Calling all COFFEE LOVERS!

[Barry Shaw]

We were recently aboard Brilliance of the Seas on a Mediteranean cruise.

The people of the Mediterranean love their coffee. Starbucks learned their craft in Italy - and then made a mess of it in The States!

True coffee can be found in a number of European countries - France, Italy, and Israel are coffee societies where Starbucks struggles or fails to make deep impact.

On Brilliance they served up a disgusting tasting brew called 'Seattles Best'.

If that's their best I don't want to taste their worst....

[mojo4trav]

Ever since the partnership with Seattle's Best - they went away from the "liquid" concentrate in all venues. I have seen the galley staff in both the Promenade and Windjammer making pots of coffee and filling the urns with Royal CARRI BEAN blend from Seattle's Best.

Now as to do they clean the pots between uses - or dump after 20 min like they are supposed to do - I doubt it. By the way - the coffee is a very dark roast

 

Your comment brought it all back to me, I did in fact see the CARRI BEAN blend being added to the machine in the Cafe Promenade. Perhaps the beans in this 'special blend' are SUPER CHEAP (read: factory rejects) and that is the reason for the disturbing coffee.

[hermang]

Your comment brought it all back to me, I did in fact see the CARRI BEAN blend being added to the machine in the Cafe Promenade. Perhaps the beans in this 'special blend' are SUPER CHEAP (read: factory rejects) and that is the reason for the disturbing coffee.

I'd buy the argument if the coffee was uniformly bad all over the ship - but a lot of people say it is good here bad there. Leads me to believe the following.

 

Pots are not cleaned regularly.

Cofffee stays too long - in SBC and Starbucks they are pitched after 20 min.

Note the timers when you go in the stores.

 

I seriously doubt the people making cofffee know or care how to make a decent pot. I would bet that if you managed to get a pound of Royal Carri Bean, take it home and grind it, and make it in your pot - allowing for the fact it may be darker/lighter roast than you normally use. By the second pot you will have good coffee.

[mrg0433]

I am bringing my own coffee maker that has a large plastic mug instead of a glass pot on my next cruise. Seattle's Best Coffee was horrible on our recent cruise on Legend of the SEas. It was way too strong--made for European tastes (probably those of the cooks) instead of to theAmerican tastes of the cruisers in Hawaii.

 

NCL provided coffee pots in our balcony cabins with Maxwell House and Sanka coffee packets and fresh creamers in our fridge every day. I wish all cruiselines could do that. I just need that first cup of brew to get the day started.

[mojo4trav]

It was way too strong--made for European tastes (probably those of the cooks) instead of to the American tastes of the cruisers in Hawaii.

 

NCL provided coffee pots in our balcony cabins with Maxwell House and Sanka coffee packets and fresh creamers in our fridge every day. I wish all cruiselines could do that. I just need that first cup of brew to get the day started.

 

I know I wasn't on your ship/sailing, but I really believe the prevailing problem with the coffee is cheap beans and poor brewing technique. If RCCL used a better blend and insisted on cleaning their 'pots' at regular intervals, etc, I feel we might end up with a better cup of coffee. I highly doubt the coffee is being brewed in any method to suit the taste of cooks. Burnt cheap coffee is...burnt cheap coffee, no matter what country you call home! ;)

 

With regard to what you had with NCL, very nice indeed! Sadly, RCCL doesn't seem to provide the little extras like that because they don't have to...the ships sail full almost every sailing. NCL seems to keep improving, we might have to give them a whirl! :)

[bbqbears]

I have never had good coffee on a cruise ship. I refuse to lug along a coffee maker however. This is a vacation! I will be hitting Seattles Best on the Mariner every morning. Maybe more than once.

 

 

Nliedel, I couldn't agree more. But we came up with a compromise. On our last cruise (Princess), we brought along a bag of Italian roast coffee, a Melita coffee maker (these are plastic and come in all sizies)and paper filters and simply got hot water from the buffet. Without a lot of work, we were able to enjoy decent coffee each morning. Kathy

[joblanch]

The Best Cafe expreso on a ship is at Summit at Cova, I try this because i love expreso coffe, I beleive that i only go to take one day because in any cruise tha i was before i taste and dont like, Here i was almost addict, me and my wife have to drink at least one every day, is as good as any expreso at miami

[PartyHearty]

4 cruises 2 Carnival & 2 RCCL. Decent coffee on all 4. But then I am not paying double digits for a pound of coffee. And I have had a starbucks once in a while and have never seen them ditch a pot after 20 minutes. And I would never pack a coffee maker with me on a vacation. Why not just bring a toaster too.

 

And to the kid who has a cold pepsi, grow up and drink coke.

[emmy]

The coffee on RCI is barely drinkable for my tastes however on my recent Jewel cruise I went to Lattetudes for the first cup of the morning and it was great there....BUT you have to pay for it.... also liked the Cappacino there.

