Calling all COFFEE LOVERS!

[SchoolBob]

Coffee on-board is terrible. For the record, I agree that Starbuck's is not good coffee either. Denver has Peaberry Coffee, which is roasted here in town and makes a VERY GOOD cup of coffee. That said, I cannot stand packing more than I have to, so the coffee pot stays home. We will pay for coffee from the coffee bar.

 

On another note, I really do not understand some of the posters portraying this discussion as a contest, whereby there are winners and losers.

 

There are my two cents

[waterjet]

The coffee really is bad. I was surprised. I just came back from the July 16 sailing of the Carribbean Princess. Everything was absolutely perfect except the coffee. I thought all the bad reviews on the coffee were people complaining like they usually do, but after a week of that coffee I recommend you bring a pot and brew your own. Even the expresso wasn't great. Thats the only thing that made the cruise ending tollerable! Maybe thats why they make it so bad. Kinda like Denny's

[coiran]

Here is a thought to improve the Princess coffee ( for those who think it is awful and prefer Starbuck's)

 

Give their coffee a distinctive name, such as - Princess Mediterranian Blend, Princess Caribbean Blend, Princess Alaska Blend ---------, and charge $3.50 like Starbuck's does and serve it in a Princess Logo cup - I'll bet Starbuck's lovers will leave the Starbucks coffee emporiums an take a Princess cruise just for the coffee!!

 

Ron

[m steve]

It appears that all the appologists for Princess haven't sailed other cruise lines. And why attack sucessful purveyers such as Starbucks or McDonalds? Are they getting kickbacks from Princess to shill for them?

Try Celebrity or Carnival or NCL and compare. I think that the majority is right. If it wasn't so bad we wouldn't take the time to warn future cruisers.:eek:

[coiran]

It appears that all the appologists for Princess haven't sailed other cruise lines. And why attack sucessful purveyers such as Starbucks or McDonalds? Are they getting kickbacks from Princess to shill for them?

Try Celebrity or Carnival or NCL and compare. I think that the majority is right. If it wasn't so bad we wouldn't take the time to warn future cruisers.:eek:

 

I haven't counted recently, but, the several original responses had the majority voting for Princess - so - what is the majority warning people of?

 

Ron

[cruisingbug]

Here is a thought to improve the Princess coffee ( for those who think it is awful and prefer Starbuck's)

 

Give their coffee a distinctive name, such as - Princess Mediterranian Blend, Princess Caribbean Blend, Princess Alaska Blend ---------, and charge $3.50 like Starbuck's does and serve it in a Princess Logo cup - I'll bet Starbuck's lovers will leave the Starbucks coffee emporiums an take a Princess cruise just for the coffee!!

 

Ron

 

Not necessary to repeat this post, as it's on p 4 and p 5. I think everyone got the joke.

[coiran]

Well Excuuuuuuuuse me!!

 

Ron

[Kirsten T]

Celebrity's and Princess's dining room coffee at night is okay. The fresh brewed coffee in both lines' patisseries is also good. Coffee everywhere else tastes like instant and I hate it, especially room service coffee. On Coral Princess, I'd trot down to the coffee bar in the morning and ask for brewed coffee to go. There's no charge, although they'd clearly rather sell you a specialty coffee. I bought a few during the week and that seemed to make the service a bit friendlier when I asked for a freebie.

 

With Celebrity's emphasis on "fine dining" you'd think they could serve decent coffee; obviously, it must cost too much. It's a shame.

[LunaMoon]

..... is in a word, rotten! :(

 

 

We thoroughly enjoyed everything else about this ship.

 

We solved this problem by brewing our own freshly ground coffee each morning in our cabin. As we sipped espresso on our balcony the aroma drifted and waffed until our cabin neighbors would invariably lean over their balconies and implore us to pass around a demi tasse. :)

 

lunamoon

 

(*Disclaimer: Yep, this is a repeat of a post I just wrote on the Princess Coffee Poll thread ;))

[Wileyd577]

I have had the coffee on Golden and Grand. The coffee in the dining room is brewed from grounds. The rest was coffee sludge. It is far too thick to be called syrup. A travel French press coffee maker and some good coffee will solve the problem if you are a junkie like I am. If not you will survive on the sludge with lots of cream. Perhaps they could get some Beef Wellington sludge and reconstitute that too....

[coiran]

The Princess beef wellington is the best I have ever had - I have also had coffee made in a French Press - I don't know how the French survived it - it must have been invented by one of the former guillotine executioners as a very painful way to die - It tastes like extra poor sludge.

 

IMHO

 

Ron

[trip42]

I normaly drink coffee just in the morning but while on my cruise on the diamond I also had coffee after dinner most nights. While not the best I have ever had I wondered what all the warnings were for prior to my princess cruise. I didnt think it was all that bad, toss in a little cream and it helped.

On a cruise who cares what the coffee tastes like, your on vacation, roll with it.

 

Sharon:)

[phaelon56]

I have had the coffee on Golden and Grand. The coffee in the dining room is brewed from grounds. ....

