jim620 Posted June 9, 2023 Report Share Posted June 9, 2023 If we get the basic soda package do we bring the free style cups to the main dining room or does the main dining room provide us with soda in their own cups/glass? What about other restaurants and cafes? I assume their will be free style machines in the buffet? Sailing on Brilliance for Alaskan cruise. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geezer Of The Seas Posted June 9, 2023 Report Share Posted June 9, 2023 The cups are only useful at Freestyle Machines; some ships have them, some don't. Jewel of the Seas had 2 in the Windjammer, Mariner had 2 in the Windjammer and 2 on the Royal Promenade (deck 5). Saw 4 as well on Wonder, same locations as Mariner. If you have the soda or refreshment package, you can get soda, albeit limited selection at any bar or restaurant, but to my knowledge and experience a bar or restaurant will not fill a Freestyle cup. Sometimes by the can at a bar, sometimes by the glass only. It varies. Three cruises with the Refreshment Package, the cups stayed in the cabin, except for the one I dropped on the deck and knocked the bottom out of it. Didn't bother replacing it, soda (coke anyway) is far more easily obtained than having to mount an expedition to seek out the nearest Freestyle machine and wade in a sticky, wet mess. Your mileage may vary............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xaa Posted June 9, 2023 Report Share Posted June 9, 2023 You only need the cups when you want to self serve from the machines. Otherwise they serve you a soda. Cactus527 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim620 Posted June 9, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2023 How will they know if you have a Soda Pkg? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xaa Posted June 9, 2023 Report Share Posted June 9, 2023 It's on your seapass card. They know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim620 Posted June 9, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2023 So when I go to order a soda do I show them the seapass card? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xaa Posted June 9, 2023 Report Share Posted June 9, 2023 Right, like any drink. They'll ask for your Seapass card. In the MDR, your waiters will just remember. It's really quite easy. I carry my cup around (I'm a sodaholic) after morning coffee and fill it at the freestyle machines with a particular flavor I like. Leave it when heading to dinner and just order at dinner and whatever our evening activities might be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKarl Posted June 9, 2023 Report Share Posted June 9, 2023 2 minutes ago, jim620 said: So when I go to order a soda do I show them the seapass card? Yes. The first few times you may need to show the Seapass card to a waiter or Bartender but once you frequent those locations several times most of them just remember you and you may not need to show it. But, bring it with you when you wish to get a soda just in case their memory is like mine and they forget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim620 Posted June 9, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2023 Thanks for all the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Miller Posted June 9, 2023 Report Share Posted June 9, 2023 I know a lot of people don't like the Freestyle machines because there are so few of them and they break down often. But I've had good luck with them and the one redeeming thing is they usually have a wide array of flavors you cant get at any bars. Like diet Dr Pepper, Barqs Root beer, power ade, fanta orange, seagrams ginger ale etc. and usually the "Zero" version of all of them too. So while carrying the cup around can be a pain, if you are a soda person, there is a lot there for you. Except for Pepsi Products naturally. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonCruiser Posted June 9, 2023 Report Share Posted June 9, 2023 I think it's important to note that the waitstaff in the MDR and other restaurants won't have access to the many flavors of soda in the freestyle machines. If you don't want to carry your filled cup into the MDR you are most likely limited to coke, sprite, diet coke. Al Miller 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cactus527 Posted June 10, 2023 Report Share Posted June 10, 2023 A tip we found helpful - MDR staff are overwhelmed. If you can stop at a bar and get soda in a glass, THEN head to the MDR, it makes life so much easier. No more waiting for the drink or creating more work for your servers. TXcruzer and CrimsonCruiser 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanHardlyWait Posted June 10, 2023 Report Share Posted June 10, 2023 2 hours ago, Cactus527 said: A tip we found helpful - MDR staff are overwhelmed. If you can stop at a bar and get soda in a glass, THEN head to the MDR, it makes life so much easier. No more waiting for the drink or creating more work for your servers. That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever read on here and that's saying something. It's there job. And from my personal experience they handle it and refills just fine. Also, they would have been concerned and felt like failures repeatedly telling me it was there job if I did such a thing. Totally unnecessary. ScottishRobbie and TXcruzer 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xaa Posted June 10, 2023 Report Share Posted June 10, 2023 3 hours ago, CanHardlyWait said: That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever read on here and that's saying something. Definitely not the most ridiculous for me, but I also prefer to get my soda in the MDR. I do it simply because if I tell them the first day to bring me a big glass, they do it and it's like a tumbler sized Diet Coke, then for following days they bring it without me even asking. The freestyle cup carrying around during the day is no problem for me because it's not me carrying a cup around, it's me carrying my drink around. I drink it on a continuous turn. My preference, the Diet Lime Coke isn't as popular as some so I don't have the issues of it running out that plague some of the more popular flavors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cactus527 Posted June 10, 2023 Report Share Posted June 10, 2023 10 hours ago, CanHardlyWait said: That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever read on here and that's saying something. It's there job. And from my personal experience they handle it and refills just fine. Also, they would have been concerned and felt like failures repeatedly telling me it was there job if I did such a thing. Totally unnecessary. I'm glad to have contributed to ridiculousness. I also don't feel like waiting 20 minutes for my drink to show up, so to each their own, I guess. teddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villageidiot Posted June 10, 2023 Report Share Posted June 10, 2023 14 hours ago, Cactus527 said: A tip we found helpful - MDR staff are overwhelmed. If you can stop at a bar and get soda in a glass, THEN head to the MDR, it makes life so much easier. No more waiting for the drink or creating more work for your servers. Not my experience. On our last cruise after the first two nights they had a coke for me and a hot tea for the wife waiting every night. Really appreciated that Xaa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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