 

Emmy

[Canoeguy]

Just back today from EOS and here is my verdict. The coffee was okay and just okay. No difference in Windjammer or the dining room. I know everyone has a different opinion on what is great coffee, so I'll try to put my taste in perspective. I love coffee from a certain donut chain that allows you to dunk their donuts. I buy the whole bean version for about $7.00 on special occasions. Otherwise, I use the beans from the local supermarket for good cheap coffee. RCL does not reach even that level.Thankfully I had brought my own pot and had my 2 cups every morning. This morning on EOS, they used different coffee makers for some reason, but no improvement. The coffee container said Royal Caribbean Coffee.

[samemily]

I have been able to get a decent cup of coffee in the Dining Rooms, and I agree that is hit and miss. I don't think I have ever had a good cup in the Windjammer, it is drinkable if you add hot water. However, on the Norwegian Dream, I was able to get good cappucino in the dining room.

 

I did not like the coffee at Seattle's Best on the Mariner and I thought the attendant's there were very unfriendly. Only real complaint I had on the Mariner.

 

I take my first Carnival cruise in October and I think I will take a small coffemaker, because coffee in the morning is a must for me.

 

Emily of Samemily

[OceanCruise]

The coffee on the Enchantment was absolutely awful in the windjammer and dining room-worst I have had. There was also no half and half which made it worse. The coffee at Chops was very good but I didn't like the regular coffee I paid for at Seattle's best. On Celebrity the coffee at the Cova cafe was pretty good.

[melissa593]

IMHO the best coffee in the world is Wawa coffee (for those of you who do not live in the northeast US Wawa is a convenience store that makes the best coffee in the free world at a reasonable price (can we say $1.50 for 24 oz of coffee???) Starbucks is good but $1.80 for 10oz is not working for me:eek: Altho their vanilla lattes are wonderful.

Does RCI charge for the Seattles Best coffee or is it free? Actually, on most mornings we will probably buy whatever is free rather than pay (both DH and I are coffee drinkers and we do like it strong!)

 

Can't wait til 12/4/05, Mariner--only 4 mos, we are so excited!!!

Melissa

[hermang]

IMHO the best coffee in the world is Wawa coffee (for those of you who do not live in the northeast US Wawa is a convenience store that makes the best coffee in the free world at a reasonable price (can we say $1.50 for 24 oz of coffee???) Starbucks is good but $1.80 for 10oz is not working for me:eek: Altho their vanilla lattes are wonderful.

Does RCI charge for the Seattles Best coffee or is it free? Actually, on most mornings we will probably buy whatever is free rather than pay (both DH and I are coffee drinkers and we do like it strong!)

 

Can't wait til 12/4/05, Mariner--only 4 mos, we are so excited!!!

Melissa

If you are talking about SBC Coffee - the answer is no it is free - If you are talking about Cappucino, Latte etc the answer is yes there is a charge.

HOWEVER - If you are on a Radiance class ship and you go to Lattitudes, Pastry is free. So go the Windjammer and get a cup of FREF SBC coffee, then go to Lattitudes and get FREE delicious Pastry and enjoy.

 

If you are on a Voyager class - go to the Promenade Cafee, Pastry is Free and Coffee from the urn is free too. Pizza is free, great cookies are free as are finger sandwhiches and fruit

[Joy ride]

The dining room always has the best coffee in my opinion.

[Barb C]

I did pack my coffee pot last year on Granduer.....I wouldn't do it again. I brought my own coffee too. Just didn't taste as good as home. It has to be the water, I drink the water on board, I know it pure but there's a quality about it that doesn't make for a good cup of coffee.

 

I just hope for the best now, so-so coffee is just part of the cruise experience! I don't think non-coffee addicts can understand. May's cruise on Voyager was great with the coffee being OK, better from the shop in the Promenade.

 

I feel too ridiculous and hokey (like the woman I saw at a hotel lugging in an ironing board) bringing a coffee pot......it's just too much.

[melissa593]

Mariner of the Sea is Voyager I think. Thanks for the tip Hermang!

We are thinking cabin service with coffee in the AM (we are early risers) and then once the kids are up head up for breakfast.

 

thanks

Melissa

[bettye1]

There is no way to please everybody. I cannot drink really strong coffee. Also I am a decaf drinker so that makes one feel like they're getting second best or one that has been brewed for a long time. I don't usually use cream but on the ships I do and that makes it palatable. Also, if you're on Windjammer deck, add a little chocolate and that is good.

 

Bettye

[kenandlaura06]

I think the best coffee in the world is Dunkin' Donuts.

[kcl]

I've been on 8 cruises on 4 different lines and never had a decent cup of "free" coffee - the specialty coffee drinks in Cova Cafes on Celebrity ships are wondeful, but they can add up, esp. if you require coffee to function in the morning! Based on a tip I read on CruiseCritic awhile ago, I bought a small French Press coffee maker and have taken it on my last two cruises with excellent results. I bring coarse ground coffee from home and use the hot water on the Lido deck, let it steep for 5 minutes and - voila! - strong, rich, delicious coffee. The maker takes up very little room and I can stuff the empty coffee container with dirty socks when packing for the return home. A half pound of coffee will last me for a 7 day cruise. I think I paid $9 at Target for the French Press unit.

