No exchanges anymore for mini bar to coffee?

[1965]

13 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

I'm still mad about this.

 

Looks like the non alcoholic drink package that includes coffee is $40/day per person.  For a 7 day cruise that is $560 for 2 people.  Am I the only one who thinks that is insane? 

I still don't know how they arrived at this.  A cup of coffee or two is way cheaper than the alcohol that you exchange it for.  I know that princess gets them dirt cheap, but still, the alcohol bottles and beer still probably them cost $.50-$1 each, and that is more than the cost of the coffee. What a decent perk to remove from their most loyal customers.  

 

My 25th cruise with Princess might be my last.  These onboard prices are ridiculously high, and now the only real elite benefit left is laundry, and that seems to have it's own trouble, as the last 2 times we have used it, they lost an article of my wife's clothing. 

Totally agree.

[yogamom]

1 hour ago, kywildcatfanone said:

I'm still mad about this.

 

Looks like the non alcoholic drink package that includes coffee is $40/day per person.  For a 7 day cruise that is $560 for 2 people.  Am I the only one who thinks that is insane? 

I still don't know how they arrived at this.  A cup of coffee or two is way cheaper than the alcohol that you exchange it for.  I know that princess gets them dirt cheap, but still, the alcohol bottles and beer still probably them cost $.50-$1 each, and that is more than the cost of the coffee. What a decent perk to remove from their most loyal customers.  

 

My 25th cruise with Princess might be my last.  These onboard prices are ridiculously high, and now the only real elite benefit left is laundry, and that seems to have it's own trouble, as the last 2 times we have used it, they lost an article of my wife's clothing. 

Curious about the Princess coffee cards.  Back in the day, as long as you still have one hole punch left on your card, you can get free coffee.  What's the new changes to the coffee cards.  Could you please advise on costs?

 

I don't drink alcohol.  I do enjoy one good cup of coffee a day.  In the past I've bought the coffee cards and hang around the Internaional cafe in the atrium.

 

Thanks in advance

[yogamom]

On 2/27/2023 at 11:33 AM, PacnGoNow said:

Read through the Princess forum threads here on CC.  There are a lot of threads about coffee and beverage packages.

Seems only the Discovery is still selling the New Grounds Coffee package on this weeks sailing and therefore switching out the minibar for it.

 

Others, Sky, Regal are not.  Still waiting on other ship’s responses from guests.

 

Very important to us also.

 

Edited March 9, 2023 by yogamom

[voljeep]

28 minutes ago, yogamom said:

.  Back in the day, as long as you still have one hole punch left on your card, you can get free coffee. 

sorry, that is long gone now that the coffee package in connected to your medallion and onboard account, and ended at the end of each cruise - no carryforward - use it or lose it

 

maybe because of abuse to the 'keep one punch for forever free brewed coffee?

[kywildcatfanone]

24 minutes ago, voljeep said:

maybe because of abuse to the 'keep one punch for forever free brewed coffee?

While I agree with what you are saying, the horror of the expense to princess for cups of coffee.  Maybe $0.000000001 per cup. 

 

So many better ways to curb costs without reducing benefits to loyal customers. 

[yogamom]

On 3/4/2023 at 7:24 PM, highflyingrealtor said:

Yep. Charged to each of our accounts, then removed charges the next day.

How much is the coffee packages?  Is this the one for a certain number of espresso based drinks or specialty teas?  Please advise.  Thanks

[yogamom]

On 3/4/2023 at 10:12 PM, DUCHESSRN said:

On our second week on Discovery , mini bar situation is disappointing . Also no deserts on room service .

Only Elite perk left seems to be getting on Tender and internet discount .

Royal at Christmas we were treated like royalty … this is a very different experience .

I'm Platinum level and there's a 50% off for internet packages.

 

Do you remember the costs of the internet packages?  Thanks in advance.

 

[voljeep]

13 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

While I agree with what you are saying, the horror of the expense to princess for cups of coffee.  Maybe $0.000000001 per cup. 

 

So many better ways to curb costs without reducing benefits to loyal customers. 

deleted 😉

[Guest ldtr]

38 minutes ago, yogamom said:

How much is the coffee packages?  Is this the one for a certain number of espresso based drinks or specialty teas?  Please advise.  Thanks

coffee package is gone. There is no longer any coffer package where you get X number of drinks. Every package that includes coffee is now a $ per day package. 

