Expore4 package

[Fe504]

We enjoyed the explore4 package on our Eurodam cruise last month. I was wondering what are the chances of HAL offering that again. We plan on taking another cruise next February.

[Alberta Quilter]

They've offered it twice, so far, as Explore4, over the past couple of years. I think they had another promo called Above & Beyond which featured pretty much the same perks.

 

What part of the Explore4 did you like so much? The Signature Beverage Package? Sometimes, they've offered only the SBP for free. You can also purchase that yourself, but I find that I wouldn't get my money's worth out of it.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Alberta Quilter

[Krazy Kruizers]

We noticed quite a few people using the Signature Beverage Cards on our recent cruises. I imagine that some people got them through the Explore4 program and some people bought them.

We had the cards through the Explore4 program but would never buy the cards. We don't drink enough to justify buying them. Plus we like certain bottles of wine at dinner sometimes and the cards can't be used for bottles of wine.

[57redbird]

If you don't use all the money on the beverage card, can you carry it over to your next cruise?

[Alberta Quilter]

If you don't use all the money on the beverage card, can you carry it over to your next cruise?

 

There are two types of beverages cards. The regular beverage card or soda card, that comes in increments of $50, 100 or $250, works like a gift card in that each time you use it, the balance is reduced by the cost of the drink (and gratuity). You cannot carry any unused portion of this type of beverage card to another cruise (unless you are on a collector's cruise). I believe that any unused portion will be refunded to your onboard account at the end of the cruise. In the case of the soda card, which costs $25 for $50 worth of soda, you would be refunded up to the $25 cost of the card.

 

The second type of beverage card is the Signature Beverage Package. Unless you receive it as part of a promotion by HAL, the cost is approx $51/day times the length of your cruise. With that card, you can drink up to 15 drinks/day, that cost less than $7. This is a use it or lose it type card. There is no balance to carry over.

[boating girl]

What's included in this program? I know it's the S P, a lower deposit,and Pinnacle dinner. What's the fourth?

[57redbird]

Canelletto (sp.) dinner

[57redbird]

Thanks, Alberta Quilter - we're doing the Explore4 package.

[GoHoward]

What's included in this program? I know it's the S P, a lower deposit,and Pinnacle dinner. What's the fourth?

 

The fourth offering is free or reduced fares for 3rd and 4th passengers in the same stateroom.

 

Contrary to what is noted above, the free dinner is based on stateroom type: Canaletto for inside, Pinnacle for oceanview and above. Not both.

[david,Mississauga]

The fourth offering is free or reduced fares for 3rd and 4th passengers in the same stateroom.

 

Contrary to what is noted above, the free dinner is based on stateroom type: Canaletto for inside, Pinnacle for oceanview and above. Not both.

 

We have been offered dinners in both Pinnacle and Canaletto on our Explore 4 package and also $300 OBC for booking a Neptune accommodation.

[PathfinderEss]

We enjoyed the explore4 package on our Eurodam cruise last month. I was wondering what are the chances of HAL offering that again. We plan on taking another cruise next February.

Your chance could be good, but if you have already booked your new cruise, you might have to cancel it if Hal offers the Explore 4 package again. It is usually only offered on new bookings.

[Alberta Quilter]

We have been offered dinners in both Pinnacle and Canaletto on our Explore 4 package and also $300 OBC for booking a Neptune accommodation.

 

I believe the Explore4 promo was slightly enhanced for those booking a suite, to include the second dinner and the $300 OBC. For those of us in categories other than suites, it is one dinner. Actually, I'm not sure that those booking an inside get either dinner; it might have only been for outside and verandah categories, in the last incarnation of the E4 promo. But I could be wrong about that; I don't book insides.

[Alberta Quilter]

Thanks, Alberta Quilter - we're doing the Explore4 package.

 

Awesome! Then you're sure to get your money's worth! I enjoyed it on my Alaska cruise a year ago and have it again on an upcoming cruise. To us, the value is only $20/day/person which is why I would never purchase the SBP. I'd never recover the cost of the package! And I'd give it up in a heartbeat for a good price drop.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Your chance could be good, but if you have already booked your new cruise, you might have to cancel it if Hal offers the Explore 4 package again. It is usually only offered on new bookings.

 

 

The cruises that we were presently on, we had booked in 2013. When the Explore4 promotion came out in 2014, we called our TA and asked if our cruises qualified. They both did. We were surprised. We did not have to cancel and rebook our cruises.

 

We also had paid the regular price -- no sale price. Many people are refused the Explore4 program because they booked their cruises during one of the sales.

[Krazy Kruizers]

There are two types of beverages cards. The regular beverage card or soda card, that comes in increments of $50, 100 or $250, works like a gift card in that each time you use it, the balance is reduced by the cost of the drink (and gratuity). You cannot carry any unused portion of this type of beverage card to another cruise (unless you are on a collector's cruise). I believe that any unused portion will be refunded to your onboard account at the end of the cruise. In the case of the soda card, which costs $25 for $50 worth of soda, you would be refunded up to the $25 cost of the card.

 

The second type of beverage card is the Signature Beverage Package. Unless you receive it as part of a promotion by HAL, the cost is approx $51/day times the length of your cruise. With that card, you can drink up to 15 drinks/day, that cost less than $7. This is a use it or lose it type card. There is no balance to carry over.

 

 

On our recent cruises, we bought the regular Beverage Cards for the easy use of buying bottles of wine at dinner. Unfortunately I got sick and we didn't finish the last card. The amount left on the Beverage Card was credited back to our shipboard account.

