Holland America to Introduce a New Promotion Called Explore4

[ski ww]

Maybe someone here could help you out if we knew what the question was? :rolleyes:

 

We booked our next cruise on board this past May. The new drinks package came out after we booked. Some of our fellow cruiser's who also booked got the package but we didn't. We had our TA phone and follow up with HAL about getting it, the answer was only if we were willing to cough up a extra something like $2000.00+ not sure the exact amount. Not worth it as we don't drink that much. It's the principal some people got it with out paying extra and others have to pay.

Allan & Marlane

[Alberta Quilter]

We booked our next cruise on board this past May. The new drinks package came out after we booked. Some of our fellow cruiser's who also booked got the package but we didn't. We had our TA phone and follow up with HAL about getting it, the answer was only if we were willing to cough up a extra something like $2000.00+ not sure the exact amount. Not worth it as we don't drink that much. It's the principal some people got it with out paying extra and others have to pay.

Allan & Marlane

 

Same thing happened to me but the extra charge was "only" $1,000. I then went searching at an online agency and found the same cruise offered in US$ at a slightly lower price than I had booked in Cdn$. Not only did I get the Explore4 program but I also got an OBC from the agency which will help "offset" any exchange difference at final payment. So I did what they told me to do cancel and rebook, just not at a higher price.

[mtnmusic]

We're taking advantage of this new offer on our May 2 Maasdam cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Montreal. It's a great value..

[TravelRabbit]

FYI--and sorry if this has already been said, but I just booked NE-Canada cruise 2014 and got the Explore 4---which re the beverage package the HAL rep said it would only apply to drinks $7.00 INCLUDING 15% gratuity----that's about $6.00 per drink.

Not sure if that would cover other than non-alcoholic drinks? (though they "qualify")

[Linda&Vern]

FYI--and sorry if this has already been said, but I just booked NE-Canada cruise 2014 and got the Explore 4---which re the beverage package the HAL rep said it would only apply to drinks $7.00 INCLUDING 15% gratuity----that's about $6.00 per drink.

Not sure if that would cover other than non-alcoholic drinks? (though they "qualify")

 

 

HAL's web site seems clear to me. Signature Beverage Package:

• A value of $100 per day, per stateroom ($50 per person)
  
• Includes wine, beer, spirits, cocktails (including non-alcoholic), sodas and coffee (a daily limit applies)
  
• Applies to beverages priced up to $7 (menu price)
  
• Beverage service charge covered by Holland America Line
  
• Excludes Caribbean and Mexico sailings, and the land portion of Alaska Land+Sea Journeys (other exclusions apply)
  

[RuthC]

FYI--and sorry if this has already been said, but I just booked NE-Canada cruise 2014 and got the Explore 4---which re the beverage package the HAL rep said it would only apply to drinks $7.00 INCLUDING 15% gratuity----that's about $6.00 per drink.

Sadly, the HAL reps are notorious for not getting it right.

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

 

Its going to be fun when a paying Pax want to book the Pinacle Grill and Hal has all these FREE Pax eating in there and not making any money.

 

 

Mary

[geminig]

This makes sense - it is better for HAL to give away "value" than lowering prices. Its an old marketing approach - give away something the customer places a high value on but that does not cost much to provide.

 

DaveOKC

How about giving away nothing? I booked a Jan. 2014 cruise in July. Explorer promotion launched later. I called to get it and I found out that I was not eligible because my cabin was booked a lower rate. Checked the price of my trip and it had gone up $100 a person. I was told I could get it if I went for an upgrade. Amazing $100 the same as a $50 beverage card and $40 cover for the dinner. Just goes to prove there is no free lunch if you have the ability to pay. I paid the full deposit and was going to ask for half back. Decided not to. Did not want to waste any more time.

[ski ww]

Well just got off the phone again with HAL about the drinks package. This time I talked to Guest Relations or as I called it, lack there of. She told me only my TA can do this when I told her my TA is not having luck & when I was not happy I called HAL and was told to call Guest Relations------- you can see where this is going around & around in a circle. Again the bottom line is unless I was willing to pay a higher fee for this package it's a no go. Unless I can find somebody who booked at the same time as me and got it at the lower rate. Must be a lot of unhappy cruisers out there. I guess it's time to let this go once & for all.

Allan & Marlane:mad::(

[kazu]

Well just got off the phone again with HAL about the drinks package. This time I talked to Guest Relations or as I called it, lack there of. She told me only my TA can do this when I told her my TA is not having luck & when I was not happy I called HAL and was told to call Guest Relations------- you can see where this is going around & around in a circle. Again the bottom line is unless I was willing to pay a higher fee for this package it's a no go. Unless I can find somebody who booked at the same time as me and got it at the lower rate. Must be a lot of unhappy cruisers out there. I guess it's time to let this go once & for all.

Allan & Marlane:mad::(

 

ahh that's a shame you two. I so feel for you.

[alwaysfrantic]

Unless I can find somebody who booked at the same time as me and got it at the lower rate. Must be a lot of unhappy cruisers out there. I guess it's time to let this go once & for all.

Allan & Marlane:mad::(

 

They told me the same thing. If someone would share their booking number that got the package added, they would gladly add it to mine. Right! Jeez. Like people here go around sharing reservation numbers.

