Refreshments

[BRIDGEEXCEL]

As a 'Brit' first time on Regent, will we be disappointed with the tea (drink), as you know we must have a good cup of tea to start the day, preferably in bed.

[room010]

You'll have to order room service. And unless the system has changed your morning tea will arrive as a flask of hot water plus tea bags :eek: Next cruise (July) I will ask our butler if he can organise a proper teapot.

[OrpingtonT]

As a 'Brit' first time on Regent, will we be disappointed with the tea (drink), as you know we must have a good cup of tea to start the day, preferably in bed.

 

Yes. I am afraid you will. And I don't know how you can get over it. They use tea bags, a good variety, but they never, ever, pour boiling water over the tea. At tea time, in the Horizon lounge, I have never seen such weakly coloured stuff.

 

Sorry, but that is the way it is.

[bermudabarb]

I assumed that this would be the case and since DH "needs" his special Black Irish Breakfast Tea, we will be bringing it with us. I am guessing since the water won't be boiling, we may have to increase the amount of leaves used for preparation.

[TedC]

Have your TA request tea you want from Regent, they could possibly comply with your choice.

 

They strive to please - usually.

[MrMojoRisin]

Yes. I am afraid you will. And I don't know how you can get over it. They use tea bags, a good variety, but they never, ever, pour boiling water over the tea. At tea time, in the Horizon lounge, I have never seen such weakly coloured stuff.

 

Sorry, but that is the way it is.

 

 

I asked the waiters to make me a pot with 4 tea bags to make a decent strength. This caused much hilarity, but it did overcome the problem.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

They definitely have a variety of Twinings bags, like Irish Breakfast. The problem is the preparation--as was said, they won't pour boiling water over the bags. (Perhaps they will if you ask room service, who knows?) Forget loose tea.

 

My father would have turned in his grave--water had to be *still boiling* when it was poured over the leaves or bags.

[charltonkerry]

This is a major problem for my wife, I was hoping I could pop down somewhere to pick up a pot of tea for her first thing in the morning, but by what I am reading here then I will need another plan, she can't stand weak tea and certainly 2 tea bags in a cup would be required, so if I (you lot hopefully) cant come up with a cunning plan, our two weeks adventure on voyager, might be my last holiday as my body will be washed up on the Portuguese coast, she's really is terrible when she wake up without her cuppa. We are lucky and have a butler, is this something that he may be able to assist with, we apparently also got a coffee machine, is there someway that this could be brought to my aid.

Regards

Marion and Kerry.

[rarin2go]

This is a major problem for my wife, I was hoping I could pop down somewhere to pick up a pot of tea for her first thing in the morning, but by what I am reading here then I will need another plan, she can't stand weak tea and certainly 2 tea bags in a cup would be required, so if I (you lot hopefully) cant come up with a cunning plan, our two weeks adventure on voyager, might be my last holiday as my body will be washed up on the Portuguese coast, she's really is terrible when she wake up without her cuppa. We are lucky and have a butler, is this something that he may be able to assist with, we apparently also got a coffee machine, is there someway that this could be brought to my aid.

Regards

Marion and Kerry.

A lot of coffee machines do also dispense hot water but probably just below boiling point as coffee is not supposed to be brewed that hot I believe.

We enjoyed our Earl Grey with breakfast from room service but we usually have it rather weak I must admit - heavens we do sound rather effete don't we!:D

[charltonkerry]

Raring2go, well that's the Brits for you, if you like tea then it got to be made right, just mentioned to Marion about the coffee maker, and she surprise me by saying she might have a coffee in bed. Which is a result.

Regards

Kerry.

[rarin2go]

Raring2go, well that's the Brits for you, if you like tea then it got to be made right, just mentioned to Marion about the coffee maker, and she surprise me by saying she might have a coffee in bed. Which is a result.

Regards

Kerry.

Well we can all make exceptions for holidays I suppose - but no doubt a proper British cuppa will still be the rule at home! ;)

[newlondon]

Kerry, Did you get the phrase "cunning plan" from Blackadder one of our favorite comedies?

[charltonkerry]

Newlondon, yes, I thought the final episode (first world war, going over the top) was one of the finest pieces of TV, I have ever seen, some of the other shows weren't to bad either.

[fla742]

This is a major problem for my wife, I was hoping I could pop down somewhere to pick up a pot of tea for her first thing in the morning, but by what I am reading here then I will need another plan, she can't stand weak tea and certainly 2 tea bags in a cup would be required, so if I (you lot hopefully) cant come up with a cunning plan, our two weeks adventure on voyager, might be my last holiday as my body will be washed up on the Portuguese coast, she's really is terrible when she wake up without her cuppa. We are lucky and have a butler, is this something that he may be able to assist with, we apparently also got a coffee machine, is there someway that this could be brought to my aid.

Regards

Marion and Kerry.

 

If you've got a coffee pot, my guess is it will be a drip carafe. If this is the case, put 2 tea bags in the pot, pour the water (level for 2 cups) thru the pot without any coffee and you will have a proper cup of tea.

[mrsfefe]

Would it be out of the question to bring a small electric kettle from home and just make tea yourself in your room. Is fresh milk provided in the room fridge or is it long life milk or just the artificial whitener ?

[RachelG]

I am American, but I make my tea with loose leaves at home over which I pour boiling water. On regent, my preference for tea is to go down to coffee connection and make my own using the selection of twinnings bags found there. The darjeeling is pretty good. I make a cup of tea early every morning and check CC.

[charltonkerry]

Would it be out of the question to bring a small electric kettle from home and just make tea yourself in your room. Is fresh milk provided in the room fridge or is it long life milk or just the artificial whitener ?

