Carnival Tea Time

[RSF Cruiser]

It's been a year since I've been on the Carnival Spirit and at tea time we were offered a choice of teas and servers came around with a cart offering tea time foods. It was a relaxing break in the afternoon.

 

I'm on the Sapphire Princess right now, and at tea time today, we were given tea from a pitcher - no hot water with a variety of teas to choose from. Wait staff rushed around offering us pastries and other tea time foods all at the same time.

 

Has Carnival also stopped offering tea choices? Based on my experience today, tea time on the Spirit and several other Carnival ships I've been on was more traditional than the Sapphire Princess - which seems strange since Princess is a British line and the captain is British.

 

Thanks!

[rrraydon]

As of last month on the Pride and Aug on the Fantasy we still had the variety of teas to choose from and hot water.

What a bummer not having a choice...

[golfadj]

Carnival lets you pick you tea.

[Upper Decker]

As of last month on the Pride and Aug on the Fantasy we still had the variety of teas to choose from and hot water.

 

What a bummer not having a choice...

 

I'm looking forward to checking out Tea Time. Kind of a silly question, but do men show up as well? I'm trying to convince my husband to go but he's concerned that he might be the only guy there.

[rrraydon]

My husband goes with me. There are plenty of guys there.

[jobell]

I'm looking forward to checking out Tea Time. Kind of a silly question, but do men show up as well? I'm trying to convince my husband to go but he's concerned that he might be the only guy there.

 

There was an even mix of men and women at the tea I attended on the Dream. I was actually very surprised at the amount of people there. It was such a great time too.

[kicia]

We had a selection of teas on the Sensation in December. Yes my husband goes with me and there are lots of other men there as well.

[golfadj]

I would say about 1/3 men.

 

Sometimes have a very good group playing during teatime.

 

Also dessert can be excellent especially the cheesecake.

[hobbyhrs97]

I am so dragging my hubby to tea time on the Freedom.. I am a huge tea drinker. I may also make DD go with us:D

[Cathy p]

My DH and I love to go to tea and then we go back to the bar!:D

[happy cruzer]

Many people prefer the tea that is brewed in the silver pitchers. That is more the traditional way.

 

Many people prefer tea bags and getting a choice.

 

Two different ways to please most people. The times I have had tea on Princess and HAL and other lines. They have offered both types of tea. Sometimes you don't see one choice or the other but they are usually available.

 

Alot of people REALLY get into what a proper tea is. Research it online and you will find lots of info.

[mrpayroll]

I'm looking forward to checking out Tea Time. Kind of a silly question, but do men show up as well? I'm trying to convince my husband to go but he's concerned that he might be the only guy there.

 

I went with my wife. I was one of three men ( about twenty ladies )

[High Seas Texan]

I enjoy tea time. On Carnival Conquest and Ecstasy we were offered the tea chest with an assortment of tea bags. By todays standards, the tea time is all right, but I do so enjoy a true old world tea setting, one with pots of HOT water, tea leaves, strainers and a tray of scones, sandwiches and sweets.

My experience on Carnival has been a small pot of tepid water, a choice of tea bags that take a while to steep and produce about a cup and a half of tea. Seldom have I been able to get a second pot, and even more seldom another tea bag. With this in mind I take two bags the first time, just in case I get more water. When you lift the lid of the pot to check on the steeping process, the whole tea bag sometimes falls into the pot, adding the taste of cardboard, string and printed matter to the brew.

The waiter will come by with a trolly of little sandwhiches which are not bad, along with some cakes and other sweets. I have found that if the tea time is heavily attended, they ration the offerings os you do not get much.

Regardless of how tea is presented, it is the custom of relaxing in the late afternoon over conversation with a little nibble that I really enjoy. I always attend the tea service when offered, and get to talk with people I do not see at other times on the ship.

Go and enjoy!

[KCTravel]

We have done tea on our recent Miracle, Pride and Legend cruises and my husband attends with me. We have sat by ourselves and have also shared tables with new friends. I love tea and I've always gotten HOT tea in the pot. (too hot sometimes!) We are offered little sandwiches, little pastries and always a cake or two. The waiters are very attentive and we have never had an issue getting a second pot for tea or more pastries by DH! We have had live piano at times and lovely music at others. I find it a nice relaxing break on sea days!

