Outrageous Paying For Soda

[Cruiz'nTall]

[quote name='xpcdoojk']Ummm, there you have it folks. CT the man Alan Greenspan confides in.:rolleyes:

Got to go to the golf course, of course, I will probably get a psuedo economics lesson from the greenskeeper. :D ;) Fortunately, I can tell him that if he'd just quit buying cokes at the movies, we would not have this economic situation and that it is all his fault. Because the costs of production have no impact on inflation or the economy. Remember that the next time you are at the gas pump. If gas was $0.50 a gallon the economy wouldn't notice a thing.:D :p

jc[/QUOTE]
This is exactly the kind of post that starts a flame war. I made the statement "If you listen to Allen Greenspan" and of course that gets misconstrued into something completely pompous and inaccurate.

If you want to get into economics, (oh, I forgot you are still working on that Ph D) email me and I'd be happy to get into all the details as to why you are wrong.

I am not going to start responding in this thread when no one else wants to hear it.

Nice try though. Inciting is definately your bag.

Cheers,

CT

[Erie Dave]

Who needs cable when you can just sit back and read these boards--I am going to save a lot of money!!LOL

[Lyncruiser]

Numerous people have taken me to task for saying my cruise was cheaper in '01 than in '04. They cite 9/11 and the depressed travel industry thereafter. Please note my '01 trip was booked and paid in full in July '01 -- two months before 9/11 (and if you'll think back to that summer -- at a time, sadly, when 9/11 was unthinkable). But I digress, 9/11 had nothing to do with the price I paid in '01.

Also, I'm perfectly willing to pay $300 more per person now. My only point was --- and I will say it again --- whether Diet Cokes are provided with dinner or not had nothing to do with the price I paid in '01 and has nothing to do with the price I'm paying in '03. I was tired of reading posts from people who somehow, in a gross oversimplification of economics, think their cruise will be cheaper because I now have to pay for my Diet Cokes!

I'm not an economist by any means and I'll admit some of the more recent posts have been beyond me -- but I enjoyed reading them. Cruise pricing, as has been noted by people with far more economics knowledge than I have, is determined by supply and demand as well as competition.

CT got my argument correct -- it costs nothing (or next to nothing) to provide soda at dinner -- I'll wager the cost to wash the glass is more than the price of the soda (and the price to wash the glass is cheap considering they use foreign labor). But -- RCI has figured out there is huge demand for sodas and they can charge big prices for them, exploit the desire for people to have sodas on board and make lots of money doing so. As others have rightly noted, I wonder what the outrage would be if RCI started charging for coffee!!

As far as soda, so be it. I'll bring my cans of Diet Coke with me!

[Cruise-Nut]

Mark. I am right there with you every step. I don't understand why some people find it neccessary to complain when they have the choice. IT IS THIER CHOICE! These people need to go complain to Carnival, maybe they care.

[Cruiz'nTall]

If I'm not mistaken, it is human nature to complain.

Have you not read the topics of the threads on these boards?



[quote name='Cruise-Nut']Mark. I am right there with you every step. I don't understand why some people find it neccessary to complain when they have the choice. IT IS THIER CHOICE! These people need to go complain to Carnival, maybe they care.[/QUOTE]

[Cruiz'nTall]

Lyncruiser,

I think in the end we all are forced to try and buck the system in order to keep things fair from our perspective. I've been sneaking soda and candies into the movies for quite some time (although, admittedly sometimes I just give in and occassionally buy their over priced fair just as a matter of convenience).

In the end, what it comes down to is how much are you going to care about the social consequences of strolling on board with a wheeled ice chest in tow? I say "bring it on!" (don't you love cowboy diplomacy...).

Here is a thought, bring extra and sell some on the side to outraged passengers at half what the cruiseline charges for some extra spending money! :p

Just kidding...or am I? :rolleyes:

Cheers,

CT


[quote name='Lyncruiser']Numerous people have taken me to task for saying my cruise was cheaper in '01 than in '04. They cite 9/11 and the depressed travel industry thereafter. Please note my '01 trip was booked and paid in full in July '01 -- two months before 9/11 (and if you'll think back to that summer -- at a time, sadly, when 9/11 was unthinkable). But I digress, 9/11 had nothing to do with the price I paid in '01.

