Soda package - aren't sodas free?

[Joyriderbc]

If I want a soda do I have to have a soda package or put on my tab? All that food is basically included but not sodas?  This is weird. Can someone explain this to me? I don't drink Liqour. Are milk and juices included without charge or regular coffee and tea? 

[realnice46]

5 minutes ago, Joyriderbc said:

If I want a soda do I have to have a soda package or put on my tab? All that food is basically included but not sodas?  This is weird. Can someone explain this to me? I don't drink Liqour. Are milk and juices included without charge or regular coffee and tea? 

I don’t think any cruise line has free sodas. You either get a drink package or pay as you go. It always irks me that regular coffee free, but not sodas. I neither drink coffee or alcohol. I believe milk, coffee, tea and juices are free.

[gizfish]

Disney cruise lines had free soda, don't know if they still do.  Free beverages on NCL include all day hot coffee and tea and unsweetened iced tea, and juices and milk in the morning. You can get milk in the MDRs at all meals, and can request it at the buffet if it is not out.at other times.  Hot cocoa packets used to be available at the buffet, but I don't know if that is the case now.  After breakfast, the buffet juice machines change to sugar free sweetened flavored water, I believe it's peach/mango and kiwi/strawberry.  I think lemonade may be available, but I'm not sure.

[Swells1]

8 hours ago, realnice46 said:

I don’t think any cruise line has free sodas. You either get a drink package or pay as you go. It always irks me that regular coffee free, but not sodas. I neither drink coffee or alcohol. I believe milk, coffee, tea and juices are free.

Sodas are free on Virgin.

[graphicguy]

Disney has fares that are MUCH higher than NCL's.  Someone has to pay for those "free" sodas, as well as Mickey's salary. 😉

 

NCL has free water (dispenser) which is probably better filtered than anything you'll get in a bottle or carton.  They also have free milk, coffee and the juices you find in the dispensers.

 

If you have Free at Sea package, sodas are free.  There's also a soda package for those who want more than what NCL includes.

 

To my knowledge, none of the other mainstream cruise lines (aside from the afore mentioned ones) include sodas without a package.  So, not all that weird.

Edited May 19 by graphicguy

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, Joyriderbc said:

If I want a soda do I have to have a soda package or put on my tab? All that food is basically included but not sodas?  This is weird. Can someone explain this to me? I don't drink Liqour. Are milk and juices included without charge or regular coffee and tea? 

You can pay by the drink. 

Sodas are $3.50+20% tip=$4.20

 

If you have more than 2 sodas a day, getting the package is cheaper. 
 

Milk, coffee, tea, buffet-like juices are included. Paying for bar drinks is customary. 

[Asawi]

1 hour ago, Swells1 said:

Sodas are free on Virgin.

There is no such thing as "free". Itr's included in the price. A price that is pretty high from what I can tell. Trust me, whatever you consume or do, you're paying for it one way or another.6

[Joyriderbc]

A vlogger says that if you buy a soda package, everyone in your group must also. This is to avoid 1 person sharing sodas with others.  True? 

[JGmf]

@Joyriderbc Welcome to Cruise Critic and ignore the snarky comment from the prior poster.  If you spend any time here, you have to have a thick skin for stuff like that.

 

Anyway, yours is a good question.  I tried to learn the answer to your second question ("does everyone in group need to buy the soda package?") myself via Google and NCL's website and couldn't find easily find a definitive answer.

[1025cruise]

Usually soda packages can be bought individually, but any package that includes liquor must be bought by all of age in the cabin.

 

On my very first cruise <cough> years ago (to give an idea of when, it was on the Nordic Empress), soda was included in the MDR at meal times. That has gone the way of the dodo.

[Two Wheels Only]

37 minutes ago, Joyriderbc said:

A vlogger says that if you buy a soda package, everyone in your group must also. This is to avoid 1 person sharing sodas with others.  True? 

 

Not with the soda package. If 1 in the stateroom has the soda package, the others aren't forced to buy a soda package.

