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

[freestyling]

Should not be any problems BUT of course bring all paperwork with you that show explore4 and OBC

[Marbella]

Of course!! I'm the queen of paperwork! LOL!

[Molson99]

We loved having the explore 4 on our last cruise, but this time it was about $500 pp more! Way, way too much! It was just nice not to worry about racking up a big bar bill. But not worth it for us this time around. Bummer. The last 2 'sales' I've seen ( anniversary and explore 4) just have not been sales at all when you added them up.

[DaveOKC]

We loved having the explore 4 on our last cruise, but this time it was about $500 pp more! Way, way too much! It was just nice not to worry about racking up a big bar bill. But not worth it for us this time around. Bummer. The last 2 'sales' I've seen ( anniversary and explore 4) just have not been sales at all when you added them up.

 

It just depends. I got the Anniversary sale added to our cruise without the fare going up and it was worth about $600 per person. On the other hand, the Explore4 was worth less to us than the fare increase, so we passed on it.

 

Everyone need to keep and open mind on these promotions and evaluate them for themselves.

[Molson99]

I think it depends on the cruise and how well it is selling. Didn't realize you could also add a "sale" to a previously booked cruise

[sambamama]

I figure with being able to get bottled water, soda, and non-alcoholic drinks as well as regular ones, at $15 a day in the South Pacific where it was going to be really hard to buy stuff ashore and bring it back, it was worth every penny! And how many times will I be sailing to the South Pacific? I don't think too many unless meeting a millionaire is in my future!

[blizzardboy]

We loved having the explore 4 on our last cruise, but this time it was about $500 pp more! Way, way too much! It was just nice not to worry about racking up a big bar bill. But not worth it for us this time around. Bummer. The last 2 'sales' I've seen ( anniversary and explore 4) just have not been sales at all when you added them up.

 

I am a regular at the blackjack tables. I get a casino deal, which is HAL's base fare (net of all promos) and an additional discount off the base fare from the casino. This means we pay for our drinks, except what I'm comped in the casino, as well as the other items included in whatever promo offered at the time of our booking. I have yet to spend what HAL values their promos to be. As other CC posters have said, there are instances when HAL is trying to sell cruises in a particular market, or sell a particular class of cabins, where it is indeed a good deal. Suites often sell out, so Explore 4 hasn't proved to be a deal for us on the cruises we've booked (my PCC gives me the breakdown with and without), even without considering the casino discount. It may seem better, or less painful, when you get your end-of-cruise bill, to have the promo w/bev pkg paid for in advance, but at the end of the cruise, we've spent quite a bit less in total than we would have with the promotion included in the fare.

Edited July 26, 2016 by blizzardboy

[papaflamingo]

We loved having the explore 4 on our last cruise, but this time it was about $500 pp more! Way, way too much! It was just nice not to worry about racking up a big bar bill. But not worth it for us this time around. Bummer. The last 2 'sales' I've seen ( anniversary and explore 4) just have not been sales at all when you added them up.

 

I'm new to HAL. We just changed to the Explore 4. It was $300 per person, but being in a Vista Suite it includes Tips. So, $200 Internet credit plus tips, plus $58 for Specialty Dining, makes the total addition for the Drink Package only $147 for 2. Seems like a no brainer. Pretty happy to have it, especially since it include water and coffee.

One question though. How big are the water bottles?

[Alberta Quilter]

I'm new to HAL. We just changed to the Explore 4. It was $300 per person, but being in a Vista Suite it includes Tips. So, $200 Internet credit plus tips, plus $58 for Specialty Dining, makes the total addition for the Drink Package only $147 for 2. Seems like a no brainer. Pretty happy to have it, especially since it include water and coffee.

One question though. How big are the water bottles?

 

I believe you can get any size bottle of water as long as it's under the $8.00 limit. Bottle sizes range from 500 ml to 1.5 litres.

Edited July 26, 2016 by Alberta Quilter

[Alberta Quilter]

Can you use the Explorer 4 beverage card for Happy Hour?

 

I realize your question has been answered but wanted to point out to you and others that you probably won't want to go to a bar offering Happy Hour if you have the SBP. It's very busy in those bars that offer Happy Hour and not everyone on the ship will have the SBP. Since you have the package, go to another bar that doesn't offer Happy Hour; you'll get much faster service there.

[dakrewser]

I realize your question has been answered but wanted to point out to you and others that you probably won't want to go to a bar offering Happy Hour if you have the SBP. It's very busy in those bars that offer Happy Hour and not everyone on the ship will have the SBP. Since you have the package, go to another bar that doesn't offer Happy Hour; you'll get much faster service there.

 

Choosing a watering hole isn't always (or even mostly) about "fast service". Ambience and good company play a much bigger role, at least for me.

Edited July 26, 2016 by dakrewser

[Alberta Quilter]

Choosing a watering hole isn't always (or even mostly) about "fast service". Ambience and good company play a much bigger role, at least for me.

 

That's true. But I was wanting others to know that it can take an awful long time to get service during Happy Hour. I realize some wait staff start accepting orders prior to the hour starting but I have experienced long waits to even order and between orders. When I had the SBP, I avoided HH to allow those who do not have the package to get their discounted beverages. I would just go to my preferred bar (the Ocean Bar) during non Happy Hour times.

[blizzardboy]

I'm new to HAL. We just changed to the Explore 4. It was $300 per person, but being in a Vista Suite it includes Tips. So, $200 Internet credit plus tips, plus $58 for Specialty Dining, makes the total addition for the Drink Package only $147 for 2. Seems like a no brainer. Pretty happy to have it, especially since it include water and coffee.

One question though. How big are the water bottles?

