Navigator of the seas Soda package vs freely available drinks

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

hello everyone.

I’m new to RC and sailing on the Navigator in Aug.

 

So husband & I are having a hard time trying to decide whether to get a soda package. We obviously can’t compare with other ships. But read on here that the navigator has less on offer when it comes to the soda package.

 

Please can someone let us know what IS available on the soda package?

P,ease, What freely available free drinks are provided?

 

I’m happy with only water. Husband and 5 year old daughter are not lol. Hubby would drink a lot of soda. I’d drink a couple of glasses a day if that, and daughter very little. Though flavoured water is welcome.

 

Also Are any free drinks, like basic water, available in the MDR?

 

Finally, Can ice be provided in the rooms?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Leanne

[Clarea]

Beverages included with the basic cruise fare: tap water, coffee, hot tea, iced tea, lemonade, milk, juices at breakfast.

[sgmn]

Ask your room steward for ice daily and it will appear ! I’m quite happy with the free drinks but then I don’t particularly like fizzy drinks. The flavoured waters are nice.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Beverages included with the basic cruise fare: tap water, coffee, hot tea, iced tea, lemonade, milk, juices at breakfast.

 

Milk is both white and chocolate, also hot chocolate and some type of flavored water/punch in the buffet. Free lemonade is American style, more like cordial lemonade, not fizzy.

 

Soda package would be basic fountain soda like Coke and 7-up. Not sure if the Navigator has freestyle soda machines, which would mean more choices.

 

Just ask your cabin steward for ice.. He/she will then bring ice twice daily.

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

Ask your room steward for ice daily and it will appear ! I’m quite happy with the free drinks...... The flavoured waters are nice.

 

Thank you, I shall ask for daily ice. Ooo what water flavours are available please?

[ONECRUISER]

Thank you, I shall ask for daily ice. Ooo what water flavours are available please?

Multiple Water Flavors are included with purchase of Soda package on ships with the Freestyle Machines...

[Grandma Dazzles]

Thank you, I shall ask for daily ice. Ooo what water flavours are available please?

 

Varies - probably strawberry, watermelon, cherry - can be different daily.

 

If you like flavored water just get iced water and add Mio drops, Crystal Light single serve packs, or similar. Bring with you.

[SheehanDJ]

Bring a Yeti type glass and a box of Gatorade (or the like) flavor packets and you can drink an assortment of free drinks all cruise long.

[cb at sea]

Included in your fare is: Ice water, coffee, tea (iced or hot), lemonade, milk and juice at breakfast.

 

You can buy a can of soda (or ANY drink, for that matter) whenever you want, without a package. A can of soda will be in the $3+ range. 1 can yields 2 glasses over ice!

[BopRN]

RCCL is very frugal when it comes to providing the tea, lemonade, etc. except in the Windjammer and MDR. I always figured it was because they wanted you to buy more alcoholic beverages. We have found that other lines always have pitchers of lemonade, ice water & ice tea around the pool and other locations. Was always so nice to have that available! Because who wants to run from the pool into the Windjammer to get a glass of lemonade! You could always bring an insulated mug and fill up in the Windjammer.

 

 

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[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

Varies - probably strawberry, watermelon, cherry - can be different daily.

 

If you like flavored water just get iced water and add Mio drops, Crystal Light single serve packs, or similar. Bring with you.

 

Thank you.

I don’t think we have mio drops or crystal light in the uk but I might hunt them out on amazon uk.

I know we have the palm size ultra concentrated squashes (cordials). But less bulky would be nice.

 

The flavoured waters do sound lovely 😊

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

RCCL is very frugal when it comes to providing the tea, lemonade, etc. except in the Windjammer and MDR. I always figured it was because they wanted you to buy more alcoholic beverages. We have found that other lines always have pitchers of lemonade, ice water & ice tea around the pool and other locations. Was always so nice to have that available! Because who wants to run from the pool into the Windjammer to get a glass of lemonade! You could always bring an insulated mug and fill up in the Windjammer.

