Soda Dispensers on Carnival

[ruag8tr2]

All,

 

A few months ago I was on a RCI short cruise and noticed that instead of "soda card" carriers going to the bar for their drinks there was a dispenser that patrons could use with a special cup and a card (I guess). Does anyone know if Carnival has gone this route yet or do people with soda cards have to still go to the bars. Specifically asking about the Destiny but would appreciate information about any other ships as well.

 

Thanks.

[wrigley80]

Yes you still have a sticker that is placed on your card and you have to go to the bar to get your drink

[ruag8tr2]

Thanks for the speedy reply.

 

:D

 

Yes you still have a sticker that is placed on your card and you have to go to the bar to get your drink

[scgamecock]

Yeah, those new fountain drink machines on RC are really cool. Same ones they have at 5 Guys Burgers. Carnival does not have anything like this. You still have to go to a bar and they pour your soda out of a can.

 

http://www.answeritroyally.com/blog/?p=4971

[Jimmy Geegitz]

I wish they had soda machines.

[cruisegal58]

I have sailed several Carnival Ships that did have soda machines. They were on the same deck as our cabin. But, in a room, I will say 3 ships had them. Wonder if they are for the stewards, who knows, I bought canned soda from them all the time.

Cindy

[scgamecock]

I have sailed several Carnival Ships that did have soda machines. They were on the same deck as our cabin. But, in a room, I will say 3 ships had them. Wonder if they are for the stewards, who knows, I bought canned soda from them all the time.

Cindy

 

OP is not talking about can Coke machines. They are talking about the cool new automatic drink fountain dispensers that RCI has. You buy a special cup onboard with an RFID chip in it. The machine will only dispense to those cups.

 

 

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[SNJCruisers]

I have sailed several Carnival Ships that did have soda machines. They were on the same deck as our cabin. But, in a room, I will say 3 ships had them. Wonder if they are for the stewards, who knows, I bought canned soda from them all the time.

Cindy

The machine that the OP is referring to is called the Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine. It lets you choose any product from the Coke family, including sodas, non carbonated waters, carbonated waters, etc and add or inject them with different flavors from flavor cartridges. There are over 100 flavor combinations available. You can have Raspberry Coke Zero, Cherry Vanilla Coke, Vanilla Sprite, Fanta Fruit Punch etc. They are currently available on a few of the RCI ships and also available in various fast food restaurants. In the greater Philly area, they are in some Burger Kings, Wendy's and Moe's Mexican Restaurants. Edit....I see William added a picture above of what the machine looks like.

Edited December 14, 2012 by SNJCruisers

[cruzinlisa]

The machine that the OP is referring to is called the Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine. It lets you choose any product from the Coke family, including sodas, non carbonated waters, carbonated waters, etc and add or inject them with different flavors from flavor cartridges. There are over 100 flavor combinations available. You can have Raspberry Coke Zero, Cherry Vanilla Coke, Vanilla Sprite, Fanta Fruit Punch etc. They are currently available on a few of the RCI ships and also available in various fast food restaurants. In the greater Philly area, they are in some Burger Kings, Wendy's and Moe's Mexican Restaurants. Edit....I see William added a picture above of what the machine looks like.

 

Sounds like the machine they have at Firehouse subs out here. I love going there, even though I usually get Cherry Diet Coke, Cherry Coke Zero, or Cherry Diet Dr. Pepper, which I could buy in a can or two liter (sometimes). Its the fun of it. I could see where people would take forever with it though.

[jsfromsc]

This sounds like a great idea! One of the most frustrating things on our Carnival cruises was paying for the soda card and then having bar tenders and waiters ignore you. Bartenders see that sticker on your card and wait on "paying" customers first. They have also been very curt with us. In the lounges for shows, waiters would take my order for a soft drink and then never bring it since it didn't mean extra tips for them. How did they know that I wouldn't have tipped them in cash? Even so, the price for the card way exceeds the amount of soda you could drink plus the tips for the wait staff, so we shouldn't be treated like pariahs when we ask for a soda that we are unable to get any other way. I wrote to Carnival after my last cruise to complain/ask about this situation and was told they were "so sorry" and that the wait staff should have served me sodas in the lounges and even poolside. I don't mind walking to a bar to get my drink any other time, but during a show it would be rude to get up and walk out and in repeatedly. And of course, when you do get your soda, the glass is so full of ice that there's barely a cup of liquid in the glass. I think RCI has a good idea there.

[lisanjosh]

Our local Burger King has this machine and there is always a line! It takes people forever to use it.

 

 

Lisa and Josh

[CP3o]

It's not like taking your drinking cup up to a dispenser that gets pushed back and then water or tea or lemonade flows. I'd say it is MORE sanitary than those style of dispensers; especially if people drink w/o a straw and refill their cup.

 

The part you drink from is unscrewed to open up for the soda to come in. The part with your germs remains in your hand and does not touch the machine. The machine dispenses based on buttons pushed above on the screen.

 

Even w/o all the flavor options, just having access to refilling your own soda's w/o bothering the bartenders is a very nice option, especially for kids.

[serene56]

I have sailed several Carnival Ships that did have soda machines. They were on the same deck as our cabin. But, in a room, I will say 3 ships had them. Wonder if they are for the stewards, who knows, I bought canned soda from them all the time.

Cindy

 

 

I have been sailing since 2000 and never seen a soda machine.

