Question about Coffee card

[Cyn874]

I'm trying to understand something about the 15 punch coffee card.. I love specialty coffee so I will definitely be getting this for myself. But can this card be shared? The reason I ask is because I'll be traveling with my Father. He cannot live without regular drip coffee. But he only drinks drip coffee black, with no extras. He would not use the punches, but $35 is way too much to pay for plain black drip coffee, and the free 'coffee' concentrate is not going to work for him. Are we allowed to share the coffee card so he can use it to get his regular drip coffee in the mornings? I see a note on the website that says the unlimited soda and more card can not be shared, but the coffee card doesn't specify one way or another.

 

 

On a related note, I don't suppose you can get the drip coffee with the soda card? If so, that might be an option for him because he does drink some soda.

[moki'smommy]

The unlimited drip coffee is intended for the person who "owns" the card. You can get one cup at a time, unlimited for the length of the cruise. The punches can be used by anyone. So, your father could legally use the card for unlimited brewed coffee and you could use the punches. You can go to the IC and get a brewed for your father and a special for you at the same time--1 punch.

 

It would be not following the intent of the card if both you and your father were getting brewed coffee "free" by flashing the card at different times. You can get two brews at the same time, but one will cost a punch (so not worth it!)

 

No, the soda and more card does not include coffee. It does include hot chocolate. But that is $8 per day--a lot more than a coffee card!

[Barbara60]

So the Coffee card is $44.56 for my 32 day cruise and I get as much drip coffee as I want along with my 15 punches?

[moki'smommy]

So the Coffee card is $44.56 for my 32 day cruise and I get as much drip coffee as I want along with my 15 punches?

$44.56 is probably Canadian...it is about $35 US. But yes, you (as one cruiser) get a much fresh brew as you want during a single voyage + 15 punches.

[Valiamo]

Just off the Star Princess. My wife and I shared a coffee card all week. We got our 15 punched drinks (actually we only used 12 of 15), and we both had drip coffees in the morning, specialty coffee's in the afternoon and tea in evening.

 

There was never a concern about us getting two drinks at once (in fact that is all we ever did). I did Tip the hostess $1 each day, so maybe that is why they didn't bat an eye.

 

To get your unlimited drip coffee, just keep the card even after you have used up your 15 punches. As long as the current cruise is marked on the back of the card they will give you drip coffee and speciality tea.

Edited June 1, 2018 by Valiamo
I can't spell on an iPad

[Cyn874]

The unlimited drip coffee is intended for the person who "owns" the card. You can get one cup at a time' date=' unlimited for the length of the cruise. The punches can be used by anyone. So, your father could legally use the card for unlimited brewed coffee and you could use the punches. You can go to the IC and get a brewed for your father and a special for you at the same time--1 punch.

 

It would be not following the intent of the card if both you and your father were getting brewed coffee "free" by flashing the card at different times. You can get two brews at the same time, but one will cost a punch (so not worth it!)

 

No, the soda and more card does not include coffee. It does include hot chocolate. But that is $8 per day--a lot more than a coffee card![/quote']

 

Boy, they make it kind of complicated! I suppose the easiest would be to just get a regular brewed coffee at the same time as I get my specialty, and bring the regular to my Dad, but I figured they'd catch on to that pretty quick, it seems pretty obvious. It also feels crummy and dishonest to attempt to 'cheat' the system. If only there was a less expensive option for ONLY unlimited brewed coffee that he could get, without the punches. I guess he could just buy his cups individually, but if he drinks 3-4 a day, that's going to add up also.

[moki'smommy]

Boy, they make it kind of complicated! I suppose the easiest would be to just get a regular brewed coffee at the same time as I get my specialty, and bring the regular to my Dad, but I figured they'd catch on to that pretty quick, it seems pretty obvious. It also feels crummy and dishonest to attempt to 'cheat' the system. If only there was a less expensive option for ONLY unlimited brewed coffee that he could get, without the punches. I guess he could just buy his cups individually, but if he drinks 3-4 a day, that's going to add up also.

