New Explore4 Package

When we booked a Neptune Suite in April/16 for Feb/17, I was informed by HAL that I would receive the Explore 4 package when it came out. However, when the new Explore4 was recently announced, HAL informed me that we would have to pay an extra $780 in order to receive the Signature Beverage Package as well as the other amenities that come along with it. This added cost is worth more than the package itself. Ridiculous. Obviously the Explore4 is a cash-cow for HAL...

This is pretty normal not just for HAL but all the cruise lines. If you have a previously booked cruise and later want to add a new promotion, you're effectively cancelling and rebooking. And, the rebooking is at the current fare which may be (usually is) higher than the fare you booked originally without the promotion(s) attached. I've never been able to do this without the new fare being higher but it never hurts to ask.

As mentioned, the deal is you can keep your old price and promotions deal OR take the new price/promotions one (assuming you are before final payment). Standard practice.

Now, what you need to be aware of is that the price changes for adding Explore4 vary considerably by cruise. Of course this varies by length of cruise, but more significantly it varies by how well the cruise is selling. Not surprisingly, if your cruise is selling well, you will pretty much pay full price (around $40-50 per day) to add Explore4 (to some people this is worth it, to others it is not) HOWEVER, if your cruise is not selling well, you may pay just a few days more to add it. Simple example of supply and demand.

I recommend to people to also look at other cruises near their sale date to see if they can get a better overall deal given this new package (Explore4). My friend just did this and by sailing 3 days earlier he was able to get a less expensive cruise, add the Explore4 package and get a much nicer cabin.

When we booked a Neptune Suite in April/16 for Feb/17, I was informed by HAL that I would receive the Explore 4 package when it came out. However, when the new Explore4 was recently announced, HAL informed me that we would have to pay an extra $780 in order to receive the Signature Beverage Package as well as the other amenities that come along with it. This added cost is worth more than the package itself. Ridiculous. Obviously the Explore4 is a cash-cow for HAL...

We booked a PC next April under the Anniversary Sale and looking at the Explore 4 for the same cruise and when you factor in the rate increase pp of $900 our original booking is the best deal! That's how they play the game so you need to evaluate all factors b4 changing.

Good luck

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Thx for the replies Joe & Dave. Good points. However my main objection is that HAL (and other cruise lines) tout these promotions as being "free", when in fact they are usually built into the cabin price. IMO, this is false adverting...

BTW, good recommendation, Dave.

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Thx for the replies Joe & Dave. Good points. However my main objection is that HAL (and other cruise lines) tout these promotions as being "free", when in fact they are usually built into the cabin price. IMO, this is false adverting...

BTW, good recommendation, Dave.

 

 

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I had the promotion added and it did not change my price at all. So in my case it worked out fantastically. I know I am one of the lucky ones.

I'm looking at an 11 day cruise for this coming January.

On the HAL website, Explore 4 is offered when I am not signed in with my Mariner number. Once I sign in, Explore 4 disappears, and the price drops to a 'Private Sale' which is $900 less pp. I think anyone with a HAL PCC get this offer.

So, I have to decide if Explore 4 is worth $900 pp or not. It's a for a signature suite, so the total benefits are the Signature Beverage Package, Dinner at Pinnacle Grill, 200 Minutes Internet, and Pre-Paid Gratuities. There's also $200 obc, but I get that as well with the 'Private Sale'.

Additionally, I noticed that to get the lower price I would have to book a guarantee. If I book with Explore 4, I can pick the cabin.

Fellow CCers, what would you do?

I'm looking at an 11 day cruise for this coming January.

 

On the HAL website, Explore 4 is offered when I am not signed in with my Mariner number. Once I sign in, Explore 4 disappears, and the price drops to a 'Private Sale' which is $900 less pp. I think anyone with a HAL PCC get this offer.

 

So, I have to decide if Explore 4 is worth $900 pp or not. It's a for a signature suite, so the total benefits are the Signature Beverage Package, Dinner at Pinnacle Grill, 200 Minutes Internet, and Pre-Paid Gratuities. There's also $200 obc, but I get that as well with the 'Private Sale'.

 

Additionally, I noticed that to get the lower price I would have to book a guarantee. If I book with Explore 4, I can pick the cabin.

 

Fellow CCers, what would you do?

That doesn't happen with me. However, I did just book a cruise with a PCC. I was offered two rates. One with $xplore 4 and one without (Advantage Rates, I think). $xplore 4 was $400 PP more for a seven day cruise.

Internet minutes are worthless to me.

We rarely spend more then $300 total for beverages for a seven day cruise.

The gratuities would have been about $190 for the cruise.

Two dinners would have been about $60.

We passed and booked without $xplore 4.

Any one can ask for the Advantage Rate.

