What's the low down on the coffee on board?

[ummgood]

So I like a quality cup of coffee. I don't need expresso/dessert drinks I just mean a good cup of brewed coffee with a little milk and honey in it. On our past couple Disney cruises I found the coffee at the drink station and room service horrible. I guess they use some concentrate to make the coffee instead of actually brewing it and I could tell. After the first couple days I realized that they serve real brewed coffee in the dining room so we found our self there each morning. I asked what brand the coffee was and I was shocked that it was the same brand as the drink station but it was brewed instead of from concentrate.

 

On RCCL what type of coffee do they use? Is it brewed or do is it from concentrate?

 

On a side note if I am a first time cruiser is there somewhere else to have breakfast on the Navigator of the Seas that has brewed coffee and breakfast that is less crowded than the windjammer that is free? On Disney we found ourselves in Parrot Cay on the Wonder each morning because it was just as efficient and less crowded PLUS the coffee was so much better.

[Ourusualbeach]

I have always found that the coffee in the Dining Room or cafe promenade to be much better than in the Windjammer or room service. Not sure how it is brewed.

[Clarea]

I believe all the coffee is brewed on Royal.

[LindaO]

I like the coffee on Royal. I especially like the dining room coffee.

[ummgood]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I can't believe I typed "Expresso" when I was asking about quality coffee. I meant "Espresso". Please have mercy on me. Anyway in the dining room for breakfast is it free? Are servers in there for breakfast or is it self service? On Disney the drinks were provided by servers but the food was on a buffet. Is it similar on RCCL?

[Clarea]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I can't believe I typed "Expresso" when I was asking about quality coffee. I meant "Espresso". Please have mercy on me. Anyway in the dining room for breakfast is it free? Are servers in there for breakfast or is it self service? On Disney the drinks were provided by servers but the food was on a buffet. Is it similar on RCCL?

Breakfast in the main dining room is no extra charge. You can order off the menu, use the buffet, or both. There are servers to take orders and bring your food.

 

Some ships have only cold items on the buffet and other have both hot and cold.

[ummgood]

Breakfast in the main dining room is no extra charge. You can order off the menu, use the buffet, or both. There are servers to take orders and bring your food.

 

Some ships have only cold items on the buffet and other have both hot and cold.

 

Thanks I'll be on the Navigator in 2015. It sounds slightly different since there is a menu.

[Clarea]

Thanks I'll be on the Navigator in 2015. It sounds slightly different since there is a menu.

You will enjoy breakfast in the MDR. Much quieter and less hectic than Windjammer.

[JBSteelerfan]

You will enjoy breakfast in the MDR. Much quieter and less hectic than Windjammer.

 

Breakfast and lunch in MDR is a nice change to have on sea days!!

[Clarea]

Breakfast and lunch in MDR is a nice change to have on sea days!!

I just wanted to clarify for the OP that breakfast is served in the MDR every day. It's lunch that is usually only served in the MDR on sea days.

Edited May 4, 2014 by clarea

[Mapleleafforever]

The coffee tastes like coffee and it has caffeine in it, which is really the most important thing isn't it?

[jchiefs13]

It's terrible IMHO. I like dark/flavorful/strong coffee and it's definitely strong... just meh. But, I'm addicted and need my cup each morning so I suffer through it. We felt that the coffee on Allure was extra bad and joked that it was to drive people to purchase at the onboard Starbucks.

 

-JM

[cb at sea]

I like the coffee in the dining room, and room service. I think the WJ coffee is horrid...even adding water and gobs of milk don't help it!

[rummenroman]

You can always get a pay coffee at the coffee bar. Sure it will cost you some money, but if you want a halfway decent cup of jo, that will be about the only place you will find it.

 

You can always bring a french press with your own coffee to get a good cup. The tap water is always smoking hot, so it should work for a cup or two.

[Lionesss]

I do not enjoy the free coffee on board........taste different than our own home brew..........

 

Now that we sail The Allure, Starbucks gets our business, but we pay.

 

Sea Ya

[Goof3]

Just another data point:

 

A few years ago we were on an Asian cruise on Legend of the Seas and the 'free' coffee was the worst I have ever tasted, and I am not super picky. It was advertised as Seattle's Best. Not only was it super strong, it somehow tasted burnt. I thought it might be because I come from the land of Tim Horton's (although actually I prefer McDonald's coffee :-) ) and was not used to it. But I asked some American shipmates and they too said it was horrible. Our server in the dining room agreed that it was bad and said that he actually brought his own coffee on board. They provided tea-making facilities in the cabins, I wondered why they couldn't provide those little packets of ground coffee, like in hotel rooms?

