Hot tea options

Which vendor is HAL currently using for their tea bags in the Lido and MDR? Is Bigelow gone for good?? What are your experiences with the teas? Is the new vendor's teas okay and is there a wide variety, especially decaf and herbal tea bags? Any help would be appreciated so I know if I need to pack decaf and herbal tea bags for my next cruise.

We were on the Ryndam 2 weeks ago.

I can't remember the tea company (it might have been Field Select), but it is not Bigelow - although, the decaf tea was Bigelow and it was good.

There was a large variety of flavours of tea. But, I heard complaints about the quality. I usually drink English Breakfast tea, and it was weak and not very tasty.

They have PG Tips and Tetley in the Lido.

The Explorations cafe had Tazo tea, and it was very good. Unfortunately there is a charge for it. Lucky for us, we had the Signature Beverage Package, so no extra charge for us.

One of the ladies at our dinner table bought tea bags at a port stop because she didn't like the tea served on the ship!

In April on the Eurodam there was no Bigelow in sight. Just the new tea (fields?). Can't even really call it tea - just produces tinted, tasteless water. I was invited to one of those evaluation sessions with the Hotel Manager, etc at the end of the cruise. When I brought up the tea, the Hotel Manager's response was "I am going to send a box of this stuff to the main office". They know it is bad.

What we do not know is for how long they are committed to this stuff and if they will make a change in the future. I would bring my own tea bags if I were you.

It seems a shame to pay for a cruise and have to bring your own foodstuffs ...

PG Tips is good. I normally bring my own loose leaf tea from home or use the Harney & Sons bags from the Neptune Lounge.

In April on the Eurodam there was no Bigelow in sight. Just the new tea (fields?). Can't even really call it tea - just produces tinted, tasteless water. I was invited to one of those evaluation sessions with the Hotel Manager, etc at the end of the cruise. When I brought up the tea, the Hotel Manager's response was "I am going to send a box of this stuff to the main office". They know it is bad.

 

What we do not know is for how long they are committed to this stuff and if they will make a change in the future. I would bring my own tea bags if I were you.

 

It seems a shame to pay for a cruise and have to bring your own foodstuffs ...

I totally agree. The new stuff is just awful, and I was able to get a supply of PG Tips into the Neptune Lounge. However, as the OP enjoys herbal and decaf teas, that brand may not seem as weak and tasteless to him/her as the regular tea.

Being addicted to Lapsang Souchong's smokey aroma/flavor, I have always brought my own supply, but I have noted more and more comments from others about the cheap water-staining bags available. I suppose general dumbing-down and cost-cutting is an ongoing problem across the board.

We cruise next month and I like my tea in the morning, BUT I like tea that has some color and taste to it. Learned to drink tea as a child in England and have to have my Twinings. I will be sure to bring my own with me.

Okie1946

Even though the tea bags were in a Bigelow Box, you can see that there were 2 different brands -- very weak tea.

I too am very disappointed in the Fields & Selects tea which is all that is available in the Lido - lightly colored water and no taste. It is a sad state of affairs that in order to have a decent cup of tea, one has to bring their own.

What will be next - first wine, now tea, and then ?????

H'mm...these are the little things that make Cruise Critic so helpful. I had no idea they had changed teas. I'm picky about my tea and will definitely bring my own. It's an easy thing to pack.

I did some looking around for Fields & Selects Tea. Sketchy Sketchy Sketchy.

The Field & Selects tea was terrible. Friends and I tried steeping it longer, putting two bags in a cup, etc. and it still tasted like hot water. Ugh!

H'mm...these are the little things that make Cruise Critic so helpful. I had no idea they had changed teas. I'm picky about my tea and will definitely bring my own. It's an easy thing to pack.

That's what I decided for my future cruises, so that I don't have to depend on someone making sure there are PG Tips, or having to run around looking for some.

I think it might be fun to try 3 bags per cup. Just to make a point.

Last TA I SPENT MY DAY IN Gibralter looking for Bigelow Earl Grey.

Thanks all - definitely packing my decaf Constant Comment, orange spice and lemon lift teas!

