Further Cheapening of the Brand as Half and Half Disappears from Cruises

[ShillyShally]

31 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

My father made what was called cowboy coffee.  He'd boil the water then dump in the coffee grounds into the boiling water.  He'd turn the heat down and let it simmer and the would grounds settle to the bottom of the pot.  You had to be careful pouring it out otherwise you stirred the grounds up and poured them into the cup.  The longer it simmered the stronger it became.  If you made he full pot of coffee it would last for quite a while heating on the stove.  Eventually you could do driveway repair with what remained in the pot.  As a teenager who had just started drinking coffee my father laughed me to scorn when he saw me putting milk and sugar into it.  It didn't take long until he cured me of that transgression. 

DH and I laugh about our shared memories growing up and knowing you never cleaned the adults' coffee pot - the belief was it was seasoned.  We both had similar tales of the scolding we got when we thought cleaning up included said pots!

[ShillyShally]

1 minute ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

why would you think supply issues. We have no problem getting as much on land as we want.

I saw it included on some articles as listed in recent supply chain shortages.  I never look for it in stores obviously so was only going by that but also my own experience shopping - while a lot of things seem back to regular supply, we still find something scarce depending on the trips!

[HBE4]

1 hour ago, SailorMarg said:

 Anyway, thank you for the on topic, and non aggressive, reply.

 

1 hour ago, TinkBellaMom said:

I’m not sure folks were actually “flaming” the cruise line.  Many also said they asked and were unable to locate it. Most were just discussing the issue.  This is a forum after all.  It seems a discussion or debate these days is somehow wrong.  
If you don’t like a discussion going on just scroll on by and perhaps find something you are interested in.

 

46 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

People are interested in flaming the discussion.  

 

There are a few here that see the CC forums as nothing more than a place to practice their snarky, er, I mean witty one-liners.

 

Don't get me wrong, I've joined in on the fun too. But I usually wait until after the question has been answered several times or the subject matter has been discussed and closed....or beaten to death when it comes to tipping threads.

 

Back on subject and to the OP's question, from what I gathered, the answers seem all over the map. Some had no issue getting half-and-half, while other can't get it at all or only sometimes and in some places.  Seems to be not only ship/venue specific but sailing specific as well.

[HappyTexan44]

This is going to sound like a crazy question.  If we find ourselves in this situation will we be able to get cream and whole milk in Cozumel, our first port stop?    

 

DH will use cream or half-and-half and will get grumpy if one isn't available.  

DD only really drinks whole milk and water.   We buy the glass bottle whole milk from a local farm so even run-of-mill whole milk is a downgrade.  2% and skim are really just white bad-tasting water.  So, that would really stink if that was all they had.   Note, I don't limit what she drinks, but I'm happy about it so I try to provide max. quality so she'll stay that way.  

 

[topnole]

48 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

 

 

There are a few here that see the CC forums as nothing more than a place to practice their snarky, er, I mean witty one-liners.

 

Don't get me wrong, I've joined in on the fun too. But I usually wait until after the question has been answered several times or the subject matter has been discussed and closed....or beaten to death when it comes to tipping threads.

 

Back on subject and to the OP's question, from what I gathered, the answers seem all over the map. Some had no issue getting half-and-half, while other can't get it at all or only sometimes and in some places.  Seems to be not only ship/venue specific but sailing specific as well.

I don’t think this forum is practice.  It reflects one’s personality.  I’m snarky sometimes. But I wouldn’t say anything here that I wouldn’t say to you in person.  

[SailorMarg]

1 hour ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

why would you think supply issues. We have no problem getting as much on land as we want.

 

 

I also have never seen anything but whole milk poured into the machine. 

Here I am, OP, going off topic, BUT we own a machine (Jura Giga 6) similar to DL/SL at home.  We spent a lot of time learning best practices.  We were surprised to learn that *in these machines* when foaming/frothing is important it is whole milk and skim milk that produce the best foam. This has to do with percent protein in the product    But, of course, the skim milk will not provide the taste or creaminess. Given that frothed drinks are one of the choices in the machines, it makes perfect sense that whole milk is what is added.  My question was specific to what is available to add to coffee, unfoamed/unfrothed, in the Main Dining Room.  If you’re bored and want to go down the rabbit hole, here is the source for my foam/froth information. https://www.ricardocuisine.com/en/articles/food-chemistry/521-the-facts-about-milk-foam

[shipgeeks]

And my home machine says "skim milk only".

[The Fun Researcher]

8 hours ago, alistairg said:

With a lot of American relatives I finally decided to figure out what half and half was as they sometimes ask for it and I had previously told them you don't get it in the UK.

 

Turns out half and half is what we call single cream in the UK. (Half milk, half full cream). We call full cream double cream in the UK.

