Early risers, what's open/available?

I’m an eArly riser but rarely before 7 on the ship. I usually get a latte from the cove along with a cinnamon scroll or a banana from the gym. Coffee anywhere else on the ship is awful. As for the navigator I find the phone app to be much more up to date and easy to use.
 
The coffee at the drink stations is Joffrey's which I love, but it is from a concentrate so it is weak, and I like my coffee really strong. Starbucks Via is an option, or I pack Oriental coffee packets and add one to a cup. I have it as espresso, 2 in 1 and 3 in 1 and have it as a back up. I have gotten hooked on Cold Brew all because of the Cove Cafe. I stop every morning after my exercise walk on deck 4 and bring it with me to breakfast. You get a coffee card and after 6 coffee drinks (this includes adult coffee too) you get one free.

I will also say the MDR coffee is much better than the drink station.
 
We like to do that early Cabanas debarkation breakfast instead of the MDR. It really is a much better option.
I don’t know about you, but I found Cabana’s coffee better than the drink station. I don’t see why anyone couldn’t just wander into Cabana’s during the day and grab a cup. By better, I mean not brown water or burnt sludge.

I tried to get some coffee from Cabanas on our last Fantasy cruise. It was mid afternoon when they weren't serving food. They had the drink stations closed also. I don't know if that's the norm or not. I agree with everyone else about the coffee being pretty bad. I'm just glad I only drink 1 or 2 cups a day.
 
Horrid drink station coffee? Is it that bad?! I'm an addict, so I'm not too picky, but it has to be a bit above horrid!
I'm leaning toward room service pots of coffee and croissants at 0530 every morning to get the day started. DH will definitely be using the gym. Thanks for the advice!



I agree! Can't wait. We booked a verandah stateroom for this reason.



Does Cove Cafe have any free coffee available? Pastries in the case are included in the cruise fare, correct? And on the day we arrive in port at 0730 will breakfast be available earlier?



Thank you for this advice! Sounds like a tradition being born!



Thanks, will do!



Thanks for sharing the gorgeous photos!



We have cruised some recently on RCCL also, but this is our first Disney Cruise, so we are unfamiliar with what to expect. Don't worry, we won't have any trouble finding something to do! We love walking, reading, taking photos, just wandering around or soaking up the scenery. Just wondering where we could find free coffee and a snack until the other venues are open for full breakfast.



Great idea! Hope to make friends with the steward early in the sailing!



Agree, the early morning hours on the ship are too amazing to miss!



So do you find the coffee on DCL that bad that you need to bring the packets? I'm getting a little nervous now. We drink A LOT of coffee, we're talking a LOT of packets we'd have to pack.



Thanks for this tip! We hope to comb the whole ship from top to bottom to find all the little touches you refer to. I doubt we'll find all, but will put forward a great effort!



Doing this, thanks for the tip!
I'll admit I never tried the coffee on the ship. I like 1 latte in the morning and that's it for the day. Not knowing what the choices would be it was safer to pack my via lattes and know what I was getting. I've gotten spoiled at work with the fancy coffee maker that has a little fridge to keep a gallon of milk hooked up for my morning latte.
 


I get up every morning without an alarm at 5:00. I place my order for an urn of coffee, yogurt and a bowl of fruit every night before I go to bed. When it arrives, I take it out onto the verandah to read and watch the sun come up... I even did it on our cruise to Alaska in September. I had to wrap up in a blanket but it was breath taking.
 
So do you find the coffee on DCL that bad that you need to bring the packets? I'm getting a little nervous now. We drink A LOT of coffee, we're talking a LOT of packets we'd have to pack.
My husband is not very picky about his coffee and even he hated it and was glad I’d brought VIA packets thanks to the heads up from DISboards
 


I'll admit I never tried the coffee on the ship. I like 1 latte in the morning and that's it for the day. Not knowing what the choices would be it was safer to pack my via lattes and know what I was getting. I've gotten spoiled at work with the fancy coffee maker that has a little fridge to keep a gallon of milk hooked up for my morning latte.
If you just have 1 latte a day, you can get that at Cove Cafe or they have a place in Cabanas that will make a coffee drink for you. Both will have a small charge, but since you're only having 1 a day not a large extra expense. And you can get special foam art at Cove Cafe which is fun!
 
If you just have 1 latte a day, you can get that at Cove Cafe or they have a place in Cabanas that will make a coffee drink for you. Both will have a small charge, but since you're only having 1 a day not a large extra expense. And you can get special foam art at Cove Cafe which is fun!
I'll probably try that next time. We did our first in March, a 3 night. Next we're scheduled on the 4 night for Christmas next year. There's some things we didn't know about or have time to try on our first and hope to get to on our second.
 
