Coffee Makers on Spirit/AMEX question

[Northerncheapo]

Hello,

 

DH and I just booked our second Spirit Cruise for our 25th wedding anniversary next year, May 17 2012...yahoo!!

 

We sailed on the Spirit last fall and for the life of me I cannot remember if there was a coffee maker in our suite. We were in suite 1102 and have booked the same suite for the next one.

 

Loved the cruise, hated the coffee and hope to bring my own coffee next time;) to prepare myself. A week with lousy coffee really was a downer!

 

I have also been reading about the AMEX perks on this board (love it!). We booked our trip with DH's platnum AMEX (at least I think it's platnum...it looks platnum...I'll call to confirm). Do I need to tell my TA about the perks or does AMEX somehow already know to send a bottle of Dom? How does that work?

 

Thanks everyone!

 

Anita

[Host Dan]

Regarding the Amex perks... You MUST have a non-branded (i.e.Delta) platinum card and pay for the whole cruise using Amex. Your TA will have to contact Amex for a tracking number.

 

Host Dan

[Silver Sweethearts]

We were in 1103 on the Spirit last April, and there was a coffee maker on the bar under the television in the living area. Don't know much about it though since we did not use it.

[itzfitz2]

Do all suites, even Verandah suites, have coffee makers?

[Portolan]

Do all suites, even Verandah suites, have coffee makers?

 

We had a verandah suite on the Spirit last October. No coffee maker (and we did use all the storage spaces so it wasn't there and well-hidden).

[ging466]

Do all suites, even Verandah suites, have coffee makers?

 

Short answer is No. The Silver Suites do and perhaps the other fancy suites but the Verandas definitely do not.

 

Cheers

Jennifer:)

[Northerncheapo]

Awesome, thanks all...your powers of observation are better than mine,lol!

 

I wonder if it's a normal coffee maker or one of those fancy-dancy ones that take a K cup or whatever size.

 

Hee haw...going to have good coffee that week! If anyone else is sailing with me, coffee is on me that week, help yourself!

 

Anita

[Herman The Cat]

I believe if you put the whole cruise on your Amex platinum you get an additional $300 shipboard credit that is in addition to any shipboard credit you get from silversea. So, yes, it is combinable. At least that's what I was told 3 weeks ago when I booked the silver spirit.

[heidik]

This is the first I've heard that the coffee is not good on Silversea? If so, do they allow you to bring your own coffee maker for the cabin?

[ging466]

This is the first I've heard that the coffee is not good on Silversea? If so, do they allow you to bring your own coffee maker for the cabin?

 

Once again, the subject is relative. I didn't like the coffee on Whisper 3 years ago, but loved it recently when I was on the Spirit and the Cloud.

 

If people can bring their own wine on board, can't imagine why u couldn't bring yr own coffee maker and coffee also. I guess it would be subject to customs in the country of your embarkation.

 

Good luck!

 

Cheers

Jennifer

[heidik]

I know that other lines do not allow irons or coffee makers due to fire hazard.......but I am thinking if Silversea already provides them in some suites.....

[DPWnRBW]

Apparently not all AmEX Platinum cards are created equal. I have an AmEx Business Platinum. My TA said my card did not qualify for the AmEx perks. It must the the personal platinum.

[Northerncheapo]

Darn...my DH's AMEX is branded so it doesn't qualify...boo!

 

Re Coffee: Heidi, yes the coffee is dreadful, absolutely dreadful on the Spirit. It's not a full blown discussion on this board, but it is mentioned often enough. I had a great cruise, but only wished that I had a decent cup of coffee on board JUST ONCE and it never happened. I wont make that mistake again and I have full intentions of bringing my own coffee. The thought of sitting on my balcony sipping my own blend makes me very happy :)

 

And while I'm at it...I'm bringing a few good bottles of red. I wont fall into the trap of the hideous wines they 'offer' again either. But then again, with the cost of wines in Toronto, I'd probably spend the same if I purchase on board so I'll probably do that.

 

Thanks again all!

[Herman The Cat]

The coffee tends to be on the weaker side. However, for some odd reason at the pool bar it was better. You could also order an double espresso and put it in a regular cup and add milk etc if you like a very robust cup. For some odd reason the coffee at the pool bar in the morning (on the spirit) seemed to be stronger. I would also say that this is an Italian curise line so I'm not surprised that they don't make a good cup of coffee americano (US type coffee). The cappuccino is great.

[dusababy]

Herman I agree

 

Why should I expect to get an "american" cup of coffee on an Italian ship.

 

jeeeezzzzzzz -- -it's always something.;)

[Northerncheapo]

You assume that I am saying that an American cup of coffee is a good cup of coffee.

 

For the record I am Canadian and half Sicilian, so no, I wasn't looking for a good American cup of coffee or a good italian cup of cofee, I was simply looking for a GOOD cup of coffee period. Could care less what the label is on it.

 

Spirit served something that wasn't even remotely strong or robust...it was just BAD :)

 

Anita

[Travelcat2]

"American" coffee is like dishwater. Regent has sophisticated do-it-yourself machines where you can do two expresso's and one "coffee". It comes out wonderful. You would think that Silversea could afford one of these machines per ship.

[rols]

"American" coffee is like dishwater. Regent has sophisticated do-it-yourself machines where you can do two expresso's and one "coffee". It comes out wonderful. You would think that Silversea could afford one of these machines per ship.

 

if you take 4 bags of your own beans from your own local coffee shop you love and ask them to make a cappuccino each morning out of it, well two, one for each .. is that considered a bit needy? I sort of figure they have a cap machine and it has a hopper and it's got to be pretty impossible to insert a guests beans so they get their roast when they want it. I would feel a bit bad asking for this.

 

I'd bring the rancilio but it's 10 lbs of brass and hard to pack.

[wripro]

Try ordering a double espresso instead of a cup of coffee. It's much better and you can add milk if you like.

[Travelcat2]

Thanks for the suggestions (it is for my DH as I rarely drink coffee -- I get my caffeine from Diet Coke:-) It seems that coffee is a recurring topic on the Silversea boards. On the Spirit they served coffee in the Observation Lounge and am assuming it will be the same on the Whisper.

[Herman The Cat]

The Observation Lounge on the Spirit was very good and it was made to order.

[dougburns]

Just for info, the coffee makers in the Silver, Royal and Grand suites are not standard coffee makers; they are Lavazza machines and you can't make regular coffee in them. We drink a lot of coffee and like it strong. Never have had a problem with the SS coffee.

[Northerncheapo]

Thanks, Doug...is Lavazzo like one of those individual cup insert things?

[dougburns]

Yes, they're small things that you put in the machine(provided by SS). They make one cup of espresso or regular size less strong coffee. We didn't care for it. I think all cruise lines are cutting back on the quantity of grounds they use per pot due to the ever increasing cost of coffee.

[kally g]

I have read with interest the varying opinions on the coffee - but what about the tea - are they able to serve a good cup of tea - that is brewed in a pot and not a tea bag on the side of a cup or flask of hot (far from the required boiling temperature) water?

On Regent last year they seemed total incapable of serving a decent cup of tea

(reading this you may have assumed I am English!!)

KG