Drink Card?

[dolly2377]

I've read on these boards about purchasing a drink card onboard the ship. Can anyone provide more information? What cruise lines offer this card and how does the card work?

[Travel Mom]

I don't know about Princess (first time), but on others like NCL and Carnival you pay one price and it is for unlimited sodas. Alcohol is not included. They usually put a sticker on your ship card to show for drinks. Cheap hint: When we travel with our kids we let one of them get the sticker (cheaper for kids) and just send them to fetch us a soda. (we are not big soda drinkers)

[dolly2377]

OH :( I got all excited and thought it was for alcoholic drinks. I also read there is something called a wine card but it seemed to suggest it was only used at dinner.

[roupa]

We bought a "wine package" as soon as we boarded the Jewel of the Seas last fall. (There were a few different packages at a wine display in the "lobby") I think we got a package with 5 bottles in a certain price category. We selected a bottle(s) while at dinner in the dining room, but I am sure we could order them for our room etc. What we didn't finish at the meal was sealed, labeled, and stored for us until the next time we wanted it...even if we wanted it back in our cabin. It was a pretty good discount, and I think most cruise lines offer similar deals..probably even on their pre-cruise website.

[GrammaZ]

HAL is not offering a wine card for either 10 or 20 pours. It is for house wine only but on our cruise in January we thought it a good value. A card for 20 pours was about $77. On our upcoming cruise in September we will do it again.

[gambit57]

Princess has soda cards too. And coffee cards. "Drink" cards usually refer to the soda cards as the coffee and wine cards are newer and rarer.

[RC of NC]

Royal Caribbean also has an "unlimited soda and juice card". The last I checked, it was $6 for adults and $4 for children per day of the cruise. You can only purchase it for the entire length of the trip. They also have some sort of wine package and maybe a beer package but I haven't looked into that.

[grey_eyes]

Just wondering what would the equivalent to make it worth purchasing this soda package? If you drink one pop/juice per day? 2 per day?

And what would be the cost, without the package, to just buy one pop?

 

We will be buying a wine package for dinners, aren't big drinkers, and wont be on the ship at all during port days, so it it really worth the cost?

[H2O babe]

On our upcoming July 1 Carnival Spirit cruise and adult soda card for the week comes to a bit over $50.00 including the tax and the one time 15% gratuity. It's a tough call for me as I do enjoy one 20 ounce bottle of diet coke a day and that means I'll pay $7.00 a day for it! I suppose I could try to bring 7 bottles on in my luggage!?!?!?

 

K.

[4_THE_HALIBUT]

When we were on HAL last August in Canada/New England, you could buy a cocktail drink card. I believe it was for 10 drinks and cost around $50, tip included. Not much savings, but it was convenient. It was like a punch card.

[krogerlady]

I had not planned on getting a soda card....it messes with my plumping..nuff said, and i have learned to love water.....BUT...I did read, in spite of the filter process they have on the ships, there is still some residual salt. i dont want swollen ankles, and i don't want my PB to go up. I can help but wonder if i would be better off, healthwise, with a soda card. They do have diet drinks. yes?

[TonyFred]

Yes they have diet Coke. But remember that the soda card only covers fountain drinks....very rare that will you get a can.

I usually bring a 12 pack in my luggage and replenish at a port along the way.

Got to be careful too....some foreign drink formulas are pretty different.

Mexican Coca Cola is not USA Coca Cola. To be honest it is better!

I was shocked at the port in Kauai (Hawaii). There was a Coke machine about 20 feet from the gangway and Coke, Dr Pepper, etc were 50 cents a can. I bought a sackful and walked right on board. I was surprised that the line allowed that machine to be located right there.

Let's see.....pay NCL 2 bucks a can or buy one here for 50 cents?

Decisions, decisions.

[krogerlady]

So soda drinks are made with the local water that has been carbonated, so I am back to square one. The juice is probably concentrated, and made with onboard water...milk!! Ah ah....those cows aint drinking Spirit water!!....uh oh....they could be making it from powerdered milk....Wonder if I bring my own Brita if it will take any more of the salt out? I speak with an element of humor here, but trust me, there is also truth.

[nothriver]

We are on Celebrity and I could really use the coffee card that some other cruise lines offer, no such thing on Celebrity. I hear the coffee isn't very good, so I've budgeted for 2 espresso drinks/day.

 

I'm fussy about the taste of water. I know water onboard is well filtered, but I'll probably bring a case of bottled water with me when I board.

 

My sister drinks diet soda all day, and she'll be buying a soda card. Even if she brought a case of soda with her, she'd still be paying for the soda at meals, so the soda card is just easier.

 

I think these options can be economical and convenient for some people but remember, the cruise lines wouldn't sell them if they weren't profitable for the cruise line. So make sure and think about whether or not they are really saving you money before you invest in them.