Karen

[Lydia B.]

I love the afternoon tea!!! Last March each day it got busier until the last day there truly was no room. About half way through the cruise a bunch of us would attend after arts/crafts classes and we just loved it. Next to the last day we found that one of the waiters was from Stewart, England...my company is called Stewart and I was using one of their water bottles that he admired. On the last day (the day there was no room) I took him all the Stewart stuff I could find and he loved it. Neededless to say he brought us in extra tables, chairs etc and we all had a blast!!! Yep always a few fellas, go for it! Lydia of Ohio

[okwriter]

A few days before boarding the Legend last month, I was telling my husband about the afternoon tea. I was preparing him to be "dragged to it" because I wanted to go. He told me he LOVES hot tea and he thought it sounded fun. Now, I've been with this man for over 20 years and never knew he loved hot tea! He doesn't drink it at home!

 

We went to it and had a nice time. It was well attended and the last couple to arrive were going to have to sit at the bar so we invited them to sit with us. We had a great visit with them and enjoyed the tea and snacks.

 

Definitely different than anything we'd ever do at home and it was so enjoyable! I still can't believe I learned something new about my husband after all these years... LOL!

[dclark]

Ideally, the tea should come from a porcelin picture. When I was on Princess last summer, they still used that, not steel. Steel can add a metallic taste to the tea. As it is, the teas that CCL uses are store bought variety. I don't make tea often, but when I do, I use loose leaf and a porcelin decanter.

Oh, and those scones that Princess serves at tea time are to die for!

[maryann2]

My experience on Carnival has been a small pot of tepid water, a choice of tea bags that take a while to steep and produce about a cup and a half of tea. Seldom have I been able to get a second pot, and even more seldom another tea bag. With this in mind I take two bags the first time, just in case I get more water.

 

Regardless of how tea is presented, it is the custom of relaxing in the late afternoon over conversation with a little nibble that I really enjoy. I always attend the tea service when offered, and get to talk with people I do not see at other times on the ship.

Go and enjoy!

 

I love afternoon tea too and ask for HOT water. I also ask for milk, not cream. I love the whole tradition.

[tattoos]

I am not a tea drinker but always attend Tea Time on whatever Carnival ship I am on. It is just great getting away from all the hustle and bustle of the common areas on the ship and a welcome oasis in the middle of the afternoon. The atmosphere is quiet and calming with soft music playing, the tea is good and the desserts are delicious (especially the little scones, yum).

[navybaby1113]

Tea time on Carnival is enjoyable. They give you a pot of hot water and then you get to pick what kind of tea you want. They have a box of the same tea that is available on the lido deck.

 

They also pass around different snacks to eat. These were okay, but I didn't have anything amazing last time.

 

Tea time is kind of take it or leave it for me. I enjoy it, but I can easily have tea anywhere else on deck.

[G'ma]

I enjoy the tea time on Carnival.

 

Is it high tea? No. I don't expect it to be. But it is very nice with a nice selection of teas, pastries and little sandwiches. I;ve never had a problem getting more HOT water - or another teabag.

 

It's a nice hour or so, in pleasant surroundings, usually with live music..a quartet or lite jazz. It's lovely.

 

And there are plenty of men there too.

[dstone]

Last year on Freedom we had tea with bags and hot water in a cup. This past Dec on Liberty they didn't have tea at all and I missed it.

[babebutters]

I just got off of the Carnival Liberty and they had Tea Time at least two of the three sea days. They had a choice of teas and a nice selection of food; two different finger sandwiches and about 4 or 5 different desserts. They only came around once with the food, but you could ask for more. They had a piano player playing; it was very nice and relaxing. My husband came; at our table of eight people we had three men.

[okwriter]

The SCONES! I forgot how good those were! I seriously wanted a doggie bag for the leftover scones! LOL!

[AmongTheStars]

LOVE THEM!! I actually took a plate of scones back to my room on the Glory in July on our last sea day and we enjoyed them on the Lido while waiting to debark. :D