drink cards or on board credit

[wyomom2]

First cruise early December. HAL - eastern carrib.

 

What is the difference, what is best? Non alcoholic drink card, soda card, or on board credit? Family of five, two kids (tweens). Not big soda drinkers. Three adults. Two non drinkers, one light drinker.

 

We would like everyone in our group to have a little "pocket money".

 

Also, is water (bottled) free or do we purchase on our drink cards?

 

Thanks.

[lv9777]

We just purchased a $50 soda card for our two kids to share. It was on sale for $25 a few days ago. You may want to check and see if they are still on sale. This seemed like to good of a deal to pass up. We don't allow soda very often so this is a treat for my kids. What I don't know is what they charge for a soda on board. Will this card buy 25 glasses or only 10?

[Typhoon1]

I would agree with the soda card,

 

The kids will put that to good use.

[lazey1]

Bottled water is not free, IIRC it is about $2.00 per bottle. The regular ships water tastes good and is fine for drinking.

[ninkb]

. . . is the discount that comes with it. Purchase a $50 card for $45 (plus tax). With the OBC there is no discount. Purchase $50 and pay $50. The beverage card can be used for soft drinks as well as wine or liquor, or coffee.

 

The fountain sodas are less per glass than a can of soda, but neither is as cheap as it is at home. Plus there is always the 15% gratuity on top.

 

You can always purchase cans of soda at port and bring them onto the ship for the childrens special treat!

[parrotfeathers]

If they convert my wine card (already paid for) to a "beverage" card will they give the extra credit automatically or will it be a straight conversion--once I get on board?

[LAFFNVEGAS]

First cruise early December. HAL - eastern carrib.

 

What is the difference, what is best? Non alcoholic drink card, soda card, or on board credit? Family of five, two kids (tweens). Not big soda drinkers. Three adults. Two non drinkers, one light drinker.

 

We would like everyone in our group to have a little "pocket money".

 

Also, is water (bottled) free or do we purchase on our drink cards?

 

Thanks.

While I understand what others are answering for you I think you may be asking about Group Amenities because you ask between on board credit or beverage cards :confused:

It sounds like maybe your TA is trying to set up a Group for your family and you are wanting to know the difference between the on board credit or beverage cards.

With HAL they are doing something interesting and my guess it is to get passengers accustom to using beverage cards. When a TA sets up a Group they are assigned amenity points based on the sailing. With those points you can chose items that each cabin receives. Currently if you use points for the Beverage cards the dollar value you will receive is far more favorable. An example is you may have 4 points for a sailing and with those 4 points you can select $50.00 per cabin Ship Board credit or you can chose two $50.00 per person Beverage cards. The Beverage cards can be used for Soda, the Explorations Cafe for Speciality Coffees and Teas and of course for Wine and other adult beverages. I can see if people in the group do not drink any of these things that the ship board credit would be an advantage but over all dollar wise it is a smart move to go with the beverage cards.

 

I have a goup cruise that I plan to go on that I recently changed it showed $75.00 per cabin Ship Board credit and I ccahnged it to Two $50.00 Beverage Cards and Pinnacle Grill lunch for two. It went from being worth $75.00 to $120.00.

 

It does sound like you group over all will not drink much so possibly the on board credit would be better but I am sure the reason they may be pushing the beverage card is because over all value is better.

Remember the beverage cards can be used for Mock Cocktails as well.