coffee cards

[Vanilla]

Jennifer & Shane

Thanks for the update on the time the coffee bar opens...7am is good for me....:) . If I leave the coffee pot at home ~ I have more room for shoes!!!

[Teeara]

I got the coffee card on the Star in September and loved it. Here was my experience. I bought the card at one of the pool bars (it was where I first noticed it). I had Anytime Dining, but always sat at the same table, same time every night and had the same waiters. The first two nights my asst. waiter punched my card for my dessert cappuccino. After that he just brought it to me and winked when I offered my card to him. On the other hand, there was one of the bar girls who, when I went in the morning to get my regular large latte, would punch it twice for a large and once if it were a small. There was another girl some mornings who would only punch once for a large latte. So it depends on who you get your coffee from. Make a note of who is your server and use them to your best advantage! But it was DEFINITELY worth every penny.

 

Theresa

[MoonPet]

On the Grand you can buy the coffee card at the deck 7 coffee/martini/caviar/wine bar right off the atrium. Naturally, I can't remember the name of it. Could it be Crooners?

[saturdaysailing]

Hi MoonPet:

 

Off the subject. I was on the Grand last year out of Galveston in Feb.,too. Noticed you also went on the Caribbean Princess. Will I notice a big change here. I didn't feel the Grand was very crowded. I've been a little concerned about the extra deck of passengers 400++ for the same amount of space & am going at peak season, July. Will I feel a great difference?

 

Great coffee info. Am glad they'll serve hot choc. My husband doesn't like coffee and can't have caffeine, but does like hot choc., very little caffeine. At 44, He says "it makes me feel grown up!" ;)

[NorcalGuy]

Can anyone else verify recently that "brewed regular coffee" is still free with the Coffee Card?

If not, I would just prefer to pay for my specialty coffees the regular way.

[MAD70601]

Can anyone else verify recently that "brewed regular coffee" is still free with the Coffee Card?

If not, I would just prefer to pay for my specialty coffees the regular way.

 

We were on the Grand several weeks ago, and brewed coffee was indeed free (with the coffee card) at the atrium bar (was it Crooner's). I enjoyed the specialty coffees, my parents (80's) loved the brewed coffee (tastes just like home - Louisiana), and we all enjoyed the hot chocolate.

 

Mark:)

[Dixe Lee]

We were on the Grand several weeks ago, and brewed coffee was indeed free (with the coffee card) at the atrium bar (was it Crooner's). I enjoyed the specialty coffees, my parents (80's) loved the brewed coffee (tastes just like home - Louisiana), and we all enjoyed the hot chocolate.

 

Mark:)

 

So, if you don't have the coffee card, how much is the brewed coffee? Does this mean that you need to buy a coffee card, regardless?

[Lynda90]

So, if you don't have the coffee card, how much is the brewed coffee? Does this mean that you need to buy a coffee card, regardless?

It's $1.00.

[patross]

So, if you don't have the coffee card, how much is the brewed coffee? Does this mean that you need to buy a coffee card, regardless?

 

Dixe Lee, coffee is served in the buffett area on the ships all day long for free. If you wish to purchase fresh brewed coffee, you may for $1.00 per cup at the coffee bar. You don't need to have a coffee card for that. The coffee card which is available for purchase allows you to get the brewed coffee for free, plus 15 specialty hot coffee drinks. I felt the coffee in the dining room and buffett was fine for my taste and I would not have had 15 specialty coffee drinks on my cruise so I did not purchase the card. I did not try the brewed coffee so I can't compare. I like Dunkin Donuts coffee and the buffet coffee was in that category. If you enjoy Starbucks, from what I have been reading on the boards, then you will not like the buffet coffee. I hope this helps.

[MAD70601]

You can only get brewed coffee at the International Cafe. Everywhere else, including room service, is syrup based. Yuck! If you are a coffee-holic, get the coffee card. It's well worth it.

 

Last month on the Grand, I only spent one night in the dining room, but I did have coffee after dinner. It was pretty good, and tasted and smelled brewed to me - nothing like the swill in the HC.

 

Am I wrong to remember this,

Mark

[teripp]

coffee card is a little different than the soda cards. Soda cards are usually a set price (usually based on # of days on cruise) and gives you unlimited soda.

