A coffee question

[Alberta54]

I know the older Princess ships are still using a liquid concentrate mixed with water to make the so called coffee they serve in the buffet, room service  & dining rooms. I heard  the newer ships were actually using ground coffee for the coffee they are serving in the buffet, dining rooms, etc. I realize you can pay for the “freshly ground” coffee at the International cafe but I hope to enjoy a decent cup of coffee without paying for it. I also realize some like the concentrate coffee. I’m just not one of them. Can anyone tell me if they know what form of coffee is on the newer ships? 

[justafem]

Free coffee is going to be whatever princess finds to be cheapest.  And it's not always the price of the coffee, figure in equipment, labor, then the actual price of the coffee.  

 

I've seen brewed on some of the larger ships and seen concentrate on the next cruise on the same ship.  

 

Coffee card is $35is for the entire length of the cruise.  Includes 15 specialty coffees and unlimited brewed coffee, tea and hot chocolate. It's one of the best values I've found while onboard.

[thinfool]

It's ground coffee at the drink station in the various eating/bar venues.

I am elite and have my booze allotment changed to a coffee card.  I am not a fan of designer coffee drinks....so I am charged for brewed coffee.

Even so, if I did not have a coffee card I would pay the pittance for a cup of black coffee.  It would be considerably less for a 7-10 day sailing than what they charge for a standard coffee card.  I tend to get it early at the IC.  Who knew so many folks get up that early to stand in line for their cuppa joe?

[MissP22]

41 minutes ago, thinfool said:

I am elite and have my booze allotment changed to a coffee card.  I am not a fan of designer coffee drinks....so I am charged for brewed coffee.

It's been a while since I turned in my setup for coffee, but I don't recall being charged a credit for a cup of regular coffee- only specialty coffee's.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Maybe I'm getting forgetful. 

[Sea Hag]

7 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

It's been a while since I turned in my setup for coffee, but I don't recall being charged a credit for a cup of regular coffee- only specialty coffee's.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Maybe I'm getting forgetful. 

No, I think you're correct on this.

[Alberta54]

Thanks for your replies. I was aware of exchanging the mini bar for 2 coffee cards (for elite) but don’t feel it’s a good value for us for a couple of decent cups of coffee a day. We might use a couple specialty coffees in a week. I prefer some items from the mini bar. The coffee cards only record the specialty coffees & the brewed coffee is unlimited. 

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, Alberta54 said:

I know the older Princess ships are still using a liquid concentrate mixed with water to make the so called coffee they serve in the buffet, room service  & dining rooms. I heard  the newer ships were actually using ground coffee for the coffee they are serving in the buffet, dining rooms, etc. I realize you can pay for the “freshly ground” coffee at the International cafe but I hope to enjoy a decent cup of coffee without paying for it. I also realize some like the concentrate coffee. I’m just not one of them. Can anyone tell me if they know what form of coffee is on the newer ships? 

 

Changing to ground coffee - Hallelujah!

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, Sea Hag said:

No, I think you're correct on this.

Thanks- I'm not losing it after all although I did put my car keys in the fridge last week. 😖

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

I don't recall being charged a credit for a cup of regular coffee- only specialty coffee's.

at IC you get charged for regular brewed coffee and fancy tea. But you may have had a package or the barista may have assumed that you have one.

 

Regular brewed coffee is free at the buffet.

 

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

at IC you get charged for regular brewed coffee and fancy tea. But you may have had a package or the barista may have assumed that you have one.

 

Regular brewed coffee is free at the buffet.

 

 

I realize that with the plus package they wouldn't charge anything but way back when we had paper coffee cards I never remember being punched for regular coffee at the iC. 

[disneyochem]

On the Ruby this past year, I had a coffee card and was never charged for brewed coffee at the IC.  Only charged for specialty coffees.  Also, I was able to get a triple shot cappuccinos counted as just one specialty coffee.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

I realize that with the plus package they wouldn't charge anything but way back when we had paper coffee cards I never remember being punched for regular coffee at the iC. 

well, yes, you don't get charged for regular coffee if you buy the coffee card. I must not have realized that you meant getting regular coffee with the coffee card. They only punch for specialty coffees, you are correct. 

