Soda Card Question

[Schlepporello]

About 8 years ago, my DW and I were on an Alaskan cruise on the Oosterdam. On that cruise, we purchased soda cards. Believe it or not, we didn't use all the spots on the card and we have some left. We've booked a cruise on the Maasdam for this coming July. Is it possible to use these cards up on this cruise or are they ship and cruise specific?

[RuthC]

Sounds like you have one of the old style soda card, with punch outs when you bought a soda. Those are long gone. Sorry. 
The new soda cards are pay $25 to get $50 worth of soda (usually in a glass.) Those are good only for the duration of the cruise. 

[geocruiser]

21 minutes ago, RuthC said:

Sounds like you have one of the old style soda card, with punch outs when you bought a soda. Those are long gone. Sorry. 
The new soda cards are pay $25 to get $50 worth of soda (usually in a glass.) Those are good only for the duration of the cruise. 

HI Ruth,

 

Do you know how many glasses of soda I can get with the $50 card?

Thank you,

Maria

[RuthC]

4 minutes ago, geocruiser said:

Do you know how many glasses of soda I can get with the $50 card?

Thank you,

Sorry, no. I don't know. But I am sure someone does, and will most likely answer. 

[daisy-mae]

If each glass of soda is $2.50, then your $50 card would buy you 20 glasses.

[RuthC]

IIRC, that's the price (or close to it) for a can of soda, which is 2 glasses. The soda card gets fountain sodas (unless the type of soda doesn't come in fountain form), so should cost less---getting more glasses than 20. 

[Overhead Fred]

I think you have to add in the 15% gratuity also

[daisy-mae]

11 hours ago, daisy-mae said:

If each glass of soda is $2.50, then your $50 card would buy you 20 glasses.

 

I rounded off the amount for simplicity. This thread from last year may help:

 

 

[geocruiser]

Thank you all for your answers.  I pre-brought a $50 soda card for $25. on Hal's web site.   I will use the card, then switch to cans.  I don't drink beer, wine or anything alcoholic so the soda is what I drink.  

 

Ruth, this is for you!  🍫 (chocolate bar)

[Tom O.]

Including the 15% service charge that makes each soda cost $2.88. So that would make a $50 soda card be good for a little over 17 drinks. That also means that you only have to use it to buy 9 drinks to come out ahead.

[Cruise Suzy]

52 minutes ago, geocruiser said:

I pre-brought a $50 soda card for $25. on Hal's web site.   I will use the card, then switch to cans.

 

In February on the Koningsdam, I was brought a can plus a glass of ice when I used my soda card for Sprite Zero in Pinnacle Grill & buffet.

[daisy-mae]

On our last cruise on the Zuiderdam we were given unopened cans of Coke at the bars, and opened cans of Club Soda in the dining room. IMHO the $50 soda card is good value.

[DoggyDaddy]

The charge for glasses and cans of soda are different. I think the glass is $2.25 and can is $2.50. You can usually specify which you want and can get unopened cans.

 

DD

[geocruiser]

3 minutes ago, DoggyDaddy said:

The charge for glasses and cans of soda are different. I think the glass is $2.25 and can is $2.50. You can usually specify which you want and can get unopened cans.

 

DD

I can ask for a can and they will then take $2.50 off my card?

[Tom O.]

9 minutes ago, geocruiser said:

I can ask for a can and they will then take $2.50 off my card?

They will take off the card whatever the normal charge in cash would be.

According to the Roger Jett menus, the charge for canned soda is the same as a fountain soda. I honestly don't remember what the charge was during my last cruise.

But normally you always get fountain drinks, but as Ruth mentioned above, if you order something out of the ordinary, they won't have it available in the soda fountain and bring you a can instead.

I have never tried asking for cans, as fountain drinks are fine with me.

Just remember that you cannot use the soda card for items found in your fridge (mini-bar). But if you get some cans of soda at the bar, I suppose you could restock your mini-bar, and not get charged for those items at the end of the cruise.

[DoggyDaddy]

We were on the Princendam on a trip to Norway last June and this is what I remember. In the MDR, the first time DW got a soda with the card she was brought a can. In other dinners she was brought a glass. The price was different, as I mentioned before. In the Showroom, we asked for two cans, unopened, and was brought, no problems. The price was different, though.

 

DD

[Schlepporello]

Looks like I may end up doing the unlimited deal. Yes, I'll get my money's worth out of it. The last time i had bought the cards, I had also gone ashore and bought 2-liter bottles to supplement my soda needs.

 

[red919]

Does anyone know if HAL has discontinued the soda card?  

 

I'm not seeing it offered on my Rotterdam cruise this fall.  😑

[kazu]

11 minutes ago, red919 said:

Does anyone know if HAL has discontinued the soda card?  

 

I'm not seeing it offered on my Rotterdam cruise this fall.  😑

 

this is an old thread and the soda card has gone by the way of the dodo, just as the wine card did.

 

HAL does have packages that will in effect do the same thing.  You can either choose the Coca Cola package or the Quench package.  The Quench package does more for most than the Coca Cola package but it’s totally up to you.  Here are the main “all inclusive” packages:

 

[red919]

😉

10 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

this is an old thread and the soda card has gone by the way of the dodo, just as the wine card did.

 

 

 

Oh, I see...thanks for letting me know. RIP dear Soda Card...

 

I guess the last time I used one was back in September 2019 and it was definitely a better deal than what's on offer now.  Oh well, HAL has to make back money somehow.

 

Hopefully, the 2 for 1 Happy Hours will remain...I just can't see drinking enough of ANYTHING to get my money's worth out of the package prices shown.  

 

Thanks again

Edited June 7, 2021 by red919
Not truly a 2 for 1 Happy Hour but close enough ;)

[highscar]

I had the soda card last year on the Hawaiian cruise and I had them fill a two can bottle each Time more than once a day and it lasted the whole 18 days. The bartenders are very nice. I

[Crew News]

2 hours ago, red919 said:

😉

Oh, I see...thanks for letting me know. RIP dear Soda Card...

 

I guess the last time I used one was back in September 2019 and it was definitely a better deal than what's on offer now.  Oh well, HAL has to make back money somehow.

 

Hopefully, the 2 for 1 Happy Hours will remain...I just can't see drinking enough of ANYTHING to get my money's worth out of the package prices shown.  

 

Thanks again

This card is now

$50 Non-Alcoholic Beverage Card

This beverage card can be redeemed for a variety of beverage selections from soda and espresso to non-alcoholic beverages.

 

It is available on my two upcoming Caribbean cruises.

[Crew News]

2 hours ago, kazu said:

 

this is an old thread and the soda card has gone by the way of the dodo, just as the wine card did.

The wine card is now

$100 Beverage Card

This beverage card can be redeemed for a variety of alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverage selections from wine, beer & spirits to soda and espresso.

[red919]

2 minutes ago, Crew News said:

This card is now

$50 Non-Alcoholic Beverage Card

This beverage card can be redeemed for a variety of beverage selections from soda and espresso to non-alcoholic beverages.

 

It is available on my two upcoming Caribbean cruises.

But does it offer the same discount?  

 

The benefit of the previous Soda Card was that you bought it for $25 and it gave you $50 towards soda.  

 

Not sure if the $50 Non-Alcoholic Beverage Card has any benefit whatsoever.  I must be missing something here.  Why would you buy it ...seems like just another card you would have to carry along with your cabin card?

[red919]

14 minutes ago, Crew News said:

 

By the way, thank you so much for posting the wonderful photos and HAL menus. 👍

 

They're making me excited for my upcoming Rotterdam cruise this fall! 😃