Coffee

I am currently on the Mariner and just came back from teatime and trivia. Met up with two lovely couples, both new to Regent. Literally, the first thing discussed when they learned we are long time Regent cruisers - they asked "is the coffee always this bad"? For about fifteen minutes, our group and the two groups sitting on either side of us discussed how could it be that a so called "luxury" line could serve such horrible coffee. It is always interesting to talk to new Regent passengers to see if the actual experience meets up to their expectation

My Mom, who is not that picky and drinks Costco Kirkland coffee at home, claims the coffee on board is horrible (I am a tea drinker). According to Mom, the coffee on Celebrity (which one pays extra for) is far superior to the "free" coffee served on Regent.

Only been on the ship for about 24 hours and the cut-backs are really starting to show - the difference b/w a 5 star and a 6 star line is all the little extras - when you start to take away all the "extras", you have a five star all inclusive line, but not a six star luxury line.

gnomie :)

Coffee on Regent: it's the new icebreaker.

The beans in the Coffee Connection (and assume some other parts of the ship) are Illy; they are a good commercial quality. I suspect that's also what the self serve coffee machines are filled with. I doubt that is what is used for the early morning room service coffee however.

I have had excellent coffee in La Veranda when I asked for a double espresso after dinner and I suspect the very competent Italian staff member made it herself, with care. I found by asking for a specific coffee after meals (which would, of course, take a bit longer) I would receive a much better brew than the standard bulk made item. Of course, this will never help with room service.

The competence of the barista is often a key point. My husband makes a far superior coffee to me using the same equipment and ingredients at home.

It does rather sound as if you'd rather complaints not be posted here, rather expressed through official channels. Both approaches taken together make sense not to mention this is a discussion board.

Not true at all. As I mentioned in an earlier post, everything that is posted here is helpful to people that are new to Regent and sometimes even those of us that have sailed Regent before. Posting on the Regent board won't usually get results from Regent but is an excellent way of communicating. I think VERY highly of Cruise Critic (as evidenced by how many years I've been a member). I was responding to posters that wanted results and suggested that going through official channels was the best way to communicate and to get the results they are seeking.

At this point, I think that the whole coffee thing is blown out of proportion. As Responder posted, coffee has been the same (or poor in some people's opinion) for years. This is not something new. If coffee is the only reason for considering Regent, I suspect that you will be disappointed.

elaina: I often recommend writing to Regent. However, IMO, this is not the best time to do so. I'm not saying that you shouldn't write -- just realize that Regent is about to be bought out -- airline contracts for 2015 are not signed -- some offices may be moved, etc.

gnomie1: Hope you will be posting about your cruise on the other thread (where someone is hoping that there will be posts from your cruise). I'm sure we are all interested in your observations. We are also awaiting Responder's review. His cruise was a bit strange from the beginning and sounded as if continued that way -- at least for a few days (meaning that a port had to be cancelled which gave them 7 sea days in a row).

Not true at all. As I mentioned in an earlier post, everything that is posted here is helpful to people that are new to Regent and sometimes even those of us that have sailed Regent before. Posting on the Regent board won't usually get results from Regent but is an excellent way of communicating. I think VERY highly of Cruise Critic (as evidenced by how many years I've been a member). I was responding to posters that wanted results and suggested that going through official channels was the best way to communicate and to get the results they are seeking.

 

 

At this point, I think that the whole coffee thing is blown out of proportion. As Responder posted, coffee has been the same (or poor in some people's opinion) for years. This is not something new. If coffee is the only reason for considering Regent, I suspect that you will be disappointed.

 

elaina: I often recommend writing to Regent. However, IMO, this is not the best time to do so. I'm not saying that you shouldn't write -- just realize that Regent is about to be bought out -- airline contracts for 2015 are not signed -- some offices may be moved, etc.

 

gnomie1: Hope you will be posting about your cruise on the other thread (where someone is hoping that there will be posts from your cruise). I'm sure we are all interested in your observations. We are also awaiting Responder's review. His cruise was a bit strange from the beginning and sounded as if continued that way -- at least for a few days (meaning that a port had to be cancelled which gave them 7 sea days in a row).

