Tea-making facilities in the stateroom.

[BORDER REIVER]

It seems that Cunard do not supply tea making facilities in the cabins/ staterooms, does anyone know why?

It's great to be able to put the kettle on as soon as you get out of bed in the morning, then sit on the balcony a cup of hot chocolate and a biscuit last thing at night after you've had a shower and got into bed.

Is it for safety reasons or because topping up the tea/coffee/cocoa/milk/sugar twice a day is too much work? Just wondered.

[BlueRiband]

From Cunard's FAQ:

 

"Can I bring a kettle with me?

 

Hot water can be obtained on board and due to health and safety reasons we would discourage you from bringing a kettle.

 

If you are bringing a kettle, please make this known when boarding the ship so that the appliance can be tested."

 

Hot beverages are available 24/7 in the lido or from room service.

[Barnacle Betty]

Good question. I'm not sure the exact answer perhaps others may know. I don't think its a cost issue or considered an extra chore since the grill cabins don't have it either. I have been on other lines that have it, usually just suites, and it is very convenient early morning or late at night. It could be Cunard just prefers to provide it as part of their service. I just call room service and have it delivered, it is usually fairly fast.

[BORDER REIVER]

We appreciate the replies. We only wondered because on our last two cruises with Fred Olsen and P&O, we had tea-making facilities and biscuits provided and regularly topped up.

I do understand that tea is available in the Lido and can also be ordered through room service, but I'm sure that neither the Lido staff nor the Cabin Steward would really want to see either of us when we have just woken up :eek:, nor would we want to be seen by anyone else. It's just nice to be able to have that early mornng or late night cuppa in privacy...and just as importantly, when its most needed.

[3rdGenCunarder]

We appreciate the replies. We only wondered because on our last two cruises with Fred Olsen and P&O, we had tea-making facilities and biscuits provided and regularly topped up.

I do understand that tea is available in the Lido and can also be ordered through room service, but I'm sure that neither the Lido staff nor the Cabin Steward would really want to see either of us when we have just woken up :eek:, nor would we want to be seen by anyone else. It's just nice to be able to have that early mornng or late night cuppa in privacy...and just as importantly, when its most needed.

 

Most of the room service waiters are very experienced and have probably seen everything one might imagine. :eek: ;) :D

 

I think the lack of kettles is largely a safety issue because they draw a lot of current.

[Norfolk Brit]

I think the lack of kettles is largely a safety issue because they draw a lot of current.

 

Most, if not all, the UK lines have them.

And Celebrity has them on Eclipse when sailing from the UK.

 

I miss them as well, for the same reasons as the OP, plus I only have myself to blame if the order is wrong.

 

Mary:)

[stephy66]

It's no problem, room service is fast and they do good cookies x

[BORDER REIVER]

It's no problem, room service is fast and they do good cookies x

We will give it a go, but the room service might not be able to understand my early morning mumblings I seem to have on awakening. That's why I like my cuppa first, it engages my brain, then my speech and my ability to look more or less alive.

I still find the whole thing baffling as there doesn't appear to be any good reason not to put tea making facilities into cabins, especially when other cruise lines are proud to announce that they do.

[Aussieflyer]

But if you really want to take a kettle by the look of Mariepr's post it looks like you can. If so, I would buy a new small one and have it checked so that you can use it.

[BORDER REIVER]

But if you really want to take a kettle by the look of Mariepr's post it looks like you can. If so, I would buy a new small one and have it checked so that you can use it.

Thanks, we'll think about it, but it looks like being too much trouble as then we'd have to sort out sachets of t-bags, coffee, sugar etc.

I've just been looking at a few cruise line websites and it seems as though tea-making facilities in cabins are not all that common after all. Maybe we just need to go with the flow and get used to room service and feel less self-concious about having someone else coming into the room before we're fully dressed. It's not something we've ever had before.

 

Thanks also to all others who replied with advice....I won't be wearing a bath robe to go shopping though...I couldn't get away with it the way the young lady in the picture does.

[Barnacle Betty]

Thanks, we'll think about it, but it looks like being too much trouble as then we'd have to sort out sachets of t-bags, coffee, sugar etc.

 

I wouldn't bother either, too much trouble. The early morning room service delivery is fast, not just getting it to the cabin but while they are in the cabin as well. They are aware that people aren't too chatty early in the morning and just want their coffee or tea.

[Aussieflyer]

I wouldn't bother either, too much trouble. .

I agree - I wouldn't bother to take a kettle (though could gather up an assortment of tea bags, cups etc in buffet). In the areas we cruise and ships we have been on we have never seen tea making in the cabins though I know that cruises based in UK do include this sometimes.

[pnhmrk]

I'm not sure the exact answer perhaps others may know.

 

Traditionally tea making facilities were not provided in bedrooms. They only started to be introduced as a cost cutting measure (the hotel didn't need to employ staff to serve tea in the morning) and because residents didn't have the time to wait for room service. Although I would now expect to find most hotels offering tea facilities there are still some, top end, hotels where the attitude is "why should you want to make tea as we are there to make it for you". :)

 

(Having said that I'm quite happy to wait for room service except on the last morning - I take a travel kettle so that I can have a cup of tea before I leave the cabin).