That's not cheating the system at all. If YOU don't drink the brewed coffee, the card is technically dad's. Anyone can use the punches for the specialty coffees. No problem at all to get one brew and one specialty at the same time.

 

The only way it isn't as it was intended is if you also use it to get brew, but from the post above, they aren't very careful about that either.

[floridalover5623]

Boy, they make it kind of complicated! I suppose the easiest would be to just get a regular brewed coffee at the same time as I get my specialty, and bring the regular to my Dad, but I figured they'd catch on to that pretty quick, it seems pretty obvious. It also feels crummy and dishonest to attempt to 'cheat' the system. If only there was a less expensive option for ONLY unlimited brewed coffee that he could get, without the punches. I guess he could just buy his cups individually, but if he drinks 3-4 a day, that's going to add up also.

 

It's not complicated at all.

Just give the card to your Dad when he wants a cup of brewed coffee or get it for him.

Since there's no name on the card your entitled to get a much brewed coffee as you want for him.

Some people believe that the card is owned, which is not the case at all.

Edited June 1, 2018 by floridalover5623
dup

[Knickearth]

Actually,. I go down to the cafe every morning around 8 AM and with my coffee card I ask for two large coffees to go. Never been denied.

[Knickearth]

As I wrote previously,. I get every morning at the cafe, 2 coffees to go with my 1 card. I have not been denied or questioned about it. so you should have no problem getting your dad coffee and getting yourself a specialty coffee.

 

Also, if you sit at a table at the cafe, just show your card to the waitress and ask for whatever coffees you want. Again, they don't deny you regular coffee and a specialty coffee at the same time.

[BabySarge]

So the Coffee card is $44.56 for my 32 day cruise and I get as much drip coffee as I want along with my 15 punches?

 

On the Coral Princess and most other Princess ships the "brewed/drip" coffee is only available at the International Café and is NOT available in the buffet area and/or dining rooms.

[floridalover5623]

On the Coral Princess and most other Princess ships the "brewed/drip" coffee is only available at the International Café and is NOT available in the buffet area and/or dining rooms.

The coffee in the buffet is the liquid stuff but I believe the coffee served in the DR is the brewed type.

[Cyn874]

Thank you all very much, you've really put my mind at ease. :)

[Scorpio41]

Reading the above posts with interest. We only drink black coffee, but like a decent coffee. So my understanding to get a nice coffee we have to buy one of these cards?

Is there a hot chocolate option? Is tea available free or is that a punched item?

[Cyn874]

Just to warn you, Scorpio- from what I understand, the coffee that's available for free (without the coffee card) is not coffee brewed in a coffee pot. It's a coffee concentrate syrup mixed with water. I sailed on Carnival several years ago and couldn't understand why the coffee was so horrible. Now I know!

 

I think there are tea bags available with hot water in the dining areas, plus if you like regular tea-bag tea, you can probably bring your own. I think speciality teas like chai lattes might be available with the punch card. I think I saw something about a 'tea tower', but I don't know what that is. If I remember right, the hot chocolate is part of the soda package. But again, if you're ok with hot chocolate packets, you can easily bring your own. Us coffee drinkers don't have it so easy. ;)

[moki'smommy]

Reading the above posts with interest. We only drink black coffee, but like a decent coffee. So my understanding to get a nice coffee we have to buy one of these cards?

Is there a hot chocolate option? Is tea available free or is that a punched item?

Brewed coffee, decaf, hot chocolate, and "premium" teas are available in unlimited amounts with a coffee card. In addition, the card has 15 "punches" for "specialty" coffees and/or teas (think Starbucks.)

 

You can purchase the brewed coffee, hot chocolate, and probably the tea (although I never saw a price for premium tea bags), or you can buy a card. The question is whether you'll want enough to make it worth the card. It's a no brainer if you get the card "free" as a trade for the mini bar set up in a suite or for an elite member. If you'll use the punches, it's also a good value. If you are buying coffee or tea, you have to figure out how many cups you'll drink and whether that's worth the card for the length of your cruise.

