Bringing soda & water on board (Allure)

[Mel23]

Hi, CC'ers!

 

I'm cruising on the Allure next month and have questions about bringing soda & water on board. I only drink caffeine free regular Coke (not Diet). I can't have caffeine for medical reasons. I'm quite positive that it won't be available on the ship because I've only ever found it in 12-packs at the grocery store, never in restaurants or at gas stations. :(

 

That being said, does RCI allow passengers to bring their own soda and water on board? If so, what's the best way to bring it...stick a luggage tag on the original cases and send them through with your checked luggage, put them in a suitcase/duffle bag through checked luggage, or carry them on? Is there a limit to how much can be brought on board per passenger/stateroom? I don't want to bring an ungodly amount, but would like to bring more than a 6-pack of each if permitted.

 

Thanks for any responses! :D

[BeachChik]

I'm in the same boat. Caffeine gives me heart palpations and I hate diet soda. I haven't sailed with royal yet but the rules say you cannot bring liquids of any kind on board but many people say they have brought them on with no problem. It appears to be hit or miss based on the port and who's checking the luggage.

[Mel23]

I'm in the same boat. Caffeine gives me heart palpations and I hate diet soda. I haven't sailed with royal yet but the rules say you cannot bring liquids of any kind on board but many people say they have brought them on with no problem. It appears to be hit or miss based on the port and who's checking the luggage.

 

It does the same for me plus some other stuff, but I'll spare you those extensive details. It's amazing how caffeine can affect the body. Plus diet soda is sooo much worse because the artificial sugars can cause cancer. :( :rollseyes:

 

I like Sprite, which is also caffeine free, but I usually have to add grenadine/cherry juice (super sugary) because having it plain tastes bland to me. I don't want to have too much sugar either or the palpitations issue will happen with that, too.

 

I have to see my doctor 2 1/2 weeks before we sail, so if need be I'm sure he wouldn't mind providing a 'note'. haha

 

Hopefully an experienced RCI cruiser will come to our rescue with answers. :)

[Merion_Mom]

It does the same for me plus some other stuff, but I'll spare you those extensive details. It's amazing how caffeine can affect the body. Plus diet soda is sooo much worse because the artificial sugars can cause cancer. :( :rollseyes:

 

I like Sprite, which is also caffeine free, but I usually have to add grenadine/cherry juice (super sugary) because having it plain tastes bland to me. I don't want to have too much sugar either or the palpitations issue will happen with that, too.

 

I have to see my doctor 2 1/2 weeks before we sail, so if need be I'm sure he wouldn't mind providing a 'note'. haha

 

Hopefully an experienced RCI cruiser will come to our rescue with answers. :)

 

You can get ginger ale, too. :)

 

There is no one best way. I have carried on my own 12-pack, balanced on my shoulder. I get some funny looks, but no one has blocked me. I have checked it in with the porters. If you put it into checked luggage, be sure to wrap it in a heavy-duty trash bag, securely taped. If anything bursts, you don't want soda all over your clothes or possessions.

[wannacruisemore]

Hi, CC'ers!

 

I'm cruising on the Allure next month and have questions about bringing soda & water on board. I only drink caffeine free regular Coke (not Diet). I can't have caffeine for medical reasons. I'm quite positive that it won't be available on the ship because I've only ever found it in 12-packs at the grocery store, never in restaurants or at gas stations. :(

 

That being said, does RCI allow passengers to bring their own soda and water on board? If so, what's the best way to bring it...stick a luggage tag on the original cases and send them through with your checked luggage, put them in a suitcase/duffle bag through checked luggage, or carry them on? Is there a limit to how much can be brought on board per passenger/stateroom? I don't want to bring an ungodly amount, but would like to bring more than a 6-pack of each if permitted.

 

Thanks for any responses! :D

Hi... Here is my experience...... I packed a soft sided bag ice chest (with a luggage tag) with beer and diet sodas. They kept the beer (until the last night) but I got all diet sodas!!! I think it is very random!!!!!

[Mel23]

If you put it into checked luggage, be sure to wrap it in a heavy-duty trash bag, securely taped. If anything bursts, you don't want soda all over your clothes or possessions.

 

Especially not with the laundry prices on board. :eek:

 

Thanks to both of you for responding! To be safe I'll probably check them in a small suitcase of their own wrapped in bubble wrap like on my last cruise. I decided that I want to carry on as little as possible...Maxi dress with swimsuit underneath, big, floppy hat, and a beach bag with medications, sunscreen, and cruise docs/passports in a manilla envelope. I don't want anything weighing us down while we're exploring that giant beauty! :D Unless, of course, you don't mind letting us borrow a little bit of space in your room to stow our stuff, Carol. We're really tall and can reach anything up high for you. ;) By the way, do they kick the B2B cruisers out of their rooms on em/disem day if they're staying in the same room for both legs?

 

Thanks, again, y'all!

