Coffee Aboard

[reefisher]

It's easier than you think. It only requires an older model hot air popcorn popper.

[GeriatricNurse]

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

 

Well, unless the product has changed, HAL serves "Beukenhorst" coffee, (at least in the Lido), because I saw the sealed packages that were being opened! :)

[bergjd]

We have been on the Oosterdam (7 days), Presindam (38 days), Statendam (14 days), and Amsterdam (68 days) within the last two years and the group I travel with are great coffee drinkers but dislike the coffee in the Lido.

 

That said, we have spent hours upon hours sitting in the Lido using the tables for our computers and have seen the Lido staff fill the coffee machines many times with bags of what we thought was ground coffee, but never once have we seen them empty out any grounds. What happens to the grounds? Or is it actually instant coffee?:confused:

[RuthC]

Or is it actually instant coffee?:confused:

It sure doesn't taste like instant coffee (blech).

If you've waited for a cuppa after the coffee is added, you know that it takes what seems like a very long time before you can draw a cup. It's brewing.

[glutenhab]

It's easier than you think. It only requires an older model hot air popcorn popper.

 

We roast green beans also, in a contraption that my son has made form an old popcorn maker, a small convection oven & parts from several other small appliances. He uses a rangehood for ventilation & it all works perfectly.

He roasts once a week & we grind, in an $800 grinder with hundreds of setting for different drinks, just before making.

He also uses a $3000 Espresso machine for espresso & all forms of specialty drinks, as well several French Presses (my personal favorite), an Aeropress & several other devices.

He works as a Barista & trains others in the art & this has hepled him pay his way through University. He hosts several bolgs on the subject as well

 

From all this you can imagine that I have been spoiled as far as coffee goes. Fresh beans & grinding just before use is the secret.

A cup of French Press from freshly roasted beans, ground perfectly just before the hot water hits it is heaven on earth!

 

I suspect it will take me some time to get used to HAL's coffee. Oh the sacrifices we have to make to cruise!!!

Very glad to hear that at least it's not the syrup that Princess uses.

[Cruise Girl Forever]

I added some hot water to mine and it took that burnt taste away.

[ellbelle]

I don't think the coffee in the Lido too bad, maybe a bit too strong after the first cup but it's a winner compared to Princess.

 

I am still trying out instant packets to get ready for our upcoming Princess cruise next summer. I tried Starbucks Columbian Instant, I thought it was nasty and it tasted like the Princess coffee I'm trying to get away from. I also tried packets of Necafe's Taster's Choice, that's not too bad. I am having problems finding the three packs of other Starbucks instant coffeess. We drink fresh ground coffee at home so I know that this will be tough. Has anyone tried the French Roast? Does anyone have any other recommendations for instant coffee packets?

[kazu]

Well, unless the product has changed, HAL serves "Beukenhorst" coffee, (at least in the Lido), because I saw the sealed packages that were being opened! :)

 

That's the name I saw on the bags in the PH - thanks GN:D

[iancal]

We find the coffee on Princess to be awful. Worse then awful...to our tastes at least.

 

HAL and Celebrity coffee is similar and just OK-certainly not as good or as strong as the product we drink at home. But, like others we grind beans just before brewing.

 

What I really like at HAL are those 2 cappuccinos, each with a double shot of expresso, that I get first thing in the AM in the MDR. They are PERFECT.

[nothriver]

I don't think the coffee in the Lido too bad, maybe a bit too strong after the first cup but it's a winner compared to Princess.

 

I am still trying out instant packets to get ready for our upcoming Princess cruise next summer. I tried Starbucks Columbian Instant, I thought it was nasty and it tasted like the Princess coffee I'm trying to get away from. I also tried packets of Necafe's Taster's Choice, that's not too bad. I am having problems finding the three packs of other Starbucks instant coffeess. We drink fresh ground coffee at home so I know that this will be tough. Has anyone tried the French Roast? Does anyone have any other recommendations for instant coffee packets?

 

I drink the Starbucks Via using half of a pkt of Via to about 10oz of hot water. I normally drink my coffee very strong and black so I would think most anyone would prefer the Via weaker than Starbucks recommendation of one pkg of Via to 8oz of hot water. I do prefer the French Roast or Italian version of Via ov the Columbian but am not a huge fan of Via, just drink it when it is better than the alternatives. I keep Via in my desk drawer at work for an occasional afternoon pick me up, and always take a box along for travel.

 

My local Walmart carries all varities of Starbucks Via, and you can get them at any Starbucks.

[ellbelle]

I drink the Starbucks Via using half of a pkt of Via to about 10oz of hot water. I normally drink my coffee very strong and black so I would think most anyone would prefer the Via weaker than Starbucks recommendation of one pkg of Via to 8oz of hot water. I do prefer the French Roast or Italian version of Via ov the Columbian but am not a huge fan of Via, just drink it when it is better than the alternatives. I keep Via in my desk drawer at work for an occasional afternoon pick me up, and always take a box along for travel.

 

My local Walmart carries all varities of Starbucks Via, and you can get them at any Starbucks.

 

I prefer black too. I'll try the French Roast (weaker) next time. My local Starbucks (in my neighborhood grocery store) is always out of the three packs. Never looked at Walmart though, will look the next time...