 

Coffee card is $24.95 as of last week and gives you 15 specialty coffees (i.e. cappuchino, latte, frap, etc.) plus unlimited brewed coffee. Normally a latte cost $2 a cup so you are saving 5.05.

 

Would anyone say it was worth the cost if you just buy it for brewed coffee??? (personally I drink black coffee and the syrup coffee is just not drinkable in my opinion it needs milk or sugar) Oh and can it be used with room service??? Thanks for the info I have gotten so much info off this board. (I cut and paste into a word page for my travel friend so she can see some of the tips too)

[BigBlue120]

Last time we cruised, I wasn't a coffee drinker, and we were in the Carribean.

 

This time, I need my morning, afternoon and nightly fix... as we're on the Alaska cruise...

 

Between the 3 of us, we'll likely go through a pot of caf and decaf each morning. Will room service bring 2 pots for 1 card each morning?

 

Afternoons should be easy enough to run for a quick fix. Having a couple of specialty coffee drinks each night would be nice.

 

Does it include hot chocolate too?

 

Is there information on the princess website (or a post here) that describes all of this?

[Lynda90]

Last time we cruised, I wasn't a coffee drinker, and we were in the Carribean.

 

This time, I need my morning, afternoon and nightly fix... as we're on the Alaska cruise...

 

Between the 3 of us, we'll likely go through a pot of caf and decaf each morning. Will room service bring 2 pots for 1 card each morning?

 

Afternoons should be easy enough to run for a quick fix. Having a couple of specialty coffee drinks each night would be nice.

 

Does it include hot chocolate too?

 

Is there information on the princess website (or a post here) that describes all of this?

You can just leave the breakfast card outside your door at night or call in the morning for the coffee. There is no charge for that and you don't need the coffee card for it. Just a little tip to room service would be nice. Hot chocolate is not free and I don't know if you could order it and use the coffee card. I don't believe there is any info on the Princess website describing this service.

[Dixe Lee]

Dixe Lee, coffee is served in the buffett area on the ships all day long for free. If you wish to purchase fresh brewed coffee, you may for $1.00 per cup at the coffee bar. You don't need to have a coffee card for that. The coffee card which is available for purchase allows you to get the brewed coffee for free, plus 15 specialty hot coffee drinks. I felt the coffee in the dining room and buffett was fine for my taste and I would not have had 15 specialty coffee drinks on my cruise so I did not purchase the card. I did not try the brewed coffee so I can't compare. I like Dunkin Donuts coffee and the buffet coffee was in that category. If you enjoy Starbucks, from what I have been reading on the boards, then you will not like the buffet coffee. I hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the info. I understand now how this works. Dunkin Donuts coffee is good so your comparison to that tells me that we will be fine. We occasionally like a cappucino, got a cappucino maker at home, but we don't drink 15 in a week at home so I think that we will pass on the coffee card. Your info is exactly what we needed to know.

[Wildewoman]

I don't understand - isn't ALL coffee fresh brewed - except for specialty drinks (like mochas or latte's)

 

What is "syrup" coffee??

 

We're brand new to cruising & all this info. helps. We plan on buying a soda card - didn't even know there was a COFFEE card as we were told the coffee was "free" or included.

 

Thanks.

Linda

[dsfitz]

I don't understand - isn't ALL coffee fresh brewed - except for specialty drinks (like mochas or latte's)

 

What is "syrup" coffee??

 

We're brand new to cruising & all this info. helps. We plan on buying a soda card - didn't even know there was a COFFEE card as we were told the coffee was "free" or included.

 

Thanks.

Linda

 

Princess uses a liquid ("syrup") concentrate and mixes it with hot water to make the "mass market" coffee served in the buffets. That way, they don't have to dispose of coffee grounds.

 

Some of the bars do make coffee the "traditional" way - by sending hot water through coffee grounds. They chage $1 a cup for this unless you buy a coffee card.

 

Iced tea is also "instant"- it is not brewed and as a result, it isn't very good.

 

A coffee card (unlike a soda sticker) can be shared by more than one person - as they punch it for each specialty coffee drink ordered (except the brewed coffee) so you don't need one per person.

[Wildewoman]

And how much is this coffee card on the Dawn Princess?

 

Thanks so much!!

Linda