Existing reservations and Explore4

[Nanner]

I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread where people share just the reaction from HAL if they try to add Explore4 to an existing reservation. It seems response has varied from ready addition of the promo to reservations to the kind of response I received.

 

Please note in your reply:

 

How you made your initial booking

How you made the request to HAL to add the Explore4 promo

What the response was to your request

 

I'll start. We booked the 7/27/14 Amsterdam Alaska cruise on our April South Pacific voyage. At that time I gave our TA back in Michigan the booking to handle.

 

After noting the sailing is on the list of included cruises, today I went to the TA's office. She called HAL to see if we could add the Explore4 to the existing booking. She was told that it could be done, if we surrendered our OBC ($500) and then they would up the basic rate so we would pay $800 more for the reservation.

 

I didn't feel the change was worth $1300. We aren't likely to drink more than $500 of alcohol on a 2 week cruise, anyway.

[sail7seas]

We booked with a PCC and requested the Explore4 through that PCC.

We were refused.

[Cruising-along]

We booked with our PCC

I sent an email to her and asked about Explore4

She had it added to our reservation within just a few minutes. No extra cost to us, and we didn't lose any OBC (FCC, stockholder, and welcome back)

[lcand1923]

Booked 14 Day Alaska Cruise with HAL when the cruises were first announced, had a Welcome Home OBC and a Future Cruise Deposit Credit. Transferred booking to my Travel Agent. Sent an email to my Travel Agent asking to have Explore 4 added. Just got an email from her saying that I could keep my OBC's but would have to pay $800 more for the cruise. I did a dummy booking on the HAL website for the cruise. It only cost $50 more. I've sent an email back to my Travel Agent asking her to try again.

[smoothsailors]

Adding insult to injury just after the wine policy changed without notice: Explore 4 is available on our March Collector Cruise...IF we want to rebook and pay additional fare. For those posters under the delusion that any of these policies will result in cruise rate reductions, just consider HAL's "logic" and math in this situation. On our 23-night sailing, a new non-Mariner booking in a stateroom generating ONE-THIRD the fare we paid, booking early, for a Neptune Suite will receive $2300/PP in beverages alone with Explore 4...while we will receive...NOTHING except the loss of wine privileges in port calls!??? Does that seem like a moneymaker for HAL??? The combination of these two has us feeling that HAL has contempt for Mariners who pay the higher fare AND spend on board. Very sad..have turned this over to our TA to negotiate with HAL.:(

[xjust4fun]

how does one check to see if the Explore 4 package is available on our sailings???? or any future sailing for that matter. Thanks.

[Windsailer]

I booked my Alaska 2014 cruise with a TA I've used my times.

 

Last week - when I heard about the promo - I emailed my TA, who have used for a number of cruises.

 

She contacted HAL, got the promo applied with no increase in far nor re-booking, and was told I got to keep all my OBC. (OBC was Welcome Back and Future Cruise Deposit)

 

Got the confirmation. Lost the Welcome Back. HAL decided it was the 140 Year promo and not combinable.

 

I asked my TA to try again. Same answer. We then had a conference call with a HAL rep (who knew very little) then talked to a supervisor. She finally said "it was on the brochure" and gave the OBC back.

 

I made sure that the confirmation had the correct OBC AND a descption of the promo. I also printed off from the HAL site what the promo consists of and will take it along on the cruise.

[LindaM]

According to my TA today, there was a meeting in Seattle this morning. He had me on the phone for about 15 min, trying to get answers. Those Reps who added the package to the lower fare, were in "violation". My TA sounded very serious when he said this--like someone was going to be in trouble! I would have had to pay another $700PP to get this benefit.

 

I am so sick of HAL. I thought they were a class line that cared about it's customers. I have no problem with not qualifying, but they should have had their act in order. And, we better not hear about more people getting this added, unless they paid top dollar for their cruise!

[kamac56]

how does one check to see if the Explore 4 package is available on our sailings???? or any future sailing for that matter. Thanks.

This is what I came up. I believe your cruise doesnt fit into this window of opportunity.

 

Make your next voyage an incredible value with our new Explore 4 offers. When you book select 2014 sailings (and December 2013 Holiday cruises) you will receive all four offers below:

[Windsailer]

My fare today is that same as it was when I booked a month ago. And I even priced it both ways - with Mariner number and without.

[Cruising-along]

According to my TA today, there was a meeting in Seattle this morning. He had me on the phone for about 15 min, trying to get answers. Those Reps who added the package to the lower fare, were in "violation". My TA sounded very serious when he said this--like someone was going to be in trouble! I would have had to pay another $700PP to get this benefit.

 

I am so sick of HAL. I thought they were a class line that cared about it's customers. I have no problem with not qualifying, but they should have had their act in order. And, we better not hear about more people getting this added, unless they paid top dollar for their cruise!

 

Interesting....:eek:

We did pay top dollar, that's why there was no question about us paying more. The current price on our cruise is exactly what we paid months ago. But I know there are several people who have said they were able to get it without paying more $$. Wow.