Also, I'm perfectly willing to pay $300 more per person now. My only point was --- and I will say it again --- whether Diet Cokes are provided with dinner or not had nothing to do with the price I paid in '01 and has nothing to do with the price I'm paying in '03. I was tired of reading posts from people who somehow, in a gross oversimplification of economics, think their cruise will be cheaper because I now have to pay for my Diet Cokes!

I'm not an economist by any means and I'll admit some of the more recent posts have been beyond me -- but I enjoyed reading them. Cruise pricing, as has been noted by people with far more economics knowledge than I have, is determined by supply and demand as well as competition.

CT got my argument correct -- it costs nothing (or next to nothing) to provide soda at dinner -- I'll wager the cost to wash the glass is more than the price of the soda (and the price to wash the glass is cheap considering they use foreign labor). But -- RCI has figured out there is huge demand for sodas and they can charge big prices for them, exploit the desire for people to have sodas on board and make lots of money doing so. As others have rightly noted, I wonder what the outrage would be if RCI started charging for coffee!!

As far as soda, so be it. I'll bring my cans of Diet Coke with me![/QUOTE]

[redneck_dan]

What is a soda anyway?

My suggestion is, if you don't want to pay extortionist prices for you coke, then you should bring some on the boat with you. I think it is very annoying for the cruise lines to nickel and dime us to death while we are on the ships. I went to a restaurant last week where the waitress charged us for tap water for our daughter. Let’s just say that I was so made that her tip got rounded down than up to make up the difference. I refuse to pay for cokes, deserts, or meals in alternative dining on the boat because I have paid for these items once already. If everyone started boycotting this crap, then they would stop. I guarantee you that a meal at Johnny Rockets is cheaper for the cruise line to make than a meal in the dining room. Yet, they charge you at Johnny Rockets. It doesn’t make sense.

[suelmarzec]

Back when we took our first cruise (1998), there was no charge for soda - it was free, just like the coffee, tea, lemonade, etc., so what happened? I used to work for a travel agency - so I got it from the horse's mouth: what happened was that more and more parents are booking cruises with their children, and, of course, the cruise lines all encourage cruising as a family vacation these days - not just for singles and lovers any more! They're all competing for the family cruisers with all their kid-oriented programs, etc. This is a GOOD thing, of course. HOWEVER, as soon as the over 7 and under 21 population increased aboard ships, the cruise lines started losing money hand over fist on soda. Why? Because your average kid will stop everytime he or she sees a soda dispenser, fill up a cup and after taking a few chugs, get distracted, take off with some other kids, get called away by Mom or Dad, jump in the pool, whatever - and leave their cup of soda behind. There were half-full cups of soda all OVER the place, which had to be picked up and just dumped down the drain. After a couple years of this, the cruise lines were finding it necessary to order more and more soda to cover the kid population, and dumping more and more of it down the drain, so they finally had to start charging for it. Personally, I don't recommend purchasing the $47 soda card when you have kids with you on board. I think it just encourages the waste factor, knowing they can always get another one by just showing the card to the closest waiter or bartender. What parent needs to have their kids hopped up on Coke or Pepsi all week, anyway? Requiring Mom or Dad to be present in order to show their on-board room card for whatever soda is purchased by Junior not only cuts down on the waste factor, but cuts down on the CONSUMPTION of it as well (not that iced tea is exactly a healthy alternative, but it's free). I think most parents these days like to monitor their child's daily consumption of soda anyway. Coffee, tea, iced tea, lemonade are all still free because they're generally beverages that are consumed by adults (what kid is gonna opt for iced tea when he can had a Coke?) - adults who have already learned the value of a dollar and tend to pour themselves a beverage only when they really WANT one and are free to FINISH it! In the alternative, you can always do what I do: I'm a hard core Dr. Pepper consumer and they NEVER have Dr. Pepper aboard ship, so I just purchase a 12 pack of cans before boarding, - most ports where you board ships these days have convenience stores close by or RIGHT IN the port complex. I then tuck six into one suitcase and six into another and when my suitcases get to my room, I stock up the frige with my soda of choice!

