Explore 4

Any news on upcoming explore 4 perks??

Not on any new ones, but we snagged it on the last go around for our upcoming Eurodam sailing in December. :D

Good luck!

Write down the price of the cruise you are looking at.

Then when Explore4 comes out -- usually late in July, compare the new price with the price you see now for your cruise. Then determine if the perks offered are worth it to you.

What were the Explore 4 perks last year - 2017?

What were the Explore 4 perks last year - 2017?

Signature Beverage package for 2 guests, 1 night Pinnacle Grill for 2 and I think some OBC or internet minutes for suites, also a reduced deposit

Explore4 2017 Terms & Conditions

Signature Beverage Package has a daily limit of 15 beverages, which includes all beverages priced at US$9.00 or lower. Guests must order beverages one at a time and must be 21 years or older for alcoholic beverages. Sharing is not permitted. Beverage management reserves the right to revoke the package if misused and refuse service for any reason, including service of alcoholic beverages to intoxicated guests. Package excludes purchases made in Signature Shops, Mini Bar and In Room Dining, or beverages on Half Moon Cay.

Pinnacle Grill dinner: Guests receive one dinner per person. Reservations and dining times will be assigned and a confirmation card will be placed in your stateroom upon embarkation day. Offer excludes Specialty Dining Events in the Pinnacle Grill such as Le Cirque, De Librije, Master Chef’s Table and Sommelier Dinner.

Free or reduced fares for 3rd/4th guests are based on sharing a stateroom with 1st and 2nd guests, valid on select sailings, and are based on Promo Z3.

Reduced Deposit is valid for new bookings only. Bookings made on voyages requiring immediate final payment are not eligible for a reduced deposit.

Suite offer: Onboard Spending Money is US$100 per guest (U$S200 per suite) is non-refundable, transferable, not for cash value, expires at the end of that cruise, and may not be used in the casino. Offers are capacity controlled, and may be modified or withdrawn without prior notice. Other restrictions may apply.

Explore4 2017 Terms & Conditions

 

 

 

Signature Beverage Package has a daily limit of 15 beverages, which includes all beverages priced at US$9.00 or lower. Guests must order beverages one at a time and must be 21 years or older for alcoholic beverages. Sharing is not permitted. Beverage management reserves the right to revoke the package if misused and refuse service for any reason, including service of alcoholic beverages to intoxicated guests. Package excludes purchases made in Signature Shops, Mini Bar and In Room Dining, or beverages on Half Moon Cay.

 

 

 

Pinnacle Grill dinner: Guests receive one dinner per person. Reservations and dining times will be assigned and a confirmation card will be placed in your stateroom upon embarkation day. Offer excludes Specialty Dining Events in the Pinnacle Grill such as Le Cirque, De Librije, Master Chef’s Table and Sommelier Dinner.

 

 

 

Free or reduced fares for 3rd/4th guests are based on sharing a stateroom with 1st and 2nd guests, valid on select sailings, and are based on Promo Z3.

 

 

 

Reduced Deposit is valid for new bookings only. Bookings made on voyages requiring immediate final payment are not eligible for a reduced deposit.

 

 

 

Suite offer: Onboard Spending Money is US$100 per guest (U$S200 per suite) is non-refundable, transferable, not for cash value, expires at the end of that cruise, and may not be used in the casino. Offers are capacity controlled, and may be modified or withdrawn without prior notice. Other restrictions may apply.

All sounds correct with one minor comment on the Pinnacle Grill. When we had the Explore 4 in May 2017, we received a card confirming that we had a night at the Pinnacle Grill but the night or time were not specified. The card instructed us to call Dining reservations to make our Pinnacle reservation, so we were able to reserve it when we wanted.

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I’m just hoping they still offer the Explore 4 this year! With all the other changes, I hope they don’t try and “improve” the Explore 4! [emoji12]

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All sounds correct with one minor comment on the Pinnacle Grill. When we had the Explore 4 in May 2017, we received a card confirming that we had a night at the Pinnacle Grill but the night or time were not specified. The card instructed us to call Dining reservations to make our Pinnacle reservation, so we were able to reserve it when we wanted.

 

 

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This is interesting, and good to know. I've read a lot of posts saying that they usually do assign you a date/time, and many times it's on the first night or some other undesirable time. Then you have to try to change it to what you want, which results in varying degrees of success.

