Drink cards (for non-alcoholic beverages)

[lifeisschool]

It's been 9 years since DH and I took a cruise. We're planning to take our 6 kids either in December or January. Can anyone give me info about drink cards (non existant 9 years ago)? Is it standard on all cruise ships? Is it required? Any info would be welcomed!

[MaryLou]

Most cruise lines will sell a soda card. If you or your family drinks a lot of soda, it might be worth the purchase. I believe the cost for a soda card on Royal Caribbean was around $42.00.

[Fern]

Hi lifeisschool,

Welcome to Cruisemates!

The major cruise lines do sell a soda card. It's good for fountain sodas (not cans). It's not required. If you and your children only drink one or two soda's a day it's probably not worth the price. Canned sodas are generally priced at $1.50 per can.

If you and your children drink soda's all day it would probably be worth the price.

If you'll tell us which ship you're sailing we can give you more specific information.

[scgalloways]

We just got back from Carnival Glory on a 7 day cruise. I bought 3 soda cards and it cost us $101.00. The cards are $4.00 per day for children and $5.00 per day for adults, you purchase them onboard at any bar and the one card is good for the entire cruise. There is also a 15% gratuity added to the cost. It is well worth it because it covers not only sodas but any smoothies or non-alcoholic versions of drinks they want. My daughter only drinks clear sodas for example so she got mostly shirley temples which are like 2.50 each normally, so if she bought two a day we would have more than paid for the card...it's a good deal.

Lynn

[lifeisschool]

Thanks, everyone for your replies. We are not soda drinkers at all, so I was a little concerned that drink cards were required!

This board is a great resource! Thanks, again.
Margaret

[jcpatt]

Does Carnival serve Dr Pepper? My kids are addicted to it!

Thanks

[dawson21]

Originally Posted by scgalloways

We just got back from Carnival Glory on a 7 day cruise. I bought 3 soda cards and it cost us $101.00. The cards are $4.00 per day for children and $5.00 per day for adults, you purchase them onboard at any bar and the one card is good for the entire cruise. There is also a 15% gratuity added to the cost. It is well worth it because it covers not only sodas but any smoothies or non-alcoholic versions of drinks they want. My daughter only drinks clear sodas for example so she got mostly shirley temples which are like 2.50 each normally, so if she bought two a day we would have more than paid for the card...it's a good deal.

Lynn

does anyone know if this is true on other lines, such as Princess...that the soda cards are good for other non-alcoholic drinks?
thanks in advance.
dawson21....aka...carla

[vdub]

We didnt even bother with soda cards. Not big soda drinkers.

SOS had water, iced tea, lemonade, tropical drink, coffee, hot tea, orange juice, apple juice.

More than enough to quench our thirst.

[agentil]

Thanks for all the info on this thread. I was debating getting one for me. My hubby drinks soda like mad, but I rarely have more than one a day, but I would love to have smoothies, or non-alcoholic drinks instead. I actually wouldn't even mind a Shirley Temple (haven't had one since I was 10, but I loved them then!). Any other ideas for non-soda drinks like that?

By the way, is that pretty standard across the different cruise lines? I think that was asked earlier, but I didn't see an answer.

Thanks!

Adrian

Carnival Triumph 2/16/08

[Mike M]

You will be charged for any non-alcoholic "mixed" drink that is served onboard.

Take care,
Mike

[agentil]

So, was Lynn incorrect when she stated that they were able to obtain these drinks on their card? Or does it vary by ship? Or maybe they just found an accomodating bartender. Is there a way to get a list of what drinks are valid on the drink pass? As I said, if it's just soda, I may not want one.

Thanks!

Adrian

Carnival Triumph 2/16/08