Should carnival have soda bars

On the breeze i had the bubbles plan.It was a pain going to a bar for soda. But what irked me was that kids had to go to the bars on places like lido desk. Maybr time to open a soda bar only stand in lido buffet.

Or even better, advertise more accurately because the web site says that BB is for fountain drinks, when in reality it's cans. That's a big difference.

I wouldn’t mind going to the bars for a soda if it weren’t for the wait. They ignore the soda people, especially kids, in favor of the people ordering the pricier alcoholic beverages. It’s probably because they’ll get a better tip. The sodas are cheap and the tips not that much. I just hate waiting 15-20 minutes just to get a Diet Coke. :(

So every time my son wants a coke he has to go wait in line at a bar and then sign a receipt and leave a tip?? I thought the gratuity was added in. At least on the website it says it is adding a gratuity (don’t remember how much)

What about at dinner in the MDR? Can they just ask the waiter for a coke or will they (husband and son) need to visit a bar before going to MDR?

I have never purchased any drink package before and I was considering it this time, now not so sure.....

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Maybr time to open a soda bar only stand in lido buffet.

Not a bad suggestion, but take it further.

What bar or what areas are you going to shut down to build new soda bars?

You’re going to have to staff them, so who’s jobs are going away or being reassigned?

I’d like to see them go the machine route like Royal. Though you then have the rfid chip in the cup issue.

My sons have always had the bubbles package and never had a problem or long wait at the bars.

Not a bad suggestion, but take it further.

What bar or what areas are you going to shut down to build new soda bars?

You’re going to have to staff them, so who’s jobs are going away or being reassigned?

 

I’d like to see them go the machine route like Royal. Though you then have the rfid chip in the cup issue.

I drink a ton of soda and don't find carrying the cup around with me any sort of issue. YMMV

On my last RCI cruise they had diet barqs cream soda which I mixed with vanilla. YUMMM

Bill

So every time my son wants a coke he has to go wait in line at a bar and then sign a receipt and leave a tip??

 

The posts above about having to wait 15-20 minutes every time you go to any bar are highly exaggerated. Has your son ever gone to a refreshment stand at a movie theater, an amusement park, a ball game or a beach? Sometimes there's a short wait. Sometimes not. It all depends when you hit it. Peak times will vary.

 

What about at dinner in the MDR? Can they just ask the waiter for a coke or will they (husband and son) need to visit a bar before going to MDR?

I have never purchased any drink package before and I was considering it this time, now not so sure.....

 

Ordering a soda in the MDR is just like ordering a soda at a land based restaurant. You ask the waiter. They go get it and bring it to your table. No need to leave your seat and go to a bar.

Have a great cruise.

So every time my son wants a coke he has to go wait in line at a bar and then sign a receipt and leave a tip?? I thought the gratuity was added in. At least on the website it says it is adding a gratuity (don’t remember how much)

What about at dinner in the MDR? Can they just ask the waiter for a coke or will they (husband and son) need to visit a bar before going to MDR?

I have never purchased any drink package before and I was considering it this time, now not so sure.....

 

 

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Wait in line? Maybe just when you board the ship, all other times hardly ever any wait, certainly not a line.

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I drink a ton of soda and don't find carrying the cup around with me any sort of issue. YMMV

 

 

 

On my last RCI cruise they had diet barqs cream soda which I mixed with vanilla. YUMMM

 

 

 

Bill

I always thought you got wild and crazy once on the ship....now we know it is true.

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So every time my son wants a coke he has to go wait in line at a bar and then sign a receipt and leave a tip?? I thought the gratuity was added in. At least on the website it says it is adding a gratuity (don’t remember how much)

What about at dinner in the MDR? Can they just ask the waiter for a coke or will they (husband and son) need to visit a bar before going to MDR?

I have never purchased any drink package before and I was considering it this time, now not so sure.....