 

P.S. Carol, maybe I should just email you with my questions because you seem to have all the right answers I'm looking for. I love that we're sailing with such an experienced cruiser! Hopefully we too will be sooner than later. :)

[Merion_Mom]

Especially not with the laundry prices on board. :eek:

 

Thanks to both of you for responding! To be safe I'll probably check them in a small suitcase of their own wrapped in bubble wrap like on my last cruise. I decided that I want to carry on as little as possible...Maxi dress with swimsuit underneath, big, floppy hat, and a beach bag with medications, sunscreen, and cruise docs/passports in a manilla envelope. I don't want anything weighing us down while we're exploring that giant beauty! :D Unless, of course, you don't mind letting us borrow a little bit of space in your room to stow our stuff, Carol. We're really tall and can reach anything up high for you. ;) By the way, do they kick the B2B cruisers out of their rooms on em/disem day if they're staying in the same room for both legs?

 

Thanks, again, y'all!

 

P.S. Carol, maybe I should just email you with my questions because you seem to have all the right answers I'm looking for. I love that we're sailing with such an experienced cruiser! Hopefully we too will be sooner than later. :)

 

My email address is my Cruise Critic name without the underscore. I'm on aol dot com.

 

:)

[The-Dude]

Hi, CC'ers!

 

That being said, does RCI allow passengers to bring their own soda and water on board?

 

This question has been asked a trillion times in the past. Use the search feature next time.

[Paulxyz2004]

This question has been asked a trillion times in the past. Use the search feature next time.

 

Thanks for upping your post count and not answering the question:rolleyes:

 

 

To the OP, as you´ve heard already the official written policy per your cruise contract is no. In reality people have been able to get reasonable amounts of water and/or soda onboard.

[maggieq]

I picked up a couple fof 6 packs of water at Walgreens the day we boarded the Oasis. I put them in my carryon and they were no problem. I'm not a fan of Evian and we certainly spend quite a bit on board so I don't feel bad.

[wingnutphl]

Can you get a note from your doctor saying you can't have caffeine? It might be a CYA in case they to send you to the naughty room for it.

[Mel23]

My email address is my Cruise Critic name without the underscore. I'm on aol dot com.

 

:)

 

Thank you! I promise not to bug you with a million questions; only if I can't find the answer here or elsewhere first. :)

 

This question has been asked a trillion times in the past. Use the search feature next time.

 

I'm sure it has. If I were on my computer, I would have used the search feature to waste my time reading through hundreds of comments that don't apply (like yours). I'm using the Tapatalk app on my phone and the search feature is currently broken.

 

Did it really hurt for someone to ask again? At least I didn't post another question about rum runners. :D

 

Thanks for upping your post count and not answering the question:rolleyes:

 

 

To the OP, as you´ve heard already the official written policy per your cruise contract is no. In reality people have been able to get reasonable amounts of water and/or soda onboard.

 

Thanks! I definitely don't plan to bring more than necessary. I don't want to drag it back home if the room steward isn't nice enough for me to want to leave it with him/her as an extra tip. :)

 

My cruise docs only say no alcoholic beverages. I've read through them a few times to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything. Maybe RCI took out the part that says 'no liquids' due to all the confusion and people being mad when they find out that they could've brought their own shampoo/conditioner?

[jessicalorene]

Can you get a note from your doctor saying you can't have caffeine? It might be a CYA in case they to send you to the naughty room for it.

 

Somehow I don't think a note from the doctor would stop them from taking them IF they chose to. There are plenty of non-caffeine options on board, OP just doesn't like them.

[Mel23]

Somehow I don't think a note from the doctor would stop them from taking them IF they chose to. There are plenty of non-caffeine options on board, OP just doesn't like them.

 

I probably won't mind the on board caffeine free beverages. I would just much prefer to be able to grab a cold drink from the fridge when first waking up rather than hiking to a bar/restaurant to get a drink or drinking lukewarm from the bathroom since our ice will have been melted. :)

[jessicalorene]

I probably won't mind the on board caffeine free beverages. I would just much prefer to be able to grab a cold drink from the fridge when first waking up rather than hiking to a bar/restaurant to get a drink or drinking lukewarm from the bathroom since our ice will have been melted. :)

 

Oh don't get me wrong I completely understand and agree with you: I love an ice cold coke first thing in the morning, it is better then coffee for me. I am just pointing out I don't think a doctors note will fly to get you there if the ship says no.

[Baatman]

Last year we were stopped at the x-ray machine and told that I could not bring my 2 liter bottles of coke (as in cola cola:)) aboard. I was instructed to place the bottles in the receptacle with other contraband. I simply went over to another agent and asked what was going on. Turns out the first guy was new and not aware of the policy. I was allowed to take by coke aboard.

 

Lesson: Don't take "no" as an answer until you check it out.:)

[Texmike]

I've been drinking Caffeine Free Pepsi since it first came out in the 1980's

 

Every once in while I drink a coke, but also drink 7Up's-I can't handle the taste of sprite.

 

I think that Dr Pepper is now caffein free.

 

The fountain coke on board tastes terrible as my wife buys the soda card,'

 

The next time I cruise I might try an take a 12-pack of Pepsi Free

[will work to cruise]

On our June Oasis cruise we put a case of water and two twelve packs of soda in a rolling duffle bag and checked it with the rest of our luggage. No problem!

