresso-based coffees."  It doesn't specify number of shots or size.  Maybe it could be that an add-on shot is considered a second menu item,do it's two punched, but the large size is a single menu item.  I think I'd argue that point.  But for me, it's a moot point - I don't really drink specialty coffees.  I prefer just a good cup of black coffee, or maybe a triple espresso if available.  

I was on The Odyssey in March and the drinks were the smaller size and 1 punch each.  If I wanted a larger drink it was considered 2 punches.  I ended up getting 2 of the smaller drinks and pouring them into my insulated cup from the beverage package.  Maybe it was a 12 oz size?  I can't remember.

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ocdb8r

ocdb8r

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On 7/31/2022 at 6:57 PM, BirdTravels said:

Remember, serving starbucks coffee and being a starbucks are two different things. The gas station down the street from my house "proudly serves starbucks coffee" (i.e., they buy cheapy blended coffees sold by starbucks), but is far from being a starbucks. And for that matter, the greasy cafeteria in my office building "proudly serves starbucks coffee. 

Starbucks has expanded and now offers multiple "levels" of serving starbucks coffee.  What is being offered on the Wonder (and apparently now/soon on other ships) is a limited offering of "signature starbucks drinks" meaning it includes certain espresso based drinks, teavana products and the basic frappucinos.  This goes way beyond the generic starbucks drip coffee offered in most "proudly servings starbucks coffee" locations. 

 

On 7/31/2022 at 6:50 PM, VegasVic14 said:


Is this the promenade coffee menu or from the Starbucks location?

This is a picture from the Wonder's the Cafe Promenade location.

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Cruise a holic

Cruise a holic

Posted
Posted (edited)

We had starbucks coffee in the cafe promenade on the Adventure of the Seas in March using my coffee card.  It wasn't like they make it at my hometown starbucks.  The barrista didn't heat the milk to a proper temp so the cappuccino didn't taste like you get a a freestanding starbucks.  Some of the ships do have a real starbucks, and hopefully they make the cappuccino correctly.

Edited by Cruise a holic
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tsixr

tsixr

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

All specialty coffee locations are supposed to have switched over.

I’m going on oasis for the first time later this month. Do you happen to know what other locations other than cafe promenade offer specialty coffee? 

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