Couple questions on NCL "Pop" program

[GettotheSun]

Something a bit lighter for a Saturday.  I find it a bit odd it's a "Pop" vs. "Soda" program - I thought most Americans referred to it as soda? 😀

 

Anyway...the program description mentions "endless fountain pop"; so am I correct in assuming that there is no pop in bottles?   

 

The offer includes: Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Mt. Dew, Ginger Ale, Tonic water, Club Pop.   I'm disappointed there isn't a root beer included, I guess not that popular, but I am surprised at Sierra Mist - they still make that?  No offense to Sierra Mist fans, but I tried it a couple times and thought it was awful.    "Club Pop" is just club soda, I assume?  (if they can call it Tonic Water, not sure why they can't call it Club Soda, lol).

 

 

[ColeThornton]

Are you looking at the Canadian NCL site?   The U.S. site has always called it the Soda package and still does.

 

https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/beverage-packages

[Burrata]

"Pop" is used for soda/soft drink in some parts of the US. In parts of New England soda was called tonic!

thanks for the post!

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, GettotheSun said:

Something a bit lighter for a Saturday.  I find it a bit odd it's a "Pop" vs. "Soda" program - I thought most Americans referred to it as soda? 😀

 

Anyway...the program description mentions "endless fountain pop"; so am I correct in assuming that there is no pop in bottles?   

 

The offer includes: Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Mt. Dew, Ginger Ale, Tonic water, Club Pop.   I'm disappointed there isn't a root beer included, I guess not that popular, but I am surprised at Sierra Mist - they still make that?  No offense to Sierra Mist fans, but I tried it a couple times and thought it was awful.    "Club Pop" is just club soda, I assume?  (if they can call it Tonic Water, not sure why they can't call it Club Soda, lol).

 

No bottles. Usually bar guns poured into cups. Occasionally, there are cans. 

 

Every brand of soda has a lemon lime soda, and Sierra Mist is the Pepsi version. Sierra Mist is similar to Sprite (Coca-Cola product) which similar to 7-Up. 

 

[PTC DAWG]

In the South, we call it CoCola..

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, GettotheSun said:

I find it a bit odd it's a "Pop" vs. "Soda" program

If you say "pop," you're likely from the US Midwest.  After growing up there, I found it odd that everybody called it "soda" elsewhere.  At some point, we stopped using words like Pop and Supper.  Interesting world....   Of course, some call it "sodapop."

[UKstages]

 

 

2 hours ago, GettotheSun said:

"Club Pop" is just club soda, I assume?  (if they can call it Tonic Water, not sure why they can't call it Club Soda, lol).

 

 

 

tonic water and club soda are not interchangeable, unless the person to whom it is being served is inebriated.

 

tonic has a bitter or citrus flavor to it and also, unlike many other flavored waters, almost always contains calories. club soda has an ever so slightly salty taste. using one for the other as a mixer can drastically alter the taste of your drink. few people drink tonic water on its own; it's an acquired taste. 

Edited December 11, 2021 by UKstages

[ggTexasGal]

1 minute ago, UKstages said:

 

 

 

tonic water and club soda are not interchangeable, unless the person to whom it is being served is inebriated.

 

tonic has a bitter or citrus flavor to it and also, unlike many other flavored waters, almost always contains calories. club soda has a ever so slightly salty taste. using one for the other as a mixer can drastically alter the taste of your drink. few people drink tonic water on its own; it's an acquired taste. 

I agree!

Club soda is artificially infused with carbon and mineral salts.

Similarly, seltzer is artificially carbonated but does not contain any added minerals.

Tonic water is also carbonated, but it contains quinine and added sugar, which means it contains calories. 

[NCLGirl2013]

Going along with this though, does NCL have any type of root beer on any of their ships?

[UKstages]

i personally have never seen any root beer, but i never asked for it, either.

 

several companies do make a "diet" tonic water, by the way, but it is rarely available in restaurants and other hospitality venues. i've only see it in supermarkets.

[The Traveling Man]

15 minutes ago, NCLGirl2013 said:

Going along with this though, does NCL have any type of root beer on any of their ships?

Yes, root beer is available in cans.  As I recall the brand they carry is Dad's.  I prefer root beer to Pepsi, and have ordered it at just about every bar on just about every NCL ship.  For my first 27 cruises there was no problem getting a root beer at no extra charge when you have either the full beverage package or the "soda package."  On our last cruise, though, when I asked for a can of root beer at one bar, I was told that they would have to charge me for it.  I went to another bar and got it for free with my UBP.  I recently noticed that the terms and conditions posted on the NCL website specifically state "fountain beverages" are complimentary, so I guess  that means that from now on cans of soda will cost extra.  Maybe one bartender was aware of the new rules while others were still following previous guidelines, but it now looks like I'll have to decide between putting up with a free Pepsi or having to pay for root beer.

[Old & Retired]

Pacific Northwest here.  Lots of us call it pop.

[peg013]

Just another that had to look since I was sure it was called a Soda Package - and it is here in the USA      Copied from NCL.com   "Adult and Teen Soda Package"

[GettotheSun]

3 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

Are you looking at the Canadian NCL site?   The U.S. site has always called it the Soda package and still does.

