Princess Cruise Guests Brew Up Creative Ways to Have Better Coffee
For many cruisers, a cup of coffee is more than just a morning ritual; it’s the fuel that kickstarts their day.
So, when Princess Cruises passengers realized the onboard coffee didn’t meet their personal brew standards, they turned to social media for help.
“Sailed Princess last year and loved the experience, but hated the coffee,” began one Reddit post. “Will be bringing my own onboard. Is this allowed, or would it get confiscated?”
While Princess Cruises and other cruise lines don’t have a problem with guests packing coffee, they do have an issue with anyone packing heat.
Recently, a guest sailing on Carnival Cruise Line, also owned by Carnival Corporation like Princess, had a coffee machine confiscated.
With fire a top concern for passenger vessels, cruise lines ban guests from bringing electrical appliances with heating elements due to safety rules. Princess Cruises specifically states coffee machines are a no-no.
On its banned list? “Items brought on board the vessel and not supplied by the Company containing any kind of heating element, such as but not limited to: immersion heaters, heating blankets, flat irons, water heaters, coffee machines with heating / hot plates, etc.”
However, manual coffeemaking devices such as coffee presses are allowed.
Without any heating elements, coffee-loving guests say they are the perfect solution for enjoying the coffee they prefer when using a ship-provided kettle to boil water, which can be requested through a steward.
“I brought the Melitta pour-over – I think it’s, like, $7 at Walmart,” said one passenger.
“Black plastic thing you just stick a filer in, spoon in your coffee of choice, get a kettle on Day 1 from your steward, use boiling water, and voila, decent coffee,” he added.
Read Also: What You Should Never Do at the Cruise Ship Buffet
For a latte, the passenger recommends a handheld frother like an Aerolatte.
While there won’t be enough kettles for every cabin, a guest reminded the passenger, “They will give you boiling water at the coffee bar if your steward can’t get you a kettle for your room.”
For those who prefer freshly ground coffee, a simple hand grinder does the trick for many passengers. These can be battery-powered or simply hand-turned so guests can bring the beans of their choice.
Onboard Free and Premium Coffee Options
Coffee is free aboard all Princess Cruises ships in the buffet, where coffee dispensers can be found, and in the main dining room.
While the coffee may not suit every palette, the cruise line also sells premium coffees at the 24-hour International Café, located on Deck 5 of most ships, and at the Lido Deck’s Coffee & Cones.
Here, the coffee is provided by LavAzza, an Italian coffee roaster that has been providing drinkers a morning or nighttime jolt since 1895.
One passenger raved about the lattes at the International Café, saying, “The ‘plain’ coffee at the buffet was fine, but the latte was better. The guys running the espresso machines/making coffee at the IC every morning did a fantastic job.”
The cruise line also offers a coffee package that features LavAzza’s specialty or premium coffees, as well as tea, hot chocolate, frappes, milkshakes, fresh juices, and sodas.
Priced per person at $23.59 per day, including the 18 percent service charge, the Coffee & Soda package can only be purchased up to 3 days before embarkation or on embarkation day only.
The cruise line takes its per-person package seriously, and passengers can only order one drink at a time and just for themselves, so be sure not to share or take a risk of losing the package!
Princess Cruise Guests Brew Up Creative Ways to Have Better Coffee