bUU Posted August 2, 2017 #1 Share Posted August 2, 2017 I called my PVP yesterday to inquire about having Explore 4 added to my booking and it appears that the price of the cabin was increased coincident with the introduction of this offer. We'd have to have our cabin repriced ($800 increase) in order to be eligible. Since we don't drink much it isn't worth it to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveOKC Posted August 2, 2017 #2 Share Posted August 2, 2017 I called my PVP yesterday to inquire about having Explore 4 added to my booking and it appears that the price of the cabin was increased coincident with the introduction of this offer. We'd have to have our cabin repriced ($800 increase) in order to be eligible. Since we don't drink much it isn't worth it to us. This is the new "standard" practice. Sometimes you do get lucky and the price is the same or a bit higher, but most people are reporting significant increases. When HAL first started the Explore4 we got it added for no extra expense, but no longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bookworm1971 Posted August 2, 2017 #3 Share Posted August 2, 2017 I called my PVP yesterday to inquire about having Explore 4 added to my booking and it appears that the price of the cabin was increased coincident with the introduction of this offer. We'd have to have our cabin repriced ($800 increase) in order to be eligible. Since we don't drink much it isn't worth it to us. Ours went up $2150.00 pp. I had checked online then called to confirm. The rep I was talking to actually checked my booking herself because she was surprised at the huge jump. I guess we got a good rate for booking early (in May for a March 2019 cruise) so while disappointed that we couldn't take advantage of Explore 4 we're happy with the fare we booked. Sent from my SM-G925W8 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bUU Posted August 2, 2017 Author #4 Share Posted August 2, 2017 ... while disappointed that we couldn't take advantage of Explore 4 we're happy with the fare we booked.Us too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LVSue Posted August 2, 2017 #5 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Our fare would go up $300 pp. Since Explore4 also includes $100pp OBC, I figure the drink cards would cost us $200, or $15/day. I'm sure we would use that much because we always have two cocktails while working our crossword puzzles and get many big bottles of water during a trip. It's kind of break-even proposition, but... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geocruiser Posted August 2, 2017 #6 Share Posted August 2, 2017 For the cruise that I have on hold the fare went up $1,400 and no Explore 4 sale for it either. The hold that I have on it is good until the fourth. My TA spoke to me and she did not the the terms of the non refundable deposit. So, I will hold off a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted August 2, 2017 #7 Share Posted August 2, 2017 I called my PVP yesterday to inquire about having Explore 4 added to my booking and it appears that the price of the cabin was increased coincident with the introduction of this offer. We'd have to have our cabin repriced ($800 increase) in order to be eligible. Since we don't drink much it isn't worth it to us. I have to do some serious number crunching. Our price went down nicely on one segment but we lose a really good promo. But, if I may ask, what the heck is a PVP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 3rdGenCunarder Posted August 2, 2017 #8 Share Posted August 2, 2017 As my TA is fond of saying, that stuff has to be paid for somehow. We've been lucky with Ex4 pricing a few times, but lately it's been significantly cheaper to book without it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kira5 Posted August 2, 2017 #9 Share Posted August 2, 2017 I guess some people (not readers of Cruise Critic!) are fooled and think they are getting a deal. It must work (sufficiently) or HAL wouldn't keep doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bUU Posted August 2, 2017 Author #10 Share Posted August 2, 2017 But, if I may ask, what the heck is a PVP?A typo! :) It's what Carnival calls PCCs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airboss1998 Posted August 2, 2017 #11 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Our last cruise we had the Explore4 option. Price went down roughly $1000 and I called to re-book. Was told we'd lose EXP4 and I said 'please do'. To quote others, there is no free lunch, err, drinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Appalachian Mountain Mama Posted August 3, 2017 #12 Share Posted August 3, 2017 LVSue, careful, it appears that $200 OBC is only for suites. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdw1972 Posted August 5, 2017 #13 Share Posted August 5, 2017 I had a 7-night Nieuw Amsterdam cruise booked for December with Explore 4, which HAL subsequently canceled. The only offered alternative that worked for me was a November Eurodam, and it took HAL a while to figure out how to add the bev pkg and pinnacle dinner complimentary since explore 4 was not running at that time. But, they did it - so I had the same category stateroom, at the same price, with the explore 4 items....as a solo. This past week the fare dropped significantly (about 33%), AND to my surprise my TA had a group on board so I lost HAL's $25 obc for booking onboard but gained $50 from my TA, so my net savings is nearly $400. Since I have a cabana booked (free champagne, bottled water daily) there's no way I can drink an additional $400 during the week....most likely my bar tab will be in the $100-150 range, so it was a no-brainer to drop the "free" stuff. I also got a slightly higher category (within OV) and closer to where I wanted to be. Count me among the many who say there's no such thing as "free" - we pay dearly for those "free" perks, lol! Sue/WDW1972 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
