Soda on board?

I tried to do a search but its not coming up. What soda is available in the buffet? The stations are open 24 hrs? My husband is also wondering if they have tonic. I'm assuming he'd have to buy that.

They have coke products on the ship. The buffet has a fountain machine. and There is a fountain machine on the pool deck-open 24 hrs. The fountain soda is included. I know the bars have tonic, but I am not sure if they charge you or not for straight tonic. Any time I ordered tonic, it had booze in it.

24/7 Coke products are complimentary at the beverage station on the pool deck. They are also complimentary in all restaurants. Beverage station also has milk, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc.

Don't know about tonic, but he can bring his own on board if that works (cans/bottles/whatever in your carry on.)

I tried to do a search but its not coming up. What soda is available in the buffet? The stations are open 24 hrs? My husband is also wondering if they have tonic. I'm assuming he'd have to buy that.

The drink stations have: Coke, diet Coke, Sprite, Minute Maid Light (Lemonade and Pomegranate Lemonade), water, and Fuze tea. Open 24/7.

As far as I know, getting a drink (of any type - alcoholic or non) in a bar/lounge comes with a cost. Now, it may be possible to get tonic at dinner (in the MDRs) for no cost, I know my Shirley Temple drinks at dinner don't come with a charge, but do in the bars.

Is there anywhere aboard to get a Dr. Pepper/Mr. Pibb type soda? No Coke Zero or Sprite Zero? Can we bring our own?

You can buy additional products IN CANS at a cost of almost $3 per can including the automatic gratuity. Yes, you can bring any beverages you wish on board in your CARRY ON BAGS only. You can also purchase them in ports and bring them on. For soft drinks, this is especially helpful if visiting Key West--go to the CVS and get what you want/forgot!

The beverage stations on the pool deck are open 24/7. Those in the various restaurants/buffets are open during the hours those venues are open.

Is there anywhere aboard to get a Dr. Pepper/Mr. Pibb type soda? No Coke Zero or Sprite Zero? Can we bring our own?

There is Coke Zero available from the dispenser. On our TA, they ran out though.

You are allowed to bring soda, you must carry it in, not send it through checked luggage.

We've been on a couple of long cruises (12-14 nights) where they ran out of various beverage and other products. But such is life....and they did TRY to get more. They bought syrup in Croatia for the sodas and then discovered that the connectors were different than on the DCL machines......

We've been on a couple of long cruises (12-14 nights) where they ran out of various beverage and other products. But such is life....and they did TRY to get more. They bought syrup in Croatia for the sodas and then discovered that the connectors were different than on the DCL machines......

You are lucky. The soda in Croatia is so sweet that it's undrinkable.

Soft drinks from the self service stations or in the restaurants are complimentary. However, as another poster had mentioned, if you order soft drinks from room service or in the lounges, they will serve it in the can and charge you for it. We were traveling with a large group, and one of the members in our party has sort of a diet Coke addiction. They were constantly ordering cans of diet Coke from room service so they could have it on hand while in the room without having to go up to the fountain on the pool deck or Cabanas. Another night, we were in the D lounge and someone asked my DH if we wanted anything to drink, so we ordered two soft drinks assuming they were complimentary like they were in the restaurants, but they charged $1.75 per can. Not a huge deal, but as far as I am concerned, there is no sense in paying extra for something that you can get elsewhere on the ship for free.

The soft drink options are limited, though. There are no Dr. Pepper/Mr. Pibb type sodas, no root beer or anything like that. I believe they only have Coke, diet Coke, Coke zero, Sprite, Sprite zero, iced tea and lemonade. You are allowed to bring your own drinks on board, I believe.

If your friend was charged only $1.75 per can, the prices have been reduced. On our cruise the charge was almost $3 per can, including the automatic bar item gratuity. And I'm with you as to paying for something you can get at no charge. My daughter was warned that if I ever saw a charge for a soda on the bill, it would be her last cruise! You can bring any beverage you wish in your carry on luggage.

We just got off the Fantasy last week and I'm working on a very detailed day by day cruise review, but I'll chime in on our soda experience now. The soda and tea out of the dispensers on the pool deck, Cabanas and from Enchanted Garden was terrible tasting. There was a strong citrus flavor in the regular coke and water, and the tea was extremely bitter. Many people said they all tasted funny. I even stood at the dispenser and asked people if the coke tasted good to them. Everyone I talked to said it tasted funny. It was so bad I went to guest services with a sample of the coke and they agreed it had a strong citrus smell.

I told them my family drinks coke and the product coming out of the dispensers was undrinkable. They asked how many cans I would need a day to meet my family's needs and I told them 8. They delivered 8 cans of coke to my stateroom every morning for the entire cruise. I even carried the cans into the dining rooms. Our waiters said they would bring us cans at no charge if we needed them. Now that is customer service!