 

https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/beverage-packages

 

Cole - I think that is the case.  I'm definitely on the Canadian site.  So glad to see NCL would cater to us Canadians - or as I'm learning north-west American friends!

Edited December 11, 2021 by GettotheSun
I don't know geography

[Homosassa]

The use of "tonic" in New England, stems from the invention of Moxie as an answer to the medicinal claims of Coco-Cola. The soda was invented and produced in Lowell, Massachusetts (Yes, I know the guy was born in Maine bur he was living and working in Lowell, MA. He is also buried there.)

 

Moxie gave its name as use to the noun "moxie" meaning vim and vigor (which was also the purpose of the tonic).

[GettotheSun]

1 hour ago, UKstages said:

 

 

 

tonic water and club soda are not interchangeable, unless the person to whom it is being served is inebriated.

 

tonic has a bitter or citrus flavor to it and also, unlike many other flavored waters, almost always contains calories. club soda has an ever so slightly salty taste. using one for the other as a mixer can drastically alter the taste of your drink. few people drink tonic water on its own; it's an acquired taste. 

 

Hi  - I understand that.  Maybe my post was confusing...in the NCL list of included beverages they call out "Tonic Water" (which I think it is called universally in english-speaking places).   I was confused by their additional inclusion of "Club Pop" (their words not mine).   I'm now wondering if someone at website headquarters did a universal "search / replace" on the Canadian pages to sub "Pop" for anywhere there was "Soda".   Hence the inadvertant handle of "Club Pop"  (Kinda sounds like a really bad remake of those old kids albums the "Mini Pops", lol).

 

I have never, ever, heard "Club Pop" anywhere.   LOL

 

[GettotheSun]

1 hour ago, NCLGirl2013 said:

Going along with this though, does NCL have any type of root beer on any of their ships?

 

Ya, that was one of the things that puzzled me.  Maybe just not popular at all.

As Bird pointed out, all of the quoted products are Pepsi products...I did do a quick search, and it appears MUG root beer is owned by Pepsi (I think?).   We have it here in Ontario, and it's fine.   I'd take it!

[GettotheSun]

59 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

Yes, root beer is available in cans.  As I recall the brand they carry is Dad's.  I prefer root beer to Pepsi, and have ordered it at just about every bar on just about every NCL ship.  

 

I'm sorry, I totally missed your post.  That's great!  Even if just for the occasional Root Beer fix.  Thanks!!

[UKstages]

7 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

Yes, root beer is available in cans.  As I recall the brand they carry is Dad's. 

 

good to know.

 

could it possibly have been "mug" and not "dad's?"

 

mug is produced by a subsidiary of pepsico and NCL has a contract with pepsi.

[NCLGirl2013]

7 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

Yes, root beer is available in cans.  As I recall the brand they carry is Dad's.  I prefer root beer to Pepsi, and have ordered it at just about every bar on just about every NCL ship.  For my first 27 cruises there was no problem getting a root beer at no extra charge when you have either the full beverage package or the "soda package."  On our last cruise, though, when I asked for a can of root beer at one bar, I was told that they would have to charge me for it.  I went to another bar and got it for free with my UBP.  I recently noticed that the terms and conditions posted on the NCL website specifically state "fountain beverages" are complimentary, so I guess  that means that from now on cans of soda will cost extra.  Maybe one bartender was aware of the new rules while others were still following previous guidelines, but it now looks like I'll have to decide between putting up with a free Pepsi or having to pay for root beer.

So I like to drink root beer with vanilla vodka or vanilla rum.. I wonder if I went to a bar and ordered that both the soda and the alcohol would fall under my beverage package? 

Edited December 12, 2021 by NCLGirl2013

[MoCruiseFan]

9 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

In the South, we call it CoCola..

No WE don't.

[MoCruiseFan]

11 hours ago, GettotheSun said:

if they can call it Tonic Water, not sure why they can't call it Club Soda, lol.

 

By that logic they could call it bear wizz.  To quote the biggest shrew in American history, "what difference does it make"

[The Traveling Man]

51 minutes ago, UKstages said:

 

good to know.

 

could it possibly have been "mug" and not "dad's?"

 

mug is produced by a subsidiary of pepsico and NCL has a contract with pepsi.

Yes, you're probably correct.  I was trying to pull a memory out of thin air instead of doing some research.  Since Mug root beer is a Pepsi product, it probably is what they serve.

[The Traveling Man]

44 minutes ago, NCLGirl2013 said:

So I like to drink root beer with vanilla vodka or vanilla rum.. I wonder if I went to a bar and ordered that both the soda and the alcohol would fall under my beverage package? 

I suppose that since the principal component of the drink is the vodka or rum, and the root beer would just be a mixer, they wouldn't charge for it.  They don't charge for the tomato juice in a Bloody Mary, do they?

[The Traveling Man]

13 minutes ago, MoCruiseFan said:

No WE don't.

Sorry folks, but Missouri isn't really the South.  Down here in Texas, we DO call them cocolas, or just cokes (with a little "c").  "I'd like a coke, please.  What kind do you want?  Oh, a Seven Up or a Sprite if you have it, thanks."  I know, it's confusing, but that's what WE here in the SOUTH say.