 

Your deal is a no-brainer deluxe. Glad you got one of the good deals I alluded to in my earlier post.

[JPH814]

We are in a category SB (suite) booked for months. I had our agent re-price it under the recent Explore 4 Promotion. It costs an additional $730 for our cabin. In return, we get Gratuities pre-paid, Pinnacle Grille Dinner for 2 and a $200 internet card. I figured those three are worth about $460. So that means we need to drink at least $270 worth between us to make it worthwhile - three drinks per day per person. We will do three glasses of wine at dinner alone.

 

No brainer for a 7 day cruise.

[freestyling]

Everyone "values" things differently. We do not place any value on the $200 internet credit. Perhaps if we weren't retired it may matter but we just don't "hook-up" when on the cruise ship. We found the connection service was so spotty that we just wait till we get on shore.

[HollDoll]

Well, we were beyond lucky. Ours only went up $100 each....and being in a suite it pays gratuities. We are ahead with that alone! Adding in everything else....I just said wow! We will have to figure out how to spend our OBC!

[msmayor]

Well, we were beyond lucky. Ours only went up $100 each....and being in a suite it pays gratuities. We are ahead with that alone! Adding in everything else....I just said wow! We will have to figure out how to spend our OBC!

 

Our situation was very similar...already booked in a Signature Suite, our rate went up $80pp to get Explore4. When I think of the value we've gained, my 'fare' actually went down.

 

On our itinerary right now, the price between a verandah and signature suite is only $200 to begin with. With it being a 10-night cruise and gratuities included for the suite level, I don't know why anyone would choose a verandah at this point. The gratuity value is $270 for two people...$200 increase in fare to get $270 in gratuities...AND twice the space.

[DaveOKC]

Our situation was very similar...already booked in a Signature Suite, our rate went up $80pp to get Explore4. When I think of the value we've gained, my 'fare' actually went down.

 

On our itinerary right now, the price between a verandah and signature suite is only $200 to begin with. With it being a 10-night cruise and gratuities included for the suite level, I don't know why anyone would choose a verandah at this point. The gratuity value is $270 for two people...$200 increase in fare to get $270 in gratuities...AND twice the space.

 

My friend is on your cruise and got the same deal - with the casino credit, so that is why he said he got it so cheap. As you mentioned, no reason not to take the Signature Suite.

[HollDoll]

What cruise is it?

[msmayor]

My friend is on your cruise and got the same deal - with the casino credit, so that is why he said he got it so cheap. As you mentioned, no reason not to take the Signature Suite.

 

We are on a casino rate as well. Never thought I'd be able to afford a suite, but that rate plus the Explore 4 perks are making it possible.

 

What cruise is it?

 

Zuiderdam, March 19 2017 departure.

[NW SOUTHERNBELLE]

So.. you had a lot of little ~ $1 to $1.20 charges on your final bill? It should be easy to flag them and contact HAL's customer service to have them refunded.

 

 

Yes (that is correct) a lot of little service charges on our account from the beverage package. Our beverage package was from an explorer 4 that was offered almost a year prior to our cruise and our drink cost limit was $7.50 or under. We realized the charges to our account on the second day and kind of took the fun out of trying to go for 15 drinks a day because those charges add up quickly over a week. [emoji15]

[blizzardboy]

Yes (that is correct) a lot of little service charges on our account from the beverage package. Our beverage package was from an explorer 4 that was offered almost a year prior to our cruise and our drink cost limit was $7.50 or under. We realized the charges to our account on the second day and kind of took the fun out of trying to go for 15 drinks a day because those charges add up quickly over a week. [emoji15]

of the dreaded "Value added tax" in Europe

 

Sounds like you experienced the "value added" tax in Europe. 20% tax on about anything purchased, including each drink, which HAL doesn't include as it's not their responsibility.

[blizzardboy]

of the dreaded "Value added tax" in Europe

 

Sounds like you experienced the "value added" tax in Europe. 20% tax on about anything purchased, including each drink, which HAL doesn't include as it's not their responsibility.

 

I messed this post up pretty bad.

I am by no means an expert on the "value added" tax, but it has to do with where your cruise originates from and what ports are visited. It is not HAL's responsibility to pay, rather the individual consumer. It's surprising to me that there's not more publicity on this.

[pdw26]

Recently someone on this board made a suggestion to avoid a situation where your promo reservation doesn't suit your needs and the restaurant cannot 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.

 

 

Did this on recent Alaska cruise. If you like oriental food Pre book the Tamarind restaurant, miles better than Pinnacle or Canaletto (IMO). Of course if you can't go a week without steak and or lobster then Pinnacle is for you. They booked our Pinnacle at the same time as our pre booked Tamarind - systems not that clever! Good news is if your rebook is simple, just phone from your room no need to go to the restaurant.

[DSLibrarian]

Yes (that is correct) a lot of little service charges on our account from the beverage package. Our beverage package was from an explorer 4 that was offered almost a year prior to our cruise and our drink cost limit was $7.50 or under. We realized the charges to our account on the second day and kind of took the fun out of trying to go for 15 drinks a day because those charges add up quickly over a week. [emoji15]

 

That still seems really odd to me. We are recently off 12 days on the Zuidersdam (Fjords & Highlands out of Copenhagen) and had the Explore4 package that was added last year, too. We had no little service charges added for any beverages we purchased. I'd call HAL and inquire. They are usually responsive. (I had to call them last week for a refund myself. We are 4* so receive a 50% discount of Pinnacle Grill dinners. We had prepaid for 3 dinners - including Le Cirque - but never saw the refund on our bill. A call to HAL got that refunded to our credit card.)