Coffee

[phil1107]

I was watching the Travel With Us Viking guide and Richard complimented the morning coffee in Mamsen’s. Is this coffee served on all bars and restaurants or does each outlet have different ones?

[Peregrina651]

3 hours ago, phil1107 said:

I was watching the Travel With Us Viking guide and Richard complimented the morning coffee in Mamsen’s. Is this coffee served on all bars and restaurants or does each outlet have different ones?

 

I prefer the coffee in the Living Room Bar, Deck 1.  Fresh ground espresso brewed in a professional grade espresso maker and close enough to MDR or World Cafe to grab a cup to carry into breakfast. The baristas that work this bar make a lot of coffee everyday and all day long. I've never had coffee in Mamsen/Explorers Lounge, so I can't compare the two venues.  

 

MDR coffee is acidy and watery -- or at least  the decaf is; I havent had a cup there since 2016, so i dont know if the situation has changed.   World Cafe is pods, press the buttons to choose what you want (or a server will do it for you)-- better than the MDR but not as good as the Living Room.  

 

First (and last) time I tried to get a real cup of coffee from the Aquavit Bar in the World Cafe at breakfast time, they looked at me funny and I never tried again. 

 

Nevertheless, coffee is available 24/7 (the World Cafe machine self-service handles the overnight shift) -- and unless you want a shot of booze in it,  coffee is free. Yes, including lattes and cappuccinos.  

 

But then again, the definition of good coffee is subjective and "your mileage may differ."

[SempreMare]

Thank you for the living room, bar deck 1, coffee tip @Peregrina651

 

Would you happen to know what time they open and close?

[Nippy Sweetie]

I agree re the Living Room coffee but feel that, even then, the taste is compromised by the long life milk. Unavoidable I suppose.

[Peregrina651]

7 hours ago, SempreMare said:

Thank you for the living room, bar deck 1, coffee tip @Peregrina651

 

Would you happen to know what time they open and close?

 

I believe their hours are 6am until midnight but since hours can vary, check the daiies on board. 

[Azulann]

I agree that the coffee at Viking Bar is great and made one cup at a time, expresso based.

I also have had coffee at mamsen's for breakfast, the waiter  comes around  and pours coffee and sometimes leaves a carafe on the table.

When eating breakfast in  the World cafe, we always get our food and eat outside. Again waiter comes around with coffee. I think the coffee poured is jsut fine. I drink coffee black, except for an occasional cappuccino. I love coffee and grind whole beans every morning for my morning  coffee at home. 

 

 

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, Azulann said:

I agree that the coffee at Viking Bar is great and made one cup at a time, expresso based.

I also have had coffee at mamsen's for breakfast, the waiter  comes around  and pours coffee and sometimes leaves a carafe on the table.

When eating breakfast in  the World cafe, we always get our food and eat outside. Again waiter comes around with coffee. I think the coffee poured is jsut fine. I drink coffee black, except for an occasional cappuccino. I love coffee and grind whole beans every morning for my morning  coffee at home. 

 

 

Another agreement here on the Living Room Bar.  I think the key is getting something that is made to order, so to speak.

Coffee, like food, is a very individual type preference, in the way it is fixed - so likely you'd have to try all the choices to see which one you like.

(For example, we like strong coffee - as many do on the West Coast - dark and thick (not watery) - and not all coffee on Viking is that way - but some like it the opposite way).  Personal choice.

[Vagabond51]

If not for GOOD hot coffee and hot showers, I would seize up like an old engine. Thank you for the heads up on where to find it.

[Azulann]

28 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Another agreement here on the Living Room Bar.  I think the key is getting something that is made to order, so to speak.

Coffee, like food, is a very individual type preference, in the way it is fixed - so likely you'd have to try all the choices to see which one you like.

(For example, we like strong coffee - as many do on the West Coast - dark and thick (not watery) - and not all coffee on Viking is that way - but some like it the opposite way).  Personal choice.

