Serious iced tea question :-)

[250373]

Asking on behalf of my daughter:

what kind of self served iced tea is available in the OV Cafe? Is it brewed of Nestea kind... 

Thank you! :-)

[Chocolate martini fan]

It tastes like instant ice tea or tea that has been sitting around for a long time.  I tried it twice and no more after that.

If your daughter likes tea I would suggest making a strong cup of hot tea (maybe use 2 or 3 tea bags) let it cool then pour it over ice.

 

To be fair I tend to be picky about my tea.

[Northern Aurora]

I also am picky about my tea -- both hot and iced.  I echo "Chocolate martini fan's" suggestion -- make your own.  And the iced tea at the Cafe al Bacio uses Tea Forte.

[250373]

She's a Nestea type of gal... A real connoisseur! Lol!  So she might be happy with what is being served!

thank you for taking the time to answer her question! :-)

[Jim_Iain]

I'm another one that enjoys Ice Tea.   The one in the OVC is very definitely powdered tea taste.   I have however had it served in Luminae, Blu and the Main Dining room and it tastes like brewed tea that has been iced. 

 

I generally do as others suggested and brew my own.   I have also brewed up some Sun Tea and worked well.

[calicakes]

26 minutes ago, Chocolate martini fan said:

It tastes like instant ice tea or tea that has been sitting around for a long time.  I tried it twice and no more after that.

If your daughter likes tea I would suggest making a strong cup of hot tea (maybe use 2 or 3 tea bags) let it cool then pour it over ice.

 

To be fair I tend to be picky about my tea.

I don't drink tea, but I'm picky about my iced coffee( I don't drink it hot).  I thought I would grab coffee from OV cafe or room service, let it cool and then make my own iced coffee the next day.  It was HORRIBLE.  The coffee was just nasty.  I tried getting iced coffees from Cafe Al baccio and those were so dang strong, I had to let the ice sit overnight before I could drink it the next day.  On our next cruise, I'm going to bring Cold Brew filter packs and a plastic pitcher and make my own cold brew.  

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

My thought is that often the tea in the OV dispensers tastes suspiciously like apple juice as though that was run through the dispensers. What I do is get the free tea bags, hot water and a separate glass of ice and make my own fresh iced tea. This is a bother, no doubt, and can be messy too. However, I feel that is far better than the  tea offered in the OV.

 

Even better is to get the Tea Forte in Cafe Il Bacio, let that cool and add ice cubes to that for a really satisfying iced tea. There is an extra charge for Tea Forte unless one has a beverage package. 

[cb at sea]

It's not "Nestea".....but I find it strong.  It's not sweetened, but lots of stirring of sugar can remedy that.  I add a bit of water to it, just to tone it down a bit.

 

And yes...you can make your own fairly easily.

[Lastdance]

Make your own, adding ice and lemon!  I actually use one decaf and one regular breakfast tea packs...pair with a fresh out of the oven almond croissant...priceless!  Okay, I was on Edge for a TA last April/May.  Actually, my DH had it ready for me!  He is priceless too!!!!

Edited November 22, 2019 by Lastdance

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, calicakes said:

I don't drink tea, but I'm picky about my iced coffee( I don't drink it hot).  I thought I would grab coffee from OV cafe or room service, let it cool and then make my own iced coffee the next day.  It was HORRIBLE.  The coffee was just nasty.  I tried getting iced coffees from Cafe Al baccio and those were so dang strong, I had to let the ice sit overnight before I could drink it the next day.  On our next cruise, I'm going to bring Cold Brew filter packs and a plastic pitcher and make my own cold brew.  

You also might look into a travel french press.   I have a couple and bring them along with my own coffee.   I just order a carafe of hot water with my breakfast order on room service.    I can then make it just the way I like it at home.

[oneputt18]

Ice tea is made from a liquid concentrate, I watched them load the box into the dispenser. 

[miched]

Driving back from Florida after a cruise we had to lay over in the southern states.   In all of their restaurant's they serve sweet tea.   I make a remark to my wife that they should call it sugar infused with tea.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[kayehall]

Lipton Tea and some other off brands sell "cold brew" tea bags.  I carry them with me whenever I travel.  You can get bottled water.  Carefully insert tea bag and within a few minutes have fresh brewed ice tea!!!  I ask my cabin steward to refill ice bucket twice daily.

 

[calicakes]

15 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

You also might look into a travel french press.   I have a couple and bring them along with my own coffee.   I just order a carafe of hot water with my breakfast order on room service.    I can then make it just the way I like it at home.

😄Thank you.  Are they plastic?  I'm assuming probably so. 

