lovetotraveltx Posted June 30, 2019 #1 Share Posted June 30, 2019 We are dining in Britannia, what type of coffee is complementary with meals? Namely, after dinner? Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanky Lad Posted June 30, 2019 #2 Share Posted June 30, 2019 (edited) You will be offered coffee out of a pot, but if you want a more specialist coffee, then just ask. Edited June 30, 2019 by Lanky Lad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynox Posted June 30, 2019 #3 Share Posted June 30, 2019 Yep. I always get a couple of espressos after dinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovetotraveltx Posted June 30, 2019 Author #4 Share Posted June 30, 2019 14 minutes ago, Ynox said: Yep. I always get a couple of espressos after dinner. Are they free? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Se1lad Posted June 30, 2019 #5 Share Posted June 30, 2019 11 minutes ago, lovetotraveltx said: Are they free? Yes - but nothing special - though more than acceptable for a free drink! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigmike911 Posted July 1, 2019 #6 Share Posted July 1, 2019 4 hours ago, lovetotraveltx said: Are they free? Well, included in your fare, at no additional charge, but not exactly free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseluvva Posted July 1, 2019 #7 Share Posted July 1, 2019 The coffees offered in the restaurants is considerably below the standard of those you pay for in the various bars. But it does the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VintageCCG Posted July 1, 2019 #8 Share Posted July 1, 2019 I struggled last summer to persuade my table's waiter to bring the after-dinner coffee in a timely manner, so as to enjoy it while awaiting and enjoying dessert. On most occasions the coffee didn't arrive until after the dessert was almost finished, which - to me anyway - kind of defeats the purpose. I tried requesting, I insisting, I tried escalating politely to the table captain, I tried characterizing it as "this may not be to everybody's taste but I prefer it this way" (notwithstanding it has been the practice at all fine restaurants I have frequented, and it appeared also to be the preference of my tablemates). Then oops no cream. Seldom any refills. Maybe I should have asked for coffee at the same time I submitted my dinner order! Over the span of two weeks aboard, I was lucky if the waiter got it right even twice. Sadly, that seemed to be the common theme with many of the MDR elements ... the wait staff just didn't seem to get why anybody would not be delighted with repeatedly sub-par service. Pleasant and friendly ... just kinda clueless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToadOfToadHall Posted July 1, 2019 #9 Share Posted July 1, 2019 I find the standard coffee tastes of nothing and is more akin to warm water with brown grit in it. And I recall once commenting on how bad it was one lunch time in the MDR and someone overheard me and said I was correct and he was going to complain. Which he then did, quite forcefully, and then several new pots arrived at his table as the waiter and the Maitre'D went into customer service overdrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exlondoner Posted July 1, 2019 #10 Share Posted July 1, 2019 3 hours ago, VintageCCG said: I struggled last summer to persuade my table's waiter to bring the after-dinner coffee in a timely manner, so as to enjoy it while awaiting and enjoying dessert. On most occasions the coffee didn't arrive until after the dessert was almost finished, which - to me anyway - kind of defeats the purpose. I tried requesting, I insisting, I tried escalating politely to the table captain, I tried characterizing it as "this may not be to everybody's taste but I prefer it this way" (notwithstanding it has been the practice at all fine restaurants I have frequented, and it appeared also to be the preference of my tablemates). Then oops no cream. Seldom any refills. Maybe I should have asked for coffee at the same time I submitted my dinner order! Over the span of two weeks aboard, I was lucky if the waiter got it right even twice. Sadly, that seemed to be the common theme with many of the MDR elements ... the wait staff just didn't seem to get why anybody would not be delighted with repeatedly sub-par service. Pleasant and friendly ... just kinda clueless. I think this is just the universal European approach. Coffee after - not with - dessert. And there we all were thinking Cunard had been thoroughly Americanised. This doesn't, of course, explain their unwillingness to fulfil a request for coffee to arrive with desert. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseluvva Posted July 1, 2019 #11 Share Posted July 1, 2019 I don’t think I have ever dined at a restaurant, fine or otherwise, where coffee was served with dessert. It’s always served afterwards, normally with petit fours. However, if it was requested... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Host Hattie Posted July 1, 2019 #12 Share Posted July 1, 2019 Dessert wine with dessert surely ?! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slugsta Posted July 1, 2019 #13 Share Posted July 1, 2019 I have never been anywhere, on shore or at sea, where it is the done thing for coffee to arrive before dessert. On the odd occasion that my coffee has arrived before we have finished dessert, it has been sent back. It seems that this must be a cultural difference of which I was unaware. