Why Is The Coffee So Bad?

[tomko2]

We really enjoy Starbucks coffee but generally don't have any issues with the coffee we receive onboard. My DH drinks his black but I use lots of milk and was delighted to find jugs of hot milk in the Windjammer in the mornings. Use our C&A coupons for my iced caps during the trip -- yummy treat.

Kathy

P.S. Any coffee tastes great while we are sit on the balcony at the start of each day!:D

[ILoveScotland]

Personally I'd switch to bringing my own coffee or tea on ships that serve only Starbucks. Truly believe the company serves over priced coffee to consumers who don't know that you can get a good cup of coffee at a much lower price. quote]

 

Amen to that! Plus, I'm not even sure I'd call Starbucks good coffee unless it's a mocha or other flavored coffee.

 

I hadn't thought about the French press to use to make one's own coffee. I like the idea and may take a press on the next cruise.

[dizzlepop]

I have a travel press similar to this one:

 

http://www.bodumusa.com/shop/line.asp?MD=1&GID=6&LID=9&HID=1521%2D16BB&CHK=&SLT=&mscssid=KTDJQFVUMMRG8H6DWHW7JUN92WGEF1C7

 

It's the press and the insulated tumbler all-in-one!

 

All this chatting about coffee has me realizing I'm a *total* coffee snob. I won't even drink it from a regular cup or mug in case it cools off! LOL!

 

~gigi

[LuvBNatC]

I'm kind of surprised that no one has mentioned the water as a suspect in the bad coffee.

 

My father said the coffee on Empress was surprisingly good last month. I drank hot tea every morning and it was fine. But I also drink the tap water, so I probably can't tell good water from bad. :p

[ChristieNJ]

I'm kind of surprised that no one has mentioned the water as a suspect in the bad coffee.

 

My father said the coffee on Empress was surprisingly good last month. I drank hot tea every morning and it was fine. But I also drink the tap water, so I probably can't tell good water from bad. :p

 

The water on the cruise ships is all filtered, so I don't think that could be a suspect in this crime. :D I think it's just lousy coffee syrup or the way it's made.

There's also the idea of those single filter coffee bags that Maxwell House has. They're good! You just have to order a carafe of hot water to your room. :)

[KikiKruiser]

We are serious cruisers and we love it. But I have to ask: why is the coffee so bad on Royal Caribbean ships? It's weak. It's watery. I hear people complaining about it on every cruise. Good coffee is a basic in any good restaurant. Can't RCCL figure out a way to fix this problem?

 

Not just RCI, it's pretty rampant. We've cruised dozens of ships on many cruise lines and have yet to find a decent cup of coffee. Mind you, hubbie and I are "coffee snobs" :) and have virtually stopped drinking coffee on cruise ships (other than an occasional specialty coffee). When we pull into the various ports, if we see an interesting coffee bar or coffee shop, we'll stop in and get our coffee fix. And add to our list of interesting coffee places we've visited around the world!:D

[cruzincurt]

Ever notice that people who drink Starbucks carry the cup around as long as possible for everyone to see, or hang out in front of the store? What is that about? I personally don't care for their coffee. Typically Lido coffee is poor because it is probably a syrup. I've never seen anyone changing out the grounds in a Lido machine, just put a dab of hot chocolate in.

 

On our recent visit to Costa Rica, we bought some coffee beans right on the dock. Now that is good coffee.

[VernRDH]

For the life of me I cannot fathom how anyone can say the coffee on a ship is bad, then state they drink Folgers at home :rolleyes: .

 

I said this and I think the syrup junk is a far cry from Folgers/Maxwell House/whatever you buy in the supermarket. I plainly stated I am not a coffee snob and have never had starbucks as I will be darned if I pay 6 dollars for a cup of coffee. I don't care for Dunkin' Donuts coffee either, I guess I am a coffee redneck or something.:eek:

 

I may try the french press thing and bring my Folgers with me. :p To each his own.

[Gonzo70]

Ever notice that people who drink Starbucks carry the cup around as long as possible for everyone to see, or hang out in front of the store? What is that about?

 

Odd post. Are you implying that they carry around their coffee after it is empty? I go to Starbucks about 3-4x per week and have never observed this. I don't think people drinking Starbucks care who sees it or not, they are just enjoying their coffee! As for hanging out in front of the store, going to Starbucks is often a social event. People meet up with friends there, bring their lap tops and serf the net/study/work from them, try to pick up dates, etc. Lots of the Starbucks have nice outdoor seating areas for hanging out.

