Coffee Questions

[Firepath]

I love coffee day or night, cold weather or warm so I'll be drinking plenty of coffee on our cruise. We will be on POA. How is the coffee in the MDR and other venues? Can you order specialty coffee drinks in the MDR or do you have to get it at a coffee bar? Does anyone know what brand of coffee NCL serves? I'm not a coffee snob, just hoping for something decent.

[MotownVoice]

The coffee situation on pretty much every cruise line is about the same.

The coffee served in dining rooms and room service is pretty standard grocery store grind.  It tastes like a cup of Folgers.

The coffee at the specialty coffee bar is a special roast and you pay for it. 

There's only one way to have the truly best coffee, and that is to get a bean from a place that roasted it in the last week or two.  It's the only way to guarantee you aren't drinking a bean that's been sitting on a shelf in inventory for 6 months.  It's not "bad" coffee.  It's just not as good as it gets.

If you want the BEST coffee?

Take a cafetierre (French press) with you, and bring a bean roasted the week you leave from a local coffee roaster.  Not just SOLD that week ........ ROASTED that week.

 

In fact if you had a choice I'd recommend bringing a little travel grinder and leaving it whole bean until you use it, but that get's kinda high maintenance.

Edited September 9, 2019 by MotownVoice

[Firepath]

Is there a coffee maker in each cabin?

[MotownVoice]

56 minutes ago, Firepath said:

Is there a coffee maker in each cabin?

Yes.  Those junky little one-cup-at-a-time deals that tastes like it was made with potting soil.

[esm54687]

49 minutes ago, MotownVoice said:

Yes.  Those junky little one-cup-at-a-time deals that tastes like it was made with potting soil.

Not each cabin...... balcony and above 

[Petoonya]

3 hours ago, MotownVoice said:

Take a cafetierre (French press) with you, and bring a bean roasted the week you leave from a local coffee roaster.  Not just SOLD that week ........ ROASTED that week.

 

In fact if you had a choice I'd recommend bringing a little travel grinder and leaving it whole bean until you use it, but that get's kinda high maintenance.

 

Is there any difficulty in getting a pot of hot water from the dining room for a french press? Or can I order from room service?

Edited September 9, 2019 by Petoonya

[Von & John]

You can order hot water from Room Service for breakfast. 

Otherwise, cabin category dependent, you will pay a convenience fee to enjoy that hot water delivered to your room...

[Sweetnspicy]

I was thinking about bringing an Aero press with me in January. I need really strong coffee (caffeine addict) about 3-4 times a day. Its my only vice. I think you can just ask for hot water from room service. 

[sunsetme]

Firepath, there are some great coffee plantations in Hawaii you might enjoy visiting

[Petoonya]

1 hour ago, Von & John said:

You can order hot water from Room Service for breakfast. 

Otherwise, cabin category dependent, you will pay a convenience fee to enjoy that hot water delivered to your room...

Thanks so much! Decision made 🙂

[Von & John]

I failed to add earlier...

For those wanting hot water - you can access plenty in the buffet area.

You can order hot water from Room Service with breakfast.

Any other time, cabin category dependent, you will pay a convenience fee to enjoy hot water delivered to your room...

2 hours ago, Von & John said:

You can order hot water from Room Service for breakfast. 

Otherwise, cabin category dependent, you will pay a convenience fee to enjoy that hot water delivered to your room...

 

[don't-use-real-name]

11 hours ago, jdechter said:

Firepath, there are some great coffee plantations in Hawaii you might enjoy visiting

 

Kona coffee da best kind - very rich flavorful - drink too much will stain your teeth !  Not really LOL !

Many places in the islands that sell it ready to take home and brew. Even at the airport gift shops.

You would pay a hefty price for it on the mainland !

[KeithJenner]

I often get an espresso in the MDR after meals. The menu states that it is Lavazza (i.e. the same as the non starbucks coffee bars onboard). I believe that Latte and Cappuccino is also available.

 

Always tastes pretty good to me.

Edited September 10, 2019 by KeithJenner

[Peachypooh]

On every NCL ship I have been on (have not been on the POA) there have been one or two

coffee machines that grind the beans on demand in the buffet.  And it is free. Self serve.

Edited September 10, 2019 by Peachypooh

[MotownVoice]

20 minutes ago, Peachypooh said:

On every NCL ship I have been on (have not been on the POA) there have been one or two

coffee machines that grind the beans on demand in the buffet.  And it is free. Self serve.

That's awesome to hear.

[MotownVoice]

5 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

I often get an espresso in the MDR after meals. The menu states that it is Lavazza (i.e. the same as the non starbucks coffee bars onboard). I believe that Latte and Cappuccino is also available.

 

Always tastes pretty good to me.

"Pretty Good" could also describe Maxwell House instant.  It just depends on who's enjoying it and what breadth of exposure that person has had to the full spectrum of coffee qualities.

Lavazza is a vacuum packed grocery store quality brand which is ground and roasted in a factory then warehoused for weeks, months or even up to two years before it makes it to your cup.  It is unremarkable, and indistinguishably different from any other store brand.  They market themselves as "Italy's Favorite Espresso."  Stella essentially brands themselves the same way.  Both are imported from a roasting company in Italy.  Both would be considered the equivalent of a Starbuck's in Milan, Rome or Naples.

In other words:  "meh."

 

[KeithJenner]

4 minutes ago, MotownVoice said:

"Pretty Good" could also describe Maxwell House instant.  It just depends on who's enjoying it and what breadth of exposure that person has had to the full spectrum of coffee qualities.

Lavazza is a vacuum packed grocery store quality brand which is ground and roasted in a factory then warehoused for weeks, months or even up to two years before it makes it to your cup.  It is unremarkable, and indistinguishably different from any other store brand.  They market themselves as "Italy's Favorite Espresso."  Stella essentially brands themselves the same way.  Both are imported from a roasting company in Italy.  Both would be considered the equivalent of a Starbuck's in Milan, Rome or Naples.

In other words:  "meh."

 

Whatever. The point is that it’s the same coffee that you get if you go to the speciality coffee bar on the ship, rather than the stuff that comes out of the machines in the buffet.

 

One of the specific questions you asked was whether the MDR served that coffee of if you had to go to the coffee bar, and another was what brand they served. I think I answered those questions.

 

Still, I’m fascinated by your knowledge of coffee. I will remember all that stuff next time so I know whether I should like it or not.

Edited September 10, 2019 by KeithJenner

[MotownVoice]

7 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

One of the specific questions (the OP) asked was whether the MDR served that coffee of if you had to go to the coffee bar, and another was what brand they served. I think I answered those questions.

 

 

You did. Agreed.