Just how bad is the coffee on Princess ?

I don't consider myself a coffee slob. I like Dunkin Donuts, Folgers, Hardees/Carl Junior , Starbucks, Lavazza and a few others. But I absolutely can't stand Bojangles or Maxwell House.

So, what would you compare Princess coffee to ?

I'm glad you're not a slob with your coffee...that could be messy! With the exception of the Royal and regal where the coffee is brewed, the other ships serve coffee made from a syrup....tastes as good as it sounds. I like Starbucks and always get a coffee card.

Coffee

If you are on the Royal or Regal the free coffee is prepared from grounds. It tastes like most restaurant coffee.

On all other ships the free coffee is prepared from a liquid concentrate. It is the same as the coffee you would get at a place like Burger King where you get a cup and fill your own coffee from a spigot. To me it's fine,contains the necessary amount of caffine to keep you alert, but to many it has no flavor, especially those who prefer coffee like Starbucks with its strong burnt flavor.

If you purchase the coffee card you can get unlimited brewed coffee (drip) for the entire cruise plus punches for 15 espresso drinks. Unused punches never expire and can be used on future Princess cruises.

I don't drink coffee, but DH thinks the syrup coffee tastes like Taster's Choice instant.

 

Some say it depends on how much sugar and cream you use. If you use enough, it tastes fine. ;)

It's horrible.

I normally avoid drinking coffee when I cruise internationally or when visiting the USA. Princess needs to start employing Italian or Australian baristas to make decent coffee.

With enough cream and sugar, EVERYTHING is delicious! HAHA! :D

 

I'm not a coffee "fanatic" either, and drink whatever our local diners serve.

As a result, I never noticed that the coffee on Princess (or any of the ships) was any better or worse than any of the places you mentioned.

 

One thing you might want to do is bring some of those paper cups with lids for your coffee-to-go, as most ships only have actual ceramic cups. They paper ones hold more and are easier to carry around without spilling!

 

I usually take them from whatever hotel I stay at before the cruise, or grab a couple while I am traveling for work.

 

I'm not a germaphobe, per se, but plastic-wrapped water and coffee cups that hotels use work best for us on the ships!!

If we don't purchase the AIBP - which includes brewed and specialty coffees - we either purchase coffee cards or, now that we are finally Elite, trade in our mini bar for coffee cards. I do not consider myself a coffee snob either, but I do not like the buffet coffee made with syrup. It is worth the purchase of a coffee card to be able to get the fresh brewed coffee at the IC, and the occasional Specialty coffee, too. The good thing is that you can use the unpunched specialty coffee slots on future cruises, so don't throw a card away if you don't get all the specialty coffees. You don't get the free brewed coffee on future cruises - just the one that you buy the card on.

I normally avoid drinking coffee when I cruise internationally or when visiting the USA. Princess needs to start employing Italian or Australian baristas to make decent coffee.

 

Yeah, that will happen. It is funny but whenever I visited Sydney coffee was one of the last things I was interested in. Now, pub crawling is another matter.

If you want to look at it from a "the cup's half full" instead of "the cup's half empty" standpoint, it's much better than airline coffee.

If we have Sip and Sail I think we can get the good coffee. First Princess cruise for us ----- where do you get the good coffee??!!

I normally avoid drinking coffee when I cruise internationally or when visiting the USA. Princess needs to start employing Italian or Australian baristas to make decent coffee.

 

In another CC thread it was posted that about a year ago Princess announced it had partnered with the American Barista and Coffee School in Portland, OR to train their baristas.

 

I don't know how extensive the training is, but as a Portlander myself, we take our coffee seriously. And baristas from here often win or are finalists in major contests. Portland hosted the 2012 World Barista Championship.

 

I'll be taking my first Princess cruise next May; so I'm eager to try the lattes on board. Just in case that doesn't pan out, I'm researching for great coffee shops at the ports. I grew up in the midwest where Folger's was the default coffee, but it didn't take long living in the Pacific Northwest (maybe it's all the rainy weather) to gain an appreciation for well-brewed coffee.

I don't consider myself a coffee slob. I like Dunkin Donuts, Folgers, Hardees/Carl Junior , Starbucks, Lavazza and a few others.

