Caribbean Princess coffee

[MotownVoice]

17 hours ago, knotheadken said:

Where do you get the 190-200 degree water from on the ship? I have done this at home and yes it makes great coffee but too much hassle on a ship. Do you bring a water boiler on ship? I don't think they are allowed. I've come to the conclusion (for now! LOL) that we will try the free stuff and can always buy the package on board.

Request water for tea to your stateroom.

[stoneharborlady]

Never had a bad cup of coffee in Horizen Court, dining room, or from room service.  The only coffee I cannot tolerate is Starbucks.

[SeaLaRae]

On 9/21/2019 at 6:23 AM, knotheadken said:

Do you drink it black or with cream and sugar.

 

Since we switch from cream and sugar to black we prefer different coffee.

I normally have it black at home but on the ship I order skinny lattes with very little vanilla flavoring - and it’s tasty.

[CineGraphic]

5 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Thanks. It looks like I'll be bringing my own plastic straws after all. 

 

[MissP22]

6 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

 

 

It's Princess's responsibility to dispose of any plastic material in the proper manner. 

[CineGraphic]

5 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

 

It's Princess's responsibility to dispose of any plastic material in the proper manner. 

And they're trying to avoid that as much as possible by eliminating plastic straws, but you just keep bringing them on. Make sure one doesn't blow away from you while you're on the Lido Deck. Metal straws are a better alternative.

[MissP22]

8 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

And they're trying to avoid that as much as possible by eliminating plastic straws, but you just keep bringing them on. Make sure one doesn't blow away from you while you're on the Lido Deck. Metal straws are a better alternative.

 

I'll guard them with my life while using one.

It's then up to Princess to see of it's proper disposal along with the other plastic trash. 

I've got a bunch for everyone packed & ready to go.

[CineGraphic]

Just now, MissP22 said:

I've got a bunch for everyone packed & ready to go.

Give me your address and I'll send you all the metal ones you need. The turtles would appreciate it.

[MissP22]

1 minute ago, CineGraphic said:

Give me your address and I'll send you all the metal ones you need. The turtles would appreciate it.

You should send them to the turtles. 

[voljeep]

Carry on.  Carry off

[CI66774]

1 hour ago, CineGraphic said:

And they're trying to avoid that as much as possible by eliminating plastic straws, but you just keep bringing them on. Make sure one doesn't blow away from you while you're on the Lido Deck. Metal straws are a better alternative.

I heard someone tripped with one of these and it went through the person's eye.

[CineGraphic]

1 minute ago, CI66774 said:

I heard someone tripped with one of these and it went through the person's eye.

Then use paper. Seaweed straws will soon be another option.

https://futurism.com/the-byte/startup-seaweed-straws-like-plastic

Bringing plastic on, when the company's trying to get rid of it doesn't seem logical to me.

[Kate P.C]

I like my coffee simple. I don't want a dessert, I want coffee. Most of the time I ordered espresso and I would just put a drop of milk in it. That's it. All Princess ships offer the same coffee. To be honest I haven't tried anything on their menu but espresso.

Sometimes I make ice coffee with it. I add cold milk and ice in the espresso. No extra creams or syrups or sugar or cookies or I don't know what 🙂

Edited September 26, 2019 by Kate P.C
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[Potstech]

On 9/22/2019 at 2:08 PM, MotownVoice said:

Coffee for coffee snobs like me:

 

1.  Step one understand a good bean.

     a.  Top imported roasts include Extra Fancy Kona (if doesn’t have the word “fancy” it’s a blend, not real Kona), and Jamaica Blue Mountain.  You can order both online if you look carefully.  Trader Joes offers a “100% Pure Kona” canister.  Sounds official.  But it’s not the full Extra Fancy bean, although I can attest the flavor is close.  Expect to pay about $35 per pound for a decent import that you swear by no matter how you brew once you’ve tasted it.

     b. Most expensive bean is the Kopi Lewak which is a delightful sounding name for a bean that was eaten and then pooped out by Southeast Asian Palm Civet, rinsed and sold to you.  They claim the digestive system of the Civet strips unwanted acids making the bean more mellow.  Me, I’ll deal with the acids with my own digestive system thank you.  I’ve sipped a Kopi Lewak.  I don’t get it.  It can run between $100 and $600 per pound depending on how much of a sucker you are.

     c.  Your best bet for a consistently good, flavorful coffee bean that you will brag about no matter your coffee snob level, and you will only pay slightly more for than the cans of 2 year old incinerator can sweepings you buy in a grocery store is from a Local Roaster.  Find a place near you that roasts it’s own beans.  You’ll know when you walk up because it will smell like someone burned an entire pot off coffee outside.  There is one near you.  Trust me.  You just never knew to look for it. Then zero in on the bean that suits you.

