Wishing on a star Posted January 14, 2019 #1 Share Posted January 14, 2019 We are used to the venue on another cruise line that has a pretty extensive offering of specialty coffee drinks. I liked having that fancy Vanilla Latte every morning. Can you all tell me what HAL has to offer, and where one would go for these specialty coffees? Thanks!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faerievert Posted January 14, 2019 #2 Share Posted January 14, 2019 Fancy coffee is on every HAL ship in the explorations cafe (attaches to the crow’s nest). I think the NS might have a secondary venue, too, but I haven’t sailed her. Menu: http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Explorations-Cafe-Menu.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnmike1234 Posted January 14, 2019 #3 Share Posted January 14, 2019 1 hour ago, Wishing on a star said: We are used to the venue on another cruise line that has a pretty extensive offering of specialty coffee drinks. I liked having that fancy Vanilla Latte every morning. Can you all tell me what HAL has to offer, and where one would go for these specialty coffees? Thanks!!! Best spot is the explorations cafe but they do not open till 8 am they are located on deck 12 also on deck 3 is the dutch cafe but they do not have as extensive menu for coffee if you are used to celebrity they have a better coffee program but this ship was fantastic in every other way from the showers in room to food including lobster at the buffet and great entertainment we had a fantastic time and booked again 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishing on a star Posted January 14, 2019 Author #4 Share Posted January 14, 2019 Thanks! Surely you can at least get Latte's, early, at the Dutch Cafe. That would do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OVgirl Posted January 14, 2019 #5 Share Posted January 14, 2019 On Koningsdam, in the Lido market area they had a coffee bar with pay extra coffees. Don't know if Nieuw Statendam will have the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishing on a star Posted January 14, 2019 Author #6 Share Posted January 14, 2019 (edited) I just found this....below. VERY limited! Surely you can add a shot of Vanilla, Hazelnut, or whatever to a Latte. GDC opens at 7:00a.m. I will have to see if I can research what coffee's are available at the Lido, and how you go about getting them. HAL needs to get with the 21st century and the coffee craze!!! Wow. People even like chilled coffee 'blast', 'frappe's', etc. Edited January 14, 2019 by Wishing on a star Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ithaca gal Posted January 15, 2019 #7 Share Posted January 15, 2019 1 hour ago, Wishing on a star said: I just found this....below. VERY limited! Surely you can add a shot of Vanilla, Hazelnut, or whatever to a Latte. GDC opens at 7:00a.m. I will have to see if I can research what coffee's are available at the Lido, and how you go about getting them. HAL needs to get with the 21st century and the coffee craze!!! Wow. People even like chilled coffee 'blast', 'frappe's', etc. HAL is very much into the 21st century with the coffee "craze". They have their baristas making all of those drinks in the Explorations Café. Not sure if they have the syrups at the Dutch Café, but you won't go without as long as you go to the Explorations outlet. OR, you can do what we do ……. we take along a small bottle of syrup to put in our "regular coffees" when we don't feel like going up to get an "official" latte. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare SumoCitrus Posted January 15, 2019 #8 Share Posted January 15, 2019 In my opinion the coffee drinks are not as good at Grand Dutch as they are at Explorations Cafe - however, Grand Dutch has other amazing treats and lots of beer options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishing on a star Posted January 15, 2019 Author #9 Share Posted January 15, 2019 EXP is probably great!!!! But... 8:00 am. ???? Many sail-in's to port begin well before that. (KOTOR in particular on the cruise we are looking at) Why would it not be open before folks are heading out to meet shore excursions? Just saying'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoforthesea Posted January 15, 2019 #10 Share Posted January 15, 2019 We just got off of the NS after 14 days and it was wonderful. Now, for the coffee info answer-We love our coffee and yes, the 8am at the ex. cafe was an issue for us. We did not enjoy the coffee at the Dutch cafe so here is what we did. If we had to be up and out before exploration cafe was open-we ordered room service coffee which was drinkable or got a basic coffee at the dutch cafe. As soon as we were dressed and ready for the day, the ex. cafe was usually open and then we would get our wonderful speciality drinks from the great barista Rizalynda. You will love this ship! Hope this info helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquahound Posted January 15, 2019 #11 Share Posted January 15, 2019 15 hours ago, OVgirl said: On Koningsdam, in the Lido market area they had a coffee bar with pay extra coffees. Don't know if Nieuw Statendam will have the same. Good info. It wasn't until about half way through my Koningsdam cruise I learned specialty coffees could be made in the Lido. I discovered it while eating dinner in there. The machine wasn't with the regular coffee stand area at the forward section. It was at about the mid point in the Lido. This is a good option for getting lattes, etc before the 8am opening of Explorations. But yes, 8am is a ridiculous opening time for a coffee bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishing on a star Posted January 15, 2019 Author #12 Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) Thanks everyone! Not only the opening time... But also the location, which is not convenient for the large percentage of guests. HAL did a lot right with the N.S. Redesigning Music Walk, keeping the Ocean Bar, etc... But wow, this is a huge miss, with coffee being an 'afterthought'. We are not big coffee freaks.. so that's okay. But I can imagine the Coffee/Starbucks addicts onboard. Everyone should have all petitioned HAL about the N.S., requesting that Ocean Bar have a very nice, full menu, coffee bar. Especially in the morning hours. Edited January 15, 2019 by Wishing on a star Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoforthesea Posted January 15, 2019 #13 Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) Hello again! Your suggestion is a great one! In fact, I think I will contact HAL with an addition to my post cruise survey about the coffee situation since I am a coffee/starbucks addict!! Adding another location for speciality coffees even in a centrally located bar for early morning would be great. Also, with only one true barista on board the explorations cafe becomes very crowded and very loud very quickly!! On the Eurodam we were very forward so we just popped up the stairs to the ex. cafe but on this trip on the NS we were true aft and dear hubby had quite the trip each morning bringing me my coffee-he is so sweet to do that for me!) Thank you for making that suggestion-we will see if it helps. Edited January 15, 2019 by twoforthesea spelling error Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishing on a star Posted January 27, 2019 Author #14 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Did I just read, correctly, that you can get coffee, etc.. at EXP as early as 6:30? Is this not actually correct? Maybe a change in hours? Hhhhmmm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radbooks Posted January 27, 2019 #15 Share Posted January 27, 2019 I don't really drink much coffee, but people were also getting coffee at NY Deli and Pizza early in the morning when I was getting my morning bagel! 🙂 I have no clue if there were lattes, but it appeared to be specialty coffees. Worth checking out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvercruiser Posted January 27, 2019 #16 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Do the 4* Mariners get a 50% discount at the Dutch Cafe like they do at the Explorations Cafe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winpub Posted January 27, 2019 #17 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Are the specialty coffees / teas included as part of the drink package? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cayman09 Posted January 27, 2019 #18 Share Posted January 27, 2019 They are part of the Quench Package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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