If you book with a TA does it show on your booking through the HAL website that you have the explore4? If so, where? I can't seem to find it. The only place it shows is my invoice from the TA.

If you book with a TA does it show on your booking through the HAL website that you have the explore4? If so, where? I can't seem to find it. The only place it shows is my invoice from the TA.

Don't believe it shows on the HAL, it just shows your booking. My Anniversary Special shows on my TA information!

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I'm looking at an 11 day cruise for this coming January.

 

On the HAL website, Explore 4 is offered when I am not signed in with my Mariner number. Once I sign in, Explore 4 disappears, and the price drops to a 'Private Sale' which is $900 less pp. I think anyone with a HAL PCC get this offer.

 

So, I have to decide if Explore 4 is worth $900 pp or not. It's a for a signature suite, so the total benefits are the Signature Beverage Package, Dinner at Pinnacle Grill, 200 Minutes Internet, and Pre-Paid Gratuities. There's also $200 obc, but I get that as well with the 'Private Sale'.

 

Additionally, I noticed that to get the lower price I would have to book a guarantee. If I book with Explore 4, I can pick the cabin.

 

Fellow CCers, what would you do?

I just tried it to test my results but the fare is the same for me; signed in or not

We were lucky last year. When the Explore 4 was offered, our fare for a Neptune suite remained exactly the same. So the package was just added to our booking.

It was a better offer then than now in one aspect: it offered $300 OBC as opposed to the current offer of $200 Internet credit and paid gratuities. The current package may sound better to some, but a $200 credit for rubbish Internet service does not impress me.

When we booked a Neptune Suite in April/16 for Feb/17, I was informed by HAL that I would receive the Explore 4 package when it came out. However, when the new Explore4 was recently announced, HAL informed me that we would have to pay an extra $780 in order to receive the Signature Beverage Package as well as the other amenities that come along with it. This added cost is worth more than the package itself. Ridiculous. Obviously the Explore4 is a cash-cow for HAL...

This is the first time I've heard of HAL promising inclusion of a future promo. As others have said, adding it or any promo is usually done at the fare offered at that time.

I'm looking at an 11 day cruise for this coming January.

 

On the HAL website, Explore 4 is offered when I am not signed in with my Mariner number. Once I sign in, Explore 4 disappears, and the price drops to a 'Private Sale' which is $900 less pp. I think anyone with a HAL PCC get this offer.

 

So, I have to decide if Explore 4 is worth $900 pp or not. It's a for a signature suite, so the total benefits are the Signature Beverage Package, Dinner at Pinnacle Grill, 200 Minutes Internet, and Pre-Paid Gratuities. There's also $200 obc, but I get that as well with the 'Private Sale'.

 

Additionally, I noticed that to get the lower price I would have to book a guarantee. If I book with Explore 4, I can pick the cabin.

 

Fellow CCers, what would you do?

The big "value" in the Ex4 is the beverage package. Deduct the grats and the Pinnacle (and the internet if that matters to you), and look at the amount of money that's left. Would you spend that on drinks over the course of your cruise? Our main alcohol consumption is bottles of wine with dinner, not covered on the bev package. We don't drink specialty coffee, and there's only so much bottled water one can need. So I'd say no.

We booked our fall cruise through our TA. She checked prices and saw that the Mariner price without a promo was $100 pp less than the same cabin with the Anniversary promo. We took the promo. I like that the Anniv promo has beverage cards that we can use for wine, rather than the beverage package, which is not worth it to us.

I don't like guarantees because I want to know what cabin I'm getting. But are there any bad sig suites on your ship?

I'm looking at an 11 day cruise for this coming January.

 

On the HAL website, Explore 4 is offered when I am not signed in with my Mariner number. Once I sign in, Explore 4 disappears, and the price drops to a 'Private Sale' which is $900 less pp. I think anyone with a HAL PCC get this offer.

 

So, I have to decide if Explore 4 is worth $900 pp or not. It's a for a signature suite, so the total benefits are the Signature Beverage Package, Dinner at Pinnacle Grill, 200 Minutes Internet, and Pre-Paid Gratuities. There's also $200 obc, but I get that as well with the 'Private Sale'.

 

Additionally, I noticed that to get the lower price I would have to book a guarantee. If I book with Explore 4, I can pick the cabin.

 

Fellow CCers, what would you do?

The value of the Beverage Package varies by person, so it is difficult for anyone to judge this for you. My friend thinks it is worth $50 per day to him, while to me it is only $30. Even at $50, thats $550 for 11 days (and I think this is high due to embarkation day and port days). Gratuities would be $13.50 x 11 or $148.5. Dinner at Pinnacle is $29. Plus internet at $200 (not worth that much to me personally) adds to just over the $900, so pretty much a "wash", and for me it would be about $200 lower. So, I would take the lower price deal.

