Ice Tea and Coffee on Board

[jgrahamiii]

We are sailing Alaska next month.  We have already decided the liquor package costs way more then we would ever drink, but the Classic Soda or Premier Coffee and Soda packages are still under consideration.  When not having a beer or wine, I generally drink either water or diet coke, with hot tea or hot chocolate sometimes in morning or after a meal, but my wire enjoys unsweetened ice tea or hot coffee  all day.  I'm guessing from the Canned Soda package price, that we can buy a soda at the bar or at meals for about $2 a pop (plus gratuity), but can't figure out ice tea or coffee.  Forgetting about specialty coffees or premium teas for now, is unsweetened ice tea available all day other than in the Horizon Food Court (at a bar maybe)? Is it extra at dinner or lunch?  How about hot regular tea and regular coffee (which I know some people don't like, but we'll cross that bridge on board)? 

 

Thanks for any help on this question. -John

[JF - retired RRT]

In the Horizon Court (buffet) available from servers or at the self-serve area you can get coffee & tea all day at no charge.

The coffee is made from a syrup (unless you're on the Royal). DH says it tastes like Taster's Choice. Some like it, some tolerate it and some hate it. You won't know until you're there.

Iced tea tastes to me like it's made from a powdered mix. You can get about 8 different flavors of tea from the self-serve area and make your own hot or iced tea.

At breakfast, orange juice is available as well as tomato, prune, grapefruit, etc. (no charge).

Lemonade at lunch (no charge).

Pretty much the same in the MDRs.

You can also buy a coffee package (approx. $39) good for the duration of the cruise. That will get you all the brewed coffee, specialty tea flavors & hot chocolate that you want PLUS 15 specialty coffee/tea fancy drinks.

If you don't drink a lot of soda, just bring what you like when you board.

If you do a Google search, you'll find lots of posts about the available options.

[jgrahamiii]

Thanks. That's very helpful.  Read a lot of posts on beverages, but could never quite figure out exactly where you have to go to get ice tea or if you could get it at the MDR with dinner.  I appreciate the help! -John

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes there are ice tea dispensers in the HC Buffet which are available 24/7 along with water/ice/hot water.

[skynight]

Soda and other non-alcoholic beverages. You can bring on as much as you like when boarding or at ports of call. No restrictions. The soda in the package is fountain soda limited to regular and diet coke and sprite.

Edited July 8, 2019 by skynight

[disneyochem]

My hubby loves unsweetened iced tea.  He would get tea bags from the buffet (available all day) and poured hot water over them.  Then he would add ice and water.  He put it in a 32 oz insulated cup—kept it cold all day long.

 

I bought the coffee card—the coffee syrup was nasty.......

[tillys mom]

Buy your cokes near the port, attach Princess luggage tag, and drop off with your luggage. Maybe bind 2 together with package tape or duct tape. I prefer 1 liter bottles, and I have a sturdy tote that will hold 18 and zip shut.

I drink unsweetened ice tea, and what’s served on board isn’t too bad. DH is very picky about his coffee, but he says the regular coffee is fine. He says he likes it because it is strong, and maybe that’s why others don’t like it. Don’t start screaming at me - I hate the stuff.

 

[neverbeenhere]

10 minutes ago, tillys mom said:

Buy your cokes near the port, attach Princess luggage tag, and drop off with your luggage. Maybe bind 2 together with package tape or duct tape. I prefer 1 liter bottles, and I have a sturdy tote that will hold 18 and zip shut.

I drink unsweetened ice tea, and what’s served on board isn’t too bad. DH is very picky about his coffee, but he says the regular coffee is fine. He says he likes it because it is strong, and maybe that’s why others don’t like it. Don’t start screaming at me - I hate the stuff.

 

 

I would never scream at you, but I might suggest that you should go looking for a new mate. 😜

[Mike45LC]

I have never tried to order iced tea from a cocktail server.  I have gotten it (for free) at a table in the Main Dining Room at lunch or dinner.  I have gotten hot tea (for free) at the MDR for breakfast.

 

The iced tea dispenser is open 24-7 in the buffet.

 

I am addicted to Coke (the soft drink), and always get the soda package.  I don't bring my own sodas on board -- I like the convenience of being able to get my soda at any bar on the ship, and I have no interest in going back to the cabin constantly to grab a can from the fridge!

