International Cafe specialty coffee question

[Bjbilly]

Are the specialty coffees in the international cafe covered on the plus package thank you for any info

[memoak]

1 minute ago, Bjbilly said:

Are the specialty coffees in the international cafe covered on the plus package thank you for any info

Yes

[JGmf]

Yes, and they're wonderful.

[CruisingWalter]

15 hours ago, Bjbilly said:

Are the specialty coffees in the international cafe covered on the plus package thank you for any info

 

Yes, but I will say on the Sky Princess recently I received better coffee from the Princess Live! bar than International Cafe. The lines were shorter too because I don't think many folks realized that was open in the mornings. 

[BamaVol]

4 minutes ago, CruisingWalter said:

 

Yes, but I will say on the Sky Princess recently I received better coffee from the Princess Live! bar than International Cafe. The lines were shorter too because I don't think many folks realized that was open in the mornings. 

I can’t say the coffee was better, but on Caribbean Princess the lines for coffee at Coffee and Cones were shorter than the International Cafe.  However, if you were looking for breakfast treats or finger foods, you had to go into the buffet and they’re not nearly as appealing.

 

But your point is that there are usually alternatives and you are 100% correct.

[Musky Ike]

17 minutes ago, CruisingWalter said:

 

Yes, but I will say on the Sky Princess recently I received better coffee from the Princess Live! bar than International Cafe. The lines were shorter too because I don't think many folks realized that was open in the mornings. 

However, not open  24 hrs. like the IC. Not an option for the real early risers.

[New2cruise2022]

Are there sugar free options for the coffees?

[Buckeye10640]

13 minutes ago, New2cruise2022 said:

Are there sugar free options for the coffees?

IC has a sugar-free unflavored liquid sweetener syrup, but basically, no. No SF flavored syrups, no SF frozen coffee drink options, etc. that I have seen. I have seen a few folks report  a SF vanilla syrup on their cruise but I ask every cruise and its never been available. I take my own. 

[fabby50]

16 minutes ago, New2cruise2022 said:

Are there sugar free options for the coffees?

They used to have flavors, but on the last few I've been on, all they've had is plain sugar free syrup, without flavor to it.  I bring the flavored drops.

 

[jinpasco]

Not sure if I missed it but do they have fresh brewed at the Princess Live bar ?

[CruisingWalter]

1 hour ago, BamaVol said:

I can’t say the coffee was better, but on Caribbean Princess the lines for coffee at Coffee and Cones were shorter than the International Cafe.

 

Coffee and Cones was my "go-to" specialty coffee joint on Crown Princess. Anything other than International Cafe during the day. 

[CruisingWalter]

1 hour ago, Musky Ike said:

However, not open  24 hrs. like the IC. Not an option for the real early risers.

 

But the real early risers should not have a long line at IC either. 🙂  When getting coffee say between 8am and 2pm especially, I avoid IC and find the alternatives like Princess Live or Coffee and Cones. 🙂 

[Musky Ike]

1 hour ago, CruisingWalter said:

 

But the real early risers should not have a long line at IC either. 🙂  When getting coffee say between 8am and 2pm especially, I avoid IC and find the alternatives like Princess Live or Coffee and Cones. 🙂 

The coffee line at the IC at 7:00 or even earlier can be very long.

[theloo]

I hope you don't mind me asking here about regular coffee (no fee).  Is it all the same or is there better coffee anywhere?  I remember old threads about how bad cruise line coffee was (from a syrup).

[New2cruise2022]

1 hour ago, Musky Ike said:

The coffee line at the IC at 7:00 or even earlier can be very long.

I think this is one of the best parts about cruising. I get it, waiting in line doesn’t sound like fun, but hear me out. Where else do you actually need to be? For 5 or 7 days (more if you are really living the life) you are free from everything. Work and family and obligations to everyone else. So, for a week, wander around the ship and try to find the best hacks and the best way to maximize your value. But, if you find a line, wait. Enjoy the solitude and peace of mind of not having anywhere to be. Or stand in line with someone else and talk to them. One coffee shop and 4000 people. I think waiting in line makes sense. 

[BamaVol]

15 minutes ago, New2cruise2022 said:

I think this is one of the best parts about cruising. I get it, waiting in line doesn’t sound like fun, but hear me out. Where else do you actually need to be? For 5 or 7 days (more if you are really living the life) you are free from everything. Work and family and obligations to everyone else. So, for a week, wander around the ship and try to find the best hacks and the best way to maximize your value. But, if you find a line, wait. Enjoy the solitude and peace of mind of not having anywhere to be. Or stand in line with someone else and talk to them. One coffee shop and 4000 people. I think waiting in line makes sense. 

Or take a seat and wait for a server to ask for your order. 

[Spudd]

4 hours ago, jinpasco said:

Not sure if I missed it but do they have fresh brewed at the Princess Live bar ?