 

I know the older ships had them-- but they were all removed

[gfh77665]

One of the most frustrating things on our Carnival cruises was paying for the soda card and then having bar tenders and waiters ignore you. .....the price for the card way exceeds the amount of soda you could drink plus the tips for the wait staff, so we shouldn't be treated like pariahs when we ask for a soda that we are unable to get any other way. ...........the glass is so full of ice that there's barely a cup of liquid in the glass. I think RCI has a good idea there.

 

 

AMEN! I really like Carnival, I am a repete customer. But this is one issue they have DROPPED THE BALL ON. The most ridiculous thing, in addition to all you have just mentioned, is the "Coke lug" when arriving and boarding. Its pathetic to see so many people having to park and walk and stand in line while carring heavy quantities of soft drinks. Carnival REALLY needs to install soft drink fountians. The soda card system is a JOKE.

[Amy Giard]

One of the most frustrating things on our Carnival cruises was paying for the soda card and then having bar tenders and waiters ignore you. Bartenders see that sticker on your card and wait on "paying" customers first. They have also been very curt with us. In the lounges for shows, waiters would take my order for a soft drink and then never bring it since it didn't mean extra tips for them.

 

I have heard of this happening to others and

I have no problem believing it has happened.

 

But to be fair, I have to say I have NEVER

had it happen to me on 10+ cruises.

 

The last cruise we were on I didn't but any

"hard" drinks - just used my soda card at every

bar. The service I received was excellent -

and before ANYONE GOES THERE: No I am

not good looking or even in good shape for

that matter LOl.

 

After a day or two, they would see me and

have my Diet Coke poured before I even

ordered :)

 

One young man at a bar remembered my

name after the first day and went out

of his way to make sure he served me

promptly even when his bar was very busy.

 

And, yes, he got a cash gratuity at the

end of the cruise. Smart servers seem

to realize if you should provide excellent

service to everyone, even the "soda

people".

Edited December 14, 2012 by Amy Giard

[9876]

Actually, these machines were made for use for the cruise ship and have been modified to higher sanitation standards. The blog with more information is at http://www.answeritroyally.com/blog/?p=4971 My son would go crazy for this machine; he would LOVE a week on a ship experimenting with all the flavors.

[Amy Giard]

Those freestyle machine are cool - unless you get behind someone who can't figure out how to work it OR you get behind a kid who want to mix EVERY flavor. They do not work well in a high-volume environment. The old-fashioned machines work much better when it's busy...

[ladytiger96]

All,

 

A few months ago I was on a RCI short cruise and noticed that instead of "soda card" carriers going to the bar for their drinks there was a dispenser that patrons could use with a special cup and a card (I guess). Does anyone know if Carnival has gone this route yet or do people with soda cards have to still go to the bars. Specifically asking about the Destiny but would appreciate information about any other ships as well.

 

Thanks.

On The Magic, they give you a full can and glass of ice (with paid soda anyway). Also, the tea and lemonade dispenser say do NOT refill cups, get a new cup and pour it in. The ship seemed very clean. I was impressed.

[cruisegal58]

Serene, I have sailed the Inspiration twice, Glory twice, I think she had one, Triumph, Freedom, Legend (did not), Destiny. The soda machines (the one with cans) were inside a small room, like where inside cabins were.

[scgamecock]

Many of you people are all still missing the point. OP is referring to the neat new freestyle fountain Coke machines available to purchasers of the special cups with RFID chip on some Royal Caribbean ships. This has nothing to do with canned soda. Scroll back though the thread for more info and a picture.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[TheTravelista]

I've never purchased a soda card but the installation of these machines would force me to buy one. I loveeeeee the freestyle machines.

[Cjlovestocruise]

OK, so on Royal with the soda program, I go to a machine and get my soda. How many machines do they have on the ship? Is there one in every bar, open deck, and the theater? (Not trying to be sarcastic – just curious)

I guess I am just lazy, but I enjoy sitting back and having a waiter bring me my soda. I always buy a soda card and only a couple of times have I had a waiter not bring my soda or avoid me after finding out I had a soda card. Most the time they bring me a soda before I even order it.

I also prefer can soda over fountain.

[cccer]

My main problem with royal soda is that the mix is awful. Much better to get it out of cans if the mix is not right. Been on 2 Royal cruises and soda is bad so hopefully they get it better if they are going to use the machines.

[SNJCruisers]

Those freestyle machine are cool - unless you get behind someone who can't figure out how to work it OR you get behind a kid who want to mix EVERY flavor. They do not work well in a high-volume environment. The old-fashioned machines work much better when it's busy...

I used them first hand on the Explorer of the Seas over Labor Day week. They were installed a couple of weeks prior to our sailing and I never experienced a major line to use them at all. The most people ever in front of me were 2. They had 6 machines installed on board. Four machines in the Windjammer Buffet area, two machines in two different locations. The other two were available 24 hours a day on the promenade right next to Ben & Jerry's.

[SNJCruisers]

OK, so on Royal with the soda program, I go to a machine and get my soda. How many machines do they have on the ship? Is there one in every bar, open deck, and the theater? (Not trying to be sarcastic – just curious)

The Explorer of the Seas had a total of 6 on board, 4 in the Windjammer Buffet area and 2 on the main promenade that had 24 hour access. If you have ever used one, you would love them. The unique flavors is what makes them great. I love Coke Zero in a can, but the Raspberry version in the Freestyle Machine is off the hook.