Why Is The Coffee So Bad?

[emcee5]

We are serious cruisers and we love it. But I have to ask: why is the coffee so bad on Royal Caribbean ships? It's weak. It's watery. I hear people complaining about it on every cruise. Good coffee is a basic in any good restaurant. Can't RCCL figure out a way to fix this problem?

[Karlee106]

Last Sept. when we cruised on the Soveriegn, I thought the coffee was greatly improved over out previous RCl cruise, and a hundred times better than the coffee we had on NCL's Sun. Now that was some BAD coffee!!

[MM27]

I'm very picky about my coffee. When I was on the Navigator in December I drank hot chocolate when I needed something hot because the coffee always has a weird taste. I've never been on a ship that had what I considered to be good coffee. Now the cold beverages direct from the bar...that's another story:D

[okbowler]

I think that most of the cruise lines make coffee using a syrup instead of brewing it,sort of like a fountain drink were the syrup and liquid are mixed at the nozzle. This results in a cup of varying tastes, if one is lucky , maybe coffee.This is done I am told as a cost saving feature. It works for me ,I don't drink it.:D Bill

[jia6013]

We found the coffee on the Grandeur last week to be much better than the coffee on the Brilliance last year. The Briliance coffee was way weaker than we like. However, we noticed people on the Grandeur diluting their coffee with hot water, which just goes to show that you can't please everyone. Maybe they need two pots, once for strong coffee and one for weak.

[onelegcraig]

Now, being Canadians, and being addicted to our national brand of Tim Horton's we have never much liked the coffee anywhere south of the border. Many people we know take their own "Tim's" to brew in hotel rooms when travelling south. Too bad the ships don't provide in room coffee makers. I feel much better knowing it's not just us who find RCI coffee less than desirable. For my caffiene kick start, I fill up on iced-tea.

[ILoveScotland]

I like good, full bodied coffee. That said, I don't remember the coffee on the Brilliance being bad. I only drank coffee at breakfast and had room service each day. Do you think room service coffee might be better than what's served in the dining rooms?

[critterchick]

I think RCI coffee is fine. If you want awful coffee, try Princess. Even their coffee is ok except at the Horizon Court, where it more closely resembles burnt motor oil.

[BunkerVA]

Now, being Canadians, and being addicted to our national brand of Tim Horton's we have never much liked the coffee anywhere south of the border. Many people we know take their own "Tim's" to brew in hotel rooms when travelling south. Too bad the ships don't provide in room coffee makers. I feel much better knowing it's not just us who find RCI coffee less than desirable. For my caffiene kick start, I fill up on iced-tea.

 

I was always a frequenter of "The Second Cup" instead of Tim Hortons :D (The best hot cocoa ANYWHERE!!!!)

 

I don't drink coffee, but DH is a coffee snob and the nicest thing he could come up with to describe the coffee on any cruise we've been on is "sucks." :) He feels slightly warmer about the specialty drinks at the coffee cafe!

 

Sam :D

[My2Kitties]

We find room service coffee better than anywhere else, but on last cruise they did't serve half n half only some horrible creamer...personally I even spend money on their cappuccino trying to get something decent...

[98Charlie]

Too bad the ships don't provide in room coffee makers.

NCL Star, for one, actually has in room coffee makers.

 

Star does Alaska and Mexican Riviera. The are in the rooms for the Northern route and stay in year round.

 

We have found most cruise lines have better coffee from room service for some reason. Maybe because they come from different gallies:confused:

 

Charlie

[emdia43]

We just got off Freedom.

Everything was just wonderful.

Except the coffee..... it was AWFUL. It tastes like someone made a pot a day ago and reheated it till it was so bitter and stale..... ugh.

If they can provide all the gourmet foods that they do and pay attention to so many details,why can't they make a good cup of coffee?

[StormGoddess]

I'd like to know what ship to get on with weaker coffee. Every one I've had has been strong and even sometimes bitter.

[VernRDH]

I am by no means a "coffee snob" as I prefer my Folgers at home to coffee out anywhere (with the exception of the Coffee Beanery in the airport when I am leaving on vacation:D ).But coffee on RCI is horrible. I drink mocha, so at home I mix sugar free Swiss Miss with my coffee. Tried this on Jewel and Legend. Both times just stuck with the hot chocolate. The coffee seems bitter and like its been on the heat too long.

 

Just my 2cents. YMMV.

[kluv2cruz]

I too was on NCL - on the SUN, and had a coffee maker in the room. I brought my own coffee & filters (they use those tea-baggy type coffee + filters). It was quite decent! Took cream/milk mixed in a glass from the buffet & kept it in the fridge. NCL's not my favourite but this almost made the cruise good!

 

Try pouring a cup of motoroil/sludgey regular coffee over LOTS of ice and add cream - it's not too bad cold! Weird but true. Probably better at lunch than breakfast.

