Coffee card confusion

[caribill]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

I agree, if you purchased the the card then you should receive the 15 espresso drinks. But, in the previous system Princess provided many of the cards as an exchange for the mini bar. Passengers would take the exchanged cards and sell them. It was the passengers that ruined it for everyone else. Changing the program is just a solid business decision. Passengers that had cards had almost two years to use them.

 

 

The difference:

If you get the mini-bar and do not consume it all, you can take the rest of it off the ship with you and in effect retain 100% of its value.

 

If you have obtained the new coffee program, you have obtained 15 specialty coffees and lose the value of any not redeemed on that voyage.

 

Just speculation, but Princess may be working towards pricing the coffee program on a per day basis, just like the Soda & More program is priced.

[caribill]

35 minutes ago, snow bunny said:

Can someone please tell me the cost of the new card in US$?

 

Thanks!

snow bunny

$36.58 including the 18% gratuity.

 

And the very small print that applies to the package: ^†The New Grounds Coffee package is valid only during the voyage of purchase. If the maximum number of coffees pre-purchased are not used during the voyage, the remaining value will NOT be credited or refunded and is NOT transferable for any purpose. Terms and conditions apply.

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, Taxwizz said:

Nice try.

But you cannot recharacterize a transaction to fit the circumstances when they are changed after the fact.

I am old fashioned...."A deal is a deal."  Silly me.

 

Yes, you are being silly.  If a person uses the card to obtain 2 cups of coffee per day, and one espresso per day over the course of a 7 day cruise, they will have consumed 14 cups of coffee and 7 espressos.  The FMV of those drinks is $42.  If they are not allowed to carry over any of the remaining "punches", then they received $42 worth of drinks for the grand total price of $36 and change.  Sorry, but there is no "theft" here.

[snow bunny]

Just now, caribill said:

$36.58 including the 18% gratuity.

 

And the very small print that applies to the package: ^†The New Grounds Coffee package is valid only during the voyage of purchase. If the maximum number of coffees pre-purchased are not used during the voyage, the remaining value will NOT be credited or refunded and is NOT transferable for any purpose. Terms and conditions apply.

Thank you very much.  Trying to figure out for my SIL if it would be good to pre-purchase.

 

snow bunny

[Taxwizz]

16 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

 

Yes, you are being silly.  If a person uses the card to obtain 2 cups of coffee per day, and one espresso per day over the course of a 7 day cruise, they will have consumed 14 cups of coffee and 7 espressos.  The FMV of those drinks is $42.  If they are not allowed to carry over any of the remaining "punches", then they received $42 worth of drinks for the grand total price of $36 and change.  Sorry, but there is no "theft" here.

Sorry.

If I purchase the card for the 15 expressos, please don't tell me that I COULD have received value by getting regular coffees.  I don't like regular coffee. 

Maybe I should SELL the regular coffees, as I have unlimited access.

If I sell 100 regular coffees obtained on the card to other cruisers for $1.00 each, I would receive $100 and a tidy profit.

Then would Princess be happy?

(I realize that this would not really work, but is just a theoretical argument.)

Edited May 3, 2019 by Taxwizz

[voljeep]

2 minutes ago, Taxwizz said:

Sorry.

If I purchase the card for the 15 expressos, please don't tell me that I COULD have received value by getting regular coffees.

I don't like regular coffee.  Maybe I should SELL the regular coffees, as I have unlimited access.

If I sell 100 regular coffees obtained on the card to other cruisers for $1.00 each, I would receive $100 and a tidy profit.

Then would Princess be happy?

(I realize that this would not really work, but is just a theory.)

I "somewhat" agree that Princess "could" offer a unused punch buyout program after 8/31/19 - maybe $ 2 per punch non-refundable OBC on your next cruise ... subject to terms and conditions, of course, that can change "without notice" to passengers at any time ...