[schmoopie17]

We have never paid for a soda. Granted, we pretty much only drink actual drinks, but on the rare occasion Mrs. Schmoopie demands a Diet Coke, they're always free.

[mjkacmom]

42 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

We have never paid for a soda. Granted, we pretty much only drink actual drinks, but on the rare occasion Mrs. Schmoopie demands a Diet Coke, they're always free.

With the FAS?

[DesertJake]

When I tried to purchase a soda package on last year's cruise onboard, the crewmember told me they had to add both of us in the cabin. However, when done from the website before a cruise, I can add only one of us. Not sure if that's the way it is, or the on-ship staff were misinformed.

 

[tashaaa]

Is soda water (sparkling water) free with FAS? Can you order by glass? 
 

 

[mjkacmom]

26 minutes ago, tashaaa said:

Is soda water (sparkling water) free with FAS? Can you order by glass? 
 

 

Yes.

[schmoopie17]

2 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

With the FAS?

We wouldn't cruise without a drink package. That's how we roll...er, cruise.

[Sand and Seas]

Wait until you board the ship, then purchase the soda package individually.   When we don't have the regular drink package, I get the Soda package for myself.  (DH doesn't need that Diet Coke like I do!) 

 

Just look for a table set up for people to purchase water packages.  Sometimes this table can also print you a new keycard with package on it.  Or, any bar can 'sell' package to you. (Easiest at bar in atrium close to Customer Services.)  After your purchase, take the receipt to Customer Services and they will print a new card for you saying 'Soda'.   Since you purchase after boarding, it's also good way to use non-refundable OBC😎

Edited May 19 by Sand and Seas

[1bighund]

Also remember that you can get a soda in the ports.  Of course you can’t bring one back onto the ship

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, tashaaa said:

Is soda water (sparkling water) free with FAS? Can you order by glass? 
 

 

Soda water is included in the drink package. 

 

Sparkling Water (e.g., San Pellegrino) is not. 

[Goldconnection]

DH and I have always been allowed to bring soft drinks and water on board from a port. We’ve seen others bring six packs of soda and bottled water back on board as well. Our soft drinks and water are ran through the X-ray machine and we’re sent on our way. Our items have never been confiscated and we’ve always been welcome back on board with them.
 

 

 

 

[Chocolate Teapot]

On 5/19/2024 at 6:58 AM, gizfish said:

Hot cocoa packets used to be available at the buffet, but I don't know if that is the case now.  After breakfast, the buffet juice machines change to sugar free sweetened flavored water, I believe it's peach/mango and kiwi/strawberry.  I think lemonade may be available, but I'm not sure.

I was on NCL Star last week and did see sachets of cocoa/hot chocolate in the Garden Cafe. I also ordered lemonade one lunchtime. (NB. Lemonade meaning a still lemon water drink like sweetened citron presse rather than a fizzy Sprite/7-Up)

[wolft927]

So to the OP, will you have a beverage package (FAS), if so sodas are free. If not, sodas are not. But wow, I haven't purchased a soda onboard in a lot of years as we always have the drink package, but holy crap, $4.20 for a can of soda! 

[graphicguy]

On 5/19/2024 at 11:01 AM, Joyriderbc said:

A vlogger says that if you buy a soda package, everyone in your group must also. This is to avoid 1 person sharing sodas with others.  True? 

Which "vlogger" was it?  Some are accurate.  Unfortunately, some are not.

 

We've already covered milk, coffee, juices (all free).

 

If you do not drink alcohol, you can go with the soda package if the juice, milk, coffee that's available isn't enough.  Look near the bottom of the link below.

 

https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/790164-BEV_Package_Flyer_UOBP_PPBP Update_V7_no_crops.pdf

 

Also, which ship are you sailing?  Knowing that we can help you find where the juice, ice water, coffee and milk is located.

Edited May 20 by graphicguy

[schmoopie17]

12 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

we can help you find where the juice, ice water, coffee and milk is located.

Don't ask me why, but reading this reminded me of the old kids' rhyme:

Milk. milk. lemonade. Around the corner...(if you know the rest, you can fill in the rest).