Cream for coffee

[Moriah]

I'm trying to do the whole "low carb Paleo" thing (yes, yes, I know... but this isn't a thread about that) and I have just one very specific question concerning coffee (which is very important to me!):

 

Can heavy cream (AKA whipping cream, or whole cream) be had to put in coffee anywhere on HAL ships? I've sailed on each of the Vistas several times, the Eurodam twice, and the Maasdam once, but for the life of me, I can't remember what I lightened my coffee with!! It wasn't an issue then... sigh... but I'm really staying away from milk now - half and half would be an acceptable alternative to real cream, but I can't even remember if that was available?

So again, does anyone know: is actual CREAM available in any of these places? And if not, is real half and half available, or only milk?

 

Room service?

Dining room?

Pinnacle?

Lido?

Neptune Lounge?

Explorations cafe?

 

Oh, forgot to mention: I'll be sailing on Maasdam in July and Oosterdam in September. Not that it probably matters, as I assume the answers apply fleetwide...

Edited June 27, 2014 by Moriah

[RuthC]

The Lido canisters are marked "cream" and "milk", but I am sure the cream is really half & half. Sometimes it tastes as if it has a little extra milk in it, too. But only sometimes.

It does not taste like light cream, and certainly not heavy cream.

[ellieanne]

I have never seen heavy cream on the ships. Sometimes we got half & half at dinner in the Main Dining Room and sometimes we got whole milk, but we never got actual cream. There was no rhyme or reason as to why we got the different ones either. It was a fun guessing game as to which would come each night with coffee/tea.

[superoma]

I'm sorry but I have to ask. If you are avoiding milk, why would you want heavy cream to put in your coffee? They are both dairy. I drink my coffee and tea black, so I don't understand.

 

 

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[Moriah]

I'm sorry but I have to ask. If you are avoiding milk, why would you want heavy cream to put in your coffee? They are both dairy. I drink my coffee and tea black, so I don't understand.

 

:) No problem with asking that - it is confusing - and off topic, but I'll explain briefly - it's not an avoidance of dairy, it's rather an avoidance of carbohydrates. Milk has a lot of sugar (in the form of lactose) so when one is trying to keep to a very small number of carb grams per day, milk can sabotage. (Actually there are other reasons I actually do avoid dairy, but with the exception of butter and full cream because their calories are from fat, not sugar) Hope this helps and sorry about the off-topic diversion from the thread! :) Feel free to PM me if you are still curious and this only confused further! :)

[RuthC]

I have never seen heavy cream on the ships. Sometimes we got half & half at dinner in the Main Dining Room and sometimes we got whole milk, but we never got actual cream. There was no rhyme or reason as to why we got the different ones either. It was a fun guessing game as to which would come each night with coffee/tea.

 

Sometimes I have to insist that I want the "cream" (which I know will be the half & half), and not the milk. They will do that when you make it clear that's what you want.

[Moriah]

Sometimes I have to insist that I want the "cream" (which I know will be the half & half), and not the milk. They will do that when you make it clear that's what you want.

 

Thanks, I guess I'll have to settle for half and half on the cruise, but it's good to know that it's available, and not just milk. If I have to speak up and ask for it specifically I will. I know they will make sure to have it in the Neptune Lounge if I tell them my preference on the first day, as long as it's available on the ship, so thank you for letting me know it is. I guess asking for heavy cream would be a long shot... Does anyone know if half and half is also available at Explorations?

[cruisin'girl]

I've gotten so I'm not a happy camper if I can't have things exactly like I like them if it is within reason (my idea of reasonableness).

 

My morning coffee is important to me and I want it the way I want it. Milk is out. I must have half and half at the very least and preferably real cream or Hazelnut Coffeemate. You can buy those little individual cups of half and half or Coffeemate to take with you and I do that on trips so I know I can have what I want when I want it. I like the in-room hotel coffeemakers but the creamer packets are awful. I take my own and will now on cruises too.

[RuthC]

My last cruise must have had heavy (or possibly whipping) cream on the ship. I tried a drink that was garnished with a lovely dollop of whipped cream on top. Oh, it was delicious.

 

Now, if the lounges can get it, it may be possible for the dining room to get some for you, too. No harm in asking.

[Moriah]

My last cruise must have had heavy (or possibly whipping) cream on the ship. I tried a drink that was garnished with a lovely dollop of whipped cream on top. Oh, it was delicious.

 

Now, if the lounges can get it, it may be possible for the dining room to get some for you, too. No harm in asking.

 

That's true! I will ask nicely for real cream and hope for the best, and insist on at least half and half. I am also considering purchasing some cream on embarkation day at a grocery store and keeping it in the cabin. These little things can be so important! I am not terribly picky about a lot of things, but don't mess with my coffee! :)

[superoma]

:) No problem with asking that - it is confusing - and off topic, but I'll explain briefly - it's not an avoidance of dairy, it's rather an avoidance of carbohydrates. Milk has a lot of sugar (in the form of lactose) so when one is trying to keep to a very small number of carb grams per day, milk can sabotage. (Actually there are other reasons I actually do avoid dairy, but with the exception of butter and full cream because their calories are from fat, not sugar) Hope this helps and sorry about the off-topic diversion from the thread! :) Feel free to PM me if you are still curious and this only confused further! :)

 

Makes sense now and thanks. Now back to the topic at hand"""

[navybankerteacher]

That's true! I will ask nicely for real cream and hope for the best, and insist on at least half and half. I am also considering purchasing some cream on embarkation day at a grocery store and keeping it in the cabin. These little things can be so important! I am not terribly picky about a lot of things, but don't mess with my coffee! :)

 

Bringing your own cream and keeping it in your cabin refrigerator is a good way of making sure that your room service coffe will start your day right.