Are you not yet convinced that regardless of the method, NO response is forthcoming. Suggesting to new cruisers that this will give them results is misleading. If, as you say, things are in a state of flux, perhaps they should adjust the prices down until they decide what to do.

Because Regent promotes it as a luxury cruise line, we expect quality throughout.

A few weeks ago, someone booking a master suite was concerned about having flowers in her suite and posted on CC about it. In short order Kamlani popped in to say he would take care of it. And he was complimented for doing so.

But, after 2 months of trying to convince Regent not to stop in Dakar where there was evidence of Ebola, after a thread with 443 posts viewed by 37,824 people, not one representative of Regent appeared to make a comment.

Try to explain that for me....

Not true at all. As I mentioned in an earlier post, everything that is posted here is helpful to people that are new to Regent and sometimes even those of us that have sailed Regent before. Posting on the Regent board won't usually get results from Regent but is an excellent way of communicating. I think VERY highly of Cruise Critic (as evidenced by how many years I've been a member). I was responding to posters that wanted results and suggested that going through official channels was the best way to communicate and to get the results they are seeking.

 

At this point, I think that the whole coffee thing is blown out of proportion. As Responder posted, coffee has been the same (or poor in some people's opinion) for years. This is not something new. If coffee is the only reason for considering Regent, I suspect that you will be disappointed.

 

elaina: I often recommend writing to Regent. However, IMO, this is not the best time to do so. I'm not saying that you shouldn't write -- just realize that Regent is about to be bought out -- airline contracts for 2015 are not signed -- some offices may be moved, etc.

 

gnomie1: Hope you will be posting about your cruise on the other thread (where someone is hoping that there will be posts from your cruise). I'm sure we are all interested in your observations. We are also awaiting Responder's review. His cruise was a bit strange from the beginning and sounded as if continued that way -- at least for a few days (meaning that a port had to be cancelled which gave them 7 sea days in a row).

If "the whole coffe thing is blown out of proportion," it's in part because you denigrated the importance of the issue above. Not a good idea to get between java folk and their tipple. A good time to bow out and seek the high road.

Are you not yet convinced that regardless of the method, NO response is forthcoming. Suggesting to new cruisers that this will give them results is misleading. If, as you say, things are in a state of flux, perhaps they should adjust the prices down until they decide what to do.

 

Because Regent promotes it as a luxury cruise line, we expect quality throughout.

 

A few weeks ago, someone booking a master suite was concerned about having flowers in her suite and posted on CC about it. In short order Kamlani popped in to say he would take care of it. And he was complimented for doing so.

But, after 2 months of trying to convince Regent not to stop in Dakar where there was evidence of Ebola, after a thread with 443 posts viewed by 37,824 people, not one representative of Regent appeared to make a comment.

 

Try to explain that for me....

Yikes, I am the cruiser wanting flowers in her master suite and was thrilled to find the president of the line said he would tend to it. I'm less thrilled that waters here have been muddied with Ebola. I thought it was about coffee on this particular thread.

I intuit both Travelcat2 and Responder may be pursuing issues beyond coffee in which case a new thread is required where the two of you and others can duke it out. I had been appreciating your posts, Responder, up to now.

I have not yet sailed on Regent but Jim and I will embark on Jan 27, Miami to Miami and looking forward to it whilst packing our own coffee.

Yikes, I am the cruiser wanting flowers in her master suite and was thrilled to find the president of the line said he would tend to it. I'm less thrilled that waters here have been muddied with Ebola. I thought it was about coffee on this particular thread.

 

I intuit both Travelcat2 and Responder may be pursuing issues beyond coffee in which case a new thread is required where the two of you and others can duke it out. I had been appreciating your posts, Responder, up to now.

 

I have not yet sailed on Regent but Jim and I will embark on Jan 27, Miami to Miami and looking forward to it whilst packing our own coffee.