If you like Dunkin' Donuts, you'll be fine. Like everything else, taste is subjective. I've observed that people who prefer Starbucks hate the ship's coffee. People who like DD, are fine with it.

 

I personally hate Starbucks and every time I've tried it, I've had to throw it away. Way too bitter for my taste.

I don't consider myself a coffee slob. I like Dunkin Donuts, Folgers, Hardees/Carl Junior , Starbucks, Lavazza and a few others. But I absolutely can't stand Bojangles or Maxwell House.

So, what would you compare Princess coffee to ?

 

I don't consider the syrup coffee drinkable. I think most people who ask this question will not like the syrup coffee. I would say it is about tied with airline coffee, maybe worse. Actually, if I needed caffeine to stay awake and nothing else was available, I would drink the syrup coffee, but I'd rather take a caffeine pill. I would never drink it for pleasure.

 

DH and I used to roast and grind our own beans and make our espresso with a Pavoni. Now we don't drink coffee often enough to bother (too much caffeine for DH, too much acid for me). We have a Nespresso but no longer even bother to use it. Now when I want coffe, which is not often, I use instant Medaglia d'Oro espresso. You can bring your preferred instant to breakfast and ask for hot water.

 

Coffee at IC is not bad.

My DH has never had a problem with their coffee. He finds he likes it just fine.

I am not a fan of Princess free coffee, however, in a pinch, I will drink it. :)

I do drink coffee from the coffee bar, I prefer it.

The coffee in the MDR and buffet is "just okay" IMHO.

I am a coffee consumer..every single day. I do not think the coffee there is that bad, however, I do bring a packet of instant coffee to add a little bit more flavor if needed or wanted.

 

I also get the coffee card and so enjoy my "Foo Foo" coffee drinks <lattes>.

 

Its another one of those things on a cruise ship that I might think is okay and the next table over is making faces after taking a sip sitting in the buffet area.

So, with that being said, I tried the crème Brule for desert one night because it was considered one of the top desserts that one must have.

Well, it was a slight let down as I was expecting s really great tasting dessert and it was "just okay".

Good idea to take a small jar on board or buy the coffee card. The former is more convenient, especially if you have a deck bag.

If we have Sip and Sail I think we can get the good coffee. First Princess cruise for us ----- where do you get the good coffee??!!

 

International Cafe and (I think) at least some of the bars.

Starbucks never. Princess yes

Princes coffee is fine,

DD-GAK. :rolleyes:

Do they have alcoholic coffees at the bar? I love a strong Spanish coffee in the afternoon :)

Regular coffee varies. I have had a lunch in MDR where the coffee was really quite good. I got a refill during that same lunch and it was some of the worst coffee I have ever tasted. Different batch I guess.

 

I normally get a coffee card anymore. I drink the regular coffee with dinner as I don't like to make the staff go and "fetch" me fresh brewed coffee but in the morning and during the day I drink fresh brewed from IC (or La Patisserie if there is no IC). We always purchase a coffee card for my wife so she can have snazzy coffee and once in a while I have her use a punch for me as well.

I normally avoid drinking coffee when I cruise internationally or when visiting the USA. Princess needs to start employing Italian or Australian baristas to make decent coffee.

 

Agreed! But you can be lucky. On Dawn Princess we were able to get excellent espresso from the Patisserie last August. They had an really good barista there.

 

Yeah, that will happen. It is funny but whenever I visited Sydney coffee was one of the last things I was interested in. Now, pub crawling is another matter.

 

On the Aussie-based ships it actually might happen. The coffee culture down here is quite different to the US and many Australians and NZers are passionate about their coffee. Our coffee culture is closest to Italy although we would horrify the Italians by drinking the milk-based espresso drinks at all times of the day, not just in the morning.

I'll be taking my first Princess cruise next May; so I'm eager to try the lattes on board.

 

The main problem with lattes onboard is that they use UHT (Ultra High Temperature) treated milk since, obviously, they can't get fresh milk.

 

The UHT milk develops a nasty taste when steamed so the lattes taste horrible. :(

 

I usually drink lattes at home but switch to espressos onboard. Luckily I like both. ;)