Explore4 updates???

We will be onboard the Statendam this August. We have the Explore4 promo, and wonder if purchasing drinks in a bar, and returning to our suite to enjoy on the balcony is a possibility. We are in a Neptune suite, and enjoy the quiet sail-always, and would prefer having our pre-dinner cocktail on our balcony. Any experiences to date, would be appreciated.

Marilyn

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Yes, you can certainly grab a drink and return to your stateroom. The closest bar will probably be the Crow's Nest.

If you want some additional information, we absolutely beat the topic of Explore 4 within an inch of its life last month. Here's a link to the reference post which, in turn links to most everything on the topic.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=42154126

If you have any additional questions, just ask at the end of the thread and we will make one of our interns type out an answer.

There is no one stopping you from stopping at bar to order drinks to take back to your cabin -- whether you use the Explore4 program, the Beverage cards or just your ID card to buy the drinks.

Thanks for the replies...maybe the pool bar on Lido deck would be an opportunity to fill a cheese plate, along with some drinks, and access the elevators closest to our suite

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Thanks for the replies...maybe the pool bar on Lido deck would be an opportunity to fill a cheese plate, along with some drinks, and access the elevators closest to our suite

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Just pay attention to the times the Lido is open. Limited hours and I'm not sure how long they leave the cheese out after lunch.

In a suite you should have access to cheese in the Neptune Lounge, I believe.

I will just post a caution about the Explore 4 promos. If you book a cruise with that Promo you might be well advised to monitor the price after the promo ends. As an example, we booked a longer HAL cruise with the Explore 4 promo for about $23,000 (total cost) After the promotion ended we managed to reduce our total cost to about $12,500 by giving up the promo and watching for price increases. DW and I did not think the drink package was worth $10,000!

Hank

Haven't seen too much in the "cheese" offering in the Neptune, more appetizers than cheese after 2, but I must say the cheese offering on the Eurodam this October was quite AOK!

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I will just post a caution about the Explore 4 promos. If you book a cruise with that Promo you might be well advised to monitor the price after the promo ends. As an example, we booked a longer HAL cruise with the Explore 4 promo for about $23,000 (total cost) After the promotion ended we managed to reduce our total cost to about $12,500 by giving up the promo and watching for price increases. DW and I did not think the drink package was worth $10,000!

 

Hank

Not close to $10,000 but we did save over $1100 for the two of us, more than making up for the Explore4 package.

We recently gave up the Explore 4 to save $800 on our 12-day cruise. It was the first price drop we've seen for this cruise (and our final payment is due in a month). So we fully expected to be using the Explore 4 but happily gave it up to save that much $$. :)

We gave up the Explore4 package on our 7 day for a $1000 savings and an additional $150 OBC.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Our Rotterdam trip hasn't changed since we booked in October and we have Explore4.

There haven't been hardly any negative posts so it must be going decently well for everyone.

Just took a cruise back in March with Explore4. If you are traveling with DW or just one other person the Explore4 isn't worth it. The ONLY feature of the Explore4 we were offered was the beverage cards. We never got our Pinnacle Dinner!! Even after repeated attempts at the Front Desk and the Pinnacle it never happened. If dropping the Explore4 saves you money I would certainly consider it. In our case we are leaving HAL behind and one of the reasons is how bad Explore4 was handled on our cruise.

We will have the Explore 4 on our Alaska cruise in June. Our usual morning start is my husband goes to the Explorations café and gets two cappuccinos to bring back to the cabin. Since we will each have a card and it states that it must be used by the one who owns the card I am wondering how he will get the two coffees.

My thought is that he and I could chat with the crew member who handles the morning duties at the café and, with the explanation of why hubbie will appear with two different cards each morning, they might fill the order.

Also wondering if I will be able to get a can of diet Coke to take to the cabin with my card. I like to have a pre-dinner Coke in the room. Or can I just have the Coke with my dinner by having our MDR waiter bring it to the table.

Explore4 saves you money I would certainly consider it.

We will have the Explore 4 on our Alaska cruise in June. Our usual morning start is my husband goes to the Explorations café and gets two cappuccinos to bring back to the cabin. Since we will each have a card and it states that it must be used by the one who owns the card I am wondering how he will get the two coffees.

 

My thought is that he and I could chat with the crew member who handles the morning duties at the café and, with the explanation of why hubbie will appear with two different cards each morning, they might fill the order.

 

Also wondering if I will be able to get a can of diet Coke to take to the cabin with my card. I like to have a pre-dinner Coke in the room. Or can I just have the Coke with my dinner by having our MDR waiter bring it to the table.

We didn't have any problem presenting two Signature Beverage Package cards and getting two beverages. They're guarding against one card being used by multiple people. You'd be using two cards for two beverages for two different people. We never had a problem doing that.

As for the soda, you can strategically stock up for your room. Just make sure to tell your steward that you want your soda unopened. We saw a fair number of people order a soda or beer, and then when it came, say, "I wanted that unopened."

Just pay attention to the times the Lido is open. Limited hours and I'm not sure how long they leave the cheese out after lunch.

