Soda package for young kids?

[alcie]

We're going on FOS in July. How many sodas per day do you have to drink to make the package worth it? I was originally thinking about getting the soda package for our 6 year old and the juice package for our 3 year old. But the 6 yr old probably won't drink more than 2 per day (she rarely gets soda at home - usually drinks milk and juice) and we only let her drink ones without caffeine so that might be pretty limiting. The 3 yr old usually drinks 3 small cups of juice per day but the bottles look like they could easily be 2-3 servings for a little one? Would either of these packages be worth it or would we be better off just getting their drinks individualy? What kinds of drinks are free outside of meal times?

[bigeagle12]

Kids need to drink 2 per day to break even and adults 3.

[cb at sea]

A can of soda makes 2 glasses and is $2.25 a can. Or, you could bring a few plastic bottles of soda, and pour as needed. There's other stuff to drink (juice is included with breakfast), and most kids won't notice a lack of soda, if it's not visible!

Lemonade, water, and iced tea are avail. all day, and you can get milk with all meals, and in the WJ.

[Gairy Fodmother]

A 6 year old doesn't need 1 soda a day never mind two :( Buy bottled water, her teeth will thank you later. Same for the juice.

[Puffinater]

A 6 year old doesn't need 1 soda a day never mind two :( Buy bottled water, her teeth will thank you later. Same for the juice.

 

Seriously?

[gerif]

Ship water is perfectly fine to drink. Juices are included at breakfast. My advice, bring some empty sports bottles (or sippy cups for the little one) - fill with juice in the morning and keep in the cabin fridge during the day. Fill some with water, some with lemonade, etc., and the kids will be happy all day. You can put in some ice and bring them on excursions. Really no need to pay extra for any of this stuff. If the 6 year old really wants an occasional soda, you can purchase individual cans as you go, but I think you'll find he'll be just as happy with the included beverages. You can always get small cartons of milk and they will be happy to make chocolate milk in the MDR.

[lrn2cruise]

OP, I have been thinking about the soda package too for my 11 yr old son. He is allowed only one soda (Dr Pepper) a day. if it is a special occasion, like Christmas Day, etc, he can have another. So, with the cruise, I am still trying to process all of this and wonder if it is even worth it.

 

From what I understand, there is no Dr Pepper on the cruise anyway. I think your little one would be ok with the Sprite.

I know my DH ill be fine with tea and lemonade. I am a biggest coke drinker in the family and drink Diet Coke. I would really like to share a cup with the family, but that is not allowed.

Anyway, I think we might be able to get cans in shop in the Promanade, I think????

[alcie]

Ship water is perfectly fine to drink. Juices are included at breakfast. My advice, bring some empty sports bottles (or sippy cups for the little one) - fill with juice in the morning and keep in the cabin fridge during the day. Fill some with water, some with lemonade, etc., and the kids will be happy all day. You can put in some ice and bring them on excursions. Really no need to pay extra for any of this stuff. If the 6 year old really wants an occasional soda, you can purchase individual cans as you go, but I think you'll find he'll be just as happy with the included beverages. You can always get small cartons of milk and they will be happy to make chocolate milk in the MDR.

 

 

Do all rooms have a fridge? We're going to be in a connecting D1 balcony and L interior. This is a great idea, I didn't know if there would be anything to drink outside of meals if we didn't get one of these packages.

[tonythewop]

IMHO, do not bother with the soda package. :(

I got it for my kids on my last cruise and the soda is of such an inferior quality ( think syrup with little fizz ) that it was almost undrinkable.:eek:

When you have the soda package, they will never bring you the can variety.

We were so disappointed that I asked Guest Services to cancel the package 3 days into the cruise. I think RCCL knows the product is inferior since they did not argue and also credited the entire cruise even though we used 3 days. :)

[gerif]

Do all rooms have a fridge? We're going to be in a connecting D1 balcony and L interior. This is a great idea, I didn't know if there would be anything to drink outside of meals if we didn't get one of these packages.

 

Except for the interior cabins on some of the older, smaller ships (e.g., Monarch, Majesty), all of the others have fridges. Now, they are more like dorm cubes that do not get really cold, so you might want to put some things on ice (like milk cartons in particular) which is what DH does as he likes his drinks frosty cold. I'm perfectly happy with cool as I'm sure kids would be.

[Gairy Fodmother]

Seriously?

 

Yep seriously, haven't you heard about soda rotting teeth, sheeesh where you been?

[Puffinater]

Yep seriously, haven't you heard about soda rotting teeth, sheeesh where you been?

 

Have you not heard of a toothbrush and toothpaste? Sheeeeesh where have you been?

[akscubainst]

2 sodas a day is 300 calories or more. A 6 year old needs what 12-1500 calories a day. Just Sayin

 

I'm fortunate, my 9 and 14 y/o prefer water or unsweetened tea over soda anyway. With all the options they had to drink for free - Water, tea, lemonade, flavored water, juices, and milk. We bought 1 Shirley Temple and 1 virgin Pina Colada in 10 days.

 

We did all have a laugh back in the cabin about the adults walking around with Coke cups, most of them looked like the could stand to have a few less.

[Gairy Fodmother]

Have you not heard of a toothbrush and toothpaste? Sheeeeesh where have you been?

 

Yeah cos that'll get the acid off won't it! Still you go for it.

 

Better still type in Soda rots teeth images into Google and then come back to me with the toothpaste theory.

 

If after viewing that you can still give your kids two soda's a day then good on you.

[zooma]

Does anyone know whether sparkling water (perrier, seltzer, whatever) is included in the soda package -- or is it free? And if anyone has gotten the bottled water package, what size bottles are we talking about? thanks!

