If you enjoy espresso based beverages, then you should consider a Café Select Coffee Card on your next Royal Caribbean cruise. This punch card is an easy way to save money on cruise drinks. This is especially true if you don’t think buying a Deluxe Beverage package is worth it for you. In this post, we detail What You Need to Know About the Royal Caribbean Café Select Coffee Card.
What You Need to Know About the Royal Caribbean Café Select Coffee Card
What Is the Café Select Coffee Card?
The Café Select Coffee Card is a punch card that entitles cruisers to any 15 espresso-based drinks throughout the cruise, all for one low price.
You can indulge in your favorite brews any time of day with this card without worrying about your coffee tab at the end of the cruise.
Individuals can share this card, and you can purchase multiple drinks at a time with the card.
Currently, the price of the Royal Caribbean Café Select Coffee Card is $31 (plus 18% gratuity). This is a total of $36.58, which equates to $2.07 (+18%) per drink.
Cruisers can purchase this card pre-cruise using the online cruise planner or once onboard the ship.
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What’s Included in the Royal Caribbean Café Select Coffee Card?
The Café Select Coffee Card “entitles you to any 15 specialty espresso-based coffees”.
The Royal Caribbean Café Select Coffee Card can be used at a number of locations throughout the Royal Caribbean fleet. Basically, you can use the card at any location that serves espresso-based drinks. This includes Café Promenade, Park Café, and the main dining room.
Unfortunately, specialty coffees from licensed Starbucks stores are NOT included.
Further, the coffee card does not include any coffee beverages with alcohol.
From our experiences using this card, ANY coffee drink on the menu (without alcohol) is redeemed as one punch; however, there are some inconsistencies between ships within the fleet.
It has been reported that double shots are sometimes billed as two punches and that the frozen coffee drinks are not included. During our recent cruise on Odyssey of the Seas, one barista did attempt to charge two punches for an iced latte. Though, when we questioned it, he did not debate it and only charged one punch.
Who Should Buy the Royal Caribbean Café Select Coffee Card?
One of the most frequently asked questions from cruisers is “Should I Buy a Beverage Package on a Cruise?”. Whether or not you should purchase one for your next vacation is an individual decision that depends on several factors.
First, you will need to consider your drinking habits. Depending on how many alcoholic drinks you plan to consume during your cruise, a Deluxe Beverage Package might be right for you.
The onboard price of this package will vary from $63 to $89 a day (plus gratuity). Pricing will vary based on the ship, sail dates, and itinerary. You can often score pre-cruise deals as well.
The Deluxe Beverage Package includes essentially all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. This plan covers all alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine by the glass, and cocktails up to $13. It also includes fountain soda, Coca-Cola freestyle machines (where available), still and sparkling water, premium coffees and teas, and fresh-squeezed juices.
Thus, if you plan to buy a Deluxe Beverage Package, you will not need a Café Select Coffee Card as well. This unlimited package includes all the same specialty coffee drinks in addition to much more.
Second, you will need to consider your non-alcoholic drink preferences. If you will consume a moderate amount of soda, virgin cocktails, bottled water, and fresh-squeezed juices, then the Royal Refreshment Drink Package might be right for you.
This package’s onboard price is between $29-38 per person, per day.
This plan gives cruisers unlimited choices of premium coffees and teas, soda (including the souvenir cup), bottled water (both sparkling and still), freshly squeezed orange juice, and non-alcoholic frozen drinks. Essentially, you can enjoy almost any non-alcoholic beverage with the exception of Starbucks.
Thus, if you get the Royal Refreshment Drink Package, you will not need a Café Select Coffee Card either. Again, this package includes all the same specialty coffee drinks and more.
However, if don’t drink much alcohol and specialty coffee is your primary non-alcoholic consumption, then the Royal Caribbean Café Select Coffee Card is probably your best option.
This card can save you up to around 50% on individually purchased coffees. For example, an iced latte, my primary coffee drink of choice, is priced at $4.25 (+18% gratuity). Fifteen lattes would cost $63.75 versus the $31 Café Select Coffee Card.
Of course, specialty coffee prices do vary from about $2.50 to $5 per drink.
Some other things to consider are the drink vouchers if you are Diamond level or above in the Crown and Anchor Society, that you are allowed to bring two bottles of wine per stateroom onboard the ship, and that you can pre-purchase cases of water to be delivered to your stateroom.
Our Analysis for Purchasing the Royal Caribbean Café Select Coffee Card
Across several drink package analyses throughout the years, we average around 5 alcoholic drinks each per day. We also drink about 2 specialty coffees each per day and multiple bottles of water.
Given the recent enhancements to the Crown and Anchor Benefits for Diamond and above members, we now get four free drink vouchers. These vouchers are good to use whenever and wherever we want on the ship.
Previously, Diamond and above members could enjoy a “Happy Hour” in the Lounge every evening from 5 to 8 pm. Or, cruisers could opt to use three vouchers during these hours to get eligible drinks at other bars around the ship.
However, Royal Caribbean is now allowing guests to use the vouchers for any drink up to $13. The cruise line is now also allowing individuals to redeem vouchers throughout the whole day. Further, the number of vouchers have increased. Diamond cruisers now receive 4 drink vouchers, Diamond Plus 5 vouchers, and Pinnacle 6 vouchers.
With this new perk, it no longer makes financial sense for us to purchase the Deluxe Drink Package. So, for our recent Royal Caribbean cruises, we have each purchased a Café Select coffee card and a case of bottled water.
This total cost is around $54 (+gratuity) per person for the entire week. This is considerably cheaper than purchasing the Royal Refreshment package considering we don’t really drink soda or juice.
Even if we pay for an additional alcoholic drink or two each day, it is also still considerably cheaper than purchasing the Deluxe drink package.
While it would be even better if we could redeem the card at Starbucks, we love the Royal Caribbean Café Select Coffee Card. These cards are a great value and provide us with the caffeine fix we need during our cruises.
Comments
Have you purchased a Royal Caribbean Café Select Coffee Card? Do you think these cards are a good value? Drop us an anchor below to share your experiences using this card on Royal Caribbean cruise ships.
4 comments
Jo
Do they offer non dairy milk for lattes? Major factor for someone allergic to milk and alcohol 😉
Dan
On Odyssey of Seas and although there is no actual established written policy by RCL, the beverage manager says a double espresso is two shot and therefor two punches. I asked for RCL official documentation about this policy and he produced a flyer they hang on the walls. At that price point, you get 7 double espresso and one regular for the card. The total cost to purchase outright is $26 plus gray versus the $31 plus gray charged for the card. For me, this was a ripoff but if you like lattes, it provides a savings. The fact RCL can’t produce written policy on this rule is the most irritating fact of all, I never would have purchased had I known.
Teresa
I have a ?. Does the coffee card expire? Can any remaining punches be used on another cruise?
Jill
Great review! We purchased the card a couple of years ago on Jewel and were told that a “large” would count as two punches. I agree it’s inconsistent and cruisers should question more than one punch. 🙂