 

It really did leave a bad taste when some got it applied retroactively and others were told no. I felt somewhat better when I was able to book my Pinnacle Grill reservations thinking that if I had gotten the promotion it would be luck of the draw.....not so. I've read here that those on the promotion got to reserve a time also.

 

But yes, after I tried twice I did just let it go. I booked at a price and program I was happy with so no use in continuing to spend any time or effort on it.

Edited October 14, 2013 by alwaysfrantic

[LindaM]

They told me the same thing. If someone would share their booking number that got the package added, they would gladly add it to mine. Right! Jeez. Like people here go around sharing reservation numbers.

 

It really did leave a bad taste when some got it applied retroactively and others were told no. I felt somewhat better when I was able to book my Pinnacle Grill reservations thinking that if I had gotten the promotion it would be luck of the draw.....not so. I've read here that those on the promotion got to reserve a time also.

 

But yes, after I tried twice I did just let it go. I booked at a price and program I was happy with so no use in continuing to spend any time or effort on it.

 

A very kind person here did generously share their booking number with me. It still didn't work!!

[Jean1946]

We got the Exployer4 for free when we booked our TA cruise in April, 2014. I saw yesterday that it is not being offered now. The only one I saw was the return of the ship in Oct. This is the Neiu Amsterdam.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Well just got off the phone again with HAL about the drinks package. This time I talked to Guest Relations or as I called it, lack there of. She told me only my TA can do this when I told her my TA is not having luck & when I was not happy I called HAL and was told to call Guest Relations------- you can see where this is going around & around in a circle. Again the bottom line is unless I was willing to pay a higher fee for this package it's a no go. Unless I can find somebody who booked at the same time as me and got it at the lower rate. Must be a lot of unhappy cruisers out there. I guess it's time to let this go once & for all.

Allan & Marlane:mad::(

 

 

We didn't bother fighting it either as we were not about to pay an extra $1600 total for our cruise.

[Linda&Vern]

There is an E4 rate (higher) and a rate (lower) that doesn't include E4. It's not rocket science. Add to that, your cruise has to be on the "list of cruises where it can be offered" (which has been posted a couple of times here.)

There is a website of a store's travel department I have been checking and you can actually book either way. A lesser fare or add $$$ to include E4. I think if you are "given" the E4 program you had to book under a certain "fare." The program was marketed as an "offer." Perhaps if Lisa sees this she can explain further.

Edited October 14, 2013 by Linda&Vern

[pbnjrockette]

Last week's promo for lower rates on cabins meant about $1000 savings for us. We had to give up the E4 promo to get the reduced fare. One meal at Pinnacle and 2 beverage cards does not equal $1000 for us.

[MR NW GUY]

Why not sail Crystal where every thing is included?

Crystal is something I need to try sometime! I think the promo is also targeting a different market. Notice the child... Maybe the older crowd is not spending enough to keep catering to them.

[lizzies_mom]

The FCC on our cruise last month said that there were a limited number of Explore 4 packages, so, no, you would not have 2000 people with this benefit competing against paying guests.

 

Re the beverage card, we will just get one $50 card for our January Caribbean cruise, where I understand you might get $50/day on the others.

 

On our Viking Passage cruise, two of our trivia teammates had come to our team several days into the cruise. They said their original teammates, a mother and daughter, had to quit trivia because they needed the time to drink $50 in beverages each day.

[sppunk]

We booked a Norway cruise on our Eurodam trip two weeks ago and got this package - though we couldn't much care less about it. It is capacity controlled and was told by the FCC on those it isn't impacting pricing (and about done on our specific voyage). I had two different TAs priced the cruise out at minimal savings off HALs' price - they both independently said there was only one price available to pull.

[ski ww]

Just read on the CC site that HAL has cancelled all Eastern Mediterranean cruises for spring & summer 2014 because of unrest in that region. I think it's a safe and smart thing to do. We have an eastern Med & Black Sea cruise booked for Oct 2014 hope things are settled by them, I guess we'll see.

Allan:(

[GeriatricNurse]

Just read on the CC site that HAL has cancelled all Eastern Mediterranean cruises for spring & summer 2014 because of unrest in that region. I think it's a safe and smart thing to do. We have an eastern Med & Black Sea cruise booked for Oct 2014 hope things are settled by them, I guess we'll see.

Allan:(

 

 

Actually, I think that it was only the ports in Egypt that will be cancelled, which will not affect the Eastern Mediterranean cruises in 2014. ;)

[alwaysfrantic]

Actually, I think that it was only the ports in Egypt that will be cancelled, which will not affect the Eastern Mediterranean cruises in 2014. ;)

 

This article says the whole Eastern Med. season was cancelled: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=5587

[sackman]

Well, I must be lucky, because I got a reduced Mariner fare and the promotional stuff for the cruise I just booked. It's going to cost us more to fly to Ft. Lauderdale and home than it will for us to take the cruise. Go figure.

[esimon]

what a useless circle of an argument - really

 

Alaska cruise next May- booked 2 months ago with TA -- no added cost on this end. That's all I know

[ski ww]

It's nice to see that Carnival Corp. has stepped up to help all their Filipino crew members that have families affected by the huge storm in the Philippines. It must be pretty hard for them not been home to help their families or even know what is happening. I'm sure internet & phone service in that part of the world is not working very well at this time. The crew members where always so friendly & cheerful.

Allan & Marlane