No exchanges anymore for mini bar to coffee?

[AE_Collector]

They were always so flexible with the substitution possibilities …almost as though it was an Elite Perk and they valued Elite cruisers! That said, I could never understand why when two passengers had to share the Elite Minibar Perk there was absolutely no way they would let you chose a half minibar and one coffee card. A couple where one enjoyed coffee and the other cold minibar drinks seemingly wasn’t Princess’ ideal couple. A no cost substitution to them and dead easy to do since the initial minibar is made up of exactly two of every item in it. If they need to simplify the process, as others have said… let us indicate what we want before we ever board! With all the perks they have removed lately, allowing a bit more flexibility in the remaining perks where it costs them nothing to do would go a long way to calming is all down.

[cr8tiv1]

29 minutes ago, AE_Collector said:

They were always so flexible with the substitution possibilities …almost as though it was an Elite Perk and they valued Elite cruisers! That said, I could never understand why when two passengers had to share the Elite Minibar Perk there was absolutely no way they would let you chose a half minibar and one coffee card. A couple where one enjoyed coffee and the other cold minibar drinks seemingly wasn’t Princess’ ideal couple. A no cost substitution to them and dead easy to do since the initial minibar is made up of exactly two of every item in it. If they need to simplify the process, as others have said… let us indicate what we want before we ever board! With all the perks they have removed lately, allowing a bit more flexibility in the remaining perks where it costs them nothing to do would go a long way to calming is all down.

 

2 unrelated people have the same problem.  If both of us are Elite, then we have to share ONE (1) minibar.  Same as for a couple.  Didn't EACH earn their own perks?

[caribill]

9 hours ago, OccasionalSanta said:

I saw this article yesterday, so it's possible that a new coffee option is on the way which might be priced/sized depending on the length of the cruise

 

Princess Cruises Adds New Package Option for Passengers

https://www.cruisehive.com/princess-cruises-adds-new-package-option-for-passengers/95184?fbclid=IwAR2koNB6Ixm7PL1fv3DhoentKEHiKBF5auqRsshiRZ8tTUnEPxwNe5A3ALU

"Coffee lovers will be ecstatic about Princess Cruises’ newest addition to the beverage package lineup, the new Grounds Coffee Package, which covers espresso-based beverages and teas."

 

Not as ecstatic as we were with the discontinued package which also included non-fancy brewed coffee and hot chocolate and also cost less.

[cr8tiv1]

12 minutes ago, caribill said:

"Coffee lovers will be ecstatic about Princess Cruises’ newest addition to the beverage package lineup, the new Grounds Coffee Package, which covers espresso-based beverages and teas."

 

Not as ecstatic as we were with the discontinued package which also included non-fancy brewed coffee and hot chocolate and also cost less.

Again, am I missing something here?  This was announced as new in February 2023.  Wasn’t coffee always a part of the beverage package?  Didn’t the beverage package include any liquid beverage?  

[PacnGoNow]

6 hours ago, kamelia said:

Just by way of information, we were allowed to swap out for a bottle of wine, our choice of red or white, so as of two days ago, that was still an option.

What was the limit, $40 value on the wine?

[datone]

So If I'm reading this right you can't swap your minibar for the coffee cards any more.   I know Princess have to recoup all the money they lost during the shut down but taking away elite perks is starting to annoy me.   Went on a Princess cruise last month and there was no priority boarding and certainly no priority tendering - they only called 20 elite numbers when a tender was available.   The free internet is gone and not worth me paying for it by the day when I only want to check emails etc. for 10 - 15 minutes a day.   At least they should let you buy a package of say 60 or 100 minutes that can be used anytime on the cruise.   No tote bag, no elite toiletries and other cuts such as nightly chocolate are gone.  Don't drink alcohol or soda so am not pleased if the swap for coffee card is no longer available.  Coupled with the worst entertainment we have ever had on our recent Princess cruise, for the first time ever, I'm not in a rush to go back to them.  I never ever thought I would say that and have always talked Princess up.  I'm actually going on Royal next month as don't have a compelling reason to stay loyal to Princess any more. 

Edited March 6, 2023 by datone

[MissP22]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

"Coffee lovers will be ecstatic about Princess Cruises’ newest addition to the beverage package lineup, the new Grounds Coffee Package, which covers espresso-based beverages and teas."

 

Not as ecstatic as we were with the discontinued package which also included non-fancy brewed coffee and hot chocolate and also cost less.

If these changes are true, it sounds like another cutback to force people into their plus package. 

Princess is sounding a little worse each day.

