Coffee....

[QTBabyNurse]

We are booked on our first Princess cruise after cruising RCI for many years....can anyone compare the coffee served onboard? I know that RCI's coffee (Seattle's Best) is downright horrible. Please tell me Princess's is better!

[cruisingallover]

Not any better. It's syrup based but you can buy a coffee card for the perk stuff. Many posts on this topic if you do a search.

[coiran]

If Seattles best is Starbucks and you do not like it , then the syrup coffee will be OK for you. OR - buy the coffee card and get freshbrewed al you want plus 15 specialty coffees.

 

Ron

[Pia1913]

We are booked on our first Princess cruise after cruising RCI for many years....can anyone compare the coffee served onboard? I know that RCI's coffee (Seattle's Best) is downright horrible. Please tell me Princess's is better!

 

Seattle's Best is better than Princess, because Princess "coffee" is actually a syrup concentrate. You might want to try their fresh brewed to see if you like it and then purchase a coffee card in order to get unlimited amounts of it.

[NotWthOutablcony]

I am a horrible horrible coffee snob!:D That being said, the fresh brewed coffee on most ships, isn't bad at all. If you drink enough of the syrup based coffee in the Horizon Court, you kinda get used to it. But I would highly reccomend also purchasing the coffee card. You get UNLIMITED fresh brewed coffee, and like Coiran said, 15 punches for specialty coffee's, they do make a tasty blended caramel latte! Otherwise they put a little too much chocolate in their mocha's IMHO. I always ask for an inch of coffee in them so that their not too sweet and I get a little extra caffeine kick:p

We always order coffee in the AM through room service, ask them to add a little extra syrup, or make it a bit stronger, they don't mind, and once you add a little sugar and milk, it serves its purpose well, enough to get you out of bed, showered, dressed, and down to the coffee bar for a stiff cup o' joe!

[springfire]

The coffee you get for free on Princess is some of the worst coffee I have had. I had picked up a coffee card from some friends and with the card you can get some really good coffee, you have to pay for this card. The only problem with the card is you can only get the good coffee in a few places. I had my own drinking cup and they filled it up so for me this wasn't an issue but get the coffee card, it is the only way to go.

[cruisingallover]

....and if you don't use all the punches you can bring it with you on your next cruise. :D

[Jennygirl]

So about a year ago I had to switch to only decaf - coffee and tea. So I was kinda bummed on this cruise because the coffee smelled so good. My husband said it was good but it was always very dark. I brought my own Folgers Decaf bags with me on this latest cruise because I was very nervous that someone might make a mistake and I didnt need any problems if you know what I mean. No one gave me a problem when I asked for hot water - anywhere on the ship, even in the International Cafe where you are supposed to "purchase" the coffee. I will tell you this though - I did have a decaf coffee one night and it was so dark I had to pour a lot of milk in it and I still wasnt thrilled with the taste. My group of 8 had coffee in the dining room every night and they seemed happy with it. ENJOY

:)

[sunsetbeachgal]

QT,

 

Buy the coffee card...in addition to better fresh-brewed coffee we just love sitting in the International Cafe' (rather than the busy Horizon Court) enjoying a fresh baked pastry and cup of coffee in a quiet environment and meeting fellow coffee lovers.

[PescadoAmarillo]

..and meeting fellow coffee lovers.

:) I miss that!

[sharpie13]

QT,

 

Buy the coffee card...in addition to better fresh-brewed coffee we just love sitting in the International Cafe' (rather than the busy Horizon Court) enjoying a fresh baked pastry and cup of coffee in a quiet environment and meeting fellow coffee lovers.

 

I have to say, that enjoying a latte at the International Cafe was great on sea days and early port days. The only time the area was busy was right at 6:30 AM when they opened. All of us caffine zombies behaved nicely and the staff very effeciently took care of us each and every morning :D

[Gator83]

I purchased the coffee card on my Aug. cruise and actually did not even like the fresh brewed coffee and thought their lattes were down right awful. The brewed stuff is better than the syrup stuff but I still didn't think it was that good.

[DavidJ]

Is the coffee espressed from whole beans that have been freshly ground at the International Cafe? Coffee bars on other cruise lines have served EXCELLENT coffee and they have been popular all day long. I am sailing on the Sapphire Princess next May. I am hoping the cafe will be a great spot for coffee. Pierce

[sept10dsm]

Just where can you get the brewed coffee with the coffee card? Thanks.

