Pre Buying Soda

[jackparts]

I have always pre cruise bought water and soda, by the 12 pack . Hate to be stuck in the room and not have the soda and have to go find soda using the soda card. Today, I bought the water but could not find any soda listed except the soda card and beverage package. Any one have an idea other than calling NCL? Phone calls tend to get different answers from the agents.

[Sauer-kraut]

There is no soda pre-buy. The only option is the soda card and that is only for fountain sodas in a glass.

[hawkeyetlse]

There will be soda in your cabin when you arrive (mini-bar), and your steward will be happy to keep you supplied throughout the cruise. Or you can call room service. You will pay full price (not included in any beverage packages), but if you're happy to pay extra to have water in your cabin, this is kind of the same deal.

[pizzalady1]

I got soda 2 cans at a time from one of the bars as I passed it after a show. It was $1.18 less than the room fridge.

[skeeter195]

The arcade also has the 20 oz bottles in a machine that you can swipe your room key in. I think it was $3 a bottle last month and in March.

[pizzalady1]

The arcade also has the 20 oz bottles in a machine that you can swipe your room key in. I think it was $3 a bottle last month and in March.

 

That depends on which ship you are on. The Jewel did not have a machine anywhere. The fitness center had "healthy" drinks in a machine, but not soda.

[skeeter195]

That's funny that Jewel did not, because the Gem did.

[Barb Nahoumi]

I got soda 2 cans at a time from one of the bars as I passed it after a show. It was $1.18 less than the room fridge.

 

Good to know. Thanks.

[Barb Nahoumi]

On our last Dawn cruise, my husband bought some small water bottles from one of the bars, which we kept in our fridge.

[luckyinpa]

OP did you burn thru the 12 pack of water when you had it before. reason i ask is i paid 60 for a 12 pack of 1 liter and brought half home and im a waterholic

[jackparts]

Last NCL cruise, the 10 of us went thru over 4 cases of water and 4 cases of soda. We drink a lot in the heat.

[BirdTravels]

Last NCL cruise, the 10 of us went thru over 4 cases of water and 4 cases of soda. We drink a lot in the heat.

 

That's only 1.3714 bottles of water and 1.3714 cans of soda per person per day. Less than 3 drinks per day is not much at all.

[littlelulu01]

If you are booked in one of the top suites on the ship it will come with canned soda and bottles of water replenished upon consumption. I'm a big canned Diet Pepsi consumer. Our recent stay in the garden villa included canned soda and water if consumed from the room but if ordered a bottle of water with a meal or I requested to be served a can instead of the often flat soda that comes with the ubp, I had to pay.

 

My next cruise is in a 2 bedroom family suite. Cost is over 10k for 2 persons. I don't drink alcohol and will have to pay for each can of soda I consume. The ubp and omission of these items for the, "lower level suites" is absurd. I would gladly give up my unlimited alcoholic beverage package in trade for water and canned soda but NCL has no flexibility with non drinking suite passengers.

[SNJCruisers]

I have always pre cruise bought water and soda, by the 12 pack . Hate to be stuck in the room and not have the soda and have to go find soda using the soda card. Today, I bought the water but could not find any soda listed except the soda card and beverage package. Any one have an idea other than calling NCL? Phone calls tend to get different answers from the agents.

In the Miami waiting area after security and before embarkation, Coke machines are available for 2.00 per 20 oz bottle. Buy as many as you need, put them in your carry on and ask your room steward to keep your ice bucket filled so you can enjoy a cold one at your leisure in your cabin.

[luckyinpa]

can the soda pack be bought for just certain people in a cabin or like ubp must all buy it or none?

[hawkeyetlse]

Just whoever wants it, not the whole cabin.

[Demonyte]

Only limitation is that the NCL website is flawed and forces one to purchase for everyone in cabin if buying the package through there.

 

Onboard (and maybe even over the phone) there is no problem purchasing just to selected individual passengers.

[jackparts]

That's only 1.3714 bottles of water and 1.3714 cans of soda per person per day. Less than 3 drinks per day is not much at all.

That is just what we brought on board with us. We all had the soda cards but hate to order thru room service or go out of the room when we are cozy comfy at night.

[hladygirl]

If you are booked in one of the top suites on the ship it will come with canned soda and bottles of water replenished upon consumption. I'm a big canned Diet Pepsi consumer. Our recent stay in the garden villa included canned soda and water if consumed from the room but if ordered a bottle of water with a meal or I requested to be served a can instead of the often flat soda that comes with the ubp, I had to pay.

