Soda Card: Can it be shared

[tree99]

Great forum! I have been searching all references to the Soda Card, and am still not sure whether to purchase it for my DW who is a Diet Coke Addict and myself, as for the kids, juice is better than soda. Can an adult purchase one card and fill the family up or are there undercover soda agents on board?

 

Thanks agin for your responses!

 

VOS 12/3-12/10:)

[goneclear]

When you purchase the soda package they put a little coke sticker on your sea pass card. To get a coke you show your sea pass card. Dont think you could show your card and ask for 2 or 3 cokes. Maybe one at a time. they also give you a hard plastic coke cup when you pay for your soda package so if you just walk up to a bar with that cup they will fill it for you most times without asking for your card.

[TxKroozer]

Not legally, but I wonder how many countless people purchase one and end up sharing the use?

[KelJ]

Great forum! I have been searching all references to the Soda Card, and am still not sure whether to purchase it for my DW who is a Diet Coke Addict and myself, as for the kids, juice is better than soda. Can an adult purchase one card and fill the family up or are there undercover soda agents on board?

 

Thanks agin for your responses!

 

VOS 12/3-12/10:)

 

The cost is PER PERSON. For what we all pay to cruise, the cost of the soda cards is a drop in the bucket, and I can't believe how many people post about trying to sneak drinks for the whole family with one card. Maybe the people who do this are the same ones who lie about their children's ages to get a lower admission price to a movie or an amusement park. Bottom line, IT IS WRONG and it is a bad example to set for the children.

[madforcruising]

The cost is PER PERSON. For what we all pay to cruise, the cost of the soda cards is a drop in the bucket, and I can't believe how many people post about trying to sneak drinks for the whole family with one card. Maybe the people who do this are the same ones who lie about their children's ages to get a lower admission price to a movie or an amusement park. Bottom line, IT IS WRONG and it is a bad example to set for the children.

 

KelJ, you are absolutely right but come on don´t blame the OP for being cheap or doing something wrong, he wasnts to buy an adult soda card to fill up the whole family instead of buying the cheaper childrens Soada card and send out one of his kids finding a different bar keeper everytime one family member is thirsty;) :rolleyes:

[tree99]

Thank you for your feedback as well as the flaming, I used to be a cheat but today I am not about that. The issue is that Soda Concentrate is soridiculously cheap, and based on this cost, the card should cost less, but someone needs to make a living.

Thanks again.

[MIcruiser99]

The cheaper solution is to bring your own soda.

[missybirchfield]

We have done this sharing with our two kids. Not to be cheap, but the youngest child is in Adventure Ocean all day except at meal times and night. So my oldest one would get him a soda maybe once or twice each cruise. He is not a soda drinker. He likes juice and milk more. So I don't see paying $28.00 for maybe two glasses of coke. Do you?:)

[colette5479]

Thank you for your feedback as well as the flaming, I used to be a cheat but today I am not about that. The issue is that Soda Concentrate is soridiculously cheap, and based on this cost, the card should cost less, but someone needs to make a living.

 

Thanks again.

 

I'm sorry you took some of the comments as harsh. You might want to evaluate and see if the soda card is really needed. If each person does not consume more than two sodas a day, then it would be cheaper for you to buy those outright that to purchase the card. You might pack some soda in your carry-on and bring some plastic cups along. Since tea, juice, punch and milk are free, you might find yourself not missing the soda that much!;) :)

[missybirchfield]

No, I didnt take it personally. Just telling you why I only purchase one card. The 17 year old definitely makes use of his. The 8 year old, never finishes his glass of coke. So I can't justify even spending 2 or 3 dollars on a glass of coke. He usually only takes a few drinks of his. I would not say I am cheap. I would have to say I was being frugal with my money.:)

[stargate fan]

When we took our sons on their first cruise, they were 14 and 11.5. Knowing that they would drink a lot of soda, we bought them cards. (Technically, stickers. :D )

We found out one night that our youngest had made a friend (from our own state...small world) and that he was getting her and her brother sodas. By middle of the week, the bartenders knew who he was and when they saw him coming, loaded him up with a tray of sodas. We were informed later on that since he was always so polite and got everyone a drink before he had one himself, they were very willing to accommodate him.

Personally, I think it was sweet of him to think of the other kids.

 

Not legally, but I wonder how many countless people purchase one and end up sharing the use?

[ewheelock]

Maybe they cost so much because so many people share?

[glr068]

To settle the dispute the best way is to just carry your 12 packs on board. Last cruise, I took two 12 packs on board and it was more than enough for the two of us. Matter of fact, I was giving them away on the last day. No one will say a word to you about bringing non alcoholic drinks on board.

[HurricaneSally]

I think he should have been taught this was the wrong thing to do.

