Explore 4 question (All Explore 4 threads have been merged into this thread)

[madera1]

On our Westerdam cruise that ended the beginning of this month, we also got doubles. Further, my husband could take my card and order my drink too. This was a change from our first experience with explore 4 .

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[msmayor]

Hoping others who have had the Explore4 complimentary dinners can help.

 

I believe I read that with the included dinners at Pinnacle and Canaletto, a reservation will be made for us prior to boarding and we will find out our assigned time once on board.

 

Is there any way to know before embarkation, or perhaps reserve ahead and then 'use' that reservation for the free dinner? (I realize that would mean paying in advance, but hoping then to get a credit back to our on-board account).

 

I ask because I'd rather plan myself when to have these dinners, and not have to wait until we're on board to make a change. Time slots will be precious with this package...

 

Thanks in advance for any information.

[Chocolate Rose]

I went ahead and added the Explore4 to our existing cruise. But, I can't find any info on how many minutes is equal to the "$200 internet". Does anyone know?

[midwest 852]

The terms and conditions of the Explore 4 package state you can only order one drink at a time and no sharing. What ship were you on that allowed you to order 3 drinks at once and also order for your room partner? Was this just a friendly bar-tender or was this a change in the conditions? Were you given anything in writing regarding the change?

 

I will be on the Maasdam soon with Explore 4 and would love to be able to order 2 or 3 drinks at once.:cool:

 

We were on the Maasdam in June. I would take both of our cards and get 4 drinks at a time never a problem or room charge. Dont know if it matters I never got 4 alcohol beverages at once.

[mllewis48]

I went ahead and added the Explore4 to our existing cruise. But, I can't find any info on how many minutes is equal to the "$200 internet". Does anyone know?

 

 

 

Is it $200 or 200 minutes? I don't think there is a $200 plan?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mllewis48]

Hoping others who have had the Explore4 complimentary dinners can help.

 

 

 

I believe I read that with the included dinners at Pinnacle and Canaletto, a reservation will be made for us prior to boarding and we will find out our assigned time once on board.

 

 

 

Is there any way to know before embarkation, or perhaps reserve ahead and then 'use' that reservation for the free dinner? (I realize that would mean paying in advance, but hoping then to get a credit back to our on-board account).

 

 

 

I ask because I'd rather plan myself when to have these dinners, and not have to wait until we're on board to make a change. Time slots will be precious with this package...

 

 

 

Thanks in advance for any information.

 

 

 

They are normally booked for you and can't be changed until you board but do it quickly because as you mentioned with many booking under the Explore4 package it may be tight.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HollDoll]

My HAL receipt says "$200 internet promo".

[mllewis48]

My HAL receipt says "$200 internet promo".

 

 

 

I think the plans they have that I have used is $55 for 100 minutes and $100 for $250 minutes, etc. so they must be creating something for E4. $200 plan may be 500 minutes but that's a lot for a short cruise so I'm not certain, sorry.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jimd909]

Maybe it's a $200 credit toward whatever plan you want.

[Riversedge]

There is another thread out there that claims the "new" Explorer 4 has free non alcoholics that do not count against your 15.

 

Is this new? This was the case on our Nieuw Amsterdam cruise last March. We did have to show a card for each alcoholic drink ordered. Could not order more than one at a time unless we had more than one card. The Dining room wine steward got it mixed up once and charged 2 wines to one card. Had a devil of a time getting it straightened out at front desk. Had to go desk three different days.

[crazytomatoes]

We are traveling with people in 2 other rooms. Our reservations are linked for dinning and I am wondering if this will also be the case for the assigned dinner at the pinnacle grill which we will find out about once on board. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[joepeka]

Recently someone on this board made a suggestion (which I suppose would apply to both restaurants and the Xplore4 promo) to avoid a situation where your promo reservation doesn't suit your needs and the restaurant cannot (will not) reschedule: Book and pay for a reservation with the restaurant online prior to the cruise during a time that suits your plans. Then once you board the ship, if the pre-assigned day and time does not fit your needs, then go to the restaurant on the first day and if they won't reschedule to a time you prefer, cancel your pre-purchased reservation (with a resulting refund) and move your pre-assigned (free promotional) reservation to that cancelled time slot. On the other hand, if the pre-assigned time does suit your needs, just cancel the one you booked online (for a refund).