Now, the issue of the signature suite guarantee is another consideration. With a guarantee you could end up with a less desirable location (I do not like to be under the pool area for example) or a handicap cabin. Each person places a different value ($) on picking their location, so its up to you (again) to decide what its worth.

Are you certain there are no options to pay a bit more and get to chose your cabin? Usually HAL allows this.

There is no easy answer to your question, so "good luck" with it!

I just re booked a 25 day cruise to include Explorer 4. Raised my price $800. I am currently booked on a 27 day cruise. I can re book and save $1200, but loose the Explorer 4. My wife and I feel that we do not have to drink it all to make it worth while. To us it adds a sense of relaxation to have Explorer 4. You want a drink , you order it. You don't think about the bill when you leave or the piling on of gratuites. It's paid for when I get on the ship.

Without Explorer 4 we would never have an after dinner drink. Probably wouldn't order a glass of wine with dinner and never a second. Never a bottle of water with breakfast or special coffees after. I might have a beer with lunch ocasionaly, but never a second while reading a book.

Luckily we all get to make these choices.

I just re booked a 25 day cruise to include Explorer 4. Raised my price $800. I am currently booked on a 27 day cruise. I can re book and save $1200, but loose the Explorer 4. My wife and I feel that we do not have to drink it all to make it worth while. To us it adds a sense of relaxation to have Explorer 4. You want a drink , you order it. You don't think about the bill when you leave or the piling on of gratuites. It's paid for when I get on the ship.

 

Without Explorer 4 we would never have an after dinner drink. Probably wouldn't order a glass of wine with dinner and never a second. Never a bottle of water with breakfast or special coffees after. I might have a beer with lunch ocasionaly, but never a second while reading a book.

 

Luckily we all get to make these choices.

Your examples are no-brainers IMO. We've usually been talking $1400 or more for two for 14 days. I'd rather go ala carte and tap the Mariner spending bonus when looking at that much up front.

I love that comment about it just making things easy and no worry about getting a drink or the bill at the end. That is a great way to look at the program.

Without it we would have bought bottles of wine for dinner. Now we will just order by the glass.

My OBC from the travel agent is about $800. Now with gratuities covered and no on board alcohol bill we will take that home on our credit card. A nice feeling. I do have a HAL onboard credit to use for the spa, and will request they draw from their credit first.

If you book with a TA does it show on your booking through the HAL website that you have the explore4? If so, where? I can't seem to find it. The only place it shows is my invoice from the TA.

We are booked on this cruise next year also, with out the explore4 package, we don't drink that much or use internet so it's not worth it to us. We have started a roll call, looking forward to meeting you.

The sisters

I love that comment about it just making things easy and no worry about getting a drink or the bill at the end. That is a great way to look at the program.

 

Without it we would have bought bottles of wine for dinner. Now we will just order by the glass.

 

My OBC from the travel agent is about $800. Now with gratuities covered and no on board alcohol bill we will take that home on our credit card. A nice feeling. I do have a HAL onboard credit to use for the spa, and will request they draw from their credit first.

I've been told that HAL uses their OBC first without prompting.

We are booked on this cruise next year also, with out the explore4 package, we don't drink that much or use internet so it's not worth it to us. We have started a roll call, looking forward to meeting you.

The sisters

(Duplicate post - deleted).

I applied my Future Cruise credit on the cruise today, and opted for the Mariner fare instead of the Explore 4 fare. The lower price and included obc was more of a value than all the perks of Explore 4.

Thank you all for your comments. Looking forward to January now!

I love that comment about it just making things easy and no worry about getting a drink or the bill at the end. That is a great way to look at the program.

 

Without it we would have bought bottles of wine for dinner. Now we will just order by the glass.

 

My OBC from the travel agent is about $800. Now with gratuities covered and no on board alcohol bill we will take that home on our credit card. A nice feeling. I do have a HAL onboard credit to use for the spa, and will request they draw from their credit first.

Does this mean they refund the OBC if you don't use it all?

Does this mean they refund the OBC if you don't use it all?

If it is a SBC from the travel agent, yes. SBC from HAL is not refunded.

I love that comment about it just making things easy and no worry about getting a drink or the bill at the end. That is a great way to look at the program.

 

Without it we would have bought bottles of wine for dinner. Now we will just order by the glass.

 

My OBC from the travel agent is about $800. Now with gratuities covered and no on board alcohol bill we will take that home on our credit card. A nice feeling. I do have a HAL onboard credit to use for the spa, and will request they draw from their credit first.

If they raise the price of the cruise to cover the $xplore Four, aren't you just prepaying the refund on the credit card? Almost like buying yourself OBC to get a refund on your credit card?