Latte on disembarcation day????

[martinimadam]

I can't remember...Is the coffee bar in the explorer's lounge open on disembarcation day? I have a 1 o'clock flight out of San Diego in their very small satellite terminal and was hoping to get a giant iced latte before I left the ship.

Anyone know????

[sail7seas]

I don't think the Explorations Coffee Bar will be open but you can have complimentary espresso and/or cappucino in the dining room with your breakfast. I think you'll have to get your giant latte at the airport.... there's often a Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks near most gates.

[CowPrincess]

I can't remember...Is the coffee bar in the explorer's lounge open on disembarcation day? I have a 1 o'clock flight out of San Diego in their very small satellite terminal and was hoping to get a giant iced latte before I left the ship.

Anyone know????

I'm fairly sure that it was not open on our last disembarkation day. I'll try to check on our next cruise. When do YOU cruise?

Yeah, those terminals at SD airport are dismal. If you're taking a taxi to the airport, there's a Starbucks on West Broadway. IMHO (caffeine addict that I am) it would be worth the extra $1 or $2 to get the cab to stop on the way to the airport.

[Bearnaise]

I don't think the Explorations Coffee Bar will be open but you can have complimentary espresso and/or cappucino in the dining room with your breakfast. I think you'll have to get your giant latte at the airport.... there's often a Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks near most gates.

For some reason I was under the impression that espresso and/or cappucino were only complimentary in the MDR at dinner time. Are they also free in the MDR at breakfast and lunch?

[sail7seas]

Cappucino and espresso are no extra charge in the Main Dining Room at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

[lorekauf]

The coffee bar was open on the Westerdam and I think it was on the Oosterdam as well on disembarkation day. I recall because I usually get one. I'm on the Eurodam now. I'll make note of it if I get off the ship:D. I think I might hide instead.

[jtl513]

Wouldn't all accounts be closed out at that point, and therefore no way to purchase anything? I don't know, because we've never tried to purchase anything on that day.

Or maybe they'd give free drinks at that point??

[piscesgal223]

AFAIK we don't have Dunkin' Donuts in San Diego(I *wish* we did! I had Dunkin' Donuts coffee at the Ft. Lauderdale airport in March and was instantly hooked.)

You'd be better off walking to America Plaza(close to the cruise ship terminal) or taking a trolley to the Horton Plaza area.

[Sunshine91]

On our 2 Noordam cruises, as we waited & waited & waited for the ship to be cleared (especially her inaugural), the coffee bar in Explorations WAS OPEN. On the 2 cruises since then, I just don't remember - maybe I didn't go. But because the on-board accounts are cleared, you pay cash. Imagine, using that green stuff. :rolleyes: No credit cards (I'm always amazed at folks who pay for a $3 coffee w/plastic, or $1.50 parking meter here at the beach). :confused:

Try to have exact payment as the barista/cashier will only have a small amount of change in the till. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

I went through a few of my Cruise Logs.

Zuiderdam -- Explorations Cafe opened at 6 AM - cash only.

Ryndam -- no mention of it being open.

Nieuw Amsterdam - Explorations Cafe opened from 7 AM - 10 PM - cash only during morning hours.

Amsterdam -- no mention of it being open.

So -- if I were you -- just go by the Explorations Cafe and see if it is open.

[sail7seas]

On any of our back-to-backs, we've never seen it open disembarkation morning on Maasdam.

[luvcruisn']

But because the on-board accounts are cleared, you pay cash. Imagine, using that green stuff. No credit cards (I'm always amazed at folks who pay for a $3 coffee w/plastic, or $1.50 parking meter here at the beach).

Often the small purchases with credit cards are about two things - having very little cash with you, and also accumulating as many airline or other points with your credit card as possible.

[cruisinjudy]

Often the small purchases with credit cards are about two things - having very little cash with you, and also accumulating as many airline or other points with your credit card as possible.
Especially at parking meters!

[lorekauf]

Wouldn't all accounts be closed out at that point, and therefore no way to purchase anything? I don't know, because we've never tried to purchase anything on that day.

Or maybe they'd give free drinks at that point??
On the Westerdam in May they put the charge on my account. I fully expected to pay cash. I think this was an odd situation because it was a repositioning cruise and a LOT of peeps were carrying on.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I can't remember...Is the coffee bar in the explorer's lounge open on disembarcation day? I have a 1 o'clock flight out of San Diego in their very small satellite terminal and was hoping to get a giant iced latte before I left the ship.

Anyone know????
Which ship are you on?

If you are on a Vista class ship then I am pretty sure the Exploration Cafe will be open for a Cash only basis. I have used the Exploration cafe the last morning and paid cash several times :)

[martinimadam]

Thanks all for the informative replies.

Sorry I didn't supply more information. I'll be on the Statendam, arriving in SD on 11/25. So, if any of you are on an earlier cruise on this ship or others of its class, I'd really appreciate a "report" back. There seem to be quite a few folks who do this cruise (Panama Canal - FLL to SD) as a B2B/round trip, so maybe there's a chance the Lounge will be open.

If not, I'll probably follow CowPrincess' brilliant idea and just have the cab stop on the way to the airport. I don't recall a Starbuck's in the tiny American Eagle terminal, though I may be mistaken. Maybe I'll check on the Cruise Air boards and see if someone knows there.

[bepsf]

Often the small purchases with credit cards are about ... accumulating as many airline or other points with your credit card as possible.

Bingo!
I put everything possible on my CC's so I can accumulate points.

If I could pay rent with my credit cards, I'd do that also!
(Just think how many free pre-cruise hotel stays and airline upgrades that would be every year!!!)
:)

[Bearnaise]

Many vendors prefer credit cards as well. No cash to deal with saves them time and worry over theft, plus cash can be rather unsanitary for food handlers to touch and sort versus swiping a (hopefully) cleaner credit card. At places like Starbucks, the transaction is made even quicker by not having to sign a credit card slip, which makes it even easier than buying something on a cruise ship. (With newer cards eliminating even the swipe, where you just "tap" your card against a reader) And some airlines have gone cash free, accepting only credit cards or prepaid vouchers for food and drink purchases. Green is passe.

[Bearnaise]

Many vendors prefer credit cards as well. No cash to deal with saves them time and worry over theft, plus cash can be rather unsanitary for food handlers to touch and sort versus swiping a (hopefully) cleaner credit card. At places like Starbucks, the transaction is made even quicker by not having to sign a credit card slip, which makes it even easier than buying something on a cruise ship. (With newer cards eliminating even the swipe, where you just "tap" your card against a reader) And some airlines have gone cash free, accepting only credit cards or prepaid vouchers for food and drink purchases. Green is passe.

[CowPrincess]

Bingo!
I put everything possible on my CC's so I can accumulate points.

If I could pay rent with my credit cards, I'd do that also!
(Just think how many free pre-cruise hotel stays and airline upgrades that would be every year!!!)
:)

We paid for a car using our credit card to get points. We tried for a house one time, but the real estate office refused :D

[martinimadam]

So, I found out there's no Starbucks at the commuter terminal at SAN. If any of you get back from a cruise before 11/9 and can let me know if the Explorer's Lounge was open, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.