What do you think of the Cafe card?

[pittnh]

Is it worth it?  $31/person/7 night cruise.  Says it can't be used at Starbucks, where can you use it?  Are there coffee shops on board the Oasis?

[Sunshine3601]

Depends on what type of specialty coffee you like.

Some drinks will be 2 or 3 punches.  

I.e. if you get a latte with extra shot of espresso that is 2 punches.  

Edited November 17, 2022 by Sunshine3601

[foxgoodrich]

For me, paying more than $200 for coffee for the week would not be worth it.  I do like specialty coffees, but would not drink enough of them daily to make it worthwhile.   

[Sunshine3601]

The card is good on other cruises if you don't use all the punches.  At least it was last time a family member got it.

[brillohead]

3 minutes ago, foxgoodrich said:

For me, paying more than $200 for coffee for the week would not be worth it.  I do like specialty coffees, but would not drink enough of them daily to make it worthwhile.   

It's a one-time purchase, a "punch card" -- not something you have to buy every day for the entire cruise (that would be the Refreshment Package).

[thrifty99]

It’s a great deal for specialty coffee as you are getting them about 50% off the normal price onboard. 

[pittnh]

4 minutes ago, brillohead said:

It's a one-time purchase, a "punch card" -- not something you have to buy every day for the entire cruise (that would be the Refreshment Package).

 

That's interesting, it did say 15 espresso based drinks on the description.  didn't dawn on me that's what it literally meant.  Where can you use it?  Does the MDR make cappuccino's at breakfast?

[Tree_skier]

15 minutes ago, foxgoodrich said:

For me, paying more than $200 for coffee

The card is $31 for the OP.  Where are you coming up with $200?

[Tree_skier]

6 minutes ago, pittnh said:

 

That's interesting, it did say 15 espresso based drinks on the description.  didn't dawn on me that's what it literally meant.  Where can you use it?  Does the MDR make cappuccino's at breakfast?

You can get specialty coffees at Cafe Promenade and in the Windjammer.

[jbrinkm]

My husband and I each got one for a 6 night cruise in April and ended up scrambling on the last day and sharing with our teens in order to use up the punches. It is a good deal if you must have a specialty coffee every day and want the double shot each time (or two single shot specialty coffees every day). We found ourselves enjoying the coffee in the main dining room (surprisingly!!) and wanting a soda here and there instead of coffee, plus didn't use any on shore excursion days, which left us with all of those punches the last morning. We were also able to sleep in more often during vacation, leaving us with less need for coffee. I would not buy it again - I would just pay for a specialty coffee if I wanted one on any given day. It really depends on your coffee-drinking preferences. 

[Sunshine3601]

7 hours ago, jbrinkm said:

My husband and I each got one for a 6 night cruise in April and ended up scrambling on the last day and sharing with our teens in order to use up the punches. It is a good deal if you must have a specialty coffee every day and want the double shot each time (or two single shot specialty coffees every day). We found ourselves enjoying the coffee in the main dining room (surprisingly!!) and wanting a soda here and there instead of coffee, plus didn't use any on shore excursion days, which left us with all of those punches the last morning. We were also able to sleep in more often during vacation, leaving us with less need for coffee. I would not buy it again - I would just pay for a specialty coffee if I wanted one on any given day. It really depends on your coffee-drinking preferences. 

No need to rush to use the card, you could have kept it and used the remaining punches on uour next cruise.   The card is not specific to any one sailing.

[ramja96]

8 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

You can get specialty coffees at Cafe Promenade and in the Windjammer.

 

I've ordered cappuccino in the MDR plenty of times.

[Biker19]

9 hours ago, thrifty99 said:

It’s a great deal for specialty coffee as you are getting them about 50% off the normal price onboard. 

That is only true if the drinks you get use only one punch - that is very ship/barista dependent. 

[thrifty99]

44 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

That is only true if the drinks you get use only one punch - that is very ship/barista dependent. 