[lcand1923]

According to my TA today, there was a meeting in Seattle this morning. He had me on the phone for about 15 min, trying to get answers. Those Reps who added the package to the lower fare, were in "violation" .....

 

I wonder if those folks who got the promo in "violation" will have it rescinded?

 

If I had booked through HAL, rather than with a brick and mortar TA who had taken off on Friday, I might have been lucky enough to deal with one of those Reps who were in "violation" and gotten the promo.

 

Sorry, HAL, you should give the promo to all those folks who have a cruise booked since they booked under the old unlimited wine policy.

[mkl55]

I emailed my on line TA and asked her to check. I got a response a couple of hours ago that it had been added to my booking (2/16/2014, Nieuw Amsterdam). No talk of extra cost or losing any OBC, etc. Yet. Now I'm nervous. Thrill of victory, agony of defeat. Which will it be?

[Thebes]

Booked Eurodam for feb 2014 2days ago on HAL site. Called today and added it no problem.

[bigjohn42]

Called my online TA and she called HAL with me on hold and came back and said all done it was added with no changes to existing booking, keeping Welcome Back OBC as well as Future Cruise Credit. There are four cabins with family and they also received the promotion :)

[TheEmerson]

I posted in another thread but here it is.

 

I had booked the Canada/NE on the Maasdam for 2014 within two days of the schedule being posted. Booking a SB cabin for four. Today I sent an email to my TA about the E4 promo. The TA sent me a reply within 30 minutes. I was able to get the E4 promo with the bev package. On top I got the fare reduced by $700 for the 3rd and 4th passengers. Also I was able to keep the OBC based on the FCC.

[obriendan]

Booked 27 day Ryndam transatlantic on May 10, 2013 with Internet TA. Fare was 12% lower than HAL and online posted fare. Heard about Explore4 offer on CC Saturday. Emailed TA yesterday. Explore4 Package added to my online invoice today. No increase in fare! :) Was able to retain FCC, Welcome Home, and shareholder OBC.

 

Dan

Edited July 30, 2013 by obriendan

[Thebes]

I like to comment that the beverage card is NOT a great deal. The beverage package is great one. The beverage card which is designed for carribean and Mexican cruises is only worth $50 PP. the beverage package is $100 PP. big diff.

[Cybercsp]

I tried today through our TA for our 33 day Noordam in April. I was told that I would have to rebook..adding 1600 to our cruise fare. Not worth it. She did say that there seemed to be some confusion about the "rules." It was a disappointment for us.

[OVgirl]

I like to comment that the beverage card is NOT a great deal. The beverage package is great one. The beverage card which is designed for carribean and Mexican cruises is only worth $50 PP. the beverage package is $100 PP. big diff.

 

$50 bev. card (cost to purchase $50 pp)=$50 pp worth of beverages for the entire length of your cruise.

 

Beverage Package (cost to purchase $50pp/day) = up to 15 drinks X$7=$105+ tip pp/day for the length of your cruise.

[sevigny]

I tried on Saturday and today thru my TA to get this added on. Was told it was not available on my promotion, but if we re-booked at 2800.00 per person extra! we would get it. HAL just makes me sick most of the time now. However, as I explained to my TA, Mariner Society, Guest Relations, and Office of the President, Oceania is waiting!

[Watson's aunt]

I feel the same way. this maybe my last HAl cruise

 

Mary

[Thebes]

I tried on Saturday and today thru my TA to get this added on. Was told it was not available on my promotion, but if we re-booked at 2800.00 per person extra! we would get it. HAL just makes me sick most of the time now. However, as I explained to my TA, Mariner Society, Guest Relations, and Office of the President, Oceania is waiting!

 

I figured something really important. If people book through a site strictly Internet with a little human support , the result is you won't get these offers as you were put into a very restricted coded offer by those Internet TA's then u can't add even air to those reservations , they are doomed to be rebooked. Other Internet TAs with moderate human support but the initial price is moderately more $ , will land you in a less restrictive fare and then u can add anything without rebooking. It all comes down to know exactly what that TA is giving u. Can't have it all. Certain codes that those TAs slap on the reservation will make a big diff.

[sail7seas]

I figured something really important. If people book through a site strictly Internet with a little human support , the result is you won't get these offers as you were put into a very restricted coded offer by those Internet TA's then u can't add even air to those reservations , they are doomed to be rebooked. Other Internet TAs with moderate human support but the initial price is moderately more $ , will land you in a less restrictive fare and then u can add anything without rebooking. It all comes down to know exactly what that TA is giving u. Can't have it all. Certain codes that those TAs slap on the reservation will make a big diff.

 

 

I read this twice and still can't figure out half of it.

Could you explain, please. I think it is something I'd like to understand but I'm missing it.

 

Thanks if you can help. :)

 

[Thebes]

I read this twice and still can't figure out half of it.

Could you explain, please. I think it is something I'd like to understand but I'm missing it.

 

Thanks if you can help. :)

 

 

Hi señora 7seas,

 

The only way to explain this well is to give examples of internet TAs which is restricted here as far as i know otherwise this explanation is as good as it gets. Sorry cant help.