Soda Machine on Mardi Gras?

[Joyful Joyful]

Hi!  I will be on the Mardi Gras this coming fall, and am contemplating purchasing the soda drink package.  I drink Coke products primarily (Coke Zero, Diet Coke mostly).  I think I have read enough on these boards to understand that there are no Freestyle machines on Carnival ships, so my questions are these:  Are ONLY Pepsi soft drinks available on the Mardi Gras?  Is there a self-serve soda machine of some kind on board (rather than having to order from a bartender or wait staff)?

 

Thank you in advance for your assistance!  Looking forward to checking the Mardi Gras out!

 

Joy

[Elaine5715]

Just Pepsi products and there are several self serve soda machines

[mmtska]

It's only Pepsi, and there are several self serve machines. There are a few in the lido marketplace, one in Guy's Pig and Anchor for sure. I ended up bringing 2 12 packs (1 per person) and didn't touch the machines. My husband had the bubbles package so I was free to drink the Coke Zero. (I ended up sharing since that ended up being a LOT).

[1025cruise]

Carnival's soda contract is with Pepsi, not Coke, so only Pepsi products on board.

[latebloomer56]

Haven't been on Carnival for a number of years. Question, do you just use your cabin card to get soda? Is it a  8oz. pour? Husband drinks soda only so was also wondering can I get him a soda package once on board like other lines? Won't do this pre cruise because I don't drink soda and both in the cabin need a package.

Thanks

[1025cruise]

You can buy the soda package per person. Only Cheers needs to be bought for every person in the cabin.

 

In terms of what you get, a cup/glass with ice with soda poured on top 🙂

[latebloomer56]

2 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

You can buy the soda package per person. Only Cheers needs to be bought for every person in the cabin.

 

In terms of what you get, a cup/glass with ice with soda poured on top 🙂

Thanks so much shame on me assuming same as other lines.  Now I will go on and look at a coffee package for me 😁.

[kelkel2]

11 hours ago, latebloomer56 said:

Thanks so much shame on me assuming same as other lines.  Now I will go on and look at a coffee package for me 😁.

Carnival doesn’t have a coffee plan. It’s the soda package or cheers. The cheers package does include the specialty coffee and soda though! 

[asalligo]

Only the Excel class has the self serve soda machines right? 

[iria64]

14 hours ago, latebloomer56 said:

Haven't been on Carnival for a number of years. Question, do you just use your cabin card to get soda? Is it a  8oz. pour? Husband drinks soda only so was also wondering can I get him a soda package once on board like other lines? Won't do this pre cruise because I don't drink soda and both in the cabin need a package.

Thanks

The self serve machines are by the ounce.

Get half a cup, you are charged 4-6oz.  I think they do max out at a certain amt... about 12oz or so.

 

I believe even if you purchase on board you still need to buy the soda package for everyone in the same room.

 

I would not recommend using self-serve if you did not have bubbles/cheers.

Many of the taps had no syrup or were mis-adjusted (too little syrup).. and this was on embarkation day.

[latebloomer56]

6 minutes ago, iria64 said:

The self serve machines are by the ounce.

Get half a cup, you are charged 4-6oz.  I think they do max out at a certain amt... about 12oz or so.

 

I believe even if you purchase on board you still need to buy the soda package for everyone in the same room.

 

I would not recommend using self-serve if you did not have bubbles/cheers.

Many of the taps had no syrup or were mis-adjusted (too little syrup).. and this was on embarkation day.

Great info, thanks.

[Schoifmom]

1 hour ago, iria64 said:

I believe even if you purchase on board you still need to buy the soda package for everyone in the same room.

 

Carnival only has the "everyone has to get" rule for Cheers, not BB.

[mom2tcdx2]

Soda package (bottomless bubbles) does not need to be purchased by everyone in the cabin, cheers does however for those over 21.  

 

As for the machines when we were on the Celebration (I know different ship), we almost never found them to actually work.  They will also charge you when they don't work, my husband essentially tried and got nothing but water and we were billed for it.  While minimal because we had package, but it charged us sales tax while we were in port. I would just say you have to watch them especially if you are paying for the ounce.  

 

As for cokes, if you can just take a few of your own on board.  My mom would do this for diet coke.  

[Pellaz]

On 3/27/2023 at 7:54 AM, asalligo said:

Only the Excel class has the self serve soda machines right? 

 

Correct, so far.  

 

For the soda dispensers, a couple of tips:  

 

1.  It's a timed system (20 seconds max) if you are using Bottomless Bubbles or Cheers, and it's charged by the ounce otherwise.  Get your ice BEFORE scanning your card.  

 

2.  When you tap your card at the reader, tap it once and quickly move it away.  The system can interpret a second inadvertent tap as an attempt to get a second serving before the 15-minute "waiting period," and hey.  "No Pepsi for you, fifteen minutes!"   Happened to me once.  

[SRQbeachgirl]

On 3/27/2023 at 9:16 AM, iria64 said:

Many of the taps had no syrup or were mis-adjusted (too little syrup).. and this was on embarkation day.

 

On 3/27/2023 at 2:26 PM, mom2tcdx2 said:

As for the machines when we were on the Celebration (I know different ship), we almost never found them to actually work.  

 

Our experience on Mardi Gras last year mirrored the two above posts - the machines were never working. Which is one reason why we won't be buying the bubbles package on our upcoming Mardi Gras cruise.

 

On 3/27/2023 at 2:26 PM, mom2tcdx2 said:

 

As for cokes, if you can just take a few of your own on board.  My mom would do this for diet coke.  

 

And this is the other reason we won't be getting the bubbles package - I prefer Coke Zero and find Pepsi to be, well...🤢 I will be taking my Coke Zero onboard with me.

[Saint Greg]

On 3/26/2023 at 5:57 PM, latebloomer56 said:

Thanks so much shame on me assuming same as other lines.  Now I will go on and look at a coffee package for me 😁.

There isn’t a coffee package but you can get a punch card where you buy a certain number of coffees and get one free.

[latebloomer56]

9 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

There isn’t a coffee package but you can get a punch card where you buy a certain number of coffees and get one free.

That's what Princess use to have. Thanks I can work with that. 

[jcearth]

Was on Mardi Gras last month.  You get 15 seconds from the time your card is accepted to complete your soda pour.  The maximum dispensed each time is 16oz. They had Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry (Sierra Mist), Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew, Orange Crush, and Mug Root Beer (although Root Beer was not available at the Guy's Pig and Anchor location).  There are 3 stations in the buffet and one in Guy's Pig and Anchor.  It is a far, far better system than having to wait at a bar for soda (except for the places where you get get an entire cold can - like the Pizza Place).  It took me about a day to get really good at the timing, and by the end of the week I was a pro (knowing exactly how much ice to have in my cup, etc.).

[Pellaz]

12 hours ago, jcearth said:

Was on Mardi Gras last month.  You get 15 seconds from the time your card is accepted to complete your soda pour.  

Yep, I thought it was 20 whole seconds, and it's actually less.  

As I said earlier, folks...  Get your ice dispensed BEFORE you go for a soda.  

The ice dispenser works regardless of the card being scanned, but of course all of the drink stations in the Lido Marketplace have complimentary ice.