Bad Princess coffee, waste & other observations. Comments?

[NSWP]

Horizon Court coffee is so bad I am taking a couple of cartons of those Nescafe' cappucino sachets on my next cruise, next month, add hot water and you have something drinkable. I still buy the coffee cards on board though, for something half decent. You would think by now Carnival Corp would do something about that Horizon Court coffee from those infernal dispensers. I mean what is the same dispensed coffee like on other Carnival Corp ships, these days, e.g. Cunard, HAL, Costa, P&O etc? Anybody know?

 

Still and all, if bad HC coffee is my only gripe with Princess, I can live with that, too many positives things about cruising on Princess to worry about the coffee quality, easily fixed 'as above.'

[BlueSkySunshine]

I must agree, the coffee is nearly un-drinkable ~ terribly bitter.

The paper waste is over the edge ~ unless it all gets recycled and used again ~

that would make it okay!

[MargoK]

With all the threads about bad coffee, I was a little nervous as to what I would find. BUT I found the coffee was fine, except in the Horizon Court Buffet if it had been sitting too long and was lukewarm.

 

Found the coffee served by the waiters (including the Horizon) at the table for breakfast and lunch was nice and hot and tasted fine. We did ask a waiter why the coffee varied, and he said it was all the same, but the self serve in the Horizon, as we thought, had just been sitting too long.

 

No need for a coffee card at all. Did once ask for a Flat White (thats what Aussies and Kiwis drink a lot of) and it was disgusting!

 

We enjoyed our cruise immensely and couldn't really fault anything. If anything did annoy us we just moved on! Like the selling of Soda and Coffee cards - just told them we had already bought one problem solved.

 

Photos - no thanks. A real money spinner, but I concede if you were on with the family, it was a great opportunity to have decent portraits done at a reasonable price.

 

Art Auction - a great laugh, can't believe some people have so much money to spend. But hey another money spinner for Princess, which keeps the fares down! Besides my credit card facility is limited for a reason.

[iancal]

Believe it or not Princess make it to the short list on our last two or three cruises. When all was said and done we selected another line for both cruises..or was it three. Everything was equal so we decided against Princess because of the awful coffee and the poor beds. On our last two Princess cruises we had to ask for mattress toppers. Apart from those two items, we really do like Princess.

[rocker57]

We are taking our first cruise next month, and I was reading this thread - you have to pay for your coffee? I don't drink much coffee, but I will have a couple of cups through the day and perhaps one with dinner. Also, the coffee cards, are they good for a certain amount of coffee - for example $50 worth of coffee.

 

With regards to putting shampoo etc dispensers, I bring my own shampoo & conditioner as I like my own brands, so putting in dispensers to me is a waste and takes up room - well I sometimes put my own bottles on top:)

[u2cruiser]

Horizon Court coffee is so bad I am taking a couple of cartons of those Nescafe' cappucino sachets on my next cruise, next month, add hot water and you have something drinkable. I still buy the coffee cards on board though, for something half decent. You would think by now Carnival Corp would do something about that Horizon Court coffee from those infernal dispensers. I mean what is the same dispensed coffee like on other Carnival Corp ships, these days, e.g. Cunard, HAL, Costa, P&O etc? Anybody know?

 

Still and all, if bad HC coffee is my only gripe with Princess, I can live with that, too many positives things about cruising on Princess to worry about the coffee quality, easily fixed 'as above.'

 

P&O dispensed coffee is just the same as Princess, unfortunately, though they have Douwe Egberts sachets in the cabins, so you can easily take a sachet to the buffet and add hot water. :)

[MicheleCda]

As far as the paper goes, I agree in principle, but it IS recycled, which is something. Part of it is the lack of an interactive TV system aboard the ships, which would alleviate some of the need, the other is that some of the material sent out ad-wise is probably paid for, just like the ads in your local paper.

