How does Unlimited Soda Package work?

[cruzegurl104]

So here's one to let you "ethically" think about...

 

On day 2, we were heading off the ship in port and I had to check my bag for something. I put my cup down, checked my bag...and forgot my cup!! I didn't realize it until we got back on the ship and didn't find my cup in the room. I went down to Guest Serivces and explained I lost my cup - without checking my sea pass card they gave me a brand new cup. I thought to myself, "wow, I must look really trust worthy!" But it just goes to show - the revenue they make on the package for the week obviously doesn't equate to what they pay for the product. They make out quite fine and for us, it's about convenience.

 

I like getting the soda package because, as said previously, you get two drinks a day and it pays for itself. Plus, you do have to sign and TIP each time you get a soda whether its from the Freestyle machine or a bar.

 

Pretty interesting. Thx for sharing

[mramoscmp]

That should have read you do NOT have to sign and TIP each time...

[zap99]

Oh brother. Now "sharing" constitutes "cheap"

 

I've heard everything now:rolleyes::confused:

 

What an ammusing thread this is turning out to be. I have this vision of 6 Rich folk on their cruise sitting on someone else's balcony, passing around their cup of flat Coke ( topping it up with moonshine from the Rum Runner ). Then off to the Diamond Lounge so they can get a free drink in there own clean glass.

[xxoocruiser]

Can you reuse the cup on another cruise? We are thinking of buying one cup to share as we like our coke, but don't feel the need to purchase two. Hubby and I will just share.

 

No the chip is programed for the specific cruise it was purchased for and does not function once the that cruise as end.

[mramoscmp]

When you use the Freestlye machine, it tells you when your cup will expire. Ours said 2 weeks after the purchase date, so if you're on a B2B, you're in luck!

[roebud]

Does anyone know how the Dasani water options work? Are they all flavored or can you get non flavored Dasani?

[AlanWong1314]

Does anyone know how the Dasani water options work? Are they all flavored or can you get non flavored Dasani?

 

They have freestyle machines in restaurants as well. And from what I can tell from using those, you can get non-flavored as well.

[SHICHIDAN]

I always get the soda package and my husband doesn't. I am sure he has taken a sip on occasion if my cup is sitting out on the desk, but NEVER have we gotten a soda with the intentions of sharing it or for him to drink. I do believe you buy a package for ONE person and anyone buying a package for one with the intentions of sharing it with someone else is cheating/stealing.

 

If you split your TV cable and shared it with you neighbor you could go to jail. If you bought 1 airline ticket with the intentions of having your wife sit on your lap for free, do you think you could get away with that? How about if you ordered all you can eat sushi for one and let someone else eat from your plate....I doubt the owners of that restaurant would let you get away with it.

 

The cruise lines give you plenty of choices of beverages that are included in your cruise ticket....there is really no excuse for stealing from them.

 

Everyone has their own moral standards, but, assuming that Royal Caribbean "knows" this is happening and they are OK with it is a lot of rationalizing something you know is wrong but you are trying to feel better about.

 

 

How about per your moral standards the neighbor borrows the cable too watch 3 minutes of the news, just a sip so to speak. Your husband takes just one bite of sushi each if three trips because the plate was just sitting there.

 

According to your correct analogy on cheating by the other people, are you not also a cheat with bent moral compass?

 

Just a sip here and there.

[reallyitsmema]

They have freestyle machines in restaurants as well. And from what I can tell from using those, you can get non-flavored as well.

Correct, but Dasani is just filtered water so it will just be the ships water that has passed through an additional filter.

[Desertbelle]

How about per your moral standards the neighbor borrows the cable too watch 3 minutes of the news, just a sip so to speak. Your husband takes just one bite of sushi each if three trips because the plate was just sitting there.

 

According to your correct analogy on cheating by the other people, are you not also a cheat with bent moral compass?

 

Just a sip here and there.

 

So, I asked my husband how many sips he took on our last cruise, a B2B on the Mariner, 29 days total. He said he might have taken one sip from an abandoned cup I left out on the desk in the cabin, but he couldn't be sure of even that. As I said in my earlier post, I assumed he had, but I wasn't sure...so, maybe 1 sip in 29 days!! This is still a very long way off from buying a package with the intent to share it!!

 

People have to make their own choices, and if someone is comfortable buying one package with intent to share with someone else, then nothing I have to say will change them.

[metairiegal]

How much does 1 soda package cost on the Allure?

 

If anyone hasn't tried the freestyle machines, you can try them out at Burger King and Pei Wei. That is where I have seen them.

[the_journeyman]

If you've ever been to Universal Studios, they're the same type machines they have there.

 

1. Pick your soda (Coke, Sprite, etc)

 

2. Then IF you want a flavor, you add choose from the selection of flavors.

 

3. Enjoy.

 

JM

[AlanWong1314]

How much does 1 soda package cost on the Allure?

 

If anyone hasn't tried the freestyle machines, you can try them out at Burger King and Pei Wei. That is where I have seen them.

 

It really depends on how many days you're going for. If you're going for 7 days, it's around 50ish dollars + tax.

[mjldvlks]

How much does 1 soda package cost on the Allure? . . .

 

The cost is the same on every ship -- $6.50 per day [actually night since that is how cruises are measured] plus 15% gratuity. That equals about $7.48 per day. If my math is correct, for a 7 night cruise it is $52.33 [the daily fee is actually 7.475 so rounding may save or cost a few pennies].

 

I always get the package. It makes sense for me [typically don't drink alcohol, so when we are meeting friends in lounges, I drink soda]. If you are likely to buy at least 3 sodas a day in the absence of the package, I suggest it makes sense for you as well. In all our cruises, I have only had one instance of poor servise because I was using the package and one where the product tasted off. Both were on the same cruise aboard Jewel in Oct 2010 [but I found the service on that cruise suspect in general]. In general, I have been well satisfied with the package.

