Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine

[BullDawg91]

Wait, you like the taste of Coke from a bar soda-gun? Whew. Those always seem to taste nasty.

 

 

I guess I like the carbonation.

 

 

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[BullDawg91]

He does have the option to pay twice as much or more to enjoy the "real fountain" on Disney.

 

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I do love my fountain Coke but not enough to do Disney again at their prices.

 

 

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[LMaxwell]

I don't drink a lot of soda, but Freestyle or no, I am surprised they just don't have RFID cups/self-service fountains. This would eliminate complaints about kids at bars, and complaints from kids about being ignored at bars. Those with just soda packages can quickly fill up without a trip to a bar, and bar patrons won't have to wait as long for drinks. Even a fountain with 6 or 8 choices that doesn't require a trip to a bar would be a big improvement from a customer selection and service point of view, I would think.

 

Now, as to longer lines due to so many choices and people unfamiliar with the Freestyle machines, yes, I could see that occurring, but the real, longer term solution to that is to put the syrups and computers in a remote room, and outside of that have a bank of dispensers each with its own tablet flavor selector. More piping and manifold to run, but not really rocket science.

 

I say give it 5-10 years to be commonplace across lines.

[Badfinger]

I'm a Coke purist and hate these machines. The plain old Coke tastes like a sad imitation from all the different syrups coming through the same nozzle. I found the can drinks to be flat too from the bar. I'll just skip soft drinks unless I can get it from a real fountain (a la DCL) or a bar fountain.

 

 

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Vacations are a break from the routine. If you routinely drink soda, taking a vacation from it might be a good thing!

 

On our last cruise, our 5th day we stopped in Cozumel. I broke down and bought a coke at the port. It was good. It was the only soda I had the entire cruise. I really enjoyed the fruited water available in the Spa.

[Kanyon71]

I like the freestyle machine. Whenever I get the chance to use one at a restaurant I do so. Not for the novelty but because I love Cherry/Vanilla in my caffeine free drink. :)

[Pellaz]

I don't drink a lot of soda, but Freestyle or no, I am surprised they just don't have RFID cups/self-service fountains. This would eliminate complaints about kids at bars, and complaints from kids about being ignored at bars. Those with just soda packages can quickly fill up without a trip to a bar, and bar patrons won't have to wait as long for drinks. Even a fountain with 6 or 8 choices that doesn't require a trip to a bar would be a big improvement from a customer selection and service point of view, I would think.

 

This is exactly what I saw on Majesty of the Seas back in 2010 -- "regular" soda fountain machines located on the pool deck, accessible 24/7 with RFID chips in the souvenir bottles to activate the machines (and the bottles were included in the price for their soda package, unlike Carnival's souvenir bottles, which cost extra AND serve no critical function). It was great: I never had to bother a bartender, I could get a soda at all hours, and the convenience couldn't be beat.

 

Sadly, over nine cruises since then, including three on Royal, I haven't seen another soda machine at all. :') (Liberty and Independence OTS don't have FreeStyle machines...or any other "style" machine, either. Very lame.)

 

I say give it 5-10 years to be commonplace across lines.

 

I really hope so.

 

I had thought Carnival used ONLY soda from cans fleetwide, maybe to avoid carbonation and syrup usage, until I saw a bartender haul out a soda gun on Freedom at the aft bar and did a double-take. "Aha! There's hope!" :)