Calling all COFFEE LOVERS!

[SteelCruisin]

How long the coffee is in the airpot or brewer will also dramatically effect the taste of the coffee,if the coffee was brewed at 5am in the windjammer and you get your first cup at 8am it's bound to taste raunchy.I know that dunkin Donuts has a 15 minute time limit to sell a pot or it's in the trash.Most airpots will hold coffee fresh for up to 5 hours.I think that it wouldn't matter what brand the ship brews so long as it's served fresh.

[mrg0433]

NCL provides metal coffee pots in cabins and refills coffee packets (Sanka & Maxwell House) each day with fresh creamers. I loved having that morning coffee on my balcony each day before heading to breakfast. We are sailing Jewel of the Seas in October, so I am packing one of those gifts nobody ever uses that has been sitting in my pantry for a couple years--It's a Coffee Maker with a large plastic cup instead of a pot--makes 3-4 small cups. I am bringing my own flavored coffee with me. We will stock our cabin with fresh creamers from the buffet. I need my hazelnut morning coffee when I wake up. RCI serves Seattle's Best, which is much too strong for most cruisers. Coffee on ships must be made to the liking of the foreign staff onboard. First thing we bought in Hawaii in March was a hot cup of Dunkin Donuts Hazelnut Coffee in Honolulu. Always miss those little things when we go away.

[Bunti]

On the Mariner last year room service coffee was good, dining room good, Windjammer ok. Promenade cafe was so weak I thought it was a mistake the first day, but it didn't get any better. Luckily its right near the espresso booth. That was very good. I like my coffee strong, but not too strong. My DH needed to add water to the dining room and room service coffee, but even he thought the cafe stuff was too weak.

[Tanker]

My DW and I love coffee on RCCL. It reminds us of the European Coffee and having lived in Europe for 6 years - well we just love it.

[starlake]

I have found, as several others has mentioned, that the dining room coffee seems to be a little better. I always try to have at least one speciality coffee while on board. I am pretty much addicted to coffee and have never found any I couldn't drink

[NnJ2010]

The only really good coffee I've encountered was on Celebrity. Outstanding coffee in their coffee bar and in their specialty restaurants. (On both Millenium and Summit). The Coffee bar (Cova Cafe) also serves fabulous after dinner coffee drinks. They were a standard nightcap for me! As far as 'free' coffee goes though, I have yet to find any that is very good on Disney, Celebrity, Princess or RC.

[sbond]

I've been on Princess, RCI and Celebrity and the coffee is awful on all of them. The coffee in the dining room is better than in the buffet. I have not been on a ship with a specialty coffee shop but I REALLY don't want to have to pay extra for coffee. I take a 4 cup coffee pot and my own coffee. I know that's a little extreme but I'm certainly not the only cruiser who does this and as a coffeeholic taking the extra stuff is a small inconvenience. As an aside, I also buy coffee at work. I refuse to drink the swill they call coffee.Sheila,

 

Hi, I think I had the cabin next to yours on Enchantment. I'll be on Jewell in October. Say hi to Evelyn. I'd enjoy cruising with you again. Your friend Sandy:)

[stoneharborlady]

No, you have lots of company. We also took a small coffeemaker, and our own coffee. We let the ships buffet supply our sugar and creamer though!!

[AMARINEMOM]

Where in Ocho do you buy coffee? We just love coffe :). In Colon we went to the dollar store and loaded up on coffee - cheap and really good!

[hermang]

Where in Ocho do you buy coffee? We just love coffe :). In Colon we went to the dollar store and loaded up on coffee - cheap and really good!

Sonji's Plaza and Taj Mahal. This is honest to goodness Jamaica Blue Mountain

at around $15-17 a pound as of last October.

 

If you go to Puerto Limon - you can get good deals on the dock

[Rock N' Roll]

WOW! This is an issue that is close to my heart. I love a good cup of espresso after dinner or with a cigar, and what I was able to get on the Navigator of the Seas was horrid! We loved the ship and had a great time, but the one thing that was a MAJOR disappointment was the coffee.

