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Freestyle machine

Micky1

By Micky1,
in Royal Caribbean International

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Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
We are off on b2b on Freedom , departure dates 5th and 12th Oct and I am just working out our spending budget.

 

We are 1st sitting dining and so have not paid our tips yet and I was wondering if anyone could tell me what our tips will be per week.

 

Its a balcony cabin, 2 adults, 2 kids.

 

Thanks in advance :-)

Tips are $12 per person / per day, irrespective of age.

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

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Posted
Another thought...

 

My first cruise on a ship with Freestyle was on Allure in March 2013. At that point, while Freestyle was generally available in most major cities, I wouldn't say it was all that common...usually only a few outlets in mid-size cities had the machines - they were still novelties. At that time, the freestyle machines were regularly used, but there were never any lineups for them. I think an awful lot of people on board didn't know how to use them or what they were.

 

A year later, on Oasis in March 2014, it was a completely different story...seemed like there was at least one or two people in line at the freestyle machines most of the day. This coincided with the MAJOR rollout of freestyle across the US over that one year period. Now, even smaller towns have a couple freestyle machines, and I'd suggest they're no longer a novelty.

 

With this expansion of freestyle across the US, I think it also draws more people on board to buy the cups. Most folks know what they are now, and as we've seen here, there's lots of people (myself included) that will only buy the soda package if there's freestyle on board. In turn, RCCL sells more cups and makes more money.

 

Now, translate this to overseas markets, where a large percentage of Europeans or Asians will be on board that aren't familiar with freestyle. It's unlikely RCCL will see the same 'bump' in soda package sales due to the freestyle machines. Even if they could fly in and/or store on board adequate freestyle supplies between shipments, it may not be worth the added cost to lease the machines, as RCCL is unlikely to see the same 'bump' in soda cup sales that I speculate they're seeing in US homeported ships with freestyle.

 

I think the difference in use has more to do with the role out of the Royal Replenish drink package. Folks may not have been so tempted to buy a soda package in the past but this package includes much more plus the soda. And I have to say that on Allure this past February I never had to wait in a line to get to a machine. Maybe you sailed on a week with an unusually high number of kids aboard?

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SensFan11

SensFan11

Posted
Posted
I think the difference in use has more to do with the role out of the Royal Replenish drink package. Folks may not have been so tempted to buy a soda package in the past but this package includes much more plus the soda. And I have to say that on Allure this past February I never had to wait in a line to get to a machine. Maybe you sailed on a week with an unusually high number of kids aboard?

 

Interesting theory. Possible that's it's related to Royal Replenish, along with the new alcohol drink packages that now include the freestyle cup.

 

As for more kids being on board...both cruises were the same week of the year in March...both were school break weeks for my kids.

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Folk Singer

Folk Singer

Posted
Posted
Another thought...

 

My first cruise on a ship with Freestyle was on Allure in March 2013. At that point, while Freestyle was generally available in most major cities, I wouldn't say it was all that common...usually only a few outlets in mid-size cities had the machines - they were still novelties. At that time, the freestyle machines were regularly used, but there were never any lineups for them. I think an awful lot of people on board didn't know how to use them or what they were.

 

A year later, on Oasis in March 2014, it was a completely different story...seemed like there was at least one or two people in line at the freestyle machines most of the day. This coincided with the MAJOR rollout of freestyle across the US over that one year period. Now, even smaller towns have a couple freestyle machines, and I'd suggest they're no longer a novelty.

 

With this expansion of freestyle across the US, I think it also draws more people on board to buy the cups. Most folks know what they are now, and as we've seen here, there's lots of people (myself included) that will only buy the soda package if there's freestyle on board. In turn, RCCL sells more cups and makes more money.