 

And where does Starbucks charge $6 for a cup of coffee?!? Their regular coffee is under $2 per cup. Even the large sized, fancy drinks are in the $4 to $5 range (cheaper than most drinks at a bar). Yes it is more expensive than a dive coffee shop, and perhaps the quality is no better than Dunkin Donuts or many other places, but you are paying a premium for the experience. If you don't like Starbucks, fine, shorter lines for me! I don't understand it when people make misinformed, misleading comments about Starbucks.

[Chitoryubt]

The first day of our Mariner cruise last October I had coffee in the dining room. I kept adding half and half but the coffee would NOT change colors :eek:. It stayed black as night even after 4 of those little containersfull.

[BunkerVA]

Odd post. Are you implying that they carry around their coffee after it is empty? I go to Starbucks about 3-4x per week and have never observed this. I don't think people drinking Starbucks care who sees it or not, they are just enjoying their coffee! As for hanging out in front of the store, going to Starbucks is often a social event. People meet up with friends there, bring their lap tops and serf the net/study/work from them, try to pick up dates, etc. Lots of the Starbucks have nice outdoor seating areas for hanging out.

 

And where does Starbucks charge $6 for a cup of coffee?!? Their regular coffee is under $2 per cup. Even the large sized, fancy drinks are in the $4 to $5 range (cheaper than most drinks at a bar). Yes it is more expensive than a dive coffee shop, and perhaps the quality is no better than Dunkin Donuts or many other places, but you are paying a premium for the experience. If you don't like Starbucks, fine, shorter lines for me! I don't understand it when people make misinformed, misleading comments about Starbucks.

 

 

I was in NYC last week for 4 days and went to Starbucks 5 times!!!! (Believe it or not, we don't have a Starbucks in the town I live in) Granted, I go for the tea and the chai tea latte's (not a coffee drinker) but I absolutely agree that it's about the atmosphere. I can take my laptop, sit and have a vente and no one bothers me....I enjoy the coffee shop experience...I do have to say though, the only thing that made me giggle was the fact that I could see another Starbucks from the Starbucks I was sitting in!!!!!!

 

DH (nopvntv) does not like Starbucks coffee and prefers Dunkin Donuts, but its not the same atmosphere...that being said. I don't think I ever met a donut I didn't like :D

 

In short (like I have ever accomplished that in my life!) it is more expensive, if you don't want to pay for it, don't.

 

See you latte! (Ha...I'm a funny gal!)

Sam :D

[kluv2cruz]

If you take a french press, you can buy one with a plastic sleeve (rather than glass) - I've learned from taking mine camping :-| Or, you can do as dizzlepop suggests and get the kind like a coffee cup/press in one - the problem with that is its harder to "share" your coffee with spouse - when we take this one, dh makes the first batch, pours it into my cup, goes to the bathroom, rinses out the grounds, and adds new grounds, makes the 2nd cup. Works when camping, but the bigger press is oh so much nicer on the cruise as it makes a very nice 2ish cups of coffee each. Tip for at home, if you pour hot milk (about 1 1/2 cups) into your clean press and carefully plunge the mesh filter thingy up & down about 5-10 times, it makes excellent foamed milk to ladle onto your coffee made with a second french press or MOKA - this is something you can get at italian or french specialty stores. Silver, water in bottom, coffee in middle, put on stove and water boils up and through coffee putting excellent turbo strength coffee into top part!

[BunkerVA]

MOKA - this is something you can get at italian or french specialty stores. Silver, water in bottom, coffee in middle, put on stove and water boils up and through coffee putting excellent turbo strength coffee into top part!

 

We do this camping!!! DH loves his espresso!!!!!!!!

[firedug]

Gee, sorry you had (multiple) bad experiences

 

I guess I've not noticed it on Serenade (Jan 05) and Voyager (Jan 06)

 

I'll try to pay more attention next time (Jan 08)

 

dug

[catwoman2965]

I think the coffee is ok, although this year on the AOS seemed to be a tad better than last year on the Explorer. I like my coffee strong, and make it that way, or get Dunkin Donuts....