 

 

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Thank you

 

I was getting the impression of frugality!

Will I be able to ask for a free drink in the MDR?

Tap water over ice is fine but if I wanted the iced tea or lemonade would that be ok?

 

I noticed you went on the Navigator in March. I hope you had a lovely time?

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far. I really appreciate your help.

 

I’m going to look into the insulated bottles and crystal light packets etc.

 

If we were to buy a soda package on board would it be more expensive?

And does anyone know if the navigator has a ‘freestyle’ soda machine? I hear no, but I can’t be sure that was from recent knowledge/posts.

 

Thanks to all

[LeeW]

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far. I really appreciate your help.

 

I’m going to look into the insulated bottles and crystal light packets etc.

 

If we were to buy a soda package on board would it be more expensive?

And does anyone know if the navigator has a ‘freestyle’ soda machine? I hear no, but I can’t be sure that was from recent knowledge/posts.

 

Thanks to all

 

 

Straight soda package includes anything that comes from a bar gun - soda water, coke, sprite, diet coke, similar. Cost is about $8.50US now and going up to $9.99US next year. Price is the same for all ships, even if they don't have Freestyle machines. Have never seen a sale for this online so onboard prices are the same, although they do seem to be packaging it with a one-device internet package these days online that may be a good deal if you will be getting VOOM anyway. As of a year ago Navigator didn't have Freestyle machines, so the only source of soda is a bar. UK folks seem to decide on prepurchasing these packages at least partially on the exchange rate.

 

The flavored waters were things like sweetened lemonade (no fizz), mango strawberry, watermelon cherry. Glasses are generally prefilled in the buffet whenever it is open. Very sweet. As others have said, similar to the powdered fruit drinks. Ice is also available at any bar, and at the buffet when it is open.

 

We buy the soda packages even on Navigator because we drink more than 3 glasses of diet soda a day each.

[Grandma Dazzles]

RCCL is very frugal when it comes to providing the tea, lemonade, etc. except in the Windjammer and MDR. I always figured it was because they wanted you to buy more alcoholic beverages. We have found that other lines always have pitchers of lemonade, ice water & ice tea around the pool and other locations. Was always so nice to have that available! Because who wants to run from the pool into the Windjammer to get a glass of lemonade! You could always bring an insulated mug and fill up in the Windjammer.

 

 

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Never had a problem getting iced water at any bar, including pool bars. Also water, iced tea, etc. available at all other food venues, not just MDR and Windjammer.

[BopRN]

Thank you

 

I was getting the impression of frugality!

Will I be able to ask for a free drink in the MDR?

Tap water over ice is fine but if I wanted the iced tea or lemonade would that be ok?

 

I noticed you went on the Navigator in March. I hope you had a lovely time?

My husband always gets iced tea in the MDR. Never a problem! We have never asked for lemonade. We did have a wonderful time on the Navigator! It is a great ship! The staff was awesome...no complaints there! There are NO soda machines on Navigator unfortunately. We always get the soda package and here is one thing I noticed that is a change from previous cruises.....the beverage packages have become VERY popular and when you approach a bar with your cup, you are easily ignored because there are SO many people getting drinks. That was frustrating! There were 2 bars that the bartender took sympathy on us lowly pop drinkers and would fill our cups before moving onto the next drink customer. We also noticed that there were very few bar staff walking the pool decks and we almost always had to take our cups to a bar to get filled. Changes...ugh!

[Cruiser UK]

Just off navigator this morning. Free drinks were lemonade (flat not fizzy) strawberry and kiwi water, ice tea, and water in the windjammer as well as hot drinks.

 

I had the soda and Voom package and I am a Diet Coke drinker. Usually the drink was poured from a bottle but a couple of venues used a gun. Bars I experienced very few waits or any nature and never more than one person. No staff on deck going round save very occasionally.

