Sharing a beverage package??

[mitsugirly]

They do have a formula to calculate the amounts of drinks one person normally purchases. Anything above that will raise a flag.

 

 

I hope they have a high rating system for people like me that live off of soda. I absolutely HATE water...even with something put in it. The packets taste like watered down cool-aide. They are welcome to follow me around any time, they'll see I'm drinking mine. LOL I don't drink much alcohol (and usually only when we are doing something special=cruise or out to diner for a celebration.) So, I must have my soda. :D

[paul929207]

Perhaps if the cost of the cards were reduced more people WOULD buy them instead of sharing. alternatively reduce the cost of purchasing individual soft drinks

 

Sandy and John in Spain who buy neither coffee or soda cards

If you feel the price of a soda package is too high, the answer is simple, don't buy one. Water is free. Ice tea is free. Enjoy them. They are probably better for you.

[Langley Cruisers]

...alternatively reduce the cost of purchasing individual soft drinks...

 

I honestly think the cost of a can of soda is comparable to, if not even less than, what you would pay on land. In restaurants where you get free refills, a glass of soda can cost around $2.49 each. I actually don't think the price of one can on a ship is a lot to pay.

 

On the other hand' date=' if you get the coffee card on Princess in which a punch system is used (you get so many punches -- and coffees -- per card), it doesn't matter how many are using it. You can even give your card with unused punches to another person after your cruise.[/quote']

 

Curious and sincerely asking: how do you know this? I have sailed Princess but did not buy the coffee card. Who says it doesn't matter how many are using it? Isn't this the same as the shared soda card or shared alcohol card we are discussing? I have also heard that Princess doesn't punch the last hole in your coffee card, thus allowing you to use it, virtually, forever. Hmm.

 

(sorry to hijack)

[G.M.T.]

No we are not cheaters. Just trying to understand the rules and if everyone needs to buy the package. When I took my first and only cruise so far about 20 years ago, all soft drinks were included in the price.

Thats the price of progress (cheaper cruises but additional extras).

 

Ron

[sail7seas]

It's been pointed out on this board many, many times that cruise line do not make any money on the fares they charge. Seeing so many scour the web finding rock bottom, very low prices for their cruise, the cruise lines have to make their profit somewhere.

 

That somewhere is everything we do while on the ship.

Alcohol, soft drinks, excursions, photos, laundry, spa, salon, exercise classes etc etc

 

These are 'for profit' business and when you want a low fare, you have to expect to pay once on the ship. At least that way, you get to choose on what to spend the extra dollars.

 

I don't think the prices are so high. They are comparable to similar level hotel, restaurant, resort, vacation elsewhere and in lots of cases, even lower.

[sail7seas]

An unlimited soda card permits as many glasses as the guest requests. It is intended for only that guest's use and that instruction is made clear. If it is shared with friend or family member, then more than one person is getting unlimited soda which is more than what was 'contracted' for. It's cheating. One card is for one person. We watched on HAL when guests would bring huge insulated cups to be filled, would leave the bar and pour it into two paper cups for their friends and return to the bar to get it refilled. That clearly was dishonest. HAL went to a punch card system because of the 'cheaters'.

 

I am surprised when someone finds humor in honesty. What does that say? To laugh because someone is disturbed by 'cheating the system is ........... :eek:

 

If you buy a coffee card that has a a set number of punches, when it is used up, there is no more. It makes no difference to the cruise line who orders those coffees as each has been paid for and it is a set amount. The card may have ten punch holes. Each time you order a coffee, the card is punched. When there are ten punches, you are finished. Whether that set punch card is shared or not, it does not cost the cruise line any additional funds.

 

[luddite]

An unlimited soda card permits as many glasses as the guest requests. It is intended for only that guest's use and that instruction is made clear. If it is shared with friend or family member, then more than one person is getting unlimited soda which is more than what was 'contracted' for. It's cheating. One card is for one person. We watched on HAL when guests would bring huge insulated cups to be filled, would leave the bar and pour it into two paper cups for their friends and return to the bar to get it refilled. That clearly was dishonest. HAL went to a punch card system because of the 'cheaters'.

