[ewest305]

We bought a soda package but did not receive a souvenir cup nor did we notice any of the Coke freestyle machines (like last year on Majesties).

Felt kind of ripped off because although we were able to get cokes in plastic cups, that was not always easy to do especially when eating in Windjammer.

Anyway, just checking to see if anyone else had the same experience. Thanks!

[doomguy]

I got the Royal Refresher package. I asked them about the souvenir cups, they weren't doing them this year.

[cowboy71]

We got our cups - they were waiting for us in our room.

And no freestyle machines on the Liberty - apparently because it is not based out of the US all year (operates partially in Europe) they don't have the machines installed.

[DrinkMoxie]

I didn't get my cup, and it bums me out because I always use mine from my 2 previous cruises

[ewest305]

Thanks for the replies. Damn, I feel ripped off now. No cups in my room either. I emailed RC. We'll see what happens. I will update the thread when I know. Now, I kind of dislike Liberty Of The Seas with no Freestyle Machines.

[cowboy71]

A little bit more about the Coke Freestyle machines:

Royal Caribbean is only putting the Freestyle machines on ships that stay in the U.S.

The reason is these machines need to be serviced by Coke personnel who are familiar and have the resources nearby to service the Freestyle machines. Ships sailing out of ports where there is no Coke Freestyle machines probably won't see the machines onboard until that region or country gets the machines/products. Also Coke products vary widely by region. A lot of the same products we enjoy here in the US are not available in many European countries. Likewise they have their own Coke branded products in Europe that aren't available here in the US.

Currently Freestyle machines are only available in the US, Canada and limited availability in the UK and Europe. As they become more popular, Coke will eventually install them in other countries.

[doomguy]

We got our cups - they were waiting for us in our room.

What?! What a rip off! They said they weren't doing souvenir cups this year when I asked about it. LOTS customer disservice sucked, they didn't know shit about anything.

[RootOfAllEvil]

I didn't buy a soda package but I totally agree the staff on the Liberty was way less friendly and professional than on Majesty.

By the way, did any of you receive an email form RCL with access codes for their customer feedback programm?
On the cruise planner for the last day they promised to send the emails on the day of debarkation.

Only asking because one of my friends got ripped off concerning his choice for the exchange rate of his credit card (on the "set sail pass"). It didn't make a great enough difference to stand in line for and miss breakfast, but he wanted to complain about that (among some other minor things).

[TheSalamanizer]

My souvenir cup was waiting in my room. I guess if you bought the package online ahead of time you got the cup, but if you bought it there you didn't? I was bmmed about no machine, but the package was still great, really helped me and my roommate drink all of the whiskey we brought, AND stay awake longer.

[AmelieM]

I bought the package on board and they told me they were out of cup, but to come back the next and they'd give me one. I did and they gave me a cup, but it wasn't a Coca Cola souvenir cup. Just a regular RC coffee cup. Not what I expected, but oh well. Plus this year, the package only included soda, no Powerade, no Vitaminewater or other Coca Cola products. I'm not buying this again next year.

[biertroll]

By the way, did any of you receive an email form RCL with access codes for their customer feedback programm?
On the cruise planner for the last day they promised to send the emails on the day of debarkation.

I don't believe they sent it to us.
https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/custo ... f=postcmnt

I only ever purchase the soda package for coffee. I drank at least $80 worth of coffee.

[liser]

I bought it the second day and had to talk to 4 different people bouncing back and forth between customer service (or whatever it was called) and the pizza place. CS kept telling me I could buy the package still but the pizza place kept insisting I could only have bought it on the first day. After finally asking to talk to a manager they sold me the package at the daily rate for the remaining days but told me they were out of the souvenir cups. It was all a bit of a gong show. I doubt I'd bother again. I just took 4 ojs every time I was in the windjammer and mixed with those instead. :)

[doomguy]

My souvenir cup was waiting in my room. I guess if you bought the package online ahead of time you got the cup, but if you bought it there you didn't?

I believe my cabinmate Bill bought his online, but there was no cup waiting for him.

I bought the package on board and they told me they were out of cup, but to come back the next and they'd give me one. I did and they gave me a cup, but it wasn't a Coca Cola souvenir cup. Just a regular RC coffee cup. Not what I expected, but oh well. Plus this year, the package only included soda, no Powerade, no Vitaminewater or other Coca Cola products. I'm not buying this again next year.

They didn't even offer me that option, just said they weren't doing souvenir cups this year. And I bought the Royal Refresher package, which includes all non alcoholic drinks. Which is great, because I drink a lot of coffee, and I also had virgin foo-foo cocktails. For $80 it's so worth it.

[DrinkMoxie]

My souvenir cup was waiting in my room. I guess if you bought the package online ahead of time you got the cup, but if you bought it there you didn't? I was bmmed about no machine, but the package was still great, really helped me and my roommate drink all of the whiskey we brought, AND stay awake longer.

