Existing reservations and Explore4

[allisons]

We are booked through a travel agent. When I initially inquired, our travel agent said that the Explore4 rate was an additional $1500 per person, so he didn't switch us. I found that hard to believe, so I began an Explore4 booking online. The price was identical to what we had paid, not a penny more. My travel agent told me to place a hold on that booking, so that he could show HAL. He called HAL right away. Within a few minutes, they had added Explore4 to our booking at no additional charge.

[Watson's aunt]

why some folks are so down on this program. Hey, for me and for many others who have reported here, it's FREE! Did not have to rebook, and kept my online TA low rate and OBC. No, we won't drink $100 worth of beverages a day, but what we do drink will be FREE! A couple of sodas, 2 or 3 glasses of house wine, it's FREE! Pinnacle at an assigned time, not ideal maybe, but it is FREE! It was well worth 10 minutes of my time on the phone with the TA. We are happy.

 

 

I am not happy Even though my cruise is on the list. I can't get it as I booked my cruise early for a cruise in June 2014. Unless I pay more money because the cruise price increased. So why I and others am not allowed and others are? They are holding my deposit.

 

 

Mary

[Divi]

I just returned from seeing my travel agent.

She called HAL and was able to get us the new promotion on our 2014 cruise with no changes to our booking or OBC.

HAL also automatically added explore4 to my BIL's booking which is linked to ours.

I skipped to the last page to post this so I haven't read the latest but I noticed that someone said if there is a price drop, you have to give up the promo to get it???

[Cruising-along]

why some folks are so down on this program. Hey, for me and for many others who have reported here, it's FREE! Did not have to rebook, and kept my online TA low rate and OBC. No, we won't drink $100 worth of beverages a day, but what we do drink will be FREE! A couple of sodas, 2 or 3 glasses of house wine, it's FREE! Pinnacle at an assigned time, not ideal maybe, but it is FREE! It was well worth 10 minutes of my time on the phone with the TA. We are happy.

 

I agree! I think there are a few who are "down" on this program because their drink of choice costs more than $7. Well, even counting that out, if you don't see anything $7 or under, there are plenty of coffees, juices, sodas, drink of the day, etc. to make it worthwhile. Like you said, it's FREE, there's nothing to lose.

 

I do understand why some are upset that it has been inconsistent on who gets it or not. It sounds to me that HAL goofed and gave it to some who should have paid more because their cruise fare increased. So now when they say no to others without a price increase, it isn't fair. I think those who are getting the "no" should have their TA keep trying. It sounds to me that the squeaky wheel is getting the grease. :D

[Cruising-along]

,,,,,

I skipped to the last page to post this so I haven't read the latest but I noticed that someone said if there is a price drop, you have to give up the promo to get it???

 

I asked our PCC that question when she added the promo to our booking. She said not necessarily. So we plan to cross that bridge if/when it comes, she said she would work with us on getting the best deal.

[shrimp56]

OK our already booked June 2014 cruise is on the list. Sent my TA a reasonably coherent explanation of the outcome we desire. Will report back.

Edited July 31, 2013 by shrimp56

[Katie333]

Heard back from my fabulous TA. Kept my OBC, discounted rate etc, and got the package added. She even sent me a copy of a very formal looking document from HAL indicating the explore4 package has been added to my booking.

 

So excited to try the Pinnacle Grill + to not have to worry about the costs of our beverages. It does make me feel a bit better about not being able to bring on more wine. While I am sad I won't get to test out some local items, I am feeling quite happy about these extra bonuses.

[Krazy Kruizers]

At the end of June we cancelled our Alaskan 2014 cruise.

At that time we booked the 20 day Amsterdan repositioning cruise from Ft Lauderdale to Seattle. Not cheap -- not discounted -- not on sale.

Out TA has been on the phone with Seattle several times over the last few days.

In the last month HAL raised the price of our cruise by $600 per person.

If we want the Explore4 perks we have to pay $1200 additional money.

No thanks -- we passed.