[pepperrn]

Traditionally tea making facilities were not provided in bedrooms. They only started to be introduced as a cost cutting measure (the hotel didn't need to employ staff to serve tea in the morning) and because residents didn't have the time to wait for room service. Although I would now expect to find most hotels offering tea facilities there are still some, top end, hotels where the attitude is "why should you want to make tea as we are there to make it for you". :)

 

And can you even begin to imagine the posts here on CC if they decided to provide a kettle/tea bags/instant coffee sachets in cabins... and do away with room-service-provided hot drinks? :eek: :eek: :eek: .

[Aussieflyer]

And can you even begin to imagine the posts here on CC if they decided to provide a kettle/tea bags/instant coffee sachets in cabins... and do away with room-service-provided hot drinks? :eek: :eek: :eek: .

 

The mind boggles!!! Apart from all the "discussion" on falling standards, think about the arguments about the quality/brands/flavours of the teas and coffees provided. :D

[electra2008]

It's no problem, room service is fast and they do good cookies x

Is room service included for all catergories and what about tipping for tea?

[Aussieflyer]

Is room service included for all catergories and what about tipping for tea?

 

All cabins have room service - and it is your choice whether to tip the deliverer or not. Cruisers from the US often do, but many others do not tip individually for this type of service.

[pnhmrk]

It's no problem, room service is fast and they do good cookies x

 

I agree about the cookies :) but the rest of room service is very poor. I can't remember a time when an order was 100% correct - the order's on time; everything's there; nothing's missing; they've got the actual order right (One time they confused an order for beef fajitas with an order for a bottle of Beefeater Gin!).

 

At one time morning tea was served by your steward. He would knock on the door and let himself into the cabin whilst you were still in bed. That way your tea was there as soon as you woke. There was none of this having to answer the door to get your tea.

[pnhmrk]

we'd have to sort out sachets of t-bags, coffee, sugar etc.

 

No, just get them from the Lido during your voyage :) Get a jug of fresh milk from your room service tea tray and keep it in your fridge :)

[pepperrn]

At one time morning tea was served by your steward. He would knock on the door and let himself into the cabin whilst you were still in bed. That way your tea was there as soon as you woke. There was none of this having to answer the door to get your tea.

 

So some things have improved over the years then? :D .

 

 

 

 

(I would have felt very sorry for the steward who had to see me just waking up... :eek: )

[3rdGenCunarder]

I agree about the cookies :) but the rest of room service is very poor. I can't remember a time when an order was 100% correct - the order's on time; everything's there; nothing's missing; they've got the actual order right (One time they confused an order for beef fajitas with an order for a bottle of Beefeater Gin!).

 

At one time morning tea was served by your steward. He would knock on the door and let himself into the cabin whilst you were still in bed. That way your tea was there as soon as you woke. There was none of this having to answer the door to get your tea.

 

Damn! Why didn't I think of room service when I was on QM2 this winter??? I couldn't find cookies anywhere! Often at lunch, that's all I want for a sweet, just one $%^&* cookie. But they were never on the lunch buffet. Our table companions said they were on the buffet after dinner, so I went up there one night after dinner, but nope, no cookies. It became a sort of personal crusade to find a cookie on QM2. I discovered that I could ask for cookies in the buffet, but that took longer than room service would have! (I solved the problem by buying my own stash of cookies in port.)

 

Hmmm, beef fajitas or Beefeater gin? It's hard for me to decide if the error was better than the original or the mistake.

 

Sorry to do the "QE2 was better" thing, but tea service was better there because it was served by your steward from a nearby pantry, not from the kitchen a kilometer away.

[electra2008]

All cabins have room service - and it is your choice whether to tip the deliverer or not. Cruisers from the US often do, but many others do not tip individually for this type of service.

Thanks;)

[electra2008]

No, just get them from the Lido during your voyage :) Get a jug of fresh milk from your room service tea tray and keep it in your fridge :)

You have a fridge!! or should that be "one has a fridge" ?;)

[pepperrn]

I couldn't find cookies anywhere! Often at lunch, that's all I want for a sweet, just one $%^&* cookie. But they were never on the lunch buffet. Our table companions said they were on the buffet after dinner, so I went up there one night after dinner, but nope, no cookies. It became a sort of personal crusade to find a cookie on QM2. I discovered that I could ask for cookies in the buffet, but that took longer than room service would have! (I solved the problem by buying my own stash of cookies in port.)

 

I thought this might help you, on the UK Cunard website, at the top of the home page, it says "New Cookie Policy"... :) .

 

Turns out it wasn't that sort of cookie... :D ;) :D .

 

Very best wishes :) .

[Salacia]

PARTIAL QUOTE

 

At one time morning tea was served by your steward. He would knock on the door and let himself into the cabin whilst you were still in bed. That way your tea was there as soon as you woke. There was none of this having to answer the door to get your tea.

 

 

I really object to anyone just knocking and entering my room. It has happened on QM2 and other ships as well. Often it was intrusive, always inappropriate. I thought there were measures passed for increased security to prevent people from just knocking and entering (and sometimes they don't even knock!). There should be locks on the cabin doors to prevent anyone with a "pass" key card from entering a passengers cabin without permission from the passenger/s inside the cabin. And there should be a way for a passenger to see who knocks before opening the cabin door (often referred to as peep holes). Again, I thought these security measures had been mandated on cruise ships, but apparently not all have complied.