Great points. Yes, when I first had a Starbucks coffee in late 90’s in Seattle I knew I was not in in the MidWest ! The more I think about it I think coffee is like beer , everyone had their favorite taste and texture . 

[SempreMare]

4 hours ago, Vagabond51 said:

If not for GOOD hot coffee and hot showers, I would seize up like an old engine. Thank you for the heads up on where to find it.

 

 

I loved the hot showers delivered with strong water pressure on the Viking Mars.  

 

Looks like you will be set.

[SempreMare]

9 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

I believe their hours are 6am until midnight 

 

Would that make the deck 1 Living Room Bar the one that is open the most # of hours each day? 

Some are calling this good coffee spot "The Viking Bar" ?   Or is that a bar on a different floor? 

 

So many bars, so little time.

[OneSixtyToOne]

4 minutes ago, SempreMare said:

 

Would that make the deck 1 Living Room Bar the one that is open the most # of hours each day? 

Some are calling this good coffee spot "The Viking Bar" ?   Or is that a bar on a different floor? 

 

So many bars, so little time.

That is it.

[MELSMOM47]

17 hours ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

I agree re the Living Room coffee but feel that, even then, the taste is compromised by the long life milk. Unavoidable I suppose.

“Long life milk” ? 😬

[oskidunker]

Artificial creamer maybe?

[MELSMOM47]

2 minutes ago, oskidunker said:

Artificial creamer maybe?

This is unbelievable. Chemicals. 🤬

[dd57]

13 minutes ago, MELSMOM47 said:

“Long life milk” ? 😬

In the US it is called shelf stable milk.  For example the milk boxes you can put in kid's lunch boxes that don't need refrigeration. Very common in Europe.

[LindaS272]

Do we know that Viking uses shelf stable milk? I always use cream in my coffee and regularly have cappuccinos on the ship and have not noticed any weird taste problems from milk or cream.

[dd57]

Yeah, I haven't noticed anything either.  On the other hand the Horizon brand shelf stable milk tastes normal to me.

[MELSMOM47]

23 minutes ago, LindaS272 said:

Do we know that Viking uses shelf stable milk? I always use cream in my coffee and regularly have cappuccinos on the ship and have not noticed any weird taste problems from milk or cream.

At least half and half. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Nippy Sweetie]

I asked last time as the coffee tasted odd. Long life milk is common here. Obviously cruise ships can't necessarily count on being able to proved fresh milk all the time.

[DGHOC]

I haven't noticed it much in coffee shops in the UK though it's prevalent in France. Can't say I've noticed it on the Viking ships though haven't used the Living Room bar for coffee.

 

My grandmother used to use sterilised milk through the war and then just continued with it. Now that stuff is really vile, ESPECIALLY in tea. Just wrong!

 

 

[MELSMOM47]

5 hours ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

I asked last time as the coffee tasted odd. Long life milk is common here. Obviously cruise ships can't necessarily count on being able to proved fresh milk all the time.

Why not? Milk and cream are produced all over the world. They have refrigeration, they stop regularly, they aren't far from the places that produce the product and half and half is ultrapasteurized. It lasts at least two months.

[Nippy Sweetie]

I don't know why not I'm just saying what I was told by staff at the time!!

[sugarside]

Long Life Milk is also known as UHT milk in the UK.

Half and half we know as single cream which cannot be whipped unlike our double cream.

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

On 3/7/2023 at 7:13 PM, LindaS272 said:

Do we know that Viking uses shelf stable milk? I always use cream in my coffee and regularly have cappuccinos on the ship and have not noticed any weird taste problems from milk or cream.

Yes, everything I have seen is shelf stable. We always ask for skim milk with meals, and it's shelf stable as well. I don't think fresh milk is practical for them to use. Also on Orion in the Living Room where we always got our coffee, when you asked for a vanilla latte they used milk and straight vanilla, not vanilla syrup. It was not that way on Octantis.