Coffee Making Facilities

[Mack]

We recently returned from Radiance of the Seas cruise around New Zealand.  We last sailed on Voyager 2 years ago and loved it.  A couple of problems we experienced.

1/ Coffee making facilities removed from our stateroom.  I went to the C&A chap and requested a kettle.  He refused.  He was unable to explain why the facilities were removed but suggested it may have been a safety thing.  I pointed out that friends in a suite had an electric kettle and a coffee maker so it was obviously not prompted by safety.  He then suggested that we call room service and request boiling water.  With the introduction of room service fees that was not an option.  He then suggested I take our coffee cups/tea pot to windjammer and have them supply boiling water, another bad idea.  Being fairly old now, we have our taste buds set up for particular coffee and tea, we enjoyed making a cuppa and sitting out on our balcony to drink it.  I can think of no reason that RC have removed this little option that made our cruise more enjoyable.

2/Concerning prices on Australian cruises.  The ship uses $US, this means room service is $7.95 plus 18%tip in $US.  In $A we have to add about 25% to convert the $7.95 and 18% tip to Australian dollars.  Makes room service expensive.

We will stay with RC but hope they will make tea and coffee making facilities available and remove room service charges.

[Matt]

Thanks for the feedback from your cruise.

Coffee maker

Regarding the coffee maker in your room, as a rule, only suites get the coffee maker.  No guest may bring their own coffee maker onboard, and the ones that are available through RC are only for suite guests.  This is a consistent rule throughout the fleet, so my advice for next time is to book a suite if having a coffee maker in your room is a priority for you.

On newer ships, we've seen RC start to offer coffee maker rentals: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2017/07/03/spotted-room-coffee-maker-rentals

Room service

Another benefit to booking a suite is room service is included, thus negating the issue of currency conversion.

In my experience, I rarely ever find a need to order room service.  There's so much food around the ship.  Obviously you may cruise differently than I do, which is completely understandable.

[DocLC]

The only time I ever had our was able to get an electric kettle was when sailing from London. 

[MikeK]

   The second thing I do when i get up in the am is order a large pot of coffee from room service.  The coffee is better from room service and it is usually there by the time it would have taken me to make my own in room coffee maker.  We have never been charged but for the last 10 years we have never been in anything smaller than a Jr. Suite.  I leave a good tip for the server so that probably makes a difference on how fast the coffee gets there.

[Mack]

Thanks to all those who replied (above).  RC had electric jugs in our balcony balcony suites on previous cruises on Voyager, our last cruise on that ship was 2016 and the electric jug along with coffee and tea was provided.  We only cruise locally from Australia (New Zealand, South Pacific, Asia) and up to 2016 an electric jug has always been provided.  Why they have been taken away.  Obviously not a safety concern.  RC do provide coffee but it is a foul brew.  I understand that cruising is a very class conscious pasttime and that those who are able to afford the suites should do so and I am happy for those guests to enjoy their coffee and tea making facilities.  Those of us who are relegated by impecunious circumstance to occupy less splendid cabins are not able to enjoy such facilities.  So the question remains, why not.  Being an old retired policeman I have my suspicions.  Could it be that RC wish more travellers to buy coffee from the onboard coffee shops at A$7.50 a cup (cheaper with a coffee card). Since our 2016 cruise RC have become keener to part travellers from their cash.  Charges where formally there were none, very expensive buses to get from the port to the nearest city etc.  The ship abounds with peddlers wanting to sell art, massages, restaurant food, trinkets, cameras etc.  Cruising has changed for the worse over the years but perhaps I'm just a Grumpy Old Man.

[WAAAYTOOO]

12 hours ago, Mack said:

Could it be that RC wish more travellers to buy coffee from the onboard coffee shops at A$7.50 a cup (cheaper with a coffee card). Since our 2016 cruise RC have become keener to part travellers from their cash.

Bingo !!

[Guest toodle68]

The free coffee you can get from multiple locations in the morning is not bad and I would say better than anything you can make in a cheap pot in the cabin.

[DocLC]

Hot water is available 24 hours a day outside of the buffet, so you could bring instant coffee packs, use a pour over coffee maker, or you a coffee press pot. 

[Keith Ashworth]

Are junior suites included in those that have tea making facilities?

[tiny260]

Typically in the us market they only have coffee makers in the room, with tea bags.

In other markets they may offer tea kettles.

So it will depend on what ship and what port it is cruising from.

All of the public restaurants have hot water and tea available.