 

I am surprised when someone finds humor in honesty. What does that say? To laugh because someone is disturbed by 'cheating the system is ........... :eek:

 

If you buy a coffee card that has a a set number of punches, when it is used up, there is no more. It makes no difference to the cruise line who orders those coffees as each has been paid for and it is a set amount. The card may have ten punch holes. Each time you order a coffee, the card is punched. When there are ten punches, you are finished. Whether that set punch card is shared or not, it does not cost the cruise line any additional funds.

 

 

I'm thinking that isn't cheating. It really seems to be stealing.

[chipmaster]

People trying to get around, who'd do that :eek:

 

I oticed on celebritys beverage package there is to be no sharing!!! How in the world can they keep tabs on that?? Example: One buys a drink - and ultimately gives it to a friend and then goes back and gets another drink for himself-----who is watching or keeping rack of who is drinking what???? Just curious. Thanks marydallas

[Sea42]

When you go to a restaurant with free refills, do you get one cup and share it with the whole table?

I have to say my husband and I do this any time we go to a fast food restaurant. He orders the meal with fries and a drink and I order the sandwich. We share the fries and the drink. I never thought of it as cheating them or stealing. You've given me something to think about though.

[paul929207]

I have to say my husband and I do this any time we go to a fast food restaurant. He orders the meal with fries and a drink and I order the sandwich. We share the fries and the drink. I never thought of it as cheating them or stealing. You've given me something to think about though.

To me sharing the fries is no problem. You get a fixed size order of them. Once you finish them, they are gone. No free refills.

 

But the soda is another matter if it comes with free refills. If your husband gets a can of coke that would be fine to share.

[Sea42]

That's a good point. As we are always traveling when we stop at a fast food place (no fast food in our small town) we share the soda while eating and most often then take a refill to go. Never gave it a thought :o

[donaldsc]

I oticed on celebritys beverage package there is to be no sharing!!! How in the world can they keep tabs on that?? Example: One buys a drink - and ultimately gives it to a friend and then goes back and gets another drink for himself-----who is watching or keeping rack of who is drinking what???? Just curious. Thanks marydallas

 

They are assuming that people will be honest. Are you?

 

DON

[bus man]

I was thinking my husband and I could buy the drink package and my two kids could take drinks from the cups - really do they police that? Come on. We are going to travel on RCI cruise next summer and I was hoping we could share with the kids.

 

No we are not cheaters. Just trying to understand the rules and if everyone needs to buy the package. When I took my first and only cruise so far about 20 years ago, all soft drinks were included in the price.

 

Did you bother paying the cruise fare for your two kids? Mayber you could just put them in the checked baggage, and only pay for the two adults in the cabin. Just saying, why not go all the way.

 

You don't need to beat up on mlsully. As she stated, she hasn't cruised in 20 years, and from what I understand, a lot has changed since then. Sometimes, people aren't trying to cheat the system; they simply don't know the correct procedure.

 

I know that I went through this thought process before my first cruise. At first, I was tempted to share a soda package with DW, as it would have obviously been cheaper that way. But I did take the time to think it through, and came to realize that it would have been dishonest. So we each got our own package.

[G.M.T.]

I was thinking my husband and I could buy the drink package and my two kids could take drinks from the cups - really do they police that? Come on. We are going to travel on RCI cruise next summer and I was hoping we could share with the kids.

 

I am totally with you on this.

 

How could someone be so cruel and suggest that you pack the kids in your luggage, just think of the stares from the security people when your luggage was x-rayed.

 

I have another suggestion. Why not dress your kids in dog costumes and declare them as Service Dogs - more to the point Service Dogs to sniff out what drinks packages can be shared. OK there are a couple of negative points, they would have to sit under the table in MDR and wait til you threw them some titbits, also they would have to go for walkies on deck 4 for their call of nature visits.

 

Ron

[BOSN]

I oticed on celebritys beverage package there is to be no sharing!!! How in the world can they keep tabs on that?? Example: One buys a drink - and ultimately gives it to a friend and then goes back and gets another drink for himself-----who is watching or keeping rack of who is drinking what???? Just curious. Thanks marydallas

 

[quote bus man: You don't need to beat up on mlsully. As she stated, she hasn't cruised in 20 years, and from what I understand, a lot has changed since then. Sometimes, people aren't trying to cheat the system; they simply don't know the correct procedure.