[Donder1]

Can someone clearly describe exactly what syrup coffee is? I know they use it as I was told that from our waiter. Just don't know how it is processed, etc. For me, I always liked the coffee and when I learned about the syrup thing, it was a turn off and I have convinced myself that I don't like it. Go figure.:rolleyes: Thanks,

[Pia1913]

Just where can you get the brewed coffee with the coffee card? Thanks.

 

Different places, on different ships. On the small ships at the buffet bar and at the Club bar. On ships with International cafes; there. On those without IC, usually at Lobby Bar on deck 5.

[Pia1913]

Can someone clearly describe exactly what syrup coffee is? I know they use it as I was told that from our waiter. Just don't know how it is processed, etc. For me, I always liked the coffee and when I learned about the syrup thing, it was a turn off and I have convinced myself that I don't like it. Go figure.:rolleyes: Thanks,

 

It's a concentrate, whereas you add X amount of water to dilute it to make "coffee."

[sept10dsm]

Different places, on different ships. On the small ships at the buffet bar and at the Club bar. On ships with International cafes; there. On those without IC, usually at Lobby Bar on deck 5.

Thanks! I guess no dining room then. Just wondering if the card will be worth our while. We really don't drink the specialty coffees so it really will be for the convience of getting the brewed. We will be on the CB on the Emerald deck so I guess the Int'l cafe won't be far and if they will fill one of our own travel mugs. Thanks again!!

[kendon]

QT,

 

Buy the coffee card...in addition to better fresh-brewed coffee we just love sitting in the International Cafe' (rather than the busy Horizon Court) enjoying a fresh baked pastry and cup of coffee in a quiet environment and meeting fellow coffee lovers.

 

Yeah, I like that too! But too bad when the CB was renovated, they reconfigured the coffee bar and there are no longer seats at the "counter" like on the Ruby and Crown. It's just walk-up coffee service now, which is okay, but I enjoyed the social aspect the other way.

[CanuckCurlers]

Thanks! I guess no dining room then. Just wondering if the card will be worth our while. We really don't drink the specialty coffees so it really will be for the convience of getting the brewed. We will be on the CB on the Emerald deck so I guess the Int'l cafe won't be far and if they will fill one of our own travel mugs. Thanks again!!

You can use your coffee card in the dining room on the CB. The waiters will get any of the specialty coffees or brewed for you and punch your card. I think you do have to be careful at the International Cafe when it is busy in the morning. I'm not sure what they have in the carafes is always the fresh brewed. You might want to ask and then decide if you want regular or a latte.

[Pia1913]

You can use your coffee card in the dining room on the CB. The waiters will get any of the specialty coffees or brewed for you and punch your card. I think you do have to be careful at the International Cafe when it is busy in the morning. I'm not sure what they have in the carafes is always the fresh brewed. You might want to ask and then decide if you want regular or a latte.

 

The person who asked this question does not want specialties and you cannot get fresh brewed in the diningroom

[D&N LUV 2 TRAVEL]

Being from Canada I am a Tim Horton's coffee addict. Have had the syrup based coffee and really did not find it that bad. So you can see each person's taste is different. Too be safe buy yourself a coffee card because it is transferrable to your next cruise if you do not use the 15 coffees.

[Pia1913]

Being from Canada I am a Tim Horton's coffee addict. Have had the syrup based coffee and really did not find it that bad. So you can see each person's taste is different. Too be safe buy yourself a coffee card because it is transferrable to your next cruise if you do not use the 15 coffees.

 

We kept hearing about how wonderful "Timmie's" was, so when we stopped in Newfoundland last year I deliberately looked for a shop and bought a can to take home. All I can say is..........it's coffee. Nothing special. My opinion. Sorry.

[allovertanguy]

Just got back from the Sapphire and bought the coffee card. We enjoy cappuccinos so we found the coffee card worthwhile. We also think the fresh brewed coffee was better as well. It could be found at the lobby bar on the Sapphire.

[DavidJ]

Just got back from the Sapphire and bought the coffee card. We enjoy cappuccinos so we found the coffee card worthwhile. We also think the fresh brewed coffee was better as well. It could be found at the lobby bar on the Sapphire.

 

A good cafe for coffee is more important to me than a bar. I am booked on th Sapphire Princess and now I am disappointed to learn that it does not have a coffee cafe such as the International Cafe. How could this be? Almost every cruise I have taken this century has had excellent coffee cafes and they are popular all day long. In the evenings, they keep them busy with wine offerings. How can a ship the size of the Sapphire not have a decent coffee cafe or am I missing something. Is there a decent spot on the Sapphire where one can go for a specialty coffee, read a paper or check their email via Wi-fi?