International Cafe

[mrstmaxx]

Hi- an anyone tell me if the International Cafe is a fee or free eating location? Thank you

[Cruise Junky]

Food is free except the Gelato which is super cheap.

[highheel girl]

Yes everything is free.
Gelato if the particular IC has it is $1.50 for 3 scoops.
There is a charge for coffee and specialty coffee drinks too.

[vancouvergirl2010]

Free and soooo good, especially the quiche

[craftcrazy]

Originally Posted by mrstmaxx

Hi- an anyone tell me if the International Cafe is a fee or free eating location? Thank you

Just got off the Crown Princess yesterday. The coffee is $1.25 for small and the large costs $1.75. You can buy a coffee card - it was $33 for our 12 day cruise or just pay as you go, which is what we chose to do. The coffee in the dining rooms and in Horizon Court is made from a concentrate (not good at all) but it is fresh brewed in the IC. The coffee card entitles you to unlimited regular coffee and 15 specialty coffees.

All the food -- donuts (ate too many!), pastries, Greek salad, quiche, sandwishes, etc. etc. is free. The gelato costs $1.50 for 3 scoops and is very good.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Originally Posted by craftcrazy

Just got off the Crown Princess yesterday. The coffee is $1.25 for small and the large costs $1.75. You can buy a coffee card - it was $33 for our 12 day cruise or just pay as you go, which is what we chose to do. The coffee in the dining rooms and in Horizon Court is made from a concentrate (not good at all) but it is fresh brewed in the IC. The coffee card entitles you to unlimited regular coffee and 15 specialty coffees.

All the food -- donuts (ate too many!), pastries, Greek salad, quiche, sandwishes, etc. etc. is free. The gelato costs $1.50 for 3 scoops and is very good.

The coffee is free from ??? until 6 AM but I'm not sure if the stuff they give you is fresh brewed or from concentrate. It was nasty either way. Maybe the stuff that gave me was sitting there for hours.

[sunluva7]

We loved International Cafe and found it a nice, quieter alternative to the buffet if we were just looking to eat light or just wanted to avoid the buffet crowd at lunch.

[Kamloops50]

Originally Posted by mrstmaxx

Hi- an anyone tell me if the International Cafe is a fee or free eating location? Thank you

All the food is free except the Gelato. Coffee & tea is cahrged to your sail card unless you have coffee card . Then coffee(all kinds including fresh brewed) and tea are free. For more info on coffee cards just for it in this forum.

[Cruisin' Chick]

and just to clarify: the IC isn't an enclosed eatery. It's basically a display case (you tell the person behind the counter what you want, and he'll place it on a plate for you), a counter where you can get specialty coffees and teas (the coffee carries a charge; not sure about the tea), and on some ships, the gelato (which has a charge). You might be able to find a nearby table in the Piazza, or take your food elsewhere to eat.

[thinfool]

Nothing is free.

Everything is either "included" or "extra". LOL

Still, the IC is one of the best food venues onboard!!

[FawnRiver]

I'm counting the days until I can hit the IC and get one of their proscutto and mozzarella sandwiches. Yum!

[Stevesan]

Before someone asks:


In the International Café and some lounges:

Brewed coffee is $1.25/cup, most specialty coffees are $2.50-$2.75 for a regular size, espresso $1.75.

$33.35 buys a coffee card with fifteen punch outs for specialty coffees, and unlimited brewed coffee at the cafes and some lounges that have brewed coffee. You can also use it in the dining rooms for specialty coffees. The server is directed to take two punch outs for double shot orders, some do, some don't.
Since the coffee card is for a discrete quantity it's not time limited. If there are punch outs remaining at the end of the cruise the card will carry over to the next cruise. The unlimited brewed coffee does not carry over.
__________________

If you are accustomed to good quality coffee, you definitely will want a coffee card. The vile concoction in the Horizon Court (buffet) is syrup based. Room service and dining room coffee are also syrup based. I must say the dining room coffee tastes a tad better. Maybe the kitchen staff cleans their machine.

Not that syrup-based coffee is always a bad thing. My hometown source, http://www.javacoffee.com/, informs me there are different grades for syrup coffee, as with ground coffee. Regardless of grade, the taste of syrup based is always going to be somewhat inferior to an equivalent grade of ground. Based on flavor, Princess must use the lowest grade (cheapest) available.

You'll find brewed coffee from grounds at some lounges, and in the International Cafe. Not all ships have the Int'l Cafe.

[thinfool]

If you are accustomed to good quality coffee, you definitely will want a coffee card.

I drink a lot of black coffee...and know a good cup.

I bought the coffee card on the Emerald last January.

In short, McDonalds makes better brewed coffee than Princess offered on that cruise.

I am not a fan of the syrup based coffee either.

[sherryf]

Originally Posted by Cruisin' Chick

You might be able to find a nearby table in the Piazza

Yeah, good luck with that! We very rarely have gotten a table in the Piazza.

[caribill]

Originally Posted by sherryf

Yeah, good luck with that! We very rarely have gotten a table in the Piazza.

I have never had a problem finding a table in the Piazza area. This includes the seating at Vines and the seating next to the bar area.

[mrstmaxx]

Thank you so much to everyone to replied. this has been very helpful. We are really looking forward to our first (but not last ) Princess cruise