Bringing Soda & Water at Embarkation

[Djptcp]

DH and I are sailing on the Maasdam in April. Can we still bring bottled water and soda on board with us at embarkation? We will order bottles of liquor ahead of time to be in our suite and want mixers like ginger ale and coke to bring with us. We'll have bottled water in our Neptune Suite, but probably not enough to last the whole cruise......do you know if they replenish the water for free? We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam in 2014 and didn't know if since then the type of container soda and water must be in had changed as it has changed on Carnival (must be in cans only). I checked the FAQs on HAL and didn't see anything related to my question, just saw soda packages we could purchase. Thanks.

[RuthC]

Yes, you can bring as many bottles of water/soda aboard as you wish. You can do this at both embarkation and ports, so there's no need to burden yourself when you have luggage.

 

I don't stay in Neptune Suites, but my understanding from reading this forum is that those suites do not get bottled water without charge.

[Krazy Kruizers]

No mater what cabin category you are in, you have to pay for the bottled water that is in the cabin. 3 star Mariners get 25% off and 4 and 5 star Mariner's get 50% off.

Now are you talking about that glass bottle of water that is compliments of the captain? That is free and not replaced.

[Crew News]

You can bring as much soda/bottled water, both in carry-on and checked luggage, as you wish, not only on embarkation but in any port. I recommend plastic bottles of soda since they are less crushable than metal cans.

 

The bottle water in Neptune Suites is not replaceable for free. We have had ours replaced and then charged to our room before I objected.

[OlsSalt]

We always stop at a local market or drug store to get a few handle-carry jugs of bottled water for room use and carry them on with no problems.

[agracia1]

I asked the same question to HAL Facebook

 

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[Lizzie68]

Thank you for clarifying. Thank goodness they tell you it must be carry on and not in checked luggage. I had read that before but someone consistently posts that you can put it in your checked luggage. We have seen the mess that can result from someone's soda bursting in checked luggage and affecting other luggage in that same bin:eek:.

[Djptcp]

I appreciate everyone's response, thanks so much!

[gpb11]

I recommend plastic bottles of soda since they are less crushable than metal cans.

Plus it keeps better if you don't use the entire bottle, such as if mixing with liquors from the bottles ordered for the room.

[Stratheden]

We bought a pack of 9 large bottles of still water (sealed in plastic wrap as they do) from the supermarket in Civitavecchio.

 

We wrote our room no. in marker pen on the plastic wrap and handed it over to the porters with our checked luggage at the port and it was delivered to our room with our bags.

 

Hope this helps.

[scotlandyard1985]

Hi,

 

This is a topic from 2016. Nothing changed for 2017 in the soda water policy? You can bring what you want?

We will be cruising with the Koningsdam on 23 July from Amsterdam.

TNX

[jbecker6469]

San Juan Walgreens. For any of you on Caribbean itineraries that stop in San Juan PR, there is a Walgreens drugstore right across the street from the dock. They have water, sodas, and all the normal Walgreens items. Very convenient to pick us and carry back on board.

[RuthC]

This is a topic from 2016. Nothing changed for 2017 in the soda water policy? You can bring what you want?

Correct.

[mhg7274]

DH and I are sailing on the Maasdam in April. Can we still bring bottled water and soda on board with us at embarkation? We will order bottles of liquor ahead of time to be in our suite and want mixers like ginger ale and coke to bring with us. We'll have bottled water in our Neptune Suite, but probably not enough to last the whole cruise......do you know if they replenish the water for free? We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam in 2014 and didn't know if since then the type of container soda and water must be in had changed as it has changed on Carnival (must be in cans only). I checked the FAQs on HAL and didn't see anything related to my question, just saw soda packages we could purchase. Thanks.

 

We always bring water and pop along. We've stayed in a Neptune Suite once and don't recall getting bottled water.

[POA1]

We always bring water and pop along. We've stayed in a Neptune Suite once and don't recall getting bottled water.

We've gotten the occasional complimentary bottle of water in a Neptune Suite. However. It was usually just one bottle. There's a chilled water dispenser in the Neptune Lounge where you can can grab glasses of water and ice. (One of the reasons we like to be close to the Neptune Lounge.)