[star of county down]

Wow...hope I have good coffee and some cream to go with it when I cruise next month.

 

I will have to say, however, that I stopped at a Seattle's Best in Orlando at the airport in April and dumped it into the trash after I got to my gate.

 

Where I live, we don't have any famous name coffee shops, only a couple of local coffee shops, and a gas-and-go place named Sheetz. I love Sheetz...take my own mug, 65 cents to refill it and it always tastes good:D

 

My husband, on the other hand, is a Starbuck's fiend. This will be interesting...please, have cream and some sugar-free sweetener for me, and I'll be happy...

[glo]

Jeff,

Been on Navigator and Cafe Promenade has Seattle's Best. Spent a lot of time there.

[hermang]

I posted this before but I am going to post it again.

A couple of years ago on the Adventure - Port lecturer was touting a deal from Cafe Britt for their products - one of the deals was 20 ( 12 oz) bags of Costa Rican coffee for $99.00. Tarrazu and Tres Rios were supposedly $1.00 a bag more. We passed on it. In 2004 on the Brilliance we had the same deal and we bought into it and found to our delight that no only did they not charge extra for the Tarrazu and Tres Rios ( Premium coffees) but because we bought early in the cruise they threw in a coffee grinder, as well as free freight.

 

As a side note - we were "advised" not to buy coffee on the pier in Costa Rica as it "might not be fresh" Well anyone going to Limon SHOULD BUY AS MUCH AS THEY CAN. We found a lady who offered us one 17oz bag for $5.00

2 for $7.50 and 3 for $10 and if we bought 3 she would throw in a 4th for free. WE went for that deal as well. We also bought a pound of Panamanian Coffee on the train the day before.

 

When we arrived home we opened one of the bags we purchased on the pier and the flavor was incredibly good, and surprisingly non acidic- my wife hs an issue with acidic coffee. This stuff she can dring with just a little milk.

 

At any rate 4 days later this huge box arrives from Cafe Britt. Fantastic stuff and everyone we gave some a gift loved it.

 

This year on AOS - ( we had just run out of Cafe Britt ) we called the company and was told they still had the deal) but when we went aboard the port lecturer ( Shopping Shelby) didn't have a clue as to what we were talking about). When we got home we called Cafe Britt ( 800 number) they asked for our ship cabin number and date of the cruise and voila 4 days later

we had 40 bags of coffee delivered ( our friends wanted 20 bags) same $99 deal no shipping.

[LidoBoy]

I was glad to see RCCL begin putting coffee shops on their new ships a few years back. The first ship I was on that had a Lattitudes was the Radiance a few years ago. I have been labeled by some as a coffee snob. So it goes without saying that I am particular about my morning latte. I was prepared for a different taste from Lattitudes, but what I was not prepared for was the lack of knowledge that the worker had about pulling a good espresso shot from those expensive and fancy espresso machines. They have the equipment, but they don't have the training. (IMHO). It took me three morning visits to Lattitudes to get the help to recognize me and to understand how important it is to have the steamed milk at the right temperature. Making a good latte is said to be both scientific and an art form. It takes a lot of practice and care.

 

The second ship I was on, the Brilliance, the person preparing the latte didn't even have a thermometer to tell how hot she was steaming the milk.

 

It's interesting that RCCL has spent the money on the equipment, thousands of dollars I might add. But the proper training has taken the back seat.

 

Now the beans are another story. I prefer a local store called Victor Allens and the Cafe Java bean. I also like Starbucks when I want to splurge.

 

That is my two cents worth.

[hermang]

I was glad to see RCCL begin putting coffee shops on their new ships a few years back. The first ship I was on that had a Lattitudes was the Radiance a few years ago. I have been labeled by some as a coffee snob. So it goes without saying that I am particular about my morning latte. I was prepared for a different taste from Lattitudes, but what I was not prepared for was the lack of knowledge that the worker had about pulling a good espresso shot from those expensive and fancy espresso machines. They have the equipment, but they don't have the training. (IMHO). It took me three morning visits to Lattitudes to get the help to recognize me and to understand how important it is to have the steamed milk at the right temperature. Making a good latte is said to be both scientific and an art form. It takes a lot of practice and care.

 

The second ship I was on, the Brilliance, the person preparing the latte didn't even have a thermometer to tell how hot she was steaming the milk.

 

It's interesting that RCCL has spent the money on the equipment, thousands of dollars I might add. But the proper training has taken the back seat.

 

Now the beans are another story. I prefer a local store called Victor Allens and the Cafe Java bean. I also like Starbucks when I want to splurge.

 

That is my two cents worth.

I made that point a while ago - SBC roasts good coffee and in some cases I like it better that Starbucks ( I own stock in Starbucks and now that SBUX owns SBC I am glad they are keeping the brands separate).

BUT Royal Caribbean does not apparently train the Baristas the same way that the on-shore stores do.

 

I don't think the beans are the problem it is that the "Barista" is untrained, they don't clean the pots in the dining areas.