If you're someone who craves extra-hot, nonfat vanilla lattes with an additional pump of sugar syrup from Starbucks, nothing beats having coffee made just the way you like it every time. That's why having your favorite latte while floating through the ocean hundreds -- if not thousands -- of miles from home can be such a special treat.
With the addition of Starbucks on cruise ships, not only can you find Starbucks brand coffee onboard select ships, but you also might even be able to get your morning cup from a standalone Starbucks kiosk on one of your go-to cruise lines.
In 2010, Royal Caribbean was the first cruise line to partner with Starbucks, offering a storefront experience on Oasis of the Seas and, later, Allure of the Seas. Ships in the Oasis Class have kiosks similar to land-based Starbucks stores, with a comprehensive beverage menu featuring coffee, tea, Frappuccinos and more.
Royal Caribbean ships with standalone Starbucks locations onboard include:
Oasis of the Seas
Allure of the Seas
Harmony of the Seas
Symphony of the Seas
Norwegian Cruise Line joined the caffeinated fray in 2018 when a full-service Starbucks debuted on Norwegian Bliss -- a nod to the ship's seasonal homeport in Seattle. Since then, a number of ships in the Norwegian fleet have received Starbucks outposts as part of Norwegian Edge upgrades:
Norwegian Joy
Norwegian Getaway
Norwegian Sky
Norwegian Spirit (coming 2020)
Even without dedicated Starbucks baristas, a number of cruise ships still provide a hot cup of Pike Place Roast.
Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class ships offer Starbucks coffee from onboard cafe La Patisserie. Other ships in the fleet serve Seattle's Best Coffee, a Starbucks brand, in Cafe Promenade or Latte-tudes.
Likewise, other ships in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet without a dedicated Starbucks venue still serve their coffee throughout various onboard cafes and at self-serve stations in the buffet.
German cruise line AIDA also serves Starbucks drinks and treats onboard AIDAprima.
Your venti chai or grande macchiato will be about the same price on a cruise ship as it would be ashore, and you'll pay for your drink like anything else onboard -- with your cruise card. Most onboard beverage packages do not include Starbucks drinks, so be sure to check the details of your cruise drink package before splurging on your daily Starbucks fix.
Starbucks gift cards and rewards are accepted only at dedicated Starbucks locations at sea (like on Norwegian Bliss or Oasis of the Seas).
For more on how to find your java joy on a ship, read up on the best cruises for coffee.