New Grounds Coffee Package - Clarification

[Ombud]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

Thank you for all the help.  The reason I was asking now instead of waiting until we are on board is because my personalizer is showing the New Grounds Coffee Package is 20% off if purchased beforehand.  Just looking to save SIL a little cash that she can instead throw away in the slot machine... 

Actually it is the same price onboard. It's 20% savings on buying 15 coffees without the package. 

[gjkov]

Just off Sapphire a couple weeks ago. Complimentary coffee in buffet and dining rooms was not very good. I can believe it is from concentrate and not brewed.

 

If you want unlimited coffee you have to purchase the Premier Coffee and Soda package. The New Grounds Coffee Package is for any 15 coffee beverages plus unlimited brewed coffee and premium tea. The brewed coffee was only a slight step above the coffee in the dining venues, but if you ordered an Americano it was quite good! Of course Americanos count as part of your 15, not unlimited.

 

 

 

[suzyed]

3 hours ago, MissP22 said:

If she wants the fresh brewed coffee at the IC she'll need to purchase the coffee package or have some person who has it get the coffee for her. 

It tastes the same to me. 

You can get the fresh brewed coffee in the IC without a coffee card...you just pay for it with your cruise card.

 

Edited September 7, 2019 by suzyed

[MissP22]

20 minutes ago, suzyed said:

You can get the fresh brewed coffee in the IC without a coffee card...you just pay for it with your cruise card.

 

So true.

I'm always thinking in terms of getting it for nothing extra.

[Daniel A]

1 hour ago, Ombud said:

Actually it is the same price onboard. It's 20% savings on buying 15 coffees without the package. 

Finding out things like this is what makes reading threads on CC so helpful! 

[compozer]

Does anyone know if a coffee package can be used on the second cruise of a b2b.  Or is it only good on the first cruise?                I am not a big coffee drinker and have only purchased the card once and only used a 6 punches.    I am thinking I might like iced coffee.  thanks

[suspaul]

We’re on the Caribbean Princess next week and I’ve purchased this

 

New Grounds Coffee Package$36.58 per person (15 beverages)

Save 20% with our New Grounds Coffee Package that includes 15 hot or cold specialty coffee drinks along with unlimited brewed coffee and premium tea for the duration of the cruise.

 

If I read it correctly - unlimited brewed coffee and premium tea are not considered in the 15 beverages.  Sounds great but I’m guessing you have to get these from the ???

Edited September 8, 2019 by suspaul

[suzyed]

9 hours ago, Daniel A said:

Thank you for all the help.  The reason I was asking now instead of waiting until we are on board is because my personalizer is showing the New Grounds Coffee Package is 20% off if purchased beforehand.  Just looking to save SIL a little cash that she can instead throw away in the slot machine... 

I'm not sure it's 20% off of what it would cost onboard, I think they are saying that you will save 20% on coffee with the purchase of the card.

[suzyed]

2 hours ago, compozer said:

Does anyone know if a coffee package can be used on the second cruise of a b2b.  Or is it only good on the first cruise?                I am not a big coffee drinker and have only purchased the card once and only used a 6 punches.    I am thinking I might like iced coffee.  thanks

Good question since we are on what could be a B2B but we booked it as one cruise.  I'm assuming it would be good for our entire sailing.  But now wondering if it would be better to just buy one initially and then get the second one on half way through. 

[compozer]

If you booked it as one cruise, then the card should be good the entire time.    When we have done a b2b before, our unused internet minutes we good on the second cruise so that is why I am asking about the coffee card

 

[caribill]

4 hours ago, suspaul said:

We’re on the Caribbean Princess next week and I’ve purchased this

 

New Grounds Coffee Package$36.58 per person (15 beverages)

Save 20% with our New Grounds Coffee Package that includes 15 hot or cold specialty coffee drinks along with unlimited brewed coffee and premium tea for the duration of the cruise.

 

If I read it correctly - unlimited brewed coffee and premium tea are not considered in the 15 beverages. correct

 

Sounds great but I’m guessing you have to get these from the ???   International Cafe on deck 5

 

 

see above in red

[suzyed]

2 hours ago, compozer said:

If you booked it as one cruise, then the card should be good the entire time.    When we have done a b2b before, our unused internet minutes we good on the second cruise so that is why I am asking about the coffee card

 

Interestingly enough, when we did our last B2B that we booked as one cruise our internet minutes were split up.  250 on the first leg and then 250 on the second leg.
Thought maybe the coffee "card" would be the same but you just never know.

[MissP22]

9 hours ago, suzyed said:

Good question since we are on what could be a B2B but we booked it as one cruise.  I'm assuming it would be good for our entire sailing.  But now wondering if it would be better to just buy one initially and then get the second one on half way through. 

Interesting question. 

In your case, I have to assume at this point in time that the package would be good for the entire voyage. 

We have a B2B coming up & booked it as 2 cruises. Unless the computer program catches the date limitation at the end of the first cruise, the "punches" might be carried over to our second trip. I'll inquire towards the end of the first leg just to make sure in case if I have any "punches" remaining at that point.