 

I know that I went through this thought process before my first cruise. At first, I was tempted to share a soda package with DW, as it would have obviously been cheaper that way. But I did take the time to think it through, and came to realize that it would have been dishonest. So we each got our own package. ]

 

With following how the thread progressed, OP questioned who keeps track, and how would they know. It was also stated that the drink package is per person, not intended for sharing.

 

In my interp of the comments, anyone after OP knows the drink package is per person. So anyone else commenting about wanting to share, or finding it to be ok, is not paying attention to the intent of the beverage package. JMHO>

[DanJ]

Perhaps if the cost of the cards were reduced more people WOULD buy them instead of sharing. alternatively reduce the cost of purchasing individual soft drinks

 

Sandy and John in Spain who buy neither coffee or soda cards

 

Nah, cheapskates will be cheapskates. If someone is looking for a way to save $30 per week or whatever the soda stickers costs now, they will be looking to save $20 if it went down to that.

[G.M.T.]

On a serious note, I think we have to differerntiate as to what type of drinks package is involved:

 

a. Where there is a set number of drinks, i.e. in the form of a couppon booklet or more uptodate where a running tally is kept on your onboard account (ordering via your sail and sign card. Sharing here is totally honest in my view.

 

b. Where there is an unlimited / flat rate for the drinks. Then this for the person who bought the package and noone else. Sharing would be dishonest, On Costa Cruises, when ordering unlimited drinks packages, each person on the same booking form (normally one cabin) have to book the same package. Even the kids have to book the same package (non-alcohol version). When Costa started the unlimited packages several years ago, only individuals could order the drinks packages and of course it was shared. Sharing was not the real problem then but more the passengers who bragged about, how to beat the system and broadcasting it on the likes of CC. Cruises lines are not dumb, they read CC.

 

Ron

[Philob]

You don't need to beat up on mlsully. As she stated, she hasn't cruised in 20 years, and from what I understand, a lot has changed since then. Sometimes, people aren't trying to cheat the system; they simply don't know the correct procedure.

 

I know that I went through this thought process before my first cruise. At first, I was tempted to share a soda package with DW, as it would have obviously been cheaper that way. But I did take the time to think it through, and came to realize that it would have been dishonest. So we each got our own package.

 

I went to the bar and asked for two sodas. Bartender said no, one drink/person only, etc. :confused: After pouring one he told be take it to my lady and come back for the second ;);) Upon return he pointed to the ceiling security camera and said "those people don't like it". On the other side of the bar was a ships officer (white uniform, two gold bars on shoulder boards) overseeing the whole exchange. :cool:

 

First and last time I bought a soda package.

[beachchick]

We buy soda cards for the adults and for the kids. Just makes sense. You aren't all going to be together all the time and even if you are, you aren't going to just pass the card around with everyone going back-to-back to order one. For us, it's just a convenience. We never drink all the beverage at the movie theater either, but we don't share a drink either.

 

Because it's a sticker on the sea pass of the passenger who bought the package, rather than a separate "card," it's even more of a logistical issue. Whoever has the package would either have to go back and forth, back and forth, fetching sodas for everyone (and I remember one mom here who said she intended to make her 9 year old daughter do precisely that!) or the person who ordered the package would have to give up his/her sea pass every time somone else wanted a soda. Then there's the issue of dining. Is a group going to buy one package and then try to pass the one sea pass "under the table" to show the waiter as they all try to order soda on the same soda sticker.

 

Of course, that's not the real reason everyone should purchase a separate package. The real reason is that to do anything else is dishonest. While I don't have the time or inclinination to spend a moment "checking" others onboard, it still peeves me that people would cheat in that way. Over time, the revenue loss to the cruise line will mean that they charge the rest of us a higher fare in the same way that stores raise prices to cover the "cost" of shoplifting.

 

beachchick

[cruisemom42]

Curious and sincerely asking: how do you know this? I have sailed Princess but did not buy the coffee card. Who says it doesn't matter how many are using it? Isn't this the same as the shared soda card or shared alcohol card we are discussing? I have also heard that Princess doesn't punch the last hole in your coffee card, thus allowing you to use it, virtually, forever. Hmm.

