I am trying to make up my mind whether or not to purchase this.
If you want soda, and enough sodas per day to make the cost worth it, buy it. If you only want one a day, or you can do without, don't buy it. With the soda package, it seems it's easy enough to figure out if the package makes sense or not.
Knowing how I drink, I won't get the soda package (don't drink it) and I won't get Replenish anymore. I couldn't get Replenish to pay out financially for us on the last two cruises. So I'm done with it. I'll get a WATER package, because I do love my Evian (with Replenish you get things like Crystal Geyser, which is still lovely spring water, but doesn't cost anywhere near as much as Evian), but I'll pay for my coffee out of pocket.
I sailed on the Liberty last year (which also does not have the Freestyle machines). I purchased the soda package that also included juice, bottled water, specialty coffees, etc.
That's Replenish, FYI.
Refreshment is JUST the soda. If I were having problems with the beverage server not bringing my soda one night, on following nights I would just show up with my drink (stopping at a bar on the way to dinner). The only beverage we've gotten at the buffet is the OJ (included in Replenish), and that takes AGES to get. If DH could get his fresh squeezed OJ in some other way, I would just get it on the way to the buffet (though what to do with it while we get food, I don't know).
I've noticed that the servers at the MDR who are interested in beverages really pay attention that first night. If you have something that first night, they seem to show up with it every night. If you don't want anything, they pay attention to that, too. So start as you intend to continue; order something that first night and make sure you let them know that you like that.
From what I noticed in Europe, Fanta in Europe is VERY different than what the US calls Fanta. Not sure what they might actually have on the ships.