Another option sometimes mentioned is to book (and pay) the PG online for the day/time you want before sailing, then get your paid for reservation switched for the E4 perk (again, with varying degrees of success.

This is interesting, and good to know. I've read a lot of posts saying that they usually do assign you a date/time, and many times it's on the first night or some other undesirable time. Then you have to try to change it to what you want, which results in varying degrees of success.

 

Another option sometimes mentioned is to book (and pay) the PG online for the day/time you want before sailing, then get your paid for reservation switched for the E4 perk (again, with varying degrees of success.

It’s also possible that the process could be ship specific depending on how many Explore 4 passengers they have on board on a specific itinerary. [emoji483]

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Question- if we pay $200 more per person we can add the Ready Set Go to our sailing. We figure that the benefits would pretty much be a wash with the fare increase.

If Explore 4 comes out next and the fare is where it is now would we get both promos or would E4 replace Ready Set Go? Cruise is in 2019

Question- if we pay $200 more per person we can add the Ready Set Go to our sailing. We figure that the benefits would pretty much be a wash with the fare increase.

 

If Explore 4 comes out next and the fare is where it is now would we get both promos or would E4 replace Ready Set Go? Cruise is in 2019

There are some promos that can be “doubled up”, but not all. If they can’t be “doubled up”, a good booking agent will work out the benefits of both and tell you which is the better deal. And I’ve had success in getting the Explore 4 in addition to a suite OBC promo. The booking agent wasn’t sure both would work together but she gave it a try and both worked! So a good booking agent will be your best friend when it comes to getting the best deal! [emoji483]

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Thanks! Put a call in to our PCC

All sounds correct with one minor comment on the Pinnacle Grill. When we had the Explore 4 in May 2017, we received a card confirming that we had a night at the Pinnacle Grill but the night or time were not specified. The card instructed us to call Dining reservations to make our Pinnacle reservation, so we were able to reserve it when we wanted.

 

 

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We had the Explore4 promotion with Pinnacle Grill Dinner on my New Year's Cruise. When we got on board there was no information about when our dinner was scheduled, so we scheduled it at our convenience, noting with the Pinnacle Grill Manager that we had a free meal as a perk. We were charged full price for the meal. It took three days and many visits to the Front Desk and Pinnacle Grill to finally get a credit for the full amount. And in the end, the thing that pushed us over the edge was the paperwork I had that indicated we got the meal as a perk of the Explore4 package.

My advice is, if you have the Explore4 package, make sure to bring a printout of the confirmation with all the perks clearly listed. And if your free Pinnacle Grill dinner is not scheduled upon embarkation, be prepared to visit the Front Desk several times to get the charges removed from your on-board account.

I do want to say the service at the Front Desk and from the Pinnacle Grill Manager was very good, polite and professional, there was just a mix up somewhere and I do not know where. It was frustrating, but it was not bad service, just an annoying accounting issue.

The PCC that we use always steers us away from the sale products that HAL is offering like Explore 4 and Ready Set Sail and usually gives us a better cabin rate than the sales rates. We lose out on the free gratuities and drink packages but we don't mind. We don't drink near enough and the cabin rate is usually much better even if we pay the hotel charge and buy a drink card that suits our needs. Am I missing something or is our PCC really giving us a better deal?

The PCC that we use always steers us away from the sale products that HAL is offering like Explore 4 and Ready Set Sail and usually gives us a better cabin rate than the sales rates. We lose out on the free gratuities and drink packages but we don't mind. We don't drink near enough and the cabin rate is usually much better even if we pay the hotel charge and buy a drink card that suits our needs. Am I missing something or is our PCC really giving us a better deal?

I find you have to do the math. This past weekend, I modified our August 2019 booking. We have a VF cabin and an SB. The VF pricing worked out better as an Advantage, Cruise only fare. The Ready Set Sale was higher by about $200, even when you figured in the paid gratuities.

Our SB was a different story. I came out about $150 ahead with a he Ready Set Sale.

So, I think you need to get your quote, add or subtract the cost of the perks, depending on the circumstances and arrive st your decision from there.

Thanks for the historical info on Explore 4. Seems I'd be better off doing Ready, Set Sail thru the big box store.

I find you have to do the math. This past weekend, I modified our August 2019 booking. We have a VF cabin and an SB. The VF pricing worked out better as an Advantage, Cruise only fare. The Ready Set Sale was higher by about $200, even when you figured in the paid gratuities.