 

Fast forward to 2012, we were on the Explorer out of New Jersey to the Caribbean. The coffee was much better. So I guess you just have to try it and see what you think.

[Anzura]

I'm a total coffee snob. I only buy coffee that has been roasted that month and grind only enough to pull my double shot of liquid gold. I search out local rosters. To me, Starbucks is the worst coffee ever. It tastes like licking a dirty ashtray. I know I'm in for coffee trouble on the cruise. However, having said nasty things about Starbucks, I find that I like the instant Via. I'm going to be bringing those with me to make in the cabin so I can enjoy a cup on the balcony before I get dressed. Hopefully the cappuccino aren't too horrible in Lattetudes.

 

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Forums mobile app

[schlimazel_traveler]

Starbucks is the worst coffee ever. It tastes like licking a dirty ashtray.

 

I thought the on-board coffee on Enchantment in December 2012 (my only previous cruise) fit that description pretty well. It tasted like perhaps the percolator needed to be cleaned out, but I imagine it's hard to keep up with that when so much coffee is brewed. I'm thinking I'll bring along the Starbuck's Via as well on my next cruise. I've never tried it, and it galls me to have to bring along my own provisions to a cruise, but the coffee really was just awful.

 

I don't recall whether it was any different in the MDR. We only had breakfast there once.

[MTdreaming]

To me, Starbucks is the worst coffee ever.

 

I agree! All those "candy bar in a cup drinks".. i like good coffee..no sugar or syrup added. I don't think I will find it, will bring my own tea bags and enjoy that.

[proudpatriot07]

I really liked the cafe promenade coffee and the dining room coffee at breakfast. I didn't even pay for the Starbucks- just drank the Seattle's Best and it was great. If I wanted a treat, I poured half a pack of hot chocolate in a cup, then poured coffee on top of it, hehe.

 

It wasn't the best coffee ever, but it was totally fine for the week :). I typically like it a little stronger.

[galavant3]

I'm a total coffee snob. I only buy coffee that has been roasted that month and grind only enough to pull my double shot of liquid gold. I search out local rosters. To me, Starbucks is the worst coffee ever. It tastes like licking a dirty ashtray. I know I'm in for coffee trouble on the cruise. However, having said nasty things about Starbucks, I find that I like the instant Via. I'm going to be bringing those with me to make in the cabin so I can enjoy a cup on the balcony before I get dressed. Hopefully the cappuccino aren't too horrible in Lattetudes.

 

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Forums mobile app

 

I don't think I'm as fussy as you but I do grind fresh beans each morning and I don't like Starbucks (or Via). It isn't the best coffee I've ever had but I think the MDR coffee is perfectly fine.

[jayblue]

I'm a total coffee snob. I only buy coffee that has been roasted that month and grind only enough to pull my double shot of liquid gold. I search out local rosters. To me, Starbucks is the worst coffee ever. It tastes like licking a dirty ashtray. I know I'm in for coffee trouble on the cruise. However, having said nasty things about Starbucks, I find that I like the instant Via. I'm going to be bringing those with me to make in the cabin so I can enjoy a cup on the balcony before I get dressed. Hopefully the cappuccino aren't too horrible in Lattetudes.

 

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Forums mobile app

 

I thought I was a proper coffee snob with my like of Starbuck's. Obviously, I could use lessons.

 

;)

 

jayblue RCCL cruiser

[pearlie]

It is low down terrible. Bitter. I do not put sugar in my coffee at home, but do on a cruise! You will see a huge line at Dunkin Donuts at Ft Lauderdale airport when you disembark.

[cooncat_mom]

I have to say I've yet to find decent free coffee! (I'm really not a big coffee snob, either...:o) When we cruised the Enchantment and the Explorer, we put a packet of hot cocoa in the coffee along with some creamer. Not the best, but drinkable and free!

[jebl]

I love a rich, fairly strong cup of coffee, no sugar, no cream.

 

The coffee on RCI is hit or miss. Some places good some awful. I ordered coffee every day from room service and it was never the same. Some days I could barely get one cup down. Other days I drank the whole pot (I get a full pot).

 

WJ is the same hit or miss. The MDR is consistently good IMO.

 

As for Starbucks, I can only drink the Caramel Macchiato. The regular coffee tast burnt.

 

You might want to consider taking coffee bags with you. Use just like tea bags but it is ground coffee.

Edited May 4, 2014 by jebl