Princess New Grounds Coffee Package

[DrJohn999]

We have two left-over "real" cardboard coffee cards with six punches left total. Both cards state the punches can be used on future cruises, no time limit given. For those who haven't seen the old Coffee Cards:

(Note that sometimes the staff must have lost the punch, so they crossed the spots off with a pen!)

This one was left over from a 15-day (I think) Panama cruise. It was the second one; we wiped out the first one in about eight days, I think. The other card is labelled "Café Selects". We forgot to bring it along last time; I don't know how old it is, but it predates the "New Grounds" ones.

 

So, for the next cruise we will buy one coffee "card" of the electronic variety and use up its punches first, then dip into the physical punches on the "real" cards if necessary. Might not be needed on this upcoming 7-day trip. Brewed coffee isn't so much of an issue for us -- we take breakfast in the MDR as often as we can, and the coffee served there is quite decent! I also enjoy breakfast with a view from the buffets, but then I would maybe get a brewed coffee afterward in the IC.

[Astro Flyer]

The Terms & Conditions state that cards without a date expire on 8/31/19.

 

“Coffee cards are valid until the expiration date printed on the card.  If NO expiration date is printed on the card it is valid until August 31, 2019”.

[skynight]

37 minutes ago, DrJohn999 said:

We have two left-over "real" cardboard coffee cards with six punches left total. Both cards state the punches can be used on future cruises, no time limit given. For those who haven't seen the old Coffee Cards:

(Note that sometimes the staff must have lost the punch, so they crossed the spots off with a pen!)

 

If your next cruise is after August 31, 2019 your cards will not be good. August 31st is the last date you can use them.

[voljeep]

43 minutes ago, DrJohn999 said:

We have two left-over "real" cardboard coffee cards with six punches left total. Both cards state the punches can be used on future cruises, no time limit given. For those who haven't seen the old Coffee Cards:

(Note that sometimes the staff must have lost the punch, so they crossed the spots off with a pen!)

This one was left over from a 15-day (I think) Panama cruise. It was the second one; we wiped out the first one in about eight days, I think. The other card is labelled "Café Selects". We forgot to bring it along last time; I don't know how old it is, but it predates the "New Grounds" ones.

 

So, for the next cruise we will buy one coffee "card" of the electronic variety and use up its punches first, then dip into the physical punches on the "real" cards if necessary. Might not be needed on this upcoming 7-day trip. Brewed coffee isn't so much of an issue for us -- we take breakfast in the MDR as often as we can, and the coffee served there is quite decent! I also enjoy breakfast with a view from the buffets, but then I would maybe get a brewed coffee afterward in the IC.

that depends on what the definition of "next cruise" is ... is  ... I did not .....

[DrJohn999]

Well, then we could reverse it and use up these cards while not getting a new coffee subscription until the cruise after the next one. Not too hard to be limited to six gratis on-board coffees on this one — we will be cruising up the Alaskan coast. Pretty sure there are some dynamite coffee shops along the way!

[Astro Flyer]

12 minutes ago, DrJohn999 said:

Well, then we could reverse it and use up these cards while not getting a new coffee subscription until the cruise after the next one. Not too hard to be limited to six gratis on-board coffees on this one — we will be cruising up the Alaskan coast. Pretty sure there are some dynamite coffee shops along the way!

If you’re on the Royal Princess that class of ship has free filtered coffee in the buffet & dining rooms that is made from ground coffee & not from concentrate.

Edited April 19, 2019 by Astro Flyer

[happy cruzer]

The premium beverage package also covers coffees to add to the possibilities.

[CFLCruisers]

It has been a few years since we sailed with Princess. We would always share a coffee card.

Question #1. It looks like if we prepay for the coffee package, payment will be included with cruise balance. I would prefer to use my OBC. Should I just wait and buy onboard?

#2. If I buy one package, and want to bring back 2 coffees to cabin from IC... is it a problem? DW likes to sleep in. We will not drink enough specialty coffees to justify the purchase of 2 packages. I am confused about sharing policy.