[waterbug123]

A can of soda makes 2 glasses and is $2.25 a can. .

 

Unless the package has changed, you can only get fountain soda with it, not cans.

[waterbug123]

Anyway, I think we might be able to get cans in shop in the Promanade, I think????

 

As far as I know, canned sodas are available at pretty much any bar. If you don't have a soda package and are paying for each soda, you will get cans when you order.

[waterbug123]

Do all rooms have a fridge? We're going to be in a connecting D1 balcony and L interior. This is a great idea, I didn't know if there would be anything to drink outside of meals if we didn't get one of these packages.

 

Beverages are always available; it's just a matter of whether you choose to buy a package, buy drinks a la carte, or stick to the included beverages (coffee/tea/lemonade).

[waterbug123]

Yeah cos that'll get the acid off won't it! Still you go for it.

 

Better still type in Soda rots teeth images into Google and then come back to me with the toothpaste theory.

 

If after viewing that you can still give your kids two soda's a day then good on you.

 

Lighten up. It's a cruise, a vacation, a chance to splurge a little. I don't think any child's teeth are going to be ruined for life because mom and dad let them drink soda on vacation. Sheesh :rolleyes:

[bluebird4d]

Lighten up. It's a cruise, a vacation, a chance to splurge a little. I don't think any child's teeth are going to be ruined for life because mom and dad let them drink soda on vacation. Sheesh :rolleyes:

 

Totally agree with you watetbug. Perhaps these wonderful parents also stop their children having desserts at dinner and on our forthcoming Easter cruise would suggest I stop my kids getting involved in the Easter egg hunt as they will also rot their teeth!

The only thing deprivation leads to is your kids resenting you for not allowing them to have a childhood!

[CaptData]

We're going on FOS in July. How many sodas per day do you have to drink to make the package worth it? I was originally thinking about getting the soda package for our 6 year old and the juice package for our 3 year old. But the 6 yr old probably won't drink more than 2 per day (she rarely gets soda at home - usually drinks milk and juice) and we only let her drink ones without caffeine so that might be pretty limiting. The 3 yr old usually drinks 3 small cups of juice per day but the bottles look like they could easily be 2-3 servings for a little one? Would either of these packages be worth it or would we be better off just getting their drinks individualy? What kinds of drinks are free outside of meal times?

 

I would get a juice package and split it between the kids. Milk is available in the various areas ie Windjammer, Park Cafe, Cafe Promenade ect. Juice is available in the morning but it may be the sugary type. Think punch. Juice package is real juice.

[will773]

Lighten up. It's a cruise, a vacation, a chance to splurge a little. I don't think any child's teeth are going to be ruined for life because mom and dad let them drink soda on vacation. Sheesh :rolleyes:

 

I agree with you. Vacation is the chance to be able to do some fun things.

[bplazo]

A 6 year old doesn't need 1 soda a day never mind two :( Buy bottled water, her teeth will thank you later. Same for the juice.

 

Wow, you are starting to sound like our government.

[alcie]

To the posters that apparently think I load my 6 year old up with soda on a daily basis or that I'm assisting in rotting her teeth, I think you misunderstood me. At home my children don't get soda, their juice is watered down and yes it is 100% juice (not fruit punch). My 3 yr old is not allowed soda at any time and the 6 year old can drink only non-caffeinated sodas at birthday parties or the rare dinner out. Also, none of us are overweight and we're all very active.

 

I'm new to cruising with kids and I thought you couldn't get other drinks outside of meals. I don't know if kids in AO can get their own fountain drinks. If they can then we probably won't be with the 6 year old every time she wants a drink, and if given the choice chances are she's going to choose the soda over water as most kids would. HOWEVER - if there's lemonade available she would choose that over soda any day. I realize this has just as much sugar as soda, if not more, but I would still prefer she drink this.

 

I didn't know lemonade was an option as a free drink in my original post. When I learned lemonade and regular milk are available between meals and that there's a fridge in our room I quickly realized I don't need the soda or juice package. Thank you to those who are providing helpful answers and not just assuming that my kids are consuming too many calories and have few cavity-free teeth remaining in their little mouths.

[Maxiecat3]

To the posters that apparently think I load my 6 year old up with soda on a daily basis or that I'm assisting in rotting her teeth, I think you misunderstood me. At home my children don't get soda, their juice is watered down and yes it is 100% juice (not fruit punch). My 3 yr old is not allowed soda at any time and the 6 year old can drink only non-caffeinated sodas at birthday parties or the rare dinner out. Also, none of us are overweight and we're all very active.

 

I'm new to cruising with kids and I thought you couldn't get other drinks outside of meals. I don't know if kids in AO can get their own fountain drinks. If they can then we probably won't be with the 6 year old every time she wants a drink, and if given the choice chances are she's going to choose the soda over water as most kids would. HOWEVER - if there's lemonade available she would choose that over soda any day. I realize this has just as much sugar as soda, if not more, but I would still prefer she drink this.

 

I didn't know lemonade was an option as a free drink in my original post. When I learned lemonade and regular milk are available between meals and that there's a fridge in our room I quickly realized I don't need the soda or juice package. Thank you to those who are providing helpful answers and not just assuming that my kids are consuming too many calories and have few cavity-free teeth remaining in their little mouths.

 

Don't worry about what some people post. When you have a chance to post more you might not believe what else might happen. You will always have the fashion police, parenting police etc. on this site. I remember one thread where a parent asked if their children could be taken to AO while they went on an adult type excursion. Reading some of the replies you would have thought some of the posters felt they should be arrested for child neglect. It takes all kinds.

 

Gregg