NO SODA CARDS SOLD: Straight from HAL

[LHC]

The Soda Fountain card (good for 20 soda's) is still showing on the gift order form. The only problem with this is in December 2005, I had one of these and it took me several days to get them traded for the diet Cokes, an a few Diet Sprites that dear daughter wanted....it was a small headache. I simply do not want all the upcharge for a diet coke. At times in Knoxville, you can buy a 12 pack for as low as 2.00....seems to make the HAL cost a terribly exorbitant amount.

Linda

[icehatchling]

if you toss a few liter bottles of coke in your suitcase, is that even smuggling? i'm not seeing a HAL policy posted anywhere that prohibits pax from bringing boozeless beverages onboard... ;)

 

i say "smuggle" away, unless someone can correct me on HAL policy?

 

 

(though, having said that, i have to laugh and nod my head at Jim Gallup's points about the ridiculous colored water. i enjoy the taste of a soda, but i don't need it that bad!)

[LHC]

No needs to smuggle water, soda, or wine. You may carry it aboard with open arms.

Linda

[kakalina]

DH and I both purchased unlimited soda cards for 30 days on the Amsterdam last month and the Veendam in November. They cost $130.00 plus the 15% surcharge. We drink alot of soda and it was cost effective for us.

 

I think the OP and the repondant from HAL somehow got their wires crossed.

[DesertDiva]

No sneaking necessary. It's allowed.

 

Phooey! Guess I will join the "sneak my beverages on" brigade!

[lka1012]

No sneaking necessary. It's allowed.

 

But then, where's the fun? :D

[oma&opa]

I followed the suggestion below, and called the number at the bottom of the gift package form, and ordered cards for us for Mar 19 Ryndam.

[celmed]

Oh, Jim Gallup, I suggest you stop and take a breath before you continue with your self-righteousness. When we start pointing fingers at others' habits, we are locking ourselves into glass houses surrounded by people with lots of rocks! I mean, soda is definitely a "want" rather than a "need," but so is that slice of pie you had for dessert last night that was laden with fat and sugar -- my father the cardiologist thanks you! None of us is perfect...

[mim100]

several of the posts mentioned "soda smuggling"...does this mean that soda is in the same class as hard liquor - it will be confiscated if brought aboard? I'm not normally a soda drinker but I do like to "water" down my fruit juices with some bubbly club soda...

[dakrewser]

several of the posts mentioned "soda smuggling"...does this mean that soda is in the same class as hard liquor - it will be confiscated if brought aboard? I'm not normally a soda drinker but I do like to "water" down my fruit juices with some bubbly club soda...

 

No, there's no prohibition on non-alcoholic beverages - bring all you'd like on board.

[lka1012]

The soda smuggling was a joke. Some of us are a little warped and twisted.:D

[HERKIMER417]

Just called HAL and ordered a card to be put in my stateroom for my 3/11 trip.

 

$18.75 for 20 sodas

 

I mentioned the confusion

 

Her reply:

 

When the contract was discontinued with the old deal there was a lapse of some weeks when no cards were offered.

 

There are still two ship that do not have cards because there is no fountain on them. Both P- dams

 

This card only applys to fountain soda ( pool, dinning room , bars, show room) but not the cans in the room fridge.

 

Sorry, if this messes of some fun - just when smuggling soda was being raised to an Olympic sport.:p

[grannynurse]

I know about Prinsendam but what am I missing? ... Another P-dam? I must be fuzzier than I thought....

GN

[RuthC]

Too many "fuzzy" navels, grannynurse? ;)

[HERKIMER417]

You are right Granny... there is only one P-Dam ship. So don't cut yourself off from another fuzzynavel.

 

The missing word was "Type " ;) But even with that I couldn't be sure which ship the HAL representative was intending. The Prinsendam seems to be a tonage class by itself.

 

My focus was narrow, I leave on the Veendam tomorrow and that was all I was concerned with. :D

 

Sorry for the mix-up

[Mulvicruiser]

:confused: Ok, I am new to all this but not above the smuggling and saving money. So my question is what is the best way? I read in the rules that when you board you are not allowed to bring any beverages on with you. Do they check your bags?

[LHC]

soda, water, wine....no smuggling necessary. Carry-on without a problem. The only item needing of smuggling, if you chose to is liquor.

Linda

[cal2632]

Sounds like the OP and HAL are both a bit confused.

Why does HAL charge for fountain soft drinks when they cost only a few pennies to produce? QUOTE]

 

Only problem with your fountain drink theory is that they don't have actual fountain drinks on the HAL ships I've been on (just got off the Ryndam last Sunday). They open a can of coke and pour it into a glass - you just get one glass at a time instead of a whole can. Don't see how that makes them any money - especially since a judicious tip to a favorite waiter will get you a full can everytime you flash your 'fountain drink' card.

[aaerobear]

Just off the Westerdam, they offered the "soda card" which was for 20 sodas ($18.75+) then they punched it everytime you had a soda. They would fill the glass with ice and then open a can and fill the glass, never got the whole can. A tip would be to ask for only a little ice or no ice and you would get the whole can in a glass.

 

I am not suggesting this to be cheap, just for those that think they are being cheated when they do not get the whole can.