[AlanWong1314]

The cost is the same on every ship -- $6.50 per day [actually night since that is how cruises are measured] plus 15% gratuity. That equals about $7.48 per day. If my math is correct, for a 7 night cruise it is $52.33 [the daily fee is actually 7.475 so rounding may save or cost a few pennies].

 

I always get the package. It makes sense for me [typically don't drink alcohol, so when we are meeting friends in lounges, I drink soda]. If you are likely to buy at least 3 sodas a day in the absence of the package, I suggest it makes sense for you as well. In all our cruises, I have only had one instance of poor servise because I was using the package and one where the product tasted off. Both were on the same cruise aboard Jewel in Oct 2010 [but I found the service on that cruise suspect in general]. In general, I have been well satisfied with the package.

 

I ordered the package already for my upcoming cruise. I'm sure it'll be worth it considering how hot it will be. Only problem is that you're gonna have to lug the cup around and when you want to try the flow rider and stuff you're gonna have to put it down. Hopefully I won't lose it!

[nmuller328]

When it comes to sharing a soda package instead of buying one for each person, it really does come down to what your moral code is. For me, I have been taught that stealing is stealing and the amount is not really what matters - it is the deed. So maybe some of you feel that stealing something inexpensive from a huge corporation is an OK thing to do. So where do you draw the line? If it is OK to steal soda, is it OK to add an extra little item from the gift shop? I mean hey - you paid for one souvenir flashlight, why not take two? After all, they only cost $6.

 

well said!!!!!

[eggnoodle]

I ordered the package already for my upcoming cruise. I'm sure it'll be worth it considering how hot it will be. Only problem is that you're gonna have to lug the cup around and when you want to try the flow rider and stuff you're gonna have to put it down. Hopefully I won't lose it!

 

I think I've used the souvenir cup once while on the cruise. When I'm up at the pool area, I just head over to the bar and ask for a coke and flash them my seapass.

[akcruz]

I ordered the package already for my upcoming cruise. I'm sure it'll be worth it considering how hot it will be. Only problem is that you're gonna have to lug the cup around and when you want to try the flow rider and stuff you're gonna have to put it down. Hopefully I won't lose it!

 

The only time you need the cup is to use the Freestyle machine. Otherwise, just show your seapass at any bar and you will get a glass of soda.

 

This is the first cruise where we sailed with the freestyle machine so will have to see how often my son looses his cup (he's the only one that gets the package, the rest of us go for the good stuff). Never have used the cups on previous sailings, they almost always came home still wrapped in the plastic!

Edited April 24, 2013 by akcruz

[Peeker28]

The only time you need the cup is to use the Freestyle machine. Otherwise, just show your seapass at any bar and you will get a glass of soda.

 

This is the first cruise where we sailed with the freestyle machine so will have to see how often my son looses his cup (he's the only one that gets the package, the rest of us go for the good stuff). Never have used the cups on previous sailings, they almost always came home still wrapped in the plastic!

I carry a bag around, and I plan on putting my cup in the bag. My DH though probably won't use his cup at all.

[mjldvlks]

. . . Only problem is that you're gonna have to lug the cup around . . .

 

You only have to have the cup in order to use the free style machines [and I have yet to be on a ship that had them]. If you don't want to carry it, or don't happen to have it, your sea pass will be labeled and you will be servied a soda from any of the bars or other places [like Windjammer] where they have fountains that are not self serve. When I was on Independence [did not have freestyle at the time], for example, I frequently would stop at one of the pool area bars and get a soda on my way back to our cabin from the fitness facility.

 

Sorry for being repetitive -- should have read the whole thread [and akcruz's post] before responding.

Edited April 24, 2013 by mjldvlks

[metairiegal]

I think I've used the souvenir cup once while on the cruise. When I'm up at the pool area, I just head over to the bar and ask for a coke and flash them my seapass.

 

Do you have to sign each time you get a coke at a bar? And, do they add in a tip each time?

[Clarea]

Do you have to sign each time you get a coke at a bar? And, do they add in a tip each time?

No signing and no tip added if you have the soda package.

[metairiegal]

No signing and no tip added if you have the soda package.

 

Thanks. :)

[roquejo]

Does anyone know how the Dasani water options work? Are they all flavored or can you get non flavored Dasani?

 

Do all ships that have coke freestyle machine have non flavored Dasani? Can someone on Allure confirm this?

 

I do believe still non flavored Dasani is just ship's water, so might get sparkling one's as an alternative.

 

With this, I guess it can add value and $52 might be worth spending, knowing it's not healthy to live exclusively on sugared, artificial sweetener, or high fructose corn syrup for 7 days just to break even or get your money's worth..

 

You may want to occasionally get sparkling non flavored Dasani water as a substitute for soda and plain ship's filtered water to squeezed as much value from the $52 dollars and not kill your health with all those sweeterners by drinking flavored soda all the time.

[reedl]

Do all ships that have coke freestyle machine have non flavored Dasani? Can someone on Allure confirm this?

 

I do believe still non flavored Dasani is just ship's water, so might get sparkling one's as an alternative.

 

With this, I guess it can add value and $52 might be worth spending, knowing it's not healthy to live exclusively on sugared, artificial sweetener, or high fructose corn syrup for 7 days just to break even or get your money's worth..

 

You may want to occasionally get sparkling non flavored Dasani water as a substitute for soda and plain ship's filtered water to squeezed as much value from the $52 dollars and not kill your health with all those sweeterners by drinking flavored soda all the time.

The water that comes from the freestyle machine is ship's water with perhaps a little filtration on it. There is no special water for the coke machines.