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1young Posted July 1, 2019 #14 Share Posted July 1, 2019 When someone prefers to be served their coffee is certainly not a right or wrong thing. It's simply a personal preference, and often culturally influenced thing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonopah Posted July 1, 2019 #15 Share Posted July 1, 2019 Whenever I ordered coffee with dessert they arrived together. And it was warm and drinkable. The differing experiences are interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter pan Posted July 4, 2019 #16 Share Posted July 4, 2019 We also prefer coffee with our dessert. Our family from South Jersey always had coffee with dessert. They once commented to me that above the Raritan River (Central/North Jersey) it was impossible to get coffee with dessert. It was always served after. Interesting. Guess it depends on where you live. Bottom line....your cruise, your choice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwendy Posted July 4, 2019 #17 Share Posted July 4, 2019 I like my coffee with my meal. Once in a French restaurant in Noumea I ordered my meal and coffee and asked for coffee to come straight away. “Non Non Madame, only after meal”. Oh well when in Rome, or Noumea do as they do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToadOfToadHall Posted July 5, 2019 #18 Share Posted July 5, 2019 11 hours ago, Gwendy said: I like my coffee with my meal. Once in a French restaurant in Noumea I ordered my meal and coffee and asked for coffee to come straight away. “Non Non Madame, only after meal”. Oh well when in Rome, or Noumea do as they do. I suspect you will find it was just the waiter's use of English as opposed to him refusing your request. This can often seem the case when someone is speaking in a language that is not their first (not that I can speak a word of anything other than English), they can come across as rude or to be refusing your request when it's not the case at all. For example, two years ago now we were in Madeira. Mrs Toad ordered a sweet Madeira as an aperitif in a restaurant. The waiter said "Sweet Madame ? Are you sure ? "Yes" she said. "That's absolutely fine, only it's traditional to drink dry before the meal and sweet afterwards. But if you'd like a sweet Madeira then of course I shall be happy to serve it to you". His English was superb. But if it had not been as good as it was, he may have said something like "Non Non Madame, only after meal". Either way he would have simply been expressing his surprise. I'm sure if you had simply said that you know coffee is normally taken after the meal but you would like yours with the meal then he would have happily brought you a coffee. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMac1953 Posted July 5, 2019 #19 Share Posted July 5, 2019 Not being a dessert person normally, I would tend to have a selection of cheese and biscuits. Our sommelier then brings my bottle of port to wash the cheese down. After all that, then it's coffee and brandy (which seems a better pairing to me). Stewart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwendy Posted July 5, 2019 #20 Share Posted July 5, 2019 Appreciate your comments but he was quite ok with English, he was just not going to serve coffee before or with my meal. Had a laugh and moved on, not worth making a fuss. Travelled all over the world, each country has their own way of doing things, I try to blend in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Se1lad Posted July 5, 2019 #21 Share Posted July 5, 2019 18 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said: Not being a dessert person normally, I would tend to have a selection of cheese and biscuits. Our sommelier then brings my bottle of port to wash the cheese down. After all that, then it's coffee and brandy (which seems a better pairing to me). Stewart Sometimes I like to have both - though I prefer cheese first followed by dessert ... then coffee then brandy ! 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exlondoner Posted July 5, 2019 #22 Share Posted July 5, 2019 3 minutes ago, Se1lad said: Sometimes I like to have both - though I prefer cheese first followed by dessert ... then coffee then brandy ! 🙂 Yes, of course, that is another debate. Cheese first or dessert first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToadOfToadHall Posted July 5, 2019 #23 Share Posted July 5, 2019 1 hour ago, Gwendy said: Travelled all over the world, each country has their own way of doing things, I try to blend in. An Aussie blending in ? That must be a first !! 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Se1lad Posted July 5, 2019 #24 Share Posted July 5, 2019 1 hour ago, exlondoner said: Yes, of course, that is another debate. Cheese first or dessert first. I find going straight from cheese to coffee and brandy doesn’t work for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majortom10 Posted July 5, 2019 #25 Share Posted July 5, 2019 For me dessert then cheese and then last of all coffee like it with a brandy but not on Cunard 💰💰💰 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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