[kywildcatfanone]

2 hours ago, CFLCruisers said:

Question #1. It looks like if we prepay for the coffee package, payment will be included with cruise balance. I would prefer to use my OBC. Should I just wait and buy onboard?

To use OBC, I think you have to buy onboard, but I'm not 100% sure about that.

 

2 hours ago, CFLCruisers said:

#2. If I buy one package, and want to bring back 2 coffees to cabin from IC... is it a problem? DW likes to sleep in. We will not drink enough specialty coffees to justify the purchase of 2 packages. I am confused about sharing policy.

Yes, you can buy up to the entire 15 at once if you want, so two a day at the same time is what I do.

[pamwigs]

For us, yes it's worth it. We take long cruises.

[CarolandNate]

Trying to figure this out, while not skating the system.  My wife is a Chai Latte fan and will go through one a day.  Thus the package makes sense for her on a 15 day just by itself.  I will have a coffee in the morning with breakfast pretty much every day and probably one with dessert after dinner.

 

When we did a 7 day a couple of years ago, the rules were different.  She got her chais and I would get a fresh brewed while we were standing there on her card.  By the end of the trip, we still had three or four punches left, but that was only on a 7 day.

 

We got the coffee package when we got the breakfast lovers deal, but as I see there is no sharing on the complimentary part, coffee, herbal tea, etc.  I am surmising that, were we to go down and get her chai, which would be covered in the 15, I would not be able to get fresh brewed coffee on her card (account). 

 

While I am not so much of a coffee aficionado, that I won't drink the free stuff, the comments about dishwater, etc, give me pause.  That I might want to have a REAL coffee from time to time, might be enough of a rationale to just spring for it and spend the $36 for my own.  Then I just need to find  enough times over the 15 days and get frappacinos and things like that to use up the 15.  I don't want to keep score and say to myself I don't want to not get this when I'm in the mood because I am going to use up one of the 15. 

 

I am probably overthinking this, but am I missing something?

[voljeep]

13 minutes ago, CarolandNate said:

I am probably overthinking this, but am I missing something?

put the coffee package on your card/medallion ... you get all the free fresh brewed you want ... you can share the 15 ...

 

if, i'm reading your post correctly

[Go-Bucks!]

I pre-purchased 1 coffee "card" for my upcoming 58 day cruise, but the website refuses to let me purchase more than one! I want to buy at least 2 more, but have tried several times, to no avail.

 

Will they sell me as many as I want onboard? Can I use OBC?

[Colo Cruiser]

21 minutes ago, Go-Bucks! said:

I pre-purchased 1 coffee "card" for my upcoming 58 day cruise, but the website refuses to let me purchase more than one! I want to buy at least 2 more, but have tried several times, to no avail.

 

Will they sell me as many as I want onboard? Can I use OBC?

Yes. Whatever gets charged to your account will deduct from the OBC in your account.

[CarolandNate]

1 hour ago, voljeep said:

put the coffee package on your card/medallion ... you get all the free fresh brewed you want ... you can share the 15 ...

 

if, i'm reading your post correctly

I think you are reading the post correctly, given the answer.  You mention putting the package on the medallion.  Does everyone get a medallion to put it on.  Two years ago, as you know, there was a card that was punched and either of us could use it.  Pretty simple.  There appear to be new rules.  I want to be honest and not game the system.  I read that the specialty drinks count against the 15 and fresh brewed stuff is free to the person who has the card (account).  But that can't be shared.

 

So bottom line assuming there is a medallion.  She gets the card (account) in her name with 15 drinks.  I can, at the same as we get a specialty drink, get a fresh brewed for myself.  Is that what you are saying?

[Colo Cruiser]

2 minutes ago, CarolandNate said:

I think you are reading the post correctly, given the answer.  You mention putting the package on the medallion.  Does everyone get a medallion to put it on.  Two years ago, as you know, there was a card that was punched and either of us could use it.  Pretty simple.  There appear to be new rules.  I want to be honest and not game the system.  I read that the specialty drinks count against the 15 and fresh brewed stuff is free to the person who has the card (account).  But that can't be shared.