 

 Caramelly, citrusy, floral.  I gravitate to the nutty-chocolaty.  There’s no name for it unless the roaster gives it one because they’re not in the business of marketing and branding bad coffees.  They make their living roasting and selling the freshest coffee bean you can buy without an airplane.  My favorite is the “Brazil Santos” from my roaster.  So named because it comes from the Brazil coast of South America and grown on a coffee farm by someone named Santos.  Nothing fancy.  You don’t buy it because the name and label cause you to trip over yourself, or because it’s “what my mom always drank”.  You buy it because you tried it at the bar inside your local roaster and fell head over heels in love with it.  

 

Buy the beans whole.  You would no sooner buy a banana that’s been peeled, or an egg that’s been cracked then you should buy a coffee bean that’s been ground sooner that 30 seconds before you brew it.   The exception would be that you were in a place where those little 10 dollar coffee grinders aren’t available.

 

2.  Step two understand they methods of brewing.

     a.  The best method for brewing for someone who does everything based on whatever’s the cheapest regardless of quality or consistency is to let someone else do it.  Pay your fee, drink your mud water and shut up.

     b.  Automatic Drip brewers are best if you have to do something else while the coffee is brewing.  Because to properly brew the absolute finest cup of coffee takes, oh god, upwards of three minutes and who has that kind of time?  

     c.  Your fancier cafes are doing a thing now called a pour over.  This is the method by which you pour hot water over a basket filled with grounds and let it slowly drip in to a cup.  (see automatic drip, except add 4 minutes because you have to stand there and wait for every little pour to drain like you’re trying to water a root bound Wandering Jew.

   d.  An espresso maker is a variably expensive machine which makes a very good cup of espresso.  From there you can add water and make an Americano.

   e.  The method for brewing coffee that is the least expensive, draws the most flavor from the bean, is the most portable for travel of all methods of brewing, and accommodates that local roast grind mentioned above like a hand in a glove ... is the cafetierre, also known as a french press.  You grind the beans as coarsely as the grinder will allow.  You add about two tablespoons of grounds for every full 8 ounce coffee.  What they call an 8 cup french press actually only holds about four good sized mugs.  So 7 or 8 tablespoons of coffee is about right.  Pour in hot water, good hot tea temperature water (the British sometimes call it ‘just off the boil’, it’s literally about 190 to 200 degrees.  Effervescent and steamy, but not rolling).  Let the grounds and water steep for a minute, then plunge the press so the grounds are pushed to the bottom.  Try it before your vacation arrives.  I guarantee you will at least consider packing a cafetierre and a couple pounds of recently, locally roasted beans on your next cruise.

 

A couple people have complained about grounds in the drain of a ship’s commode.  If you buy in to that argument, bring some paper sandwich bags to allow you to toss the used grinds into it, roll it up and throw it in the waste can.

 

Not worth the price or the effort. I had gotten true Kona coffee right at the plantation and I tasted no real difference from what I drink daily.  Bern drinking swill all my life so why change now.

[Potstech]

On 9/23/2019 at 11:36 AM, stoneharborlady said:

Never had a bad cup of coffee in Horizen Court, dining room, or from room service.  The only coffee I cannot tolerate is Starbucks.

👍👍👍👍👍👍😃😃😃😃

[MotownVoice]

27 minutes ago, Potstech said:

Not worth the price or the effort. I had gotten true Kona coffee right at the plantation and I tasted no real difference from what I drink daily.  Bern drinking swill all my life so why change now.

Obviously, you know what my position is going to be.

Utter garbage.  You're making it up.

[Thrak]

On 9/23/2019 at 12:12 PM, CI66774 said:

I heard someone tripped with one of these and it went through the person's eye.

 

Yep. I feel pretty sure someone has died by tripping with a toothbrush in their mouth. Don't brush your teeth. People are run down on the street every day so one shouldn't drive. Sheesh... My wife carries her metal straw in her purse. If she wants a straw onboard I'm sure she can use one of her own. Normally I'm the one who wants a straw at times. I just use one of hers.

 

We buy whole beans at Costco and grind them just before using. We love the coffee. Neither of us finds Starbuck's to be very good and we both despise Peet's. Actually, the only time I have ever actually purchased Starbucks was when my wife was nearing release from the hospital after her "great heart surgery and "opps repair" episode early this year. The only other thing the hospital offered was Peet's and I knew she hated that and the hospital coffee was bad so I broke down and bought her a Starbucks coffee. I've had it at meetings (back when I worked) but had never actually purchased it because it's not worth it to me to do so. I get good coffee at home.

[PaperSniper4]

On 9/22/2019 at 7:20 AM, skynight said:

Free coffee is available in the buffet, room service and DR's. It is prepared from a liquid concentrate. Brewed (drip) coffee is only available at the International Cafe, open 24/7, on deck 5. Add 18% gratuity to the menu price seen in post 5 for the true cost. Specialty coffee drinks are available at the International Cafe and at Coffee & Cones, not open early in the morning, on deck 15.

What? Coffee not available early in the morning? Or does that apply only to the Coffee & Cones place? We have the specialty coffee option on our next cruise (Dec 2012) and I wonder where I can get a "nice cuppa coffee like cappuccino> around 0700. International Cafe? One of our Princess ships had a coffee bar amidships on deck 7 or 8, but I do not recall which ship; it was not the Caribbean Princess I don't think....

