Is regular coffee at Café Al Bacio better than at buffet?

[kms8066]

Just wondering if regular coffee (not fancy stuff in it) is better at Cafe al Bacio than at the buffet? Also, which type comes to you if you order room service?

[gsb]

Just wondering if regular coffee (not fancy stuff in it) is better at Cafe al Bacio than at the buffet? Also, which type comes to you if you order room service?

 

The Americano--probably the closest thing to "regular" coffee is only about ten times better than what you can get in the buffet--unless you go to the bar at the buffet--where they do the fresh squeezed OJ and have mixed drinks.

They have the fancy machines that make the fancy and good coffees.;)

[mickey89]

The free buffet coffee is undrinkable, we always take our own. They tell you that the MDR coffee is the same as the buffet, it definitely is not but still very poor quality.

Edited November 13, 2014 by mickey89

[Lsimon]

Just wondering if regular coffee (not fancy stuff in it) is better at Cafe al Bacio than at the buffet? Also, which type comes to you if you order room service?

 

No. But this is only because they do not serve "regular" coffee - at least not the drip/filter brewed coffee served in the USA. All of the coffee served at Café al Bacio is espresso based coffee. The closest they serve, as noted above, is an Americano.. If you dislike espresso based coffees then you may or may not like the Americano.

 

The coffee served by room service is the same as that served in the buffet and dining rooms. The only exception is for those in suites who can request espresso based coffees through their butler at no additional charge.

 

The ship's coffee is not very consistent and sometimes it is sort of OK, although I really don't like it. When we're not traveling with some sort of beverage package we usually bring some sort of alternative with us such as Starbucks VIA. I'm not crazy about the Via but it is better than the ship's coffee for us and much less expensive then buying the espresso coffee by the cup.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Lsimon

[Sloop-JohnB]

God yes...

 

The Regular Coffee ship wide is awful. They typically use a coffee "oil" to make it enmasse... Not coffee grounds.

 

Coffee at Cafe al Bacio is espresso based (like Starbucks etc)... An Americano which is the closest to regular coffee is espresso with extra hot water to dilute it down from strong.

 

Mr Sloop likes his BLACK Dark Roast Coffee... He quite liked the Americanos. I like milky frothy coffee.... Cafe al Bacio kept me happily plied with Capuccinos, Lattes, and Flavoired Machiattos.

 

Lol, and oh ya, they make to die for Iced Coffees too... Perfect when returning to the ship after a hot Caribbean Day ashore.

 

(they of course also have Hot Chocolate - Premium Tea Blends - Specialty Coffees with Booze in them - and a Full Bar too. And don't forget to check out the COMPLIMENTARY Sweets that are on display)

 

Cheers!

Edited November 13, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[Theodorable]

The coffee I had at the cafe, and I only had one, was awful. I am a one cup a day person....strong black coffee and that is what I asked for. I paid $5 plus for a very disappointing coffee. This was on the Solstice last month.

 

I found the coffee in the buffet fine. The do make it with grounds (I watched them pour the coffee into the machine) and if you get it as soon as it has finished perking it is totally fine. Not as strong per say as I usually like but totally drinkable.

 

I am always amazed that people spend so much on coffee on the ship. I live in Vancouver which must be the coffee capital of Canada and I was hugely disappointed in Cafe Al Bacio.

 

Overrated and not at all good.

[Muushka]

My goodness. I can't wrap my mind around these coffee opinions!

 

At first I thought the OP was kidding.

 

Let me think. Coffee at Al Bacio or at the buffet?

 

Um. Al Bacio, hands down! And I'm a frugal gal.

[princesspie]

Learned from a Food & Beverage director that coffee for the buffet and MDR are made differently for each class of ship.

 

The Solstice class coffee is brewed from real coffee beans and is fresh. The configuration of the Solstice beverage stations allows for water to flow right into urns to brew there. Not the best but certainly better than on the Millennium ships.