I checked the prices just a couple of weeks ago to see if they had gone down -- nope. JMO -- but I think that HAL is going to raise prices on the longer cruises just so many of us who booked early can not take advantage of the Explore4 perks.

[Jemima]

We haven't tried to get the Explore4 on our spring '14 cruise. It is available for that cruise, but the cruise price is up. Also, one of us doesn't drink and the other rarely. We never have more than two in the cabin unless we count our traveling beanie babies. We're 4 star and so get the discounts on coffees, Canalettos and the Pinnacle. We might inquire as it would cover our sodas and maybe our coffees also. We like to chose our night and time for a specialty restaurant and can't do that with Explore4. Also, Canalettos and the Pinnacle are both going to be filled with all those free diners. Just doesn't seem of much value to us.

[alwaysfrantic]

I talked to a great agent at Costco who called Hal. The agent said it couldn't be done without paying the current rate. The agent did EXACTLY what I would have done myself. He thanked the agent, hung up and called back. But, unfortunately the second HAL agent said the same thing....couldn't be done without paying the current price.

Edited July 31, 2013 by alwaysfrantic

[shrimp56]

My TA apparently got the Explore 4 for our June 2014 cruise w/out me losing my group upgrade or my OBCs. I will get the confirmation shortly. She did it on the computer and no problems even though the category price has gone up from what I deposited for. We shall see.

Edited August 1, 2013 by shrimp56

[Thebes]

I talked to a great agent at Costco who called Hal. The agent said it couldn't be done without paying the current rate. The agent did EXACTLY what I would have done myself. He thanked the agent, hung up and called back. But, unfortunately the second HAL agent said the same thing....couldn't be done without paying the current price.

 

Have my reservation with the same outfit. They called and it was added in no time.

[regnig]

Our group of 3 cabins has had Explore4 added to our bookings for 3/10/14 with no problem, no additional cost even though current price is less than we paid, or loss of OBC.

 

Our TA advised us that "Holland has been bombarding us with the information about Explore 4" so she was well aware of it when I sent her an email on Monday.

[slabeaume]

Just called to see if it could be added to my spring 2014 cruise. The cruise fare has not risen and it's eligible for the promo, but I was told my FCC was combinable, but not the Welcome Back one.

[OVgirl]

Just called to see if it could be added to my spring 2014 cruise. The cruise fare has not risen and it's eligible for the promo, but I was told my FCC was combinable, but not the Welcome Back one.

 

Just call them again. There is a good chance you might get a different answer.

[luckysadie]

I left a message for my TA yesterday asking that she call HAL to see if we could get the Explore4 benefits. She called me today to let me know she was able to get it added to our reservation at no additional charge.

[boards]

The Cruise catalog I received today explained the explore4 offers and they sound very good and I would really like to book a cruise, but it concludes by saying,

"Book by August 31, 2013, to enjoy all four of these exceptional offers"

That says to me that this is a limited time offer and not permanent thing. Foolishly I thought this something that was going happen for a longer period. So if I wait till rates come down some the forementioned offer won't be available.

[Alberta Quilter]

Booked the 14 day Alaska cruise for May/14, at the end of Feb/12 when it was announced, through at bricks and mortar TA. Have been advised that since the price has increased, I would need to cancel and rebook at $500/pp more in order to get the Explore4 promo.

 

So far, about 8 people on my roll call have posted that they received the promo with no increase in fare or loss of OBC.

 

I'm making the TA call again next week to see if she gets another person who will give the promo. Will keep you posted on my success or lack thereof.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Booked the 14 day Alaska cruise for May/14, at the end of Feb/12 when it was announced, through at bricks and mortar TA. Have been advised that since the price has increased, I would need to cancel and rebook at $500/pp more in order to get the Explore4 promo.

 

So far, about 8 people on my roll call have posted that they received the promo with no increase in fare or loss of OBC.

 

I'm making the TA call again next week to see if she gets another person who will give the promo. Will keep you posted on my success or lack thereof.

 

 

That is exactly what is happening to us on the 20 day repositioning cruise on the Amsterdam right before your cruise.

