Elite Mini-Bar Exchange

[unboringuy]

I know this topic has been discussed to death--be it the change in exchange ratio or the inconsistency of the number of received bottles in exchange. Since Princess does read this message board, I'm curious to know how others feel about the exchange. I know that recently they added the ability to exchange the mini-bar contents for a standard bottle of wine. From a value point of view, it is not a very good trade.

 

Wouldn't the fairest and simplest way for Princess to handle the exchange issue be to permit an exchange for a pre-determined value of OBC that can be used only for beverages? What do you think?

Edited March 17, 2010 by unboringuy

[Colo Cruiser]

I know this topic has been discussed to death--be it the change in exchange ratio or the inconsistency of the number of received bottles in exchange. Since Princess does read this message board, I'm curious to know how others feel about the exchange. I know that recently they added the ability to exchange the mini-bar contents for a standard bottle of wine. From a value point of view, it is not a very good trade.

 

Wouldn't the fairest and simplest way for Princess to handle the exchange issue be to permit an exchange for a pre-determined value of OBC that can be used only for beverages? What do you think?

 

There was a time that I was given substitutes for a value of around $75 for the supplied mini bar set up.

Thats the price they put on it.

Its always handled differently on each ship. I just ask for rum/coke as a replacement.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Colo Cruiser

[LARGIN]

Wish I could trade the mini-bottles for Scotch.. :(:(

[Roses2]

We trade all the minis for Courvoiser, a fine way to end each evening.

 

P&J

[paul929207]

We swap and get 8 minis or gin and 12 sprite zeros.

[KruzPrincess]

I didn't know you could exchange until I read it here. I don't drink much, so I end up carrying those little bottles home and putting them in the cupboard. I should exchange for Sprite and not get a soda card. I'm going to try that next time.

[Colo Cruiser]

I didn't know you could exchange until I read it here. I don't drink much, so I end up carrying those little bottles home and putting them in the cupboard. I should exchange for Sprite and not get a soda card. I'm going to try that next time.

 

One time when I exchanged the setup for rum and coke they brought 2 bottles of rum and about 30 cans of coke! :eek:

You just never know.

[FLACRUISER99]

I know this topic has been discussed to death--be it the change in exchange ratio or the inconsistency of the number of received bottles in exchange. Since Princess does read this message board, I'm curious to know how others feel about the exchange. I know that recently they added the ability to exchange the mini-bar contents for a standard bottle of wine. From a value point of view, it is not a very good trade.

 

Wouldn't the fairest and simplest way for Princess to handle the exchange issue be to permit an exchange for a pre-determined value of OBC that can be used only for beverages? What do you think?

I would never complain about a gift!:rolleyes: However I do fell that each elite member should get a setup and not 1 per cabin.

[janina]

They exchanged me item for item on my last cruise on the Diamond. I didn't want the liquor, but husband wanted more beer and soda. They made out on that one.

[gertz]

I would never complain about a gift!:rolleyes: However I do fell that each elite member should get a setup and not 1 per cabin.

 

I'll 2nd that. :D

[grandmaa]

We are not alcohol drinkers. We called room service and they changed out the hard liquor

(which was 8 small bottles of Courvossier(sp) for 8 items of our choice. It was not changed by the value amount but by the number of items. Room service said that was the policy even though the alcohol was valued at more $$. We enjoyed the waters and sodas that we selected!! Thank you Princess Cruises.

[donna5]

Wish I could trade the mini-bottles for Scotch.. :(:(

 

Yes, we would love to have some The Glenlivet to sip.

 

I would never complain about a gift!:rolleyes: However I do fell that each elite member should get a setup and not 1 per cabin.

 

Good idea, then we would never have to leave the cabin.:D

 

I wonder why they don't have mini rum bottles.

 

We were dining at lunch on embarkation day with a couple that complained they wouldn't let them trade all the booze for the brandy. Well with all the complaining, I said "We always exchange the brandy and if you'd like we could exchange with you and then we could exchange what else we wanted with room service." Well then they acted like it was no bid deal and acted real strange to us. We were just trying to be helpful.

[bhopal21]

We swap and get 8 minis or gin and 12 sprite zeros.

 

Diito, it is 8 Beefeaters and 6 Sprite Zeros for us.:D

 

Never been a problem.

 

Mike:)

[paul929207]

I would never complain about a gift!:rolleyes: However I do fell that each elite member should get a setup and not 1 per cabin.

Would be nice. Maybe they will do that if/when they add a Super Elite category.

[Cruisin' Again 86]

First cruise as Elite, can someone tell me how many drinks you start with in the set-up ??

[PescadoAmarillo]

We did basically B2B2B cruises in January, and traded items on our first and second cruises, but by the third cruise, we had so much left over (and we alway get the soda stickers too) that we decided to try to exchange the entire mini bar for a bottle of wine. This was on the Crown, and we were told it was not an option.

[donna5]

We did basically B2B2B cruises in January, and traded items on our first and second cruises, but by the third cruise, we had so much left over (and we alway get the soda stickers too) that we decided to try to exchange the entire mini bar for a bottle of wine. This was on the Crown, and we were told it was not an option.

 

It's a good idea to always take copies of the printouts from the Princess site that tells your benefits. This was in one of the newsletters too.

[paul929207]

First cruise as Elite' date=' can someone tell me how many drinks you start with in the set-up ??[/quote']

You will get 8 mini bottles - 2 each gin, vodka, couvosier (sp?), and another. plus two each of coke, sprite, beer, water, perrier and another. Once you receive the setup, you can call room service and ask to swap.