 

Coffee on Millennium is an instant coffee mixed with hot water in the kitchen. Not brewed at all. It's then put into the buffet urns which by the way can't heat ...thus horrid lukewarm coffee, Same method used for MDR. Was told the configuration of the kitchen not on the same deck as restaurants doesn't allow for brewing coffee and having water piped right into beverage stations.

 

Going to be on the Infinity for 28 days and for my morning coffee...it will be Starbucks Via! Will treat myself to a afternoon & evening Café A Bacio. But, in the long run I'll take bad coffee just to be cruising the oceans.

[villauk]

My goodness. I can't wrap my mind around these coffee opinions!

 

At first I thought the OP was kidding.

 

Let me think. Coffee at Al Bacio or at the buffet?

 

Um. Al Bacio, hands down! And I'm a frugal gal.

 

Me too :D! But if we don't have a free beverage package with the booking, I have to buy non alcoholic package - no way I could stomach their regular coffee every morning ;).

[Oskial]

Are the coffees at Bacio included in a classic or premium drink package or do you still have to buy them?

[bbappel]

I don't know if this is true of the whole line, but the Summit in September was serving Lavazza coffee in the MDR and the buffet and it was very good. Coffee has been one of the things we miss on a cruise; we make do with Lattes from Al Bacio, but we love a good cup of coffee in the morning, maybe two. On this cruise, I noticed the Lavazza packages and decided to try the coffee. Whoever was in charge of preparing it did a wonderful job. Maybe Lavazza clearly explains how to make the coffee. I'm not sure, but I hope this will be true of other ships and wasn't simply a matter of personal choice of Paul Kelly, the Hotel Manager.

 

Are the coffees at Bacio included in a classic or premium drink package or do you still have to buy them?

Most are included in the classic package; A few may require the premium. We have had the premium package (with and without alcohol) so I'm not sure about that.

 

Beth

Edited November 13, 2014 by bbappel

[cruzzzinma]

We were on the Solstice in September and October and the coffee in the buffet was the best I had on the ship. They had some relatively new fancy coffee machines and they made very good coffee. I drink Starbucks Sumatra at home so I am a little picky about coffee.

[gwrod]

I don't know if this is true of the whole line, but the Summit in September was serving Lavazza coffee in the MDR and the buffet and it was very good. Coffee has been one of the things we miss on a cruise; we make do with Lattes from Al Bacio, but we love a good cup of coffee in the morning, maybe two. On this cruise, I noticed the Lavazza packages and decided to try the coffee. Whoever was in charge of preparing it did a wonderful job. Maybe Lavazza clearly explains how to make the coffee. I'm not sure, but I hope this will be true of other ships and wasn't simply a matter of personal choice of Paul Kelly, the Hotel Manager.

 

 

Most are included in the classic package; A few may require the premium. We have had the premium package (with and without alcohol) so I'm not sure about that.

 

Beth

 

Totally agree.. the Lavazza coffee in the buffet last week was pretty good, but I did have an Americano everyday too.

Edited November 13, 2014 by gwrod

[Lsimon]

Are the coffees at Bacio included in a classic or premium drink package or do you still have to buy them?

 

Yes, all of your basic espresso based coffees, including latte, cappuccino, and Americano are included in both classic and premium. There are just a few coffees with spices or other additional ingredients that might not be included in the classic package depending on the ship (they are not consistent on this).

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

God yes...

 

The Regular Coffee ship wide is awful. They typically use a coffee "oil" to make it enmasse... Not coffee grounds.

 

 

Have you personally witnessed this? Or is this just something you heard? Because I've seen them put regular coffee in a basket and brew the coffee. On all classes of ships.

 

Personally, I think coffee made with coffee grounds would be terrible. To me, coffee grounds are what are left over after the coffee has been brewed.

 

I agree that the cofee is not the world's greatest, but coffee brewed in vast quantities like those urns rarely is. It manages to wake me up in the morning.