 

[Lindaru]

Hubby is picky about his Coca Cola (depending on where it is bottled/canned, it can have an alkaline taste from too much phosphate).  He brought two 12 packs on our seven day with him.  Other than that, he was happy with bottled water or iced tea from the buffet.

I was happy with the coffee from the buffet but sometimes wanted something a little more special, so would go down and get a latte from the International Cafe.  I also loved the mocha milk shakes from Coffee Cones on Lido.  Sometimes I would want a bottle of Lipton sweetened iced tea, so at port stops would pick up a bottle there and bring it back with me on board.  Juneau has a souvenir shop right where you get off the ship that has a cooler with bottled and canned drinks for sale.  Skagway has an IGA store within walking distance.

 

[Kingofcool1947]

6 hours ago, jgrahamiii said:

We are sailing Alaska next month.  We have already decided the liquor package costs way more then we would ever drink, but the Classic Soda or Premier Coffee and Soda packages are still under consideration.  When not having a beer or wine, I generally drink either water or diet coke, with hot tea or hot chocolate sometimes in morning or after a meal, but my wire enjoys unsweetened ice tea or hot coffee  all day.  I'm guessing from the Canned Soda package price, that we can buy a soda at the bar or at meals for about $2 a pop (plus gratuity), but can't figure out ice tea or coffee.  Forgetting about specialty coffees or premium teas for now, is unsweetened ice tea available all day other than in the Horizon Food Court (at a bar maybe)? Is it extra at dinner or lunch?  How about hot regular tea and regular coffee (which I know some people don't like, but we'll cross that bridge on board)? 

 

Thanks for any help on this question. -John

 

Bring your own.

After 30 cruises, many to Alaska,  I save a lot money by bringing my own beverages.  You can bring your own cans/bottles of soda, ice tea, water, teas of choice, and hot chocolate powder.  That is what I do.  I carry on a couple cases of diet Dr. Pepper, diet Dad’s Root Beer, Ghirardelli chocolate powder, and bottled water.   I bring my own metal insulated tumblers that keep beverages hot or cold for up to 72 hours.  Handy when you are on deck viewing the glaciers, or just chilling out around the ship..👍

Good luck, and enjoy your cruise. 😀

Edited July 9, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[geoherb]

I frequently make my own iced tea in the Horizon Court. I have to have decaf now, so I don't drink the premade stuff anymore. It was never very good, so no big loss there. They had decaf tea bags on the Island last week, but I brought a few of my favorite herbal teas and decaf green tea bags to have at breakfast and when I felt like something other than what they stocked.

[Rusty10]

I find the regular coffee weak so I bring Taster’s Choice in a zip lock bag to add to it. I prefer unsweetened green tea or chrysanthemum team and I bring that too.  I also bring my own insulated tumbler so I don’t have to run up to the Horizon for refills as often. 

 

[Times Prince]

11 hours ago, jgrahamiii said:

We are sailing Alaska next month.  We have already decided the liquor package costs way more then we would ever drink, but the Classic Soda or Premier Coffee and Soda packages are still under consideration.  When not having a beer or wine, I generally drink either water or diet coke, with hot tea or hot chocolate sometimes in morning or after a meal, but my wire enjoys unsweetened ice tea or hot coffee  all day.  I'm guessing from the Canned Soda package price, that we can buy a soda at the bar or at meals for about $2 a pop (plus gratuity), but can't figure out ice tea or coffee.  Forgetting about specialty coffees or premium teas for now, is unsweetened ice tea available all day other than in the Horizon Food Court (at a bar maybe)? Is it extra at dinner or lunch?  How about hot regular tea and regular coffee (which I know some people don't like, but we'll cross that bridge on board)? 

 

Thanks for any help on this question. -John

You can do the math, but we've found that the soda packages that used to exist weren't worth it unless you drank 3 more Diet Cokes a day.  The other thing is that these packages let you have unlimited fountain soda.  I much prefer the fuller taste of canned soda, and don't mind paying for the one or two I might drink in a day.   As posted above, unsweetened ice tea and coffee are available in the buffet (Horizon Court or equivalent).  We've found the coffee can be pretty gruesome in the morning, which makes getting a coffee from the coffee bar in the atrium deck 7 a better deal.  Occasionally one will luck out with a little better tasting coffee in the buffet.     We've discovered that we don't need drink packages, and also don't need to bring our own.  (After spending all that money on the cruise itself, the few dollars one would save aren't worth the extra hassle IMO)