[kool kruiser]

You will get 8 mini bottles - 2 each gin, vodka, couvosier (sp?), and another. plus two each of coke, sprite, beer, water, perrier and another. Once you receive the setup, you can call room service and ask to swap.

 

Is ''another'' tonic perhaps ?

[pablo222]

Last year on Crown, the mini-bar setup include a card offering

to restock each item, and its price. Based on the re-stocking

price, this is what it worked out to:

 

Courvoisier VS $6.25 2 $12.50

Beefeater Gin $4.95 2 $9.90

Smirnoff Vodka $4.95 2 $9.90

Canadian Club Whisky $4.95 2 $9.90

Dos Equis Beer $4.35 2 $8.70

Tonic Water $1.95 2 $3.90

Coca Cola $1.95 2 $3.90

Sprite $1.95 2 $3.90

Bottled Water $2.00 2 $4.00

Perrier $2.65 2 $5.30

 

Total $71.90

 

 

Last week on Emerald, I traded the whole thing for sprite zero,

and received 20 cans. The trade seems a little stingy to a

soda-a-holic like me.

(n.b. I'm not a milk-a-holic, like Lindsay)

Edited March 18, 2010 by pablo222

[pablo222]

Last year on Crown, the mini-bar setup include a card offering

to restock each item, and its price. Based on the re-stocking

price, this is what it worked out to:

 

Courvoisier VS $6.25 2 $12.50

Beefeater Gin $4.95 2 $9.90

Smirnoff Vodka $4.95 2 $9.90

Canadian Club Whisky $4.95 2 $9.90

Dos Equis Beer $4.35 2 $8.70

Tonic Water $1.95 2 $3.90

Coca Cola $1.95 2 $3.90

Sprite $1.95 2 $3.90

Bottled Water $2.00 2 $4.00

Perrier $2.65 2 $5.30

 

Total $71.90

 

Last week on Emerald, I traded the whole thing for sprint zero,

and received 20 cans. The trade seems a little stingy.

[fairstars]

Wish I could trade the mini-bottles for Scotch.. :(:(

 

LARGIN,

Last year on the Diamond doing a B2B2B, we received 6 setups, (Suite and Elite) and we usually swap out the spirits for all Canadian Club, they don’t have ‘scotch’ minis :( On the last leg they had run out of CC so I asked if we could swap for the half bottles of JB Scotch :), we were given to bottles for the two sets of minis, so it can be done.

Happy cruising

Chris

[paul929207]

LARGIN,

Last year on the Diamond doing a B2B2B, we received 6 setups, (Suite and Elite) and we usually swap out the spirits for all Canadian Club, they don’t have ‘scotch’ minis :( On the last leg they had run out of CC so I asked if we could swap for the half bottles of JB Scotch :), we were given to bottles for the two sets of minis, so it can be done.

Happy cruising

Chris

Now there is a man who speaks my language. Swapping for scotch!!!

[crochetcruise]

Last year on Crown, the mini-bar setup include a card offering

to restock each item, and its price. Based on the re-stocking

price, this is what it worked out to:

 

Courvoisier VS $6.25 2 $12.50

Beefeater Gin $4.95 2 $9.90

Smirnoff Vodka $4.95 2 $9.90

Canadian Club Whisky $4.95 2 $9.90

Dos Equis Beer $4.35 2 $8.70

Tonic Water $1.95 2 $3.90

Coca Cola $1.95 2 $3.90

Sprite $1.95 2 $3.90

Bottled Water $2.00 2 $4.00

Perrier $2.65 2 $5.30

 

Total $71.90

 

 

Last week on Emerald, I traded the whole thing for sprite zero,

and received 20 cans. The trade seems a little stingy to a

soda-a-holic like me.

(n.b. I'm not a milk-a-holic, like Lindsay)

 

THANK YOU! I have been working on 2007 prices, and the updated prices are a GREAT help to plan my souvenir budget more accurately. I had considered buying the mini-bar set up and bringing it home for a friend, she also drinks water during working hours (Home Help in the Community Health Service here) so will ask her if she would prefer the alcohol and soda, or 8 x 1.5l of water, which I understand is an option for exchanging.

 

I am allowing a 20% increase in the price when I calculate my savings, and am watching the threads for the latest prices, I don't care what ship, a 2015 mini bar price list with current prices would be a great help to me. The princess website has yielded pricing for teddy bears, playing cards, and hats, which are all choices for certain friends. Chocolates as a THANK YOU to the TA and her colleagues, Internet (have 1 website I need to check daily to earn points, so allowing for a minimum package) and photos for myself are priced. I learnt an approximate price of lanyards on another website, not CC, and I haven't yet found out if Princess has monogrammed pens available for purchase in a shop.

 

Many people have contributed helpful information which is calming this Blue Card's first-time nerves. I have asked for and received permission to "Lurk" on the Roll Call immediately after my 2-night Tester cruise, 1 person has contacted me with an offer of help accessing the swimming pool and taking photos of me, and the couple in the next cabin have reassured me the soundproofing should dull my excited squawks!

 

Crochetcruise :cool:

Edited February 5, 2015 by crochetcruise
Spelling error from overexcitement!

[pablo222]

From a value point of view, it is not a very good trade.?

 

I often trade the whole thing for sprite zero, which is a terrible value.

One of the best values is 2 coffee cards. But, we currently have 8

cards on hand, and I have two cruises upcoming...

 

I'm glad this is my most serious problem!