 

Virtually no one in the UK would ever consider putting cream in coffee and even less so tea. Indeed it is pretty much only a thing in the US and Canada. Coffee creamer is also virtually non existent here (except powdered Coffee Mate)

 

63% of milk sold in the UK is semi skimmed (called 2% in America) and only 27% is full fat.

 

3 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

Putting anything (cream, 1/2 and 1/2, milk, skim or even sugar) in drip coffee is an abomination!  Latte's and cappuccinos etc. are a different matter but drip coffee was meant to be drunk black.  

 

😱

Black coffee is just too hard on my stomach nowadays.  The basic pH nature of creamer offsets the strong acidity of coffee.  I used to have an iron stomach, but my age is catching up to my stomach I guess.  I don't mind black coffee but it's rough on me.  I suspect many are in the same boat (no pun intended).

 

Creamer (not milk) is incredibly popular in coffee here in the US.  All of the flavored creamers are more like half and half as well, very creamy.  Myself, I use half and half.  I've never had a problem finding it on a Royal ship going back 10+ years.  The only time having issues is when the carafe was empty, and I resorted to milk.  We'll see next month I guess, when we are on the Quantum in Alaska.

[SailorMarg]

1 hour ago, shipgeeks said:

And my home machine says "skim milk only".

For good reason.  Due to protein percent, whole milk and skim milk are the best options for foaming/frothing so given the relative ease with which skim milk will move through your machine the manufacturer would recommend it over whole milk. As did our Jura Giga 6.  But skim milk is not the best option for many who like to add creaminess to their coffee with no concern for foaming/frothing. https://www.ricardocuisine.com/en/articles/food-chemistry/521-the-facts-about-milk-foam

Edited June 7, 2023 by SailorMarg
Forgot to add link

[island lady]

7 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

That's typical of an automatic latte/cappuccino machine

 

Works for me....errr...as long as the coffee machine works.   And of course that would never be out of service now would it?  😉 😄 

[island lady]

6 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

Lattes, cappuchinos, etc. are always made with skim milk, at least in Europe, and as per home coffee maker instructions.  I would assume that's what is put into our machines for those coffees.

 

In all the prep I have seen in the CL/SL/DL....it is always whole milk.  Various different containers...but always whole milk. 

[scottnkim]

After readiing all the responses- seems "1/2 and 1/2" is appropriately named.  1/2 seem to have no problem getting it, and 1/2 can't no matter what.  🙂

 

[island lady]

5 hours ago, topnole said:

Was on Harmony in Dec and Symphony in March.  I don’t recall the individual coffee creamers being available in the CK/SL.   I use non dairy creamer and they always brought me almond milk.  Not the best for coffee, but for some reason I started liking my espressos with or without the almond milk so I was fine either way.  
 

I’m pretty sure I recall they had the half and half creamers in our suite.  I know my wife had coffee many mornings in the suite in March an I’m sure she wouldn’t make a cup without those creamers.   I can’t remember December and I don’t think we ever used the coffee maker in the suite.  

 

One of the first things I do is to take that coffee machine off the counter in our suite and stash it down below somewhere.  Space stealer things they are, of which I never use.  And yes, the tray always had a creamers (different with each ship we were on).    

 

I bring on our travel coffee mugs, that live in our suitcase.  Early morning I hit the SL/CL to fill up in a paper cup, then transfer to the mugs.  Much easier to bring back to sleepy head in the cabin that way.  

[vjmatty]

3 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

 

 

There are a few here that see the CC forums as nothing more than a place to practice their snarky, er, I mean witty one-liners.

 

Don't get me wrong, I've joined in on the fun too. But I usually wait until after the question has been answered several times or the subject matter has been discussed and closed....or beaten to death when it comes to tipping threads.

 

Back on subject and to the OP's question, from what I gathered, the answers seem all over the map. Some had no issue getting half-and-half, while other can't get it at all or only sometimes and in some places.  Seems to be not only ship/venue specific but sailing specific as well.

Yeah we’re a tough crowd….I do try to go for the humor though and not just empty unnecessary snark. I’d always rather entertain than offend, and get nothing from just making someone feel badly. 

[topnole]

9 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

One of the first things I do is to take that coffee machine off the counter in our suite and stash it down below somewhere.  Space stealer things they are, of which I never use.  And yes, the tray always had a creamers (different with each ship we were on).    

 

I bring on our travel coffee mugs, that live in our suitcase.  Early morning I hit the SL/CL to fill up in a paper cup, then transfer to the mugs.  Much easier to bring back to sleepy head in the cabin that way.  

