Coffee card no longer showing for pre-boarding purchase

[jagoffee]

1 minute ago, Steelers36 said:

At the least it makes the Zero-Alcohol package a very poor deal to select.

 

True.

But Princess’s Beverage package prices historically have been a screaming deal and significantly less expensive than their competitors.  Since I booked this January’s Panama Canal cruise early, I only paid $40 a day for the equivalent of the Plus package.  Even the current $60 a day is less than most competitors.

 

 

[Steelers36]

4 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

True.

But Princess’s Beverage package prices historically have been a screaming deal and significantly less expensive than their competitors.  Since I booked this January’s Panama Canal cruise early, I only paid $40 a day for the equivalent of the Plus package.  Even the current $60 a day is less than most competitors.

 

 

Similarly, the Plus and Premier Beverage packages (sold in Cruise Personalizer) make no sense at all, and I am of opinion they are only there to support PCL's marketing claims of what a savings great deal the Plus and Premier Cruise Fare options are.

[Happiest when cruising]

46 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

At the least it makes the Zero-Alcohol package a very poor deal to select.

 

Yes, it does. Someone at Princess was having a bad math day when they set the price. 

[jagoffee]

21 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Similarly, the Plus and Premier Beverage packages (sold in Cruise Personalizer) make no sense at all, and I am of opinion they are only there to support PCL's marketing claims of what a savings great deal the Plus and Premier Cruise Fare options are.

You are so right.  I am not sure why anyone would ever purchase just a (alcoholic or non) Beverage package.  Just buy the bundled Plus or Premier.

For a while Celebrity tried to force people into a “bundled package”, but they brought back the cruise only option.  

 

Princess cruisers with either book a cruise only package or one of the two bundles.  Actually very smart way for Princess to implement this change.  (Better than Celebrity’s disastrous implementation)
 

 

[Buckeye10640]

22 hours ago, jagoffee said:

True.

But Princess’s Beverage package prices historically have been a screaming deal and significantly less expensive than their competitors.  Since I booked this January’s Panama Canal cruise early, I only paid $40 a day for the equivalent of the Plus package.  Even the current $60 a day is less than most competitors.

 

 

I was in at $40/day. I am out at $60/day. I will pay as I go. 

 

[Steelers36]

41 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

You are so right.  I am not sure why anyone would ever purchase just a (alcoholic or non) Beverage package.  Just buy the bundled Plus or Premier.

For a while Celebrity tried to force people into a “bundled package”, but they brought back the cruise only option.  

 

Princess cruisers with either book a cruise only package or one of the two bundles.  Actually very smart way for Princess to implement this change.  (Better than Celebrity’s disastrous implementation)
 

 

I wouldn't want to see a cruise line I like eliminate what Princess calls Standard Fare.  We would never go and vacation at an all-inclusive resort.  We'd just be subsidizing other guests' bar tabs.

[jagoffee]

1 hour ago, Buckeye10640 said:

I was in at $40/day. I am out at $60/day. I will pay as I go. 

 

I still think $60 a day plus gratuities is a bargain.  I will still be in.  It is nice for everyone to have options.

[PrincessLuver]

3 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

I wouldn't want to see a cruise line I like eliminate what Princess calls Standard Fare.  We would never go and vacation at an all-inclusive resort.  We'd just be subsidizing other guests' bar tabs.

Same here.  We never do all inclusive travel and would quit cruising with Princess if that happens.  

[cr8tiv1]

On 3/3/2023 at 1:09 PM, coo359a2 said:

Thanks for the info.  That is one thing we have neve done as it is included in the plus package or we got the old coffee package.  DH will miss the coffee if we are without the plus package..  Know status of coffee cards are  a hot topic for a lot on Cruise Critic.  

 

Oh, yes, I am "old" enough to remember the hoopla when Princess eliminated the paper coffee cards.  But at least there was a lead time for everyone to use up/get rid of them.  

 

1.  Free coffee for at least one punch left on the card (we know what happened there).

2.  Trade in a mini-bar for 2 coffee cards.

3.  You have until.....to use up your current cards

4.  Coffee cards only good for current cruise (some wrote the voyage number/some didn't).

5.  We are going digital to "save" the environment and make it easier with the medallion.  

    How often did the baristas not charge you?   

 

blah, blah, blah

 

Princess has really alienated a bunch of passengers with this move.  

