Coffee quality in Explorations Cafe vs. Dutch Cafe

[horseymike]

Any comparison between the two venues with regard to coffee quality ?

[Moriah]

Ah, coffee... a subject near and dear to my heart! Over the many years I've been sailing on HAL ships, the coffee story has written itself in many chapters.  First, there was literally NO decent coffee to be found on board.  I had to content myself with pretending that room service and Lido and diningroom offerings were actually "coffee" at all... and find decent stuff when on shore.  Then, slowly things changed.  The dining room and specialty restaurant coffee became borderline "acceptable", as did room service coffee, and following that at some point, Lido coffee became borderline (important word) acceptable as well. THEN, we got "Explorations Cafe"...  and espresso was now served on board.  MUCH better, although certainly not to the level of excellence of some good coffee houses on land.  Still, big improvement.  My drink there is Americano with one or two extra shots.  The situation NOW is, IMHO, that when you are on a ship that has no Dutch cafe, the dedicated Explorations cafe will have good coffee, because the crew baristas working there will have a lot of practice, presumably.  When you are on a ship that DOES have Dutch cafe, this will mean that Explorations doesn't actually exist - it's just a coffee maker stuck into the Crows Nest bar, and while the potential is there, the bar-tenders are not baristas... There are exceptions to this.  My last cruise on Rotterdam I was the first one in the crows nest every morning and Dexter made me a great coffee... but in general, the good coffee on those ships with the Dutch cafe is AT the Dutch cafe.  Very good coffee. 

So now, if you are on a ship that has it all, coffee quality IMHO is as follows, from least good to best:

1. Lido

2. Dining room

3. Room service

4. Specialty restaurants

5. "Explorations cafe"

6. Grand Dutch Cafe

 

Edited July 5, 2023 by Moriah

[Haljo1935]

I mostly agree with @Moriah ranking. For me, Explorations and GDC are very similar and completely acceptable for my liking. I will go to whichever is physically closest to me. Unless I'm feeling "snacky," then I go to GDC.

[POA1]

27 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

feeling "snacky,"

Just weighing in to tell you that I am definitely going to steal this phrase. 😁

[jthek]

Rotterdam 1873 is the best

You get it in the Pinnacle Grill

Rudi's, Exploration's Cafe and the GDC

[Haljo1935]

4 minutes ago, jthek said:

Rotterdam 1873 is the best

You get it in the Pinnacle Grill

Rudi's, Exploration's Cafe and the GDC

Last year it was listed as part of the coffee card, but now I can't find the coffee card on the website. You got xx coffees, 2 cups or mugs (don't remember which) and 1# bagged Rotterdam 1873.

[jthek]

Very tasty even if you are not feeling snacky

[OlsSalt]

DH is a coffee nut and he is in a minority, since he likes the Lido coffee.

 

He is such a coffee nut he now  routinely imports Argovia coffee, which we learned about on a HAL shore excursions in Puerto Chiapas Mexico. We also imported Shade Lady coffee from Costa Rica, after learning about it on another HAL cruise ship stop in Costa Rica. But they are no longer in business. 

[Torquer]

We are just off the Nieuw Statendam.  I am definitely not a coffee connoisseur but I ordered coffee in the MDR, Pinnacle Grill, and Club Orange dining room.  This was "regular" coffee, not espresso or cappuccino.

 

In Club Orange, the coffee looked and tasted like typical coffee.  However, in the MDR and Pinnacle Grill the coffee I was given was milky and foamy in appearance, kind of like instant coffee (yuck) looks.  The taste was pretty similar to typical coffee.  Has anyone else experienced this and do you know what HAL is serving us?

[Haljo1935]

42 minutes ago, Torquer said:

...However, in the MDR and Pinnacle Grill the coffee I was given was milky and foamy in appearance, kind of like instant coffee (yuck) looks.  The taste was pretty similar to typical coffee.  Has anyone else experienced this and do you know what HAL is serving us?

We have noticed the "foamy" coffee in both MDR and PG (have not been to CODR); couldn't say which particular ships or if it's across the board, I just know I've commented to DH when we've gotten it. He likes it; I do not.

It never occurred to me that it could be instant. Surely it's not, is it?! 🤔🙄 

Does anyone know for certain?

Edited July 5, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[horseymike]

Thanks everyone for the valuable feedback. I am always perusing the best cup of coffee that I can get my hands on. 😁

Safe and Happy voyages to all 🚢

[CNSJ]

Must agree that the Pinnacle grill Coffee is superb.  I drink my coffee with nothing (yes, just coffee) - so the flavor comes through.  At Grand Dutch Cafe or Explorations, I order Americano as they don't normally have a pour over or brewed option.