It's an espresso machine, I don't think they have drip coffee.

[Musky Ike]

2 hours ago, BamaVol said:

Or take a seat and wait for a server to ask for your order. 

Yup, been there ,done that. My earlier comment was more of an observation than any complaint. So new cruisers are aware. However, I do mention to Princess that it shows the demand is there earlier and maybe they should reconsider the hours of alternate coffee venues. Also they could separate the food and drink lines at the IC. Sometimes they intertwine and folks stand in the wrong one or both. First world issues for sure.

[CruisingWalter]

5 hours ago, theloo said:

I hope you don't mind me asking here about regular coffee (no fee).  Is it all the same or is there better coffee anywhere? 

 

The buffet coffee is ok when it's working in the buffet. On Sky Princess the machines kept requiring maintenance and nobody was doing it. Either the beans were out, the water wasn't working or whatever it was, the machines often had a red X on them. If it's an older ship still using the syrup it's awful. Honestly the best 'free' coffee I've found of the 9 cruise lines we've sailed so far have been Celebrity and MSC and the room service coffee on Virgin Voyages. Otherwise it's the paid coffee for me. 

[mtnesterz]

5 hours ago, theloo said:

I hope you don't mind me asking here about regular coffee (no fee).  Is it all the same or is there better coffee anywhere?  I remember old threads about how bad cruise line coffee was (from a syrup).

What @CruisingWalter meant by older ship was that the Grand and Coral Cass ships still use the syrup. They did switch from Douwe-Egberts for Nescafe. It is better, but still syrup. On Royal Class ships, the ground coffee in the buffet has been very acceptable.

Back in March, Princess announced a partnering with Lavazza for coffee, but whether this extends to coffee in the buffet, ground or syrup, we have not heard and will find out in August. Personally we will bring boxes of Via, as a plan B, and get water from any barista so it's hot enough.

Edited July 2, 2023 by mtnesterz

[BamaVol]

2 hours ago, Musky Ike said:

 they could separate the food and drink lines at the IC. Sometimes they intertwine and folks stand in the wrong one or both. First world issues for sure.

It seems like it would be such an easy problem to fix.  They must not receive enough complaints about it. I saw a lot of people exiting the food line with puzzled looks on their faces.and angry looks on folks in the drinks line when they tried to merge.

[theloo]

35 minutes ago, mtnesterz said:

What @CruisingWalter meant by older ship was that the Grand and Coral Cass ships still use the syrup. They did switch from Douwe-Egberts for Nescafe. It is better, but still syrup. On Royal Class ships, the ground coffee in the buffet has been very acceptable.

Back in March, Princess announced a partnering with Lavazza for coffee, but whether this extends to coffee in the buffet, ground or syrup, we have not heard and will find out in August. Personally we will bring boxes of Via, as a plan B, and get water from any barista so it's hot enough.

Thanks, we'll be on Emerald, so still syrup, but slightly better?

Edited July 2, 2023 by theloo

[JoRoy218]

On 7/2/2023 at 12:16 PM, BamaVol said:

Or take a seat and wait for a server to ask for your order. 

This is true but…usually very difficult to find a seat in the Piazza. What works for us (for our first cuppa) is room service using the app. Never had to wait more than 20 min., always served hot. 

[CynCyn]

On 7/2/2023 at 5:27 PM, BamaVol said:

It seems like it would be such an easy problem to fix.  They must not receive enough complaints about it. I saw a lot of people exiting the food line with puzzled looks on their faces.and angry looks on folks in the drinks line when they tried to merge.

Had that issue in reverse on Discovery in May.  Man in food line threw the biggest fit over a coffee only line.  Screaming at me about having common sense.  I just let it go but I wanted to say, “why would I want to wait for you and your family to spend 5 minutes gawking at the food, discussing it with your child, and waiting for them to heat it up when all I want is coffee? Who has the common sense, Mr. Blue Card!”

[pompeii]

On 7/2/2023 at 6:20 PM, mtnesterz said:

What @CruisingWalter meant by older ship was that the Grand and Coral Cass ships still use the syrup. They did switch from Douwe-Egberts for Nescafe. It is better, but still syrup. On Royal Class ships, the ground coffee in the buffet has been very acceptable.

Back in March, Princess announced a partnering with Lavazza for coffee, but whether this extends to coffee in the buffet, ground or syrup, we have not heard and will find out in August. Personally we will bring boxes of Via, as a plan B, and get water from any barista so it's hot enough.

If you'll find out in August because you're going to be on a ship, would you please report back?  I've been trying to find out about the status of the Lavazza partnership but nobody seems to know.  I'm trying to figure out if we should bring our packets of Via on the Royal in Septmeber, or if Lavazza brewed will be available in the buffet and dining rooms.  Thanks!