What time does AM coffee service start in Neptune lounges?

I am one of the millions of people in the western world who is not a civilized human being until she has had her morning caffeine fix, and will be traveling with a WW2 vet on a special group tour on HAL soon who is the same. I want him to have a really good time, as he does not get out much. We have a Neptune suite booked right near the lounge. He is an early riser.

How early does the lounge start offering self-serve coffee I could go get and bring back to the room, and is it strong enough to be drinkable? Or should I just bring caffeine tablets to hold us over ? :) In my experience on other (luxury) cruise lines, the room service coffee option was consistently and surprisingly pretty bad ( cold and/ or very weak).

Would HAL allow me, as a back-up, to bring on the little single serving cans of premade, pre-sweetened fortified Starbucks espresso you can buy in supermarkets, just like they allow you to bring on water? Thx in advance!

I am one of the millions of people in the western world who is not a civilized human being until she has had her morning caffeine fix, and will be traveling with a WW2 vet on a special group tour on HAL soon who is the same. I want him to have a really good time, as he does not get out much. We have a Neptune suite booked right near the lounge. He is an early riser.

 

How early does the lounge start offering self-serve coffee I could go get and bring back to the room, and is it strong enough to be drinkable? Or should I just bring caffeine tablets to hold us over ? :) In my experience on other (luxury) cruise lines, the room service coffee option was consistently and surprisingly pretty bad ( cold and/ or very weak).

 

Would HAL allow me, as a back-up, to bring on the little single serving cans of premade, pre-sweetened fortified Starbucks espresso you can buy in supermarkets, just like they allow you to bring on water? Thx in advance!

Cat,

I believe coffee is available in the Neptune Lounge starting at 7 am. If that is not correct for your cruise or if you want your coffee earlier than 7am, you can order it from Room Service 24 hours a day. (Don't forget to tip the RS server.)

Please give your husband my thanks for his service to our country.

Enjoy your cruise and smooth sailing,

Rod

Just off the Westerdam and the Neptune Lounge was open at 7 a.m. except on disembarkation day when it was open at 6 a.m.

I would say that the coffee is definitely strong enough and stronger in the PG for breakfast.

Expresso is also available at the coffee machine in the Neptune Lounge.

thx! ( not my husband, who is Mr. Catlover54 and cannot make this trip, but this vet was my sister's DH for 28 years until she suddenly died, and we are good family friends). I have learned a lot from him and other old vets ( over strong coffee or stronger wine) about how things were back in the day, and I have repeatedly thanked him.

You could bring a little personal thermos and fill it up the night before using a coffee cup keeping sanitary conditions to the coffee machine.

Would HAL allow me, as a back-up, to bring on the little single serving cans of premade, pre-sweetened fortified Starbucks espresso you can buy in supermarkets, just like they allow you to bring on water? Thx in advance!

We have never tried taking those onboard but we do take the Starbucks Via Instant everywhere we go. They are tiny and convenient and have enough "kick" for us :)

I don't have a lot of experience with the Neptune Lounge but have found the coffee to be quite decent. The one trip that I didn't care for the regular coffee, I filled my cup with the espresso from the machine, and that was decent.

Have a wonderful trip!

There is also the Explorations Cafe for premium coffee. They might be open earlier.

igraf

I am one of the millions of people in the western world who is not a civilized human being until she has had her morning caffeine fix, and will be traveling with a WW2 vet on a special group tour on HAL soon who is the same. I want him to have a really good time, as he does not get out much. We have a Neptune suite booked right near the lounge. He is an early riser.

 

How early does the lounge start offering self-serve coffee I could go get and bring back to the room, and is it strong enough to be drinkable? ...

There is also the Explorations Cafe for premium coffee. They might be open earlier.

 

igraf

Explorations Cafe opens at 7:00 AM.

Here is the EC menu:

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Explorations-Cafe-Combined.pdf

thx! ... this vet was my sister's DH for 28 years until she suddenly died, and we are good family friends). I have learned a lot from him and other old vets ( over strong coffee or stronger wine) about how things were back in the day, and I have repeatedly thanked him.

