coffee - refresh my memory?

[indycrew]

soooo, did my first Princess cruise, and was unhappy with the coffee. I upset the Princess cheerleaders that were sure all major lines use that nasty syrup stuff. I was sure that I saw personnel filling the coffee outside the Windjammer with ground coffee....is my memory faulty?

We have been 2 years away from RCCL...:confused:

[Beth C]

soooo, did my first Princess cruise, and was unhappy with the coffee. I upset the Princess cheerleaders that were sure all major lines use that nasty syrup stuff. I was sure that I saw personnel filling the coffee outside the Windjammer with ground coffee....is my memory faulty?

We have been 2 years away from RCCL...:confused:

 

no matter what type of coffee they use... it's still not great! Usually takes me at least 3 days to figure out how to calibrate the best ratio of cream/sugar to make it drinkable lol

[mamapan]

I don't think I've ever had a decent cup of coffee in the WJ. The MDR coffee is better by far and even that isn't so great.

[packedandready]

I only drink the decaf in the WJ....only kind I can get down.

[Langley Cruisers]

Just off Brilliance and one day I saw an empty Seattle's Best Coffee bag beside the coffee machine in WJ. It eased my mind about the syrup-concoction I believe they used to use, but still could not drink it. I am not a coffee snob but it truly was undrinkable, sadly. I drank tea for the remainder of the cruise, just to get my caffeine. Oh well. :)

[indycrew]

maybe we need to lay down the gauntlet....why, why, why can't you get great coffee on a cruiseship?? McDonald's can do it, for heaven's sake! After a nice dinner you should be able to get a great cup of coffee.

[newlifeca]

We recently sailed on AOS and they served Seattle's best at the different venues on the ship. Or more specifically, it's the free coffee. I've had better, and I've had worse. It got the job done!

[keeponrckn]

I've never had a problem with the coffee on Royal. I'm curious as to why people think it's so horrible? Too weak, too strong, funky taste?

[Langley Cruisers]

Too weak, too strong, funky taste?

 

 

All of the above. At any given time. :p

[Vanilla]

Only time I have had a good cup of coffee on Princess, Royal Caribbean or Carnival - is when I use to sneak my coffee maker on in a rolling cooler. Now I just tell myself that its a cruise - and I don't have to wash dishes/clean/nor go to work... somehow makes the coffee taste a lot better!

[readytogo2]

maybe we need to lay down the gauntlet....why, why, why can't you get great coffee on a cruiseship?? McDonald's can do it, for heaven's sake! After a nice dinner you should be able to get a great cup of coffee.

 

When we go to McDonald's we pay for the coffee, when I cruise with Princess, I get great coffee, but only because I pay for it. So the moral of the story is, you get what you pay for...or in this case what you pay extra for.:(

[marci22]

On our recent cruise we asked them how they made the terrible coffee and our waiter told us that they mixed a powder, not grounds, with water, to make the coffee.

[mamapan]

I've never had a problem with the coffee on Royal. I'm curious as to why people think it's so horrible? Too weak, too strong, funky taste?

 

Pretty much all of the above.

 

Sometimes it's been so strong my spoon has almost dissolved in it.

 

Sometimes it tastes like hot water that had a solitary coffee bean dipped in it for a few seconds.

 

Sometimes it had a weird taste that was almost soapy (I may have had my mouth washed out a few times as a child...).

 

It seems to have gotten a little better but once or twice it was so bad I almost totally gave up coffee. I'm not a coffee snob either but I just like a cuppa that (1) actually tastes like coffee and (2) isn't bitter as Hades.

 

I remember one cruise we were in Nassau & just started exploring on our own...we turned down a few side streets here and there and happened upon Nirvana!!! DUNKIN DONUTS!! Everyone in there we spoke with was from New England and very happy to have found a good place for coffee.

[phish tales]

no matter what type of coffee they use... it's still not great! Usually takes me at least 3 days to figure out how to calibrate the best ratio of cream/sugar to make it drinkable lol

 

 

that's why your coffee tastes bad. i always drink coffee black. by adding C&S you are not drinking coffee, you have a cup of sweetened warm milk with a slight coffee flavor.:eek: get rid of those added items, than and only than can you enjoy the true flavor of coffee. (not hot sweetened milk)

 

remember this is IMHO..