 

How do you know it's being recycled? Are there both trash and recycle bins in the rooms? I don't think people have problems with the amount of paper being generated and thrown away because of the monetary cost (who pays for it) but with the environmental cost. At least this is my take on the issue.

 

I laughed at how defensive some people get when another posts a complaint. People shouldn't take it so personally! I'm a coffee drinker and I too would expect to be able to get a complimentary coffee that was fresh brewed - on a cruise ship, at an all-inclusive resort, etc. I had no idea the coffee was made from a concentrate (something which if you do enjoy good coffee will probably not be palatable!) so will be buying a coffee card.

 

Can the coffee card be used in the restaurants, dining room, etc. or only if you make a stop at the International Cafe?

[MicheleCda]

I don't care for the coffee either, but I bring my own travel French Press and favorite coffee (Cubita), order hot water and make my own. I need coffee before I even go out of my room!

 

Did the bad coffee ruin your cruise?

 

I just booked a cruise this morning having gone almost a year without a cruise, I am having withdrawals and miss the bad coffee...

 

 

What a fantastic idea with bringing a small French press - thanks, I'm now going to do the same! Being a coffee drinker, I like to have a cup within minutes of waking :).

[1025cruise]

We are taking our first cruise next month, and I was reading this thread - you have to pay for your coffee? I don't drink much coffee, but I will have a couple of cups through the day and perhaps one with dinner. Also, the coffee cards, are they good for a certain amount of coffee - for example $50 worth of coffee.

 

With regards to putting shampoo etc dispensers, I bring my own shampoo & conditioner as I like my own brands, so putting in dispensers to me is a waste and takes up room - well I sometimes put my own bottles on top:)

 

Coffee is free. Coffee is made from a syrup. Some people don't prefer it. All ships have a coffee bar which has fresh brewed coffee, which is a charge. My advice, try the free stuff first, if you like it, stick with it. Otherwise, try the cup at the bar. At that point, decide whether or not you want to spend the money per cup, or buy the coffee card.

 

My opinion is that for each person here on CC that complains about the coffee, there are 10 that don't have an issue with it.

[Pia1913]

We are taking our first cruise next month, and I was reading this thread - you have to pay for your coffee? I don't drink much coffee, but I will have a couple of cups through the day and perhaps one with dinner. Also, the coffee cards, are they good for a certain amount of coffee - for example $50 worth of coffee.

 

:)

 

The coffee card is good for unlimited fresh brewed and unlimited hot chocolate and designer tea. The card has 15 punches for specialty coffees (capuccinos, lattes, etc) and if you don't use all your punches you can continue using your card on your next Princess cruise. You just need to have one punch remaining in order to continue getting the free stuff. Total cost of card is $27.60 which includes gratuity.

[Stevesan]

For those of you that can't stand the "regular" coffee ( I am one of those) you should definitely stop by the International Cafe for a cup of coffee--I think it costs $1 for a freshly brewed cup if you are paying out of pocket.

 

If you get the coffee card and don't want the lattes,mochas, etc--order an Americano which is a couple of espresso shots and hot water to make what looks like a brewed cup of coffee, except that it tastes a lot better. BTW: Two espresso shots equals the caffeine level of a 12oz brewed cup of coffee. Plus, with the coffee card you also get unlimited cups of fresh brewed coffee.

 

It does seem odd that you can't get a decent cup of coffee in the dining rooms without paying for it. I'd be fine getting "good" coffee in the dining rooms and the "syrup" coffee in the buffets. Similar to the idea of the soft serve ice cream available on deck and freshly made ice cream in the dining rooms.

How about it Princess?!

 

Also agree about the ridiculousness of the excess paper delivered to the cabin that gets tossed out daily...can't they just post the info on the television in each cabin, and just print up a patter for each cabin. At least they could give each cabin the option of receiving all the paper or going paperless. How about small monitors/kiosks stationed throughout the ship that passengers can look up what activities are happening that day? There has to be a way to reduce the amount of wasted paper.