innlady1 Posted August 6, 2017 #14 Share Posted August 6, 2017 I called my PVP yesterday to inquire about having Explore 4 added to my booking and it appears that the price of the cabin was increased coincident with the introduction of this offer. We'd have to have our cabin repriced ($800 increase) in order to be eligible. Since we don't drink much it isn't worth it to us.PVP??? We're 4 Stars yet I've never heard of PVP. Please enlighten! Sent from my SM-T377V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare foodsvcmgr Posted August 6, 2017 #15 Share Posted August 6, 2017 To add Explore 4 to my existing Nieuw Statendam booking cost me an additional $300 p.p. Adding up all varieties of drinks and the Pinnacle dinner I will still come out ahead, but not by any huge margin though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happily@Sea Posted August 6, 2017 #16 Share Posted August 6, 2017 PVP??? We're 4 Stars yet I've never heard of PVP. Please enlighten! Sent from my SM-T377V using Tapatalk See post #10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retird Posted August 6, 2017 #17 Share Posted August 6, 2017 PVP Personal Vacation Planner. Employee of the cruiseline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joepeka Posted August 6, 2017 #18 Share Posted August 6, 2017 PVP Personal Vacation Planner. Employee of the cruiseline We've never used one but I thought HAL referred to them as PCC's (Personal Cruise Consultant)? :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAD2005 Posted August 6, 2017 #19 Share Posted August 6, 2017 Everybody is listing the amount their cruise went up or down with or without Explore-4. Those amounts are totally meaningless to us CC readers without you providing a reference of the number of days of your cruise. The SBP is roughly $51.70 per day, including the 15% SC,purchased online, in advance. On a 7 day cruise, the SBP, plus a Pinnacle Grill dinner (normal Explore-4 perks) would cost you $396.90 per person if you purchased them. So, please, in future posts about how much you saved by adding or deleting Explore-4, also tell us the length of your cruise. It would really give us a reference as to how generous (or not) HAL is. But, always remember, There's no such thing as a free lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtlantaCruiser72 Posted August 6, 2017 #20 Share Posted August 6, 2017 I added Explore 4 to my 14 day Alaska cruise for 2018 and the price only increased $85pp over our initial fare. Had I booked under the "SNAP" non-refundable fare we could have saved $300pp roughly, but for us the Explore4 promo is the better value as we would each spend well more than the $300pp savings over the course of 2 weeks for drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted August 7, 2017 #21 Share Posted August 7, 2017 We've never used one but I thought HAL referred to them as PCC's (Personal Cruise Consultant)? :confused: You are correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retird Posted August 7, 2017 #22 Share Posted August 7, 2017 We've never used one but I thought HAL referred to them as PCC's (Personal Cruise Consultant)? :confused: You are probably correct , however some lines refer to them as PVP, so I was just stating what I felt the OP meant by PVP. For example when I was arranging for a cruise online with Holland America to Alaska this summer, I later received a phone call and a follow up email from a person advising me that she had been assigned as my personal vacation planner an advising me that I could contact her for anything concerning my cruise. Seems the titles are interchangeable, depending on which rep you might be talking to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare david,Mississauga Posted August 7, 2017 #23 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Regarding the e-maiI that was sent to me advising the Explore 4 deal was back, it said it was "better than ever." The OBC for those in suites is $200 this year. Two years ago we received $300. I suppose "better than ever" is a matter of interpretation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Appalachian Mountain Mama Posted August 7, 2017 #24 Share Posted August 7, 2017 We booked our Sept cruise back in Oct last year when Explore4 was last offered. I think it was a much better deal then. We got the SBP, a Pinnacle Grill dinner, prepaid gratuities, $250 OBC and $200 "internet" credit for booking a suite but it's my understanding that HAL simply puts it in your account and you may spend it on anything. The 3rd/4th passenger offer was also included but we didn't use it. We could have passed on the Explore4 and paid roughly $800 less per person but we would have been giving about $815 per person in "perks" so for us it was an easy decision. I wasn't impressed with current Explore4, I don't consider the "reduced deposit" to be worth anything... the total fare is the same no matter what, so paying less now just means you pay more later. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grayjay Posted August 7, 2017 #25 Share Posted August 7, 2017 We booked our Sept cruise back in Oct last year when Explore4 was last offered. I think it was a much better deal then. We got the SBP, a Pinnacle Grill dinner, prepaid gratuities, $250 OBC and $200 "internet" credit for booking a suite but it's my understanding that HAL simply puts it in your account and you may spend it on anything. The 3rd/4th passenger offer was also included but we didn't use it. We could have passed on the Explore4 and paid roughly $800 less per person but we would have been giving about $815 per person in "perks" so for us it was an easy decision. I wasn't impressed with current Explore4, I don't consider the "reduced deposit" to be worth anything... the total fare is the same no matter what, so paying less now just means you pay more later. I totally agree. We were quite happy with last year's offer of the Explore4 package, whereas the early booking advantages both for Prinsendam and/or Europe cruises for 2018 as well as the "new" Explore4 promotion far exceeded their value with inflated prices of all the cruises we have been considering: For one of the Prinsendam cruises we had booked in a Vista suite WITH Explore 4for this year we'd only get one of the lower-rated Oceanview cabins with lesser perks now. I mostly miss that we wouldn't get paid gratuities because for us that's a real value if it's an honest and real perk ( and not if you have to pay for it anyway in your upped cruise price) ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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