Coffee?

Hilda

Hi everyone! We're booked on the Inspire departing on September 12. My question is - are there coffee/beverage stations on each deck? Early morning coffee is very important to me, and on a previous cruise, we had coffee stations on each level - can't find any mention of it on the web site.

crackers54

I took this trip on another ship and early morning coffee was provide in the small restaurant in the back of the ship. It was also were people played cards and had a special supper.

On your ship would be on deck 3 "casual dining". This is a great trip. Enjoy.

[Deleted User]

I assume the layout is the same on all the ships (we've been twice on the Sapphire) which means that the 3rd deck bistros at the stern has a high-end self-service coffee machine (cappachinos, etc.) available 24 hours a day.

Claudia Sails

I hope you get a clear answer on this. I too am wondering about coffee stations and in room coffee makers.
We are booked on the Inspire next year. I asked the Tauck agent about this as several non-Tauck web sites showed or mentioned in room coffee makers. Avidcruiser.com's review shows a photo of a Nespresso machine in the loft cabin and other reviewers have said all (or all category 3 and higher) rooms had them. Tauck seems unclear on this. The agent said there were 2 coffee stations (I assume 1 in the bistro but not sure on the other) but wasn't clear on which staterooms might also have their own machines.

jdurkin

Happy to report … but I need to know if you require real coffee or what Americans call coffee? Quite different beasts. Also, would you please define agent? Do you mean your travel agent, or the person from Tauck who answered the phone when you phoned them directly?

Claudia Sails

I spoke to 2 different people at Tauck in the reservations dept in the process of making our reservations for next year. We are in a Cat 4 room this time.

Coffee as in what the machines in the bistro make (we were just on the Swiss Emerald last month), what the waiters in the restaurant serve or in room makers like the Nespresso or Keurig. Pretty much anything brewed i.e. not instant.

jdurkin

I'm sorry, but I'm confused. (Nothing unusual, there!) If you were just on Swiss Emerald, you will already know what's what, won't you? So, do you mean that you need to know if there are in room coffee makers (of any variety) in Cat 4 rooms? I hope that's what you mean … otherwise I'll just wait for the chaps in the white coats to arrive……;))

[Deleted User]

jdurkin wrote:

I'm sorry, but I'm confused. (Nothing unusual, there!) If you were just on Swiss Emerald, you will already know what's what, won't you? So, do you mean that you need to know if there are in room coffee makers (of any variety) in Cat 4 rooms? I hope that's what you mean … otherwise I'll just wait for the chaps in the white coats to arrive……;))

Inspire is a new class of ships and therefore might be different.

However, if you look at the category by category details for the Inspire cabins, only the Cat 7 Suite lists/depicts a coffee maker. So, I expect the options for all other cabins is the same as the Jewel-class ships: bistro (available 24 hours a day as self-serve) and the restaurant and lounge during service hours.

My personal, satisfactory brew was the bistro cappuccino with an extra espresso shot which both fit in the standard cup.

Claudia Sails

For Portolan, the Tauck agent definitely said there were 2 coffee stations on the MS Inspire so you should be covered. Maybe after your trip, you could post your findings.

For Jdurkin, not sure what you mean by "what Americans call coffee". I realize that there are plenty of local and personal preferences but I don't think we Americans have bad taste when it comes to coffee. Otherwise Starbucks wouldn't have 21,000 locations in 65 countries.

abruell

Hilda wrote:

Hi everyone! We're booked on the Inspire departing on September 12. My question is - are there coffee/beverage stations on each deck? Early morning coffee is very important to me, and on a previous cruise, we had coffee stations on each level - can't find any mention of it on the web site.

abruell

There is coffee available in Arthurs in the front of the ship 24/7 on the third deck.
.

British

Everyone's taste in coffee is different, I like my coffee made in a French press, never drink it for breakfast in hotels it's usually stewed. Now if Jan thinks there is a problem with what Americans call coffee, what about a cup of tea in America, there's some serious debate! Come on people, this is just fun!

jdurkin

Starbucks opened up on almost every street corner in the Melbourne CBD … maybe 10 years ago. They lasted less than 12 months. They went broke. We are very particular about our coffee in Melbourne and we wouldn't drink theirs. Now, the only branches … of the very few locations in the entire city of nearly 5 million people … are in areas frequented by tourists … and international students, presumably for the wifi. I don't drink coffee in North America. I don't drink the tea, either, since tea needs actually boiling water, not luke warm water served in a vase with a little bag of something labelled serenity. Perhaps I need to return to Colorado or Washington. Not that I want to partake of their little bags of serenity, you understand.

British? Please put the kettle on. I'm on my way!

Hilda

OK - maybe I should have on been clearer... we went on a previous river cruise on Viking - they have beverage stations on each floor, and it was wonderful going out early in the morning and just getting a cup - and to jdurkin, at that time in the morning, coffee is coffee - I actually prefer European coffee, but the cruise lines seem to cater to the American taste.

Claudia Sails

Correction: in my last post I incorrectly addressed Portolan when I meant Hilda the person who started this topic.

