Anyone purchase a soda card recently?

I just received an e mail reply from ship services that states that soda cards are discontinued and might be available in the new year. Has anyone else been given the same information?

Just off the Vendam Oct. 29th cruise and my husband purchased a soda card

after we boarded in the Ocean Bar. No problem. We were on a 14 dayer and

it was $56.

I just purchased a soda card on 11/9/05. Ordered over the phone (800-541-1576) for my cruise tomorrow aboard the Ryndam. $43.13 for 10 days.

A few months ago, I bought two for our 12/4 cruise on the Westerdam. Have not seen any re-crediting of the credit card acct, and no messages from TA or HAL about rescinding it. I hope they keep it, we drink a lot of diet cokes !

Thanks all, for your replies. The exact wording of the e mail was:

"At the moment we have discontinued our soda card, but expect to have a new soda card available for purchase very soon."

I wonder if this means a price increase since our cruise isn't until April ??

Talked to HAL today and they said that yes they have discontinued the soda card as of last week. They will honor any that have already been purchased but they currently don't have any. She said to ask on board and see what they might have for a replacement. Will try this Sunday on the Westerdam.

I guess I just barely got in under the wire...

We are suppose to have one as part of our group perks from our TA on our 12/3 Zuiderdam cruise...hmmm.....this could be interesting!

Marie

I emailed my TA and asked her to please confirm ours :). I am trying to avoid any problems once onboard, but of course, I realize I still may have them :).

Marie

We sailed Maasdam 11/5, just got home. They pushed the soda card the first day at the Lido deck. We had a soda card, 47.50 I think. Did not hear of that changing . Jackfrost

Maybe it`s because of more than one person using the same card. The previous method was issuing X amount of coupons for X amount of dollars....giving you a discount price. It was for cans of soda, not fountain drinks.......jean:cool:

I purchased a soda card on the Volendam 10 day cruise November 5 for $46 (including tip).

I was always under the impression, from reading this board, that the card was for fountain drinks. It's the odd occasion that you receive a can.

Is this correct?

P.S. thank goodness for this board!!!

That is correct. They give you a can if you dont have a card. That almost happened when we ordered soda, then they changed it to fountain.jackfrost

I think it kind of depends on the ship. On the Ryndam, both times, we always got cans with our soda card. Maybe they don't have fountain soda, just cans? At the bar, they seemed to always make DH's rum & cokes with cans of coke...

Mary

Soda "cars" are still available. The DW purchased one on a recent Westerdam cruise. Price varies depending on actual number of days of the cruise.

What you all didn't mention was that there is not an actual "card". You can purchase a "card" at all the bars and what they do is put a little red Coca Cola label sticker on your room key/ID card. You show it when you want a drink (like Coke/Sprite/Club Soda/etc) and you will get a glass. After the bar stewards and waitresses get to know you, they may actually bring you a can....for two reasons: (1) they know you will have more than one glass and it saves them coming back in ten minutes; (2) if you are in a lounge for a show, they won't have to come back while the show is on.

Not all the bars have draft fountains so typically the bartender will open up a can and pour you a glass and keep the open can down on the shelf below the counter to pour you a second drink when you are ready. Sometimes you will get the whole can at once.

Hope this helps.

I can't imagine who at HAL might have said they ran out of "cards" (or maybe I misread the poster's comments).

I guess I am not understanding why they would want to cancel such a program. They can't be losing money on it. The quantity they purchase drinks in, they would be getting good discounts. I buy 12 packs of Coke products locally for $1.99 all the time, which makes each can 16.5 cents. At that cost...and I feel sure they are paying even less than that...a card that cost $4.32 a day would mean you could drink 27 cans a day before it started costing them anything out of pocket. At that...doesn't seem like it would be a big deal to have two people using the same card...I doubt that even together they would consume that much in a day. Fountain drinks are way cheaper...the local booster club lady told me they figure their cost at about 6-10 cents for a 12 ounce cup....actually she said the cup costs them more than the pop inside.

If I understand this program..you get a sticker that you put on your card. It would seem that would simplify things for them..not having to get a person's number etc. to make sure to get it charged to the right accounts. Sounds like a win/win situation for all involved.

Sure hope they get it all figured out by our cruise to Mexican Riviera on Jan. 7.

Having just returned from the Veendam after 44 days on a b to b I Know we had it both ways on each leg of the cruise. For the thirty day cruise we received cards for $136.00 each, for the following 14 day cruise we paid $46. something and got stickers for our sail and sign card. So it really doesn't follow any logic. Hope this helps out.

Trisha

I bought the soda sticker for my cruise on the Oosterdam last week. I got cans of soda every time except for the first day.

There were many many people with the soda stickers.

Thanks again for the replies. You know I got to thinking regarding the reply to my query sent to to ship's services.

The other question I asked, at the same time, was how many formal/informal nights would be on the cruise on the Statendam on the April 17th sailing.( a 14 day cruise) The reply was that they did not have the information yet and asked that I check back in the new year.

Perhaps it was a person who just wanted to reply to questions as quickly as possible??

I had printed out a Holland American Guest Services form back a couple of months ago, to see what I needed to order for my daughter and myself. The soda card was listed at that time..when I did order some services I also asked for the soda card for our cruise (7 days on the Zaandam) and was given one for 27.50 (I LOVE DIET COKE).

I want to have as many services costs out of the way, so we can enjoy our time without worry.

Linda

Unfortunately, the soda card has been removed from the HAL guest services list. That was my thought, as well, Linda. Have as little to do upon boarding as possible.

I find, that, as much as I think I'm going to be organized----I'm Not!

Stepped into the Lido of the Maasdam on Nov. 16 and the first thing I did was purchase the soda card. Don't remember the cost (haven't unpacked yet) ... but they put a big red sticker (COKE) on the ID card of the person purchasing it. (Probably to prevent others from using same card.) Card not usable on HMC - otherwise no problem anywhere on the ship.

I paid 27.50 on the Veendam this week...bought it at the front office.:) It was well used !

I had it on the Westerdam. Always pays for itself. Sometimes a few stewards are a little less than happy to serve when they find out it's a soda sticker, though for the most part they don't hesitate and I even had 'em come over with a glass of coke when they saw me in the Lido. :)

Sad if they've put a halt to it ... perhaps the price-break has been too much for them?