In a suite you should have access to cheese in the Neptune Lounge, I believe.

Yes, the cheese is there until around 2 pm (just off the Maasdam). So, why not get some - stick it in your room and let it get to yummy room temp (or put it in your fridge) and enjoy later?

the Lido has it as well of course - whatever suits you best :)

We didn't have any problem presenting two Signature Beverage Package cards and getting two beverages. They're guarding against one card being used by multiple people. You'd be using two cards for two beverages for two different people. We never had a problem doing that.

 

As for the soda, you can strategically stock up for your room. Just make sure to tell your steward that you want your soda unopened. We saw a fair number of people order a soda or beer, and then when it came, say, "I wanted that unopened."

Thanks for the info. One more question - As a deduction from our $50 per day benefit what do they charge for the coffees, full price or our discounted Four Star price?

Take a few larger plastic bags. A plate of cheese should easily fit on one of shelves in your fridge. (If not, remove some of the things to make some room. Just be sure that you keep any items you remove near the refridgerator/cooler so that the room service stewards don't replenish them and charge you.) That will keep your cheese selection cool until closer to the time you wish to eat it. You can pull the plate from the fridge before you are ready to nibble, allowing the cheese to reach proper cheese-eating temperature.

Gallon size storage bags should work fine and if you're careful, you can reuse them. Just pack some crackers from the Lido/Neptune in another bag and you have a party on the patio in the making. :)

Thanks for the info. One more question - As a deduction from our $50 per day benefit what do they charge for the coffees, full price or our discounted Four Star price?

The Explore4 deal for Alaska (and some other) cruises is not $50/day from which HAL deducts the costs of the beverages. It is the Signature Beverage Package which is valued at approx $50/day (the cost of the SBP plus the 15% gratuity). The SBP allows you to consume up to 15 beverages, that are under $7, per day. Thus, one can actually get over $100 worth of beverages a day under the SBP.

POA1 did extensive research on this package under a separate thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1999316

Thanks for the info. One more question - As a deduction from our $50 per day benefit what do they charge for the coffees, full price or our discounted Four Star price?

As a point of clarification, there are two versions of the Explore 4. One gives you an honest to goodness $50 beverage card for the first two passengers in a stateroom. That card is worth $50 and you can use it on whatever you want, beverage-wise.

The second version of Explore 4 comes with a Signature Beverage Package Card (SBP) for the first two guests. The documentation says that this card is worth $50 a day, but the actual price of the card is worth $51.69 which is $44.95/day + 15% service charge.

Confused yet?

It gets worse. The SBP card is good for up to 15 beverages per day, providing those beverages have a menu price of $7.00 or less. Nothing has a menu price of exactly $7.00 (or at least it didn't last month) so the best you could do is 15 beverages @ $6.95 each or $104.25. But you need to remember that the SBP also includes the service charge, so your real maximum value is ($6.95 + $1.04 [the 15% service charge on the $6.95]) x 15 drinks = $119.85/day. (If you get a slightly different number, you probably kept carrying the extra quarter of a penny per drink all through your calculations.)

There's a pretty fair chance all of your questions will be answered in this post on Explore 4 $50 Beverage Cards and Signature Beverage Packages. Just one word of caution: While it is possible to use all 15 drinks in a day, you should make sure to drink plenty of water. It's important to stay hydrated. Fifteen drinks' worth of ice won't cut it. :)

Just one word of caution: While it is possible to use all 15 drinks in a day, you should make sure to drink plenty of water. It's important to stay hydrated. Fifteen drinks' worth of ice won't cut it. :)

Perhaps, given your extensive research, you had ample opportunity to research the waste removal facilities on the ship. Particularly for those days when you actually did drink all 15 drinks, plus water to stay hydrated!:D I think you should get another research grant and go on another cruise!

Hope to Cruise, I can answer your question. If you're using a beverage card, the full price of fancy coffees at Explorations Cafe will be deducted. However, if you pay with your room card, as 4* Mariners you will get a 50% reduction in price.

776 days at sea....39 ships.....7 continents

Princess ELITE.......... HAL 4*

Hope to Cruise, I can answer your question. If you're using a beverage card, the full price of fancy coffees at Explorations Cafe will be deducted. However, if you pay with your room card, as 4* Mariners you will get a 50% reduction in price.

 

776 days at sea....39 ships.....7 continents

Princess ELITE.......... HAL 4*

Thanks. I thought that would be how it was done. Still a good deal as $50 worth of coffee per person will not be neared. Leaves plenty of room for my cokes and even a cocktail or two if I get frisky.

Just to update !! Three day sale eliminated the Explore4 promo, but cut over $2500 from our booking( and oh yeah, HAL threw in 2 $50 beverage cards to boot ). We will gladly purchase the Pinnacle dinners, and since we were being challenged to use the full value of the Explore4 beverage promo, since we are primarily wine drinkers, and a few predinner cocktails upon occasion; the decision was a very easy one.

Marilyn

Sent from my iPad using Forums