What kind of cooler to take soft drinks on board?

[cruisinonmymind]

I want to take some Mountain Dews and Dr Peppers' on our cruise next month. What type of cooler should I put them in? I don't want to look dumb with the wrong one.

 

Married on Fantasy 9/95

Ecstasy 3/2001

Fantasy 9/2002

Sensational Cruise 7/24/04

[airgirl]

Good luck - they take away the soda from you. At least they did to me.

You are only allowed 6 cans per cabin. (not per person like I thoughT) I didn't know - I didn't read it anywhere.

Anyone else hear about this?

This is especially fustratating if you drink a "special" soda like Dr Pepper that they don't serve on the cruise. On Carnival was the first Time this was a problem. I personally think it should change to 6 cans a person - one per day.

 

maria stallings

[kajsb]

Here is the picture of the cooler we just took on the Pride. It had almost 2 cases of diet coke plus some bottled water. I checked it with my luggage on the ship. It was closed with duct tape and perfect shape when it was delivered to our room.

 

http://community.webshots.com/s/image9/8/62/0/150886200yzMvrV_ph.jpg

 

Kathy

 

Cruise with Mom- Early 80th birthday celebration!!

 

 

Since our 5/30/04 sailing on the Pride in aft cabin 4228!

 

 

Ecstasy 05/26/03

Ecstasy 09/13/02

 

 

 

[pshaze]

We took at least a case of soda and almost a case bottled water on the Glory in April and didn’t have any problems. My parents did also. Packed it in a soft-sided rolling cooler and checked it with our luggage.

 

Pam

 

4/3/2005 Miracle

 

Glory 4/2004

Miracle 4/2005

[pungo3]

I agree with kajasb, just take what you want to drink. Carnival doesn't have Montain Dew or Dr.Pepper so they shoudl worry about you taking your own on board.

 

Carnival Pride 5/4/02

Carnival Conquest 1/19/03

Carnival Legend 1/16/04

Carnival Destiny 10/24/04

Carnival Valor 10/30/05

[p2lockhart]

I just put 3 liter bottles in my checked luggage.

 

until I cruise on the Elation

 

until I cruise on the Ecstacy

 

Ecstacy 11/25/04

Elation 12/28/03,9/26/04

Celebration 9/5/03

Carnival Conquest 5/18/03

Rhapsody of the Seas 5/02

Norwegian Sea 12/31/99

 

[mayrashke]

This is not a very important question, but I was wondering...Do the larger bottles of pop/soda fit in those minifrigs okay?? p2lockhart mentions liter bottles of pop-do they really sell them like that in Texas??-I did not think you are on the metric system yet in the USA. Do the frigs take the 2Liter size of pop?? Thanks.

 

Valor Jan.23/05(W.Caribb.)-we are all going and are very excited!!!!!!!!!!!

SeaPrincess Jan./01(W.Caribb)

[Ari & Jacqui]

From what I've read from previous posts, the soft sided collapsable coolers are best. We got one from SportMart for twenty bucks.

Mayrashke-I think Canadian Tire has them for about the same price, my mom got one from them not too long ago. (I was born and raised in Calgary)

~J

 

Miracle 6/26!!

[Ari & Jacqui]

btw, mayrashke, the two litre pop bottles are the same here. Just no President's Choice Pink Grapefruit (YUM, boy do I miss that!)

~J

 

Miracle 6/26!!

[Travelitis]

We aren't on the metric system except for some select items like sodas, car repair, etc. (What's this "yet" business, like we're ever going to convert? I thought that idea died 20+ yrs. ago) lol! I've turned a 2L on its side to go in a minfrig. For traveling we opt for screw top bottles in 6 packs. They're easier to carry around the port or ship and reclosable if you want a smaller portion.

 

Gael

[mayrashke]

Hi Jacqui and Gael, Thanks for the info. I was actually surprised re:Litre size pop/soda in the USA. I think we will buy some tins of pop in Miami and some water on the day before we cruise.I do not know if I will get the roll-on cooler;I might just get a soft-side 12-18 tins size. Jacqui-have a great cruise:it is coming soon, eh?! Sorry I never get to Oakland or I would bring you some PC Pink Grapefruit! Thanks again. mayrashke(Vancouver, Canada)

 

Valor Jan.23/05(W.Caribb.)-we are all going and are very excited!!!!!!!!!!!

SeaPrincess Jan./01(W.Caribb)

[airgirl]

Gee, reading about all you guys bringing on the soda - I wonder why Carnival busted me for my vanilla Diet Coke???

 

maria stallings

[Katlan]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Gee, reading about all you guys bringing on the soda - I wonder why Carnival busted me for my vanilla Diet Coke???<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

airgirl ... Did you carry your sodas on board and they took them away at security? or did you pack it in a suitcase/coolerand it was confiscated before it got to your cabin?

 

Kath

 

1/05 It's a ...Miracle Cruise ... And NYE in Epcot!!!

 

...a true blue spectacle,a miracle come true.

NCL Seaward 1/96

Carnival Pride 12/02

Carnival Miracle 1/05

 

[day-day]

I am planning to load one or two 6-packs of 20-oz size soft drinks into each checked bag for our next cruise. We will probably take a soft-side cooler which we can carry on or check. If I carry it on, I'm thinking of packing swimsuits and stuff that we may need during the day in case our checked bags are delayed. Our soft-side cooler is roughly 9x10x12 inches.

 

On our cruise last September (Sensation out of Tampa; 4-night), I saw a 24-pack (the kind that comes in a box) of canned cokes brought on board along with a guest's checked bags. The room number was written on the case and it may have had a room luggage tag.

[dan40]

Metric system YET?

 

According to the US Dept. of Standards the official length of an inch is.....................2.54 centimeters.

