NCL Soda Cup

[FLAHAM]

The thermal, spill proof soda cup that NCL used to hand out with the soda package seems to have been another casualty of the Covid shutdown.  They were not available on the Encore last August or the Prima in February.  I used to like them because they held more soda than the “normal” cup and minimized the possibility of spillage.

 

I have always liked RCL’s soda plan cup even better.  It is even larger and actuates RCL’s Freestyle soda machines.

[Sailing12Away]

Been sailing with NCL for 5 yrs now and never once received the cup you're talking about. So it has nothing to do with Covid. 

 

With RCC, we always had to give the cup to a bartender to fill for us, so it wasn't something of extra time savings or value to us. Not much different from us bringing our own water bottle on board.

[ULCajunCruiser]

20 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

With RCC, we always had to give the cup to a bartender to fill for us, so it wasn't something of extra time savings or value to us. Not much different from us bringing our own water bottle on board.

This is true if you're on a ship without the Freestyle machines.   But if you're on a ship with them, They are very easy to use!!

 

I haven't sailed NCL yet, so don't have an opinion of their cup.

Edited April 1, 2023 by ULCajunCruiser
sp

[FLAHAM]

On NCL you usually had to ask at the Atrium Bar for the cup.  If you bought the soda plan on board on embarkation day, the sign up table usually had a pile of them.  I never failed to get one pre-Covid.

 

On RCL’s larger ships, they had Freestyle soda machines in several places on board.  The RCL souvenir soda cups are electronically coded to activate the machines for the length of the cruise.The RCL cups are larger (and better looking) than the NCL cups.  I have a bunch of both in my cupboard.

Edited April 1, 2023 by FLAHAM

[UKstages]

2 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Been sailing with NCL for 5 yrs now and never once received the cup you're talking about.

 

did you have the soda (only) plan?

 

i'm pretty sure what is being discussed here is a special cup to identify those with the soda plan, not those with a full beverage package who order soda. the cup was more of a way to recognize soda plan participants than it was a souvenir cup, but i guess it served that purpose, too.

 

my experience has been that bartenders rarely, if ever, look at your card or swipe when dispensing soda, so perhaps NCL determined that a special cup was no longer necessary.

[NayRN]

Not a “casualty of Covid”. I sailed in April, 2019 with two kids and purchased the soda plan. I asked about a refillable cup and was told that they no longer had them. 

[RocketMan275]

Lots of signs on Breakaway not to refil cups and glasses but to use a new one. 

Wonder if this is the reason.

[peg013]

The cups we used to receive were gone long before covid. I still have several of them. I even have one (a red metal Coke cup) from when NCL had Coke products before it switched to Pepsi products and of course is now back to Coke again.

[MacGuffin3]

So I think our kids automatically get the pop package on NCL Encore next month. So how does it even work, are there random fountains around the ship? Do they have to swipe a card to access them? Or do they only get it from bars.  Are there cans anywhere to be had as part of the package or just fountain? Thanks.

Edited July 4, 2023 by MacGuffin3

[Pitzel]

15 minutes ago, MacGuffin3 said:

So I think our kids automatically get the pop package on NCL Encore next month. So how does it even work, are there random fountains around the ship? Do they have to swipe a card to access them? Or do they only get it from bars.  Are there cans anywhere to be had as part of the package or just fountain? Thanks.

Sodas are available from any bar or restaurant around the ship -- just provide your card when ordering.

Some of the newer ships (like the Prima) also have Coke dispenser machines the buffet/eatery areas and you swipe your card to access the machine. These provide 3-5 flavor options, so they are not proper Coke Freestyle machines.

Edited July 4, 2023 by Pitzel

[FLAHAM]

I always liked the nicer and larger cups that energized the “freestyle” soda machines on RCL.

[MacGuffin3]

Thanks, was hoping they might have sugar-free seltzer. They don't drink pop so it seems pretty worthless.  Maybe they can get soda-water from the bar and add lime or something, so the package doesn't go completely to waste.

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, MacGuffin3 said:

Thanks, was hoping they might have sugar-free seltzer. They don't drink pop so it seems pretty worthless.  Maybe they can get soda-water from the bar and add lime or something, so the package doesn't go completely to waste.