[pompeii]

We just got off the CB and both had coffee packages.  The waiter will bring you brewed coffee in the dining room without charging your package, since that is unlimited, although it could take a few minutes.  We always just picked ours up from the IC and took it in with us, but the waiter will bring it if you prefer and don't mind waiting.  In the buffet, since Coffee and Cones does not have brewed coffee, you will need to spend a punch to get an americano, which the waiter will also bring you.

[skynight]

9 hours ago, suzyed said:

I'm not sure it's 20% off of what it would cost onboard, I think they are saying that you will save 20% on coffee with the purchase of the card.

Yes, the 20% is an approximate number based on the average menu price of 15 specialty coffee drinks. The price of the coffee package is the same pre-purchased or on board. However, on board you may have extra OBC that offsets the cost. 

[skynight]

9 hours ago, suzyed said:

Good question since we are on what could be a B2B but we booked it as one cruise.  I'm assuming it would be good for our entire sailing.  But now wondering if it would be better to just buy one initially and then get the second one on half way through. 

Good question and good luck. When we questioned this the answer was the card expires at the end of the voyage, not the end of the booking. In the contrary some have reported on these boards that their coffee package remained active after the turn around day.

Princess needs to clear up this issue. Princess says that the package is only valid for the voyage it was purchased, but they don't really define voyage. It seems their definition of voyage probably differs from their customer's definition. To me a single voyage should at least have the same meaning as a single booking. 

[Daniel A]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

Yes, the 20% is an approximate number based on the average menu price of 15 specialty coffee drinks. The price of the coffee package is the same pre-purchased or on board. However, on board you may have extra OBC that offsets the cost. 

So, the more fresh brewed coffee you drink, the 20% savings goes up higher?

[skynight]

34 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

So, the more fresh brewed coffee you drink, the 20% savings goes up higher?

A large brewed coffee cost $1.75 + 18% = $2.07. If you drink 18 large cups you break even and the specialty drinks are basically free. In this example, if I did the math correctly, the savings is higher than 200% over menu prices for 15 specialty drinks + 18 large brewed coffees. A recent price list is attached. So yes, the more brewed coffee you drink the greater the savings, and the longer the voyage the greater the potential for savings.

International Café Coffee Prices March 2019.doc

[MissP22]

17 minutes ago, skynight said:

A large brewed coffee cost $1.75 + 18% = $2.07. If you drink 18 large cups you break even and the specialty drinks are basically free. In this example, if I did the math correctly, the savings is higher than 200% over menu prices for 15 specialty drinks + 18 large brewed coffees. A recent price list is attached. So yes, the more brewed coffee you drink the greater the savings, and the longer the voyage the greater the potential for savings.

International Café Coffee Prices March 2019.doc 28 kB · 2 downloads

Of course these calculations only apply on ships that don't have free brewed coffee all the time in the Horizon like the Royal & Regal Princess (also not charged before 6 AM at the IC).

[skynight]

5 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

Of course these calculations only apply on ships that don't have free brewed coffee all the time in the Horizon like the Royal & Regal Princess (also not charged before 6 AM at the IC).

Of course, if you use the free coffee, no matter how it is prepared, the math example does not apply. The example does apply if you drink the brewed coffee from the I.C.

Are you saying that during certain hours before 6am brewed coffee is free at the I.C.? This is the first time I have heard this.

[MissP22]

1 minute ago, skynight said:

Of course, if you use the free coffee, no matter how it is prepared, the math example does not apply. The example does apply if you drink the brewed coffee from the I.C.

Are you saying that during certain hours before 6am brewed coffee is free at the I.C.? This is the first time I have heard this.

They serve the brewed coffee before 6AM at the IC without charge since on the non-Royal ships the buffet sometimes doesn't have that liquid coffee during the night. 

To tell the truth is didn't taste much different than the liquid stuff. 

Other then the specialty coffees I really don't drink there brewed coffee either. They tend to make it overly to strong & even watering it down doesn't taste right to me. 

[The Mikado]

Is the hot chocolate a punch or part of the “unlimited fresh brewed”?

[MissP22]

6 minutes ago, The Mikado said:

Is the hot chocolate a punch or part of the “unlimited fresh brewed”?

It's part of the unlimited portion. 

Depending on who makes it the quality can vary from just so-so to great.

Ask them for extra chocolate in the mix using milk.  

[suzyed]

6 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Interesting question. 

In your case, I have to assume at this point in time that the package would be good for the entire voyage. 

We have a B2B coming up & booked it as 2 cruises. Unless the computer program catches the date limitation at the end of the first cruise, the "punches" might be carried over to our second trip. I'll inquire towards the end of the first leg just to make sure in case if I have any "punches" remaining at that point.

Let us know how it goes, please!

[MissP22]

1 minute ago, suzyed said:

Let us know how it goes, please!

We won't be back until the end of Oct.

I'm sure you'll have an answer by then.