[katiel53]

Missybirchfield,

You may call if being frugal, I call it being cheap. The cards are meant for 1 person, so by letting your kids etc. share you are making the rest of us pay more. I know that soda syrup is very cheap, and I guess that's how the cruiselines make money. You could bring your own soda, and also that would teach your kids to be honest, not cheat. Sorry, but the idea of sharing when you know it's wrong, bugs me.

 

Ewheelock, You are so right.

 

Hurricane Sally, I think you are right too. Instead of thinking how cute and nice it is to share, teach your child that sharing is nice, but there are things not meant to share.

 

How can our kids of today learn when parents teach them to cheat, steal etc?

 

Katie

[Brad1185]

i dont consider $87 for a coke card a drop in the bucket, i have shared in the past, even with the sharing they still made a killing we did not use it that much.

[hstrybuf]

Brad, just where the heck were you that you paid $87 for a soda card? No one charges that much!

[mbtaz]

Brad, just where the heck were you that you paid $87 for a soda card? No one charges that much!

 

 

 

We just paid 72.00 a piece BEFORE the 15 or 18% gratuity was added on for soda cards on a 12 night cruise so if Brad was on a 14 nighter, it could very easily have been $87.00. Never again will both my hubby and I get soda cards each. A total rip off. I'll bring my own next time. :-)

[scubapuss]

I don't blame people for being cheep. I paid $9000. for my suite but I still bring my own wine and pop.

[KelJ]

I don't blame people for being cheep. I paid $9000. for my suite but I still bring my own wine and pop.

 

Nine grand? I think the $87 would definitely be a drop in that bucket.:)

[hstrybuf]

We just paid 72.00 a piece BEFORE the 15 or 18% gratuity was added on for soda cards on a 12 night cruise so if Brad was on a 14 nighter, it could very easily have been $87.00. Never again will both my hubby and I get soda cards each. A total rip off. I'll bring my own next time. :-)

 

That makes sense. While I do drink soda, I don't drink enough to justify the cost of the card. And since most lines don't carry my brand, I either drink what they have or bring my own.

[themiracleawaitsme]

do bring your own soda and water on board. before you cruise go buy them while on sale and pack them along. all you have to do is ask the room steward to clear our your fridge the first day and tip them a little extra at the time. then place your drinks in the fridge to get cold until you need them. they wont say anything to you unless its alcohol. then all you have to do is drink the free coffee, tea, punch onboard and its much cheaper on your pocket.

 

oh yeah bring (buy) plastic bottles instead of cans much easier and also reuseable. (extra water or put punch in to carry with you at ports) and if you dont drink all of it. it doesnt go to waste. just stick it in a bag you are taking along with you.

 

my son is lactose intolerate and we had to bring soy milk. they allowed us to bring that along as well.

 

unless you see that you are going to drink the price of the drink card. i feel that it is too much money and you could go alot cheaper on your pocket and spend that extra money you would be using on it somewheres else if you need to.

[MrsPete]

We have done this sharing with our two kids. Not to be cheap, but the youngest child is in Adventure Ocean all day except at meal times and night. So my oldest one would get him a soda maybe once or twice each cruise. He is not a soda drinker. He likes juice and milk more. So I don't see paying $28.00 for maybe two glasses of coke. Do you?:)

The choice isn't have-a-card or never have a soda. Why not pay separately for the youngest child's two glasses of Coke? That'd be more like $4 over the course of the week, not $28.

[MrsPete]

Great forum! I have been searching all references to the Soda Card, and am still not sure whether to purchase it for my DW who is a Diet Coke Addict and myself, as for the kids, juice is better than soda. Can an adult purchase one card and fill the family up or are there undercover soda agents on board?

People do it, despite the fact that it is stealing.

 

However, you would only be able to "get away with it" at the poolside bars (until the bartenders notice, of course, that you've had eight sodas in an hour). In the dining room your waiter will know whether you bought the soda card. Unless you're going to pass the glass around the table, you'll be in a fix at mealtimes.

[MrsPete]

i dont consider $87 for a coke card a drop in the bucket.

I agree that it's not a drop in the bucket -- that's a good bit of money to me! However, the fact that we think it's expensive doens't make it okay to cheat the system.

 

What's next? My 11-year old is wearing adult sized clothes now; I don't think it's fair that I have to pay adult-prices for a child! Perhaps I'll start shoplifting them instead -- after all, the stores are making a killing off what I'm spending on myself, so they can afford to "give" something to her. No one will notice, and I'll explain to her why it's okay to do this -- surely she won't pick up bad habits from this one little decision. Sounds totally ridiculous doesn't it? Yet it's the same thought process that rationalizes sharing soda cards.

 

By the way, my answer to the whole question is to skip the soda card and pay as I go for the few sodas I'll want over the course of the week. I drink mostly water during most of the cruise, which is much healthier and better for my waistline.