 

My next cruise is in a 2 bedroom family suite. Cost is over 10k for 2 persons. I don't drink alcohol and will have to pay for each can of soda I consume. The ubp and omission of these items for the, "lower level suites" is absurd. I would gladly give up my unlimited alcoholic beverage package in trade for water and canned soda but NCL has no flexibility with non drinking suite passengers.

Nor for the steerage class either.

[littlelulu01]

Nor for the steerage class either.

 

Yes but if in a non suite you have a choice which perks you want with the fare. In a suite all perks and associated service fees are rolled into the cruise fare.

 

For a non drinker the absurdity is the fact that Ncl includes all the alcohol yet no alternative package for a non drinker. I thought it plain silly that on our two week cruise we were given 12 bottles of hard alcohol, two bottles of Moët champagne, plus the UBP which we didn't use, yet charged for a soda can or water bottle at a meal.

 

It's one of those things that just seems so wrong. At least offer a soda in a can and water bottle package alternative to the useless UBP for non drinkers, especially when suites have no choice to omit it from their cruise fare. I ordered a glass of soda a couple times and it was served flat.

[Nola26]

Yes but if in a non suite you have a choice which perks you want with the fare. In a suite all perks and associated service fees are rolled into the cruise fare.

 

For a non drinker the absurdity is the fact that Ncl includes all the alcohol yet no alternative package for a non drinker. I thought it plain silly that on our two week cruise we were given 12 bottles of hard alcohol, two bottles of Moët champagne, plus the UBP which we didn't use, yet charged for a soda can or water bottle at a meal.

 

It's one of those things that just seems so wrong. At least offer a soda in a can and water bottle package alternative to the useless UBP for non drinkers, especially when suites have no choice to omit it from their cruise fare. I ordered a glass of soda a couple times and it was served flat.

 

The UBP includes soda, but not bottled water, you shouldn't have been charged for soda or even fruit juice if you had the UBP. If you play in the casino and have the drink card bottled water is included as an option.

[SNJCruisers]

The UBP includes soda, but not bottled water, you shouldn't have been charged for soda or even fruit juice if you had the UBP. If you play in the casino and have the drink card bottled water is included as an option.

I am inferring that littlelulu01 was charged for a can of soda, but received flat soda from the hose as part of the UBP, which was useless to them since they do not drink alcohol.

[SquishTheWhale]

I am inferring that littlelulu01 was charged for a can of soda, but received flat soda from the hose as part of the UBP, which was useless to them since they do not drink alcohol.

 

I hate flat soda and do prefer it from a can. However I had no issue with the draft soda on NCL, it was never flat. They did give you too much ice, but you can ask for it without. I had the soda package and wasn't putting alcohol in them! There's no need to pay for canned soda if you have the UBP- and this is coming from someone who is picky about it.

[littlelulu01]

The UBP includes soda, but not bottled water, you shouldn't have been charged for soda or even fruit juice if you had the UBP. If you play in the casino and have the drink card bottled water is included as an option.

 

The UBP did include soda in a glass however I ordered a glass of soda two different times with a meal and it was flat. Could easily have been due to the amount of ice added to the glass and the time it took to receive the soda, about 15 minutes. I subsequently asked for a can of soda and it was a charge. Same thing with a bottle of water with a meal. Our servers always asked if we wanted tap or bottled water, just like they do when in many restaurants. If you want a bottle of water with a meal there's a charge.

 

A person can purchase a water package to decrease the amount per bottle cost but if you want a bottle of water with a meal you'll need to remember to bring it with you to dinner or pay for one with your meal at the full per bottle cost plus 18%.

 

None of these issues would be that big a deal if in a non suite. I'd simply pick a couple different perks. But NCL rolls the cost of the UBP into suite fares. It's just mind boggling to me that a suite includes potentially thousands of dollars worth of alcohol and yet the only drinks we consume aren't included with the suite fares. Yes I could have a glass of soda, but I like it in a can and don't think I'm alone there. i occasionally shlepped a water bottle or can of soda with me to dinner but more often just paid extra for one. Remembering to bring your own water to a nice sit down dinner is not second nature to me.

 

I really hope NCL will come up with a beverage alternative plan that includes canned soda, speciality coffees and water bottles.

[SNJCruisers]

I really hope NCL will come up with a beverage alternative plan that includes canned soda, speciality coffees and water bottles.

Your proposal has been supported by many on this board, but it obviously has fallen on deaf ears to those from NCL that peruse the boards. Your only alternative is to suck it up or cruise on Celebrity or Carnival, whose packages do include the three items you wish to consume.