[hellopuppies]

Our upcoming cruise will be on Grand Princess 32 Nights and this cruise with 2 cruise credits. Will there be 2 mini bars set up? When will the second one be set up? This is the longest cruise since we are Elite. Any input will be appreciated, thanks.

[Guest ldtr]

11 minutes ago, hellopuppies said:

Our upcoming cruise will be on Grand Princess 32 Nights and this cruise with 2 cruise credits. Will there be 2 mini bars set up? When will the second one be set up? This is the longest cruise since we are Elite. Any input will be appreciated, thanks.

Is the cruise sold as multiple segments?  On any long cruise that includes a number of shorter cruises, one will get the minibar any time a cruise segment ends.  For example if you do the 21 loop cruise Barcelona to Barcelona that is made of of the Barcelona to Rome, Rome to Athens and Athens to Barcelona segments the minibar setup will occur at the start of each segment even if purchased as one cruise.

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, yogamom said:

Curious about the Princess coffee cards.  Back in the day, as long as you still have one hole punch left on your card, you can get free coffee.  What's the new changes to the coffee cards.  Could you please advise on costs?

 

I don't drink alcohol.  I do enjoy one good cup of coffee a day.  In the past I've bought the coffee cards and hang around the Internaional cafe in the atrium.

 

Thanks in advance

 

2 hours ago, voljeep said:

sorry, that is long gone now that the coffee package in connected to your medallion and onboard account, and ended at the end of each cruise - no carryforward - use it or lose it

 

maybe because of abuse to the 'keep one punch for forever free brewed coffee?

 

2 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

While I agree with what you are saying, the horror of the expense to princess for cups of coffee.  Maybe $0.000000001 per cup. 

 

So many better ways to curb costs without reducing benefits to loyal customers. 

 

voljeep is quite right here. Keeping a punch was not supposed to give a guest free coffee for every cruise forward.  Each coffee card - when they had the physical cards - was supposed to have ship and voyage written on it and then staff should be checking the card and only allowing its use for the specialty punches.  So, anyone getting free regular coffee was gaming the system.

 

I also don't understand your complaint, yogamom, because the physical cards have been gone from the ships for a long time now and the New Grounds package was virtual (tied to cabin account via cruise card and medallion).  With that newer system, there was no way for abuse of getting free coffee on next voyage.

 

 

I can certainly empathize with guests lamenting the loss of a coffee package and having to buy a costly zero-alcohol package - or, in effect, go with the Plus cruise fare if really want a package deal.

 

[kywildcatfanone]

2 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

 

 

 

voljeep is quite right here. Keeping a punch was not supposed to give a guest free coffee for every cruise forward.  Each coffee card - when they had the physical cards - was supposed to have ship and voyage written on it and then staff should be checking the card and only allowing its use for the specialty punches.  So, anyone getting free regular coffee was gaming the system.

 

I also don't understand your complaint, yogamom, because the physical cards have been gone from the ships for a long time now and the New Grounds package was virtual (tied to cabin account via cruise card and medallion).  With that newer system, there was no way for abuse of getting free coffee on next voyage.

 

 

I can certainly empathize with guests lamenting the loss of a coffee package and having to buy a costly zero-alcohol package - or, in effect, go with the Plus cruise fare if really want a package deal.

 

I think you missed my point.  I was talking about the miniscule provider cost to maintain a loyal patron. 

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

I'm still mad about this.

 

Looks like the non alcoholic drink package that includes coffee is $40/day per person.  For a 7 day cruise that is $560 for 2 people.  Am I the only one who thinks that is insane? 

It is more than insane if all the guest is interested in is coffee.  The new zero Alcohol package includes a lot more beverages if you read about the package.

 

That said, it is not so long ago that the Plus Cruise Fare package cost $40/day and that included wine and liquor besides what is in the Zero Alcohol package - AND it also included Crew Incentive and MedallionNet. 

 

There is no point in buying a Zero Alcohol package - for anyone.  When you consider Plus Fare option is $60 and subtract out $16 for Crew and at least $7.50 for MedallionNet, the net for beverages drops below $40.

[Steelers36]

1 minute ago, kywildcatfanone said:

I think you missed my point.  I was talking about the miniscule provider cost to maintain a loyal patron. 