[quote name='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![/QUOTE]

[Erie Dave]

I am amazed at how many people compromise their principals over silly little things like soda. If some one steals a hundred bucks from a 7-11, arrest him and throw him in jail. However, if you smuggle a 12 pack of soda that cost $5 instead of paying $47 for a soda card, or at $1 each, $12 for the same amount on the ship, you stole $42, or $7 from the cruise line. Somehow, you are right because you think they charge too much? How does your logic work? If you don't like the price, don't buy it......please stop justifying stealing, because that is really what "smuggling" is......you are only kidding yourselves.

[happysinglemom]

Oh geez - was that bait or what??

Listen - I plan to bring some DC with me, and I'm not compromising my principles one bit. I am on vacation - and being such, I want to be able to have a couple of swallows of DC on ice - whenever I like. To pay $3.50 everytime I want to wet my whistle (I never drink more that a few swallows, so paying for cans is absurd!) is simply unreasonable, and unjustified. I find it quite silly that this is even a concern for anyone else.

Kinda the same prinicple where I work - we have a presentation room where no drinks/food is allowed. There is a sign on the door saying just that. I was in a class last week - all day, with a cold, in that room. I kept a water bottle with the cap on, on the floor behind me, as did several other people for that matter. Management was fine with it - we know that the logic behind the rule is to prevent the room from turning into a dining room - not to cause people to be uncomfortable. So we adjust, with no problems. Life is too short folks. Enjoy your cruise.

[Mark_K]

[quote name='Erie Dave']I am amazed at how many people compromise their principals over silly little things like soda. If some one steals a hundred bucks from a 7-11, arrest him and throw him in jail. However, if you smuggle a 12 pack of soda that cost $5 instead of paying $47 for a soda card, or at $1 each, $12 for the same amount on the ship, you stole $42, or $7 from the cruise line. Somehow, you are right because you think they charge too much? How does your logic work? If you don't like the price, don't buy it......please stop justifying stealing, because that is really what "smuggling" is......you are only kidding yourselves.[/QUOTE]Unless things have changed recently, there is no official policy against bringing soda on board with you like there is for alcoholic beverages. If there still isn't, it's hard to call it either smuggling or stealing.

[redneck_dan]

[quote name='Erie Dave']I am amazed at how many people compromise their principals over silly little things like soda. If some one steals a hundred bucks from a 7-11, arrest him and throw him in jail. However, if you smuggle a 12 pack of soda that cost $5 instead of paying $47 for a soda card, or at $1 each, $12 for the same amount on the ship, you stole $42, or $7 from the cruise line. Somehow, you are right because you think they charge too much? How does your logic work? If you don't like the price, don't buy it......please stop justifying stealing, because that is really what "smuggling" is......you are only kidding yourselves.[/QUOTE]


There is no policy against brining cokes on board the ship. They do have a policy against liquor.



[QUOTE]Can I bring my own liquor onboard?
We apologize for any inconvenience but due to our regulatory and licensing requirements guests are not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages of any kind onboard for consumption or any other use.

Alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty-free from the Shops On Board or at ports of call will be stored by us and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of your voyage. A member of our staff will be at the gangway to assist with the storage of your purchases. Should you choose to consume alcoholic beverages purchased from the Shops On Board, a consumption fee will apply at the time of purchase. Note that no open liquor bottles will be permitted to be brought into dining areas or public areas.

This policy may not apply to every ship or itinerary depending on local laws, customs, or license requirements but Royal Caribbean will try and accommodate requests. Royal Caribbean is not responsible for fines imposed or items confiscated by local authorities. .[/QUOTE]

[xpcdoojk]

Where is the padlock?:D I think this thread is way past that time. Where O where has Mike gone.:D ;) :p

jc

[bUU]

[quote name='redneck_dan']If everyone started boycotting this crap, then they would stop.[/QUOTE]Actually, from what the cruise lines have actually done, if everyone started "boycotting this crap," they'd simply apply new measures to ensure that they collect the revenue some other way.

[Erie Dave]

If soda is permitted to be brought on board, then I take back my comment as applies to the soda, however, I stand by the statement that smuggling is stealing, and that term is used very often on these boards.

[Mark_K]

Erie Dave,

Smuggling is not even close to the same as stealing. Completely different category of crime. Smuggling is a type of fraud, stealing is a property crime.

