More Beverage Questions...

[mom3qts]

If you do not get the unlimited soda card, but just want a soda with dinner, do you get free refills or do they charge you each time you get a refill? (This makes a big difference on the value of the soda cards in our family.) Also, how good is the ice tea? Is is brewed or instant? My FIL did not like the tea on Carnival in the past. And on an unrelated topic, for the zipline in Labadee, can you get a refund if someone "chickens out" and decides not to go? :eek:

[funfamilyfun]

If you do not get the unlimited soda card, but just want a soda with dinner, do you get free refills or do they charge you each time you get a refill? (This makes a big difference on the value of the soda cards in our family.) Also, how good is the ice tea? Is is brewed or instant? My FIL did not like the tea on Carnival in the past. And on an unrelated topic, for the zipline in Labadee, can you get a refund if someone "chickens out" and decides not to go? :eek:

 

 

There are not free refills. We get the soda card.

[robtulipe]

Sodas are sold by the can but the soda card is for fountain sodas. Can cost is $1.75 + 15% for total of $2.01.

Ice tea is from a drink dispenser so IMO it is instant. It's unsweetened so you can sweeten to your taste and is OK most of time. You can brew your own tea and use that for ice tea by adding ice which I have done many times onboard a cruise.

You can cancel excursions with full refund if done 24 hours beforehand which is the usual notice required or whatever time frame before that is noted on the excursions info sheet..

[T&Tmom]

I always take some Lipton Cold Brew tea bags with me when we travel. I am an Iced Tea addict! And I do not really like the tea that comes out of a machine.

[T&Tmom]

Double post!

[Cavatelli430]

We just got back from Liberty. We paid the $2.01 for each of our Sprites, but refills were free, they fill from fountain tap there.

 

I've got some pictures of zipline at Labadee, it looked pretty mild, pictures are in my signature. We were at that beach all day, watching hundreds of people come down, sometimes 3 & 4 at a time.

[mom3qts]

We are sailing on the Mariner on April 6. Does anyone know if the Mariner does free refills on sodas? I'm going to give my daughters all the info and then let them decide (and pay for the soda cards, if they choose to go that route).

Thanks for the replies so far!

[JanineM]

We are sailing on the Mariner on April 6. Does anyone know if the Mariner does free refills on sodas? I'm going to give my daughters all the info and then let them decide (and pay for the soda cards, if they choose to go that route).

Thanks for the replies so far!

 

When I have not had the soda card I have NOT gotten free refills on Mariner. They bring you the can and once it's gone, you have to buy another can. That was at the pool bar, on the pool deck and in the dining room.

 

I measured the "free" glass the give you for the soda card. It is 12 ounces, but they normally fill it about half-way with ice. I calculated that it was a better deal if I refilled the glass 5 times a day, which would work out to about the same amount of pop as buying 3 cans a day. Maybe pass this along to your kids and let them figure out the math ;).

[cruisePRN]

When you buy soda it's by the can and so there are no refills. It's $2.01 per can which is pretty pricey.

[ecmcm]

We recently did B2Bs on the Mariner and found the soda cards were good value to us plus there's no need to wait for a receipt to sign as you just flash your seapass card. We never use the insulated container that you get when you purchase the card. I found that the pool and Promenade bars use the largest glasses for soda and if you don't want a lot of ice, you just have to tell them.

[KarinaGW]

I measured the "free" glass the give you for the soda card. It is 12 ounces, but they normally fill it about half-way with ice.

 

You can always ask for light or no ice. They're happy to oblige. Same thing as at the movies...those 32 oz medium sodas are 1/2-2/3s ice, but again just ask and they will lessen the amount.

[cb at sea]

If you only drink soda once in awhile, buying it by the can makes sense--it's really no more expensive than in any hotel! However, if you drink more than 3 or 4 a day (then, shame on you!) a soda card is the most economical way to go!

[jo44]

Room service can of coke -$4. They would not honor our soda card. Take a twelve pack on board with you, if you want cans.

[mom3qts]

Thanks again for all the responses. I am torn because I think the soda card is the better deal, but at the same time I don't want them to overdo it on sodas because they're unlimited. I think I will still let them decide and hope they are tightwads and choose to go with water! :)