 

I'm not looking to be contentious here but I respectfully disagree with you on this point. The Food and Beverage Director of Princess contavcted my by email in November 2003 after reading or hearing of my trip report in which I spoke of the poor coffee quality on the Grand (I stated that it was better in the dining rooms than in the Horizon Court buffet but that only at the bar in the atrium where it was brewed by the pot from packets of ground coffee was it acceptable to me).

 

The F&B Director told me in no uncertain terms that the coffee source is identical in all dining areas - a liquid concentrate that is stored in frozen state prior to being used. It's mixed with hot water in a special system and the difference I detected between dining rooms and buffet area was, he suspected, a function of issues with water pressure (not enough water pressure on the upper deck where the buffet is located so the coffee may have been more dilute?). In a followup exchange, a VP of the company that supplies Princess (and a number of other cruise lines) with this concentrate also contacted met at Princess' behest. He actually sent me a half gallon frozen container of the concentrate to try at home (they didn't have a smaller size). It was about like the coffee in the dining room - passable but not that great if you're attunmed to better quality coffees.

[texkat]

I found the coffee on Princess to be horrible... nothing ruins a yummy chocolate dessert after a wonderful dinner like a nasty cup of coffee. :eek:

 

The best coffee I've had on a cruise was on HAL, from the fresh coffee/cappucino machine in the Neptune Lounge. I LOVE that machine! :D

 

The next cruise is on Princess again... I'm considering bringing my own coffeemaker.

[atlcple2]

Right after we booked our cruise on the CB for 9/3/05, I read all the bad reviews about the coffee...which was surprising to me since Carnival's coffee has been great on our past cruises. Anyway, I started searching for a small coffee pot and found this one. It brews 2, 14oz, indiviual cups of coffee at the same time...no pot, just the stainless steele travel mugs that pop right in the coffee maker. For those of you looking for one, here is the link:

 

http://www.ekitchengadgets.com/cuistttwotog.html

 

I ordered it and received it in about 2 weeks time. Already used it to check it out and it makes a great cup of coffee.

[coiran]

I,ve been preaching how good Princess coffee is, but I have to admit - the coffee I buy at Sam's Club for $5 for a 39 oz can is better than Princess coffee - however - I still will not take a coffeemaker with me.

 

Ron

[phaelon56]

Anyway, I started searching for a small coffee pot and found this one. It brews 2, 14oz, indiviual cups of coffee at the same time...no pot, just the stainless steele travel mugs that pop right in the coffee maker. For those of you looking for one, here is the link:

 

http://www.ekitchengadgets.com/cuistttwotog.html

 

I ordered it and received it in about 2 weeks time. Already used it to check it out and it makes a great cup of coffee.

 

Can you tell me the physical dimensions of this brewer? Did not see that on the linked page but it looks like a nice little unit and Cuisinart brewers are known for brewing hot enough (which most brewers don't do).

[atlcple2]

I'll check when I get home this evening for sure, but my guess is:

 

13" high x 8" wide (with the cups in place to brew). Without the cups in place, probably 6" wide, the back and then the base. It doesn't look terribly cumbersome to travel with. I think the shipping was $10.00.

[stellalimelight]

I think coffee is very subjective. I live in Seattle and if anyone has been there, we are bombarded by every kind of coffee imaginable. I am not a Starbuck Lover, however if I want a Breve Latte (coffee and half and half yummy) the make the best. If I want a coffee when I am out I prefer Seattles Best now owned by Starbucks, but still different beans. My sister lives in Kona Hawaii and thinks the best coffee is that french coffee Folgers:) and is the only kind she buys. As long as it doesn't put hair on my chest (not attractive for a woman), I can tolerate anything. I am bringing a one cupper pot for my 78 year mother. I can't imagine her on a 17day cruise if she doesn't like the coffee. Of course my true addiction is diet cola...so what can I say.

 

Stella

[Hammonds]

I cruised on the Coral Princess last Dec. to the Panama Canal. We had to

pay for ice cream as well as for specialty coffee. Cruised on Carnival the year before and soft serve ice cream was free. The Coral Princess is a beautiful ship and our accomodations were great. Service was excellent. Cruising again to the Southern Carribean in Nov. out of San Juan.

[LARGIN]

On the Coral, freshly made ice cream is available free in the afternoon in the Horizon Court.

[coiran]

On the Coral, freshly made ice cream is available free in the afternoon in the Horizon Court.

Only in the afternoon - why not 24/7?

 

Ron

[ado]

Just returned from the CB Western! Yes, the coffee was a bit bitter and strong with an after taste that was not too pleasant. In the last days of our cruise, I added some hot water first then the coffee and it actually tasted better. Next time I just may bring along the cuisinart 2-cup brewer.

Must say everything else was fabulous!!

[ceejay_San Angelo]

Coffee on the Coral Princess in June was terrible in Horizon Court, passable from room service and good in the dining room in the evenings.

 

I brought my own coffee and pot and am glad I did.

 

P.S. - I love Starbucks.

[Fayecruises]

We crossed the Pacific on the Regal Princess in Dec. 2003 and it was unbearable - I mean the coffee was so horrible. When we got to Kona we rushed into a Walmart and bought a two cup electric coffee pot and also Kona coffee. I think if anyone wants to make money, they should bring their own coffee onboard a Princess cruise and charge for the coffee.