Soda Cards...worth the $$ or not

Can you get the soda card on the 2nd day? Does anyone know how much they are on the Carnival Liberty. Will they fill up your insulated mug or just give you one cup at a time?......Is it better just to take your own sodas on board? Do they give you a large refillable plastic cup to use with soda card like RCCL?

Looking forward to everyone's opinion.

To me they arent worth the $$$. You would have to drink at least 3 sodas a day to pay for them. Thats a whole lot of soda!!!

If you are a huge soda drinker they may be worth it to you. I think they run about $6 a day.

I have done it both ways, bought the soda cards for $6 a day, and yes you can get them on on other days besides the first, and brought my own. I brought the soda on a short 3 day cruise and it worked fine, on our last 7 day on I bought the card as I did not want to drag that much soda on board. The pluses of bringing your own are the cost savings and the fact that Coke products are all they serve. The soda card is convenient as you are never far from a bar on a Carnival cruise ship and you can get a soda with your dinner also.

I guess it comes down to the number of soda drinkers in your party and if your fine with Coke products

Considering the price of drinks, photos, and excursions, the soda card is a ok deal in my opinion.

To me they arent worth the $$$. You would have to drink at least 3 sodas a day to pay for them. Thats a whole lot of soda!!!

 

If you are a huge soda drinker they may be worth it to you. I think they run about $6 a day.

Why Thank you Firefly! hehe

I was wondering how much the cards are up to now. We usually don't get them for us, but our teenage son does. Now I do bring on board my Hansens Splenda sweetened ginger ale cause I do not drink sugared down sodas at all. + Lots of water bottles! Wait, our son will be 18 on this cruise, that means he has to get the adult card now. They are different prices right?

I think they run about $42.00 for a week...and NOT worth the $$. We usually check-in a duffle bag with a 12-pack of soda and water and it is at our cabin waiting for us when we arrive.

Well, if having a soda card bought and paid for made you more motivated to drink soda and not booze, it'll pay for itself shortly. :)

I'm actually thinking about getting one tomorrow. I can easily drink three sodas a day and my wife would probably drink out of my glass a bit like she always does...

DH always gets the soda card as he doesn't drink alcohol and he's a big soda drinker. More than gets his money's worth. I wouldn't even consider bring on board with us his soda supply for an entire cruise. Not to mention he would not be happy running back to the cabin everytime he wanted a soda. I on the other hand never get a soda card, as that's not my drink of choice;) Do occasionally sip out of DH's soda glass, but not often. We usually take 2 large six packs of soda on board with us so I can mix my drinks of choice in our cabin.:) And yes, you can purchase the soda card after the first day of your cruise if you wish. Yes, you get an insulated container with your soda card which they will refill but DH just gets a glass each time as he has no interest in carrying the container around with him.

RCCL a few years ago would sell a soda cup that could be refilled. It seemed to be great sport to steal each others cups. Mostly kids would leave them behind and folks would definitely swipe them quite often. I think the card is a better idea.

Carnival sells a soda cup for around $4.95 I believe. The bar tender will also fill your cup up if you brought one from home.

The soda cards are $6/day/adult and $4.50/day/child plus 15% tip (and sales tax if you buy it while in port).

Dave

Carnival sells a soda cup for around $4.95 I believe. The bar tender will also fill your cup up if you brought one from home.

 

The soda cards are $6/day/adult and $4.50/day/child plus 15% tip (and sales tax if you buy it while in port).

Dave

Thanks for the Tip Dave, I still have my old Carnival mug from the previous cruise. Will just bring that along.

Can the Soda cards also be used for fruit juice (cranberry, pineapple, etc) from the bars as well?

RCCL a few years ago would sell a soda cup that could be refilled. It seemed to be great sport to steal each others cups. Mostly kids would leave them behind and folks would definitely swipe them quite often. I think the card is a better idea.

Actually they still do provide a cup when you purchase the card...we got them for our kids last November. However...the cup itself is NOT good enough to get the soda; you have to show your card which will indicate via a sticker (that's small and VERY hard to remove) that you get free refills.

I saw a very irate woman who tried to get a soda with just a cup and was rebuffed.

Carnival sells a soda cup for around $4.95 I believe. The bar tender will also fill your cup up if you brought one from home.

 

The soda cards are $6/day/adult and $4.50/day/child plus 15% tip (and sales tax if you buy it while in port).

Dave

Is that a fact? Is that for any beverage bought in port?

I never knew that...

this will be my first cruise on the Imagination in Oct. Does anybody know if the soda is from the can itself or if they are fountain drinks? Thanks!

this will be my first cruise on the Imagination in Oct. Does anybody know if the soda is from the can itself or if they are fountain drinks? Thanks!

From the can. If Carnival offered fountain drinks, I would buy the soda card every time.

We bought one early in our cruising career, but no longer will buy one. Here's why:

• DW likes a Diet Coke first thing in the morning (like I do with coffee) - bar service is hard to come by early in the AM
  
• At meals, a soda would be nice, but the bar service person does not always come by the table in a timely manner
  
• You can get soda at any bar, but I found the glasses to be too small at all but the poolside bars (they use larger plastic glasses there.)
  
• Bar staff does not get excited about the card because they know there is no extra tip coming for filling a glass with soda.
  
• It is easy to bring soda onboard with you, and less expensive.
  

I bought the card the last 3 or 4 cruises, but didn't this time. $48 is getting up there compared to how much is used to be. I just bought my diet coke with supper and took heavy advantage of the free lemonade.

Three cokes a day, seems like you would be bouncing off the walls from the caffeine. I guess there are some people who can drink that much a day?? wow.

We drink alot of Diet Coke daily so the soda card is well worth it. We have never had a problem finding a bar open to get a soda even very early or very late. The big problem with soda cards is bar staff does not want to wait on you as they prefer to wait on customers that are going to give them a big tip.

It is worth it if you drink alot of soda; there is no hassle of having to return to your room (if you brought soda with you). I recommend them.

IMHO, they aren't worth it unless you are a soda addict. I hate Coke and I have never even bought a soda on the ship. My sister bought her kids each a soda card and they were happy and did drink their money's worth. The bottle water is horrible as well, and I bring my own. If I run out, I go to the Lido deck and fill them with the ships water, just as good.

Well no one has yet answered the question of "Is the soda card good for juice also?" I too have been wanting to know.

I think some of you said that you get a special mug for your sodas, and some don't carry it around, just the card? Is that correct? Half OJ, half ginger ale is really good, would they do that for you with a soda card?:confused:

Is that a fact? Is that for any beverage bought in port?

 

I never knew that...

For any sale that occurs while the ship is still in port. Mobile carries it a little further as you have to get to the lighthouse. Also only certain alcohols can be sold at the bar while in port in Mobile. I have had to get them to take the tax off because they forgot to reset the POS terminal.

Can the Soda cards also be used for fruit juice (cranberry, pineapple, etc) from the bars as well?

It can be used for any mixer in the can from the bar to include fruit punch.

Dave

It really just depends on how much pop you drink. I've gotten it every cruise and it's been worth it. At least one during the day, one at dinner, one at the show. Their shirley temples are great : )

We always get it for the kids. They are sodaholics! lol They even use them for shirley temples or juice at any bar. Well worth the money!

Wow great responses to my blog. Thanks everyone!!!!

If you bring a large insulated mug from home will they fill that with soda so you don't have to keep going back all the time. (Has anyone tried/done this) LOL

Keep responding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When you bring soda water on board how much and how do you bring it on?