[Taxwizz]

5 minutes ago, voljeep said:

I "somewhat" agree that Princess "could" offer a unused punch buyout program after 8/31/19 - maybe $ 2 per punch non-refundable OBC on your next cruise ... subject to terms and conditions, of course, that can change "without notice" to passengers at any time ...

Now THAT makes sense, and would stop a lot of grousing.

Including mine.

Do you think they are that smart?

That information is on your Medallion, and therefore their computers, so the passenger would not have to do anything for the credit to be captured.

Another advantage of the Medallion Class.

 

Edited May 3, 2019 by Taxwizz

[JimmyVWine]

16 minutes ago, Taxwizz said:

 I don't like regular coffee.

 

And therein lies the issue.  Just because YOU do not like regular coffee (same as me), you ascribe no embedded value to the unlimited coffee aspect of the package.  But just because you do not like an aspect of the package and won't take advantage of it is no basis to reduce that aspect to zero.  It has intrinsic value.  

 

I have no difficulty whatsoever agreeing with you and everyone else who is disappointed in the fact that past cards are losing their "use on your next cruise" benefit.  We bought the cards with full expectation that we were receiving "roll over coffee".  Taking that away is petty and in my mind wrong, despite any fine print that suggests that terms and conditions can change without notice.  Plain and simple, past punches should be honored.  But going forward, they can set the rules as they see fit and the customer is responsible for determining whether purchasing an e-coffee package that does not roll over is a good or bad deal.  But if the math reveals that it is a bad deal, that does not equate to theft on the part of the seller. 

[Taxwizz]

14 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

 

And therein lies the issue.  Just because YOU do not like regular coffee (same as me), you ascribe no embedded value to the unlimited coffee aspect of the package.  But just because you do not like an aspect of the package and won't take advantage of it is no basis to reduce that aspect to zero.  It has intrinsic value.  

 

I have no difficulty whatsoever agreeing with you and everyone else who is disappointed in the fact that past cards are losing their "use on your next cruise" benefit.  We bought the cards with full expectation that we were receiving "roll over coffee".  Taking that away is petty and in my mind wrong, despite any fine print that suggests that terms and conditions can change without notice.  Plain and simple, past punches should be honored.  But going forward, they can set the rules as they see fit and the customer is responsible for determining whether purchasing an e-coffee package that does not roll over is a good or bad deal.  But if the math reveals that it is a bad deal, that does not equate to theft on the part of the seller. 

"The large print giveth...

And the small print taketh away."

The deal has changed, and I shall evaluate wether it is worth buying in future, knowing that unused PAID FOR value will be lost.  I suspect that except on loooong cruises, I will stick with occasional "pay as I go" expressos.

[caribill]

58 minutes ago, Taxwizz said:

Sorry.

If I purchase the card for the 15 expressos, please don't tell me that I COULD have received value by getting regular coffees.  I don't like regular coffee. 

Maybe I should SELL the regular coffees, as I have unlimited access.

If I sell 100 regular coffees obtained on the card to other cruisers for $1.00 each, I would receive $100 and a tidy profit.

Then would Princess be happy?

(I realize that this would not really work, but is just a theoretical argument.)

 

But if you will not be using all 15 punches, you could just stand by the coffee line and offer free specialty coffees to those standing in line until your "punches" are used up. At least this way Princess does not benefit from unused punches and you have made some new friends.

[Taxwizz]

3 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

But if you will not be using all 15 punches, you could just stand by the coffee line and offer free specialty coffees to those standing in line until your "punches" are used up. At least this way Princess does not benefit from unused punches and you have made some new friends.

Good thought.

Now....

How much time do I want to spend on a cruise to make $10 ?

I think that I would just prefer to feel cheated and grumble about it.

It would give me a topic of conversation.

Hahahahahaaa

 

[caribill]

1 hour ago, Taxwizz said:

That information is on your Medallion, and therefore their computers, so the passenger would not have to do anything for the credit to be captured.

Another advantage of the Medallion Class.

