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Soda Package Question


Sam D

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5 hours ago, Sam D said:

We have booked the soda package (not big drinkers), I am aware these work on the freestyle machines but how does this package work in the main dining room, coco cay, etc?

Yes it does. Another thing of note is you do NOT need to carry your ‘souvenir’ cup everywhere you go. Your seapass card is marked with the soda package and any server or bartender will get you a cup of soda. 

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8 minutes ago, Vancity Cruiser said:

Yes it does. Another thing of note is you do NOT need to carry your ‘souvenir’ cup everywhere you go. Your seapass card is marked with the soda package and any server or bartender will get you a cup of soda. 

You do need the cup to use the Freestyle machines, correct? I ask because the Freestyle machines have more options, especially sugar free (the wife and I have the soda package booked for our Anthem cruise next month).

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7 minutes ago, silenttuba said:

You do need the cup to use the Freestyle machines, correct? I ask because the Freestyle machines have more options, especially sugar free (the wife and I have the soda package booked for our Anthem cruise next month).

Yes, you do need them for the freestyle machines.

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I've found the bars to be limited to soda that's typically used in drinks...Coke, Diet Coke, ginger ale, Sprite, etc.   As mentioned above, the Freestyle cups are not required except at the machines...and on recent cruises, where there have been attendants at the Freestyle machines, I've seen people get cups of soda at the machines based on the designation on their sea pass.

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3 hours ago, Vancity Cruiser said:

Yes it does. Another thing of note is you do NOT need to carry your ‘souvenir’ cup everywhere you go. Your seapass card is marked with the soda package and any server or bartender will get you a cup of soda. 

Super Helpful, Thank you. Does that mean that you then get charged gratuity for soda ordered at the bar? Whereas you wouldn’t when self serve at the freestyle.

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1 hour ago, Sam D said:

Super Helpful, Thank you. Does that mean that you then get charged gratuity for soda ordered at the bar? Whereas you wouldn’t when self serve at the freestyle.

No.  No gratuity charged at a bar when just getting a soda (providing you have the soda package).

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18 hours ago, Traveling Mike said:

I just got off the Symphony with the soda package.  I was able to get Diet Coke and Sprite Zero at all of the restaurants and bars.  I would go to the free style machines to get my Diet Root beer with vanilla.

Oh this is great @Traveling Mikeabout the Diet Root beer!!!  I've never been on a floating city with that many choices.  I'm pancreatically challenged (T1D of almost 60 years) ... and pop drinks in my world is a real treat - especially when confronted with more than just a few choices!!!  You have made my day!!!

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Here's a little known tip... there is a chip in the bottom of the Freestyle cups that is activated for the length (however many days) of your cruise not to the ship.    So if you get a beverage package and don't activate the cup (use it the first time) you can use it on another RCI cruise/ship. However, it will only work for how ever many days your original cruise was. If the original cruise was 5 days and your current cruise is 7, it will shut off after 5.

 

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2 hours ago, mac66 said:

Here's a little known tip... there is a chip in the bottom of the Freestyle cups that is activated for the length (however many days) of your cruise not to the ship.    So if you get a beverage package and don't activate the cup (use it the first time) you can use it on another RCI cruise/ship. However, it will only work for how ever many days your original cruise was. If the original cruise was 5 days and your current cruise is 7, it will shut off after 5.

 

Seriously, has someone actually tried this?!?!

I have 7 of the Freestyle cups still in the packaging. Bidding is now open 😂

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27 minutes ago, Vancity Cruiser said:

Seriously, has someone actually tried this?!?!

I have 7 of the Freestyle cups still in the packaging. Bidding is now open 😂

I have a "friend" who's done it.

And....People do actually sell the cups on ebay. 

Not to mention that people also remove the chips and tape them to other cups and use them with the freestyle machines.  There are youtube videos.

Also you can use the Freestyle machines as ice machines without using the cups or buying a beverage package. Which is handy if you're a rum runner.

 

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21 hours ago, Vancity Cruiser said:

 I had no idea people were that cheap. It’s only a few bucks a day for the soda package.

 A few bucks here, a few bucks there. Cruise lines are infamous for nickel and diming,  i.e, "upping" the price of a cruise.  Dollars add up.  Save enough of them and pretty soon you have enough for another cruise.

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On 3/9/2022 at 6:35 PM, mac66 said:

I have a "friend" who's done it.

And....People do actually sell the cups on ebay. 

Not to mention that people also remove the chips and tape them to other cups and use them with the freestyle machines.  There are youtube videos.

Also you can use the Freestyle machines as ice machines without using the cups or buying a beverage package. Which is handy if you're a rum runner.

 

Makes me want to get ahold of a cup to see if they are using NFC and if the tag is changing somehow.  I know it's easy enough to clone NFC tags with a phone but if there is some sort of change in data on the tag similar to how some of the subway systems change the magnetic stripes on the passes they sell to show the value left on them.  There was a big writeup a few years back that talked about how it worked and they figured out how they could change the magnetic stripes to show they had 1000's on them using a simple mag stripe writer.  Would I try and steal from the machines, no.  But sometimes it's interesting to see how things function and work, for those who don't know you can actually get a tool for android phones called NFC Tools and read data from your US passport.  

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