I remember being really happy that Mr. Kamlani took the time to respond. Both he and Mr. Del Rio are amazing people. They do read CC when they can (and so do some officers on board the ships). They go above and beyond whenever they can.

Since coffee is important to you, it is probably a good idea to pack your own. Some "fixes" are easier than others. Testing different coffees and possibly changing them fleet-wide is not something that can be done quickly. I'll be interested in learning what your opinion of the coffee is. Since you are sailing Miami to Miami, I'm assuming that you will be on the Navigator. While I haven't been on her recently, she used to have the most amazing coffee machine I've ever seen on board (have not seen them on the other ships).

In terms of Responder and myself, we will never see things eye to eye. It isn't a big deal but it is upsetting when it interrupts a thread. Sorry that this has happened here.

Hope you have a great cruise and that you find time to report back on CC.

P.S. You are correct -- I do not personally find coffee to be the of the same importance as other things on a cruise line (service, food, suites, atmosphere - just to name a few). I have learned just how important coffee is to some posters on this thread:-)

Will we be able to get a double shot cappucino in the a.m ? I can bring some mocha for my DH to add to it (he is a Starbucks guy). My daily breakfast consists of this and a couple of biscotti. Paul Gaugin has a little machine that takes care of it and Oceania has a great Barista. Important to me, the early riser.

Will we be able to get a double shot cappucino in the a.m ? I can bring some mocha for my DH to add to it (he is a Starbucks guy). My daily breakfast consists of this and a couple of biscotti. Paul Gaugin has a little machine that takes care of it and Oceania has a great Barista. Important to me, the early riser.

Absolutely. You can get a double shot cappuccino in any dining venue. There are also coffee machines (location differs by ship). The Coffee Connection is the best place to have specially made coffee -- you can certainly have mocha in your coffee there.

Thank you TravelCat, 2 shots of espresso in the a.m. and 2 glasses of vino at night make for a happy cruiser!

Wow. This is a serious discussion full of dissent and whispers of insurgency. Maybe we should all rebel and throw Regent’s coffee over the side.

I can drink just about anything to include jet fuel as long as it’s injected with caffeine (think Turkish coffee). But, I have to admit that Regent's coffee requires a double shot of Amaretto to make it palatable (not a good thing at 7AM). On the other hand, The Boss requires specific adherence to her instructions in order to meet her demanding standards for coffee. Ironically, her coffee of choice is Folger’s Breakfast Blend. Needless to say she goes without any coffee whenever we travel which makes her into a cranky Boss.

Z and TB

So nice to see a light hearted post on this thread:D One of the reasons I stopped drinking much coffee was that everywhere we went it was different and either too strong, too weak or simply unpalatable. Although I don't like Starbucks coffee in general (we have two stores down the street from us - hundreds of feet apart -- how typically Washington:-), I do love their Mocha Frappacino (horribly misspelled). Due to the calories contained in just one of those, I limit myself to a couple a year.

I do love Regent's French Coffee (without the cream). When I want to relax, I have one and usually end up taking a nap. From the sounds of this thread, coffee is a very hot topic. I'll have to try coffee with Amaretto (but not too early in the morning).

I must say I am surprised to hear that the coffee is so bad, especially if they use illy beans! We have an illy iperEspresso machine at home, and use this almost exclusively now for espresso, lattes, and mochas. It's some of the best main-stream espresso I've found. Very smooth.

Is the normal cup o' joe the major complaint? Or also for the espresso beans used for just shots of espresso in lattes? I'm not one for drinking a cup of coffee in the morning, but I can't get going without a 2-3 shot latte!

We are on Mariner at the moment. The coffee served at breakfast at the Verandah is, to my taste undrinkable. This goes beyond personal preference, it is bitter, tastes of chicory and puts us off ordering coffee anywhere else. Room service coffee is in our experience much better. The cappuccino in coffee corner quite good. The machines vary, but sometimes don't work at all.

