Coffee Cards or just purchasing by the cup

[Anubi]

Is coffee at the International Cafe the same price if you get a coffee card or get by the cup?  On our 31May Baltics we had a $1000 OBC and decided against coffee cards.  We lost the OBC when we moved our cruise to 01Sep.  So we are just wondering if its worth it.  We also need to take into the account the exchange rate which as of Friday was $1.43CDN so not getting them just might be better at this point.is

[skynight]

A large brewed coffee at the I.C. cost US$2.07 which includes the gratuity. Regular size is about 50 cents less. If you have the coffee package there is no charge for unlimited brewed coffee, tea and hot chocolate. The coffee package provides you with 15 specialty espresso drinks.

[cruzsnooze]

By the time you sail things could change radically. Princess will have to do a lot of restructuring it's prices just to stay in business. I wouldn't count on anything right now and just concentrate on actually getting to your cruise. Keep checking the price of your cruise daily since changes are inevitable. 

[Colo Cruiser]

2 hours ago, Anubi said:

Is coffee at the International Cafe the same price if you get a coffee card or get by the cup?  On our 31May Baltics we had a $1000 OBC and decided against coffee cards.  We lost the OBC when we moved our cruise to 01Sep.  So we are just wondering if its worth it.  We also need to take into the account the exchange rate which as of Friday was $1.43CDN so not getting them just might be better at this point.is

It is actually I think a 20% ?? savings buying the card.

Can't remember exactly how they worded it when you purchase in your booking.

It is the same if you purchase onboard.

 

[JF - retired RRT]

It really depends on how much IC coffee you think you'll drink and how long the cruise is.

 

One cup of specialty coffee/tea a day and no free brewed, hot choc (etc)...not worth it.

3 cups a day plus some brewed...get the card.

Edited March 23, 2020 by JF - retired RRT

[voljeep]

remember - the "15" can be shared … the free fresh brewed, not so much

[Eagleeye]

On our last 15 day cruise we decided not to purchase a drink package. We saved about $300 on drinks. Again it depends on how much you drink.

 

Roger

[geoherb]

Our break even point is a 12-day cruise. DH gets a cappuccino almost every night. On our 16-day transatlantic cruise last fall, I bought the coffee package for my card. That way I could get the complimentary specialty teas during the day and then order his cappuccino for him after dinner.

[GuardCruisers]

Sometimes it depends on the ship and the size of the cafe vs. the number of passengers.  Generally, in the Caribbean and Tahiti, we purchased the cards and used all of the punches.  Cafe was easy to get too and rarely had more than 1-2 people in line.  Last spring we went to Alaska with three of us in a cabin and I don't think I went to the cafe more than twice.  Less than 1 card worth.  Issue was way to slow a line, and the cafe was not close to convenient to our cabin.  Just didn't seem worth it.  Just enjoyed the room service coffee with our own flavored cream and small bottles of Baileys.

[jkazoo]

With all else going on this seems like small beans, but I had an old coffee card, brought it on a February cruise, and they confiscated it. Gave me one drink (4 punches remained). "These have been phased out. We don't do that anymore."

 

Goodbye coffee cards!

[skynight]

1 minute ago, jkazoo said:

With all else going on this seems like small beans, but I had an old coffee card, brought it on a February cruise, and they confiscated it. Gave me one drink (4 punches remained). "These have been phased out. We don't do that anymore."

 

Goodbye coffee cards!

All coffee cards without a pre-printed expiration date expired August 31, 2019. Those with a printed expiration date expired on the date printed which was well before August 31st. The phase out was for a long period ending on August 31st.