 

It seems like kind of an underhanded way to handle it but since there have been many reports of Xplore4 folks being forced into slots that simply are not acceptable (with little or no chance to change it), this is a workaround.

Edited July 24, 2016 by joepeka

[Chocolate Rose]

Is it $200 or 200 minutes? I don't think there is a $200 plan?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

It's "$200 internet credit". I'm not sure what that converts to.

[Chocolate Rose]

My HAL receipt says "$200 internet promo".

 

That's a bit different than my confirmation:

 

Member Benefits and Added Values:

• Signature Beverage Package for two - Additional Details

• One Pinnacle Grill dinner for two

• A $200 internet credit

• complimentary Hotel Service charges.

 

I wonder if we have to buy internet time and then apply the $200 to it?

[Chocolate Rose]

Maybe it's a $200 credit toward whatever plan you want.

 

That's what I'm wondering, too. Where are the plans listed?

[sofietucker]

Recently someone on this board made a suggestion (which I suppose would apply to both restaurants and the Xplore4 promo) to avoid a situation where your promo reservation doesn't suit your needs and the restaurant cannot (will not) reschedule: Book and pay for a reservation with the restaurant online prior to the cruise during a time that suits your plans. Then once you board the ship, if the pre-assigned day and time does not fit your needs, then go to the restaurant on the first day and if they won't reschedule to a time you prefer, cancel your pre-purchased reservation (with a resulting refund) and move your pre-assigned (free promotional) reservation to that cancelled time slot. On the other hand, if the pre-assigned time does suit your needs, just cancel the one you booked online (for a refund).

 

It seems like kind of an underhanded way to handle it but since there have been many reports of Xplore4 folks being forced into slots that simply are not acceptable (with little or no chance to change it), this is a workaround.

 

We do this regularly & certainly see nothing underhanded about it. The ship schedules those reservations according to when they expect fewer reservations--that is, for THEIR convenience, not the paying passengers' needs

--& tries to fill the restaurants.

We always seem to have complimentary dinners at PG and Canaletto. Yes, we get to our stateroom & they've booked us randomly. Knowing that, we make our (additional) preferred date/time reservations in advance. So depending on what they've assigned us, we immediately go to the maitre'd & request changes. (Cancel ours or theirs, etc.)

 

Our guidelines, since we always ask for a large table to meet other folks: no specialty reservations on the first night because we want to meet our table mates. Not on the formal nights b/c the dining room is so much fun. But we usually do the Canaletto on the last night as the MDR dinners seem to generally be lackluster that night (we DO make a point to additionally tip our MDR staff the night before last).

Edited July 24, 2016 by sofietucker

[KAE27]

We are traveling with people in 2 other rooms. Our reservations are linked for dinning and I am wondering if this will also be the case for the assigned dinner at the pinnacle grill which we will find out about once on board. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Yes, our assigned time was at the same time as that for our linked reservations on our recent Alaska cruise.

[crazytomatoes]

Good to hear, thank you

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Krazy Kruizers]

Each ship does their own thing.

You may or may not be assigned the same day and time.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I went ahead and booked the dates when we wanted to eat at the Pinnacle.

Once on the ship we saw the day and time we were assigned.

I simply asked that one of our pre-booked dinners be our free Explore4 dinners. We got shipboard credit for that free dinner.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The plans aren't listed on HAL's site as some ships still have various Internet plans while other ships have the unlimited plan.

[msmayor]

Thank you all for the responses...I will go ahead and book, then adjust if I need to. I know the onboard credit that results will get used, probably in the spa!

[freestyling]

HAL PCC explained that this was a $200 credit toward internet offerings. The packages were available to review/purchase once on-board as each ship has different offerings. Don't know if calling Guest Services would be of assistance or not.

[3rdGenCunarder]

IF they have set up the system properly, I would expect that you buy your internet minutes and then get the price credited back to you.

 

That's how it works on Cunard, where various internet packages are given as past-passenger perks. We buy the package we're entitled to and our account is charged and then immediately reimbursed.

 

Given HAL's system, I wonder if it will just become general OBC onboard. That's what happened with the OBC that was meant for tours a while back.

[Chocolate Rose]

HAL PCC explained that this was a $200 credit toward internet offerings. The packages were available to review/purchase once on-board as each ship has different offerings. Don't know if calling Guest Services would be of assistance or not.

 

Hmmm, it would definitely be helpful if they published the packages for each ship on the website.

Thank you!