[kimjay72]

Does anyone know if the Mariner has half and half instead of the powdered creamer? I hate the powdered stuff and I heard some cruise lines don't have the real cream.

 

Oh, and I can't remember what the coffee was like on my last cruise, but I can't stand Maxwell House, Folgers and the other cheaper brands.

 

I don't think we should have to pay extra on a ship just to get a decent cup of coffee. ;)

 

Kim

 

Mariner of the Seas 13 Nov 05

Holiday Sep 02

[esteam]

is there a seattles best on rhapsody and how is the coffee. i would pay for a good cup as opposed to drinking bad cofffee.

[rfische1]

The half n half I brought with me on Mariner made the coffee drinkable. I found the non-refrigeration single serve stuff at Sams. The coffee served on the ship is definitely a medium to dark roast. I prefer a light roast, so I don't drink Starbucks. Drink mostly Green Mountain here.

[pooh1bear43113]

Unfortunately, we've not found a ship the has good (to our taste, that is) coffee. Everything we've tried seemed to be watered down horribly - and did indeed taste like dish water. Way weak.

 

A couple of years ago whilein Seattle on Summit Alaska repo cruise, we purchased a French press, a digital timer (very small), 2 electric coil heaters (that drop in a cup of water). And, of course, freshly ground coffee (Colombian of course).

 

Solved our morning coffee problem. everything fits nicely into the French Press box and resides permanently in a corner of my carryon. Just have to purchase a fresh batch of coffee before we leave. Found some wonderful coffee in Barcelona in May at the grocery in basement of el Cortes Engles....purchased several pounds to bring home.

 

The small heating coils heat the bottled water (always) in the press very, very quickly.

 

(Of course, it helps to have a small bottle of Kahlua or Bailey's to add some character to the coffee.);)

[hermang]

What thrills me about cruising is the ability to stock up on a good supply of authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee from the islands to bring back home with me. I will be happy to put up with so-so coffee for 7 nights, so long as I can come home with pounds and pounds of Jamaican Blue Mountain. The good stuff (that is not a "blend") can cost as much as $25 for a package at my local gourmet coffee place. I can buy it in the Caribbean for about $10. Whoever hasn't tried any, has to get their hands on some. I swear there is something in it that makes it soooo addictive!

Jamaica Blue around here in CT has been selling for close to $56 a pound at the local coffee roaster. Best I have seen on line is close to $30

 

Last fall my partner at work got me the good stuff in Ocho Rios for between $15-17

[mojo4trav]

The coffee on RCCL is generally horrible! It seems to me one of two things is happening...either they are using a syrup/powdered mix and combining that with sea water (desalinized) OR they are brewing HUGE pots (think copper/brass dispensers in Cafe Promenade) and the coffee is sitting long enough to burn in the pots and instead of washing them out every few brews they only do so every few days or once per cruise. The Seattle's Best coffee bar is only marginally better and that has more to do with the mocha (etc) add-ins that the quality of a plain cup of joe.

 

One of the highlights of vacations for us has always been the breakfast ritual (which includes fresh coffee) each morning. Sure we've had some hit and miss experiences, but RCCL has yet to provide a hit and that is unfortunate because it is such an easy way to captivate your customers!

[hermang]

The coffee on RCCL is generally horrible! It seems to me one of two things is happening...either they are using a syrup/powdered mix and combining that with sea water (desalinized) OR they are brewing HUGE pots (think copper/brass dispensers in Cafe Promenade) and the coffee is sitting long enough to burn in the pots and instead of washing them out every few brews they only do so every few days or once per cruise. The Seattle's Best coffee bar is only marginally better and that has more to do with the mocha (etc) add-ins that the quality of a plain cup of joe.

 

One of the highlights of vacations for us has always been the breakfast ritual (which includes fresh coffee) each morning. Sure we've had some hit and miss experiences, but RCCL has yet to provide a hit and that is unfortunate because it is such an easy way to captivate your customers!

Ever since the partnership with Seattle's Best - they went away from the "liquid" concentrate in all venues. I have seen the galley staff in both the Promenade and Windjammer making pots of coffee and filling the urns with Royal CARRI BEAN blend from Seattle's Best.