Being addicted to Lapsang Souchong's smokey aroma/flavor, I have always brought my own supply, but I have noted more and more comments from others about the cheap water-staining bags available. I suppose general dumbing-down and cost-cutting is an ongoing problem across the board.

i too take my own Lapsang Souchong bags and Twining's green tea.

After dinner, have always had a kettle of boiling water available in the dining room. There isn't much access to boiling water in any other venue.

Some of the tea bags served on ship look as though they are made up of floor sweepings,just dust.

This past April during our first breakfast on board I tried the (new to HAL) Fields & Selects tea. "Tinted, tasteless water" as arzz described is being kind. :eek: To make matters worse, I was having it more British style - with milk. The waiter kept trying to add milk - starting as soon as I put the tea bag in the cup. It really seemed odd that an Indonesian HAL waiter didn't know it needed time to brew first. Although as bad as the tea is, brewing didn't help any. ;)

Take your own.

We were on the Ryndam 2 weeks ago.

I can't remember the tea company (it might have been Field Select), but it is not Bigelow - although, the decaf tea was Bigelow and it was good.

There was a large variety of flavours of tea. But, I heard complaints about the quality. I usually drink English Breakfast tea, and it was weak and not very tasty.

They have PG Tips and Tetley in the Lido.

The Explorations cafe had Tazo tea, and it was very good. Unfortunately there is a charge for it. Lucky for us, we had the Signature Beverage Package, so no extra charge for us.

One of the ladies at our dinner table bought tea bags at a port stop because she didn't like the tea served on the ship!

 

I filled in the comments card in our room complaining about the tea. I didn't hold back on my opinion of Fields and Select. I received a phone call from the Hotel Manager within hours of handing in the card. He totally agreed with my comments and he sent me a supply of PG Tips, enough to last the rest of the cruise.

This past April during our first breakfast on board I tried the (new to HAL) Fields & Selects tea. "Tinted, tasteless water" as arzz described is being kind. :eek: To make matters worse, I was having it more British style - with milk. The waiter kept trying to add milk - starting as soon as I put the tea bag in the cup. It really seemed odd that an Indonesian HAL waiter didn't know it needed time to brew first. Although as bad as the tea is, brewing didn't help any. ;)

I take with me to the Lido one of those handled HAL insulated mugs that come with a lid. I use that as a teapot. The server can put milk at the bottom of a cup and then the tea is let to steep in my improvised teapot. It makes me nuts to have my tea bag "steeping" in a cup with cold milk!

(I'm not a picky person, but I am a tea drinker.)

While the majority of the Fields & Select teas just make pale tasteless water the Earl Grey actually added a tad bit of taste that was just horrible. It reminded me of the odor of paint thinner and really made me nauseous. :(

Until HAL goes back to Bigelow or perhaps Twining's BRING YOUR OWN TEA BAGS!

Thank goodness for the PG Tips. I hope that's still available for our next cruise! I thought Bigelow was poor (tea dust), but this new stuff sounds worse. On our last cruise, I was sad to see that they no longer have their house-label Darjeeling. That was my favorite.

Must add tea bags to my packing list.

We'll be departing from Boston. Does anyone know a place near the port area to buy "Boston Harbour" Tea?

Two weeks into a 49 day trip we went ashore and stocked up on enough quality tea to see us through. Didn't want to spoil an amazing cruise experience with mediocre tea. Next trip I'll just pack our favourite from home.

In total agreement about the new tea - horrible, tasteless. We brought our own teabags on our most recent cruise, but also our MD waiter found a supply of PG tips which he squirreled away for my (and probably others') after dinner tea, thank goodness. Hope they do away with the new stuff soon. We had a similar thing happen to coffee a few years ago, but the past two years it has been much better again.

Just off Zuiderdam last weekend. The tea was terrible. English Breakfast Tea bore no resemblance to what we enjoy in the UK. Even using two tea bags it had no flavour or body. Also tried Darjeeling but not much better

Suggest you take your own. That 's what I 'll be doing on my next cruise.