Instant vs Princess coffee

[Eaglemad]

I cannot function in the mornings unless I have 3 - 4 coffees just after I wake up :eek: After reading previous posts about how crappy the coffee is on Princess cruises I am concerned about ordering a pot from room service :(

 

Is the normal free coffee really that bad, as I don't particularly want to order 2 or 3 specialty coffees first thing in the morning, would rather wait till later and have it at a cafe.

 

If it is really bad, I am thinking of bringing some decent instant coffee on board and order some hot water and milk from room service if possible - suggestions would be appreciated

[Mrsdigi]

It depends on how much of a "coffee snob" you are. I get a pot each morning from room service and while it isn't the best I've ever a tasted, to me sitting on my balcony with my coffee, juice and a croissant is one of the best ways to start my day and tells me, "yay I'm on another cruise" Of course, I love McDonald's coffee and hate Starbucks...

[Grego]

It is my understanding that Princess has moved away from the coffee syrup and has gone back to brewed coffee. Much better.

[jsoccermom]

I cannot function in the mornings unless I have 3 - 4 coffees just after I wake up :eek: After reading previous posts about how crappy the coffee is on Princess cruises I am concerned about ordering a pot from room service :(

 

Is the normal free coffee really that bad, as I don't particularly want to order 2 or 3 specialty coffees first thing in the morning, would rather wait till later and have it at a cafe.

 

If it is really bad, I am thinking of bringing some decent instant coffee on board and order some hot water and milk from room service if possible - suggestions would be appreciated

get the coffee card and use it to get free brewed coffee throughout the day. There are 10 punches that will only be punched when you get a specialty coffee. If you like good coffee it is the only way to go.

[Potstech]

I take the Folgers Instant with me when I go. I then try the coffee and if it is terrible I always have the Instant to fall back on. I get it in the single serving packets as they take up little room. I also carry some of the Gatorade single packets to use on excursions or just for a change of pace.

[-Lew-]

People's taste in coffee...and virtually all food...is so subjective. Who can really say what tastes good to anyone but themselves?

 

I sold gourmet coffee at one of my businesses for twenty-five years. I love a good cup of coffee! The regular, non-brewed, coffee onboard is fine with me. Know what I can't stand? Starbucks!! To me it tastes burned, but who cares...Starbucks is quite successful without me as a customer.

 

I don't know how Princess could offer brewed coffee to the masses onboard. With 3000+ people having breakfast within, say, a two hour timeframe, it would be physically impossible to serve each of them 2-3 cups or more of brewed coffee. We're talking 9000+ cups of coffee!! Think about the coffee grounds disposal issue!

 

Any Walt Disney World fans here? Bet you'd be surprised to learn they use coffee concentrate in many of their restaurants...both high and medium volume locations. A few years ago, I inquired about the coffee because it tasted so good and was told it was made from a syrup. I never would have believed it if I hadn't experienced it myself.

 

Keep an open mind. Try the coffee onboard...you may like it! If not, there are other options.

 

Lew

[rpcv77]

As others have said, taste is a highly individual matter. Some like it some don't. I never bought a coffee card until may last cruise on the Diamond several months ago. Room service coffee was enough to get me going. I decided to buy a coffee card as a treat (I don't drink much alcohol) and enjoyed it, but the free coffee, while not great, is what you might find at an average restaurant. The coffee card has 15 punches, not 10.

[Pia1913]

get the coffee card and use it to get free brewed coffee throughout the day. There are 10 punches that will only be punched when you get a specialty coffee. If you like good coffee it is the only way to go.

 

There are 15 punches.

 

I cannot function in the mornings unless I have 3 - 4 coffees just after I wake up :eek: After reading previous posts about how crappy the coffee is on Princess cruises I am concerned about ordering a pot from room service :(

 

Is the normal free coffee really that bad, as I don't particularly want to order 2 or 3 specialty coffees first thing in the morning, would rather wait till later and have it at a cafe.

 

If it is really bad, I am thinking of bringing some decent instant coffee on board and order some hot water and milk from room service if possible - suggestions would be appreciated

 

Yes, the coffee is bad, but you have no choice other than to leave the cabin and get fresh brewed or specialty. You cannot get any kind of specialty through room service; with or w/o the card.

[Eaglemad]

There are 15 punches.

 

Yes, the coffee is bad, but you have no choice other than to leave the cabin and get fresh brewed or specialty. You cannot get any kind of specialty through room service; with or w/o the card.

 

Are you able to order speciality coffee if you are in a suite?

 

Thanks for replies to date, we have damn good coffee in Australia. As the Sea Princess is based down here for several months, would the coffee on board be stocked from Australian suppliers I wonder?

[Putterdude]

I am one of those who like specialty coffee and know coffees that I like and don't like but as someone has posted above, "taste is very subjective", and I am one of those who don't have a huge problem with Princess's coffee. Sure it is not going to win any awards but it works for me.

[geegeela]

Are you able to order speciality coffee if you are in a suite?

 

Thanks for replies to date, we have damn good coffee in Australia. As the Sea Princess is based down here for several months, would the coffee on board be stocked from Australian suppliers I wonder?

 

Certainly on all the Australian based ships you can order speciality cofee in a suite and I have always asumed that that would be the case for other cabins too.

 

I have done it many times.

 

Not sure where they source it but you will not be disappointed.