[kitty2264]

13 hours ago, OccasionalSanta said:

I saw this article yesterday, so it's possible that a new coffee option is on the way which might be priced/sized depending on the length of the cruise

 

Princess Cruises Adds New Package Option for Passengers

https://www.cruisehive.com/princess-cruises-adds-new-package-option-for-passengers/95184?fbclid=IwAR2koNB6Ixm7PL1fv3DhoentKEHiKBF5auqRsshiRZ8tTUnEPxwNe5A3ALU

I am missing something.  How is this "New" package mentioned in the article different from the package by the same name that Princess has had since pre-covid days.  They appear to be the same thing.

 

[mvaldes140]

6 minutes ago, kitty2264 said:

I am missing something.  How is this "New" package mentioned in the article different from the package by the same name that Princess has had since pre-covid days.  They appear to be the same thing.

 

It's more expensive. That's the new feature

[MissP22]

I just talked to the Capt. Circle  Host  a few minutes ago and yes, they're taken away swapping the setup for the coffee package. Not every ship is on board with this yet but will soon be.

Exchanges are still allowed for different liquors or sodas or everything for a bottle of wine. 

Their intent is to have people buy a package inorder to get unlimited speciality coffees.

I view it as another cutback for the setup we receive. 😒

What's next? Maybe handing out tokens for do it yourself laundry. 

[PacnGoNow]

32 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

I just talked to the Capt. Circle  Host  a few minutes ago and yes, they're taken away swapping the setup for the coffee package. Not every ship is on board with this yet but will soon be.

Exchanges are still allowed for different liquors or sodas or everything for a bottle of wine. 

Their intent is to have people buy a package inorder to get unlimited speciality coffees.

I view it as another cutback for the setup we receive. 😒

What's next? Maybe handing out tokens for do it yourself laundry. 

Not what I wanted to hear, but expected.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

[kamelia]

6 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

What was the limit, $40 value on the wine?

The cab sav provided was Canyon Road, which is selling onboard for $40.

[AE_Collector]

10 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

2 unrelated people have the same problem.  If both of us are Elite, then we have to share ONE (1) minibar.  Same as for a couple.  Didn't EACH earn their own perks?

Yet I frequently heard that two unrelated people (even if they were related but had different last names) could both apply for the shareholder benefit as long as they each owned 100 shares. Being married with the same last name and owning 600 CCL shares, some in joint names and some in our individual names yet we only qualified for one shareholders benefit.

[vmom]

8 minutes ago, AE_Collector said:

Yet I frequently heard that two unrelated people (even if they were related but had different last names) could both apply for the shareholder benefit as long as they each owned 100 shares. Being married with the same last name and owning 600 CCL shares, some in joint names and some in our individual names yet we only qualified for one shareholders benefit.

 

I travel frequently with a friend (different last name, no relation to each other) and was told it’s one CCL shareholder credit per cabin. She recently purchased CCL shares and I was going to do the same, but we were told it won’t make a difference, only one credit per cabin. 

[cr8tiv1]

14 minutes ago, AE_Collector said:

Yet I frequently heard that two unrelated people (even if they were related but had different last names) could both apply for the shareholder benefit as long as they each owned 100 shares. Being married with the same last name and owning 600 CCL shares, some in joint names and some in our individual names yet we only qualified for one shareholders benefit.

 

4 minutes ago, vmom said:

I travel frequently with a friend (different last name, no relation to each other) and was told it’s one CCL shareholder credit per cabin. She recently purchased CCL shares and I was going to do the same, but we were told it won’t make a difference, only one credit per cabin. 

 

You are both correct.   Princess’ inconsistency at its best.  I have heard of this happening.  
 

I would guess Princess would err in their favor, if it was caught.  
 

Different last names

Different addresses

Different Captain Circle numbers

 

Maybe yes, maybe no 

[caribill]

31 minutes ago, vmom said:

 

I travel frequently with a friend (different last name, no relation to each other) and was told it’s one CCL shareholder credit per cabin. She recently purchased CCL shares and I was going to do the same, but we were told it won’t make a difference, only one credit per cabin. 

 

Yes, that is 100% the rule.

 

When people for one reason or another have managed to get 2 stockholder's benefits for one cabin, it is a computer glitch that Princess has not fixed and one that no customer is demanding to be fixed.

[caribill]

2 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I just talked to the Capt. Circle  Host  a few minutes ago and yes, they're taken away swapping the setup for the coffee package. Not every ship is on board with this yet but will soon be.