 

 

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This is not what you should expect. Your idea of what takes place is blown way out if proportion.

Many times my kids have walked up to a bar that they have been recognized by the bartender and he simply fills their glass or gives them a can and off they go. No extra tip and sometimes no signing of a receipt.

Relax and have a great cruise.

Coca Cola Freestyle machines are long overdue on Carnival ships. I’d prefer the version where you have to insert or scan your card so you can use a fresh cup every time vs the RFID cup though, but that’s not a big deal to me.

And I’ve always thought there should be a bar in the kids clubs areas and Sports Square that serves sodas, fresh juices, smoothies and other non alcoholic beverages.

And I’ve always thought there should be a bar in the kids clubs areas and Sports Square that serves sodas, fresh juices, smoothies and other non alcoholic beverages.

Wholeheartedly agree and would like to have something similar to a juice/smoothie bar in the spa area.

Or you could just avoid the whole mess altogether and bring on a 12 pack of your kid's preferred coke and let them drink that.

That's what we do...we hit up WalMart before we board and purchase 3 12 packs of soda, which we generally don't even finish before the week is out because we're not big coke drinkers.

So every time my son wants a coke he has to go wait in line at a bar and then sign a receipt and leave a tip??

 

Bar tenders hand out receipts as a "hint" for a tip. If you don't, sign the receipt with an "X" and not tip, the receipt gets tossed. If you leave a tip, than it is separated. Bar tenders don't hand kids receipts. They know better.

 

I thought the gratuity was added in. At least on the website it says it is adding a gratuity (don’t remember how much)

 

It is added in. No need to tip. Many people think 15% is not enough, and rather tip 35-50% on a drink, because the perceive they get good service. Bartenders love these people.

 

What about at dinner in the MDR? Can they just ask the waiter for a coke or will they (husband and son) need to visit a bar before going to MDR?

 

Waiters will bring you a coke.

 

I have never purchased any drink package before and I was considering it this time, now not so sure.....

 

 

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Tips included, don't worry about it. If the drink package makes it easy and cheaper, get it. I never tip extra. I already think 15% is too much, and certainly will not tip more. If it takes 20 minutes to get a soda, than that person is pulling your leg. Never had that happen, and the bartender will not know if you a soda person or a high end drink person.

It's been a long time since we've purchased the soda package, but when we did, we survived just fine. I think it would be great to have a self serve soda machine on board. I love those freestyle machines! If they did, utilizing a card swipe method would be more convenient for those who don't want to keep up with a special cup or are concerned their child will not keep up with it. It would also allow those who did not purchase the package to get their own soda & it would simply charge their card.

As far as children ordering at a bar - our son thought he was so cool sitting on a barstool ordering his cokes. I don't know that the bartenders intentionally make them wait. I could see them overlooking a child standing among a bunch of adults, thinking they are with the adults or simply not noticing someone who is only 4 feet tall. Nothing to sign & tip was included in the cost of the package. Cokes were always ordered from the dining room bar staff. When we used set time dining, we didn't have to ask for it after the first night - they brought it automatically.

Tips included, don't worry about it. If the drink package makes it easy and cheaper, get it. I never tip extra. I already think 15% is too much, and certainly will not tip more. If it takes 20 minutes to get a soda, than that person is pulling your leg. Never had that happen, and the bartender will not know if you a soda person or a high end drink person.

The bartenders figure out pretty quick (by the second day) who drinks what, how often they drink it, and whether or not a cash tip is forthcoming, especially if you frequent the same bar. Our usually MO is a Bloody Mary with breakfast or brunch (no extra tip as we are in the dining room), a few drinks on Lido (tip the few roving bartenders, and they come back quickly), a few cocktails in the atrium (a few well-placed $1 bills results in quicker service throughout the cruise), a drink with dinner (no tip needed -- dining room), evening cocktails in the comedy club (I only tip if they bring me the drink, if I have to walk to the bar, fuggettaboutit), and then top off the night at Alchemy (a few good tips at the beginning of the week and no worries the rest of the cruise).