I bought my package online... no cup

[Sgt. B]

I had trouble purchasing the package online. I planned to buy it onbroad. My roommate was able to purchase it online. There was no cup in the room waiting for him. We asked one of the employees in the Windjammer & they said they were not offering the package. We stopped by customer service & they directed us to the coffee shop to get the soda package. The coffee shop said they were not selling it. We stopped back to customer service. They walked back with us and had a discussion with/yelled at the coffee shop staff. Eventually, they sold me the package & I got the sticker. We were told they were out of cups & looking to see if they had more. My roommate eventually got his later that day. I got my cup on Sunday, only because we were talking to one of the beverage managers as they were loading cases of beer in/out of a dead room (not for sale on UMC site) across from ours. I was able to use my water bottle 90% of the time until I got the soda cup.

[Pellaz]

I bought my soda package online and did not get a souvenir cup in my room. When I asked at Customer Disservice, they told me to go to the Promenade Cafe. The employee there just rolled her eyes. "They ALWAYS send people here, but we don't have them."
I eventually got one -- the only one they had -- from the bar outside Studio B. The nice bartender there told me that Liberty would be getting FreeStyle Coke machines during her next drydock, as she will be homeporting in the U.S. thereafter. --Which doesn't do us any good.

Oddly enough, someone posted on CruiseCritic a pic of a FreeStyle machine he claimed was on Liberty before our sailing, but I've gotten no response when I asked where it was on the ship.

I can confirm (per CruiseCritic) that as of now, the Indy does NOT have FreeStyle Coke machines.

I'll still buy the package, since at bar prices I easily come out ahead, but it can be a real bitch just getting to a bartender to get a soda. And of course, soda package folks are "non-rev" to them, so basically, second-class citizens.

[Skullhammer]

I've bought the royal replenish package online.
There was no souvenir cup in my stateroom. I just asked once at the "Cafe Promenade" and got one. Just wondering you could do this over and over again
The crew really was bad informed in my opinion. I even got asked one time in the restaurant if I have an alcohol package (beer...) and had to tell them that it's not available on this cruise.

Also many gold members (Crown & Anchors) got normal (silver) cards. One bartender first didn't want to give me my free second beer (By one Beer, get second for free voucher [1 time only]). But after a check with his computer I finally got it.

[Electrichead]

We're gold members too, got silvers cards and told no gold cards. Minutes later ran into someone with a gold card.
The freestyle machines are cool, but they were always out of coke and you had to go to the bar anyways.
No cups this year either, which is whatever.
My duty free made it to the room after Jamaica. haha

[biertroll]

I was told at check in that they were only given 800 gold cards. The reason I know this is because my gold card didn't work when I got to where they let you on the boat & had to go all the way back to check in. They thought I was freaking out because of not having my gold card (because the next one they gave me was silver) but it was actually because I wanted 70K printed on my card.

[Krys]

I noticed many different staff members telling people many different things. Misinformation ran high on the Liberty of the Seas.

I think the best way I've seen to do this cruise cheaply is the rum runners. None of the plans are really worth it, and getting a drink of anything non alcoholic from a bar overnight takes a stupid amount of time. Actually, getting anything at the karaoke bar took quite a while. I really missed having so many bars set up in the hallways as I rarely waited at all for a WAY over boozy, but at least consistent drink (it was always made that way) on the Majesty of the Seas. Of course, this is minor complaint. Not a huge deal, it just would have been nice to have had more places to get a drink of ANYTHING.

I found myself hoarding bottles of soda and buckets of ice into the room before finally noticing that we had a minifridge. After that I was lazy and I grabbed some sprite, cola, and bottled waters. Expensive as fuck, but when you're trying to deal with insurance on hold for an hour or more and you need to just get some rum into you you're willing to pay stupid dollars for a damn coke.

Oh, and I saved a couple bar drinks in my water bottle so getting off the ship wouldn't be a total nightmare.

[Mal2000]

Q to all who were on Liberty: did they have free drinks like water, ice thee, lemonade, coffe at Windjammer?

if so, that would be enough for me from non-alcoholic without buying soda package.
thx

[bodomdragon]

Q to all who were on Liberty: did they have free drinks like water, ice thee, lemonade, coffe at Windjammer?

Yes.

[DrinkMoxie]

I am totally into that refresher package! I drank virgin mango pina coladas like they were gonna cease to exist... delicious!

[Phoenix]

Q to all who were on Liberty: did they have free drinks like water, ice thee, lemonade, coffe at Windjammer?

if so, that would be enough for me from non-alcoholic without buying soda package.
thx

Yup, and it was American style iced tea too, meaning that there's less sugar than the Canadian Nestea. I really wish that was a thing we'd adopt up North... Nestea is an entirely different beast.