As several of us have noted, there will definitely be coffee in the bistro aft of the ship – the newly redesigned/renamed “Arthurs”. The self service machine on the Swiss Emerald was a pretty impressive beast with at least 6 different choices including espresso, cappuccino, hot chocolate, and hot water only. I actually took my own insulated mug, but the ship does provide china cups or to-go paper cups. If I understood the Tauck agent right, there is a second station forward but not clear where

Best of luck on your cruise. Maybe I’ll get lucky and someone who has been on the MS Inspire or Savor will know the answer to my “coffee machines in staterooms” question.

As for the rest, I’ll just hope it was ALL meant in fun. Having lived and traveled throughout the US and internationally, I always cringe when I hear Americans condemning things just because they are different from what they’re used to.

To quote the French (out of context), “Vive la difference”.

British

Yes, absolutely in fun. I wish I was up to understand all of Jan's very sophisticated sense of humor, but I am not that clever, especially when I am looking at this forum when I get those nights when I wake up and can't get back to sleep. She certainly makes me laugh, it's nice to get an Aussie perspective on the world. I'm Anglo-American, so when it comes to coffee I know what I like and not sure where that taste is from. These days I send for Costa Rica coffee, ever since I went on Tauck Costa Rica tour and we went to the Café Britt Coffee Plantation tour

jdurkin

I always used to buy Kenyan coffee beans because I'd seen them growing in the highlands there. These days I venture further afield. But I draw the line at that Very Expensive, pre-digested (if you get my drift) coffee from Indonesia, I think. I would rather just leave that process to the cats…. not for me, thanks. Urgh. :-0

jdurkin

Coffee on Inspire.
Category 7: in room Nespresso machines, serving European style coffee.
There's a very clever coffee/tea/etc., etc, machine in the casual dining venue, Arthur's. It's available 24 hours. Again, the coffee is European style. (Which in not surprising!) ))))
The crew will bring you snacks and beverages, including coffee, anytime between 10:00 am and midnight.

Cheers,

Jan

Claudia Sails

Yes, that is the official Tauck position. Cat 7 also gets breakfast room service. Here is where the confusion comes in.

Back in April 2014, travel writers went on the maiden voyage of the MS Inspire and wrote reviews. Two (cruisereport.com and avidcruiser.com) provided detailed day by day blogs of their cruise complete with photos. Both stayed in the new loft style cabins (Category 3) on the Emerald deck. Both state that coffee machines were in the cabin and avidcruiser provides a very clear photo of a Nespresso machine.

A reviewer on Cruisecritic.com states, “In all but the nine smallest cabins, a Keurig coffeemaker is also on hand”. Not sure where Nespresso turned into Keurig.

So, were these machines just there for the maiden voyage or is there some confusion between Scylla and Tauck? One would like to assume that if they are in the Cat 3 and 7 staterooms, that Cat 4-6 would also have the upgrade.

travelbuggie

We sailed on the Inspire in July. We were in a middle-range cabin on the second deck. We had a Nespresso machine in our room with regular and decaf coffee plus tea. (The refrigerator in our room is also stocked with sodas, waters, etc.) Arthur's, which is at the back of the ship, serves a continental breakfast at 6 a.m. and has an automated machine that makes a variety of hot beverages--coffee, expresso, cappucino, hot chocolate, etc. I thought the taste was good. I am unsure if it is open 24 hours, but it was always available when I wanted it during the day and evening. IMHO Arthur's is so easy to get to that it would be a waste of valuable ship space to put more coffee makers on each deck. There is an entrance to Author's right at the end of the last cabin on the deck it is on and has stairs right there to the other two decks.
We had a wonderful trip and hope you do too.

LenoraB

We were on this trip on the MS Inspire in June. We were in category 5 room 204. There was a Nespresso machine in our room which was replenished daily with regular, de-caf, cream, sugar, etc. The trip was great. Hope you enjoy yourselves.

Hilda

To travelbuggie and Lenora, THANK YOU!! We are on the Inspire in one of the loft rooms - and all I wanted to know was if there is any form of coffee in or near the room!! I think you have answered that for me!! I am looking forward to our trip - will let you all know how it goes - and if there's coffee in or near the room!! :-)

Claudia Sails

Thank you Leonora and travelbuggie. I appreciate hearing from those who have actually been on the Inspire. I agree the bistro is pretty handy. Just nice not to have to get dressed before that first shot of morning caffeine.

One assumes if your rooms had them that all Ruby Deck rooms do including our Cat 4. Contemplated upgrading to Cat 5 just to make sure then did the math. $1600 more. Eek! Could buy my own Nespresso in Amsterdam and ship it home for less.

If you have any other insights on the Inspire - especially in comparison to a Jewel class ship, I'm sure we'd all be interested.

Hilda

Well, here I am - back from an amazing trip on the Rhine and Moselle!! As I said, we had a loft room - loved it!! Except for the plumbing noises, but we did get used to that. Also pleased to say we had a lovely little Keurig coffee maker in our room, so we enjoyed our early morning coffee looking out of our beautiful window! But asking around, not all rooms had these coffee makers. So I don't know how they decide who gets one.