overinvester Posted October 15, 2011 #1 Share Posted October 15, 2011 This might seem a silly question, but my husband who is a huge coffee fan, rather standard, room service or dining room, or specialty, he just can't stand Starbucks, and am hoping this is not what they serve. On our last Celebrity cruise they featured Seattles Best, but am fearful HAL serves Starbucks. Any input would be appreciated. Overinvester Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andeesue Posted October 15, 2011 #2 Share Posted October 15, 2011 It's not Starbucks, sorry, don't recall the brand, though it was an Italian one on my most recent cruise this April. This is in the Explorations Cafe, not the dining room. Isn't Seattle's Best owned by Starbucks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overinvester Posted October 15, 2011 Author #3 Share Posted October 15, 2011 No there not. Starbucks is just way to "burnt" tasting to him. Seattles Best is a nice mild blend. Thank you for your input on this "silly" but important issue. Overinvester:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 1025cruise Posted October 15, 2011 #4 Share Posted October 15, 2011 The free coffee available was fine to me, definitely not Starbucks. And yes, I do believe Starbucks does own Seattle's Best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare terrydtx Posted October 15, 2011 #5 Share Posted October 15, 2011 One of the few sub par things on HAL IMO is the terrible coffee they serve for meals and breakfast and room service. I believe it is intentional so that we have buy the better coffee in the Exploration Cafe for close to 5 bucks a cup.:mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glutenhab Posted October 15, 2011 #6 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Have read on Princess threads that they use a syrup for their coffee & comments that it is just terrible. Please tell me that HAL does NOT use a syrup! My son, 22 & still living with us, roasts his own beans & has an $800 grinder & a $3000 espresso machine & has me spoiled for the taste of FRESH coffee. I don't even realize how good his coffee is until I have to endure someone elses. I guess I will have to get used whatever HAL has and account for the extra spending in Explorations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted October 15, 2011 #7 Share Posted October 15, 2011 One of the few sub par things on HAL IMO is the terrible coffee they serve for meals and breakfast and room service. I believe it is intentional so that we have buy the better coffee in the Exploration Cafe for close to 5 bucks a cup.:mad: I don't think it accurate to say HAL charges close to $5 for a cup of coffee at Exploration Cafe. I also think the complimentary espresso and cappacino in the Main Dining Room for breakfast, lunch and dinner is very good. JMO..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Ellen Posted October 15, 2011 #8 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I believe Starbucks has owned SBC since July 2003. Kind of like how Carnival Corp owns HAL (among others). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare terrydtx Posted October 15, 2011 #9 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Have read on Princess threads that they use a syrup for their coffee & comments that it is just terrible.Please tell me that HAL does NOT use a syrup!. My last HAL cruise was 3 years ago and at that time the coffee was from a syrup. I couldn't wait to get my espresso at the Italian ports when we got off the ship.:) We eat breakfast in our cabin out on our Veranda and with room service the complementary espresso is not available.:mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted October 15, 2011 #10 Share Posted October 15, 2011 My last HAL cruise was 3 years ago and at that time the coffee was from a syrup. I couldn't wait to get my espresso at the Italian ports when we got off the ship.:) We eat breakfast in our cabin out on our Veranda and with room service the complementary espresso is not available.:mad: Choices......... all about choices. Not to mention the wonderful coffee machine in Neptune Lounge. Almost everyone agrees coffee there is excellent. We think it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted October 15, 2011 #11 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Please tell me that HAL does NOT use a syrup! HAL does not now, and to my knowledge never has, made coffee from a syrup. It is brewed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solocanadian Posted October 15, 2011 #12 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Espresso is available from room service if you ask. I did every morning on the Oosterdam this past spring. I'd ask for half espresso & half regular. Served in 2 pots - one medium & one small. They never let me down. Just had to hand write it on the breakfast card menu. Hal did serve Starbucks a few years ago but it proved unpopular. I do recall seeing coffee being made from syrup but that was many years ago. Coffee may be good in the Neptune Lounge but many, many of us are not able to partake of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare terrydtx Posted October 15, 2011 #13 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Espresso is available from room service if you ask. I did every morning on the Oosterdam this past spring. I'd ask for half espresso & half regular. Served in 2 pots - one medium & one small. They never let me down. Just had to hand write it on the breakfast card menu. Hal did serve Starbucks a few years ago but it proved unpopular. I do recall seeing coffee being made from syrup but that was many years ago. Coffee may be good in the Neptune Lounge but many, many of us are not able to partake of it. I saw syrup used 3 years ago on the Noordam at the Lido and was told by a crew member that syrup was used in all the dinning venues. I found it to be terrible. I will try asking for espresso on our cruise next month for room service breakfast. Can you order espresso free on the Lido for breakfast as well? What good is having good coffee in the Neptune Lounge when 90% of the passengers do not have access.:mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piscesgal223 Posted October 15, 2011 #14 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Hal's coffee is VERY strong(and still is even after adding cream and sugar-always been a cream and sugar-well, sugar substitute-gal, and always will be.