NEW soda machines on Explorer

I read on a blog that the Explorer of the Seas will be getting the new soda machines that mix all kinds of flavors (experimented market on Oasis or Allure). They said this machine would have special chips in the soda cups purchased with soda package that would allow only those who bought the package to use the machine. It provides all types of flavors in addition to regular coke. This will start on Explorer in late August, I have already paid for the soda package - I was just wondering if the price of the soda package will increase or stay the same with all the new flavors. Please advise. Perhaps they will charge me for the difference if the price increases.

I doubt the price will increase. Even if it does you already purchased your soda card so you would not be charged anything extra.

"According to Royal Caribbean President and CEO Adam Goldstein, the current pricing of the soda package — which typically runs in the $6.50 per day range — will not be increased due to the rollout of the machines."

Here is the full article with tentative dates for the roll-out:

CLICK HERE

Oh man! that looks so cool ... thinking my daughter might need to get a soft drink option added to her card after all!

I just purchased the soda card recently for our cruise in March 2013 on the Explorer - now I can't wait to try all the different combos available.

Pat

These are the same ones that are slowly becoming the standard in fast food places that serve Coke products. At least here in Orlando, where they are all over the place.

It's nice because I've always loved raspberry/vanilla Cokes from old-timey fountain places and you can make your own. It took a few visits to nail down the exact ratios I like, but I'm gold now!

ETA:

Thanks for the list of rollout!

We have one of these at the local fast food place here in town (BK, I think) and Coke Zero alone has SEVEN different flavors/options! There are a total of 125 different options on the machine. Quite amazing that all those combinations can come from one machine. :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_Freestyle

Had two machines on our Freedom sailing July 22.

The first time I used it I did not add any ice thinking I would not be able to get a full mug, I would add the Ice later.

Well it is PRE-SET to literally fill it over the "top" no isues of short changing you at each filling. There is a time delay, don't know how long but, never bothered us we all purchased the package.

So add your ice and your hand too will get sticky with pop as you too over fill your mug the first time.

Oh it fills fast even when we were behind a couple people we never waited long to fill our mugs.

Safe travels

Sue and crew

I love the comment on that link to the CC blog post.

Please NO.. these are time wasting machines. Some folks just need a refill of cola, but now you have to wait 5 minutes while a kid figures out a new designer flavor for the day. These machines have been taken out of many fast food restaurants because it holds up the service line.

I get this mental picture of them walking around with a clipboard saying "INEFFICIENT!"

I'm not sure if they've ever been on a cruise ship. This is how it works.

1. The WJ: you have to wait for the person in front of you to decide if they want a burger or a hot dog, Italian dressing or ranch, rice or veggies.

2. Getting back on the ship: you have to wait for the person in front of you to figure out how to take off their purse, backpack, whatever and put it on the belt. You have to wait while they remember to pull the metal out of their pockets. You have to wait for the elevator.

3. The ice cream machine: there is usually a line, you have to wait for the kid in front of you to attempt to use the machine and then their parent has to take over. You have to wait for the guy who builds their cone really high, it falls over and he has to try again.

4. Photo lab: you have to wander around and find your photo... looking at all the weirdos you are cruising with. It never fails that YOUR photo is directly above or below the photo the family of 12 in front of you is looking at.

Seriously, we could do this all day. There are tons of other examples. Cruising isn't always done at MAXIMUM SPEED. It isn't a race, it's a vacation.

I also love the part about how they are yanking them all over because of this! Wrong. They are going in like crazy around here. I've seen tons more of these in the last 6-12 months. Some places even have big signs advertising their new machines.

Deleted post

Safe travels

Sue and crew

The new machines are on Majesty of the Seas.

These would be so wonderful, as my DH can only drink decaf diet sodas, so he doesn't get a soda package. He woulde definitely love this !

There are lots of diet, decaffeinated choices available including (if I can discern them from my picture well enough): Dasani and Dasani Sensations, Diet Barq's, Fanta Zero, Caffeine-Free Diet Coke, and Sprite Zero, most of which can be augmented with flavors like strawberry, fruit punch, vanilla, cherry, orange, and lime.

WOW This Sounds Great

I used one of these for the first time today. After taking a minute to figure out how to use it, it was simple. It was also nice to have all the different choices. WTG Royal Caribbean!!! :D

Bummer. According to the schedule Freedom will not have the machines until September. My son is diabetic and gets tired of diet coke and diet sprite. He loves all the diet choices that are available with the new machines. Maybe we will get lucky and Freedom will get the machines early.

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We have them all over south Florida now but I am excited to have it on my majesty cruise. Here are a couple pics of a local one.

There are lots of diet, decaffeinated choices available including (if I can discern them from my picture well enough): Dasani and Dasani Sensations, Diet Barq's, Fanta Zero, Caffeine-Free Diet Coke, and Sprite Zero, most of which can be augmented with flavors like strawberry, fruit punch, vanilla, cherry, orange, and lime.

For a full list of available options I posted a link above in Post #7, just go to section 3.1 (Flavors) of this wikipedia article...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_Freestyle

Seems like a ginger ale upgrade would be wise on a cruise ship.

As far as i've heard, these machines will NOT be on Explorer of The Seas for my cruise on August 16th, then again, I asked someone on the Royal Caribbean website chat, and according to stuff i've read here, they are always wrong! I'd like to try out this machine, we all have the soda package coming to us for this cruise.

I just want plain ole coke zero. Will my drink be flavored with whatever the person in front of me ordered? Some of it would still be in the line, wouldn't it?

My local steakhouse had a new chef that was cooking all his meats on the same grill.... Chicken, steak, fish.... I had to send my steak back because it picked up the fish flavor of whatever it was he grilled in that spot before my steak.

Maybe they will still have plain dispensers for us boring folks?

I just want plain ole coke zero. Will my drink be flavored with whatever the person in front of me ordered? Some of it would still be in the line, wouldn't it?

I only have one set of tests, but the answer seems to be NO.

I know if you get water at a fast food place, it tastes like whatever the weakest flavor in the lineup is (usually pink lemon-aid Hi-C or something sad like that) that they attached to the water option. If you don't let it run a bit.

My wife wondered the same thing. I got my raspberry, vanilla Coke and she immediately got plain Sprite after. No flavored Sprite. I'm not sure how they do it, but it was good.

We tried it again later. It was immediately after someone else had gone and again, no flavored Sprite.

This was one location, two attempts. However, it was a success.

ETA:

You could always start yours for 1-3 seconds, pour it out and go again. Slightly wasteful, but guarantees success.

Wont have the flavor of other drinks, because each one (drinks) comes from its own dedicated dispenser.

Syrup and carbonated water come together in its own dispenser.

Their lined up in a row and the ice is in the middle.

Safe travels

Sue and crew

I couldn't find the rollout schedule. Any idea if/when Navigator of the Seas will have it? My son would LOVE this...

I couldn't find the rollout schedule. Any idea if/when Navigator of the Seas will have it? My son would LOVE this...

This thread has been oddly chopped. It wasn't originally called "... on Explorer" it was just a general post about the new machines on all the ships.

Weird. There was a list.

One of my own posts in THIS thread, references THAT part of the thread with the list. However, that part of the thread is gone.

The blog post said:

The current schedule is as follows: Explorer of the Seas (August), Freedom of the Seas (September), Oasis of the Seas (October), Allure of the Seas (November) and Enchantment of the Seas (December). The number of machines on any given ship will depend on ship size, but Goldstein said, “The initial deployment schedule will target high-volume areas and select common areas inside. We may add more, or move locations once we see the realities of traffic flow and guest use.”