Most of the Tall size drinks are $4.25 - $5.00 and with the card they are $2.07 ($31 / 15). A nice 50%+ savings. 
 

Yes, if you add a shot that costs $1.75 it makes them $6.00 - $6.75 normal price and 2 punches costs you $4.14. Still costs less with the card, just a smaller % savings. 

[foxgoodrich]

11 hours ago, brillohead said:

It's a one-time purchase, a "punch card" -- not something you have to buy every day for the entire cruise (that would be the Refreshment Package).

Ahh...thanks!  Can you tell I've never bought a drinks package either?  I assumed it was a daily thing like the DBP.  Okay...now I might be more interested....

[Arzeena]

3 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

No need to rush to use the card, you could have kept it and used the remaining punches on uour next cruise.   The card is not specific to any one sailing.

Not anymore or I shall i say very uncertain.
I used to carry it over every year from the shorter Anthem cruises to the Serenade or Jewel. But since last Nov was told that it cannot be carried over. I could not carry it over on the Odyssey. It also could depend on the ship (?)
The Anthem baristas in the WJ said I can carry it over. The ones in the Promenade said no carry overs now, have to use it up. So I tried on the Odyssey and it was no carry overs. They took the old card, tore it up and gave me a new one, charged $31 plus grats.

Edited November 17, 2022 by Arzeena

[Sunshine3601]

2 hours ago, Arzeena said:

Not anymore or I shall i say very uncertain.
I used to carry it over every year from the shorter Anthem cruises to the Serenade or Jewel. But since last Nov was told that it cannot be carried over. I could not carry it over on the Odyssey. It also could depend on the ship (?)
The Anthem baristas in the WJ said I can carry it over. The ones in the Promenade said no carry overs now, have to use it up. So I tried on the Odyssey and it was no carry overs. They took the old card, tore it up and gave me a new one, charged $31 plus grats.

I have one my Son had purchased last March on Anthem that has a couple unused punches left and plan on trying it out Anthem early December.   I wondered when they would stop allowing it to be carried over.  😞

[Arzeena]

3 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I have one my Son had purchased last March on Anthem that has a couple unused punches left and plan on trying it out Anthem early December.   I wondered when they would stop allowing it to be carried over.  😞

Definitely take it try it out. Sometimes their left hand says something and the right hand gives a different story.

[BLAMBKY]

I bought a coffee card Jan 2019, ended up not using it as i still had punches on another card. I just used it on Harmony, still have punches as they only used one punch for caramel/mocha lattes. I plan on using it until all punches are used. It would be interesting to HOW they would track these if they decide it is single cruise use.

[neverbeenhere]

Coffee card is a great deal, saves some around $2,000 by not booking a suite. 

[Chrislynn55]

So, is the coffee card an actual card? If I buy one online ahead of time, where/when do I get the actual card?

[cruisegus]

4 hours ago, BLAMBKY said:

It would be interesting to HOW they would track these if they decide it is single cruise use.

They will Write the ship name and sailing number on it.

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, Chrislynn55 said:

So, is the coffee card an actual card? If I buy one online ahead of time, where/when do I get the actual card?

yes, it is the similar to a business card.   You can buy on cruise planner, then once onboard the ship you can go to parks cafe or wherever you get specialty coffee (varies per ship) and they will have a list of people that ordered cards and give you your card. 

Edited November 17, 2022 by Sunshine3601

[Chrislynn55]

1 hour ago, Sunshine3601 said:

yes, it is the similar to a business card.   You can buy on cruise planner, then once onboard the ship you can go to parks cafe or wherever you get specialty coffee (varies per ship) and they will have a list of people that ordered cards and give you your card. 

Thank you! 

[Arzeena]

3 hours ago, Chrislynn55 said:

So, is the coffee card an actual card? If I buy one online ahead of time, where/when do I get the actual card?

Yes actual card. Mine is usually left with the papers in the cabin and once there was a note to collect it at cafe promenade, where the guy had a list of precruise coffee card purchases and checked my name off that list.