 

 

[Buckeye10640]

10 hours ago, jagoffee said:

I still think $60 a day plus gratuities is a bargain.  I will still be in.  It is nice for everyone to have options.

Yes, definitely, choices for all. I just hope they dont continue to eliminate choices, as they are in doing away with the coffee package. 

[Hoops23]

Found this recently: Coffee card program is gone, no longer available.  Ended Feb 20. Even people that prepurchased are getting refunded. It was removed as a pre-purchase option even earlier.

[PacnGoNow]

13 minutes ago, Hoops23 said:

Found this recently: Coffee card program is gone, no longer available.  Ended Feb 20. Even people that prepurchased are getting refunded. It was removed as a pre-purchase option even earlier.

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

Yes, this 14 page thread was started Feb.15th, when the OP realized something had changed.

 

Unfortunately, the New Grounds Coffee Package is gone.  You would have to buy a beverage package in order to get coffee included.

 

Or, many of us would only make use of the coffee and not the alcohol or soda/juice packages, so we will just pay individually for our coffees at the IC/coffee bar.

 

 

[PacnGoNow]

23 minutes ago, Hoops23 said:

Found this recently: Coffee card program is gone, no longer available.  Ended Feb 20. Even people that prepurchased are getting refunded. It was removed as a pre-purchase option even earlier.

Here’s the latest coffee menu,  early May, IC.

[PacnGoNow]

2 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Here’s the latest coffee menu,  early May, IC.

Looks like they did get rid of the large (16oz) lattes. It was $3.50 for a 16oz Cafe latte, now it’s $4.00 but only a regular 12oz.  PLUS 18%.  🤔 

 

No more 16oz cups. They told us that at the IC on Enchanted in March, but I didn’t believe them.  😆

[gottagocit]

24 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Looks like they did get rid of the large (16oz) lattes. It was $3.50 for a 16oz Cafe latte, now it’s $4.00 but only a regular 12oz.  PLUS 18%.  🤔 

 

No more 16oz cups. They told us that at the IC on Enchanted in March, but I didn’t believe them.  😆

Correct. On the Emerald in mid-late April there were no 16 oz cups. Only the small paper ones (and glass ones in the IC).  
I should mention that after writing a couple emails to customer relations prior to our voyage where I voiced concern and disappointment about the loss of the cards especially given we had pre-purchased a pair of them prior to their being eliminated, the onboard crew did honor the cards shown on our account. They lasted several days into our 18 day voyage. After that it was $4.77 per specially coffee added to our onboard account each time. 

[coo359a2]

23 minutes ago, gottagocit said:

Correct. On the Emerald in mid-late April there were no 16 oz cups. Only the small paper ones (and glass ones in the IC).  
I should mention that after writing a couple emails to customer relations prior to our voyage where I voiced concern and disappointment about the loss of the cards especially given we had pre-purchased a pair of them prior to their being eliminated, the onboard crew did honor the cards shown on our account. They lasted several days into our 18 day voyage. After that it was $4.77 per specially coffee added to our onboard account each time. 

I purchased 1 coffee card for DH back in Dec.  The coffee card is still listed on the Travel Summary and Onboard Services for our Sept cruise.  Were you offered OBC for the pre paid coffee card or told to cancel the card prior to your cruise.  Did you know prior to boarding that they would honor your card for "x" number of days.  Did you receive at least the cost of the coffee card in the coffee you received at no charge.  The Princess email I received in Dec  thanking me for purchasing the coffee card said I have 72 hours before the cruise to cancel.for full refund.  Trying to decide to cancel now or wait for OBC.  

[gottagocit]

2 hours ago, coo359a2 said:

I purchased 1 coffee card for DH back in Dec.  The coffee card is still listed on the Travel Summary and Onboard Services for our Sept cruise.  Were you offered OBC for the pre paid coffee card or told to cancel the card prior to your cruise.  Did you know prior to boarding that they would honor your card for "x" number of days.  Did you receive at least the cost of the coffee card in the coffee you received at no charge.  The Princess email I received in Dec  thanking me for purchasing the coffee card said I have 72 hours before the cruise to cancel.for full refund.  Trying to decide to cancel now or wait for OBC.  