[Erie Dave]

[quote name='Mark_K']Erie Dave,

Smuggling is not even close to the same as stealing. Completely different category of crime. Smuggling is a type of fraud, stealing is a property crime.[/QUOTE]
But they are both crimes

[redneck_dan]

[quote name='bicker']Actually, from what the cruise lines have actually done, if everyone started "boycotting this crap," they'd simply apply new measures to ensure that they collect the revenue some other way.[/QUOTE]

Paying for a coke or alternative dining on board is kind of like playing the lottery. The lottery in Texas is a voluntary tax. Buying cokes on board is a voluntary fee. I do pay them a voluntary fee in the casino, but not too much.

[elliair]

I'm not a soda drinker, but if I were, I would definately pack me up a 12-pack of diet Pepsi and enjoy. When they start charging for ice tea and coffee, that will be the day I bring my own 2-cup coffee maker with fresh ground coffee. As for the alcohol, I have a separate suitcase for 14 bottles of wine. Our first cruise taught me alot about where these cruiselines make their money. And, I agree they have the right to charge whatever they like for their goods and services. What turned me off, I ordered a glass of wine but got a 1/2 glass of wine for $6.50! I asked for a glass of wine, not a half a glass of wine! So now we bring our own drinks and everyone is happy.

On the cruise line we're sailing on, it states that we are allowed to bring wine and champagne on board for special occassions. In our group, we've got 4 birthdays on 4 different days, and 2 anniversaries on 2 different days. That's 6 days of wine and champagne. And, if our other friends join us, we've got another birthday to celebrate.:D

[reggierail]

Of course I do have to pay for the Jack Daniels or Bacardi I mix it with.

[Cruiz'nTall]

Ok,

I bit my lip, but apparently my fingers were still free...

This is the most absurd thing I have EVER heard, and I have heard some absurd things on this board.

How on Gods green earth does exercising your right to bring onto the ship something that is not disallowed by the cruise ship (no where that I read was bringing your own sodas on the ship prohibited...you have a room fridge for a reason) eaquate to amoral behavior that relates to stealing?

Some people may not want the specific softdrink products offered by the cruise line (i.e. pepsi instead of coke). The cruise line charges for sun tan lotion, does that mean we should not bring our own because we would otherwise be "smuggling" it and that is considered stealing?

That act of stealing is defined by Websters as the following:

Main Entry: [b]1steal[/b] to take the property of another wrongfully and especially as an habitual or regular practice

Can you steal from yourself?

If we are to accept the notion proposed by a poster earlier that the crusieline charges for soda in an effort to control costs (and not as a mechanism to gain profit - which I don't agree with completely) then bringing aboard your own products should make no difference to them whatsoever since you are not creating a wastefull situation for them.

Equating bringing aboard your own softdrinks to stealing or smuggling is simply ludicrous. I better not pack any toiletries on my next cruise when I can purchase them at the gift shop. I wouldn't want to engage in criminal behavior...

[quote name='Erie Dave']I am amazed at how many people compromise their principals over silly little things like soda. If some one steals a hundred bucks from a 7-11, arrest him and throw him in jail. However, if you smuggle a 12 pack of soda that cost $5 instead of paying $47 for a soda card, or at $1 each, $12 for the same amount on the ship, you stole $42, or $7 from the cruise line. Somehow, you are right because you think they charge too much? How does your logic work? If you don't like the price, don't buy it......please stop justifying stealing, because that is really what "smuggling" is......you are only kidding yourselves.[/QUOTE]

[suelmarzec]

Dave, while I see your point and agree in principle, you missed mine: In my specific case, I'm supplying myself with something they don't OFFER on board. I can't drink Coke or Pepsi - something in both of them makes me extremely nauseous and I really don't care for Sprite or 7-Up either. If I want a soda, which I do once or twice a day, the only thing I LIKE is Dr. Pepper and they don't offer it on board. If they did, I would most certainly purchase the soda card as my husband is a big Coke and Pepsi consumer. But things being what they are, my husband doesn't drink anything CLOSE to $50 worth of cola in one week. When they start offering Dr. Pepper on board, I will most certainly PURCHASE it on board. In the interim, call me a criminal because I can truly sympathize with those individuals (many of whom have young children) who save all year to take this vacation of a life time and don't want to pay $50 for a soda card when they know they're not going to consume anything CLOSE to $50 worth of soda. You will note in my original posting that my FIRST recommendation was NOT to purchase the soda card at all and simply pay as you go - which is what my husband does with his Cokes!

