Thoughts on the Next Promotion?

My husband and I are coveting a HAL cruise in Europe in May 2018 but we are serious bargain hunters unfamiliar with HAL promotions. Explore 4 did not offer us a good value - not knocking it, it just didn't make economic sense for us. Explore 4 is scheduled to expire in about a month. I was impressed that so many of you correctly predicted that promotion weeks ahead of its arrival, I was hoping some of you might be as prescient about the next HAL promotion.

We are subscribing to a "price drop" service and I check each week for the top ten list. But it would be nice to know what we might expect next.

Thank you

I watch all the cruise lines I'm interested in, and I've only booked 2 HAL cruises. I check prices as often as daily for a booked cruise, and at least once a week if I'm shopping a cruise. I find the price alert services to be spotty at best.

I go to each cruise line's web site to check the latest promos on their home pages, then go to Costco Travel online to get the "real" price. Costco usually has a lower price, honors all the promos and deals the cruise lines have, and gives additional obc or a Costco cash card. I've booked with them for my last 4-5 cruises, and I have 3 booked now.

If you are looking for a great Med cruise I suggest you also keep an eye on NCL. They have a promo every so often with a choice of perks: specialty dining, internet, shore excursions, drinks package. I sailed with them for an 11 night Med cruise this past April, and it was an incredible price. The total for two people, including 5 nights specialty restaurant and a $200 shore excursion credit for 11 nights was $2,366 in a mid-ship ocean view cabin.

I'm not trying to push NCL, but I find HAL to be more expensive in general. We have one booked now for 14 nights in the Caribbean that is lower priced that the competition, and our other cruise beat RCCL by $400 with 2 additional nights. So, they can be lower. Just look at other lines for the same itinerary.