How is the Coffee like on HAL? Any coffee making facilities in their cabins?

[Cahpek]

We are going on our first cruise with HAL in June.

 

Can HAL cruisers please tell us if there is coffee making facilities in their cabins, and if so, what kind of coffee do they offer? We are going on one of their balcony cabins (VD).

 

Also, assuming there is complimentary coffee in the buffet, is the coffee there any good? We realise that there are chargeable speciality coffees available in their cafes, etc, but we are not seeking to know that.

 

Thank you.

[msmayor]

I believe only the Neptune and Pinnacle suites have coffeemakers in the staterooms.

 

We're recently off the Zuiderdam and my husband and I thought the coffee was just fine, much better than what we had on RCL last year. We would grab some in the Lido if we chose to dine there in the morning, and always enjoyed a cup in the dining room after dinner.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Drink tea it's safer

[Cahpek]

Drink tea it's safer

 

Do you mean the complimentary coffee on board is so bad that you feel it is a safer bet to drink tea? Oh dear.

 

When we were on Princess, we were not too impressed with their coffee in the buffet. And both Princess and HAL are owned by Carnival now, aren't they?

[CruiserBruce]

Like food, coffee quality is very subjective. Some will think the coffee great, others will thing it poor, many will think it someplace in between.

 

Just because Princess and HAL are in the Carnival family, doesn't mean they all use the same coffee. There is a common discussion around about using syrup rather than ground beans, to make coffee. I think that varies by ship.

 

Only suites have coffee makers.

[TheCalicoCat]

As someone else mentioned, coffee makers are only available in higher categories that you chose.

 

You can get coffee from room service.

[DeeniEncinitas]

IMO coffee in Pinnacle is the best!!!

Lido for us taste to watered down.

Exploration Cafe is good!

Denise :)

[oofroggie]

I find the coffee to be too strong for me so just mix half with hot water then it is just right.

[Boytjie]

I have always found the complimentary coffee on HAL to be better than on Princess. The buffet coffee on HAL is drinkable.

 

Now on the Koningsdam we frequented the Grand Dutch Cafe for coffee... I was willing to pay for very good coffee. And it was conveniently close to our cabin (actually, I selected the cabin partly to be close to it!) :)

[IllinoisGirl1978]

Explorations coffee is good, if you are worried bring some Starbucks Via with you. Honestly it's not that bad.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[summersigh]

This past December on the Zuiderdam ....

... coffee in the Lido was not my favorite -inconsistent

BUT

... room service coffee was pretty good

... MDR coffee after dinner was good and fresh - maybe the staff made sure there was fresh since our entire table of 8 drank a couple of cups every night after dinner.

[TXCruiser10]

I do not care for the coffee served at the Lido. Don't really like the coffee they offer after dinner either--both are very bitter. I have ordered coffee with room service and like that better. Specialty coffees--the kind you pay for--are always good.

[RuthC]

HAL coffee has improved significantly over the years. It's still not as good as Dunkin' Donuts, but a whole lot better than Starbucks. And much better than Princess, based on every report I have ever heard.

HAL coffee is made from ground coffee, not syrup. You will find some variation, though, in the Lido, dining room, and room service coffee.

I'm not fond of the Pinnacle coffee, but that's the only venue that is lacking.

[OlsSalt]

Do you mean the complimentary coffee on board is so bad that you feel it is a safer bet to drink tea? Oh dear.

 

When we were on Princess, we were not too impressed with their coffee in the buffet. And both Princess and HAL are owned by Carnival now, aren't they?

 

That was not a very helpful comment, was it?.

 

DH likes the regular coffee on board very much. He really enjoys coffee and orders a premium brand directly from the Argovia Coffee Plantation that we learned about from a Puerto Chiapas shore excursion in Mexico. He also enjoys the espresso that used to be complimentary at dinner. As well as the coffee pod makers in the Neptune Suites which also has access a variety of specialty coffees from an "instant" machine in the Neptune Lounge. For a fee, there is also the specialty coffee Explorations Cafe - for the standard latte, cappucino, and espresso offerings with flavorings.

 

Keep in mind this is a Dutch heritage ship and the Dutch do like their coffee too. Might be "too strong" for some, but is considered robust for others. The best coffee however was found at the "Indonesian Tea" when they offered Sumatra Coffee - there is that "Dutch" coffee connection again. From what I have heard recently, this is no longer available but if it is, it is simply scrumptious coffee, enjoyed for its full flavor on its own - don't add anything, served French Press style.

