FOR many Australians, morning coffee is a vital part of their routine and they would never contemplate dropping the habit while on holidays. Here’s a rundown of some of the options at sea to give you your caffeine buzz.
Oceania Cruises
On board Oceania Cruises travellers will find Illy coffee, the Italian coffee maker which sources its beans from select farms across four continents.
Oceania Cruises, Nautica General Manager Giuseppe Bagnato says more passengers are now ordering lattes and cold coffee.
“Coffee has become an all-day refreshment versus just a morning or after meal drink,” he said. “Guests are becoming more coffee connoisseurs and choosier these days — which makes us happy because Italians are famous for great coffee.”
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises offers a New Grounds Coffee menu, prepared by a trained barista. Guests can enjoy the New Grounds Crafted Coffee menu featuring a variety of specialty espresso-based drinks made from a custom blend of coffee beans, as well as iced tea fusions. The menu varies slightly from ship to ship but contains a selection of Princess special reserve espresso and barista coffee fusions.
Seabourn
Seabourn offers passengers freshly roasted coffee aboard its ships at Seabourn Square. The line orders raw coffee beans from single origins such as Columbia, Guatemala and Peru, along with Indonesia and Vietnam to provide guests with “a local and authentic experience”.
The introduction of the roastery on Seabourn Encore “has been a huge hit”, the cruise line said. Passengers can also choose between the daily selection of its home roast versus Segafredo, with “90% choosing the home roast”.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Located on Deck 5 on board Regent Seven Seas Cruises ships, Coffee Connection offers travellers an informal destination to relax and meet. Coffee Connection uses Illy coffee for espresso, cappuccino, caf latte and macchiato but for French Press coffee the cruise line uses La Rica, a boutique coffee roaster from Miami.
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises offers its guests Nestle’s premium Buondi coffee beans, a blend of Arabica and Robusta varieties sourced from various quality crops around the world. The cruise line’s passengers typically gravitate towards the traditional favourites such as cappuccinos, flat whites and lattes.
P&O takes its cup of joe pretty seriously, recently boosting on board access so that now 60% of its bars and lounges offer espresso, as well as implementing a rigorous training program for its baristas.
Norwegian Cruise Line
A Starbucks can be found on board Norwegian Bliss, offering passengers the chance to warm up with a caramel macchiato or a chai latte and a scone. Guests can start their day with Starbucks coffees, teas and bites available a la carte. Additionally, Coco’s is another destination for coffee with a side of savoury chocolate pralines, crepes, and other treats.