 

Now, translate this to overseas markets, where a large percentage of Europeans or Asians will be on board that aren't familiar with freestyle. It's unlikely RCCL will see the same 'bump' in soda package sales due to the freestyle machines. Even if they could fly in and/or store on board adequate freestyle supplies between shipments, it may not be worth the added cost to lease the machines, as RCCL is unlikely to see the same 'bump' in soda cup sales that I speculate they're seeing in US homeported ships with freestyle.

 

 

Good thought.:)

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Folk Singer

Folk Singer

Posted
Posted
Interesting theory. Possible that's it's related to Royal Replenish, along with the new alcohol drink packages that now include the freestyle cup.

 

As for more kids being on board...both cruises were the same week of the year in March...both were school break weeks for my kids.

 

 

We do like the Royal replenish program, and find it great value.

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cmich068

cmich068

Posted
Posted (edited)

Since the US is pretty much the *only* country where coke products are sweetened with HFCS, it's a significantly different product here than it would be elsewhere. Elsewhere, it's proper cane sugar (tastes soooooo different, sooooo much better, but you certainly don't want 20 oz of it!). Very very very different product.

 

Canada still uses a HFCS/Sugar blend, so it's not quite as good as elsewhere in the world. That being said, the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines up here still dispense the US product, not the Canadian formula. They also offer brands that are otherwise unavailable in Canada, like Pibb and Mello Yello.

Edited by cmich068
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Folk Singer

Folk Singer

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Canada still uses a HFCS/Sugar blend, so it's not quite as good as elsewhere in the world. That being said, the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines up here still dispense the US product, not the Canadian formula. They also offer brands that are otherwise unavailable in Canada, like Pibb and Mello Yello.

 

 

I haven't heard of Mello Yello for a long time.:) Down East Pepsi seems to be the thing. urggg.

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Spire2000

Spire2000

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Posted
The only one I've actually seen is in the new food court at Rideau Centre at the gourmet grilled cheese place 'MLTDWN'. Their freestyle machine is behind the counter - not self serve. You tell them what combination you want, and they hit the buttons on the screen. Never seen that setup anywhere else.

 

Apparently, there's also new machines at Carleton U and Ottawa U.

 

My hope is the next one we see is ago he new theatre opening at Lansdowne.

 

My next door neighbor is a sales manager at Coca-Cola and he was supposed to tell me when machines started showing up here in Ottawa. Must have a words with him...

 

Some cool things about the machines he's told me... The machines "phone home" regularly. That is, they report stats back to headquarters such as the number of pours any given combination gets... The syrup is highly concentrated, much more than a usual fountain machine. Two drops is all a cup needs... The most popular flavour, by far, is Orange Coke. So much so that it may begin appearing in can form this winter. This doesn't really surprise anyone though since the natural flavour of Coca-Cola is from orange oil, something most folks don't realize.

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mil76 "Live from...." Rare

mil76

Posted
Posted
I understand that Freestyle machines are usually installed during dry dock, but I'm wondering if they could ONLY be installed at that time. Would they be able to put a few on board a ship in a few hours between cruises?

 

We were on the Allure the week they installed the machines 2 years ago. One day when we went into the Windjammer they were just there, although not enabled. Unfortunately they didn't turn them on until the cruise after ours.

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

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Posted
Do the Freestyle machines dispense water? Is there somewhere on the ship where fountain water is available without going to a bar or restaurant on Freedom of the Seas?

 

They keep big canisters of iced water where you can fill a glass in the Café Promenade on the Royal Promenade. I am not sure if the freestyle machines have plain water or not.

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Clarea

Clarea

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Posted
Do the Freestyle machines dispense water? Is there somewhere on the ship where fountain water is available without going to a bar or restaurant on Freedom of the Seas?

I believe there is also a water fountain somewhere on deck 12.

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vrock

vrock

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I saw at least one machine in the Windjammer and one outside of sorrento's pizza. I could not begin to tell you the number of flavors, my favorites were the diet ginger ale and flavored waters. I have never purchased the soda package before but I would do it again if the ship had the freestyle machines :)

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