[quote name='Erie Dave']I am amazed at how many people compromise their principals over silly little things like soda. If some one steals a hundred bucks from a 7-11, arrest him and throw him in jail. However, if you smuggle a 12 pack of soda that cost $5 instead of paying $47 for a soda card, or at $1 each, $12 for the same amount on the ship, you stole $42, or $7 from the cruise line. Somehow, you are right because you think they charge too much? How does your logic work? If you don't like the price, don't buy it......please stop justifying stealing, because that is really what "smuggling" is......you are only kidding yourselves.[/QUOTE]

[bUU]

Sorry, Sue, but I cannot agree. The fact that a service provider doesn't offer what you want doesn't justify doing what you please to make up for the gap. The service provider offers; you, as the customer, can either accept or reject.

The best justification for carrying aboard your Dr. Pepper IMHO is that there is no prohibition against it. If there was such a prohibition, then you simply "shouldn't" bring your own soda on-board (again IMHO), and if that was too onerous a restriction, your alternative option would be not to purchase the cruise. Luckily, in the case of soda, that's just simply not the case.

[suelmarzec]

In CLOSING OUT THIS SUBJECT, I'd just like to add that it appears some of us are talking apples and oranges. I was not aware, first of all, that Dave was not aware, that they don't have a problem with you bringing your own soda on board, which was why I took exception to his smuggling accusations - I do not condone "smuggling". I was operating under the assumption that he KNEW that and was accusing ME of condoning smuggling - I guess because I open up the 12 pack and put the cans in my suitcases. Just to make it clear for anyone following this crazy thread: My normal procedure (and that of thousands of others) is to purchase one's soda at the port of embarkation - primarily because no on wants to lug a 12 pack of soda around airports, etc. - the airlines DO have problems with metals in suitcases, so it's just EASIER ON EVERYONE to purchase the soda once you've reached the port. In addition, a 12 pack of soda added to a single suitcase (I'm one of those efficiency freaks who insists on cruising with one suitcase for me, one for hubby and an overnight case for the health & beauty items and no more, so each suitcase contains a week's worth of clothing - casual, formal - the works) can tip your case over the weight restrictions that the airlines have in place and can wind up causing you to either pay $20 or more extra for them to put your suitcase on the plane or cause you to have to REMOVE the soda from the suitcase and pack it in a separate box before it boards the plane. Either way, it's all a hassle that is entirely avoided by purchasing the soda at the other end! I normally wind up opening the 12 pack and splitting it between two suitcases on the other end for the same reason - to not load down one suitcase too much and possible RIP it. I suppose I should have indicated as well, that we usually fly down to our port of embarkation the day BEFORE we sail and do a little sightseeing, get a good night's sleep so we're all rested and raring to go when we board the next day. Therefore, I have access to my luggage as I have to open it to get out clean clothes for the next morning, etc. and therefore am required to lug it from the airport to hotel and hotel to port the next day,so it just gives me one less thing to lug to the port if I pack the cans into the suitcases at this point. I always buy cans simply because they fit in the mini friges better. But there have been plenty of times where I did not have time to purchase my precious Dr. Pepper until the last minute, from a store at the port complex itself and I have carried the entire 12 pack on board in my hands, sent it through the scanner when boarding ship and NO ONE has ever given me a problem with bringing my own soda on board! I've also re-stocked occasionally in ports during shore excursions. Bringing your own soda IS allowed - the cruise lines know they can't satisfy everyone's taste in soda, so they just stock the most popular brands and if those don't happen to be your particular favorites, you are more than welcome to bring your own along - that's one of the reasons they GIVE you a frige! Ok - end of silly discussion! Happy cruising to all and please don't "smuggle". - Sue

[Magicat]

Here are a couple of articles that perhaps the people who drink alot of pop should consider before "smuggling" their favourite soda or getting that drink card

[url]http://www.dentalgentlecare.com/diet_soda.htm[/url]
[url]http://www.totalhealthdynamics.com/soft_drinks.htm[/url]

Just something else to consider.