Coffee Cards

[wards04]

This is our first Princess cruise, although we are seasoned Celebrity cruisers. Can anyone tell me how the coffee card works and how much it is? Also the same questions apply to the soda card? Does it cover lemonade, ice tea, etc.? Thanks for all your help.

 

Lynn

[cherylandtk]

Coffee card covers specialty coffee drinks in the International Cafe/Patisserie/Lobby Bar (whichever your ship has) and the dining room and is good for 15 drinks, such as cappucino, latte, etc. I think ~$25. Since it is for a finite number of drinks, it can be shared. They punch the card each time you order a drink. Some reports of trying to punch the card for brewed coffee, but generally folks report the brewed coffee is 'free' with the punch card.

 

Soda card is good only for whatever is stocked in the soda guns, basically coke, diet coke, seltzer and sprite. No diet sprite and no ginger ale, since not in the guns. Does not cover cans, or room service.

 

Iced tea is free in the buffet, all day, have not seen lemonade on ship, juice in small glasses is free in the buffet and dining rooms in the am.

[geopa]

Just got off the Crown Princess yesterday, bought the coffee card, felt it was a good value. In addition to brewed coffee they also will give out free iced coffee.

We were sharing the card , depending on who was on duty at the time you may or may not get two brewed (or iced )coffees at a time. If not you just have to come back a few minutes later to get the second one. LOL

[tvaud]

Coffee card covers specialty coffee drinks in the International Cafe/Patisserie/Lobby Bar (whichever your ship has) and the dining room and is good for 15 drinks, such as cappucino, latte, etc. I think ~$25. Since it is for a finite number of drinks, it can be shared. They punch the card each time you order a drink. Some reports of trying to punch the card for brewed coffee, but generally folks report the brewed coffee is 'free' with the punch card.

 

Regular brewed coffee is supposed to be free, but not all bartenders know this. Usually the main daytime bartender is the knowledgable one. We ran into a slight problem with some of the bartenders at the Lobby Bar on CB recently, but the daytime girl straightened everyone else out. We didn't have any coffee problems after that.

 

Soda card is good only for whatever is stocked in the soda guns, basically coke, diet coke, seltzer and sprite.

 

It's actually a small square sticker that they stick on your cruise card. You flash it anywhere for fountain soda, and you're good to go.

[Princess Chatterer]

Regular brewed coffee is supposed to be free, but not all bartenders know this.

 

That's news to me. I've always had to pay for brewed coffee as well as "Americano" coffee at the lobby bar on five.

[mikjr]

That's news to me. I've always had to pay for brewed coffee as well as "Americano" coffee at the lobby bar on five.

 

I believe what they are saying is... if you have the coffee card, then the brewed coffee is free.

[Princess Chatterer]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. The brewed regular coffee at the lobby bar on 5 on the Golden in February was horribly bitter. The espresso machine regular coffee at the lobby bar on 5 on the Emerald in April is delicious.

[2theship]

Soda card is good only for whatever is stocked in the soda guns, basically coke, diet coke, seltzer and sprite. No diet sprite and no ginger ale, since not in the guns.

 

Gingerale is in the soda guns and is therefore included on the soda card. I drank plenty of it last month on the Grand.

[cherylandtk]

Gingerale is in the soda guns and is therefore included on the soda card. I drank plenty of it last month on the Grand.

Well, perhaps they changed it or its only in some bars--but I had two bartenders on the Grand tell me ginger ale was not available last March. I will leave the answer as "Whatever is in the guns--and it may or may not be what it was available on a prior cruise":)

[fool4greys]

Where do you buy the soda sticker and coffee cards?

[LoriPhil]

Where do you buy the soda sticker and coffee cards?

 

When you first board tables set up near the Horizon court and in the lobby of the Promanade deck selling the cards as well as insulated mugs (we got coffee mugs which were very handy, and nice souvenirs). You can also just go to the bar in the Horizon court (and probably the Patisserie as well) and buy them there if you miss any of the table opportunities.

[cindep]

I also got ginger ale on the Crown in May, so maybe Princess is starting to add this to their available drinks -- especially when the seas are a bit rough -- it will definitely settle a queasy stomach.