We are on Mariner at the moment. The coffee served at breakfast at the Verandah is, to my taste undrinkable. This goes beyond personal preference, it is bitter, tastes of chicory and puts us off ordering coffee anywhere else. Room service coffee is in our experience much better. The cappuccino in coffee corner quite good. The machines vary, but sometimes don't work at all.

My Mom will agree with you regarding the coffee at breakfast - she is not picky at all, but she does enjoy a good cup of coffee in the morning. The other day she mentioned to the manager that the coffee was undrinkable, and a few minutes later he appeared with coffee that she really enjoyed - when she asked where it came from, he smiled with a twinkle in his eye and said "my secret".

Last night at Signatures she also had a good cup of coffee - other than that, the coffee has not been a highlight. We are wondering why the coffee is so inconsistent, most of the time undrinkable and occasionally a good cup appears.

gnomie :)

Are they still serving Seattle's Best coffee on Royal Carib? IMO, that brand of coffee is FAR from Seattle's "best". Wish they would find something better. :cool:

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Now on Navigator, first cruise for us as a couple. Enjoying ourselves very much indeed, turns out we love being at sea. As for coffee, we drank room-service coffee this morning and found it quite good. Perhaps due to reading this and other threads, my expectations were low but our cups were more than palatable. There is an Illy espresso maker in our suite but I'll be hornswaggled if I can figure out how to make it work despite two lessons.

OctoberKat,

It's good to hear you are having a great time. How nice to read you got the lovely flower gift too.

Sit back and enjoy the Navigator and its wonderful attentive staff. Is your butler called Hari? He looked after us on our cruise Montreal to Miami in October and he was excellent.

Happy holidays,

Jean.

Are they still serving Seattle's Best coffee on Royal Carib? IMO, that brand of coffee is FAR from Seattle's "best". Wish they would find something better. :cool:

 

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Think that you are on the wrong "board". Here is a link to Royal Caribbean: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=83

I found the coffee on Voyager to be, well, "variable". I had the Butler take away the suite's coffee machine {he stowed it under the bed}. Gave us more counter space and I get coffee from Room Service or mosey down to Coffee Connection or even a lounge bar. I prefer (and tell the waiter) my coffee to be hot, fresh, and strong if not I ask for another. Coffee is one of the few foods that I am picky about (salmon is another). I seem to enjoy the Regent coffee after dinner {maybe it's due to the wine with dinner}.

OctoberKat - good to hear that you are enjoying your cruise on the Navigator. If have a minute, could you ask someone what the "beans" are that are used on the ship? When we were on Oceania in December, we noted that they use "Illy Espresso" beans. I suspect that the beans on Regent are of the same quality but the machines are older. If you don't have time - no problem -- we'll be onboard the Mariner in a few weeks and I can check with them. I'm determined to figure out the "difference" between the coffee on Oceania and on Regent.

Mariner in December used illy beans in the coffee connection, from what I saw.

Mariner in December used illy beans in the coffee connection, from what I saw.

Thanks - that is what is used on Oceania (specifically Illy Espresso). If Regent and Oceania use the identical beans, it seems that the difference would either be in the coffee makers themselves, the preparation or the maintenance of the machines.

Wow. This is a serious discussion full of dissent and whispers of insurgency. Maybe we should all rebel and throw Regent’s coffee over the side.

I can drink just about anything to include jet fuel as long as it’s injected with caffeine (think Turkish coffee). But, I have to admit that Regent's coffee requires a double shot of Amaretto to make it palatable (not a good thing at 7AM). On the other hand, The Boss requires specific adherence to her instructions in order to meet her demanding standards for coffee. Ironically, her coffee of choice is Folger’s Breakfast Blend. Needless to say she goes without any coffee whenever we travel which makes her into a cranky Boss.

Z and TB

A shot (or so) of Bailey's Irish Cream will do the trick also. My DW always gets a bottle to keep in the suite. We've actually taken it to the pool deck with us in the morning to mix with our coffee. Made quite a few new friends this way.