If there is one thing that can make or break a morning for the us, it’s the availability of good quality coffee. Whether we are in a high-rise in NYC or a balcony on a Celebrity cruise ship, the search for the our caffeine fix is our first mission of the day.
For us, coffee isn’t just about the caffeine; it’s about the ritual. It’s that thirty-minute window where we sit together, look at the map (or the ocean), and talk about what we want to see; or more accurately watch each other look at the small screen that is our phone. LOL
On land, we love the “Third Wave” coffee scene—finding those small, independent roasters where the barista treats every pour-over like a science experiment. We use tools like Google Maps and TripAdvisor to hunt our coffee locales, and sometime we just stumble on a place that turns out to be one of those gems.
On ships, we’ve learned to seek out the specialty coffee bars rather than the main buffet pots. On Celebrity Cruises look for Cafe al Bacio; on Princess Cruises look for the International Cafe or Coffee and Cones; look for the other specialty coffee shops on other cruises. (Pro tip: Always check if your beverage package covers the premium espresso bar, otherwise expect to pay around $5-6 for a latte.)
The photo here was taken at a tiny spot we found in Spain. We have found that the flavor of coffee in Spain (in particular) has always had something that makes it taste better. My theory is that when you watch the coffee being made, the jug of milk is “topped up” and then re-steamed. There is no cleaning the jug, or sanitizing the jug before use, just top up, steam and pour. To those of us who have worked in the hospitality field before in the US this may bring a cringe response. The coffee, however, is simply brilliant!
What’s your “must-have” morning ritual when you’re away from home?