Early riser here as well

I wake up around 5am
I bring my own individual coffee packets (usually Bustelo - get it from Target, better than SB imo), my coffee mug and fill it with hot water at the drink station
Then I head to Meridian to read. IMO its the best view on the ship and there are (mostly) no smokers from 5-7 am.. seeing the sunrise from the Meridian is an astonishing experience. As I said, best view on the ship
Plus it has a covered area with ok lighting for reading when its still dark
So I read from 5.30-7, then go back to the room to change into gym clothes, I head over to cabanas for light breakfast, read a little more on deck 4, then I put down my book and walk/jog 2-3mi around the track.
By then its 8-8.30 and I'll join DD14 and her mom for their breakfast and then whatever else the day brings

But I love my 'alone' time from 5-8 AM on the ship.
 
I second the Starbucks Via suggestion above. We have done it a number of times....not the best solution, but certainly better than the ship's coffee machine stuff that has been really, really bad. We will be on the Fantasy next June and will see if they upgraded their java. Alas, 5:30am is a bit too early for "happy hour."
I like the Joffrey's coffee on deck. It's much better than the old Nescafe concentrate they had a while back.
 
Guest Services is also open (24/7). Early morning is the perfect time to visit them if necessary in my experience.

As for the coffee at the beverage station, I'd try it yourself without prejudice. Tons of people drink it. I use a carrier to collect several cups of tea and one coffee every morning. For me, Joffrey's is actually too strong (yes, a coffee wimp here) so I mix it with hot water and plenty of cream. :) Back to the verandah where I drink my coffee first. By then, the tea is cool enough to enjoy as the sun comes up. Heaven.
 
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I am a morning person as well. Unfortunately husband is not, so room service is not an option as I don't want to wake him up. I am usually starving in the mornings around 5 and find it so hard to wait until the breakfast opens - I wish they had some option for food earlier, say 6 AM at least. So what I do is order Uncrustables from room service the day before and have them as my early breakfast. Then I like to exercise, walk the ship and read. I usually sit in either Cove Cafe or by Guest Services - sometimes it is fun to eavesdrop a little at what people are complaining to Guest Services staff. The staff there is amazing how they can handle all the myriad of complaints that people have.
 
I am a morning person as well. Unfortunately husband is not, so room service is not an option as I don't want to wake him up. I am usually starving in the mornings around 5 and find it so hard to wait until the breakfast opens - I wish they had some option for food earlier, say 6 AM at least. So what I do is order Uncrustables from room service the day before and have them as my early breakfast. Then I like to exercise, walk the ship and read. I usually sit in either Cove Cafe or by Guest Services - sometimes it is fun to eavesdrop a little at what people are complaining to Guest Services staff. The staff there is amazing how they can handle all the myriad of complaints that people have.
As a people watcher, I can relate to this.
 
I am a morning person as well. Unfortunately husband is not, so room service is not an option as I don't want to wake him up. I am usually starving in the mornings around 5 and find it so hard to wait until the breakfast opens - I wish they had some option for food earlier, say 6 AM at least. So what I do is order Uncrustables from room service the day before and have them as my early breakfast. Then I like to exercise, walk the ship and read. I usually sit in either Cove Cafe or by Guest Services - sometimes it is fun to eavesdrop a little at what people are complaining to Guest Services staff. The staff there is amazing how they can handle all the myriad of complaints that people have.

Agree that GS is amazing but wonder where you could possibly sit close enough to hear unless someone is actually yelling? Yikes! :mic:

As for me, I visit them to add tips to our room attendant, server and usually assistant server. I take the tip sheets that have been delivered to our cabins, GS gives me a form to fill in the new amounts and then prints new sheets. I have found this easier than carrying lots of extra cash. I am normally the only guest at the counter that early in the morning.

On the Fantasy and I would guess the Dream, Vista Cafe opens early.....6:30 or 7am on our last cruise depending whether it is a port or sea day. Its hours seem to be the same as Cove Cafe.
 
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The drink station coffee is better since they switched from Nescafe to Joffreys a couple years ago. Not top shelf but drinkable. And room service coffee is also fine. I believe they use the same coffee in Cabanas as in the drink station.
 
We are also early risers - sometimes as early as 5 AM. Usually we go up and walk around the upper decks, take photos, and just relax. It is nice to enjoy the nearly empty ship. Now that there are no paper navigators in the room I use that time to go downstairs and get one at that time too. I have repeatedly written on the DCL comment cards that I would really love more options in the early morning - maybe a 6 or 7 AM movie in the BVT with a coffee/pastry cart outside? We must be the only ones who suggest things like that as they have yet to add anything on!
 

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