[BaldHeadIslandlady]

Hi, pardon me but I am new to Princess. Do you pay for coffee at breakfast too, or is it for other times of day or at the bars? All I want is my first regular cupa with my breakfast, please don't tell me that it is not included with your meal. Do they charge for regular drinking water? Is it drinkable? We are on the Baltic Cruise in a couple of weeks. Thanks

[LoriPhil]

Coffee is included with your meals - no extra charge. The coffee card is for specialty drinks (the fluffy/foamy coffees, or brewed coffee you order from the International Cafe/Patisserie/Lobby Bar). We did have one bartender at the Patisserie who charged DH for brewed coffee during the day, but we went to the Purser's desk and they deleted the charges. Concerning water - we didn't have any taste issues or tummy problem drinking the ships' water served at the Horizon Court or formal dining rooms.

[Nymue]

I've been on the Regal, Golden and Caribbean and ALWAYS gotten Gingerale included with the card. Never had a problem :p

 

Well, perhaps they changed it or its only in some bars--but I had two bartenders on the Grand tell me ginger ale was not available last March. I will leave the answer as "Whatever is in the guns--and it may or may not be what it was available on a prior cruise":)

[Nymue]

You only pay if you want *fresh BREWED* Otherwise the coffee served on the ship is free but it is made from a concentrate :eek:

 

Hi, pardon me but I am new to Princess. Do you pay for coffee at breakfast too, or is it for other times of day or at the bars? All I want is my first regular cupa with my breakfast, please don't tell me that it is not included with your meal. Do they charge for regular drinking water? Is it drinkable? We are on the Baltic Cruise in a couple of weeks. Thanks

[BaldHeadIslandlady]

that sounds awful, concentrate as in instant coffee? I will have a coffee card for sure

[mikjr]

that sounds awful, concentrate as in instant coffee?

 

That's exactly why I'm a TEA (hot & cold) drinker on cruises...

[Nymue]

That's why *I* buy a coffee card :p

[Michael Kays]

We have purchased both coke cards and coffee cards.

Coffee cards can be used anywhere, even outside at the poolside bars. Believe me I know, can't count how many times I've picked up the wifes cappachino at the poolside bar.

coke cards are exactly that. coke cards. there are no pepsi products anywhere on a Princess ship..enough said on that subject!!

[DuaneO]

Coffee is everywhere, there are various types that can be found.

 

Coffee in the dining room is fresh brewed and is excellent!! matter of fact on the Regal Princess the dinning room coffe was the best on the whole ship.

 

Coffee in the public space is free and open 24 hours it's not fresh brewed, it's more syrup based coffee.

 

The coffee cart or coffee station for latties and special coffee drinks are good, are for purchase only. Also, some of the bars have coffee service too.

 

I purchased the coffee card ($27), it has 15 punch outs - each allows you a speciality coffee for free (so to speak), once you purchase the card, you order your drink choice, hand them your card and you get the special coffe drink and a puch out in your card. The card can be purchased in the bars or at the coffee station anytime while on the cruise.

 

You save about $10-15 using the card vs outright purchase. Also, with the card you are allowed unlimited free fresh brewed coffe at the various stations who have fresh brewed coffee. I had some problems with the bar folks, but were corrected quickly.

 

Also, the card workins in the main dining room for speciality coffee too.

 

My cruise lasted 15 days, so the card was managed for one special drink for each day. Several folks I met on the ship had several cards used during the trip. You can share the card and purchase a drink for anyone you wish. They just puch-out extra holes for each drink.

 

I felt the card was well worth the value.

[Cruzbw]

You only pay if you want *fresh BREWED* Otherwise the coffee served on the ship is free but it is made from a concentrate :eek:

 

Are you sure that's correct? I THOUGHT the coffee in the Horizon Court is from a concentrate, but the coffee in the dining rooms is brewed. Admit I use cream and sugar, but I think the dining room coffee is decent, and it tastes brewed.

 

Bill

[BigBlue120]

Just got back. Got the coffee card and had multiple specialty drinks with the GF, most of the time they punched 1 spot per drink, but sometimes they "underpunched".

 

We ordered room service coffee and snacks each morning that we didn't have an am excursion. Then headed up to horizon for breakfast (more coffee) and often had non-specialty coffee at night with dinner. It was all pretty much the same fresh brewed vs concentrate, but the espresso after dinner was not consistent. It turned out easier to do a latte of cappuchino.

[Coolmama_1]

We always get the coffee card. DH loves his cappiccino after dinner!:)

[we12brich]

Just got back from 8/10 Crown and had a coffee card for the three of us (my sis and her DH). It was worth it! We got cappucino, cafe mocha, cafe latte and espressos (single shot or double shot - single is enough for me!). We sometimes just had regular coffee in the dining room but if we need to stay awake for dancing, we just give our card to our waiter for some espressos.