Early Morning Coffee

[Oakman58]

It’s been 25 years since we cruised with RC so pardon my ignorance.  I’m a very early riser and need a cup of coffee to start my day and my system.  Can I go to the Windjammer at 5:30 AM and get myself a cup of coffee to take back to my cabin?  On other cruise lines that’s what I do.  Room service is out because I don’t want to wake up my wife.  We will be in a balcony cabin on Explorer of the Seas so I’m guessing a coffee maker won’t be in the cabin.

[FSHLOT]

NO coffee pot, but the WJ would be the place to go that early. Enjoy!!

[Ocean Boy]

I don't think you will be getting into the Windjammer that early. The Cafe Promenade on the Royal Promenade (deck 5) would be the place to go.

[GJustice]

WJ has been hit or miss recently unfortunately. I've always been a early riser and NEED my coffee to get functional. Diamond lounge coffeemaker has been equally out of service but IS accessible 24 hours.

 

Cafe Promenade also wasn't open until 6ish and even then, they were JUST making coffee when they "opened" 😞 

Edited November 20, 2023 by GJustice

[FSHLOT]

Just now, Ocean Boy said:

I don't think you will be getting into the Windjammer that early. The Cafe Promenade on the Royal Pronenade (deck 5) would be the place to go.

I thought the coffee station is always open in the WJ, no?

[Mum2Mercury]

My husband is also an early riser.  He gets up early and goes to Cafe Promenade for his coffee, then takes a walk around the empty ship.  I believe Cafe Promenade's open 24 hours a day?  

 

Another option is to have room service deliver a pot to your room, though -- if you have family who doesn't like to get up early-- they might not thank you for the early wake-up.  

[sdteacher]

I am also an early riser. When I was on Explorer, I would go to Cafe Promenade for a cup. I brought my own cup because I like a lid when I am walking and it keeps it hot on my way back to my cabin. 

[GJustice]

Last visit to WJ early found lukewarm coffee leftover from the day before and no one seeming to care about making fresh 😞 😞 😞 

[Ocean Boy]

7 minutes ago, FSHLOT said:

I thought the coffee station see always open in the WJ, no?

No, the entrance doors are closed. Sometimes they will let people in for coffee and pastries before regular breakfast starts but I have not seen that in a while and I have not seen it as early as 5:30. And I'm up and around well before that.

[lovesthebeach2]

The WJ isn’t open that early, but there’s usually an area that always has water and coffee outside it somewhere. 
 

Cafe promanade is open then too. 

[cruiseguy1016]

I'm not up and moving quite that early, I'm more of a 6:30 guy. In my experience, the Windjammer is not open at that time. When I want coffee that early, I head for the Diamond Lounge (hit or miss on coffee that early) or the Cafe Promenade. I have always found the Cafe Promenade to have coffee at 6:30.

[smokeybandit]

I forget the ship (probably Freedom or Voyager class), they set up a coffee stand outside the WJ at like 5am

[livingonthebeach]

Not all ships have Cafe Promenade -- if you want coffee that early the only choice is the Diamond Lounge or soon to be Crown Lounge, using the self serve machine (when it works). 

[cruiseguy1016]

3 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

Not all ships have Cafe Promenade -- if you want coffee that early the only choice is the Diamond Lounge or soon to be Crown Lounge, using the self serve machine (when it works). 

 

OP will be on Explorer so, at least in this case, Cafe Promenade should be an option.

[livingonthebeach]

Just now, cruiseguy1016 said:

 

OP will be on Explorer so, at least in this case, Cafe Promenade should be an option.

 

Yes, that's true. But if one is on a ship that doesn't have CP you are OOL or SOOL. 

[Cruise a holic]

I would order room service. 

[livingonthebeach]

2 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

I would order room service. 

 

Yes and for $7.95 plus an 18% gratuity make sure you order lots of goodies from the "free" continental breakfast menu. 

[Cruise a holic]

If you really want it- worth it- on vacation, we all spend . 

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

I forget the ship (probably Freedom or Voyager class), they set up a coffee stand outside the WJ at like 5am

Grandeur had a pot of coffee set up outside the WJ before it opened in the morning. 

[gmerick]

Bring a large tote bag or cloth grocery bag on the cruise.

Day 1 - Order a room service snack (or if you're willing to bother the sleepers the first morning on board, order breakfast).  Order at least two cups of coffee, and enough "stuff" so a tray would be required for delivery.  "Stuff" could be some fruit and pastry.

Important - hide the coffee pot and tray.

On my sailing, Cafe Promenade has always been open 24/7.  The night shift crew has always been friendly, and would tell me whether the coffee was fresh, and went out of their way to prepare coffee if it wasn't.  I'd bring the room service pot and tray in every morning, get coffee, cups, continental breakfast, and find my happy place for coffee until the sleepyheads finally realized the sun was up.

By day 4, the Cafe crew and I would be on first-name basis.  

 

[livingonthebeach]

1 hour ago, Cruise a holic said:

If you really want it- worth it- on vacation, we all spend . 

 

True and actually the American breakfast has the $7.95 price tag and the continental is free. So free coffee (only tip) but only starting a 6:00am I believe. 

[livingonthebeach]

2 minutes ago, gmerick said:

Bring a large tote bag or cloth grocery bag on the cruise.

Day 1 - Order a room service snack (or if you're willing to bother the sleepers the first morning on board, order breakfast).  Order at least two cups of coffee, and enough "stuff" so a tray would be required for delivery.  "Stuff" could be some fruit and pastry.

Important - hide the coffee pot and tray.

On my sailing, Cafe Promenade has always been open 24/7.  The night shift crew has always been friendly, and would tell me whether the coffee was fresh, and went out of their way to prepare coffee if it wasn't.  I'd bring the room service pot and tray in every morning, get coffee, cups, continental breakfast, and find my happy place for coffee until the sleepyheads finally realized the sun was up.

By day 4, the Cafe crew and I would be on first-name basis.  

 

 

LOL - I'll have one of each please. 

[Oakman58]

Thanks for the responses everyone, it looks like I'll have to head to Cafe Promenade with my coffee mug every morning.  I will check to see if there is a coffee machine outside the Windjammer too.

[Ocean Boy]

3 hours ago, livingonthebeach said:

Not all ships have Cafe Promenade -- if you want coffee that early the only choice is the Diamond Lounge or soon to be Crown Lounge, using the self serve machine (when it works). 

He said he will be on Explorer. He also didn't mention his C&A level.

[cruiseguy1016]

1 hour ago, Oakman58 said:

Thanks for the responses everyone, it looks like I'll have to head to Cafe Promenade with my coffee mug every morning.  I will check to see if there is a coffee machine outside the Windjammer too.

 

Depending on the lacation of your room, the Cafe Promenade might be closer.