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted October 15, 2011 #15 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I saw syrup used 3 years ago on the Noordam at the Lido and was told by a crew member that syrup was used in all the dinning venues. I found it to be terrible. I will try asking for espresso on our cruise next month for room service breakfast. Can you order espresso free on the Lido for breakfast as well? What good is having good coffee in the Neptune Lounge when 90% of the passengers do not have access.:mad: amazing as last year on the Zuiderdam we saw both beans in the galley tour and the penthouse! if I recall correctly, it looked like a Dutch blend but I'm not sure. Mind you, I rarely drink coffee in the Lido (except very early am when I am barely awake) so I can't comment too much there. I usually pick on the Neptune or the MDR coffee. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karennella Posted October 15, 2011 #16 Share Posted October 15, 2011 It's not Starbucks, sorry, don't recall the brand, though it was an Italian one on my most recent cruise this April. This is in the Explorations Cafe, not the dining room.Isn't Seattle's Best owned by Starbucks? There was little comparison between the coffee we had in our two weeks in Italy prior to our cruise, and what was available on the ship. Coffee was a not to our taste at all on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo-Bob Posted October 15, 2011 #17 Share Posted October 15, 2011 One of the few sub par things on HAL IMO is the terrible coffee they serve for meals and breakfast and room service. I believe it is intentional so that we have buy the better coffee in the Exploration Cafe for close to 5 bucks a cup.:mad: Not sure where you live, but ALL the coffee's in the Explorer's lounge are a real bargain. Where else can you get a med cafe mocha for $3.60? I keep waiting for those prices to go up, more in keeping with land prices. But they haven't and I'm grateful. And it's pretty good coffee. Maybe bring your own since you seem so offended by the choices on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boytjie Posted October 15, 2011 #18 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I saw syrup used 3 years ago on the Noordam at the Lido and was told by a crew member that syrup was used in all the dinning venues. Are you sure it was HAL? I saw them make coffee in the Lido and it was ground coffee. amazing as last year on the Zuiderdam we saw both beans in the galley tour and the penthouse! if I recall correctly, it looked like a Dutch blend but I'm not sure. Mind you, I rarely drink coffee in the Lido (except very early am when I am barely awake) so I can't comment too much there. I usually pick on the Neptune or the MDR coffee. :D IIRC correctly it was a dark brown bag of ground coffee I saw in teh Lido, could not see the brand name. Hal's coffee is VERY strong(and still is even after adding cream and sugar-always been a cream and sugar-well, sugar substitute-gal, and always will be.) HAL coffee s not nearly as strong as Starbucks. HAL's coffee is fine for me and I like stronger coffee, though I am not a huge Starbucks fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASIWISH Posted October 15, 2011 #19 Share Posted October 15, 2011 No there not. Starbucks is just way to "burnt" tasting to him. Seattles Best is a nice mild blend. Thank you for your input on this "silly" but important issue. Overinvester:eek: Starbuck's owns Seattles Best. Seattle Best is their "supermarket brand". Very low quality... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piscesgal223 Posted October 15, 2011 #20 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Starbucks is definitely strong(the reason I order their coffee and not much else..I know what I like there!) Last time I was on a HAL ship they definitely had the ground coffee and not syrup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASIWISH Posted October 15, 2011 #21 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Can you order Cappuccino from Room Service? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boytjie Posted October 15, 2011 #22 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Starbuck's owns Seattles Best. Seattle Best is their "supermarket brand". Very low quality... I don't consider it very low quality. They sell both Starbucks and Seattle's best in our work cafeteria - I get the SB. :) Starbucks is definitely strong(the reason I order their coffee and not much else..I know what I like there!) For me Starbucks is over-roasted/burnt; I have heard that happens when they try to mask lesser quality beans. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASIWISH Posted October 15, 2011 #23 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I don't consider it very low quality. They sell both Starbucks and Seattle's best in our work cafeteria - I get the SB. :) For me Starbucks is over-roasted/burnt; I have heard that happens when they try to mask lesser quality beans. ;) Peter: You are exactly right about Starbuck's being over-roasted. They make additional money buy buying coffee in large quantities a couple times a year. Coffee beans have oil in them. Oil gets rancid over time... they way they mask it is by over-roasting it. Most quality coffees buy coffee more frequently, thus it is fresher - so there is nothing to mask. (I'm in the coffee business). Starbuck's makes up for it with beautiful stores and employee arrogance!:p As for Seattle's Best, it's a good cup of Joe... but, it is a value brand, and as a result they must start with lesser quality beans. ever wonder why decaf doesn't cost more, even though it has been further processed adding cost? They simply use lesser quality beans to absorb that expense. So, Starbuck's Regular and Starbuck's Decaf are very different coffees... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piscesgal223 Posted October 15, 2011 #24 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I don't always go to Starbucks-in fact,I prefer my neighbourhood place which has unburned tasting coffee. Starbucks is my only option when I go to my parents' house-and they have free WiFi. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASIWISH Posted October 15, 2011 #25 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I don't always go to Starbucks-in fact,I prefer my neighbourhood place which has unburned tasting coffee. Starbucks is my only option when I go to my parents' house-and they have free WiFi. Sorry. I prefer Dunkin' Donuts or McDonald's... excellent coffee, at very reasonable prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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