 

Onelegcraig, i hear you about Tim Horton's - my parents brought me some a couple of years ago, and i have friends who get up that way, and are always give a list!

 

QTMichele - your comment about your husband and his coffee cracked me up - i could't stop laughing! I'll have to remember that phrase... He sounds like my parents...they drink it black like mud...and get offended if anyone in a restaurant brings them cream!

[BearySweet2Cruise]

I like good, full bodied coffee. That said, I don't remember the coffee on the Brilliance being bad. I only drank coffee at breakfast and had room service each day. Do you think room service coffee might be better than what's served in the dining rooms?

 

I think room service coffee is by far better than in the windjammer, which is in my opinion the worst coffee on the face of the earth. The dining room is by far the best on a ship (unless you buy it from lattitudes)

The waiters have told me that the coffee in the dining room is brewed from coffee grounds, and is the coffee sent for room service, and the coffee in the jammer and coffee stations near the pool deck are from syrup concentrated coffee.. that explains to me why the coffee is so horrible in the jammer and pool deck. Stick to the DR coffee and Room service for a better brew. Still not great, but lots better than the syrup concentration which is lousey. I drink well over a pot a day, sometimes 2. The very best ever coffee I found is in Key west at Island Joes. It is rated 92 out of 100 for world's best, and it is well worth the cost. When in Key west I buy some to bring home. They also have a website and offer samples which come in 1.5 ounces . enough for a whole pot to try. Simply put, I have not ever found any better coffee. Normally I buy dunkin donut coffee in the one pound bags. Now I order from Island Joe's.

Happy coffee drinking, and happy cruising to all :)

[BunkerVA]

Do you have a recommendation for Island Joe's coffee???

 

Congrats on the grandbaby!!!

Sam :D

[BearySweet2Cruise]

Do you have a recommendation for Island Joe's coffee???

 

Congrats on the grandbaby!!!

Sam :D

 

I love the dark roast and the caribbean blend with a hint of coconut :)

[BunkerVA]

Thanks!!!! :)

[dizzlepop]

Thanks for the Island Joe info! I zipped over there and ordered some :) And added on for coffee for our troops, too.

 

And the best quote was on one of the pages: "Did you know around 1453: Coffee is introduced to Constantinople by Ottoman Turks. The world's first coffee shop, Kiva Han, open there in 1475. Turkish law makes it legal for a woman to divorce her husband if he fail to provide her with her daily quota of coffee."

 

~gigi

[ChristieNJ]

Odd post.

 

I agree...I thought I was the only one! :confused: lol I had never heard anything quite like that before. :p

 

 

I said this and I think the syrup junk is a far cry from Folgers/Maxwell House/whatever you buy in the supermarket. I plainly stated I am not a coffee snob and have never had starbucks as I will be darned if I pay 6 dollars for a cup of coffee. I don't care for Dunkin' Donuts coffee either, I guess I am a coffee redneck or something.:eek:

 

I may try the french press thing and bring my Folgers with me. :p To each his own.

 

I agree, Veronica...I think the syrup is waaaaay worse than anything I've tasted, and I even like Folgers/Maxwell House, & whatever else is along those lines. I love Wawa the best though, and it's price is right! DD is my next fave.

The only time I get Starbucks is when my DH wins gift cards to it from his job. I like their Vanilla Latte's, but would never pay for them normally. I'll stick with my $1.16 big cup of Wawa...and it's the best! :D

[Gonzo70]

Well I am giving it a try; I picked up a Starbucks on the way in to work this morning, stood outside the store for 1/2 an hour, and now plan on carrying around the Starbucks' cup for the entire day. I'll check back in periodically throughout the day with live updates! Wish I had my camera on me so I could photograph my Starbucks cup so everyone could see it.

[Elaine0138]

Surely the coffe can't be worse than the tea the serve on board :)

[McCruise]

I have it right in my cruise budget to get our morning coffee from Seattle's best - not a specialty drink, but just a large coffee. It's a shame to have to pay the extra, but if you just budget it as part of your cruise and get it every day, there is one less thing to start your day unhappy about. And if you are a crown and anchor member, you will have coupons. The coffee everywhere else on the ship is just not drinkable! Treat yourself, it's cheaper than a cocktail.

[BunkerVA]

Surely the coffe can't be worse than the tea the serve on board :)

 

Very few things are worse than that tea :D

 

I bring my own!

Sam :D