Switching out Elite Minibar

[cruiseintoheaven]

I usually switch out my minibar for a bottle of wine, but thinking of trying something different for our cruise in October.  Can someone refresh my memory as to what my options are and confirm you can still get a coffee card?  If this info is on the Princess site I’m missing it.  And I know there have been many changes happening. Thanks!!  

[skynight]

3 minutes ago, cruiseintoheaven said:

I usually switch out my minibar for a bottle of wine, but thinking of trying something different for our cruise in October.  Can someone refresh my memory as to what my options are and confirm you can still get a coffee card?  If this info is on the Princess site I’m missing it.  And I know there have been many changes happening. Thanks!!  

Trade entire mini bar for:

Two coffee packages (no more cards) which expire at the end of the cruise or one bottle of wine.

Or trade individual items one for one, alcoholic for other alcoholic or non-alcoholic, or non-alcoholic for non-alcoholic.

[Hlitner]

The coffee card option (no longer a real card but now added to your cruise card account) still exists.  The deal is that you trade your entire mini-bar (this includes everything...even the soft drinks) for 2 coffee cards.   Given the changes at Princess with coffee cards and benefits there is no guarantee they will continue this policy, but it is likely to continue.  To do this exchange you need to call Room Service once you are onboard.  As many folks have discovered, it can sometimes be difficult to get anyone to answer the Room Service phone on that embarkation day (especially early in the afternoon) but you simply have to keep trying.  Once you get through they might warn that the coffee card may not be added to your card until early the following morning.

 

Hank

[cruiseintoheaven]

Thanks for the replies....I do recall having to be pretty aggressive about getting it switched for anything!  Somethings haven’t changed.  ☹️

[tailspintom]

26 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

The coffee card option (no longer a real card but now added to your cruise card account) still exists.  The deal is that you trade your entire mini-bar (this includes everything...even the soft drinks) for 2 coffee cards.   Given the changes at Princess with coffee cards and benefits there is no guarantee they will continue this policy, but it is likely to continue.  To do this exchange you need to call Room Service once you are onboard.  As many folks have discovered, it can sometimes be difficult to get anyone to answer the Room Service phone on that embarkation day (especially early in the afternoon) but you simply have to keep trying.  Once you get through they might warn that the coffee card may not be added to your card until early the following morning.

 

Hank

I believe that this is where the Ocean Medallion is of benefit.  In April on the Regal, the coffee option was loaded quite quickly.  After the initial call in the afternoon, my first attempt for tea in the evening was successful.

[Hlitner]

1 minute ago, tailspintom said:

I believe that this is where the Ocean Medallion is of benefit.  In April on the Regal, the coffee option was loaded quite quickly.  After the initial call in the afternoon, my first attempt for tea in the evening was successful.

The last time we were on the Regal (December) the OM system was still not functioning.  Our next Princess cruise is on the CB so we shall finally get to experience the entire system.  You would think that they would have some kind of online option (either pre-cruise or via the OM) that would allow folks to choose mini-bar options without having to burden the room service operator (or burden yourself...waiting on hold forever).

 

Hank

[tailspintom]

1 minute ago, Hlitner said:

The last time we were on the Regal (December) the OM system was still not functioning.  Our next Princess cruise is on the CB so we shall finally get to experience the entire system.  You would think that they would have some kind of online option (either pre-cruise or via the OM) that would allow folks to choose mini-bar options without having to burden the room service operator (or burden yourself...waiting on hold forever).

 

Hank

I would agree that that could be a very nice feature for the cruiser as well as a cost saver for the cruise line.

[janina]

18 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

The last time we were on the Regal (December) the OM system was still not functioning.  Our next Princess cruise is on the CB so we shall finally get to experience the entire system.  You would think that they would have some kind of online option (either pre-cruise or via the OM) that would allow folks to choose mini-bar options without having to burden the room service operator (or burden yourself...waiting on hold forever).

 

Hank

That is a great ideal.  Seems like a lot better for room service too.

[Syracusefan44]

I was able to switch out my mini bar for two coffee cards by contacting room service.  The coffee cards were uploaded to my cruise card immediately on our May cruise to Hawaii on the Grand Princess.

[Colo Cruiser]

47 minutes ago, cruiseintoheaven said:

Thanks for the replies....I do recall having to be pretty aggressive about getting it switched for anything!  Somethings haven’t changed.  ☹️

It has been pretty painless for the last year or so.

[JF - retired RRT]

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The coffee card option (no longer a real card but now added to your cruise card account) still exists.  The deal is that you trade your entire mini-bar (this includes everything...even the soft drinks) for 2 coffee cards.   Given the changes at Princess with coffee cards and benefits there is no guarantee they will continue this policy, but it is likely to continue.  To do this exchange you need to call Room Service once you are onboard.  As many folks have discovered, it can sometimes be difficult to get anyone to answer the Room Service phone on that embarkation day (especially early in the afternoon) but you simply have to keep trying.  Once you get through they might warn that the coffee card may not be added to your card until early the following morning.

 

Hank

On one of our recent cruises, I wrote a list of what we were going to exchange (I usually wait until the 2nd day to not have to endure the wait on hold or never-ending ringing). When we returned to our cabin from a walk around, the exchange had been made. Our steward saw the note and took care of it. I love having a good steward.