[Mel23]

On our June Oasis cruise we put a case of water and two twelve packs of soda in a rolling duffle bag and checked it with the rest of our luggage. No problem!

 

That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Thank you!!!

[tx_sweetpea]

I carried on a 12 pack of Diet Dr. Pepper on at Port Everglades this past March. The sodas were in my backpack. The x-ray scanner asked what was in the bag but didn't confiscate it or make me open my bag.

[Cruzface]

This is just another form of smuggling. How can people steal from RCI this way? Totally ufair to the rest of us cruisers who follow the rules!!!!

[Mel23]

This is just another form of smuggling. How can people steal from RCI this way? Totally ufair to the rest of us cruisers who follow the rules!!!!

 

Calm down, Cruzface. It's not smuggling if they allow you to bring it on board! NO WHERE in my cruise docs does it state that you can't bring on water or sodas (not in any other language/terms either). I've read through my docs several times and the only beverages that can't be brought on board are ones containing alcohol. It's not breaking the rules if there is no official rule against it.

 

It is the cruise line's responsibility to ensure ALL guests are aware of their policies by placing the information in writing in the contract each passenger must sign. A Q&A on their website stating that non-alcoholic beverages can't be brought on board is not an acceptable form of notification of rules and guidelines. ALL passengers must be notified the same way (i.e. cruise documents/contract). By way of electronic or hard copy doesn't matter because both forms are exactly the same. Not all cruise passengers have internet, nor does RCI explain the rules to everyone upon booking. Regardless, in some states verbal contracts aren't binding, so even if they did verbalize the info, it doesn't matter until the passengers agree to and sign the contract.

 

Are you kidding me? How in the #%^* are we thieves by refusing to purchase sodas that we don't like or medically cannot have at $4 each or $7+ per day?? That doesn't make a lick of sense! Would I be considered a thief if I only drank tap water (which, by the way, consists of the remnants of your cruise neighbor's bowl movement from the night prior) and ate the food included in the cruise fare for the entire trip leaving my Sea Pass card with a $0 balance at disembarkation? Gimme a break!

 

Move on to another thread to harass.

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

Would I be considered a thief if I only drank tap water (which, by the way, consists of the remnants of your cruise neighbor's bowl movement from the night prior) ...

 

I don't want to weigh in on the ethics of the situation, but perhaps we should keep things factual. :)

 

Waste water goes through half a dozen steps before it is returned to the ocean, and another dozen in the desalination process (which is how cruise ships create potable water out of sea water). In fact, the drinking water produced by the ship is likely to have higher standards of purity than the bottled water you bring on board.

 

If you prefer to bring your own water onboard for personal reasons ... well, as far as I'm concerned that's between you and RCI. ;)

[Paulxyz2004]

Calm down, Cruzface. It's not smuggling if they allow you to bring it on board! NO WHERE in my cruise docs does it state that you can't bring on water or sodas (not in any other language/terms either). I've read through my docs several times and the only beverages that can't be brought on board are ones containing alcohol. It's not breaking the rules if there is no official rule against it.

 

It is the cruise line's responsibility to ensure ALL guests are aware of their policies by placing the information in writing in the contract each passenger must sign. A Q&A on their website stating that non-alcoholic beverages can't be brought on board is not an acceptable form of notification of rules and guidelines. ALL passengers must be notified the same way (i.e. cruise documents/contract). By way of electronic or hard copy doesn't matter because both forms are exactly the same. Not all cruise passengers have internet, nor does RCI explain the rules to everyone upon booking. Regardless, in some states verbal contracts aren't binding, so even if they did verbalize the info, it doesn't matter until the passengers agree to and sign the contract.

 

Are you kidding me? How in the #%^* are we thieves by refusing to purchase sodas that we don't like or medically cannot have at $4 each or $7+ per day?? That doesn't make a lick of sense! Would I be considered a thief if I only drank tap water (which, by the way, consists of the remnants of your cruise neighbor's bowl movement from the night prior) and ate the food included in the cruise fare for the entire trip leaving my Sea Pass card with a $0 balance at disembarkation? Gimme a break!

 

Move on to another thread to harass.

 

You are absolutely right, the terms and conditions you agree to upon booking, as well as the cruise contract you sign is the legal binding thing.

I´ve had cruise documents in the past that spelled out alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks wouldn´t be allowed to bring on. Now they seem to change these back and forth, but that´s a matter of another discussion and the important thing here is according to your cruise documents you should be allowed to bring it on. Even though there is always still the chance of different rules / enforcement at your embarkation port and I think they could still make up some rule against it.

Anyway there is nothing wrong with you bringing it and of course the stealing part is totally ridiculous.

 

I don´t drink any soda at all and I rarely ever have a drink from the bar, so my liquid intake on a cruise is like 98-99% tap water. I don´t eat at specialty restaurants either, so I guess I´m a thief as well:rolleyes:.

 

However as the previous poster pointed out your comment about recycled waste water is way off.