 

 

Nothing to do with Medallion Class. The same info is there if you are using a Cruise Card.

[meatloafsfan]

4 hours ago, Taxwizz said:

Sorry.

If I pay for 15, I expect to get 15 or a refund.

Anything less is fraud or robbery.

 

But you're no longer paying for 15 - you're paying for up to 15 on your particular voyage.

 

Like with any purchase, you need to decide if it's a good value to you. If you are only buying 7 specialty drinks on a 7 day cruise and it comes to less than the cost of the coffee package, then don't buy the coffee package.

 

It's not rocket science, it's consumerism.

[Thrak]

Wow. Just wow. I can't believe this boo-hooing is still going on. The policy changed. It's not going to change back. Deal with it or cruise some other line. I don't like the change any more than others but I'm not going to waste a lot of time crying or complaining about it. There's no point in doing so.

[Taxwizz]

9 minutes ago, Thrak said:

Wow. Just wow. I can't believe this boo-hooing is still going on. The policy changed. It's not going to change back. Deal with it or cruise some other line. I don't like the change any more than others but I'm not going to waste a lot of time crying or complaining about it. There's no point in doing so.

 

Sorry.

I just don't like being cheated.

Maybe I am different.

Do you like paying for stuff you don't get?

If so, please give me your contact information and credit card number.

 

 

[Steelers36]

15 minutes ago, Thrak said:

Wow. Just wow. I can't believe this boo-hooing is still going on. The policy changed. It's not going to change back. Deal with it or cruise some other line. I don't like the change any more than others but I'm not going to waste a lot of time crying or complaining about it. There's no point in doing so.

I hear ya, but it does bother me a bit that my bad luck resulted in me having an extra Coffee Card - completely clean with no expiry date - and I have another card I can use up punches on.  But this extra card is going to go to waste as we only have one more cruise before the end of this calendar year.  I think I will be either giving out free drinks at the HC this June or selling them for a $1, say.  Perhaps I can sell the whole card for $10 to someone.  That's pretty great deal for someone needing a card.

 

Otherwise, I cannot disagree as we all know policies can change.  This one hurts a bit just because of the timing for me.  It appears as though Princess was just losing too much money at the coffee bar to keep going the old way.

 

[Steelers36]

I have been hunting through posts and I am not finding this point. 

 

Situation:  Cruising in June with two coffee cards - one partially used and one fresh/unblemished/never used.  

 

I get that the partially used card is still good for drinks until remaining punches are expired.

 

For the new card, if it is used, will I (or another person) get the free regular coffees/teas/hot chocolate with NO punches, or will every drink ordered consume a punch?  Presumably, it will be filled out with ship and date when commence usage, but I am wondering if folks are getting the free drinks we used to get this year? 

 

Last year (2018) we did.  In Feb this year, on Majestic, I was using up punches on my existing card and did not attempt to use a new card.  This "new" card is my last one and we don't have any more cruises prior to the August 31, 2019, deadline.  Nor even any more this calendar year if it is extended again by some miracle.

 

Thanks.

 

 

[Thrak]

43 minutes ago, steelers36 said:

I have been hunting through posts and I am not finding this point. 

 

Situation:  Cruising in June with two coffee cards - one partially used and one fresh/unblemished/never used.  

 

I get that the partially used card is still good for drinks until remaining punches are expired.

 

For the new card, if it is used, will I (or another person) get the free regular coffees/teas/hot chocolate with NO punches, or will every drink ordered consume a punch?  Presumably, it will be filled out with ship and date when commence usage, but I am wondering if folks are getting the free drinks we used to get this year?  

 

Last year (2018) we did.  In Feb this year, on Majestic, I was using up punches on my existing card and did not attempt to use a new card.  This "new" card is my last one and we don't have any more cruises prior to the August 31, 2019, deadline.  Nor even any more this calendar year if it is extended again by some miracle.