Exchanges are still allowed for different liquors or sodas or everything for a bottle of wine. 

Their intent is to have people buy a package in order to get unlimited speciality coffees.

I view it as another cutback for the setup we receive. 😒

 

The discontinued package had a limit of 15 specialty coffees which almost everyone was satisfied with. No need for most people to give that up for a more expensive package with unlimited specialty coffees.

 

And it can't be because the computers have to keep track of how many specialty coffees you have had since they have no problem keeping track of how many alcohol drinks you have had.

 

2 hours ago, MissP22 said:

What's next? Maybe handing out tokens for do it yourself laundry. 

 

No, just limiting you to one piece of underwear a day with the free laundry.

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

 

The discontinued package had a limit of 15 specialty coffees which almost everyone was satisfied with. No need for most people to give that up for a more expensive package with unlimited specialty coffees.

 

And it can't be because the computers have to keep track of how many specialty coffees you have had since they have no problem keeping track of how many alcohol drinks you have had.

 

 

it ticks me off when they do something like that 

I was perfectly happy with 15 coffees a cruise. Now I'll just drink regular coffee and forgo any package at all.

[gottagocit]

3 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

it ticks me off when they do something like that 

I was perfectly happy with 15 coffees a cruise. Now I'll just drink regular coffee and forgo any package at all.

Amen to that!  
We are not buying a drink package for $60-100 per day (or whatever it’s gone up to) each so I can have specialty coffees even if it includes tips etc. We do not drink soft drinks and only on occasion alcohol so the math simply doesn’t work for us.

Get real Princess/Carnival! You can not keep nickel dime’n your customers and expect brand loyalty from them. If some group of “smart people” have told you that repeated moves like this are necessary to turn a profit then either A) they are dead wrong OR B) carnival will never dig itself out of the crater it’s been in for the last 3 years and bankruptcy will be the end result. 

[Steelers36]

49 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

Yes, that is 100% the rule.

 

When people for one reason or another have managed to get 2 stockholder's benefits for one cabin, it is a computer glitch that Princess has not fixed and one that no customer is demanding to be fixed.

I am thinking if two unrelated passengers are booked in a cabin and one applies early and one applies later, it can be overlooked.  And suppose cabin changed in between the two applications.  I am thinking it happens due to Princess not having a good audit on the process to catch duplicates.

[AE_Collector]

I think there is or will be a new coffee package so you won’t have to pay $60/day to get it. But certainly it will be more expensive than the coffee card which is likely why they are cutting it loose from the minibar swap.
 

I really don’t think of myself as a complainer,  several times on here over the years  I have been a used of being a “Princess Cheerleader”. We’ve always been happy with most things onboard even though sometimes things don’t work out perfectly. But we worked hard at getting to where we are which is 43 cruises and 444 days in Princess. We haven’t been on another cruise line since 2013 and have done 32 of the 43 Princess cruises in that 10 year period. 

 

But I can’t help seeing that they seem to disproportionately chopping the elite benefits. The only thing left to work towards after 15 cruises was the Captains Circle loyalty benefit which is gone. free internet from 6 to 41st cruise, then as we approach tripling the elite requirement we have to pay $5 and now $7.50. Pre Covid we were constantly having to wait 3 days for elite laundry to be done, sometimes it was even 4 days.
 

We felt screwed around when they moved the coffee cards onto the medallion as we almost always do backlot back cruises and get the minibar in the first cruise which we can easily stretch over two cruises, used coffee cards we had from previous cruises which were mainly for the punches, then swapped for coffee cards on our second cruise which went “in the bank” for our next cruise. Life was good but that ended with the medallion and sounds as though the coffee swap is completely gone now.

 

Is it just me or are others starting to feel a little under appreciated? There are little improvements they could have made to appease us at no cost to them such as allowing 1/2 minibar with one coffee card and maybe some different internet options. As my wife says, we may have really hit the sweet spot with cruising the 10 years Pre Covid.

Edited March 6, 2023 by AE_Collector

[AE_Collector]

35 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I am thinking if two unrelated passengers are booked in a cabin and one applies early and one applies later, it can be overlooked.  And suppose cabin changed in between the two applications.  I am thinking it happens due to Princess not having a good audit on the process to catch duplicates.

That has been my most likely explanation for this as well. The rule is one per cabin but it gets applied to one persons account. So put some time between sending it in and the6 may miss it. Myself I don’t feel good about gaming the system, I just want what I am entitled to and am beginning to feel that isn’t even happening lately. 