If you choose not to tip extra, good for you.

I would never get the bottomless bubbles package because I don't want a warm can of soda poured over ice. It gets flat almost immediately. :(

I wasn't feeling well one night and ordered a ginger ale. No fizz at all.

Wait in line? Maybe just when you board the ship, all other times hardly ever any wait, certainly not a line.

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I think it varies from bar and ship. Boarding was a ridiculous wait in the atrium, but no wait (or very little) at Red Frog Rum bar on Lido. At shows you would need to flag the server to let her know you wanted something - some evenings were quicker than others. Atrium even when not crowded was slow, poor service the other time we went. Other bars varied, but usually brief wait not long lines.

I would never get the bottomless bubbles package because I don't want a warm can of soda poured over ice. It gets flat almost immediately. :(

I wasn't feeling well one night and ordered a ginger ale. No fizz at all.

Was it flat even paying a la carte? I thought you were supposed to get a fresh can.

Never had that happen, and the bartender will not know if you a soda person or a high end drink person.

If your a kid they will know for sure your not buying a high end drink - either way i think it just depends on which bar you go to and if they are busy or not I have never been ignored on my past cruises and all I ever ordered was a free glass of water

Was it flat even paying a la carte? I thought you were supposed to get a fresh can.

If the can is already open that is what they use - because some drinks do not use the whole can so they save what is left for the next person

Or you could just avoid the whole mess altogether and bring on a 12 pack of your kid's preferred coke and let them drink that.

 

That's what we do...we hit up WalMart before we board and purchase 3 12 packs of soda, which we generally don't even finish before the week is out because we're not big coke drinkers.

This. Even for the reduced price for children, it is $40 a week to do bubbles. For an adult, it is $60. If that's worth it to you, then it's worth it. For $4 a person, I can stock my mini fridge with tons of cans of soda.

I wouldn’t mind going to the bars for a soda if it weren’t for the wait. They ignore the soda people, especially kids, in favor of the people ordering the pricier alcoholic beverages. It’s probably because they’ll get a better tip. The sodas are cheap and the tips not that much. I just hate waiting 15-20 minutes just to get a Diet Coke. :(

Once you're pegged as a soda drinker on Carnival, you can expect to wait extended periods of times for a drink... especially if you look young or are a kid.

On Princess, when sitting down at the Lido buffet, a server will ask what you want to drink, will have no problem if it's a soda, and will be back within a minute. In the MDR, the assistant waiter -- not a bar waiter -- will handle it and it'll be there without a wait. The bartenders don't ignore you and are happy to assist and they don't even look up your picture when you order something.

Once you're pegged as a soda drinker on Carnival, you can expect to wait extended periods of times for a drink... especially if you look young or are a kid.

 

On Princess, when sitting down at the Lido buffet, a server will ask what you want to drink, will have no problem if it's a soda, and will be back within a minute. In the MDR, the assistant waiter -- not a bar waiter -- will handle it and it'll be there without a wait. The bartenders don't ignore you and are happy to assist and they don't even look up your picture when you order something.

I find the service more based on guest's attitude than beverage choice.

As I mentioned above my sons do get the package and we do bring our own also. The mostly use the package to order fruit punch (it’s AMAZING by the way) or sodas when our with kids club and not near the cabin. Not only do they not have to wait longer than a normal concession line but often have made friends with some of the bartenders who then take very good care of them. And they don’t tip extra (although I will if I am getting a drink for me at the same time).

What about at dinner in the MDR? Can they just ask the waiter for a coke or will they (husband and son) need to visit a bar before going to MDR?

 

the wait staff do not do drinks except ice tea/milk and water. (coffee, tea

 

 

youwill need to wait for a bar waiter to come to the table-- good luck with that.

 

we stop at a bar on the way to the MDR