[cbr663]

Bringing your own on board is a good idea. I also have cream in my coffee and can instantly tell the difference when milk is used. We always request cream and that is what we receive, however, it is half and half. That is the general understanding today of what coffee cream is.

 

Be wary of requesting whipping cream. So much of whipping cream used in hotels and cruise ships is anything but real cream. When the world was flat, I use to work as a baker in a gourmet food store that only used real whipping cream in all our products. We use to even churn our own butter. Imagine my horror when a few years later I worked in a restaurant and saw the frozen bags of "an edible oil product" that I was asked to use as whipping cream.

[cruz chic]

Bringing your own on board is a good idea. I also have cream in my coffee and can instantly tell the difference when milk is used. We always request cream and that is what we receive, however, it is half and half. That is the general understanding today of what coffee cream is.

 

Be wary of requesting whipping cream. So much of whipping cream used in hotels and cruise ships is anything but real cream. When the world was flat, I use to work as a baker in a gourmet food store that only used real whipping cream in all our products. We use to even churn our own butter. Imagine my horror when a few years later I worked in a restaurant and saw the frozen bags of "an edible oil product" that I was asked to use as whipping cream.

 

That's what I assume it would be and not be real whipped cream on board. I'd be shocked if it was otherwise but I'm prepared to be wrong. I'd be afraid to use those artificial creamers too. I'd be afraid to look at the ingredients on there but to each their own.

Edited June 28, 2014 by cruz chic

[Moriah]

Thank you! That is a great point about the whipping "cream". It is probably loaded with sugar and would defeat the purpose. Bringing cream on board is now my plan, but I won't want to carry it around the ship so I will ask for half and half in the restaurants and Explorations.

[Laminator]

Bringing your own cream and keeping it in your cabin refrigerator is a good way of making sure that your room service coffe will start your day right.

 

Is the temperature in the cabin refrigerator low enough to keep the cream from curdling?

[ellieanne]

Sometimes I have to insist that I want the "cream" (which I know will be the half & half), and not the milk. They will do that when you make it clear that's what you want.

 

I have lemon & sugar in my tea so I don't use the cream/milk. My Dad actually prefers milk in his tea, and since he can't get full cream for his coffee, the "whitener" matters little to my brother. We just find it an interesting guessing game for the after-dinner service.

Edited June 28, 2014 by ellieanne

[sail7seas]

My last cruise must have had heavy (or possibly whipping) cream on the ship. I tried a drink that was garnished with a lovely dollop of whipped cream on top. Oh, it was delicious.

 

Now, if the lounges can get it, it may be possible for the dining room to get some for you, too. No harm in asking.

 

 

 

Is it possible the dollop was from a can of whipped cream? There are some brands that are 100% 'real cream' and it is possible they have some of those cans? Two tablespoons = 15 calories. Sugar is less than 1 gram. But ingredients include milk and corn syrup.

 

[mame42]

On my recent Maasdam cruise, I wrote "with real cream", which was not a listed option, on my room service breakfast menu each night, and that is what I received each morning.

[Moriah]

On my recent Maasdam cruise, I wrote "with real cream", which was not a listed option, on my room service breakfast menu each night, and that is what I received each morning.

 

YES!! MUSIC to my "ears"!! Thank you!! I'll be on Maasdam on July 12 and I'm going to think very positive about the possibility of getting real cream! Funny how other people pore over shore excursions and on board entertainment, and I'm just "give me cream and I'm happy", LOL! Thanks so much for all your help, everyone!

[kelleherdl]

I am with OP. I have lost 90 pounds in the last year on extreme low carb. I am off diabetes meds and never felt better. Having the heavy cream for my coffee may seem minor but the little things do matter when behaviour is the way forward. The ship's do have the cream and I don't have any problem in the PG for breakfast.

Dennis

[Moriah]

I am with OP. I have lost 90 pounds in the last year on extreme low carb. I am off diabetes meds and never felt better. Having the heavy cream for my coffee may seem minor but the little things do matter when behaviour is the way forward. The ship's do have the cream and I don't have any problem in the PG for breakfast.

Dennis

 

Wow, congrats on that Dennis, that is huge - health is everything - and thanks! I have a Neptune suite for my Alaska cruise in September so will have breakfasts in the PG. In July on Maasdam I don't have that privilege but will have my own cream in the room for my morning coffee. Everyone has been so helpful and forthcoming on this thread. I just love Cruisecritic and everyone on it!!

[POA1]

Half & Half is pretty easy to come by. It's only got 1.3 g of carbohydrates per ounce (2 tablespoons or some seriously white coffee.)

[RuthC]

Is it possible the dollop was from a can of whipped cream?

Possible? Sure, it was "possible". But it tasted like real cream, and had a much thicker consistency than whipped creams from a can.

 

The point is that the possibility of real, heavy cream for the OP is there. She can ask, and if that is what they have, she can request it.

All too often on the ships people don't see something offered, so they take what is there. If you just ask about something, they may very well have it (after all, the ship is just one small city) and will be happy to get it for you.

[CGYCruisingFamily]

Does your room have a fridge? If so and you are worried about availability, take some on with you.