 

[Sloop-JohnB]

Have you personally witnessed this? Or is this just something you heard? Because I've seen them put regular coffee in a basket and brew the coffee. On all classes of ships.

 

Personally, I think coffee made with coffee grounds would be terrible. To me, coffee grounds are what are left over after the coffee has been brewed.

 

I agree that the cofee is not the world's greatest, but coffee brewed in vast quantities like those urns rarely is. It manages to wake me up in the morning.

 

 

Mr Sloop was told this when he inquired about how bad the coffee tasted in the Buffet area on The Solstice in 2012 (same automatic brewing process described as PRINCESSPIE above... Except there were no ground coffee involved... Just this injected coffee oil that met up from one reservoir with hot water)

 

After finding success with the coffee in Cafe al Bacio... We stayed away from the regular coffee the rest of the cruise, and pretty much the same on our Summit Cruise in 2013

 

By recent accounts here it sounds like Celebrity is experimenting with other methods & suppliers across the line & in various venues (familiar with LavAzza they certainly make a good product)

 

As for my use of the wording Coffee Grounds vs Ground Coffee, I attribute that to my Québécois upbringing... Sometimes putting the modifier behind the noun instead of in front of it. On occasion.. That can inadvertently change the meaning. I apologize for the confusion.

 

Cheers!

Edited November 14, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[eddiethekub]

I knew what you meant Mrs. Sloop :)

[plucasana]

It is a question of taste of course.... We like good italian coffee, I even like Lavazza. The coffee they served at al bacio (On the Summit) was not very good imho, it had a strange aftertaste. The coffee at the buffet did not have this aftertaste. Of course it is cafeteria cafe, but we kind of liked it. I would not have paid for al bacio if I had not had the premium package...

[cindygad]

We got back from Equinox a couple weeks ago. It was my first time with drink package. I used to order coffee from room service while I was getting ready. This last cruise my DH who does not drink coffee went down to Cafe al Bacio and got my first cup. We would then stop for my second on the way to main dining room and I took it in there to have with breakfast. So much better than coffee in dining room.

[ghstudio]

On the recent infinity TA, the expresso based coffees served in the elite breakfast were slightly better than the regular coffee, but a far cry from freshly made expresso that you get a cafe bacio. I suspect that since there were so many elites (500+) they pre-made some stronger coffee and tried to pass that off as expresso. One clue was that when we ordered decaf capuccino's they came within a minute. Not sure if this was a one-off on this cruise, but it was certainly a change from previous cruises where the expresso coffee in the elite breakfast was excellent.

[Sandtrap328]

Cafe Al Bacio has americano which is expresso mixed with hot water. It is closest to drinkable coffee you can find on board. The coffee in the buffet is swill.

 

At home, I prefer Gevalia.

 

Yes, coffees and teas are covered by the premium drink package.

 

Sailing on the Silhouette on November 16 AND 23 with the lovely Mrs. Trap.

[K.T.B.]

I'm definitely different from everyone else here! As far as I'm concerned, I have never had any problems with the coffee anywhere on the ship. Of course I'm not overly picky about it either! (And, no, that does not mean I am saying anyone here is. So don't take offense!) As far as I am concerned, as long as it's caffeinated, I am happy! :p

[SuiteCruising]

Other than in the cafes, I've never had a good cup of coffee on any cruise line I've sailed.

Thanks to a previous poster's suggestion, I purchased two boxes of Starbucks Via today for my upcoming cruise. Thanks!

[Patrick IL.]

every morning it's my job to go down to Bacio and get my wife her Americano and my breakfast tea.

[Queen of Oakville]

I've gotten used to drinking bad coffee on ships. Of course, I was spoiled on Oasis, with a starbucks on board! I was in heaven, and would grab my coffee on my way to breakfast each morning.

 

I wish Tassimo or Keurig would invent a single cup travel brewer, lightweight and durable. I'm not a fan of the coffee press but understand there are many who pack a coffee press in their luggage.