 

Doug

[skynight]

53 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

What? Coffee not available early in the morning? Or does that apply only to the Coffee & Cones place? We have the specialty coffee option on our next cruise (Dec 2012) and I wonder where I can get a "nice cuppa coffee like cappuccino> around 0700. International Cafe? One of our Princess ships had a coffee bar amidships on deck 7 or 8, but I do not recall which ship; it was not the Caribbean Princess I don't think....

 

Doug

The International Cafe deck 5 in the Piazza is open 24/7, and yes open for your 7am needs. Coffee & Cones on deck 15 by the Lido pools is not open 24/7 but opens sometime during the morning. Coffee and Cones serves specialty coffees. They did not have brewed coffee and specialty teas when we were on board in August 2019. The also serve soft ice cream (free) and milk shakes. 

[PaperSniper4]

3 hours ago, skynight said:

The International Cafe deck 5 in the Piazza is open 24/7, and yes open for your 7am needs. Coffee & Cones on deck 15 by the Lido pools is not open 24/7 but opens sometime during the morning. Coffee and Cones serves specialty coffees. They did not have brewed coffee and specialty teas when we were on board in August 2019. The also serve soft ice cream (free) and milk shakes. 

Thank you for that information. Does the International Cafe has the specialty coffees like the Coffee and Cones place? We like a "good" cup of coffee in the morning, but it's not our only cup of coffee. On cruises we always use room service for that first cup....that's fine to get things going. I ain't leaving the cabin before that.....I am certifiably non-social until then!😲 But after that first cup and getting dressed I like to hike up/down to someplace having something a bit nicer and bring that back to the cabin for my wife and me to enjoy on the balcony. We are early risers, usually having room service at their first service, usually 0630, sometimes 0600. I'm a big tipper to ensure it's at the door at exactly the time I requested. We always order the night before as our routine is pretty much fixed, at least on sea days.

 

Doug

[JF - retired RRT]

2 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

I'm a big tipper to ensure it's at the door at exactly the time I requested.

You don't have to tip big to get your AM delivery at the exact time. Our orders are usually early (if anything) and very rarely late by more than 10 minutes.

[station10fd]

 

 

I've recently taken to bean roasting as a hobby.  Next time I'm on board, I'll become good friends with the Barista and slip him my favorite Costa Rican origin. 🙂

[skynight]

4 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Thank you for that information. Does the International Cafe has the specialty coffees like the Coffee and Cones place? We like a "good" cup of coffee in the morning, but it's not our only cup of coffee. On cruises we always use room service for that first cup....that's fine to get things going. I ain't leaving the cabin before that.....I am certifiably non-social until then!😲 But after that first cup and getting dressed I like to hike up/down to someplace having something a bit nicer and bring that back to the cabin for my wife and me to enjoy on the balcony. We are early risers, usually having room service at their first service, usually 0630, sometimes 0600. I'm a big tipper to ensure it's at the door at exactly the time I requested. We always order the night before as our routine is pretty much fixed, at least on sea days.

 

Doug

Room service coffee is served in a carafe. It is prepared from a liquid concentrate. If you are after a caffeine boost then it does the trick. If you want a "good" cup then you will be disappointed. There is no charge for room service, but you can tip the delivery person, many people do. I don't think tipping will do anything for your exact timing. There is a card in your cabin to fill out and you hang it on the door the evening before, or you can just call room service. You may be able to also place your order on your phone or device using the medallion app. Don't know, never tried this.

I'm not sure if specialty coffees are available through room service, but if they are there will be a charge. Above you refer that you have the specialty coffee option. Do you mean that you have the booked with the Premier Beverage Package which includes specialty coffees, or the Premier Coffee and Soda Package which also includes specialty coffees? If this is what you are referring to then take note in the terms & conditions that room service is excluded from these packages.

There is a wide variety of specialty lattes etc. available. See attachment. The International Cafe is the primary location for specialty coffees. Coffee & Cones is just an secondary location by the pool if you want a specialty coffee during your time around the pool. They may not have a full selection like the International Cafe does. You can also obtain coffees with alcoholic additions at the International Cafe. While you are there pick up some doughnuts, Danish 9or other items. No charge for food at the International Cafe. If you send one person down to the International Cafe they have to have both medallions in hand to identify that each person is eligible for coffee as they have the package.

Is it good coffee. It taste good to me. It isn't the strong burnt taste that you get at Starbucks, if that is what you are after.

International Café Coffee Prices March 2019.doc

[skynight]

6 minutes ago, station10fd said:

 

 

I've recently taken to bean roasting as a hobby.  Next time I'm on board, I'll become good friends with the Barista and slip him my favorite Costa Rican origin. 🙂

Very doubtful they will prepare coffee from your blend. 

[station10fd]

1 minute ago, skynight said:

Very doubtful they will prepare coffee from your blend. 

Very true, but nice to think about a truly outstanding cup of coffee on board