Buyer Beware - Soda Package

[wallygator21015]

:mad:Buyer Beware - Soda Package

 

Last week on the Carnival Pride, I purchased the Soda Package for a total of $48.30

This price included taxes and gratuity.

 

I only drink two or three sodas per day, but I wanted to be able to drink as many as I wanted on the private island, Half Moon Cay. Being out in the sun all day works up quite a thirst.

 

Big changes: they still put a soda sticker on your sail & sign card, but they run it thru their register every time you get a glass of soda, (NO CANS) and you are required to sign a slip every time, even though the purchase amount shows zero.

 

On the private island I again showed them my sail & sign card with the soda sticker on it. This time I again had to a sign a slip (but for $2.79). I did get a full can of soda. I have been to this island at least four other times and never had to pay anything additional for soda as long as I had the soda package.

 

I sincerely hope someone from Carnival Cruise Lines sees the error in this procedure.

 

Wallygator

[eponym]

:mad:Buyer Beware - Soda Package

 

Last week on the Carnival Pride, I purchased the Soda Package for a total of $48.30

This price included taxes and gratuity.

 

I only drink two or three sodas per day, but I wanted to be able to drink as many as I wanted on the private island, Half Moon Cay. Being out in the sun all day works up quite a thirst.

 

Big changes: they still put a soda sticker on your sail & sign card, but they run it thru their register every time you get a glass of soda, (NO CANS) and you are required to sign a slip every time, even though the purchase amount shows zero.

 

On the private island I again showed them my sail & sign card with the soda sticker on it. This time I again had to a sign a slip (but for $2.79). I did get a full can of soda. I have been to this island at least four other times and never had to pay anything additional for soda as long as I had the soda package.

 

I sincerely hope someone from Carnival Cruise Lines sees the error in this procedure.

 

Wallygator

 

I'm sorry, I thought it was widely know that the soda card is not valid on the Cay.

[Podna's]

I've been there twice. The soda card was never valid for us on HMC.

Edited July 1, 2015 by Podna's

[RubyGold]

At least for the last few years no drinks package has been available on HMC.

 

We took soda from the room we'd bought with us. Just asked for a cup of ice.

[okgirl]

And they have been having everyone sign a receipt for the last couple of years. They need to swipe the card so your picture comes up and they can identify that it's you.

[StolidCruiser]

Thanks for the public service announcement of well known terms that the Bottomless Bubbles package can't be used on HMC. It's spelled out quite clearly.

[near the beach]

Nothing has changed since it started.

 

Except you may be charged 10 cents tax on a soda while the ship is in port before it sails.

[SadieN]

Nothing has changed since it started.

 

 

 

Except you may be charged 10 cents tax on a soda while the ship is in port before it sails.

 

 

The biggest change is how the package is taxed if purchased in port. Used to be charged tax on the whole purchase price. Now it's just per drink.

Never received a can, always a glass at a time.

[bradm77]

Actually, we WERE able to use the Soda Card (AND Cheers) at HMC in early March 2013. I think it was not long after that a change was made so that neither program was available to use at HMC (Something about the cash registers not being connected to the Ship..........?)

[beachbum53]

I'm sorry, I thought it was widely know that the soda card is not valid on the Cay.

 

With a little effort,you can find all of the information pertinent to the Bottomless Bubbles package by going to Carnival's home page. The "F.A.Q." section is a good place to start. Carnival provides the information, but they can't make you read it.

Edited July 1, 2015 by beachbum53

[Wilgr]

These are not the droids you are looking for.

[eponym]

With a little effort,you can find all of the information pertinent to the Bottomless Bubbles package by going to Carnival's home page. The "F.A.Q." section is a good place to start. Carnival provides the information, but they can't make you read it.

 

Yeah, that is why I said what I said to the OP. Are you a facebook user?

[beachbum53]

Yeah, that is why I said what I said to the OP. Are you a facebook user?

 

Sorry if I confused you eponym. My comment was directed at the OP, who seems to have drifted off into the sunset. "Yes" to your fb question.

[Bert64]

And they have been having everyone sign a receipt for the last couple of years. They need to swipe the card so your picture comes up and they can identify that it's you.

 

Why do they make you sign though? I'm sure they can swipe your card to verify your picture withOUT printing out a 0.00 receipt (with a tip line on it.) Or, just throw away what prints out. I feel like it's a way to try to get people to tip more.

[Homosassa]

Why do they make you sign though? I'm sure they can swipe your card to verify your picture withOUT printing out a 0.00 receipt (with a tip line on it.) Or, just throw away what prints out. I feel like it's a way to try to get people to tip more.

 

For the people who will swear they didn't buy the drink and someone else used their card, there is a receipt with their signature on it. Carnival knows the cheating tricks of its passengers.

[bingomamma19]

For the people who will swear they didn't buy the drink and someone else used their card, there is a receipt with their signature on it. Carnival knows the cheating tricks of its passengers.

 

 

But you dont "buy" a soda when you have bottomless bubbles. its all free (once you buy the sticker at the beginngin of the cruise), so whether you get 2 sodas a day or 20, doesnt make a difference.

[SadieN]

Why do they make you sign though? I'm sure they can swipe your card to verify your picture withOUT printing out a 0.00 receipt (with a tip line on it.) Or, just throw away what prints out. I feel like it's a way to try to get people to tip more.

 

 

Inventory control. That way they know how much is being served.

[magiccruiser1]

Digital signature pads?

[Wilgr]

Why do they make you sign though? I'm sure they can swipe your card to verify your picture withOUT printing out a 0.00 receipt (with a tip line on it.) Or, just throw away what prints out. I feel like it's a way to try to get people to tip more.

 

It's a way of giving you the opportunity to tip more, what's wrong with that?

[thomarvin]

I think having to sign for the BB sodas is so they can see how much people are actually drinking with the card and we will be seeing a price increase soon based on what people are actually drinking.

[Lisichka]

Thanks for the public service announcement of well known terms that the Bottomless Bubbles package can't be used on HMC. It's spelled out quite clearly.

 

Unbelievable how rude some people can be....

[wallygator21015]

Unbelievable how rude some people can be....

 

Thank you Lisichka for pointing that it. Some people really enjoy playing the role of a smart aleck!

 

I am a seasoned cruiser, with over 100 cruises. I vividly recall using my

Sail & Sign Card, with the soda sticker on it, previously on

Half Moon Cay. I seem to recall being poured soda from a large

plastic bottle while on the island, after displaying my Sail & Sign

Card with said soda sticker. And I wasn't required to sign anything on the

either the ship or the island. Times have changed! :confused:

 

Wallygator :)

[bradm77]

Unbelievable how rude some people can be....

 

No, I can easily believe it. Some people's sole purpose here seems to be to look down on others while lecturing them and generally making them feel foolish, dumb or just plain unwelcome. :(

[near the beach]

I don’t mind signing the receipt for $0.00.

 

It lets me know that I was not charged for the soda.

[TeresaJ]

We were able to use our bottomless bubbles pkg on HMC in March 2013. It must have changed after that.

Since the OP used it at HMC before and now they can't they are simply disappointed that it couldn't be used anymore and wanted to give others a heads up.

We noticed the receipt printing on our cruise this March too. A lot of paper waste. It would be nice if it could be done electronically.