Drinks and food

I don't get it, all the food is free (except I hear popcorn during movies??) and they give you juice and milk and water and coffee and tea....

But why is soda so expensive? I don't need it, but I am going on my first cruise with my whole family and there will be a few kids who will only have milk and juice to drink (we will not pay for soda, heck no).

But why? Is there a logic to it I am missing? Soda is cheap cheap cheap. They will lose money forcing people to waste milk and OJ rather than waste soda (if soda is valuable enough to waste).

Welcome to Cruise Critic! :)

Popcorn in the movie is free. You can bring on as much soda as you like, from every port. I can't say why it's "expensive".

Food in the main dinner room and Lido buffet is free. Popcorn in free in the theatre. However, food is not free in the extra charge resturants.

Soda is relatively cheap in the concentrate form. But you have to bring on CO2 and the concentrate, plus the soda gun system, which HAL doesn't use. Soda in cans is not so cheap, relatively.

Best the kids get away from soda anyway. Amazingly water tastes great!

HAL is a for profit company. If they charge low fares to get people to book, they have to get revenue from somewhere in order to pay the bills and make some money. Soda is one place they can generate some profit.

Bring your soda aboard with you, if you wish.

Welcome to CC/HAL. Happy you found us.

I actually find the cost of soda quite reasonable compared to buying it on land, say in a restaurant. I think it's still $1.95/can plus the 15%. HAL also provides lemonade, ice tea and OJ for free. Popcorn at the movie is free. At the moment you can take onboard as much soda as you like, so maybe that is the solution for you.

HAL is a for profit company. If they charge low fares to get people to book, they have to get revenue from somewhere in order to pay the bills and make some money. Soda is one place they can generate some profit.

 

Bring your soda aboard with you, if you wish.

 

Welcome to CC/HAL. Happy you found us.

 

I think this is/was/has been the best reply to why something on board is higher priced than on land. Great reply Sail!!

Joanie

When you go to restaurants, do you get free soda? And BTW the food is not free but is included in the price of your cruise. ;)

Welcome to Cruise Critic. :)

When you go to restaurants, do you get free soda? And BTW the food is not free but is included in the price of your cruise. ;)

 

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic. :)

Exactly, what is free when one is paying upfront for room, board, transportation and entertainment. :cool:

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Pinnacle Grill restaurant is $25 per person.

Canaletto restaurant is $10 per person.

Tamarind restaurant is $15 per person -- this restaurant is only on the Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam.

Explorations Café -- charge for specialty coffees and teas.

In the dining room -- regular coffee and tea is free -- there is a charge now for:

Cappuccino - $1.75

Espresso -- $1.25

Extra Shot - $0.50

I don't get it, all the food is free (except I hear popcorn during movies??) and they give you juice and milk and water and coffee and tea....

 

But why is soda so expensive? I don't need it, but I am going on my first cruise with my whole family and there will be a few kids who will only have milk and juice to drink (we will not pay for soda, heck no).

 

But why? Is there a logic to it I am missing? Soda is cheap cheap cheap. They will lose money forcing people to waste milk and OJ rather than waste soda (if soda is valuable enough to waste).

I think the OP is referring to the profit margin selling soda, which is really cheap for them(especially using the fountain) versus "selling" milk and juice for $0. These beverages initially cost more than soda.

In the end HAL wants to have the highest revenue possible with all purchases made on board. So, yes, by selling sodas for $$, they are making more money.

When you go to restaurants, do you get free soda? And BTW the food is not free but is included in the price of your cruise. ;)

 

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic. :)

Thanks, Peter.

I think people get tired of my posting nothing is free on a cruise ship. We either pay for it included in the fare or we pay for it at the time of use/consumption but we pay for all of it. ;)

I think the OP is referring to the profit margin selling soda, which is really cheap for them(especially using the fountain) versus "selling" milk and juice for $0. These beverages initially cost more than soda.

 

In the end HAL wants to have the highest revenue possible with all purchases made on board. So, yes, by selling sodas for $$, they are making more money.

Soda is a 'treat' item that no one needs to drink. Many of us do not consider soda necessary at meal time or anytime for that matter. That is NOT to say there is anything wrong with it.

Milk, on the other hand, is nutritious and a valuable part of dairy food group. Children should be having milk; they do not need soda. Therefore, IMO, it makes sense for milk (a food group of value) to be available at no additional charge but for there to be a charge for soda. You can't very well put diet coke on your morning cheerios. :eek: :D

No one needs to agree with my reasoning but that is how I see it.

The problem Sail, was you were injecting logic and common sense into the discussion. Wish you would stop doing that!!!:D:D;)

I think the OP is referring to the profit margin selling soda, which is really cheap for them(especially using the fountain) versus "selling" milk and juice for $0. These beverages initially cost more than soda.

 

In the end HAL wants to have the highest revenue possible with all purchases made on board. So, yes, by selling sodas for $$, they are making more money.

For sanitary and health reasons HAL has stopped using the fountain gun method on most ships. The prices quoted are for full cans of soda. (My bold print).

I don't understand the OP's comments regarding milk, juice etc being wasted :confused:

I would never give my children soda. As a child we had water, watered down fresh juice or milk. Maybe that's why at 40 years old I still have baby teeth :D.

My mother used to tell me as a kid, that nothing in life is free. When I grew up, I learned that it is even less free at restaurants, hotels, and resorts - including cruise ships.

PS I never had soda as a kid, except as a treat. It was milk and juice for me.

....

 

Soda is a 'treat' item that no one needs to drink. Many of us do not consider soda necessary at meal time or anytime for that matter. That is NOT to say there is anything wrong with it.