 

How about it Princess?!

 

The baristas are directed to take two punches from the coffee card for a double shot. Some do, some don't.

In the International Café and/or most bars:

Brewed coffee is $1.00/cup, most specialty coffees are $3.00, espresso $2.50.

$25 (+ gratuity) buys you a coffee card with fifteen punch outs for specialty coffees, and unlimited brewed coffee at the cafes and other lounges that have brewed coffee. You can also use it in the dining rooms for specialty coffees. Since the coffee card is for a discrete quantity it's not time limited. If there are punchouts remaining at the end of the cruise the card will carry over to the next cruise.

__________________

For flier disposal, place a rectangular recycling container in each cabin vis a vis HAL.

[hansi]

I have to say that Princess coffee was the worst I'd had in over 30 years. It reminded me of buying old, stale coffee at gas stations or bargain department stores back in the 70s. There was an awful burnt taste too. By day 2, we were fed up.

 

Like posters said, we are not fancy coffee drinkers, nor do we drink any during the day. No cappuccino, espresso or flavoured coffee for us, so the coffee card would have been a waste. But the least we expected was a drinkable cup of coffee with breakfast. Very disappointed, to say the least.

 

There were only two "breakfast-coffee-only" drinkers included in our party of 10. But is is an important cup to start the day.

 

Princess' food is excellent, so we're shocked that they would even tarnish their reputation by serving this terrible brew. Perhaps they introduced these cards because of the few pax who drink lots of coffee throughout the day? But bear in mind that a stomach only has a certain capacity, so that one cannot eat as much, if one is full of coffee!

 

Princess coffee is inexcusable, but I bet there's NO point in complaining, as they could be conveniently deaf concerning this issue. My suggestion is to provide good coffee for free during breakfast hours only, just as they do juices. I wouldn't grudge having to pay for juice and coffee after this time. Soon they'll be charging for tea too. Where does it end?

 

Princess should try saving money by cutting down on the deplorable room-service waste. For example, a jug of cream is delivered for a single cup of coffee. Most of it gets poured down the drain, sadly. Instead, how about those single creamers that don't need refrigeration?

 

On a previous cruise, my travelling companion requested milk for coffee at buffet breakfast. A carton was brought, and only a splash was used.

 

On the topic of waste, it is time they introduced dispensers for shampoo, conditioner, lotion in the bathrooms. Too many mini bottles. Imagine the amount of plastic waste, with 3000 pax. A BIG bar of soap should be provided on first day, then replenished (with minis?) as seen fit by steward. Those mini bars are good for one-two day hotel stays only.

 

We were overwhelmed by the amounts of flyers & room-service order forms we received daily. A stack of 7 forms should be left in each cabin pre-cruise, so that unused ones remain for next batch of guests. All of our spa/shopping/etc ads were immediately put in the trash. All we wanted were our patters. I know there are those who welcome that stuff, but surely, there's a better way, like a glassed-in notice board near to each elevator?

 

My only other gripes were the horribly hard mattresses, even with the so-called topper, which was flat and worn-out.

 

If you're concerned about the waste, do what we do, if we get a full carton of milk with our morning tea delivered to the cabin, we use what we want and put the rest in the fridge. From then on, we order tea without milk until it is used up. Similarly, at the HC buffet.

[Whirlybird]

I find the coffee made from concentrate on Princess pretty deplorable. Some cruises I bring along a dozen of the Starbucks instant coffee, VIA. Just go up to Horizon Court and mix with hot water. Viola! Good coffee in an instant.

[Jules59]

My husband and I are both just morning coffee drinkers. If we order room service coffee in morning, it's not to bad. HC is undrinkable. At least for our tastes.

[Pia1913]

My husband and I are both just morning coffee drinkers. If we order room service coffee in morning, it's not to bad. HC is undrinkable. At least for our tastes.