... the WWII veterans were called "The Greatest Generation" for good reason ... they earned the appellation with their blood, sweat and tears, and I will be forever grateful to them ... God Bless all of our Veterans!!!

Smooth sailing,

Rod

Lido is open 24/7.

But if I were you and you all need your coffee sooner than 7 AM from the Neptune Lounge, just call Room Service when you get up and they will deliver it pretty quickly.

The coffee machine (you make your own, one cup at time) is available from the moment the Lounge opens in the morning. I take my first cup straight back to my room. Yum. It is good, strong coffee and you have the option to make the milked up stuff (cappuccino or whatever) or espresso or regular (strong!) coffee. You also have the choice of brewing decaf. But that is not what you're after, is it? ;)

I've had good luck with Room Service coffee in the mornings. It has always been hot and drinkable.

The other option is a trip to the Lido where you can fill a coffee mug and bring it back. We've done both.

I am one of the millions of people in the western world who is not a civilized human being until she has had her morning caffeine fix, and will be traveling with a WW2 vet on a special group tour on HAL soon who is the same. I want him to have a really good time, as he does not get out much. We have a Neptune suite booked right near the lounge. He is an early riser.

 

How early does the lounge start offering self-serve coffee I could go get and bring back to the room, and is it strong enough to be drinkable? Or should I just bring caffeine tablets to hold us over ? :) In my experience on other (luxury) cruise lines, the room service coffee option was consistently and surprisingly pretty bad ( cold and/ or very weak).

 

Would HAL allow me, as a back-up, to bring on the little single serving cans of premade, pre-sweetened fortified Starbucks espresso you can buy in supermarkets, just like they allow you to bring on water? Thx in advance!

While the Neptune Lounge opens regularly at 7 am, they also open earlier (6 am, I believe) on port days when docking before 9, and on disembarkation day.

... the WWII veterans were called "The Greatest Generation" for good reason ... they earned the appellation with their blood, sweat and tears, and I will be forever grateful to them ... God Bless all of our Veterans!!!

From Wikipedia:

Very early... anytime past 5 AM is late for me, and I always order room service coffee. On my last cruise, I mentioned to my room service waiter (whom I tipped every morning), that I found the coffee too weak (I am from New Orleans). Thereafter, he brought me coffee from the crews' mess, dark and strong. Yum!

Is the hot water in the Neptune lounge sufficiently hot to make a decent cup of tea? Is room service tea better? Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

Explorations Cafe opens at 7:00 AM.

 

Here is the EC menu:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Explorations-Cafe-Combined.pdf

It didn't open until 8 when I was on the Noordam in March. I'm sure of that because I had to wait for it to open a few times. Best to consult the daily program.

While Lido and Room Service have 24/7 coffee, the coffee from the machine in Neptune Lounge is very much better, IMO.

If you don't want to wait for them to open at 7 A.M., you could start with a cup from Lido or Room Service to hold you over and then get a 'good' cup at 7. :)

Is the hot water in the Neptune lounge sufficiently hot to make a decent cup of tea? Is room service tea better? Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

I'm sorry that I cannot recall if the water was hot enough in the Neptune lounge but I do know that they brand of tea is a higher quality than what is available through room service. You can always take a couple bags back to your room and get hot water from room service if you find it to be better. I just know that I loved the tea in those little silk teabags

Yes -Hadley tea! I fell in love with it on Noordam last Fall and ordered it for home.

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Is the hot water in the Neptune lounge sufficiently hot to make a decent cup of tea? Is room service tea better? Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

I've always found the Neptune hot water to be fine for tea. And their selection of teas is usually excellent :)

And I hated the tea so they got PG Tips for me!

The Exploration Cafe hours can vary, even within a given cruise. I have purchased coffee earlier than 7am.

igraf

Explorations Cafe opens at 7:00 AM.

 

Here is the EC menu:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Explorations-Cafe-Combined.pdf

Yes -Hadley tea! I fell in love with it on Noordam last Fall and ordered it for home.

 

 

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Perhaps the TV has changed but when I was in the Neptune lounge the brand was Harney and Sons.

You are right. Auto correct disagrees, though. :-)

Thanks!

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