 

This standard was set in the 1800's. So we've been metric forever, we just don't call it that.

 

Dan

 

Till 9/5 Paradise Panama Canal

 

[mayrashke]

re:Metric system. People like my age(EARLY 40's) are stuck in limbo-land. I think of some measurements in Imperial and some in Metric.My kids only learned Metric and when they ask how long something is I reply in inches, etc. Maybe one more generation and Canada will be completely Metric-ized!! Anyways, does not matter what size the pop/water will be in Miami I plan on buying some for our cruise!! Now if Carnival would only Super-Size the Foo-Foo drinks!!!!!!!! Cheers!!

 

Valor Jan.23/05(W.Caribb.)-we are all going and are very excited!!!!!!!!!!!

SeaPrincess Jan./01(W.Caribb)

[airgirl]

I carried them on board. I am an honest person and did not try to hide the sodas.

Security, looking for terrorists instead busted me and sent me to a secluded area when they found my soda instead of something bad.

Some very stern Carnival ladies berated me for the sodas, I was surprised at their lack of warmth - I travel a good deal and they acted more like the airlines finding a weapon than someone in the Hospitality business, like I was 2 steps from being denied boarding for bringing the soda.

I did state "I suppose if I checked these in my luggage, I could have snuck them on - but I am being honest"

She firmly told me - that she would have taken them away in that case too because they screen checked lugguage.

Frankly, I was surprised. I thought transportation screening was a security issue, not a financial one.

And, they do not carry Diet vanilla coke!

 

maria stallings

[day-day]

airgirl,

When and where was your cruise debarkation when your drinks were taken? We will cruise out of New Orleans this month.

[*christina*]

We were just on the Triumph last week. We had a soft sided cooler packed with 2 cases of soda (Coke and Diet Coke). We checked it and it was delivered to our room with no problem. We didn't even have to ask the room steward to ice it for us. He told us that he noticed it and "took care of it for us".

 

Triumph June 2004

Jubilee July 2002

 

Time till Triumph on 6/5

[CruiseFever]

"What type of cooler should I put them in?"

 

We like Dr Pepper too!

 

On our last cruise we took 2 12 packs but packed it in our checked luggage. We sailed from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale although our procedure is the same for all ports and we do this on every cruise.

 

Don't let anybody lay some guilt trip on you for doing it either. If they offered Dr Pepper then the soda card they offer onboard would be well worth the expense to us. They don't so it isn't.

 

Somewhere between the airport and the port we have our cab driver stop at a local store for our provisions. We've brought along a duffel bag that was packed inside our other luggage. We'll stop for a minute and redistribute our soft clothing to the duffel bag and pack the other provisions (ok booze too) in our other luggage. I've never had any problem as long as it's been in my checked luggage. Carryon luggage is another story...not a good idea.

 

For us, where the cooler comes into play is onboard. We bought a collapsable cooler at Sams's club, it's intended purpose is to put frozen stuff in to keep it frozen on the way home. They make great coolers too. With a balcony cabin we'll load it up and keep it out there, for an inside we keep it in the shower. I've read of others who have had their cabin steward keep it full of ice. That's not been my personal experience but that sure would be cool. Otherwise you'll need to locate the nearest ice machine and plan on filling it up each day.

 

I encourage you to NOT bring a real cooler onboard as though you're going on a picnic. Not because it's pretty darn tacky (who cares about that- surely not me) but because you have a really high risk of not getting it on the ship. If you don't they'll hold it at the pier (or so they told me) to pick up after your cruise. This is after the humilliating ritual of taking everything out of your cooler/carry on and placing it on display for the whole terminal to see much like a drug bust on the tv show "Cops". You might be surprised at how funny your family thinks this is. I know I sure did as I looked past the security area they had cleared and saw them doubled over in laughter at me, Mr Planning, getting rousted like some common criminal.

 

Live and learn....how to cheat successfully

 

Happy Cruising

 

Chris

 

www.LifeIsCruising.com

 

Next up:

Caribbean Princess 06/26/04

Star Princess 10/24/04

Diamond Princess 12/22/04

Sapphire Princess June '05

Caribbean Princess 09/17/05

Carnival Valor 10/30/05

 

[lorideco]

I will be cruising out of NY and I hope that is not what security is looking for. I hope they are looking for more important things than aggravating people spending alot of money on their vacation cruise.

I will be bringing a collapsible cooler that has a pull out handle like a suitcase. I understand that they don't stop you from bringing wine because they charge you a $10.00 corking fee if you want to drink it at dinner.

 

Victory 8/28/04

[sha308]

We cruised the Celebration out of Galveston in march,have a daughter that would have gotten violent if she had to do without dr pepper for 5 days but we checked this with our luggage in a soft side cooler,then in port bought more for the trip home,no problems on this end eiher,wio the same in Dec except on the Estasy hope it is as nice?

[dan40]

Pack your sodas [or beer] in a soft sided cooler [dry-no ice or water] and check it with your other luggage. Your steward will ice it down for you. Prior to 9/11, I always [15 years or more] brought my cooler on board with me. When it went thru xray they would ask what is this and I'd say sodas [which it was]. But no one ever looked so it could have been beer. Now things are different so I just check it thru.

Dan

 

Till 9/5 Paradise Panama Canal

[tkelly]

First time cruiser leaving this Saturday out of NO. I have to have my diet coke 1st thing in the morning and last thing at night. I want to carry some on with me. From reading above I am trying to figure out the best place to put it. In my carry on or packed in my suitcase? I have a small soft cooler I am going to take, unless anyone can tell me if the Holiday has refriges.

[CRUZFOOLS]

I CRUISED CARNIVAL CONQUEST 6/04 AND PACKED A 12-PACK OF DIET COKE INSIDE MY LUGGAGE AND IT ARRIVED FINE.