[Alberta Quilter]

On our recent cruises, we bought the regular Beverage Cards for the easy use of buying bottles of wine at dinner. Unfortunately I got sick and we didn't finish the last card. The amount left on the Beverage Card was credited back to our shipboard account.

 

Thanks for the confirmation, KK. I hope you're back to feeling well by now!

[57redbird]

Same here, david but we booked a superior suite, not a Neptune.

[Ricktan]

We booked our Med Tapestry cruise (9-13-15) when the Explore4 was offered and I thought it was a great deal....and then I found this website and read so many times about price drops and wondered if it would pay off. Well....now, if I do a mock booking for our cruise (NA) the NS & PS are faded out....we have room 7033 (does anyone know if that a good room?) I'm thinking that means the NS have been all booked?? If so, I'm sure that means no price drop and that my Explore4 was a pretty good deal. But.....is it unusual for all the NS to be gone this early? I saw a group listed on another thread......hope it's not something that will be an issue

 

All that being said.....I would like to say to THANK YOU to all of the ones that take the time to answer so many "newbie" questions. Your answers and advice is so appreciated. I hope in the next few years to have enough HA experience to answer some myself!

 

Tanya

[Jade13]

I thought HAL was going to offer it as a continuing promotion as Celebrity has done with their 123 Go promotion, but I guess not.

 

Note that Celebrity will also take the drinks package away if you want to take advantage of a price drop and the promo is not being offered.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Jade13

[david,Mississauga]

I believe the Explore4 promo was slightly enhanced for those booking a suite, to include the second dinner and the $300 OBC. For those of us in categories other than suites, it is one dinner. Actually, I'm not sure that those booking an inside get either dinner; it might have only been for outside and verandah categories, in the last incarnation of the E4 promo. But I could be wrong about that; I don't book insides.

 

I don't trust my memory, so I saved a copy of the Explore 4 offer. It is as you indicated above.

[sprockie]

I thought HAL was going to offer it as a continuing promotion as Celebrity has done with their 123 Go promotion, but I guess not.

 

Note that Celebrity will also take the drinks package away if you want to take advantage of a price drop and the promo is not being offered.

 

Too bad, because I would hazard a guess that the 123 Go promo was a big seller with Celebrity.

[Caribbean Chris]

Too bad, because I would hazard a guess that the 123 Go promo was a big seller with Celebrity.

 

I think you are right. We may be typical cases....we booked X suites for 2015 and 2016 because the 123Go offer was been very good, and for suites the rate also includes specialty restaurant dinners and the new suite passenger-only dining room (as well as the gratuities, drinks package and OBC.)

 

Comparing similar suites, for all those benefits, we are paying only about $300 per person more than if we had chosen a HAL suite for 2015. (We still can't even book HAL yet for a similar December itinerary - but were able to book X three months ago.)

 

Based on itinerary, I have my eye on a HAL cruise for 2016 but have to admit I am dragging my feet hoping for another Explore4 offer. I'm not very motivated to book it when on board HAL in April, either, because the onboard sale consultant benefits (and the loyalty benefits for 3 Star Mariners by comparison to Celebrity's Elite) are kind of minimal.

 

It sure seems like Celebrity is winning the marketing game at the moment, and capturing business well into the future that HAL hasn't even put on offer yet.

Edited March 25, 2015 by Caribbean Chris

[foodsvcmgr]

We alternate HAL, Celebrity, and Cunard and currently have advance bookings with all three.

 

As all three are more similar than different overall IMO, it becomes difficult to justify HAL without a "package" with all the perks Celebrity now includes routinely, as the base fares are not that far apart most of the time.

 

Hope to see Explore 4 return!

[galensgrl]

Same here, david but we booked a superior suite, not a Neptune.

 

We booked a Vista Suite which is a category below the Neptune Suites, and we are getting the SBP, OBC and one dinner each in Pinnacle and Canaleto. We did book very early out, before there were any fare sales or price breaks.

 

Lorie

[sprockie]

I think you are right. We may be typical cases....we booked X suites for 2015 and 2016 because the 123Go offer was been very good, and for suites the rate also includes specialty restaurant dinners and the new suite passenger-only dining room (as well as the gratuities, drinks package and OBC.)

 

Comparing similar suites, for all those benefits, we are paying only about $300 per person more than if we had chosen a HAL suite for 2015. (We still can't even book HAL yet for a similar December itinerary - but were able to book X three months ago.)

 

Based on itinerary, I have my eye on a HAL cruise for 2016 but have to admit I am dragging my feet hoping for another Explore4 offer. I'm not very motivated to book it when on board HAL in April, either, because the onboard sale consultant benefits (and the loyalty benefits for 3 Star Mariners by comparison to Celebrity's Elite) are kind of minimal.

 

It sure seems like Celebrity is winning the marketing game at the moment, and capturing business well into the future that HAL hasn't even put on offer yet.

 

Celebrity drew us in after being almost exclusively HAL customers. We got 3/4 passenger free, beverage package and and cabin upgrade. We were very pleased. I would think I am not in the minority here - I bet tons of other people are booking Celebrity for the same reasons. HAL should really step up their game to stay competitive.

I have booked a February 2016 on HAL because I LOVE the itinerary. The price is wayyyy too high for my liking, but I am hoping it will come down being so far out. We have the beverage package on this booking, but are hoping for more frequent promotions including the beverages and a price drop combination.