Now as to do they clean the pots between uses - or dump after 20 min like they are supposed to do - I doubt it. By the way - the coffee is a very dark roast

[AdamOfCanaveral]

We enjoyed the Seattle's Best coffee on the Mariner of the Seas in April so much that we have started buying it for our regular home coffee - even though it is quite a bit more expensive than Folgers or Maxwell House when they are on sale.

[wastin' away]

Didn't Starbucks recently buy Seattle's Best?

Anyways, being from Seattle - I must clarify that Seattle's Best Coffee is a mis-nomer and really doesn't represent Seattle's best coffee...

 

I haven't cruised yet, but after reading this thread, I am thinking I should bring my own fixin's along to make decent coffee - although I agree that I shouldn't have to. Making coffee in bulk isn't really that difficult - and offering decent add-in's should be a given. Flavored, liquid creamers and a variety of sweeteners just make sense to me.

[hermang]

About 2 years ago - but they are keeping them as 2 separate brands for now.

The only thing they have changed is that supposedly you can no longer buy SBC over the web.

 

Actually as far as drinking coffee I liked SBC better than Starbucks

Especially at Christmas time - Santas Best Blend.

[RSS from SF]

I like my coffee (up to 68oz a day) absolutely black, reasonably strong or stronger, and very dark roast -- in the style of Graffeo Dark in SF.

 

When I first cruised Navigator, 3/15/03:

I recall I liked the coffee whether I had it from Cafe Promenade, Windjammer, or the Dining Room. I thought the brew was generally medium strong. However, while I liked the strength just fine, I recall also that some cruisers thought the brew was a little strong for their tastes. I would fill up my huge thermal mug every morning from the Cafe Promenade.

 

Recently when I cruised Navigator, 4/9/05:

The coffee was noticeably weaker in some venues:

 

Cafe Promenade -- consistently light brew (although the roast was dark roast).

For my tastes, the brew was too weak, not good -- almost like a bad tea.

 

Windjammer -- also relatively weak from the various dispensers, EXCEPT from the port side coffee machine in Jade (left side, as you go from Jade to Windjammer aft). The brew from this machine was medium strength and reasonably good for me. The early morning front-of-the-house server told us that this was the strongest brew there, and he would volunteer to fill the mug there. (Even if that meant he needed to walk halfway around the dining room. Gotta love that Navigator service!)

 

Dining Room -- was stronger and good the 4-5 nights I tried it at the end of dinner.

 

I didn't have any coffee from room service.

[dlove]

Does anyone know if the Mariner has half and half instead of the powdered creamer? I hate the powdered stuff and I heard some cruise lines don't have the real cream.

 

I remember both single serving containers of half and half, and non-dairy creamer at the Prominade Cafe. They ran out after 5 or 6 days, and only had powdered stuff, and than a carton of milk on ice. Plan accordingly

[seagarsmoker]

We've been on RCI, Princess, Celebrity & carnival and the regular coffee on all those lines is undrinkable. The only place that had a decent cup of latte or espresso is the Cova Cafe on Celebrity. Not sure where the comment comes from that Starbucks (nicknamed starsucks) has good coffee, most real coffee drinkers will tell you it's barely better than your average 24hr self serve gas station. When we cruise, I take fresh roasted beans, and a coffee grinder and place in the luggage. Before entering the ship, we'll stop at a drug store or grocery store and buy a coffee pot (always under $20) and carry it onboard. We make our own 'real' coffee everyday and leave whatever coffee we have left with the coffee pot in our room before leaving the ship for our room steward.

Cost for us is $1.50 p/p per day for excellent fresh coffee.

[ovcruising]

Hi,

Just came back from my 6th cruise, and yes the coffee is strong, however...I think I found a way to make it taste better.

You have the option to make your own cup of coffee in the windjammer, 1/2 coffee & 1/2 water...It definately makes it taste better... and imagine that you only need 1 or 2 creamers instead of 6 or 7...

Good luck:)