 

(sorry to hijack)

 

On Princess it is a punch card with a fixed number of coffees. Doesn't matter who uses it as the amount has been paid for.

 

What you're confused about is that the holder of the coffee card can get free "brewed" coffee (not specialty coffee, just regular stuff) if they are a cardholder. The coffee Princess normally serves is something made with syrup, so coffee drinkers value having this extra "perk".

 

What some will do is use up their specialty coffee card except for the last punch, then hold onto it and use it to get the free "brewed" coffee ad infinitum. It has nothing to do with Princess not punching the card.... (and this part, IMO, is another abuse of the system).

[BOSN]

I am totally with you on this.

 

How could someone be so cruel and suggest that you pack the kids in your luggage, just think of the stares from the security people when your luggage was x-rayed.

 

I have another suggestion. Why not dress your kids in dog costumes and declare them as Service Dogs - more to the point Service Dogs to sniff out what drinks packages can be shared. OK there are a couple of negative points, they would have to sit under the table in MDR and wait til you threw them some titbits, also they would have to go for walkies on deck 4 for their call of nature visits.

 

Ron

 

I see you are from Germany, and probably d not have this tv commercial on the other side of the pond. But an airline has a commercial with a mother talking to her son in an airline dog carier, the son even has drawn on wiskers. Oe of the baggage handlers says, "IS THAT A TALKING DOG?"...:D

[Langley Cruisers]

If you buy a coffee card that has a a set number of punches, when it is used up, there is no more.

 

On Princess it is a punch card with a fixed number of coffees. Doesn't matter who uses it as the amount has been paid for.

 

What some will do is use up their specialty coffee card except for the last punch, then hold onto it and use it to get the free "brewed" coffee ad infinitum. It has nothing to do with Princess not punching the card.... (and this part, IMO, is another abuse of the system).

 

 

Thanks both of you. Yes, I absolutely agree that using the unlimited brewed coffee part of the card for possibly months or years, or even the card being given to someone else, is abusing the system and is, in fact, stealing.

[6rugrats]

There's a very simple solution for this. On Windstar cruises, both guests in the cabin must purchase the selected drink package. They don't allow just one person to do so.

 

Maybe other cruise lines should consider this solution.

[DanJ]

There's a very simple solution for this. On Windstar cruises, both guests in the cabin must purchase the selected drink package. They don't allow just one person to do so.

 

Maybe other cruise lines should consider this solution.

 

I'm not sure that would help. For instance, I like my diet coke, but my wife never drinks enough of it to make it worth while for her to buy the sticker. She's happy drinking water and lemonade for most of the day, and will have a coke when we are at a lounge later. If it was required for both of us to buy the sticker, I would just got back to being a 1 or 2 coke a day drinker like I was before the soda program, and drink more water and lemonade myself. And if we take our kids, there's positively zero chance we'll buy 4 stickers just so I can have my fill.

[Cruisin' Chick]

...

 

Curious and sincerely asking: how do you know this? I have sailed Princess but did not buy the coffee card. Who says it doesn't matter how many are using it? Isn't this the same as the shared soda card or shared alcohol card we are discussing? I have also heard that Princess doesn't punch the last hole in your coffee card, thus allowing you to use it, virtually, forever. Hmm.

 

(sorry to hijack)

 

...

 

 

If you buy a coffee card that has a a set number of punches, when it is used up, there is no more. It makes no difference to the cruise line who orders those coffees as each has been paid for and it is a set amount. The card may have ten punch holes. Each time you order a coffee, the card is punched. When there are ten punches, you are finished. Whether that set punch card is shared or not, it does not cost the cruise line any additional funds.

 

 

I'm not a coffee drinker so I'm just going on what people have posted on the Princess board (many of them are the "vets" who know what is appropriate and what isn't). What I was referring to was the punch card with a limited number of coffees that you get (didn't know about that brew coffee thing). In fact, many CCers have leftover punches and have offered to mail a still valid card to another member. If there's nothing about "transferring" to another person, and if Princess considers it okay to share a card with others (for the limited number of drinks), that is a far different matter than letting everyone in your party "share" your card. One seems to be okay by Princess; the other would be considered a misuse of the card.