 

We've also taken a bodum with us and our own recently ground coffee. Then take it with coffee in it to breakfast and ask them to add or bring us boiling water. We did this on RCCL Serenade last fall and all the waiters gathered 'round watching us "make coffee". AMAZING they said. Then they lined up for samples! Pretty close to excellent!

[BunkerVA]

I too was on NCL - on the SUN, and had a coffee maker in the room. I brought my own coffee & filters (they use those tea-baggy type coffee + filters). It was quite decent! Took cream/milk mixed in a glass from the buffet & kept it in the fridge. NCL's not my favourite but this almost made the cruise good!

 

Try pouring a cup of motoroil/sludgey regular coffee over LOTS of ice and add cream - it's not too bad cold! Weird but true. Probably better at lunch than breakfast.

 

We've also taken a bodum with us and our own recently ground coffee. Then take it with coffee in it to breakfast and ask them to add or bring us boiling water. We did this on RCCL Serenade last fall and all the waiters gathered 'round watching us "make coffee". AMAZING they said. Then they lined up for samples! Pretty close to excellent!

 

That's awsome!!! I always take my own tea and this trip I'm packing my own teapot :D

 

Which Bodum do you have?? Does it pack well? DH grinds his own beans too...I have to admit. It even smells better!

 

Sam :D

[FLCruiseGirl]

We drink Folgers at home too. We were on the Freedom in April and I thought the coffee was good. In fact, I liked it so much that I bought the brand they use (Seattle's Best) at the grocery store when I got home. Interestingly, it was so bad I threw the rest of it in the trash!

[CKZ]

Now, being Canadians, and being addicted to our national brand of Tim Horton's we have never much liked the coffee anywhere south of the border. Many people we know take their own "Tim's" to brew in hotel rooms when travelling south. Too bad the ships don't provide in room coffee makers. I feel much better knowing it's not just us who find RCI coffee less than desirable. For my caffiene kick start, I fill up on iced-tea.

You could also pack a coffee press, your own coffee, and ask room service for Hot Water... Charles.

[BunkerVA]

You could also pack a coffee press, your own coffee, and ask room service for Hot Water... Charles.

 

Hmmm...maybe that's the Bodum he was talking about!!! I have one!!! It's a french press and DH loves it. My compaint (as a tea drinker) is that the hot water comes in a carafe used for coffee (hence, it tastes like coffee!) but since I'd be using it for coffee it wouldn't matter!!!! YEAY!!!! Great idea!!!!! (Often makes me wonder what people say when they open my luggage...a fresh press and a teapot along with tea, coffee and a bathing suit!)

 

THANKS!

Sam :D

[QTMichele]

Not sure about the coffee as I don't drink it; however, my husband *has* to have a cup every morning. He didn't complain about the coffee the entire trip! Of course, he drinks coffee that could knock buzzards off a ***** wagon, so his opinion doesn't count. ;)

[Happy ks]

For the life of me I cannot fathom how anyone can say the coffee on a ship is bad, then state they drink Folgers at home :rolleyes: .

 

Coffee almost anywhere can't beat what I brew at home myself, but I like real strong, real fresh coffee. I put it into a thermos immediately after it is brewed, so it doesn't burn or turn oily on the heating element. I won't drink coffee that has been sitting for a while, ick.

 

When I'm on vacation, I know the coffee won't taste good and if I did find good coffee anywhere, there would be absolutely nothing I'd want to go home for. Ok, maybe my own pillow since I don't want to pack that along.

[Jim_Iain]

I bought a travel stainless steel french press and always bring it with us. I pack some of my favorite french roast coffee and just order a carafe of hot water with breakfast. I gave up on trying to drink cruise line coffee.

[BunkerVA]

there would be absolutely nothing I'd want to go home for. Ok, maybe my own pillow since I don't want to pack that along.

 

 

Hee...I pack my pillow... :o

[Mrsg324]

On Rhapsody, the coffee was wonderful. It was good & strong

[nycruises]

Those machines your referring to do not use a bag in a box system the use a internal bean crusher, They do brew coffee like normal but the problem is the , the tank where the coffee is held drains into your cup and once it's low enough it refills by brewing another tank. There is no such machine that uses a syrup to brew coffee, except for iced coffee. The problem with syrup and hot water you wouldn't even get anything that could possibly ever resemble coffee you would get liquid with floating globs of stuff in em and it would smell like water not coffee the problem mainly is they are mixing older coffee with new coffee, bitterness. And you get a stronger flavor because of mixing. Also cleaning the tank on those machines is very very hard to do right can take a few hrs sometimes. So I'm sure they aren't getting cleaned they way they should be. I get this from my coffee company rep at aramark. Ok flame me I'm sure someone knows more than me, as normal:)