 

Thanks!

[chrispb]

We are going on our first HAL cruise in December, having previously been on Princess, and last year on Oceania. After reading about the coffee on Princess I always took a small jar or Nescafe Gold Blend (I don't know if you Americans know that), which is what I often drink at home and is the best of the instant coffees, to my way ofnthinking. I then just ask for a pot of hot water at breakfast. What is worse is the tea, which is my husband's choice of breakfast drink. Why can't non-Brits make a decent pot of tea? It is always weak and never seems to be made with boiling water, and he has very often had to ask the waiter for two tea bags and sent the water back. I think that this time we may take our own tea bags as well as the coffee!

 

I always used to take Nescafe too, but have now changed to Kenco Rich Brew - 3 heaped teaspoons per cup - now that's coffee. It comes in a resealable bag too, so much lighter to travel with. My colleagues call my coffee "tar" as it's so strong:D

Can't stand StarMucks:eek:

[travel123456]

Just to confuse the issue since we all have different coffee tastes..but...

 

 

do they only serve cream, 1/2 1/2 milk, or do they have flavored creamers????

[RuthC]

do they only serve cream, 1/2 1/2 milk, or do they have flavored creamers????

I'm willing to bet my cruise budget that cream isn't served with the coffee; it's half & half. And sometimes I think that's been watered down a bit. There's also milk offered.

There is no flavored creamer that I have ever seen. And I do look.

[piscesgal223]

I wouldn't mind if they had a few flavoured creamers-preferably hazelnut and vanilla.Otherwise,I'll just take half and half.

[luxurysailer]

I was recently with a group of eight on the Amsterdam. We all agreed that the coffee in the Lido was drinkable, but that was about as far as anyone would go. On the other hand, several of us had decaf coffee in the MDR at the evening meal and found it to be very good.

 

We found the high octane coffee in the MDR at breakfast and lunch to be inferior to their decaf served at dinner. HAL's MDR decaf served with dinner is the only decaf coffee I've ever had that I thought was good.

[travel123456]

I wouldn't mind if they had a few flavoured creamers-preferably hazelnut and vanilla.Otherwise,I'll just take half and half.

 

hmmm...may have to make a trip to smart and final and get the little ones that are liquid(much better than the powdered ones they sell at the grocery store) so that I have it!!!

[thetexasaggiecruiser]

We're sailing on Jan 2nd on the Noordam, and as this is our first Holland America cruise in over a decade, I came looking to see if the coffee had improved since we last sailed. Back then, it was really (for us) unpalatable, so we bought a French Press and coffee at one of the stops, and had the stewards bring boiling water. Based on what I've read, I believe we'll bring along that same French Press and do the same thing this time. I'm not thrilled about having my coffee ground 11 days in advance, or having another thing to pack. But we're pretty picky about coffee, so sounds like we'd better be prepared. Thanks for all the great insight!

[barante]

We took a 28-day Nieuw Amsterdam TA and I hated their regular coffee. Yes, they made it from ground beans, but it was awful. So I switched to tea and was very happy. Did continue drinking coffee in ports.

[deer30084]

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

No matter what brand of coffee you drink, you'll still need a spoon to stir in your sweetener and cream. If on the Westerdam, save your spoon once you get it! You'll need it later if ordering from room service.

[barante]

The coffee served at the Nieuw Amsterdam's Lido, and presumably also in MDR, was some Dutch brand I have never heard of. Came in largish bags. It's not high-octane Starbucks, not even close. As I said before I hated it. However several venues, including Exploration Cafe, served some non-Starbucks premium brand for which there was an extra charge.

One item of note: After-dinner expresso was free in MDR. It was pretty good but kept me awake.

One thing about cruising is that you can experiment. Dissatisfied with the NA's orange juice, I switched into guava at breakfast and liked it.

[Rinderoo]

Wow. Who knew I would learn so much about coffee on these boards?

I can't imagine being on a cruise ship for a long voyage with deplorable coffee. The instant is a good idea though.

 

Add me to the list who can't stand SB. I like Panera, but locally the Speedway gas station has great coffee. All at a dollar a cup. No complaints here.

[TheCalicoCat]

It's easier than you think. It only requires an older model hot air popcorn popper.

 

Does your popcorn as a result have a coffee flavor? (Serious question - I still air pop my pop corn.)

[m steve]

After tasting the room service and Lido coffee I drank either the Via we brought or hot chocolate. The coffee was as bad as Princess. We use a French roast at home and like strong coffee in the morning.

[GeriatricNurse]

The coffee served at the Nieuw Amsterdam's Lido, and presumably also in MDR, was some Dutch brand I have never heard of. Came in largish bags. It's not high-octane Starbucks, not even close. As I said before I hated it. However several venues, including Exploration Cafe, served some non-Starbucks premium brand for which there was an extra charge.

One item of note: After-dinner expresso was free in MDR. It was pretty good but kept me awake.

One thing about cruising is that you can experiment. Dissatisfied with the NA's orange juice, I switched into guava at breakfast and liked it.

 

It is called "Beukenhorst!! :)