Popcard....can we share

[Squirtreena]

There are four of us going do we have to get 4 popcards? We will be on the explorer of the seas on Sept 11...anyone else???? We thought at least to only get two..how does the whole pop card thing work anyhow?? how much is it?:confused:

[fay54]

The popcards are expensive, plus they add 15% gratuity. You can share if they don't catch you, which they won't. But they give you a small cup or a can that they fill. Is hard to share, because you have to go to different bar area to get the second, third and fourth.

[ineedacruise]

Fountain and Juice cards must be bought on the first day of the cruise.

 

The price is .... $4 for a child and $6 for an adult ... per day .. plus a 15% gratuity.

 

I think if 4 of you are going on a cruise and will be buying alot of soda buy two cards. One adult and one child. It will be easier to share.

 

Just be clever where and when you use them.

[kitty9]

It's for fountain drinks only, and not for cans of soda, so it will be difficult to do this unless you want to run from one bar to another. But, after a while, the accountant might see that you are purchasing more soda at one time than one person can normally drink, and they could catch you.

[MrsPete]

No, you're not allowed to share. The package is intended to be per person. Even if you're willing to overlook this, it'd be difficult to share for several reasons:

 

Out by the pool, etc. they'd only give you one soda at a time -- that'd leave two people without, and the cups aren't big enough to share. It'd be rather obvious if you returned to the bar moments later asking for a refill.

 

In the dining room, your regular evening waiters will remember who has a card and who doesn't. At breakfast or lunch, the waiter will ask to see your card. So someone will always be without a soda in the dining room.

 

I'm no fan of the soda package; given my family's soda habits, I can do better paying for my drinks one-by-one. Also, I want canned sodas, not watered-down fountain drinks. Regardless, I woudln't try to cheat the system. If for no other reason, it's a bad message for the children.

[nutbrown]

It's unethical to share soda cards.

[ineedacruise]

Its no more unethical than all the cruisers who bring on cases of soda because they dont want to drink what is being offered. At least this way the cruise line will get some money out of the passengers.

 

The OP also asked if they could share and I say yes, not that I would buy even one. I am perfectly happy with tea, punch, and lemonade.

[colette5479]

Its no more unethical than all the cruisers who bring on cases of soda because they dont want to drink what is being offered. At least this way the cruise line will get some money out of the passengers.

 

The OP also asked if they could share and I say yes, not that I would buy even one. I am perfectly happy with tea, punch, and lemonade.

 

And the same goes for the ones who smuggle alcohol. It's against the rules but you will find hundreds of threads on here how to do it without getting caught.

 

:D

[MrsPete]

This depends upon your cruise line. Disney does not limit from-home drinks at all -- they just want them carried on rather than packed in luggage. Royal Caribbean says they can "limit the quantity" of drinks brought onboard. I don't know what other lines may say. If the cruise line is okay with personal drinks, then no rules are being broken. You should read the fine print in your cruise line's brochure to be sure.

 

On the other hand, the rules on soda cards are standard across all the cruise lines: they are meant for one person's consumption just as a buffet meal is meant for one person. No ethical wiggle room.

[colette5479]

From my CCL invoice:

 

Guests are prohibited from bringing alcoholic beverages on board the ship while docked in the port of embarkation.

 

I was not trying to start anything but I find humor in those who go to great lengths to smuggle alcohol onboard (search the CCL board for the numerous threads) abd see nothing wrong with it. I do feel for the OP of this thread because I try to cut corners when I take my family on a cruise as well. At least she made a point to ask before she tried it:)

[CruisingLover]

Hi

 

I will be on Explorer in July and I've only ever cruised RCCL. I don't remember ever buying a pop card (or whatever it is) and I thought pop was free or is that only at dinner :confused: The last time I cruised was 2001 so it sounds like things have changed. How does this system work?

 

Thanks

[catmand]

To respond to CruisingLover: I can only speak for Princess and Celebrity but am sure this goes for all lines, each one being a little different.

All lines provide certain drinks free (none of them are soda, pop, or sodapop, depending on what part of the country you are in). Some lines provided more then others. Princess it is just coffee and ice tea while Celebrity it is some juices, punch, lemonade and tea, coffee. Again, none of the soda is free, dining room or anywhere else.

Now, all of them will sell a soda card (or sticker) which goes on you sign and sail card. Each line charges a different per day price. Some lines sell this only on day one, others pro-rate it for the first couple of days. If memory is correct Princess was 2.50 per day and Celebrity a little higher. As others have said, this card entitles one person all the fountain soda they want, no cans.

Hope this helps and my two cents? It is supposed to be one card, one person. Just because people bring their own soda or booze does not make sharing a card right.