 

Coffee Matters

 

 

[Sir PMP]

5 hours ago, horseymike said:

Any comparison between the two venues with regard to coffee quality ?

It depends on who makes it:

 

 

 

[Cruise Suzy]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

Last year it was listed as part of the coffee card, but now I can't find the coffee card on the website. You got xx coffees, 2 cups or mugs (don't remember which) and 1# bagged Rotterdam 1873.

Look under Packages & Gifts -> Packages

 

COFFEE LOVERS

Enjoy a keepsake Coffee Gift Set including a 12oz bag of Holland America Lines Signature Rotterdam 1873 Coffee Beans and two authentic Royal Delft Coffee Mugs. Also enjoy your favorite signature coffees onboard with a $25 beverage card.

$88.50

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

Last year it was listed as part of the coffee card, but now I can't find the coffee card on the website. You got xx coffees, 2 cups or mugs (don't remember which) and 1# bagged Rotterdam 1873.

Update for everyone interested in the Rotterdam 1873 bagged coffee:

Finally found the coffee package that includes it (had to use a diff browser, but that's for a diff thread) and it IS still being offered; it'sunder Packages.

As I got to it through a current 14 day booking, the price may show differently for someone else.

I was off just a bit on what's included. Includes:

Bag of 1873 beans

2 mugs

$25 coffee card

 

Someone, was it you @horseymike or @jthek mentioned trying to order from GDC so maybe this solves for how to take some home.

[Haljo1935]

10 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

Look under Packages & Gifts -> Packages

 

COFFEE LOVERS

 

Ha ha - I think we were posting this at same time!

You win - I had to uninstall and reinstall the app, then got frustrated and used a diff phone. Grrrr...

[horseymike]

Thanks ☕️

[scooter6139]

So, for the Coffee Lovers package, is the Rotterdam 1873 that good?  Considering it's most of the cost for that package ($25 for a card, mugs are likely $10 each).

[Mary229]

I am a coffee person.  As @Sir PMPsaid it depends on who makes it.   The Dutch and Explorations are supposed to be the same but try both before settling into one as your go-to.  I buy the large Americano with a shot of espresso - a wonderful morning brew.  
 

oddly the decaf in the dining room in the evening is quite good.  I think the reason is so few order it they use a Nespresso 

[cbr663]

8 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I am a coffee person.  As @Sir PMPsaid it depends on who makes it.   The Dutch and Explorations are supposed to be the same but try both before settling into one as your go-to.  I buy the large Americano with a shot of espresso - a wonderful morning brew.  
 

oddly the decaf in the dining room in the evening is quite good.  I think the reason is so few order it they use a Nespresso 

 

I'm glad that you mentioned that the Dutch Cafe and Explorations Cafe are suppose to be the same as I remember both using the Rotterdam 1873 coffee.  The Pinnacle Grill does also but serves Americano style as did Rudi's.

 

In the past we always found the Explorations to have the best coffee for us and we were disappointed on our Alaska cruise in May to discover that the Explorations also used the same coffee.

 

Is there anywhere on the ship that doesn't use Rotterdam 1873 coffee now?

[weix]

Coffee lovers will have to know that the longer the ground coffee is in contact with water the higher the caffeine content.  Drip or filter coffee has more caffeine and less flavor.   Espresso machine coffee  has more flavor and less caffeine. Enjoy

[crystalspin]

Koningsdam last winter had a separate Explorations Cafe on Starboard side of the central service area, usually with two barristas working. By the time we were visiting the GDC, i would be ready to switch to European beer with my frites! I will be sure to try espresso drink there and compare to the ExC on next cruise. 

[OlsSalt]

Looks likes HAL prior premium coffee purveyor, Beukenhorst, created this new brand for HAL - Rotterdam 1873:  https://www.beukenhorst-usa.com

 

The best coffee I had on HAL ships was the Sumatra Coffee, served as one of the beverage choices at the now sadly departed Indonesian Tea. (Shout out for the sadly departed Royal Dutch Tea too.)

[Dancing Shoes]

7 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

Look under Packages & Gifts -> Packages

 

COFFEE LOVERS

Enjoy a keepsake Coffee Gift Set including a 12oz bag of Holland America Lines Signature Rotterdam 1873 Coffee Beans and two authentic Royal Delft Coffee Mugs. Also enjoy your favorite signature coffees onboard with a $25 beverage card.

$88.50

We saw this offered at the Dutch Cafe on the Rotterdam.  You got the above, minus the beverage card for about $40 if I remember correctly.  No way was it this high.  

[Haljo1935]

I don't remember it being that high last year when we were looking at it, but we were on a 7 day, not 14 day) cruise. Maybe it changes based on the length of the cruise, plus whatever price increase you know they've done.

I just don't know last year's cost...