In December we were in the CLS.  That counter is so long it didn’t matter.  But we keep the table part up against the wall like a deal so it doesn’t impact much.  In March, on Symphony, we had the 2 bedroom grand suite.  Again, so much counter space it was fine.  Love that cabin set up.  
 

Regardless, if I removed it,

I’d get the stink eye from my wife.  Not worth that.  😂😂.  

[SailorMarg]

30 minutes ago, scottnkim said:

After readiing all the responses- seems "1/2 and 1/2" is appropriately named.  1/2 seem to have no problem getting it, and 1/2 can't no matter what.  🙂

 

Best answer to my inquiry yet!  And as with most things Royal, it will likely be the ultimate answer. Thank you scottnkim for the laugh. 😂 But what I think might be happening is that many are not answering the specific question…specifically *half and half* in specifically the *Main Dining Room* or *Coastal Kitchen*.  But all (most?) has been good information.

Edited June 7, 2023 by SailorMarg

[Kiki and The Noush]

11 hours ago, alistairg said:

With a lot of American relatives I finally decided to figure out what half and half was as they sometimes ask for it and I had previously told them you don't get it in the UK.

 

Turns out half and half is what we call single cream in the UK. (Half milk, half full cream). We call full cream double cream in the UK.

 

Virtually no one in the UK would ever consider putting cream in coffee and even less so tea. Indeed it is pretty much only a thing in the US and Canada. Coffee creamer is also virtually non existent here (except powdered Coffee Mate)

 

63% of milk sold in the UK is semi skimmed (called 2% in America) and only 27% is full fat.

The first time I went to the UK to meet my mother in law, my husband had told her I drink coffee with cream, she served me many, many cups of coffee with double cream floating on the top 🙂  It was unexpected, but delicious lol

[HBE4]

44 minutes ago, SailorMarg said:

But what I think might be happening is that many are not answering the specific question…specifically *half and half* in specifically the *Main Dining Room* or *Coastal Kitchen*.  But all (most?) has been good information.

 

And now you know how most people take thier coffee. Just in case we all stop by some day. 😃

[barbeyg]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

In all the prep I have seen in the CL/SL/DL....it is always whole milk.  Various different containers...but always whole milk. 

Us too.  We have an espresso machine at home, a real one, not fully automatic.  I prefer whole milk in my cappuccinos, and can tell that is what is in the DL coffee machine by taste.  DH drinks almond milk in his at home.  Sacrilege! 😂  

 

That said, half and half was readily available when we sailed Harmony 3 weeks ago.

Edited June 7, 2023 by barbeyg

[shipgeeks]

I'm exhausted just thinking about all the food and beverage variations we want RC to provide for us.

Not only vegan, vegetarian, low salt, gluten free meals and more, plus sugar, brown sugar, and all the sweetener variations and brands (how many are there?), and now I'm learning how many types of milk/cream/creamer people want in their coffee, and how adamant we are about our preferences! 

[island lady]

1 hour ago, topnole said:

In December we were in the CLS.  That counter is so long it didn’t matter.  But we keep the table part up against the wall like a deal so it doesn’t impact much.  In March, on Symphony, we had the 2 bedroom grand suite.  Again, so much counter space it was fine.  Love that cabin set up.  
 

Regardless, if I removed it,

I’d get the stink eye from my wife.  Not worth that.  😂😂.  

 

LOL...Happy Wife...Happy Life!  😄 

[Tree_skier]

3 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Black coffee is just too hard on my stomach nowadays.  The basic pH nature of creamer offsets the strong acidity of coffee.  I used to have an iron stomach, but my age is catching up to my stomach I guess.  I don't mind black coffee but it's rough on me.  I suspect many are in the same boat (no pun intended).

I'm finding the same is true but instead of doctoring up the coffee I just drink less.  I rarely drink any coffee after lunch.

[Cheesepleese]

On one cruise years ago, in the mdr when they told us they were out of half and half , I asked for a bowl of vanilla ice cream and would take a good spoonful and melt it in my coffee. Not quite like half and half, but a  good substitute. 

[HBE4]

10 minutes ago, Cheesepleese said:

On one cruise years ago, in the mdr when they told us they were out of half and half , I asked for a bowl of vanilla ice cream and would take a good spoonful and melt it in my coffee. Not quite like half and half, but a  good substitute. 

 

Whip Cream works pretty well too. 

 

At home I use Redi Wip on the rare occasion  I run out of milk. 

 

[SailorMarg]

21 minutes ago, Cheesepleese said:

On one cruise years ago, in the mdr when they told us they were out of half and half , I asked for a bowl of vanilla ice cream and would take a good spoonful and melt it in my coffee. Not quite like half and half, but a  good substitute. 

Years ago ice cream aboard may have actually had some cream it it. 😉