[Schplinky]

Its no more unethical than all the cruisers who bring on cases of soda because they dont want to drink what is being offered. At least this way the cruise line will get some money out of the passengers.

 

The cruise line does not prohibit soft drinks and water from offboard. You might consider bringing a few bottles of soda back on in port (which they will be pleased to allow you to do) if you are heavy soda drinkers.

 

They do state very clearly that your card is PER PERSON.

 

Personally, I'd rather not spend my vacation running from bar to bar trying to weasel more soda from the line.

[jcruise67]

My DW and I shared a Fountain Fun card on Carnival without any conflict. For 4 or more people I would purchase 2 soda cards. this way it doesn't look to obvious to the bartenders or pool staff. However, if you happen to grease your bartender's or pool staff's hand with a $10 bill, it can make a difference.

 

John

[Happy ks]

I think it all depends on you soda drinking habits. If you think you will be drinking more than 3 cans of soda a day, each, then it can be a good value. If you only have a soda at lunch and dinner and perhaps one at the pool, it doesn't make too much of a difference which way you purchase it. There are included (nothing is free) drinks on all cruise ships for breakfast, lunch and dinner, there are drinks available all day at the buffet, just not soft drinks. We have gotten our kids soft drink cards in the past, each their own, but sometimes I doubt they drink enough to justify it.

 

You have to check with your cruiseline to see what the policy is for bringing aboard beverages, some allow it, some don't. I know I bring a few bottle of water aboard, they have never disallowed it.

[CruisingLover]

Fountain and Juice cards must be bought on the first day of the cruise.

 

The price is .... $4 for a child and $6 for an adult ... per day .. plus a 15% gratuity.

 

I think if 4 of you are going on a cruise and will be buying alot of soda buy two cards. One adult and one child. It will be easier to share.

 

Just be clever where and when you use them.

 

Is the 15% a total on the bill or is that 15% per day??? Also, how exactly does this work? Do you purchase the card then are able to get UNLIMITED pop for the entire cruise? One more question..........on RCCL is the pop at dinner free?

 

Thanks for your help :)

[Schplinky]

The 15% is on the total, which would be the same as per day, since it's a flat fee per day.

 

You must purchase the card for the full length of the cruise (you can't opt in for a few days). The soda is unlmited.

 

Soda is not free at dinner.

[Nitemare]

Sure you can. It's called "stealing", but folks cheat and steal all the time, so what the heck?

 

Its no more unethical than all the cruisers who bring on cases of soda because they dont want to drink what is being offered. At least this way the cruise line will get some money out of the passengers.

This is untrue. Celebrity and Princess definitely don't restrict you from bringing on your non-alcoholic beverages.

 

 

Last time I checked, 2 wrongs STILL don't make a right.

 

You wanna cheat, lie and steal on your own, fine. Don't try to justify it or encourage other folks that "everyone does it" because they don't.

[CruisingLover]

Hi Again

 

 

So basically the TOTAL for 1 pop card is approx. $50?

[catmand]

I just checked our old cruise bills..........Princess 7 day cruise..............soda card $22.50

10 day cruise...................................$25.00

I think the reason it works out to different per day charges is we got a large cup with the 7 day trip.

It looks like you are sailing on Royal Caribbean? I can't imagine them being double the price of Princess', so 50 bucks? I don't think so.

[Schplinky]

 

It looks like you are sailing on Royal Caribbean? I can't imagine them being double the price of Princess', so 50 bucks? I don't think so.

 

 

From the RCCL website:

 

<<The cost of the package is $6.00 per person, per day, and is applicable to the total days of the cruise vacation. A 15% gratuity charge will be added.>>

 

With the gratuity, a seven day drink card wiould be $48.30

[catmand]

WOW............................I am not a big soda drinker, we got the card for my wife, thought it would be easier then signing for the drinks.

Princess' charge for a can of soda is $1.50 plus the 15%................what does Royal charge?

[Schplinky]

 

Princess' charge for a can of soda is $1.50 plus the 15%................what does Royal charge?

 

The same, according to the most recent trip reports.

[SForman]

The soda cards are "per person". If you feel the cost is too high then don't purchase them. Sharing them is stealing, plain and simple. Would you purchase 2 movie tickets for 4 people?

[geoherb]

When we first started taking cruises, sodas were free in the dining room. I'm not sure what year the cruise lines started charging for them--some time in the mid-90s.

 

I bring along a 12-pack of canned soda to drink in my cabin because I want to drink it first thing in the morning. As long as the cruise line allows me to do this, it's not cheating to do so. Using one drink card for more than one person is unethical.