Soda Fountain Value Card $50 Question

[CruiseMob]

Can you purchase the Soda Fountain Value Card $50 for $25 once on board, or do you need to pre-purchase it online?

[liketraveling]

Just go to one of the bars onboard the ship.  You should be able to purchase one.  You will need to show them your key card.

 

The only difference with buying onboard, is that the card does not have your name on it.

 

If you buy it ahead of time they will deliver it to your cabin and it has your name on it.

 

 If you have allot of OBC,  it is better to wait til you get onboard.

Edited May 2, 2019 by liketraveling

[CrusinAgain]

We always take advantage of that offer of paying $25 for $50 worth and purchase it ahead of the cruise.  Tried to buy another one at the bar and customer service and it was not offered for the discounted price.

[simplyrubies]

Crusinagain - that’s very strange that they told you that because we called HAL customer service to ask if we could purchase soda cards onboard a while ago, and they said yes. Another example of uninformed call center reps or is it customer service who is uninformed?

[Krazy Kruizers]

That is strange that the soda couldn't be bought on board at the discounted price.

 

CrusinAgain -- what ship were you on?

[CrusinAgain]

5 hours ago, simplyrubies said:

Crusinagain - that’s very strange that they told you that because we called HAL customer service to ask if we could purchase soda cards onboard a while ago, and they said yes. Another example of uninformed call center reps or is it customer service who is uninformed?

 

Yes you can buy the soda card at the bar for $50.  There are two offered before leaving, one is $50 for $50 and the one that the OP inquiried about is the one for $25 for $50 (the discounted one).

[jkrislc]

I wish you could use the card towards cans like in the past. That's the only reason I'm hesitating in buying the card as I don't know how good the fountain stuff will taste. 

[bebe08]

1 hour ago, jkrislc said:

I wish you could use the card towards cans like in the past. That's the only reason I'm hesitating in buying the card as I don't know how good the fountain stuff will taste. 

We are currently onboard Zaandam and have the soda card.   We bought in advance for 25.  All our sodas have been cans...no fountain soda.  Not sure if this is unique to certain ships.

[knittinggirl]

Once the soda fountain value  card balance gets below $25, be sure to use it up, because you won't get a refund.

[simplyrubies]

10 hours ago, CrusinAgain said:

 

Yes you can buy the soda card at the bar for $50.  There are two offered before leaving, one is $50 for $50 and the one that the OP inquiried about is the one for $25 for $50 (the discounted one).

 

That is the same soda card we inquired about with HAL (the discounted one). Perhaps we were not clear enough when speaking with the agent? 

 

After doing a quick search on CC, other members are reporting that they were able to buy the discount card on board, but maybe things have changed since then/on different ships?

[jkrislc]

2 hours ago, bebe08 said:

We are currently onboard Zaandam and have the soda card.   We bought in advance for 25.  All our sodas have been cans...no fountain soda.  Not sure if this is unique to certain ships.

I'd it simply being poured from a can or are you being given the can?

[bebe08]

15 minutes ago, jkrislc said:

I'd it simply being poured from a can or are you being given the can?

We are given the can and a glass of ice.  

[CruiseMob]

Thanks everyone. If we pre-purchase and they have a name on it, can only that person use the card? I'm asking because I'm considering letting my teenage daughter keep the card with her, because she is liable to use it more than I. But occasionally I may want a soda. If the card is in her name, will I not be able to use it?

[Cruise Suzy]

5 hours ago, jkrislc said:

I wish you could use the card towards cans like in the past. That's the only reason I'm hesitating in buying the card as I don't know how good the fountain stuff will taste. 

 

In February on the Koningsdam I used my discounted soda card for Sprite Zero. I received an opened can and glass with ice every time in the Lido, Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto. Same for some of the bars. but most bars served me a fountain drink. Maybe not popular enough to have as a fountain drink at every bar?

[CrusinAgain]

3 hours ago, simplyrubies said:

 

That is the same soda card we inquired about with HAL (the discounted one). Perhaps we were not clear enough when speaking with the agent? 

 

After doing a quick search on CC, other members are reporting that they were able to buy the discount card on board, but maybe things have changed since then/on different ships?

I am glad to read this as I truly believe its the knowledge or belief of the person you ask as we experienced on the last few ships Konsingdam, Zaandam, and Niew Statendam that some bartenders claimed we could only get "fountain sodas" and others had no problem giving us the cans.  The cans cost more (2.59) with tip than the fountain drink (approximately 2.33) with tip, but we had to explain to those bartenders who claimed we could only have fountain drinks that we knew cans cost more and it is deducted each time from the soda card unlike the unlimited cards.  Once they thought about that some gave us cans over the fountain drink.  Zaandam was always cans, while Niew Statendam and Konsingdam thought only fountain drinks but depending on bartenders we could get cans upon request.  

 

We liked the cans as we paid for the can and could take the cans back to our cabin to get two drinks out of it therefore lasting longer than 1 glass of fountain soda.

 

So next time we will try asking various bartenders to get the discount soda card.

[daisy-mae]

6 hours ago, jkrislc said:

I wish you could use the card towards cans like in the past. That's the only reason I'm hesitating in buying the card as I don't know how good the fountain stuff will taste. 

 

We were on the Zuiderdam last month and were always given a can; most of the time it was unopened so we could take it back to our stateroom to drink later. Also, although one name was on the card, each one of us was able to use it independent of the other.

[simplyrubies]

11 hours ago, CruiseMob said:

Thanks everyone. If we pre-purchase and they have a name on it, can only that person use the card? I'm asking because I'm considering letting my teenage daughter keep the card with her, because she is liable to use it more than I. But occasionally I may want a soda. If the card is in her name, will I not be able to use it?

 

This was one of the questions we asked the HAL agent. They said that anyone in the stateroom should be able to use the card, it isn't locked to a particular person. 

[CruiseMob]

Thanks everyone, this has been very helpful!

[richwmn]

If you are just trying to get cans of Coke, here are some options:

The Cokes in the mini bar are $2.50 each plus an 18% gratuity total $2.95. If you are 3* or 4* this would be discounted.

You can get 3 cans of Coke from room service for $5.70 including gratuity or $1.90 per can. This does not qualify for discount.

You can also bring the cans on board with you as carry on baggage, paying only what the shore side store charges.

 

[jkrislc]

14 hours ago, bebe08 said:

We are given the can and a glass of ice.  

That's awesome and the way it used to be before they started calling it the fountain soda card. 

[lillulu]

18 hours ago, jkrislc said:

I wish you could use the card towards cans like in the past. That's the only reason I'm hesitating in buying the card as I don't know how good the fountain stuff will taste. 

We did the fountain soda card on the Koningdam. It was great. It was not flat. We are doing in again on the Oosterdam for our next cruise. It worked out perfect for us. We like Soda with dinner. And the cost works out better then by the can. Hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise.

[jennaja]

On ‎5‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 7:18 AM, bebe08 said:

We are currently onboard Zaandam and have the soda card.   We bought in advance for 25.  All our sodas have been cans...no fountain soda.  Not sure if this is unique to certain ships.

Can you use the soda card to buy bottled water?  Do you know how much a bottle of water costs, and what brand it is?  Trying to figure how much we want to carry aboard.

[Cruise Suzy]

7 hours ago, jennaja said:

Can you use the soda card to buy bottled water?  Do you know how much a bottle of water costs, and what brand it is?  Trying to figure how much we want to carry aboard.

 

The soda card is for soda only.