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Soda Cards

1partyjan

By 1partyjan,
in Holland America Line

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KirkNC

KirkNC

Posted
Posted

We did the soda card on our first HAL cruise but no longer use them. You only get about half the can, sometimes one that has been sitting around awhile. Other lines usually give you the whole can and that makes the card a much better deal both in quantity and quality. I found I would rather puchase the whoel soda.

 

Kirk

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geshaw30

geshaw30

Posted
Posted
Hi,

 

I am thinking about purchasing the Soda cards for my cruise. Can someone please confirm that I will be a able to get diet coke with the card.

 

Thanks

 

J

 

IMHO this is not the best of ideas. As mentioned above simply purchase as many cans/cases of soda as you need during ports of call. Store them in the room (or 'fridge if you have one) and use as needed. No need to sneak them on board---it's all within the rules

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RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted
You only get about half the can, sometimes one that has been sitting around awhile.

If you want to be certain that it's fresh, order a full can by using two punches from the soda card.

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kelfad

kelfad

Posted
Posted

Having just returned from the eurodam, let me give my 2 Cents.

 

The card ends up being 22.00 with tax and service charge. This is for 20 drinks. One can purchased alone is 1.95

 

HAL is very strict about not giving you the can. You only get a 6 oz glass, filled with lots of ice for one punch of the card. And the diet coke or soda, could be from a partially used can that has been sitting around for sometime.

 

I asked for a glass of diet coke from a fresh can opened at my table and a seperate glass of ice. This way I would get at least 80% of a can. And it was fresh. After awhile they would leave the small bit left in the can.

 

So the soda card does not save you money. It is a gimmick. Half a can for 1.00 or a full can for 1.95. you do the math.

 

The Baltic cruise was not a warm weather event so my soda consumption was less than if I were in the islands.

 

This is my one big Peave with HAL.

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RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted
Half a can for 1.00 or a full can for 1.95. you do the math.

But do the math correctly. In your example, the $1.00 includes the service charge; the $1.95 does not. You have to add 15% to the $1.95.

A more accurate comparison is a few cents over $1.00 (about $1.04) for a half-can with the card, and a little more than double that for a full can (about $2.15) without the card.

The convenience of not having to keep track of the sales slips isn't as easily quantified.

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Typhoon1

Typhoon1

Posted
Posted

If the waiter gets to know you after a few days, you may end up with a large glass with very little ice.

 

I've had waiters in the dining room that have had my large glass filled when I arrived in the dining room. Of course, he was rewarded at the end of the cruise.

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  • 1 month later...
debsjc Great Review Rare

debsjc

Posted
Posted

I quite like to drink half a can at a time, so I think I will go for the soda card. I would rather have 20 glasses, than 10 cans!

However if I see it being poured from an already open can of Diet Coke I will say something, that's just not acceptable.

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piedmont

piedmont

Posted
Posted

:) I'm on vacation. Why would I want to go back to the cabin to get a D.Coke when I'm up in the Crows Nest having a good time. After a few uses of the card the wait staff gets to know me and has a CAN of D.Coke at my table seconds after I request one. I do go on the longer trips and that is a help.

Grocery shopping is not on my "to do list" when I board, or stop at a Port. Lighten up...you jus spent hundreds or thousands on your trip and you are worroied about spending a few extra pennies for a soda.

And as Ruth said. no slips to sign/keep track of. The convenience is well worth it. Your vacation is to enjoy. Have fun on your trip.

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heathriel

heathriel

Posted
Posted

The ship simply doesn't have my soda onboard, so I have to bring it on with me.

 

I can't have caffeine, so I'd be stuck with Sprite all week (or Tonic water, which is fine, but, whatever).

 

So, I *have* to bring it onboard if I want something other than juice or Sprite. It has nothing to do with keeping track of slips or saving pennies.

 

I have to bring my tea onboard too if I want something other than chamomile or Apple (which are also fine, but they tend to run out of the decaf English Breakfast around day 3.)

 

And don't get me started on the Hot chocolate - It's hard enough to find decaf Hot Chocolate *off* the ship (that isn't of the "white" chocolate variety - YUCK!).

 

I can't expect them to cater to *my* dietary needs, so I bring my own things aboard.

 

For all that, though, my DH is the one that gets the funny looks when he whips out his own container of Tartar sauce on the Lido. One sailing where they ran out of sauce and he won't travel without it!

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jetwet1

jetwet1

Posted
Posted
:) I'm on vacation. Why would I want to go back to the cabin to get a D.Coke when I'm up in the Crows Nest having a good time.

 

That is actually a very good point.....Guess I will be drinking beer on deck :p, no actually I had not thought about that.... Why not charge a little more and go for an unlimited card like Carnival or Princess ?

 

BTW, though we have sailed with HAL before, our main two cruise lines are Princess and Carnival and I know there are things we have forgotten about HAL.

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like friends

like friends

Posted
Posted
Hi,

 

I am thinking about purchasing the Soda cards for my cruise. Can someone please confirm that I will be a able to get diet coke with the card.

 

Thanks

 

J

I have a coke sticker from a previous HAL cruise that I didn't use, is it still good ( it's from 2006)?????

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like friends

Posted
Posted
Hi,

 

I am thinking about purchasing the Soda cards for my cruise. Can someone please confirm that I will be a able to get diet coke with the card.

 

Thanks

 

J

The soda sticker was for unlimited cokes, are the cards for unlimited also, or did they cap it?

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RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted
Why not charge a little more and go for an unlimited card like Carnival or Princess ?

 

The soda sticker was for unlimited cokes, are the cards for unlimited also, or did they cap it?

HAL had an unlimited card before the introduction of the punch card. The method was changed because the unlimited card was supposed to be per person, but people were abusing it. Some families were buying one card, then using it for everyone in the family.

Totally unfair to those who were playing by the rules, and unfair to HAL's bottom line. Another example of a few ruining something for the many.

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