 

Enjoy your trip we have had a great time although we joined the windjammer fans rather than the main dining room as the menus were not to our taste at all. I believe from talking to fellow guests the service was also very poor (very long waits for food)

[soccerdad72]

We also just got home from Navigator today - one complaint by my wife was the unavailability of any self serve soda machines - even the ones in Windjammer were not operational during the cruise. She got a little frustrated having to go to bars every time she wanted a Diet Coke, but we've been used to the Freestyle machines from Allure. A fair amount of bars were pouring from 2 liter bottles instead of pouring from the gun - I don't know if they had issues getting the soda syrup stocked?

 

 

Our boys and I generally were fine with the various water choices, with the occasional purchased drink. It's my wife that needs her Diet Coke daily.

[piescruises]

you can take your drink cup get soda and bring it your cabin

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

Just off navigator this morning. Free drinks were lemonade (flat not fizzy) strawberry and kiwi water, ice tea, and water in the windjammer as well as hot drinks.

 

 

 

I had the soda and Voom package and I am a Diet Coke drinker. Usually the drink was poured from a bottle but a couple of venues used a gun. Bars I experienced very few waits or any nature and never more than one person. No staff on deck going round save very occasionally.

 

 

 

Enjoy your trip we have had a great time although we joined the windjammer fans rather than the main dining room as the menus were not to our taste at all. I believe from talking to fellow guests the service was also very poor (very long waits for food)

 

 

 

Firstly thank you to all of you who have replied.

 

Plus It was so great to hear from a couple of you who had just finished your holiday on the navigator too, wow thank you!

 

Re: the soda cups. Are they insulated? Am assuming they don’t have to be used?If we go ahead with the soda package I’d like soda in a glass occasionally too lol. [emoji3]

Tho it seems to be lacking in soda facilities available on other ships which is really turning me off the soda package.

 

What other diet sodas are available if any?

 

Thanks everyone

 

Leanne

 

 

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[little britain]

The soda cups are insulated but designed for use in the machines (and there aren't any on Navigator!) . No need to carry them around to get a drink - just flash your seapass card at the bar and they know you have the drinks package.

The lemonade in the WJ is nice - cloudy old fashioned type and not sweet.

 

LB > who is also in West Sussex!

[95south]

Keep an eye out for sales on the Royal Replenish package. I got it for $18.00 (plus 18% gratuity bringing it to $21.34) That's a really good deal and it gives you basically everything but alcoholic drinks. The do have a good virgin drink menu plus any of the drinks can be made with no alcohol.

[Clarea]

... What other diet sodas are available if any? ...

On a ship withot a Freestyle machine, there are usually no other diet sodas availbe to those with an unlimited beverage package except for Diet Coke. You may find that if you ask for a Diet Sprite (or Sprite Zero) they give you a can, but in general, cans are not included in the unlimited beverage packages.

[Cruiser UK]

The soda cups are insulated but designed for use in the machines (and there aren't any on Navigator!) . No need to carry them around to get a drink - just flash your seapass card at the bar and they know you have the drinks package.

The lemonade in the WJ is nice - cloudy old fashioned type and not sweet.

 

LB > who is also in West Sussex!

 

Obviously using a different lemonade last week. It was very sweet, as were the breakfast fruit juices.

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

Keep an eye out for sales on the Royal Replenish package. I got it for $18.00 (plus 18% gratuity bringing it to $21.34) That's a really good deal and it gives you basically everything but alcoholic drinks. The do have a good virgin drink menu plus any of the drinks can be made with no alcohol.

 

That does sound like a very good deal as it includes everything.

Does everyone in the cabin have to have the same package though? I don’t think I’d want to pay that for our 5 year old lol.

I might be t-total but I’d love the occasional ‘mocktail’ though.

 

Thank you for the info i’ll keep an eye open. 😀.