Morning Crowd at International Cafe

[hawk/hornfan]

We will on Regal in late Oct., last cruised Princess 2005. On sea days(we have 6) I like my coffee Irish(Bailey's and Jameson). Where on the ship would you go for that? I have + package.

[donswife]

33 minutes ago, hawk/hornfan said:

We will on Regal in late Oct., last cruised Princess 2005. On sea days(we have 6) I like my coffee Irish(Bailey's and Jameson). Where on the ship would you go for that? I have + package.

The IC coffee bar or the Princess live bar. I'm not sure about the bakery

[cali-croozer]

8 hours ago, BamaVol said:

And did passengers recognize them as separate lines?

We were on the Royal for Thanksgiving.  Yes, 2 separate lines which also meant you had to wait twice if you wanted coffee and a pastry. 

[BamaVol]

6 minutes ago, cali-croozer said:

We were on the Royal for Thanksgiving.  Yes, 2 separate lines which also meant you had to wait twice if you wanted coffee and a pastry. 

Or split up.

[charliedalrymple]

12 hours ago, avonlady6390 said:

You can order on the app and delivered to your cabin no extra charge. It usually does not take too long to get it and no lines to wait in!

 

This sounds very appealing!  However, I've read in other threads that it can take a very long time for drinks in general to be delivered when ordered on the app.  How long did it take to get a morning coffee delivered to your cabin?

[MissP22]

10 hours ago, cali-croozer said:

We were on the Royal for Thanksgiving.  Yes, 2 separate lines which also meant you had to wait twice if you wanted coffee and a pastry. 

Just order the coffee first & it'll be waiting on the counter when you arrive. 

[Buckeye10640]

17 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

Two separate lines. 

 

Rarely did the 'food' line  take long. I would wait and order coffee, then get my food, and usually by then the coffee drinks were ready. Also learned I can get a tray for multiple drink/food items, in the past I have tried to make do with the cardboard drink containers. Worked for me, YMMV. 

[PacnGoNow]

19 minutes ago, Buckeye10640 said:

Rarely did the 'food' line  take long. I would wait and order coffee, then get my food, and usually by then the coffee drinks were ready. Also learned I can get a tray for multiple drink/food items, in the past I have tried to make do with the cardboard drink containers. Worked for me, YMMV. 

Or, if the coffee line is really long…

we just grabbed our food and a table and used the waiters to get our coffees.

 

Seems the later morning you get there, it’s more crowded.  As soon as the crazy games start or line dancing at 9 am…

then, it starts to get busy on sea days.

 

No big deal, just work around it.

[Hlitner]

On 5/26/2023 at 2:22 AM, charliedalrymple said:

We've been on Princess a number of times without a beverage package, but this time we are getting Plus (on Majestic).

 

I love the idea of a barista coffee (or two) first thing in the morning before breakfast, but I don't love the idea of fighting crowds to get one.  Is the International Cafe a mob scene in the morning now that so many people can get coffee with the Plus Package?

The morning crowd scene varies and it also depends on the time you are at the IC.  Even with more folks having the Plus package, many will sleep late, order room service, or go to the Lido/MDR for breakfast.

 

We are "IC Rats" and that is where I "live" in the morning (while DW sleeps-in).  I plant myself at one of the available tables (in the Atrium) and simply use the App to order my capucinno.  For pastries or egg sandwiches I generally walk over to the counter (there is not usually much of a line to get those treats).

 

As one who cruises many different lines (including some luxury lines) I would simply point out that Princess is a "mass market line" who puts a lot of folks on their ships.  When you have over 3000 souls and a single IC, you are going to have some waiting time.  The alternative is to cruise on a line like Seabourn, where you seldom have any queues.  On the other hand, to go on ships without queues means paying a lot more money per passenger day.  When we are on a Seabourn ship and go to Seabourn Square for our morning capuccino, we seldom need to say a word :).  The barista sees me coming and will usually start preparing my drink before I say a word.  It is one of those situations where you get what you pay for.

 

Hank

[avonlady6390]

Coffee delivery to cabin has not been too long of a wait maybe 15 minutes or so. 

[jwattle]

7 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The morning crowd scene varies and it also depends on the time you are at the IC.  Even with more folks having the Plus package, many will sleep late, order room service, or go to the Lido/MDR for breakfast.

 

We are "IC Rats" and that is where I "live" in the morning (while DW sleeps-in).  I plant myself at one of the available tables (in the Atrium) and simply use the App to order my capucinno.  For pastries or egg sandwiches I generally walk over to the counter (there is not usually much of a line to get those treats).

 

As one who cruises many different lines (including some luxury lines) I would simply point out that Princess is a "mass market line" who puts a lot of folks on their ships.  When you have over 3000 souls and a single IC, you are going to have some waiting time.  The alternative is to cruise on a line like Seabourn, where you seldom have any queues.  On the other hand, to go on ships without queues means paying a lot more money per passenger day.  When we are on a Seabourn ship and go to Seabourn Square for our morning capuccino, we seldom need to say a word :).  The barista sees me coming and will usually start preparing my drink before I say a word.  It is one of those situations where you get what you pay for.

 

Hank

Or get a suite on a royal class and go to suite breakfast / Concierge Lounge. ❤

[Hlitner]

2 minutes ago, jwattle said:

Or get a suite on a royal class and go to suite breakfast / Concierge Lounge. ❤

Egads no!  We truly enjoy being at the IC, the fact that the Atrium area has real life, and also have fun people watching and meeting folks.  Even with access to the Concierge Lounge, it is unlikely we would go in the morning.  Just not our style.   DW and I have not been big fans of larger suites as we spend relatively little waking time in our cabin.  On Princess, a regular mini-suite (or even a Deluxe Balcony) more than serves our needs.   Nothing wrong with the big suites (or perks) but just not our thing.

 

Hank

[charliedalrymple]

On 5/28/2023 at 5:44 AM, Hlitner said:

Egads no!  We truly enjoy being at the IC, the fact that the Atrium area has real life, and also have fun people watching and meeting folks.  Even with access to the Concierge Lounge, it is unlikely we would go in the morning.  Just not our style.   DW and I have not been big fans of larger suites as we spend relatively little waking time in our cabin.  On Princess, a regular mini-suite (or even a Deluxe Balcony) more than serves our needs.   Nothing wrong with the big suites (or perks) but just not our thing.

 

Hank

 

Hank, you sound like my kind of people!