We're going on our first cruise and my husband and I are lovers of soft drinks. If you buy one of those credit cards for soft drinks, do you each have to buy one? Also, do they honor them at dinners? Can you use them as much as you want? Is a tip expected? Thanks for any help you can give.

Here's $20. Now you each have one.

Jo ann:
Which cruise line?

You really need to each have one. If people don't abide by this, the cruise lines will continue to UP the cost. Be fair.

Each line handles them a little differently. Most will honor them in the dining room and at bars but not during room service or at the private island. Most of the time the soda cards are good for the soda gun but not for cans.

The soda stickers are per person and only for fountain drinks in a glass. You will be lucky to get 1 serving in the dining room and there - to ensure service, my opinion only- you should tip.

Or you can do what I do- bring a case on board with you. Or pick up 6 packs in ports??? No "rules" against it.

Thanks for all the replies. Since asking this question, I have learned that you get iced tea or lemonade at meals. So that's fine (we are going on Carnival Miracle in March). Since we are not coffee drinkers and do not drink alcohol, I was wondering. Thanks for all the help.

Hi JoAnn:
Being a big pop drinker and having sailed Carnival many times I found a good solution to your problem. While the drink cards can help, I found it difficult to get soft drinks this way, since the staff are really trying to sell other drinks and it seemed as if they just were not a priority to them. The glasses they bring were also small and filled mostly with ice, so, here is what we do... On the way to the ship, stop and pick up a couple of 12 packs of your favorite pop and take them with you. I have never heard of them refusing to let you bring them on board (which can sometime be the case with alcohol, etc.), or as one other person mentioned, pick some up while in a port. Your cabin attendant will always keep your ice bucket filled and glasses in your room. By doing this we always had all we wanted, easily available.
On another note, Carnival will serve you ice tea at main seating dining (your main evening meal), but not lemonade (unless something has changed recently). If you go to the self serve restaurant they almost always have lemonade, fruit punch, ice tea, (all free and self serve) etc.
Hope this helps and, enjoy your cruise!