[Pam in CA]

I sold gourmet coffee at one of my businesses for twenty-five years. I love a good cup of coffee! The regular, non-brewed, coffee onboard is fine with me. Know what I can't stand? Starbucks!! To me it tastes burned, but who cares...Starbucks is quite successful without me as a customer.

The majority of passengers think the coffee is just fine. My observation is that those who love Starbucks coffee hate it, those who prefer Dunkin' Donuts or most other coffee think it's fine. Like Lew, I have tried Starbucks and found it so bitter that I've had to throw it out. I've seen people pour sugar and cream into their Starbucks coffee just to make it taste better.

[beg3yrs]

I cannot function in the mornings unless I have 3 - 4 coffees just after I wake up :eek: After reading previous posts about how crappy the coffee is on Princess cruises I am concerned about ordering a pot from room service :(

 

Is the normal free coffee really that bad, as I don't particularly want to order 2 or 3 specialty coffees first thing in the morning, would rather wait till later and have it at a cafe.

 

If it is really bad, I am thinking of bringing some decent instant coffee on board and order some hot water and milk from room service if possible - suggestions would be appreciated

 

I think your own idea is probably what will work best for your situation. If you don't "function" before leaving your cabin, milk and an insulated pitcher of hot water from room service with some instant coffee of your own choosing will probably work best.

 

Now here's my suggestion: Ask room service for hot milk. It's so much better than cooling your coffee with cold milk.

Edited March 26, 2014 by beg3yrs

[-Lew-]

 

The majority of passengers think the coffee is just fine. My observation is that those who love Starbucks coffee hate it, those who prefer Dunkin' Donuts or most other coffee think it's fine. Like Lew, I have tried Starbucks and found it so bitter that I've had to throw it out. I've seen people pour sugar and cream into their Starbucks coffee just to make it taste better.

You've got me figured out, Pam. You know I don't like Starbucks...I do grind Dunkin' Donuts coffee every morning when I'm home.

 

Lew

[-Lew-]

 

Are you able to order speciality coffee if you are in a suite?

No, but we were in a suite onboard the Royal TA and there was a machine in the concierge lounge that made excellent cappuccino, lattes, etc. for free. It was one of my favorite suite perks. :rolleyes:

 

Lew

[AKman2495]

There are 15 punches.

 

 

 

Yes, the coffee is bad, but you have no choice other than to leave the cabin and get fresh brewed or specialty. You cannot get any kind of specialty through room service; with or w/o the card.

 

Minor correction..."Yes, the coffee is bad" to you....to me, it is just fine:)

[sherryf]

I take the Folgers Instant with me when I go.

 

For me, Folgers of any kind is worse than Princess coffee. They use Folgers in my office, and I refuse to drink it. I buy my own Starbucks Via packets, but don't make it as strong as they recommend. I agree with others that Starbucks regular drip coffee (like you get in those to-go boxes) is way too strong. I don't mind Starbucks specialty coffees, but am much more likely to go to an independent espresso stand if I want a mocha.

 

I drink the syrup coffee on Princess but also have a coffee card and drink a several mochas on each cruise.

[JJ2sail]

Just off the Grand Princess, and got the coffee card. Never did try the brewed coffee, jut got latte's. I asked about getting the brewed coffee in the dining room and they said they could only do an Americano and would take two punches on my card. So I stuck with latte's. Also I did confirm that the coffee is still the syrup extract. It was not good in the Horizon court, and hit and miss from room service, and it was actually pretty good in dining room.

 

You can order specialty coffee in both the Horizon court and the dining room with your card.

 

15 punches is correct, I did not use them all on my seven day cruise.

 

In the past I have also brought my own ground coffee, with a melitta filter and commuter type cup and gotten hot water from room service. You can find the sets on Amazon pretty cheaply.

[shredie]

A trick I learned here is to take along some Starbuck's Via instant packages and put one or two into the carafe with the room service coffee. That works for me.

[tntfox]

A trick I learned here is to take along some Starbuck's Via instant packages and put one or two into the carafe with the room service coffee. That works for me.

 

Adding the Starbucks Via to our room service coffee works just fine for us for that first caffeine kick in the morning. It's always a stop at the Int'l Cafe for two cups of the brewed as we make our way to breakfast, though. I had purchased a coffee press two sailings ago but figured, with everything I have to pack for a 10-day cruise, the press can stay home and we'll survive on the ship's coffee!

[Colo Cruiser]

We enjoy the free coffee, nothing wrong with it.

[critterchick]

Does Princess still allow you to bring a hot water kettle with an automatic off function? We did that on Golden last year with no issues. We were able to have piping hot instant, which I greatly prefer to the room service coffee, every morning.

[Thorpe]

If you need a few coffees to function in the morning you should find the coffee is ok. Best to try the HC out and then the brewed stuff as well then make a decision. You might find it easier to go to the HC and get it yourself. The ship isn't that big. I'm also an Aussie and found the HC stuff ok. I also buy a card. Not fond of the brewed stuff though. As they say to each their own :)

 

 

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[Mom33]

I agree with those that recommend you try the ships "free" coffee first. We drink the free coffee, finding the IC coffee too strong for our taste and use the coffee card for specialty coffee drinks.. Bringing along instant coffee packets is also a good idea. You can then be sure of getting your morning brew your way.:D

[New Jersey Pat]

We are big on bringing Starbuck's Via with us. Usually, the Italian or French Roast (caffeinated) for breakfast and the Italian Decaf for after dinner.