We just got off the Fantasy last week and I'm working on a very detailed day by day cruise review, but I'll chime in on our soda experience now. The soda and tea out of the dispensers on the pool deck, Cabanas and from Enchanted Garden was terrible tasting. There was a strong citrus flavor in the regular coke and water, and the tea was extremely bitter. Many people said they all tasted funny. I even stood at the dispenser and asked people if the coke tasted good to them. Everyone I talked to said it tasted funny. It was so bad I went to guest services with a sample of the coke and they agreed it had a strong citrus smell.

I told them my family drinks coke and the product coming out of the dispensers was undrinkable. They asked how many cans I would need a day to meet my family's needs and I told them 8. They delivered 8 cans of coke to my stateroom every morning for the entire cruise. I even carried the cans into the dining rooms. Our waiters said they would bring us cans at no charge if we needed them. Now that is customer service!

The tea from the dispensers is lipton instant--it is HORRIBLE all the time! The tea served in the MDRs is brewed and very good. I typically leave the dining room with a glass of brewed tea. I've also been known to brew my own from the hot water and tea bags available at the beverage station. I bring a 32 ounce styrofoam cup on board, which serves as a brewing container! It works.....then add ice and I'm good to go.

As to odd tasting sodas--we've not had that experience. But glad DCL made it right for you.

The tea from the dispensers is lipton instant--it is HORRIBLE all the time! The tea served in the MDRs is brewed and very good. I typically leave the dining room with a glass of brewed tea. I've also been known to brew my own from the hot water and tea bags available at the beverage station. I bring a 32 ounce styrofoam cup on board' date=' which serves as a brewing container! It works.....then add ice and I'm good to go.

 

As to odd tasting sodas--we've not had that experience. But glad DCL made it right for you.[/quote']

 

They have switched from Lipton* to Fuze iced tea at the drink station. While I much prefer brewed tea, I could make do with the Lipton (if I used lots of ice and doctored it with lemon and sugar), but the Fuze stuff is terrible, IMO. I couldn't "fix" it in any way.

 

*EDIT: Actually at the drink station it used to be Nestea, not Lipton.

They have switched from Lipton to Fuze iced tea at the drink station. While I much prefer brewed tea, I could make do with the Lipton (if I used lots of ice and doctored it with lemon and sugar), but the Fuze stuff is terrible, IMO. I couldn't "fix" it in any way.

You are right--I now remember seeing the Fuze on our last cruise. It was still terrible. Basically colored water. NASTY stuff.

Just got a facebook feed that Carnival has now restricted ALL bottled beverages from being brought on board because guests were supposedly emptying out water bottles and refilling them with adult beverages. So now, only empty water bottles are permitted to be brought on board Carnival ships. More nickel and dime tactics???

Just got a facebook feed that Carnival has now restricted ALL bottled beverages from being brought on board because guests were supposedly emptying out water bottles and refilling them with adult beverages. So now' date=' only empty water bottles are permitted to be brought on board Carnival ships. More nickel and dime tactics???[/quote']

 

Sort of. While they've eliminated being able to bring sealed water bottles onboard, they've also lowered the price they charge for bottled water packages onboard. You can now get a 12 pack for $2.99.

Sort of. While they've eliminated being able to bring sealed water bottles onboard, they've also lowered the price they charge for bottled water packages onboard. You can now get a 12 pack for $2.99.

Yes, unlike DCL who is now charging $9 for a six pack of Dasani. I didn't mind paying when it was Evian (mostly because Evian bottles themselves are worth more - they are very sturdy and easy to hold and freeze well). But that much for Dasani? No way.

Just got a facebook feed that Carnival has now restricted ALL bottled beverages from being brought on board because guests were supposedly emptying out water bottles and refilling them with adult beverages. So now' date=' only empty water bottles are permitted to be brought on board Carnival ships. More nickel and dime tactics???[/quote']

 

not so much nickle and diming....as trying to curb the alcohol smuggling :cool:

Flying in the night before our cruise and plan on renting a car to take us to the hotel by the port. We'll stop to pick up drinks at a store in the area. The problem is dragging them around the ship until we can stash them in the stateroom. So would it be best to just arrive closer to 1 or 1:30? Then I could at least get the drinks into the room and not have to pull them all over the friggin' ship!

What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

Flying in the night before our cruise and plan on renting a car to take us to the hotel by the port. We'll stop to pick up drinks at a store in the area. The problem is dragging them around the ship until we can stash them in the stateroom. So would it be best to just arrive closer to 1 or 1:30? Then I could at least get the drinks into the room and not have to pull them all over the friggin' ship!

 

What are your thoughts?

 

Thanks!

Sounds like a plan.

So you'll have to check out of your hotel room by 11...there will be maybe 30 minutes taken up with returning the car and getting to the cruise terminal. Guess you can hang out in the hotel lobby after you vacate your room.

There's nothing wrong with your plan to arrive at the terminal at 1...but you will be hanging out somewhere and waiting.