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Coffee Snob on Voyager?


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DW and I are booked on the August 25th sailing on Voyager. I am a coffee snob in that I grind beans and make espresso each day.

 

I know that the Voyager has a coffee bar with an espresso machine, but has anyone noticed if it actually grinds fresh beans, or if it is just a K-Cup type machine.

 

We have never had the opportunity to sail with Regent, and are looking forward to our trip very much.

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While I do not necessarily have an answer, just wanted to welcome you to the Regent board! My DH (husband) also grinds his beans every day and has challenges on the Voyager to find a good cup of coffee. Whether they grind the beans themselves or not, the best coffee he can find in is the Coffee Connection where the Barrista can make coffee to his specifications. Alternatively, the coffee machines in the Coffee Connection and on the pool deck work when he first presses "espresso" and then follows it with a regular coffee. Hopefully someone else can give you a definitive answer.

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I am not a coffee person either. But I do vaguely remember hearing what sounds like a coffee grinder grinding beans in coffee connection.

 

Just wish regent would upgrade their tea. Silversea offers proper loose leaf tea. Not found on regent.

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In the concierge level suites, there is an Illy coffee machine for that early morning shot of esspresso. Unused by me but some may like it.

 

I liked it and if you order a jug of hot water it makes a longer coffee for the morning.

Didn't enjoy the coffee Connection on Regent as much as the Coffee Shop on Mariner.

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The Illy coffee machines in suites are very good but they are "pod" technology so great if you like a strong espresso but maybe not for a latte. We Melburnians know about good coffee and that served in Coffee Connection on Voyager was absolutely fine provided you tell the barista exactly how you want it prepared. I don't think they have the time or technology to roast and blend their own beans but we never had a problem. It's all down to personal taste of course :)

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This is reassuring if they keep this across all ships: we are travelling on the Mariner for 72 nights and I frankly don't function too well before my morning coffee. We even chose our suite partly based on the proximity to Coffee Connection. My husband is the 'barista' at home - always freshly ground and made with our machine - no pods.

 

I acknowledge that Melbourne is the home of good coffee in Oz and if you guys were fine with the barista with 'guidance' then we should be OK if we can get the Oz standard 'flat white' - my morning staple:).

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When we were on the Voyager in April the barista made the BEST coffees! We stopped in a couple of times a day for our fix! I loved the iced coffee in the afternoon! and the cafe vienna is outstanding!

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The US trained barista probably won't know what a "flat white" is! I confounded the barista on Navigator last week by asking for a "large strong hot skinny flat white". The look on his face was priceless. US and Aussie coffee terminology is different and the subtle differences in preparation aren't always obvious but if you explain exactly how you like it prepared you'll be fine.

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I liked it and if you order a jug of hot water it makes a longer coffee for the morning.

Didn't enjoy the coffee Connection on Regent as much as the Coffee Shop on Mariner.

 

The Coffee Connection on the Mariner is quite a bit larger than on the Voyager (the suites are smaller on the Mariner giving the ship a lot of extra room). I agree that the barristas will do their best to prepare the coffee exactly the way you prefer it.

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Unfortunately I have never managed to find a good cup of coffee on Regent. No matter how good the beans, or how freshly ground, the bitter taste of the water comes through. Same for tea. I still miss the days when they had a tea menu, served loose leaf of course.

 

For room service breakfast we order a pot of coffee and two sides of espresso to mix in. On our Amazon we'll have one of the pod machines, but they are still a poor substitute for the beautiful cup we get from our home machine.

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ST: Would like to see or hear about you being on a Regent cruise..... but, predict that you won't love the coffee. When on SS, I only go to the "Shi Shi Poo Poo" tea event to accompany my DH - I'm not much of a tea drinker. After watching him drink tea, he can watch me enjoy my chocolate martini:D

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ST: Would like to see or hear about you being on a Regent cruise..... but, predict that you won't love the coffee. When on SS, I only go to the "Shi Shi Poo Poo" tea event to accompany my DH - I'm not much of a tea drinker. After watching him drink tea, he can watch me enjoy my chocolate martini:D

 

Too Funny: I am such a "Coffee Snob" that Seabourn puts a full service Nespresso Machine (usually only in Owner Suites and above) now in my Suite before I board, otherwise Seabourn Square makes a great Americano.

I also meant TC2, that in general SS is too "Shi Shi Poo Poo" for me. TC2, the earliest I see myself on Regent possibly would be at the end of next year for that 45 night Mariner cruise over Xmas and New Years 2013/2014.

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We're not "coffee connoisseurs" or "baristas", but we do enjoy a decent cup of coffee, which has been difficult (in our opinion, nearer impossible) to get on Regent and Radisson till they introduced the Coffee Corners with the new machines. Forget about Starbucks and other overly expensive knockoffs, if Duncan Donuts, Tim Hortons and even McDonalds can consistently make an excellent cup of coffee quickly and at a fair price, why can't Regent? The stuff they serve in the dining rooms ranges from just ok to awful, and room service, for some unfathomable reason, is only slightly better. Well it is when they remember to fill the carafe (which they failed to do once on each of our most recent Regent cruises!)

 

It ain't rocket science folks!

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Lousy coffee on Crystal also, unless you go to their coffee place (forget name). I remember the first time I cruised Crystal and seeing a couple with their own French press on the table at breakfast. Our conversation revealed that they had cruised the world numerous times with Crystal, but always had bad coffee, so they had taken to bringing their own coffee (freshly ground right before leaving their home) and French press.

 

I took their advice and started doing the same, ordering boiling hot water from room service and even in restaurants for breakfast on EVERY cruise ship from that point forward. And I really am not a demanding person, but coffee? Has to be perfect.

 

I do find the coffee in the "Starbucks" type arena to be good on most any ship, Regent included, but when just ordering coffee in any restaurant on any ship, luxury or non-luxury. . .yuk!

 

SeaDream seems to have far better coffee served with meals than any luxury or non-luxury ship I've cruised. In fact, I would describe it as good.

 

I agree. I don't get it. Why can't the coffee be fab everywhere on the ship, at least at the rates one pays for a luxury experience? A failing, for sure.

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Too Funny: I am such a "Coffee Snob" that Seabourn puts a full service Nespresso Machine (usually only in Owner Suites and above) now in my Suite before I board, otherwise Seabourn Square makes a great Americano.

I also meant TC2, that in general SS is too "Shi Shi Poo Poo" for me. TC2, the earliest I see myself on Regent possibly would be at the end of next year for that 45 night Mariner cruise over Xmas and New Years 2013/2014.

 

Will enjoy your posts from a Regent ship -- even if I have to wait a while. I'm sure you will be able to get a cup of good coffee on Regent -- but it will be by special request.

 

Kinda agree that SS is "Shi Shi Poo Poo" but they have itineraries that Regent does not have any more. Regent is our cruise line of choice (guess that is rather obvious). We enjoy everything about the ships and crew, appreciate the fairly reasonable Business Class upgrades and barely tolerate the included excursions. There is a wonderful review by a former Regent regular on Seabourn at the moment. Although she does not mention Regent, her references to meeting in the theater for excursions and having to get off of the ship in a herd is very true.

 

Lest I get this thread off track, I do hope you bite the bullet and book Regent. Also hope you can teach them how to make coffee:D

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Illy machines in the suites only make small espresso shots using "pod" technology. If you want a larger cup or mug you'll have to grab one from a restaurant plus extra hot water and milk if necessary to top up your shot. But the faffing around is probably worth it as the stuff that comes out of the "public" machines has no business calling itself coffee. Ditto the tea. I really wish we had our own tea kettles for the essential early morning cuppa.

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