Caribbean Princess Sea Day, Sept 16

Hubby is an International Cafe guy. When on the ship a Red Eye is his choice. An espresso with regular coffee, just as strong as can be. But he does hear (and see) lots of specialty coffees being ordered. Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccino. Iced Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte. Caramel Macchiato Frappe. And passengers get frustrated by the order they receive.

More than likely your specialty coffee won’t taste like the one you usually get at your local coffee shop at home. The baristas in the International Cafe may have been internationally trained in Italy, France, Europe, or the Philippines. They follow ship recipes, not the big chain coffee house recipes. Remember, the word “International” is in the name of the ship’s cafe for a reason.

For the best service and highest likelihood of your order being accurate, don’t stand in the long line at the counter. The lines are about speed and getting you in and out. If you have a somewhat-complicated beverage, have a seat. The server in the area will take your order and clarify what you are asking for. Ask for a to-go cup (sometimes called a take-away cup) if you need to grab and go. And if you’d like to sit and stay awhile you might be lucky enough to learn about life in Montenegro, Romania, Peru, or the Phillipines from your server.

And remember...at the International Cafe all coffees and teas – both plain and specialty – carry a cost. (If you want a free regular cup of coffee head to the dining room or buffet.) Since most people like one or more coffee beverages a day, many people choose to purchase a coffee package. For one price it entitles you to a certain number of specialty coffees and teas per cruise. Previously, paper punched cards were issued. However, Princess is transitioning to an electronic system where the package is loaded onto your cruise card. You can still pay per beverage if you’d rather not purchase a package.

Baristas can show off their skills when it's not too busy.

Tonight is formal night and the balloon drop. We'll be in bed long before the balloons fall, but here is a video that Amela (one of the dears working in the International Cafe) filmed for us last week. Take a look if you're interested. Thanks, Amela!

And thanks to our talented cabin steward who graced us with another towel animal today. This time a little bird in her nest.

Off to Nassau tomorrow. Last port stop of our trip.

Tonight's sunset from Lido deck.

Medallion™ Update:

To make the progression of the roll-out more clear I've grouped the posts by week. You can find today's post here.

Want to see how we got here with the Medallion? I started on Caribbean Princess back on August 18. Check it out:
Sept 1-8 updates can be found here.
August 25-Sept 1 updates can found here.
August 18-25 updates can be found here.

Encouraging Words Money Pocket Drop Off:
Left somewhere in Crooners.

As usual, if you have any questions or comments, please click on the envelope icon at the top right of this screen.