We are getting nothing unless we pay $600 more per person.

And we have used our TA for over 24 years.

I don't like what HAL is doing.

I am going to send our TA the link to your Roll Call and show her how HAL is treating some passengers compared to others.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I left a message for my TA yesterday asking that she call HAL to see if we could get the Explore4 benefits. She called me today to let me know she was able to get it added to our reservation at no additional charge.

 

What ship??

Where are you cruising?

[OVgirl]

That is exactly what is happening to us on the 20 day repositioning cruise on the Amsterdam right before your cruise.

We are getting nothing unless we pay $600 more per person.

And we have used our TA for over 24 years.

I don't like what HAL is doing.

I am going to send our TA the link to your Roll Call and show her how HAL is treating some passengers compared to others.

 

I noticed on one of these threads the last few days, that someone had the same problem with their TA.

They were able to find their cruise on the HAL website and put through a dummy booking to see if it qualified.

I think they also put a hold on it and then had either their TA or HAL look at it.

 

Of course, it might have to do with pricing, but you could see all of that on their website.

Good luck, hope you get the promo added. I think if one person gets it, others should as well.

Edited August 2, 2013 by OVgirl

[LVSue]

Clipper (Alberta Quilter), I can't believe they are giving you, and all the others, the runaround. My TA (associated with an online outfit) is the one who started it on our May 18 AK rollcall. She notified us that we had it and I passed it on. Multiple pax on our cruise have had it added with no suggestion of rebooking or losing OBC.

 

The cruise does have to be on the list. Our Carrib. in Jan is on the list if both sections were booked, for a 2-week cruise. The one-week we booked did not qualify.

 

This is all very strange, like the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.

[Alberta Quilter]

Clipper (Alberta Quilter), I can't believe they are giving you, and all the others, the runaround. My TA (associated with an online outfit) is the one who started it on our May 18 AK rollcall. She notified us that we had it and I passed it on. Multiple pax on our cruise have had it added with no suggestion of rebooking or losing OBC.

 

The cruise does have to be on the list. Our Carrib. in Jan is on the list if both sections were booked, for a 2-week cruise. The one-week we booked did not qualify.

 

This is all very strange, like the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.

 

You got that right. It wouldn't bug me at all if they were consistent about it - either all bookings if one notifies HAL, or only new bookings. And, I didn't see anything in the terms and conditions about it only being for new bookings!

 

We don't drink that much and don't have to go to the PG. Well, if we don't get the promo, we won't purchase any drinks at all and will definitely not pay to go to the PG!!! And, I might skip bingo (which is getting frightfully expensive anyhow!)!!!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I noticed on one of these threads the last few days, that someone had the same problem with their TA.

They were able to find their cruise on the HAL website and put through a dummy booking to see if it qualified.

I think they also put a hold on it and then had either their TA or HAL look at it.

 

Of course, it might have to do with pricing, but you could see all of that on their website.

Good luck, hope you get the promo added. I think if one person gets it, others should as well.

 

I truly believe that HAL is going to play games with some of us -- just to see if we are willing to spend BIG extra bucks for a couple of cheap perks. For us a free dinner in the Pinnacle would be nice -- but we get that for half price -- so it only costs us $12.50 per person.

And if this Signature Beverage card has limits to the price of the drink -- then we would probably not make out on that either.

[Katie333]

I truly believe that HAL is going to play games with some of us -- just to see if we are willing to spend BIG extra bucks for a couple of cheap perks. For us a free dinner in the Pinnacle would be nice -- but we get that for half price -- so it only costs us $12.50 per person.

 

And if this Signature Beverage card has limits to the price of the drink -- then we would probably not make out on that either.

 

$7 price limit and 15 drinks/day/person. I used your bar price list (I think from 2011 you posted it) and found plenty under that limit. We also partake of soda or fancy coffees regularly, which are also included, and are well under $7 each.

 

With all that said, certainly there are some more expensive liqueurs, wines, and whiskeys that are over $7. I imagine you simply don't get to pick these (I don't see them allowing pax to pay an overage).