 

Milk, on the other hand, is nutritious and a valuable part of dairy food group. Children should be having milk; they do not need soda. Therefore, IMO, it makes sense for milk (a food group of value) to be available at no additional charge but for there to be a charge for soda. You can't very well put diet coke on your morning cheerios. :eek: :D

 

 

No one needs to agree with my reasoning but that is how I see it.

 

You make a good point. HAL does have a basic nutritional duty to its passengers, as well as certain but more variable culinary standards to also meet.

Since we are essentially under their care for room and board for a set period of time, they do need to at least provide nutritional basics in appropriate amounts across the various food groups. Decades ago this used to be called The Basic Four, but it now has other iterations to get the same point across: (1) dairy or equivalents-(2) vegetables/fruits (3) -protein-(4)grains. Sodas were called "empty calories" back then; and still are.

It's expensive because they have to make some money.

Thanks everyone for commenting.

Apparently my comments were worded incorrectly.

What I meant by free obviously I know I pay for it, but when it comes in a package I can keep it out of mind rather than try and keep a tally to pay off at the end. I hope that makes sense to everyone.

What I mean by "wasted" is only in reference to the idea that not everyone finishes thier drinks. Kids leave milk, adults leave coffee, etc. Half a glass of soda does not cost HA as much as half a glass of OJ (I may be 100% wrong here, but I don't see it)

Do I get soda with a meal already at resturants? No, but I don't get ANYTHING extra. Again, a complimentary (which of course I know is not truly free) glass of OJ would hit the bottom line harder than soda.

No, I said we don't need it and will not buy it. So this is not a discussion about the harms of soda. It is a logic question, substitiue the items if you wish. Would it make sense for a buffet resturant to offer everything included all drinks EXCEPT soda? Not really.

What I was really getting at was to question the policy. Why? Hearing they don't use the fountain does explain a little bit. Saying that soda is not required is maybe also an explaination (then again, anything but water and milk is not required).

Charge for all drinks, or charge me $20 more and include soda. NO, I would not drink it more than maybe once or twice, I just don't like the "All Inclusive" headlines followed by "except......" Puts me in a sour mood before it even starts. What's next? Showers are free but $1 to flush the toilet?

IMO, hotels are cheap in LV but they make their money on gambling. Same analogy, a cruise itself is considered very inexpensive bearing in mind what it takes to operate that big giant ship and the labor and operational cost. The money is made on drinks and excursions.

..... Puts me in a sour mood before it even starts. What's next? ........

Best next thing is rent a video of Spamalot or Monty Python's Life of Brian movie and memorize the last song, until you can't help but smile. :p Always look on the bright side of life:

The problem Sail, was you were injecting logic and common sense into the discussion. Wish you would stop doing that!!!:D:D;)

Ooops, Sorry. :)

I'll try to avoid that in the future. :D

Thanks everyone for commenting.

 

Apparently my comments were worded incorrectly.

 

What I meant by free obviously I know I pay for it, but when it comes in a package I can keep it out of mind rather than try and keep a tally to pay off at the end. I hope that makes sense to everyone.

 

What I mean by "wasted" is only in reference to the idea that not everyone finishes thier drinks. Kids leave milk, adults leave coffee, etc. Half a glass of soda does not cost HA as much as half a glass of OJ (I may be 100% wrong here, but I don't see it)

 

Do I get soda with a meal already at resturants? No, but I don't get ANYTHING extra. Again, a complimentary (which of course I know is not truly free) glass of OJ would hit the bottom line harder than soda.

 

No, I said we don't need it and will not buy it. So this is not a discussion about the harms of soda. It is a logic question, substitiue the items if you wish. Would it make sense for a buffet resturant to offer everything included all drinks EXCEPT soda? Not really.

 

What I was really getting at was to question the policy. Why? Hearing they don't use the fountain does explain a little bit. Saying that soda is not required is maybe also an explaination (then again, anything but water and milk is not required).

 

Charge for all drinks, or charge me $20 more and include soda. NO, I would not drink it more than maybe once or twice, I just don't like the "All Inclusive" headlines followed by "except......" Puts me in a sour mood before it even starts. What's next? Showers are free but $1 to flush the toilet?

Rather than be in a 'sour mood', plan to bring soda for the children. HAL permits guests to bring soda and water aboard, if they wish.

There's no such thing as "All Inclusive", there is always fine print explaining what ISN'T included. I don't believe I've ever seen that exact terminology in a HAL offering, by the way.

IMO, hotels are cheap in LV but they make their money on gambling. Same analogy, a cruise itself is considered very inexpensive bearing in mind what it takes to operate that big giant ship and the labor and operational cost. The money is made on drinks and excursions.

Just like movie theatres make a large amount of their profits on popcorn, soda and snacks at the concession stand......

Hello.

I am not really in a sour mood. I am actually very excited to start (we leave on Saturday). I just don't like surprise bills. Who does?

And please, I am not looking for soda, I do not need to bring it with me (that idea is just crazy to me, like what, put it in my bag? It's not a camping trip).

I am just curious to the logic. There does not seem to be any.

I have no idea what to really expect as I have never cruised before. Websites like this help to let people know what to expect, but of course it is no comparison to really doing it.

Just such an odd thing to keep out, it bugged me.

I guess I will just have to chalk it up to "that's how HA rolls, deal with it" and move on. I just hope it isn't a crack in a door about to bust wide open with lots of other twists and turns that I won't find out about until it is time to leave and I get a bill.

Maybe on another cruise line, soda is included but tea and coffee costs extra, who knows? Probably will make more money that way as almost everyone is a coffee addict. They all have to make their play for more $$$ and that is how HA chooses to do it.

Really doesn't matter anyway as I am actually an iced tea lover and this is included so I will be happy. Wife is the same.

Just when things are weird I have to ask why?