Beverage Cards

[Princess_Sunflower]

I'm not a coffee, hot/cold tea drinker. Mainly drink soda. I'm not sure whether to get a Beverage Card or buy drinks separately and also bring some soda on board. Anyone know about how much a soda costs? I read that the Beverage Card can cost around $42.

 

Would appreciate your thoughts. :rolleyes:

[catmand]

Different lines, different prices but it seems like those run between 3.50 and 5 dollars a day for the soda card. The soda is all gun type soda, not from the can. The cost for a can of saoda is around 1.75, so you can do the math. Neither of us are big soda/pop drinkers. We have found Celebrity offers enough things to drink we don't want the card, Princess we do buy it.

[springtxbill]

RCCL and I believe the others now are $6 per day for the card. You have to drink 4 sodas per day for every day of the cruise to break even.:)

[cands]

I also rarely drink tea and never coffee, and love my soda/soft drink. I have only found the cards on Princess and always made my money back in the first few days. The watery soda fountain version of my favorite soda gets a bit wearing after a few weeks, so I buy a real can as a treat.

 

On the longish cruises (20 days), on ships with no card system, we stock up before leaving each port. I've got some weird comments from the check point on boarding but never a hint of not being allowed to take it on board.

 

Also in some foreign ports the soda/soft drink is particularly cheap, especially away from the tourist spots.

 

I've found on a number of ships the bar staff not particularly obliging as refills are free. They often only have smaller glasses available. You can generally get a very large refill somewhere out on deck near the pool on most ships.

 

Chris

[Cotton]

It would help if you mentioned which cruiseline.;)

 

Carnival, for instance, has the soda cards, but I would think you'd have to be a heavy Coke drinker for it to be a money saver. I always take my own plastic-bottled Cokes.

 

You asked about price - (again, Carnival) - the soft drinks in your cabin are the 20-oz. bottles of Cokes and Sprites, and are $2.50 each, and the liter of bottled water is $3.25. Around the ship, there are a few machines that have the canned Coke products for $1.50.

 

Although I am a Cokeaholic, I enjoy the lemonade on Lido Deck or from room service, as a change. It's quite good and refreshing - try it.:)

[Princess_Sunflower]

Thanks for everyone's input. This board rocks!

 

I'll be traveling on Voyager of the Seas so if anyone has any specific info on this ship I would appreciate it. Sorry for not mentioning it in my original post.

[wrp96]

Per RCCL's website, the soda card is $6 per person (up from January) per day plus a 15% gratuity. The card is actually a sticker on your seapass card and you have to buy it the first day. Again, you don't get actual cans, you only get fountain beverages. I don't drink sodas so have never gotten it, but if you only drink sodas, then it is probably worth it.

[springtxbill]

Local sales tax will also be added to your card purchase when purchased before the ship leaves port.:)

[serene56]

Taken from Royal Caribbeans web page:

 

Do you offer drink packages?

To make your vacation more convenient, we offer an Adult and Kids Soda/Juice Package as stated below.

 

ADULT FOUNTAIN SODA/JUICE PACKAGE

This package entitles guests 18 years of age and older to unlimited consumption of fountain sodas (no cans) and juices at all bars and lounges, Windjammer, Dining Room and Private Destinations (CocoCay and Labadee). This package is available for purchase on the day of embarkation at all bars and lounges and may be charged to your SeaPass account. After this package has been purchased, a sticker will be placed on your boarding card allowing you to consume fountain sodas (no cans) and juices throughout your cruise. A complimentary Coca Cola souvenir cup is included as part of the package.

 

Juices that are included in this package are orange juice, grapefruit juice, pineapple juice and cranberry juice. Juices are complimentary for all guests during breakfast.

 

The cost of the package is $6.00 per person, per day, and is applicable to the total days of the cruise vacation. A 15% gratuity charge will be added.

 

Please note: The fountain soda / juice package is only available for the total amount of days of the cruise and prices are subject to change without notice.