We were not offered OBC in exchange for the coffee card.
After our second carefully worded email to customer relations in the months leading up to our cruise we received a call from a lady at Princess expressing regret that the loss of the cards had been so important to us and asked a few questions about what we would like to see with respect to bringing them back. I explained that for passengers like us who do not drink soft drinks and little alcohol the cards were very helpful and the new packages weren’t cost effective. 
 

In the emails and phone call I kept the comments courteous and respectful while expressing disappointment and frustration with the decision to eliminate them and in particular the way it was not communicated in any real way. The person was equally respectful and said she was limited in what she could do but would ask the ship to honor the cards until our 15 purchased coffees per card were “purchased”. I was a little skeptical the ships staff would do it but they did and we did receive the 15 before we began seeing charges on our onboard account. 
 

 

[coo359a2]

48 minutes ago, gottagocit said:

We were not offered OBC in exchange for the coffee card.
After our second carefully worded email to customer relations in the months leading up to our cruise we received a call from a lady at Princess expressing regret that the loss of the cards had been so important to us and asked a few questions about what we would like to see with respect to bringing them back. I explained that for passengers like us who do not drink soft drinks and little alcohol the cards were very helpful and the new packages weren’t cost effective. 
 

In the emails and phone call I kept the comments courteous and respectful while expressing disappointment and frustration with the decision to eliminate them and in particular the way it was not communicated in any real way. The person was equally respectful and said she was limited in what she could do but would ask the ship to honor the cards until our 15 purchased coffees per card were “purchased”. I was a little skeptical the ships staff would do it but they did and we did receive the 15 before we began seeing charges on our onboard account. 
 

 

Thanks for the info.  I thought I had read on one of the coffee threads about OBC as an option if prepurchased.  Think I might just cancel the card.

[gottagocit]

4 hours ago, coo359a2 said:

Thanks for the info.  I thought I had read on one of the coffee threads about OBC as an option if prepurchased.  Think I might just cancel the card.

Some people have posted here saying they did receive OBC for their elite bar setup in their cabin after boarding. 
Not sure why you would cancel it. I think I would board and explain I wanted them to honor it. Worse case they won’t do that so they cancel it and refund the cost. 

[PacnGoNow]

7 hours ago, gottagocit said:

Some people have posted here saying they did receive OBC for their elite bar setup in their cabin after boarding. 
Not sure why you would cancel it. I think I would board and explain I wanted them to honor it. Worse case they won’t do that so they cancel it and refund the cost. 

Yes, or give you OBC for what was paid.

 

I have some purchased also for cruises later this year.  I am not going to cancel them.  Just check OB to see what they can do for me.

 

 

[Senga]

Currently on Sky Princess and our pre purchased coffee package (15 coffees, unlimited hot chocolate) is being honoured with NO ISSUES.  The lady in charge said it is no longer available for pre purchase and there are only 78 guests with this package.  

[Happiest when cruising]

On 5/22/2023 at 3:00 AM, Senga said:

Currently on Sky Princess and our pre purchased coffee package (15 coffees, unlimited hot chocolate) is being honoured with NO ISSUES.  The lady in charge said it is no longer available for pre purchase and there are only 78 guests with this package.  

How are they making it work? I’m glad they honoured it for you. 

[Senga]

On 5/24/2023 at 6:24 AM, Happiest when cruising said:

How are they making it work? I’m glad they honoured it for you. 

No idea how it works but I scan MY medallion and my husband gets his Americano, I get a hot chocolate.  We disembarked today and he had his 15 drinks.  I only had 3 hot chocolate; didn’t find them sweet enough.  😂

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, Senga said:

No idea how it works but I scan MY medallion and my husband gets his Americano, I get a hot chocolate.  We disembarked today and he had his 15 drinks.  I only had 3 hot chocolate; didn’t find them sweet enough.  😂

They still have the program that had the old 15 drink coffee package in their OB system.  That was for guests whom had already purchased the old package. It was working for us also, in late March. I’m sure they will be deleting it soon.

 

Probably just not updated yet, 😆.

 

Edited May 27, 2023 by PacnGoNow

[Ombud]

Discovered that I could get 16 oz disposable hot cups, lids, sleeve on the Emerald Princess from the Mix (Deck 15) and IC. The Mix will hand out several whereas the IC hands out singles.  Makes it easy to get a to go cup of coffee or cocoa from MDR or hot water to make tea at IC!! No longer need good coffee from IC

 

Just need to pack favorite tea bags

Edited June 22, 2023 by Ombud