 

So bottom line assuming there is a medallion.  She gets the card (account) in her name with 15 drinks.  I can, at the same as we get a specialty drink, get a fresh brewed for myself.  Is that what you are saying?

No more cards.

It is electronic now added to your account and redeemed through the Medallion.

The package unlimited coffee is for the Medallion holder.

You can give the 15 specialty coffees to whomever you want.

[Thrak]

15 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

So bottom line assuming there is a medallion.  She gets the card (account) in her name with 15 drinks.  I can, at the same as we get a specialty drink, get a fresh brewed for myself.  Is that what you are saying?

 

No. Put the "card" on your account. That way you can get all the fresh-brewed coffee you want. You can purchase the specialty coffees for your wife using your 15 "punches". That way you get the fresh-brewed coffee (and any of the 15 specialty drinks you want) and your wife gets specialty drinks and nobody is "gaming" the system in any way.

[Colo Cruiser]

24 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

No. Put the "card" on your account. That way you can get all the fresh-brewed coffee you want. You can purchase the specialty coffees for your wife using your 15 "punches". That way you get the fresh-brewed coffee (and any of the 15 specialty drinks you want) and your wife gets specialty drinks and nobody is "gaming" the system in any way.

I did not make that comment.  ????

[Thrak]

12 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

I did not make that comment.  ????

 

D'Oh! Obviously it was meant for CarolandNate. I highlighted the text in the part you had quoted and the system decided it came from you. Not real cool but apparently that must be how "things work" in this forum software. Weird.

[caribill]

7 hours ago, CarolandNate said:

So bottom line assuming there is a medallion.  She gets the card (account) in her name with 15 drinks.  I can, at the same as we get a specialty drink, get a fresh brewed for myself.  Is that what you are saying?

 

Does not have to be a medallion cruise. It will be associated with your cruise card if the medallion does not exist.

[CarolandNate]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

 

Does not have to be a medallion cruise. It will be associated with your cruise card if the medallion does not exist.

So all passengers get medallions and they work off that

[Expat Cruise]

1 minute ago, CarolandNate said:

So all passengers get medallions and they work off that

No if you are on a Medallion Ship the coffee card, drink Packages, etc are on the Medallion. If a regular ship they are on your room pass card. No more extra cards or stickers all done within the system.

 

[CarolandNate]

On the Princess website it says

What is Included

• The package includes the pre-purchase of a specified number of specialty coffees (numbers vary by itinerary) during the voyage of purchase, as well as complimentary brewed coffee and hot chocolate.

Package Details and Qualifications

• Coffee packages cannot be sold or otherwise transferred to any individual. Pre-purchased specialty coffees may be shared, but complimentary brewed coffee, teas and hot chocolate continue to be limited to the purchaser.

I took that to mean that if my wife had a package in her name that she can get I can get her beloved chai latte, being a specialty drink and I can also get a drink, say a frappacino, or that package and each would count against the 15.  But that something like a fresh brewed coffee, only she could get, but I could not, since I am not the purchaser. Bottom line, that when we went to the IC to get her chai, I could not get a fresh brewed if we had only one package.  I was thinking that to be able to get unlimited fresh brewed, I would have to have my own package with a separate 15 specialties. 

Then the question would be, is it worth it to have a package for each of us, where we would have 30 specialties to work from.

 

[CarolandNate]

4 minutes ago, Expat Cruise said:

No if you are on a Medallion Ship the coffee card, drink Packages, etc are on the Medallion. If a regular ship they are on your room pass card. No more extra cards or stickers all done within the system.

 

Room pass card, medallion, but the same rules apply, right?  Ours BTW is not a medallion ship

[CarolandNate]

8 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

I did not make that comment.  ????

Sorry if that came out as if you made that comment.  I reworded my question using the Princess website info.