[Lizzie68]

HAL's policy - which they have stated several times on their facebook page in recent months, though I haven't searched for it on their website - is that you can take as much as you can carry onboard yourself. Not checked, and not in luggage.

[1620rock]

We recently went on the Veendam to Bermuda out of Boston and took a case of plastic wrapped Poland Springs water with luggage tag taped to it and two 12 packs of sodas in a duffle bag with luggage tag. Handed them to the porters with our other checked luggage and no problem all arrived safely to our cabin. We had the Quench package but liked to having water and soda handy in our cabin and for taking off the ship while in port in Bermuda.

[erewhon]

Our last cruise, 6 weeks on Maasdam, in a Neptune Suite.

On embarkation day, there was a bottle of sparkling water and the bottle of sparkling wine, gifts from the Captain and Hotel Manager, also 2 large plastic bottles of water.

To my surprise the following week, 2 more large plastic bottles of water were delivered to the room, I was in the room at the time, told the bar steward that we had not ordered the water, she said that there would be 2 bottles delivered each week, no extra charge. So, for the remainder of the cruise 2 bottles appeared each week.

We were never charged for them.

Had never experienced that during any of our previous cruises(Neptune Suites.)

Edited June 8, 2017 by erewhon

[kazu]

Our last cruise, 6 weeks on Maasdam, in a Neptune Suite.

On embarkation day, there was a bottle of sparkling water and the bottle of sparkling wine, gifts from the Captain and Hotel Manager, also 2 large plastic bottles of water.

To my surprise the following week, 2 more large plastic bottles of water were delivered to the room, I was in the room at the time, told the bar steward that we had not ordered the water, she said that there would be 2 bottles delivered each week, no extra charge. So, for the remainder of the cruise 2 bottles appeared each week.

We were never charged for them.

Had never experienced that during any of our previous cruises(Neptune Suites.)

 

This seems to vary from ship to ship. Or maybe a new thing?

 

When we were on the Westerdam, we were "gifted" 8 bottles of water for the cruise as we were in the NS.

 

On the Rotterdam, bottles of water kept appearing (and didn't need to replaced). When I asked about it, they were all complimentary. And we got another 3 on the second leg. The 3 on the second leg had a note, the others that kept being added didn't.

 

But previous to this, we always only received the one complimentary bottle.

[Snowbaby369]

Fastforward to November. Leaving in a few hours for flight to Ft Lauderdale. Is it still okay to take soda and water on bourd? Does it matter if cans or bottles? I was going with the assumption of yes, until DH questioned me, and I couldn't find it in writing in documents.

[kazu]

Fastforward to November. Leaving in a few hours for flight to Ft Lauderdale. Is it still okay to take soda and water on bourd? Does it matter if cans or bottles? I was going with the assumption of yes, until DH questioned me, and I couldn't find it in writing in documents.

 

It is still fine. Makes no difference if it is cans or bottles. Whatever you can carry on easily.

[HAL8000]

Are soft drinks still required to be carried on yourself, or can you check them in your luggage?

[Shmoo here]

2 hours ago, HAL8000 said:

Are soft drinks still required to be carried on yourself, or can you check them in your luggage?

You need to carry them on.

[neuronbob]

The last two years' cruises (Eurodam 2018 and Rotterdam 2019), I brought 32-packs of water from Sam's Club.  I put a packing label on them, handed them to the porters on boarding, tipped the porters 🙂 , and they delivered them to our cabin, with no questions.  I plan to do the same when I arrive to Nieuw Amsterdam in a month.

[T8NCruise]

1 hour ago, neuronbob said:

The last two years' cruises (Eurodam 2018 and Rotterdam 2019), I brought 32-packs of water from Sam's Club.  I put a packing label on them, handed them to the porters on boarding, tipped the porters 🙂 , and they delivered them to our cabin, with no questions.  I plan to do the same when I arrive to Nieuw Amsterdam in a month.

 

Porters will always accept a bribe - remember the poor steward who has to deliver it with your luggage.  HAL requires that you carry on water and soda.  That way, there is consideration for other passengers' luggage, and the room stewards.  I hope HAL will soon institute a policy whereby cases/packs of water and soda are held back.