 

I bought 2 cards and only used one of them up. On my next cruise I plan to look and see if they are the same and then use the second card at that time. I hope no-one thinks thats cheating, stealing or being dishonest.

[mariner]

Here's something to consider.

 

This is a classic money for nothing.

 

On my last cruise I tested this theory.

 

$2 gets you a can of soda. You get two cups for one can. Compae that to $28.00 for 20 squirts.

 

What's costing the company pennies is really costing pax plenty.

 

Buy a can instead.

[foxglove]

I will be on the Ryndam March 19th and this is of interest to me.The only thing I feel confident about is that I can use the HAL website to order a gift for myself of a card to get 20 drinks for $18.75. I have seen this offer with my own eyes. The rest is very fuzzy.

 

I am led to believe that the price for a single drink is about $2, is that fairly close? Aaerobear; where on the ship did you buy that gift card? Has anyone bought this card on the Ryndam? Can I bring soda onto the ship openly? Carnival says you can bring on the one you are drinking in the terminal that is all, but I have brought six packs on from ports of call.

 

Please let me be clear on this. It is not about carbonated drinks for me. It is not about fair price for product. It is a question of how much I should be expected to pay for the comfort of having the expected glass with me in certain social situations. How did we let the days of free iced tea and coffee get away from us?

 

I have bought the card all of my five trips on Carnival but my first trip on RCI, I returned the card the first day and subsequent trips I refuse it. I like being able to go anywhere and order a drink, just to feel comfortable. Sure I can bring a drink with me to my deckchair and I can sit in any bar and say no to a drink but for $5.50 a day I can get a diet Sprite in those situations on Carnival. Yes waiters treat you differently but...

 

I think this is an issue for me and it appears for you too. It says little about me that I want to attack this issue and let war and starvation go without notice but...

[jhannah]

I am led to believe that the price for a single drink is about $2, is that fairly close?

Yes sir. $1.75 plus a 15% gratuity = $2.01 on your shipboard account.

[cands]

I’ve just read the whole thread as I love the soda card discussion.

 

I’m a self confessed diet coke addict. There – I said it. Just a few comments to make.

 

Despite a thread similar to this, when we went on the Westerdam in Oct – Nov 2005, the first person to approach us at check-in was a person selling soda cards for fountain soda. As commented in previous posts, there were no soda fountains so I got the real thing every time – from a can.

 

The only difference I can see now is the availability of the pre- purchased card for 20 drinks.

 

I see comments from relatives of health professionals on the thread. Most health care now is based on evidence-based care. Anecdotal evidence has virtually no credibility! You must quote the results of well designed randomised double blinded studies published in respected journals!!

 

I often am told the dissolve a coin in the glass of coke story. I must admit I have never tried it. I do wonder what would happen to the coin in a cup of coffee though – probably nothing.

 

The underground smuggling of soda is alive and well. Except that I have walked onto just about every ship, at every stop, with my back pack full of cans – and on occasions a ‘slab’ of coke. This has included sorties to nearby shops specifically for diet coke. While at Auckland, on a ship with no soda cards, all the nearby shops with soda cans sold out of everything well before the end of the day!

 

We both like caffeine free diet coke to avoid overload in the evening. I don’t think I can remember a ship that has ever had this. So the cans smuggled on are often caffeine free diet coke if I can find it. I’ve had the occasional “look” but never any serious comments or problems.

 

I always look for a supermarket for a supply of illicit product. At home with the multi-packs, cans are less than AUD0.50, so work out much cheaper. This seems to apply in most countries.

 

Onboard I am usually thirsty when getting a soda card drink from the bar – so I drink enough immediately for the bar staff to empty the can into my glass.

 

Remember that coke is made by “politically incorrect” multi-national companies – so reacting to being price gouged by them is fair game.

 

Chris

[aaerobear]

To answer a few questions (and statements)

 

You can buy the soda (punch card) from any waiter or bartender. it is a simple process. Remember the person who sells it to you gets the 15% gratuity.

 

You can (and always have been able to) bring your own soda onboard ships. The only thing not allowed is "liquor" and "beer" which means you can also bring your own wine/champagne. No need to hide/smuggle/disquise it. You can bring your can of coke or whatever with you when you walk around the ship.

 

On the Westerdam last week they also had caffeine free diet coke at the bars (the Lido bar for sure)

 

Ed

[bruceh4]

 

 

The underground smuggling of soda is alive and well. Except that I have walked onto just about every ship, at every stop, with my back pack full of cans – and on occasions a ‘slab’ of coke. This has included sorties to nearby shops specifically for diet coke. While at Auckland, on a ship with no soda cards, all the nearby shops with soda cans sold out of everything well before the end of the day!

 

Again there is that word, smuggling! There is no need to smuggle soda on board. HAL alows you to bring it on board. I have walked on with a case under each arm with no problem. Also when we boarded the Amsterdam last fall in Seattle for the 62 day Pacific cruise there was a couple in line with a dolly with 4 cases of wine which they took on board. The sign at the gang way tells you that bringing liquor and beer on is prohibited. Soda and wine is ok. As for the soda card going away, I just talked to my TA about the up coming July trip and she was going to give everybody a soda card as a gift. We have a group of 12 people going. The soda card as a gift was in a brochure from HAL which showed her the gifts she could provide passengers. The soda card is alive and well.