Mine weren’t big soda drinkers, but loved getting Shirley temple’s.

[MacGuffin3]

25 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

Mine weren’t big soda drinkers, but loved getting Shirley temple’s.

I remember those as a kid, I was too embarrassed as a boy to order one, so I was told I could ask for a Roy Rogers and it was basically the same thing. At any rate those are all sweet too, I don't think a sugar-free mocktail exists.

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, MacGuffin3 said:

So I think our kids automatically get the pop package on NCL Encore next month. So how does it even work, are there random fountains around the ship? Do they have to swipe a card to access them? Or do they only get it from bars.  Are there cans anywhere to be had as part of the package or just fountain? Thanks.

As far as I know, only the Prima has a self serve soda dispenser. And only in the Indulge Food Hall and the Studio Lounge. On all other ships, the kids need to ask for soda at a restaurant or go to a bar and ask for a soda (give them practice ordering at a bar when they get older). 

 

 

[MacGuffin3]

OK, well they would be happy with water, but as we are forced to pay $2 a day tips on their dopey "drink package," I'm happy to send them up to the seediest bar on the ship to order soda-water with a splash of ginger ale and a twist.

[YVRteacher]

@MacGuffin3 does your family like Bubly? NCL has cans of Bubly available at most bars.

[MacGuffin3]

3 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

@MacGuffin3 does your family like Bubly? NCL has cans of Bubly available at most bars.

Really, included in the $10 soft drink package? That would be perfect. We're on the Encore.

[FLAHAM]

8 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

@MacGuffin3 does your family like Bubly? NCL has cans of Bubly available at most bars.

NCL's online detailed description of the soda package says it includes soda water, but not Bubly.

[MacGuffin3]

Yes I figured as much,  too good to be true.   Can you get Bubly with the Booze package and "pass it on to your kids" nudge nudge?

[YVRteacher]

12 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

NCL's online detailed description of the soda package says it includes soda water, but not Bubly.

I didn’t say it did. I said NCL has Bubly available at bars.

[Dorhead1230]

@MacGuffin3 your kids can also get a splash of juice added to seltzer if they like that. Meaning bar juices like OJ, cranberry, pineapple. Fresh squeezed juice isn’t included. If they do drink juice/lemonade/iced tea, even watered down, they can get that from bars or in any restaurant, too. The buffet will also have machines with water, juices at breakfast, and then lemonade, iced tea, and a couple (not sugar-free) flavored-water type beverages the rest of the day. Obviously they don’t need their cards for those machines. I know that may not make you feel like the soda package is necessarily worth it, but just letting you know there’s stuff other than soda if they’d like non-water drinks sometimes!

Edited July 5, 2023 by Dorhead1230

[Pitzel]

2 hours ago, MacGuffin3 said:

OK, well they would be happy with water, but as we are forced to pay $2 a day tips on their dopey "drink package," I'm happy to send them up to the seediest bar on the ship to order soda-water with a splash of ginger ale and a twist.

If they don't drink sodas, is there a reason to keep the soda package for them? Can you decline it?

[MacGuffin3]

1 hour ago, Pitzel said:

If they don't drink sodas, is there a reason to keep the soda package for them? Can you decline it?

Apparently everybody in the cabin has to have a drinks package so I don't think so. The 20% tip on theirs' is $2 a day, so not a bank breaker, like I said they can probably handle a few soda waters out of the bar gun that are "very lighly sweetened" with something or another.

[Pitzel]

6 minutes ago, MacGuffin3 said:

Apparently everybody in the cabin has to have a drinks package so I don't think so. The 20% tip on theirs' is $2 a day, so not a bank breaker, like I said they can probably handle a few soda waters out of the bar gun that are "very lighly sweetened" with something or another.

This is true if you are purchasing the packages outright, but not if you are getting the beverage package through the Free at Sea promo. In that case, minors only *have* to purchase the soda package (or, at least pay the gratuities on the soda package) if they are listed as passenger 2 on the reservation (assuming passenger 1 is an adult who wants the unlimited beverage package as part of their promo). Passengers 3-8 who are under 21 are not offered the soda package through FAS. 

Any soda packages purchased for passengers 3-8 would be at the prevailing rate (about $12 per day, including grats).