 

Premium teas are better brands than available in the buffet. The hot chocolate is a strange issue. On our cruise, they took a packet and added it to hot water (we forgot to ask for it in milk). Other people have reported that on their cruises, the hot chocolate was made from chocolate syrup and milk...that's not what the Caribbean Princess did in April, but you can bet on my next cruise, I'll ask to have it done the good way.

[denamo]

Boy, they make it kind of complicated! I suppose the easiest would be to just get a regular brewed coffee at the same time as I get my specialty, and bring the regular to my Dad, but I figured they'd catch on to that pretty quick, it seems pretty obvious. It also feels crummy and dishonest to attempt to 'cheat' the system. If only there was a less expensive option for ONLY unlimited brewed coffee that he could get, without the punches. I guess he could just buy his cups individually, but if he drinks 3-4 a day, that's going to add up also.

 

We've done this every Princess cruise we've taken. I like the specialty coffee, dh likes the brewed. Just ask for both at the same time. The staff never flinches. It even says on the card "unlimited complimentary coffee/tea at International Café".

 

The exception to getting the complimentary coffee is when you use the card for a subsequent cruise. You then have to have it punched for both specialty and regularly brewed.

[Scorpio41]

Just to warn you, Scorpio- from what I understand, the coffee that's available for free (without the coffee card) is not coffee brewed in a coffee pot. It's a coffee concentrate syrup mixed with water. I sailed on Carnival several years ago and couldn't understand why the coffee was so horrible. Now I know!

 

I think there are tea bags available with hot water in the dining areas, plus if you like regular tea-bag tea, you can probably bring your own. I think speciality teas like chai lattes might be available with the punch card. I think I saw something about a 'tea tower', but I don't know what that is. If I remember right, the hot chocolate is part of the soda package. But again, if you're ok with hot chocolate packets, you can easily bring your own. Us coffee drinkers don't have it so easy. ;)

 

Probably won’t use the punches so probably just bring our own coffee.

[Cyn874]

It's a no brainer if you get the card "free" as a trade for the mini bar set up in a suite or for an elite member.

 

What is this about a trade for the mini bar? We have a mini suite (not full) and planned on asking them to empty out the mini bar stuff from the fridge when we get there. Do they gave you a coffee card for that? Or are you referring to something else?

[voljeep]

full suites and elites get the mini bar they can trade in for coffee cards

 

lots of confusion about mini-"suites" and benefits

[moki'smommy]

What is this about a trade for the mini bar? We have a mini suite (not full) and planned on asking them to empty out the mini bar stuff from the fridge when we get there. Do they gave you a coffee card for that? Or are you referring to something else?

Mini suites don't get the complimentary mini bar. There should be nothing in your fridge when you arrive unless you have elite status on Princess (in which case you'd know all these ins and outs....)

 

Full suites and Elite CC members get a complimentary mini bar which can be traded for 2 coffee cards. People in mini suites get half a bottle of wine (I think) which has no trade value.

[Cyn874]

Ah I see, thanks. :) Yes, this will be my very first time cruising on Princess.

[moki'smommy]

Ah I see, thanks. :) Yes, this will be my very first time cruising on Princess.

Yeah, a mini-suite is basically a big room and that's all. It doesn't have the suite perks. A Club Class mini has club class dining and priority boarding.

[caribill]

Just to warn you, Scorpio- from what I understand, the coffee that's available for free (without the coffee card) is not coffee brewed in a coffee pot. It's a coffee concentrate syrup mixed with water. I sailed on Carnival several years ago and couldn't understand why the coffee was so horrible. Now I know!

 

Actually, some of the finest restaurants on land serve coffee made from a liquid concentrate. The difference is that the concentrate comes in various levels of quality. Guess which quality level the cruise ships purchase.

[Scorpio41]

We drink probably two cups of black coffee a day. Can you tell me the cost of a decent black coffee? It may be cheaper just having the coffee card,