Outrageous Paying For Soda

[Kat1613]

I find it outrageous for these cruise ships to charge for soda. I own a restaurant and there is so much profit in soda. I don't understand why cruise lines find it necessary to charge almost $50 for soda and then not charge anything for coffee, tea, milk?? Coffee, tea & milk cost much more than soda maybe that will be next. What about milkshakes?? Milk is free and soft ice cream is free but $4 for one shake? Next they'll be charging for lobster and prime rib-although that's already happening in their specialty restaurants. They seem to be taking the joy of cruising away by having all these additional charges. I wouldn't pay for the soda cards -boycott soda for a week!

[Mark_K]

Calm down, take three deep breaths and relax. If you don't want to pay for soda, don't. Drink lemonade, ice tea, coffee, and water.

 

Why are you so outraged? You act as if this was suddenly foisted on you after you booked your cruise.

[jwlane]

Since you own a restaurant, I think you DO know why they charge so much for soda. It's the same reason you do---to make money! Also, they do not serve lobster---they serve lobster tail, an entirely different animal, er, crustacean.

[Tapped Out Again]

The reason is simple. It's the same reason they charge so much for drinks in a movie theater - movie theaters don't make money off your tickets, only off the concession stands.

 

On a cruise the base price is less than cost. They can only make it up by onboard casinos, sodas, alcoholic drinks etc.

[suesnake]

I feel soda should be included, it really costs very little on tap to serve. But it's vacation and the kids want it. So it will be 2 cards for them and when I want one, i'll have them get it for me. I will not drink $60 worth of soda in 9 days.Well actually it is a 10 day cruise, but will i be able to get soda on the last day if we are all off by 12????

 

And JWlane i will have to add your comment about them not serving lobster but only tails(and it being a differant crustacean) to the thread about the funniest things you've read here. lol

[Knighton]

There's one way to get around part of the cost of the soda cards, as long as you don't mind your spouse's germs.:eek: Just pay for one person to be able to get soda and share all week. ;)

 

Yes, I'll admit it, I'm a cheapo. :D

[cruisinfanatic]

Kat1613

 

Where's your restaurant. I could use that free soda that you offer because it's so cheap to serve.

[KStevens79]

Yes, you can get soda on the last day. We started getting off the ship at 8am, and I had my first soda before then. Also with the soda card (which is cheaper for children) you get an insulated cup. You just hand that to the bartender and he fills it. At dinner they will bring it to you in a glass, just show your sticker. (This is how it was three weeks ago).

 

Karen

[Knighton]

Hmm, so they were supposed to give us a cup! I had read it somewhere before the cruise, but when we got the sticker, they said there weren't cups.

[Mark_K]

At one time all it was was a sticker which went on your SeaPass card and they gave it to you in regular glasses, then they switched to an insulated cup (tall & thin so as to not hold much, esp. when loaded with ice).

 

Maybe the ship you were on hadn't switched over yet. Quite often these things don't happen simultaneously fleetwide.

[Kat1613]

To Mark K -you miss the point, why are coffee drinkers or tea drinkers not charged for their delights yet soda drinkers are when the cost of soda is much cheaper then coffee. I don't have to take a breath sir, I can voice my opinion on this board on something I feel is unjust.

 

As far a owning a restuarant, I charge for everything - one of the benefits of cruising is that food and drink is included but certain drinks are excluded. A movie theatre charges high prices on everything not just soda but cruises single out soda drinkers but not coffee drinkers and I just wondered why this is. No need for attacks.

[bearette]

Once again a negative comment is made and everyone has to flame the poster. Relax you guys it is just a person's opinion.

 

I agree that they charge too much for soda. I liked it when they gave you the soda free during dinner, because that is the only time I really want it. But as everyone has said it is just another way for them to make money.

[Candi]

Definately agree with the above poster- who shouldn't we be perturbed over soda prices on an expensive cruise. At least you should be allowed to order soda in the formal dining room without being charged - at least they allow that on the Disney Ships but not on RCI. Its about time someone complained to RCI about that -

[wblevin]

I also found it quite interesting that they charge more for the adult soda card ($46) than for those under 17 ($27).

[Maria65]

We bought the soda cards last time but the price increase seems quite excessive. What is the per glass cost if we decide to pay for each glass as we go along?

 

Also, where are lemonade or iced tea available for free between meals? My kids liked stopping off at the cafe promenade to pick up a soda after the kids club. Do they have complimentary beverages there? How about at the pool bars?

[WendyinOC]

I thought it was not priced to bad at all. Normally if I go to a hotel mini bar I pay at least double what the cruise ship charges. I think they give a lot of free choices compare to other cruise lines.

[montgomeryfamily]

I also find it interesting that the charge for both HAL and Princess adult soda cards is approximately HALF of the RCI rate for an adult soda card.