 

I am a tea fan when cruising and HAL offers a very nice array of excellent teas - PG tips are the best for me, but even their "house brand" darjeeling is good, along with a reasonable mix of herbal and flavored teas in packets. Plus they have fully brewed tea in pots at the afternoon teas if you ask for them. (Again, this option may no longer be available of recent reports)

[iancal]

HAL coffee is much, much better than Princess coffee. Come to think of it everything is better than Princess coffee including the water that is spit out from our dishwasher at the end of a cycle. HAL's coffee is not great, not anything special, but certainly reasonable. We were on a Princess ship a few weeks ago. The standard coffee was just as bad as ever.

 

We drink European style coffee at home so finding good coffee on a ship or in a restaurant can be a challenge. We typically buy it. Need our caps with two or three expresso shots in the morning.

 

No in cabin coffee making on any of our ships BUT we have yet to cruise from the UK. Plus, we only buy the bog standard balcony cabins. Others can comment on the premium real estate amenities. Same for all other cruise lines that we have had the opportunity of sailing.

Edited April 7, 2017 by iancal

[3rdGenCunarder]

HAL coffee has improved significantly over the years. It's still not as good as Dunkin' Donuts, but a whole lot better than Starbucks. And much better than Princess, based on every report I have ever heard.

HAL coffee is made from ground coffee, not syrup. You will find some variation, though, in the Lido, dining room, and room service coffee.

I'm not fond of the Pinnacle coffee, but that's the only venue that is lacking.

 

Ohhh, I love Pinnacle's coffee! Last fall, we got French press at breakfast. This winter, it was gone. (Same ship, Zuiderdam) I asked the manager what happened to it and he said people didn't like it. (I think they just got lazy) But even their carafe coffee is nice. (At home, I'm a fan of Dunkin, never Starbucks)

[iancal]

We would take a french press over a carafe any time day or night. No comparison.

[GoSeeDo2]

We bring Starbuck Via. Just make sure you bring enough, we ran out on our recent 14 day cruise.

[daisybertie]

After 21 days on the beautiful Maasdam last year, we were desperate for a decent cup of coffee. The Lido coffee was vile. But this was the only negative about the whole trip. This year we are on the Maasdam for 31 days and plan to take a jar of the best instant coffee we can buy. The selection of teas was superb, so good that we plan to take a little tea pot with us to brew our herb tea, rather than in those little mugs. Yes, I know we sound weird!:D

[alwaysfrantic]

IMO

Lido for us taste to watered down.

Exploration Cafe is good!

Denise :)

 

Agree. It's not undrinkable in Lido but if you like strong coffee you might want to buy a cup in the coffee shop. It's not very expensive.

[alwaysfrantic]

I do like room service coffee. It's probably all the same so maybe just seems stronger because someone brought it to me

[Sequim88]

I have always found the complimentary coffee on HAL to be better than on Princess.

 

Given that HAL is based in coffee crazed Seattle it should not be a surprise. ;) Having moved back to Seattle area from Minnesota for 20 yrs I had forgotten how much darker roasted coffee here tends to be. Now quite happy with my daily dose of Sky Valley Mud. But good coffee in the MDR was something we still remember from last HAL cruise and hoping it still is.

[Bostonjetset]

I'm far from a coffee snob but I think the free coffee on HAL is just fine. It's not the best ever but it's certainly drinkable. Princess free coffee is by far the worst I've had on any ship; it's the one line that I felt the extra charge cafe was well worth it!

 

Also, they have some of the best selections of tea on HAL ships. PG Tips is my favorite "grocery-store tea" and they are the only line I've sailed that has it! Even Cunard, which is an English line, didn't have PG Tips but they are the only line where we've had a kettle in the stateroom. Actually I think NCL did on the Breakaway as well but not on the Gem. HAL does not have kettles/coffee machines in the staterooms, only the suites.

[*Miss G*]

I do like room service coffee. It's probably all the same so maybe just seems stronger because someone brought it to me

 

I find it stronger too. (Which I like.) I think it's the same as the MDR coffee. The only thing I don't like is that it's never hot enough for me.

[Europeantraveler1]

We've been on HAL cruises two times in the last two years (and going on our third-the Konningsdam-April 15). These last two cruises we were in a Neptune suite and there was a coffee maker-a Keurig. I am not a fan of that type of coffee maker for many reasons. Would much prefer a good cup of coffee from either the Pinnacle or the MDR.