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

They may or may not fill in the voyage info. It's a moot point as the cards are expiring. I have cards to use on our upcoming cruise but it's only a 7 day southbound after a land tour in Alaska. We will be unable to use all of the punches we have. If we meet someone onboard who needs a card we may give one away. I know when we had a couple of mostly unpunched cards a a couple of years ago and had the free beverage package for the next two cruises we gave the cards away. The recipient was most pleased. We figured if we wanted more in the future we could buy more. We bought more and now the program has changed. We're not particularly pleased with that fact but it is a fact so we are just dealing with it. Can we drink 30 specialty coffees in 7 days. No freaking way! Ah, well. There are much more important things to worry about. I don't expect to have the card punched for fresh-brewed coffee. If it is I don't really care. If only I could use one of the punches to add some Jameson to my vanilla latte. That would be good. 😍

[myjillian]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH all this talk about coffee................IIIIIIIIIIIII thiiiiiiink IIIIIIII am gettttttttttttting the jittttters😍

[Thrak]

7 minutes ago, myjillian said:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH all this talk about coffee................IIIIIIIIIIIII thiiiiiiink IIIIIIII am gettttttttttttting the jittttters😍

 

Had my normal half of the 12 cup pot this morning. Actually more than half. We tend to get 5 cups of coffee out of it and I normally drink 3 of them.

[jrblach]

sometimes we bring ground coffee and plastic french presses and make our own by adding hot water. 

[Taxwizz]

2 minutes ago, jrblach said:

sometimes we bring ground coffee and plastic french presses and make our own by adding hot water. 

But how do you get water hot enough?

Are water heaters not banned?

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

 

They may or may not fill in the voyage info. It's a moot point as the cards are expiring. I have cards to use on our upcoming cruise but it's only a 7 day southbound after a land tour in Alaska. We will be unable to use all of the punches we have. If we meet someone onboard who needs a card we may give one away. I know when we had a couple of mostly unpunched cards a a couple of years ago and had the free beverage package for the next two cruises we gave the cards away. The recipient was most pleased. We figured if we wanted more in the future we could buy more. We bought more and now the program has changed. We're not particularly pleased with that fact but it is a fact so we are just dealing with it. Can we drink 30 specialty coffees in 7 days. No freaking way! Ah, well. There are much more important things to worry about. I don't expect to have the card punched for fresh-brewed coffee. If it is I don't really care. If only I could use one of the punches to add some Jameson to my vanilla latte. That would be good. 😍

Yes, I know about giving away and it would feel good.  I'd give it to someone I know, but don't think unreasonable for a stranger to pay a modest amount for it and I recover something for what I paid.  

 

Anyway, I am not worried whether they write anything on it.  I am just not clear if the free regular coffees apply.  And that is more for the person who might get the card, as there is no way we will use all the punches for drinks on board an 11-night cruise with a lot of ports.  Only my wife drinks coffee and I will get a hot chocolate sometimes.   I have 11 punches left on the "in use" card in addition to the "virigin" card.

 

 

[caribill]

4 hours ago, steelers36 said:

I have been hunting through posts and I am not finding this point. 

 

Situation:  Cruising in June with two coffee cards - one partially used and one fresh/unblemished/never used.  

 

I get that the partially used card is still good for drinks until remaining punches are expired.

 

For the new card, if it is used, will I (or another person) get the free regular coffees/teas/hot chocolate with NO punches, or will every drink ordered consume a punch? 

 

Probably not. Since those with a new coffee package will have it on their cruise card or Medallion, anyone presenting a physical coffee card, dated or not,  automatically has one from a past voyage. 

[Steelers36]

18 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

Probably not. Since those with a new coffee package will have it on their cruise card or Medallion, anyone presenting a physical coffee card, dated or not,  automatically has one from a past voyage. 

I honestly don't remember if I asked at the IC on Majestic in FEB if I would get free regulars with the new card.  It's a moot point now as I never needed to use it.  We just used punches on old cards.  Down to 11 punches now plus the new card.