 

It's the same coffee. You probably don't realize it first thing because your bodies are just anxious for caffeine.

[Jules59]

Sorry Pia, It just doesn't taste the same. My husband drinks his faster, so goes up to the HC for more. I've tasted it side by side. Not the same. Hmmm, maybe my husband does something to it on his way back. LOL!

JMO

[nimbusgirl]

After reading the threads about the coffee, I brought single serve packets of Starbucks Via and Mount Hagen Organic instant coffee onboard with me. I had twisted my ankle 6 days before the cruise and knew the walk from my aft cabin on baja deck of the Ruby to the international cafe would be too much. So hot water from the tap and one of the packets and I was good to go.

[u2cruiser]

After reading the threads about the coffee, I brought single serve packets of Starbucks Via and Mount Hagen Organic instant coffee onboard with me. I had twisted my ankle 6 days before the cruise and knew the walk from my aft cabin on baja deck of the Ruby to the international cafe would be too much. So hot water from the tap and one of the packets and I was good to go.

 

Hot water from the tap? In your cabin? :confused:

 

Welcome to cruise critic :)

[LoveThisCruisingThing]

Do you go on cruises to find things that are wrong in your eyes? Just go and enjoy yourself. Life is way too short to be looking for things to comment on.

[west coast cruiser]

do you go on cruises to find things that are wrong in your eyes? Just go and enjoy yourself. Life is way too short to be looking for things to comment on.

 

amen!!!

[Astro Flyer]

Do you go on cruises to find things that are wrong in your eyes? Just go and enjoy yourself. Life is way too short to be looking for things to comment on.

Particularly when they say that 80%-90% of Americans have never even cruised...we're pretty lucky IMHO. :D

[wifeofbedo]

I find the coffee made from concentrate on Princess pretty deplorable. Some cruises I bring along a dozen of the Starbucks instant coffee, VIA. Just go up to Horizon Court and mix with hot water. Viola! Good coffee in an instant.

 

 

 

Perfect solution! While we agree the coffee is bad, and we do order some hotwater to alter it with in our stateroom, the VIA Starbucks instant coffee would be a great alternative. I've had it, and I could hardly tell the diff...:D

[Pam in CA]

Coffee, like food, is very subjective. For instance, I've tried Starbucks several times and each time, had to toss it after a sip or two as I thought it was vile.

 

Beds are also subjective. That's why if you go to a mattress store, there are probably a hundred options. Some like it firm, others soft.

 

Because these are subjective, you'll never get a consensus with people taking both sides. Princess can't please everyone.

 

I'm currently on the Sapphire and the bed is very comfortable (for me) and I've seen little of the paper "rain" I've seen on previous cruises. Perhaps a flyer per day. Nothing excessive.

[Coral]

I'm currently on the Sapphire and the bed is very comfortable (for me) and I've seen little of the paper "rain" I've seen on previous cruises. Perhaps a flyer per day. Nothing excessive.

 

The Sapphire replaced some beds 3 weeks ago on the Sapphire. We saw them lined up outside and some being taken away. Unfortunately mine was not one that was being replaced and was awful. Maybe you got one of the new beds?

[24butterfly]

Just back from the Royal Princess, 12/29 to Tahiti. Thought the food was awful, in general. Thanks for the tips: Fetuccini alfredo, goat cheese souffle and escargots (2 ordsrs!), also lamb chops were outstanding. Otherwise, it was a fight with the menu every night. Beef medallions were kind of "baked" or boiled then baked---I wasn't expecting 5 star meals, but the way they prepared it , or maybe the quality of it--yesterday's meat stuff became today's Hawaiian Meatloaf--the coffee--liquid dark stuff that from the spiggot came out dark then water flowed.....Desserts at dinner were better--zuppa iglesa icecream, also hazelnut--excellent. B'fast in MDR was S-L-O-W not to mention limited items. Wanted eggs benedict--not in the MDR!! Much better off in the buffet!