 

Marion has thought of this and she is looking into this, we are in the UK and we are 50hz power supply, America and doubt the ship (but I don't know, hopefully someone can confirm or otherwise) is 60hz, which I believe will cause problems with all UK electrical components.

 

RacheleG, that was I was hoping for, but never being on Regent before, I didn't know where to go, thanks. Do you know what time they open? Marion tend to rise early around 7am or unfortunately for me 2 hours befor the tours depart, which from memory would be 6am, obviously it will be me going to coffee connections.

 

Fla747, again this is what I thinking of, but the only problem could be that I love my coffee and am not a tea drinker, so the coffee machine will be working for me, I didn't know if it would have a separate water spout, hope I explained that ok.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies. Marion without her cup of tea in the morning is not a pretty sight, mind you thinking about it, she ain't a pretty sight at the best of times. After 33 years of marriage i think I can just about get away with that comment.

 

Regards

Kerry

[Jeronimo]

Kerry

50 or 60hz makes no difference at all to most modern devices and definitely makes no difference at all to a kettle.

There are 110volt and 220volt sockets in the cabins

 

I have always taken my own travel kettle to make a cup of fresh tea in the morning. Mind you you must hide it when the room is to be cleaned as otherwise you will be reported!! As you are not allowed to have one, unless in certain cabins where they provide a coffee maker, LOL!

 

Tea bags are frrely available, milk? I don't use the stuff so don't know.

 

If you plan on buying a travel kettle watch out for the cheap dual voltage models. Some have no voltage switch and are useless on 110 volts as they take 20 minutes to boil! Go for one with a voltage switch.

[room010]

Using a coffee maker to make tea is a disaster. Anyone like tea that tastes of coffee? Taking a small travel kettle is an option but it's strictly against the rules so make sure you keep it well hidden when your cabin is cleaned/serviced and don't whine if you get busted. I also take my tea straight without milk or sugar so maybe I'm even fussier but it does solve the milk problem. Taking my own tea bags (Darjeeling, Orange Pekoe, Lady Grey or English Breakfast) is a given. I use them with my flask of (mostly) hot water or in La Veranda and I don't care if I get 'looks'.

 

This thread does seem a bit precious but those of us who know the importance of morning tea to start the day will understand....... :o

[charltonkerry]

Room010, can't understand what you mean by an Englishman whinging, never heard an aussie say that before lol :).

 

Seriously thanks for your tips, and yes to Marion this is the most important discussion ever on any board, also for my ears sake as well, can she go on at 6 in the morning unbelievable. I think the answer will be me making a quick dash to the coffee connection shop to get her a cuppa.

 

Problem with the travel kettle is we got a butler and I can guarantee that I would leave it out and it would then be my fault for the rest of the holiday, where as if I run down and get a cuppa for her, I will be in the good books.

Regards

Kerry

[Threechicks]

Fire is a big worry at sea. For all our sakes please leave the kettles at home.

[kvisf]

Having experienced first-hand the difference between a cup of freshly brewed tea made properly, as in England, and the teabag and warm water beverage commonly know as "tea" in America, I can appreciate the importance of this issue. The suggestions in this thread are certainly helpful, but here is another you might consider -- this is, after all, Regent, a company that takes pride in providing individualized service. It occurred to me because of some experience on our past cruises in making special requests of the galley.

 

Once aboard, perhaps you could ask your butler to arrange a brief conversation with the Executive Chef, during which you can explain the extreme importance of a proper cup of tea in the morning, and exactly the way your wife likes it prepared. If it's boiling water over loose leaves, certainly the galley can boil water, and at worst they can rip open a couple of tea bags! Then request a standing room service order for delivery of such a pot of tea to your suite -- five minutes after the water hits the tea leaves? -- at a specified time with whatever accompaniments you like.

 

While I can't guarantee this will work, or produce the ideal cup of tea, I suspect Regent would take both pride and pleasure in trying to fulfill such a request.

[OrpingtonT]

While I can't guarantee this will work, or produce the ideal cup of tea, I suspect Regent would take both pride and pleasure in trying to fulfill such a request.

 

Well worth trying. And whilst we chat about "proper" tea, has anyone ever asked for proper English biscuits. Not US style cookies, which tend to be large and soft, but crisp "rich tea" or even "digestives" or "custard creams". I've never seen them or indeed asked for them on board. Has anyone?

[charltonkerry]

Kvisf that's appear to be the perfect answer, i will certainly try that and report back to the tea thirsty people amongst you of the outcome, got to be a great benefit to me as I get to stay in bed for a few minutes more. Bet loads of people on here can't understand the importance of the correct way of making a tea.

 

OrpingtonT, I don't think I will mention that she won't have a rich tea biscuit to wake up to, what with the panic over the tea making facilities I couldn't take the moaning. If needs be I could always take a packet with me as a nice surprise. Sounds like good old PandO have a distinct advantage on the tea and biscuit front.

 

Thanks for all your help,

 

Regards

Marion and Kerry.

[RachelG]

Please, please, no kettles in the suites.

 

Coffee connection is open for self-service 24 hrs a day. There are waiters there in the am pretty early, but I always just get my own tea.

 

And ripping open tea bags and using the tea inside to brew is not at all the same as using tea leaves. That is why the tea tastes completely different The tea in tea bags is finely ground so that it brews faster. Often it is also a much poorer quality, though Twinnings is pretty good. Apparently this was an invention due to the advent of television. People didn't want to wait for their tea to brew, so the tea bag was invented. With it, the person could have a cup of tea in 3 minutes, which is the normal length of a commercial break. (ok--that was my bit of trivia for the day.)