Explore 4 not a bargain?

[blizzardboy]

I was excited to see the Explore 4 promo available on Jan 2017 Koningsdam runs. Then I saw I'd have to pay $1320 for the deal! Some promo!

[OVgirl]

Looks like this time around they aren't giving it away. At least for most cruises. I know some people have found that they could get it added without any or very little price increase. Our cruise price also went up by almost the same amount as buying the package separately.

[GmaPajama]

We managed to book without having to have the Explore4 package. It wasn't easy, but it can be done.

[3rdGenCunarder]

We managed to book without having to have the Explore4 package. It wasn't easy, but it can be done.

 

Was there a significant price difference?

 

We had the promotion on our cruise this past winter. Prices didn't go down when the promotion ended, so I guess we weren't charged extra, or at least not a lot extra. The way prices change, it's difficult to know if they're charging more when the promotion is on than when it isn't.

 

The beverage card was not a lot of use for us because our biggest alcohol charge on board is wine at dinner, and they don't let you "trade" any number of single drinks for a bottle of wine.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I know that if we book a fall 2016 cruise, we will ask for the cruise fare without the Explore4 promotion.

[FredT]

When we booked our January 2016 Australia cruise the price was 2400 pp, including the explore 4... It's now 2200 pp (Same category) without it. So for us it was a GREAT deal.

[chefestelle]

When I booked my Mexico holiday cruise, the base line for our stateroom was $2300. Along came the explore 4 and the price is the same. Since the signature package doesn't appeal, I haven't looked to see what our exact stateroom price would be. At this point, it looks like explore 4 might be a free add on for that cruise!

[SilvertoGold]

I was excited to see the Explore 4 promo available on Jan 2017 Koningsdam runs. Then I saw I'd have to pay $1320 for the deal! Some promo!

 

Is that per person and how long is the cruise?

[AlanAllyn]

We paid $180 pp. to add Explore4 to our 14-day Alaska cruise next summer. I expect to break even.

[POA1]

When we booked our January 2016 Australia cruise the price was 2400 pp, including the explore 4... It's now 2200 pp (Same category) without it. So for us it was a GREAT deal.

I found quite a few sailings where the Explore 4 price went down. It really depends on the voyage and the cabin category. For example, on one of the European Koningsdam sailings, V pax paid $100 per person less to get the Explore 4. NS pax paid $800 to $1000 per person more. There's clearly a load based component to the pricing, so make sure you do your due diligence.

[patrick65]

Judy and I booked a Baltic and England, Ireland, and Scotland cruise prior to the Explorer 4 program. (June 2016, 24 days) We had our agent contact Hal to ask about including the Explorer 4 to our cruise. What we ended paying was the same. No price increase to us and we got the same balcony and cruise credit as included in the original booking. Since we paid no more the Explorer 4 program was just an added benefit. The possibility exist that the earlier fare had Explorer 4 already added in then in a few days Hal announced the program. I can only speculate about this and probably will never know if this was the case. I really don't care as the original booking fare seemed fair to us.

[Moriah]

For my Koningsdam cruise next summer I heard Explore4 was being offered after I had already booked. I emailed my TA and he was able to get it added to our booking for only $35 more per person. Definitely worth it!

[Mr and Mrs CIQ]

We paid $180 pp. to add Explore4 to our 14-day Alaska cruise next summer. I expect to break even.

 

Did you book through a HAL pcc or through a TA?

We booked through a pcc for our 11 day Koningsdam southern Caribbean November 16 for an additional $410 pp. We were going to buy the SBP so it saved us and also gained a pinnacle grill dinner.

[LUPY48]

We paid $150 pp for Ex4 on our upcoming 10 day Panama Canal cruise. WELL worth it for us.

[blizzardboy]

We managed to book without having to have the Explore4 package. It wasn't easy, but it can be done.

 

I had already booked, but was going to add it until I saw the price increase. I've had it at no charge in the past. FYI...Costco posts prices with and without the package at present.

[PatsyAnne]

Your mileage may vary. We make a rough stab at how much it costs us to drink (beverages covered by the Ex4) each day, and the possible value of the other benefits, and that's what it's worth to us. We book accordingly.

[DeeniEncinitas]

We have a Oct. 9th 2016 Mediterranean Romance cruise 2016. Saw the explore offer several days ago, and the price for the signature suit of ours is the same price from 6 months ago. So I called our PCC and we paid nothing extra she placed it on our reservation today! She said she was going to surprise us and have it on our account, and I told her I am glad I called! I was going to get as usual the $250.00 beverage card!

Denise :)

[Tampa Girl]

We paid $180 pp. to add Explore4 to our 14-day Alaska cruise next summer. I expect to break even.

 

The only way you could only break even is if you usually have only one alcoholic drink a day. For us, $180 would be a steal.

[GmaPajama]

Was there a significant price difference?

 

We had the promotion on our cruise this past winter. Prices didn't go down when the promotion ended, so I guess we weren't charged extra, or at least not a lot extra. The way prices change, it's difficult to know if they're charging more when the promotion is on than when it isn't.

 

The beverage card was not a lot of use for us because our biggest alcohol charge on board is wine at dinner, and they don't let you "trade" any number of single drinks for a bottle of wine.

 

I actually don't know the price difference. I only know we got what we wanted (and not what we didn't) at a price that pleased us enough to lock it in.

[chefestelle]

I actually don't know the price difference. I only know we got what we wanted (and not what we didn't) at a price that pleased us enough to lock it in.

 

 

Ate what it's all about!

[DeeniEncinitas]

Have a question everyone!

Our drink of choice is Bombay Sapphire on the rocks with a twist lemon.

We will do happy hour and it was 7.00 pp. now my PCC said it is available for 6.25. So any drink under 7 bucks is fine even premium if under 7.00?

Read somewhere that you can pay an additional 1.00 for premium which will be charged to your room? I know now wine is at 8.00 but I am sure not of good quality. IMO.

We always buy a beverage card and this time will pass.

Any info would be appreciated!

Denise:)

[chefestelle]

Ate what it's all about!

 

 

I wonder if I'm the only one who gets so much grief from spell check. S/be *and

[Scrapnana]

There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the Explore4 pricing. For my Alaska cruise next year I did not pay anything extra (in an OV cabin). Others on my roll call have had to pay varying amounts.

 

This will be my first cruise with a beverage package that includes alcohol. Not much of a drinker but who knows what will happen with 15 drinks a day included!;)

[EbayCruiser]

There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the Explore4 pricing. For my Alaska cruise next year I did not pay anything extra (in an OV cabin). Others on my roll call have had to pay varying amounts.

 

This will be my first cruise with a beverage package that includes alcohol. Not much of a drinker but who knows what will happen with 15 drinks a day included!;)

 

Not sure about this, maybe others will chime in, but maybe it all has to do with what you are paying for your cruise and what category. If you paid top dollar when you booked your OV room, then they might throw in the E4 for free. If you got bargain pricing, then you may have to pay extra for the E4.

 

That is just my take on it, I may be completely off base.

 

You could price your cruise on the gnome website by making a dummy booking and see what the price is with and without the E4 and see if that makes sense according to what you paid.

 

I think also that some of the cruises may not be selling as well and they are adding the E4 as an incentive to book while other cruises are selling well and you have to pay extra for E4. Just my 2 cents.

Edited July 29, 2015 by EbayCruiser

[POA1]

We never eat the late night buffet. We rarely have afternoon tea. There's no way we could eat all the food on a cruise. How do we get this back? It's the same as not being able to drink 15 beverages. ;)

Edited July 29, 2015 by POA1