[manamachine]

Q to all who were on Liberty: did they have free drinks like water, ice thee, lemonade, coffe at Windjammer?

if so, that would be enough for me from non-alcoholic without buying soda package.
thx

Yup, and it was American style iced tea too, meaning that there's less sugar than the Canadian Nestea. I really wish that was a thing we'd adopt up North... Nestea is an entirely different beast.

Nestea is the devil. I make my own iced tea by pouring hot tea on ice.

Also, I could be wrong, but I'm fairly certain the "usual" American way is what they call sweet tea: iced tea filled with sugar (basically Nestea).

[Mal2000]

Yup, and it was American style iced tea too, meaning that there's less sugar than the Canadian Nestea.

Excellent. That will do for me + liters of beer & mojitos

[feanorfelagund]

I got the soda package and didn't even try to use it (opting for the $200/day long island ice-tea package). It did occur to me after the cruise those cups would be perfect for drinking near the mosh pit without spilling.

[Phoenix]

Nestea is the devil. I make my own iced tea by pouring hot tea on ice.

Also, I could be wrong, but I'm fairly certain the "usual" American way is what they call sweet tea: iced tea filled with sugar (basically Nestea).

I have no idea. I just know that I when I order iced tea in the states I get the brewed version that isn't sweetened with cane sugar. But if you order iced tea in Canada, it's Nestea or Brisk.

[Krys]

Yup, and it was American style iced tea too, meaning that there's less sugar than the Canadian Nestea.

Excellent. That will do for me + liters of beer & mojitos

American Iced Tea would have been great.... I didn't noticed a diff though and thought it was the Canadian sugary kind, am I wrong?

[Phoenix]

American Iced Tea would have been great.... I didn't noticed a diff though and thought it was the Canadian sugary kind, am I wrong?

You are very wrong. That was most definitely not Nestea they were giving out at the Windjammer. I drink tea daily so I know the difference.

[cowboy71]

I got the soda package and didn't even try to use it (opting for the $200/day long island ice-tea package). It did occur to me after the cruise those cups would be perfect for drinking near the mosh pit without spilling.

Yes - very handy for that :)

I also liked using the soda cup to get it filled with coke, then ordering single or double shots of vodka, no ice, seperately.

Made it very easy to see which bartenders give you decent size shots and which dont

[mooyagi]

Q to all who were on Liberty: did they have free drinks like water, ice thee, lemonade, coffe at Windjammer?

if so, that would be enough for me from non-alcoholic without buying soda package.
thx

Yup, and it was American style iced tea too, meaning that there's less sugar than the Canadian Nestea. I really wish that was a thing we'd adopt up North... Nestea is an entirely different beast.

Nestea is the devil. I make my own iced tea by pouring hot tea on ice.

Also, I could be wrong, but I'm fairly certain the "usual" American way is what they call sweet tea: iced tea filled with sugar (basically Nestea).

Most places I order iced tea from bring it unsweetened. I think sweet tea may be more of a southern US thing. I'm willing to bet there's a very big difference between real sweet tea and Nestea.

[CountArioch]

Yup, and it was American style iced tea too, meaning that there's less sugar than the Canadian Nestea. I really wish that was a thing we'd adopt up North... Nestea is an entirely different beast.

American ice tea has so much sugar you can chew it. Forget what the Northerners do, actual Americans put a little tea in their sugar :p.

[ewest305]

Not to beat a dead horse and be a parrot but that was my experience as well: the person I stayed with said she was told the cups would be in our rooms. They weren't. When we asked at the Pizza place, they said they don't have them YET. Asked a different employee and they said something similar but ended up sounding like they were not sure.
Anyway, Yeah, RC really messed up this soda package.
However, I did not have a difficult time getting coke like I did on Majesty. They gave nice sized Cokes at the pizza place. You just had to go to the dude who usually serves alcohol.
However, on Majesty, I lost my damn cup so I had to bug attendants to bring me a small cup of coke. Still, I think they relied heavily on the freestyle machines.

Well, all this confusion seems to be one large conspiracy to get me to buy their alcohol package which i'm going to enjoy telling myself that next year.

[Pellaz]

However, I did not have a difficult time getting coke like I did on Majesty. They gave nice sized Cokes at the pizza place. You just had to go to the dude who usually serves alcohol.

Dang, I wish I'd known that.

I only ate there once, but Johnny Rockets was great with sodas if you had the soda package. A nice BIG plastic glass full, and they topped it off promptly. By FAR the best dining service I had on the ship. 'Course, you DO pay for the experience, but $6 was reasonable, you could ask for multiple entrees and whenever I finished my onion rings the guy would bring more (until I told him "Stop! For the love of God! You're killin' me here!" )

The alleged "servers" in the Windjammer ignored me several times, and then ignored our group (incl. some members of Therion) for a while, too. Meh. I wish I had a daughter so I could forbid her to marry them.