I guess I am still missing it then. Not sure what you are looking for Princess to turn back to in order to keep a loyal patron.

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

My 25th cruise with Princess might be my last.  These onboard prices are ridiculously high, and now the only real elite benefit left is laundry, and that seems to have it's own trouble, as the last 2 times we have used it, they lost an article of my wife's clothing.

We enjoy the priority check-in/boarding benefit as like to be among the first on the ship.  We also appreciate the mini-bar (after I have done the exchanges for beer and Perrier).  We rarely use the laundry service and prefer to do our own (love to have those laundromats on the ships).

[kywildcatfanone]

3 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I guess I am still missing it then. Not sure what you are looking for Princess to turn back to in order to keep a loyal patron.

Not sure what you mean by turn back in.  They continue to remove benefits to their most loyal customers.  I was simply pointing out that what was once a perk of being elite ( at least if you didn't drink), is gone.

[kywildcatfanone]

7 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

 

 

There is no point in buying a Zero Alcohol package - for anyone.  When you consider Plus Fare option is $60 and subtract out $16 for Crew and at least $7.50 for MedallionNet, the net for beverages drops below $40.

I would agree with this based upon the cost of the non alcoholic package.

[Steelers36]

Just now, kywildcatfanone said:

Not sure what you mean by turn back in.  They continue to remove benefits to their most loyal customers.  I was simply pointing out that what was once a perk of being elite ( at least if you didn't drink), is gone.

Okay, I think I get you now.  The issue is the loss of mini-bar swap for the coffee program.  Thing is they cancelled the coffee package, so there is no choice but for it to be gone as a mini-bar option.  I don't think it was a great idea by them, but it wasn't targeting an Elite perk per se.

[DUCHESSRN]

2 hours ago, yogamom said:

I'm Platinum level and there's a 50% off for internet packages.

 

Do you remember the costs of the internet packages?  Thanks in advance.

 

I think it was $ 132 for 4 devices for 2 weeks , the lady who helped us in Internet Cafe was also a dancer in shows ….said she was giving us a good deal !! No idea if that was true.

 

[kywildcatfanone]

9 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Okay, I think I get you now.  The issue is the loss of mini-bar swap for the coffee program.  Thing is they cancelled the coffee package, so there is no choice but for it to be gone as a mini-bar option.  I don't think it was a great idea by them, but it wasn't targeting an Elite perk per se.

While I appreciate that you get my meaning now,  they certainly could have left it for those who wanted to exchange it, and not have it as a sales item.  A perk if you will for loyalty.

 

Obviously I'm frustrated by it because it was a perk I used. I get that not everyone does, just like other perks.  I see it as requiring me to spend money on something that cost them little to give for the loyalty of being faithful to their product.

 

And to be clear, I never reused or saved those cards because we could get new ones each cruise.  A long time ago now.

Edited March 9, 2023 by kywildcatfanone

[voljeep]

3 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

While I appreciate that you get my meaning now,  they certainly could have left it for those who wanted to exchange it, and not have it as a sales item.  A perk if you will for loyalty.

 

Obviously I'm frustrated by it because it was a perk I used. I get that not everyone does, just like other perks.  I see it as requiring me to spend money on something that cost them little to give for the loyalty of being faithful to their product.

BEST. SALE. EVER - Best2DG - and kept the 'minutes' of internet

[Steelers36]

10 minutes ago, voljeep said:

BEST. SALE. EVER - Best2DG - and kept the 'minutes' of internet

I remember that.

[kywildcatfanone]

41 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

There is no point in buying a Zero Alcohol package - for anyone.  When you consider Plus Fare option is $60 and subtract out $16 for Crew and at least $7.50 for MedallionNet, the net for beverages drops below $40.

After thinking about this a bit, they should offer the non alcoholic drink package with the wifi and  tips for $40, would make it more tolerable.  They should have a plus package for non drinkers.

[racj846]

I would encourage everyone who is upset/annoyed by removal of the ability to swop the mini-bar for a coffee package, let their feelings be heard by sending an email to customer realations. 

 

customerrelations@princesscruises.com 

 

I did last week and was surprised to receive a 'phone call from Princess 2 days later.  Didn't help me get the package on an upcoming trip in March, but the caller did confirm they are receiving alot of heat over this.