[PTC DAWG]

14 hours ago, miched said:

Driving back from Florida after a cruise we had to lay over in the southern states.   In all of their restaurant's they serve sweet tea.   I make a remark to my wife that they should call it sugar infused with tea.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Life long Southerner here...I always ask for half and half..half sweet/half unsweet...most restaurants have both...

 

No doubt, many of the local meat and 3's are over the top with sugar in the tea.  

Edited November 22, 2019 by PTC DAWG

[kearney]

In the south you need to specifically request unsweet tea... or else you will get that overly sweet tea. I have lived in the south for over 40 years..and still have not adjusted to sweet tea.

[lorimay]

I'm also a serious iced tea (unsweetened) drinker and really don't like the iced tea in the Oceanview, although I agree that sometimes you do get brewed tea in the MDR or specialty restaurants. My last cruise I brought my stainless steel thermal drink tumbler and filled it with ice, then added my double strength hot tea I brewed myself. Worked great. I have also brought a small plastic pitcher and the cold brew teabags along to keep a pitcher of tea in the refrigerator in the cabin. My only iced tea complaint from my last couple of cruises is that they must have to walk a long way to get it from the MDR because 1) it takes forever for them to bring it after you order and 2) they don't always offer refills. My standard for good service is to keep my iced tea glass full throughout the meal.

[Jim_Iain]

4 hours ago, calicakes said:

😄Thank you.  Are they plastic?  I'm assuming probably so. 

They have both plastic and Stainless Tea.   I like my Stainless one but It does set off red alerts when it goes through  a metal detector.   Round Cylinder with a plunger -  cant figure out why.   LOL.   

 

The Bodum 15 ounce is my favorite.    It's about $12.50

https://www.amazon.com/11100-01BUS-Coffee-Plastic-Insulated-Travel/dp/B008LWVI6E/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=travel+coffee+press+plastic&qid=1574461905&sr=8-1

[calicakes]

@Jim_Iain  Since I'm new to french press, does the water have to be hot?  I ask because I'd want to use the bottled water vs. ordering a pot of hot water.  I realize its probably a ridiculous question.  Now that I think about it, I would assume it needs to be hot to get out the flavor of the ground coffee.   I won't be drinking it hot. 

[miched]

7 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

Life long Southerner here...I always ask for half and half..half sweet/half unsweet...most restaurants have both...

 

No doubt, many of the local meat and 3's are over the top with sugar in the tea.  

And for some it still isn’t sweet enough and they pour in more sugar.  
 

My MIL was born in MO.  She would claim that cooks in KY only knew one way to cook, if it didn’t taste good add more sugar.   I told her that wasn’t  true as my best friend was from KY and his mother made everything with bacon grease and salt.   I loved her food.  

 

I would eat there every chance I had, everything was fired in bacon grease and it was was always fried potatoes, bacon, biscuits and gravy made from the grease, fried green beans or corn,   salted ham,  fried chicken,  wilted leaf lettuce using bacon grease, pork patties also fried in bacon grease and etc.  she fried everything.  My mother always knew that I was there because when I came home  I smelled like bacon grease.   Her mother ate the same as she learned from her and she was in her nineties when she died.  My friends parents died about 25 years ago and both were in their nineties.   So much for bacon grease not being healthy.  
 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅
 

 

[Jim_Iain]

18 hours ago, calicakes said:

@Jim_Iain  Since I'm new to french press, does the water have to be hot?  I ask because I'd want to use the bottled water vs. ordering a pot of hot water.  I realize its probably a ridiculous question.  Now that I think about it, I would assume it needs to be hot to get out the flavor of the ground coffee.   I won't be drinking it hot. 

I've always used hot water.    I've never tried the Cold Brew Tea but would think it might work by putting the tea bag in and let it stand for the desired length of time and then plung. 

[FlyingAnchor]

I stopped drinking soda a few years ago and switched to iced tea (unsweetened) instead. In Ocean View Cafe, I brew my own hot tea and pour over ice. 

Otherwise, I stop by Cafe al Bacio and order one of their brewed teas as an iced tea. I've actually never ordered iced tea in any of the dining restaurants, but perhaps will give it a try this time around! 

Edited November 24, 2019 by FlyingAnchor

[grayjay]

When you order tea at Café al Bacio make sure the teas are fresh, though. I love drinking tea, but on "Edge" a few weeks ago the teas at the Café were undrinkable ( great coffees!!) whereas the regular teas in the Oceanview Café were fresh and good quality. (Tetleys tea bags). So I changed my routine and ordered coffee in the Café al Bacio and had teas in the buffet!