[kywildcatfanone]

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

As many folks have discovered, it can sometimes be difficult to get anyone to answer the Room Service phone on that embarkation day

This was my experience on the CB 2 weeks ago.  I called multiple times and let it ring a lot, but finally after the muster drill was able to get them to answer.  They sent someone up in 10 minutes, and the coffee packages were on our card later that evening.  Probably was done right after they picked up the stuff, but I'm not really sure.

[LeeW]

Minibar setups are packaged in advance on trays, and the Room Service staff goes to each Elite cabin in an area and drops off the tray.  Probably had 30 cabins on the cart when I saw this.  While they likely package these up before turnaround day it would be pretty difficult to customize each one and get it to the right cabin.  No idea how many Elite actually customize their minibar.

[CruiseVA]

I'd be more than happy to relieve you of your mini-bar and treat you to unlimited popcorn at MUTTS! 😃

[geoherb]

I didn't have any problems getting switches last month on the Island Princess. I waited a few days to request the switch of my mini bottles of liquor to gin and my sodas to all tonic water. I was doing back-to-back cruises. On the last day of my first cruise, I called the dine line to let them know I'd like a bottle of red wine instead of another minibar setup. They brought it the next day.

[kywildcatfanone]

20 hours ago, cruiseintoheaven said:

but thinking of trying something different

They currently give only two options, a bottle of wine or two coffee packages.  Those are the only options currently.  Hoping they might update to include more soon. 

 

I also wish they would allow you to select this in the personalizer so that you don't have to do it onboard.

[cruiseintoheaven]

Thanks everyone for the replies and info.  This cruise (on the Royal) should have the OM up and running.  Hopefully that will help with the switching  of the mini bar.  Going to go with coffee cards - my issue is that DH usually makes a beeline to the IC for a cup the minute we board.  It would irritate me to have to pay for individual cups if the switch isn’t made pronto.  I do realize that room service prepares the setups in advance, but I do think it’s a great idea to be able to set up the simpler switches (bottle of wine, coffee card) in advance through the personalized or upon check in and would be a win/win.  

[tere247]

I wish there was a list of wines offered for the trade. There sometimes seem to be a problem with what I request.   No more Pinot Grigio being offered?  Requested Chardonnay being substituted, which actually turned out to be a good thing since it was good.  Too bad I don't remember the name. 

[royal65]

Do the ships carry the little mini-bottles of rum so you can trade the other liquor for rum?  I don't recall seeing those small bottles of rum.

[karatemom2]

12 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

They currently give only two options, a bottle of wine or two coffee packages.  Those are the only options currently.  Hoping they might update to include more soon. 

 

That's not quite correct. You can also switch out for other things like soda and water. We usually switch out for cans of Diet Coke and bottles of water. My son will switch his out for cans of Coke. So there are other options.

[Colo Cruiser]

13 minutes ago, royal65 said:

Do the ships carry the little mini-bottles of rum so you can trade the other liquor for rum?  I don't recall seeing those small bottles of rum.

They do not have mini bottles of rum.

[fishywood]

12 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

They currently give only two options, a bottle of wine or two coffee packages.  Those are the only options currently.  Hoping they might update to include more soon. 

 

I also wish they would allow you to select this in the personalizer so that you don't have to do it onboard.

https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/membershipFAQ.page

 

I’m an Elite member, is there a way to customize my mini-bar?

Yes, you can make changes onboard by dialing room service. Mini bottles of liquor can be exchanged; liquor can also be exchanged for beer. You can also exchange the entire setup for: a bottle of wine, coffee cards, sodas only or waters only.

[Hlitner]

13 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

They currently give only two options, a bottle of wine or two coffee packages.  Those are the only options currently.  Hoping they might update to include more soon. 

 

I also wish they would allow you to select this in the personalizer so that you don't have to do it onboard.

There is always the option to swap the various mini bottles for mini bottles of your choice.  For example, I once swapped out all the small booze bottles for all cognac.   As I posted earlier, life might be better for  both Princess and the Elites if we could choose how we wanted the mini-bar stocked...prior to the cruise.   As things stand now, the room service folks move around the ship and stock hundreds of mini-bars with exactly the same selection.  Then, within the first couple of days they again have to go back to many of those cabins and make "adjustments" based on the passenger preferences.   This makes for a lot of extra work.  Hard to believe that after spending 10s of millions on all the new OM technology, Princess did not simply have a way for Elites to specify their mini-bar preferences prior to boarding.  Come to think of it, they do not have a techy way to make a request after boarding!  My goodness,  Princess actually expects Elites to use the telephone to make a request.  Oh, the horror!

 

Hank

[muggo11]

We always switch the sodas to diet cokes and the liquor to vodkas. And I have been known to throw unused mini-bottles in my bag to add to cranberry juice on board or even for the plane ride home.  Vodka. Such a multi-purpose liquor!  And, hoping the coffee cards I bought on E-bay have one more cruise’s worth of coffee in them😍😍

[voljeep]

7 hours ago, muggo11 said:

plane ride home.  

highly illegal ... if that matters