 

We too used to get the RCI soda card/sticker. We sailed on RCI when soda was included with the meals in the dining room. We didn't complain when they began charging for soda, as the RCI adult soda card rate at that time was about the same as the other cruise lines. Obviously RCI saw this as a money-making opportunity that most of the other cruise lines (Disney has continued to give complimentary soda in the dining room) were taking advantage of and decided to follow suit.

 

However, RCI has continued to raise the prices for the soda card well beyond the prices charged by the other cruise lines for their soda cards!!!

 

When we sailed RCI last year, we were surprised at the soda card increase at that time and debated whether to get the card. We did, but that was our limit. Now RCI has again substantially increased the price of the soda card. With this new price increase we will not get the soda card when we cruise with RCI. It will be far cheaper for us to buy a soda by the can, if we decide we really want one.

 

Ironically, since we don't drink alcoholic beverages, RCI has now raised their prices to the point where they have priced us out of the market and now they will get less money from us than they have in the past in regard to beverages. This also results in the loss of the extra tips we gave to the servers.

 

We will not buy one card and share, as we personally would consider that to be dishonest since the extra person(s) is(are) not authorized to use the soda card. We are not making a judgment about anyone else's decision in this regard.

 

However, perhaps if more people complained about the excessive price increase and didn't buy the cards, RCI would reconsider their position and lower the prices.

 

Maria, there is debate about whether or not if you order a glass of soda in the dining room, it will include complimentary refills. Some have posted this is so and others have said this is not the case. I have not been able to get an answer from RCI about this. As far as I know, anywhere else on the ship the soda has to be purchased by the can and not by glass.

 

They don't have the complimentary beverages at the pool bar, but usually there is a beverage station set up at the hot dog/hamburger/taco area near the pool. You can also get the complimentary beverages in the Windjammer.

[Tatka]

I am glad that soda isn't free! I don't want my 12 years old to consume gallons of this "slow death" drink! Last year on Century I simply didn't buy him a card and he was fine drinking lemonade and punch or ice tea between the meals.

[bUU]

Clearly, any changes to pricing or what's included would have to be defended as revenue-neutral. Do you really think that they'll book so many more cabins at such a higher fare that that would make up for the revenue lost from no longer charging for soda?

 

Disney believes that is the case, but that's Disney, higher in price to start with, than comparable cruise lines (ask me about why I, a DVC member, am cruising RCI), and with a specific clientele that could very-well be so motivated by free soda that some will actually pay DCL's higher fares in order to have free soda. Evidently, RCI has determined that, at least for now, its passengers aren't so motivated by free soda. Removing the charge for soda would hurt revenues, and be indefensible for a public company.

[JanetMarie]

Okay, just MO, but when we book a cruise, we like to take an aft cabin, suite style. We don't worry about paying 1.50 or 1.95 or whatever for a glass of soda. To us, those are the "incidentals" we take into consideration while cruising. I don't drink soda, but DH does, so it is beneficial for him to purchase those soda cards. I do not mind paying for the minor things because our cruise bill at the end of the week is nominal. We don't drink alcohol, so no outrageous bill there! Now that's something to crab about, - the price of alcohol and all of those "special" drink offers which turn out to be $$$. :eek: :eek: :eek:

[cruisinfanatic]

Funny that people spend thousands to go on a cruise and complain about a few dollars increase of a soda card.

[Scarlett Fever]

Soda's are bad for you anyway. Ask your dentist.

My dentist said I was better off pouring sugar in my mouth than drinking a soda.

[WNYer]

If you have the soda card is the tip automatically charged to your seapass account each time you get a soda? What happens in the dining room when you order any drink with or without the soda card? Do they add a tip in addition to the tip that the servers get at the end of the cruise? Just wondering.

[cme]

We purchased the soda card on our last two cruises on the Brillance. The first year the fountain soda was awful. It was always flat or had to much syrup. They did admit that they were having problems getting it just right. The following year once again we bought two more cards, a year later still the soda was a hit and miss. We ended up buying cans of soda in the ports. Is it like this on all the ships:confused: I would like to know before I waste my money when I go on the Navigator.

 

Thanks

 

Carrie

[Erie Dave]

Granted, some things on a cruise are over priced--take a trip to the salon!! But it states upfront that some beverages are not included in the trip fare. The cruise line gives certain beverages for free, and others for a fee, it is that simple. Certain cabins cost more than others, specialty restaurants come with a fee, and one shore excursion cost more or less than another. Top shelf liquer cost more than call brand and so on. It is life. Supply and demand. The more you want it, the more they can charge. It is called capitalism. The only soda I drink comes with rum, so I could care less how much a soda card is, but that is just me. The recourse for something costing too much is to not buy it. But don't expect them to lower the price on something you are in such dire need of! Drink cofee, tea, water, lemonade, iced tea..for free until your heart is content, but buy your soda and booze for the going market rate.