 

I was talking about being charged for brewed coffee if you didn't purchase a coffee card.

Edited December 16, 2022 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Astro Flyer]

The WMF coffee machines on Royal-class ships make filtered coffee from ground coffee in the buffet & dining rooms which suited my taste buds much more than on older ships where coffee is made from concentrate. ☕️

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Astro Flyer

[pris993]

if you buy the drink package, you get coffee from IC for no extra charge.

 

[mjmalino]

4 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I realize that with the plus package they wouldn't charge anything but way back when we had paper coffee cards I never remember being punched for regular coffee at the iC. 

When we had the coffee cards, as long as you had an unused punch you could get free brewed coffee.

[cr8tiv1]

9 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Thanks- I'm not losing it after all although I did put my car keys in the fridge last week. 😖

 

Someone told me a long time ago to put my keys in the refrigerator.  It served as a reminder that I needed to take something home...like a plate of leftovers, etc. Not sure how it will work now that keys have chips in them.  But it worked as a reminder for me.

[MissP22]

6 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Someone told me a long time ago to put my keys in the refrigerator.  It served as a reminder that I needed to take something home...like a plate of leftovers, etc. Not sure how it will work now that keys have chips in them.  But it worked as a reminder for me.

I might have to invest in an AirTag soon but I don't think it would work to well in a refrigerator. 😉

[Roberto256]

16 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

Regular brewed coffee is free at the buffet.

 

This varies by ship.

 

Regal/Royal started free brewed coffee.

Older ships have syrup.

 

[Mittens101]

17 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Thanks- I'm not losing it after all although I did put my car keys in the fridge last week. 😖

I put mine into the door lock and couldn’t find them. I like your situation better lol

[Itchy&Scratchy]

4 hours ago, Roberto256 said:

This varies by ship.

 

Regal/Royal started free brewed coffee.

Older ships have syrup.

 

but it answered OP's question - whether NEWER ships have free brewed coffee.

[Roberto256]

2 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

but it answered OP's question - whether NEWER ships have free brewed coffee.

 

A gentle reader could easily be misled by your post.

 

But, as this is cruisecritic, that is a reasonable readers' expectation...

 

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Roberto256

[DuaneO]

I’m on the Crown Princess currently.  Hawaii 15 days cruise.  The only places you can get brewed coffee is the Main Dining Rooms free at meal times only.  The international Cafe sells brewed coffee to non coffee card carrying guests.  The bev packages I understand folks are included.

 

there is a second coffee on the grand class ships on the Lido deck.  It’s by the cones counter.  Tonight I asked if they have brewed coffee, the answer is the International Cafe has that on hand.  They can make a expresso version… see coffee card for free.

 

the lido deck buffets are the syrup style coffe only.  That’s on hand all day and night.

 

also, hot chocolate is not free anymore again International Cafe… but I understand you can get it for breakfast in the MDR.

 

I hope this helps… oh btw it’s $35 dollars for the card. My wife loves hot tea, without it it would be a charge too.  I tea is free in the 

lido area and in the mdr meal times.

[caribill]

On 12/16/2022 at 9:36 AM, Alberta54 said:

I know the older Princess ships are still using a liquid concentrate mixed with water to make the so called coffee they serve in the buffet, room service  & dining rooms.

 

As with regular coffee, the liquid concentrate comes at different quality/price levels.

 

Some of the finest restaurants use the liquid concentrate, but they are purchasing higher price/quality concentrate.

 

Rumor is that Princess is not purchasing the higher quality/price concentrate.

 

On 12/16/2022 at 9:48 AM, justafem said:

Free coffee is going to be whatever princess finds to be cheapest.

 

[donaldsc]

Not sure if you can get boiling water but how about bring beans, a grinder and an Aeropress - https://aeropress.com/products/aeropress-coffee-maker.

 

DON

[rrichnkell]

Aren't the lines long for people trying to get coffee with their coffee cards? I don't do long lines.