[bigque]

Wow! I never thought the coffee was that bad. I wouldn't purchase whatever they are using in the supermarket, but it was always good enough to get my daily morning coffee fix. I will say however the coffee they brought to the room in the mornings and in the MDR at dinner on The Serenade was better than what they served in the WJ.

[richstowe]

Just of the Mariner and thought the coffee was OK (just). My problem was the cream or rather the lack of it.

The "cream" was Coffee-Mate type. Wondering if this was because we were on a Mediterranean cruise or does RCI never have real cream?

[dthomaso]

I'm ex-military. I became used to field coffee from c-rations. Cruise coffee is a luxury. Hot, black and early morning.

[foxesden1]

Crap. Cruise croffee, from the MDR, WJ, or made in the cafe, fresh with grounds, is all CRAP. I am so sorry, but move to tea while you are onboard, and grab a java in port!

[foxesden1]

Pretty much all of the above.

 

Sometimes it's been so strong my spoon has almost dissolved in it.

 

Sometimes it tastes like hot water that had a solitary coffee bean dipped in it for a few seconds.

 

Sometimes it had a weird taste that was almost soapy (I may have had my mouth washed out a few times as a child...).

 

It seems to have gotten a little better but once or twice it was so bad I almost totally gave up coffee. I'm not a coffee snob either but I just like a cuppa that (1) actually tastes like coffee and (2) isn't bitter as Hades.

 

I remember one cruise we were in Nassau & just started exploring on our own...we turned down a few side streets here and there and happened upon Nirvana!!! DUNKIN DONUTS!! Everyone in there we spoke with was from New England and very happy to have found a good place for coffee.

 

OMG that is the ONLY reason to get off the ship in Nassau IMPO! I know just the location you are speaking of! Heck, I took a photo for our TR

[negrilbride]

On Oasis last year, the free coffee was Seattle's Best which I've never been a huge fan of.

 

Sometimes it was decent, sometimes it was lousy. I got the best cups of coffee at the Cafe Promenade and at the Donut Shop. At other places it alternated between way too strong to very weak. It seemed consistently pretty good at those 2 locations though.

[Langley Cruisers]

Wondering if this was because we were on a Mediterranean cruise or does RCI never have real cream?

 

Us too on our recent Med cruise! I was DYING for real cream. Could not get any to save my life! On all our North American cruises, we have seen real cream. I suppose it could be the European itinerary. :(

[Sequim88]

Thanks for the heads up on the non-cream. I avoid that stuff whenever possible due to hydrogenated oils and other nasty ingredients. I wonder how strict the "liquids" screening would be for a bunch of the little cups of UHT (shelf stable) real cream.

 

As for the coffee.... never had any problem with it at all. MDR does have a better tasting brew but WJ or room service is fine with us. One thought about people who do not like it or think ti tastes strange. The water it is made from. Ship water is really pure (distilled with just a little trace minerals added back in - like most bottled water) so should have no impact on the taste. Water from various regions vaies greatly in taste. I know our water at home has a HUGE mineral content. Perhaps ship coffe tastes "bad" because it is not made from the water people are used to.

[ksadonnab]

Not so good for me on my last cruise. :(

[flashcat]

We always buy Folgers coffee bags and get the hot water in the Windjammer. Could not drink their stuff.

[The-Dude]

soooo, did my first Princess cruise, and was unhappy with the coffee. I upset the Princess cheerleaders that were sure all major lines use that nasty syrup stuff. I was sure that I saw personnel filling the coffee outside the Windjammer with ground coffee....is my memory faulty?

We have been 2 years away from RCCL...:confused:

 

Why make a big deal about coffee? Lackluster coffee is not going to kill you. Most cruises last 7 days at the most; an insignificant portion of your entire lifetime.

 

There's a lot to enjoy during a vacation. I'd rather focus on the fun parts of my cruise, rather than nitpicking on little things, like coffee beans and condiments.