[PacnGoNow]

7 minutes ago, AE_Collector said:

I think there is or will be a new coffee package so you won’t have to pay $60/day to get it. But certainly it will be more expensive than the coffee card which is likely why they are cutting it loose from the minibar swap.
 

I really don’t think of myself as a complainer,  several times on here over the years  I have been a used of being a “Princess Cheerleader”. We’ve always been happy with most things onboard even though sometimes things don’t work out perfectly. But we worked hard at getting to where we are which is 43 cruises and 444 days in Princess. We haven’t been in another cruise line since 2013 and have done 32 or the 43 Princess cruises in that 10 years.

 

But I can’t help seeing that they seem to disproportionately chopping elite benefits. The only thing left to work towards after 15 cruises was the Captains Circle loyalty benefit which is gone. free internet from 6 to 41st cruise, then as we approach tripling the elite requirement we have to pay $5 now $7.50. Pre Covid we were constantly having to wait 3 days for laundry, sometimes it was even 4 days.
 

We felt screwed around when they moved the coffee cards onto the medallion as we almost always do backlot back cruises and get the minibar in the first cruise which we can easily stretch over two cruises, used coffee cards we had from previous cruises which were mainly for the punches, then swapped for coffee cards on our second cruise which went “in the bank” for our next cruise. Life was good but that ended with the medallion and sounds as though the coffee swap is completely gone now.

 

Is it just me or are others starting to feel a little under appreciated? There are little improvements they could have made to appease us at no cost to them such as allowing 1/2 minibar with one coffee card and maybe some different internet options. As my wife says, we may have really hit the sweet spot with cruising the 10 years Pre Covid.

I understand where you’re coming from.  I don’t like that it just secretly disappeared.  We knew increases were coming, but deleting a very popular coffee package caught me by surprise.

 

But, what I really am disappointed about….how it is being handled by the ships over the last few weeks…..  Leaving the crew to take all the backlash. They have to implement the new policy, and there seems to be a lot of confusion.  

 

[ehogan]

We have sailed on most of the cruise lines, but the (previous) Elite benefits, esp. the coffee card swap out and free internet always tipped us toward Princess.

 

No more…its back to a level playing field now.  

[cr8tiv1]

If you sail in a suite as an elite, there really are very few benefits that are NOT $$$ related.

 

Suite/Elite:  2 mini bars for being in a suite, regardless of how many passengers are elite

Laundry:  Free express laundry for suite/regular 3-4 laundry if you are not in a suite.

Tendering:  Supposedly priority boarding for either/maybe

Embarkation:  Supposedly priority boarding for either/maybe

Amenities:  Maybe/not so in recent days/reduced

Happy Hour:  Suite/Elite/Platinum

 

As an elite:  you now get $ off regular priced items, excursions, wifi

 

I agree with @AE_Collector.  If you are going to return any of the top end benefits, bring back the loyalty credits.  Maybe then, I could afford to buy my coffee ala carte.

 

1 hour ago, AE_Collector said:

I think there is or will be a new coffee package so you won’t have to pay $60/day to get it. But certainly it will be more expensive than the coffee card which is likely why they are cutting it loose from the minibar swap.
 

I really don’t think of myself as a complainer,  several times on here over the years  I have been a used of being a “Princess Cheerleader”. We’ve always been happy with most things onboard even though sometimes things don’t work out perfectly. But we worked hard at getting to where we are which is 43 cruises and 444 days in Princess. We haven’t been on another cruise line since 2013 and have done 32 of the 43 Princess cruises in that 10 year period. 

 

But I can’t help seeing that they seem to disproportionately chopping the elite benefits. The only thing left to work towards after 15 cruises was the Captains Circle loyalty benefit which is gone. free internet from 6 to 41st cruise, then as we approach tripling the elite requirement we have to pay $5 and now $7.50. Pre Covid we were constantly having to wait 3 days for elite laundry to be done, sometimes it was even 4 days.
 

We felt screwed around when they moved the coffee cards onto the medallion as we almost always do backlot back cruises and get the minibar in the first cruise which we can easily stretch over two cruises, used coffee cards we had from previous cruises which were mainly for the punches, then swapped for coffee cards on our second cruise which went “in the bank” for our next cruise. Life was good but that ended with the medallion and sounds as though the coffee swap is completely gone now.

 

Is it just me or are others starting to feel a little under appreciated? There are little improvements they could have made to appease us at no cost to them such as allowing 1/2 minibar with one coffee card and maybe some different internet options. As my wife says, we may have really hit the sweet spot with cruising the 10 years Pre Covid.