 

Our SB was a different story. I came out about $150 ahead with a he Ready Set Sale.

 

So, I think you need to get your quote, add or subtract the cost of the perks, depending on the circumstances and arrive st your decision from there.

Great advice. I have found that some promotions like Ready Set Sail are the better deal for us, but Explore4 is not (as we are not big drinkers). Like many things involving travel, you really have to do your homework on this and weigh the options that work best for you.

The PCC that we use always steers us away from the sale products that HAL is offering like Explore 4 and Ready Set Sail and usually gives us a better cabin rate than the sales rates. We lose out on the free gratuities and drink packages but we don't mind. We don't drink near enough and the cabin rate is usually much better even if we pay the hotel charge and buy a drink card that suits our needs. Am I missing something or is our PCC really giving us a better deal?

For you, the PCC is giving you a better deal.

Every promotion has two prices - one with the promo and one without. The differential is the value that is important to you. We never take Explore4 as we rarely consume alcohol. Free gratuities is a good value for us as we are Canadian and the exchange significantly increases the gratuity cost for us. So while Ready Set Sail didn't lower the booking cost of our cruise, adding the Free Gratuities was a nice addition and does lower our overall cost.

Great advice. I have found that some promotions like Ready Set Sail are the better deal for us, but Explore4 is not (as we are not big drinkers). Like many things involving travel, you really have to do your homework on this and weigh the options that work best for you.

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We have found that the Explore 4 is the better deal for us and since we already get a great casino rate on our cabins anyway, it makes sense for us to get the extra benefits for the things we use, the drink package and the Pinnacle Grill. But I keep a spreadsheet with the base cabin rate, the “value” of the drink package, and the “value” of the Pinnacle, and periodically check the cabin pricing just to be sure that we are getting the best deal on the total value of the cruise. So far, we’ve always done better with the Explore 4 over any other promo. So it’s nice that HAL offers different promos throughout the year that fit the different priorities of their passengers! [emoji483]

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The PCC that we use always steers us away from the sale products that HAL is offering like Explore 4 and Ready Set Sail and usually gives us a better cabin rate than the sales rates. We lose out on the free gratuities and drink packages but we don't mind. We don't drink near enough and the cabin rate is usually much better even if we pay the hotel charge and buy a drink card that suits our needs. Am I missing something or is our PCC really giving us a better deal?

You must be charming your PCC.:):):) I have never gotten anything but the list price from a HAL PCC. OTOH, it could be that is because I never use one. Whatever it is, I'm doing something wrong.

We had the Explore4 promotion with Pinnacle Grill Dinner on my New Year's Cruise. When we got on board there was no information about when our dinner was scheduled, so we scheduled it at our convenience, noting with the Pinnacle Grill Manager that we had a free meal as a perk. We were charged full price for the meal. It took three days and many visits to the Front Desk and Pinnacle Grill to finally get a credit for the full amount. And in the end, the thing that pushed us over the edge was the paperwork I had that indicated we got the meal as a perk of the Explore4 package.

 

My advice is, if you have the Explore4 package, make sure to bring a printout of the confirmation with all the perks clearly listed. And if your free Pinnacle Grill dinner is not scheduled upon embarkation, be prepared to visit the Front Desk several times to get the charges removed from your on-board account.

 

I do want to say the service at the Front Desk and from the Pinnacle Grill Manager was very good, polite and professional, there was just a mix up somewhere and I do not know where. It was frustrating, but it was not bad service, just an annoying accounting issue.

I paid for and reserved PG one cruise; no Explore 4 or such involved. We had the confirmation. Got to the PG and they had no reservation. Nothing. They found us a table outside the regular dining area, and still charged us both. It also took quite a bit of having to prove we’d paid and had a reservation.

Take paperwork, folks

The PCC that we use always steers us away from the sale products that HAL is offering like Explore 4 and Ready Set Sail and usually gives us a better cabin rate than the sales rates. We lose out on the free gratuities and drink packages but we don't mind. We don't drink near enough and the cabin rate is usually much better even if we pay the hotel charge and buy a drink card that suits our needs. Am I missing something or is our PCC really giving us a better deal?

On my land & sea last year I opted into it. The price was exactly the same with or without. I got free drinks, paid gratuities, an internet package and pinnacle grill dinner. This year I added the current special, got the freebies, and the cost went down quite a bit.

Can the OBC be used for gratuities?