Is HAL's explore 4 better than anything Celebrity has offered?

[gordylad]

What do you think?

[Oville]

It ended 11/15 and no, a $100 drink card does not match X's free Classic Beverage Package when offered.

Edited November 18, 2013 by Oville

[Hlitner]

We actually have a booked HA cruise under their Explore 4 and also have an upcoming Celebrity cruise which was booked with their 1-2-3. There are some similarities with the main benefit of both programs being their drink packages. However, HA has various restrictions on their Explore 4 such as not offering their unlimited (actually limited to no more then 15 drinks per day) drink package on some Caribbean cruises. We would add that for those of us who do drink alcohol, the drink package program can be a huge saver. In our particular case, the booked HA cruise is 38 days. DW and I normally average about $55 per day (total per two) for our bar bill (includes wine at dinner). A little math shows us that the drink package will save us at least $2000 on the booked cruise. But one needs to carefully monitor future prices of a booked cruise to see if their is a large price drop at some point after the promotion ends. If a major price drop does happen we would simply re-price the cruise (and most likely lose the Explore 4 benefits).

 

When we book cruises (and we cruise 75-100 days a year) we use a very simple formula to evaluate the pricing. We take the total price of the cruise (including taxes and fees) and subtract from that amount the value of any amenities such as OBCs, drink packages (we value those at about what we would normally spend...not the cruise line's value), free meals in alternative restaurants, pre-paid gratuities, etc. Once we have the "real" cruise price we simply divide that total by the total days of the cruise to get the "per passenger cost per day." This is the number we use to compare various options. It also helps us decide if its worth our while to book things like Aqua Class (....i.e. how much more per day then a regular balcony cabin?), verandas, suites, etc. Last year we had planned on taking a 14 day Eclipse Cruise until we realized that we could take a 14 day (actually back to back 7 day) HA cruise for about 1/2 of the cost. It seems like a simple concept to compare "passenger cost per day" but we have been amazed at how many fellow cruisers will tell us that they never thought about doing it that way.

 

Hank

Edited November 18, 2013 by Hlitner

[gordylad]

Ends 30th Nov

 

1. FREE Signature Beverage Package or a Beverage Card (depending on cruise selected)**

Signature Beverage Package Signature Beverage Package:

A value of US$100 per day, per stateroom (or US$50 per person)

Includes wine, beer, spirits, cocktails (including non-alcoholic), sodas and coffee (a daily limit applies)

Applies to beverages priced up to US$7.00 (menu price)

Beverage service charge covered by Holland America Line

Excludes Caribbean and Mexico sailings — and the land portion of Land+Sea Journeys (other exclusions apply)

 

2 FREE speciality restaurant dinner**

[Oville]

HAL must have extended it. We got off the New Amsterdam yesterday and they were pushing this promo. For a Caribbean cruise you do not get the drink package rather a $100 card for the cruise and the free dinner. We passed.

[gordylad]

Hank, You seem to have all bases covered................

[Oville]

Hank, You seem to have all bases covered................

 

Except of course HAL's smoking policy which allows cigarette, pipe and cigar smoking on verandas. That I would think would be a dealer breaker for many Celebrity cruisers.

[boards]

I just checked with Hal and the promotion has not been extended, at least not at this moment. Could change!!!!

[gordylad]

That sign on their web site that says hurry offer ends 30th November must be a mirage.............

[Oville]

How funny, I'm not seeing it. Tried specials and it wasn't there either.

[hulamoon]

When we book cruises (and we cruise 75-100 days a year) we use a very simple formula to evaluate the pricing. We take the total price of the cruise (including taxes and fees) and subtract from that amount the value of any amenities such as OBCs, drink packages (we value those at about what we would normally spend...not the cruise line's value), free meals in alternative restaurants, pre-paid gratuities, etc. Once we have the "real" cruise price we simply divide that total by the total days of the cruise to get the "per passenger cost per day." This is the number we use to compare various options. It also helps us decide if its worth our while to book things like Aqua Class (....i.e. how much more per day then a regular balcony cabin?), verandas, suites, etc. Last year we had planned on taking a 14 day Eclipse Cruise until we realized that we could take a 14 day (actually back to back 7 day) HA cruise for about 1/2 of the cost. It seems like a simple concept to compare "passenger cost per day" but we have been amazed at how many fellow cruisers will tell us that they never thought about doing it that way.

 

Hank

 

This is exactly how I do our comparison. We do not value drink pkg as much as others and once or twice I penalized a line for overly long dinners and smoking policy, but other than that, this is how I do it too.

[boards]

That sign on their web site that says hurry offer ends 30th November must be a mirage.............

 

Must be, because it is NOT showing on mine. LOL I have it anyway on our booked Sept cruise. Hoping it really is a good deal, hoping the price increase covers our drink consumption.

[gordylad]

how do you compare hal to celebrity with regards food, entertainment?

[boards]

We did our first Celebrity Cruise on the Infinity in June and it was great. We enjoyed the whole experience, the service, the food, entertainment, the ship itself, everything was good. However we feel the same way about the Hal experience. We are scheduled for our 11th Hal in Dec. I have to say honestly that the major reason for continuing with Hal is, we are very near the 4-star 200 day level. If it were not for that we would book again with Celebrity, but it is a little late for us to change now to experience any extra perks from them.

[simon stingray]

That sign on their web site that says hurry offer ends 30th November must be a mirage.............

 

How funny, I'm not seeing it. Tried specials and it wasn't there either.

 

Maybe it has only been extended for UK/European passengers.

 

You may thing you are getting a great deal, however if you look further it's not so great.

 

I was interested in booking the April 6th 2014 Transatlantic sailing on Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

The price quoted for a VF Cat Veranda stateroom to US/Canadian guests is $1195.29 including taxes.

 

The price for the same cat stateroom on the same sailing for UK guests is £1198.48 ($1930.00 approx.)

 

At the time both these deals included the explore 4 promotion.

 

So you are not really getting the drinks package for free as they would have you believe.

 

As Holland America will not allow me to book through my US travel agent and are expecting me to pay more that the majority of other guests I am no longer considering booking with them.

 

I posted a similar thread on the HAL board a few weeks ago asking why HAL did not want my business but I was flamed by a HAL cheerleader who thought I was whining:rolleyes:

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Except of course HAL's smoking policy which allows cigarette, pipe and cigar smoking on verandas. That I would think would be a dealer breaker for many Celebrity cruisers.

 

Right. We looked at HAL's offer (I seem to get a mailing from them every day) and decided the Celebrity 15% discount with no smoking was a much better deal!

[Hlitner]

Except of course HAL's smoking policy which allows cigarette, pipe and cigar smoking on verandas. That I would think would be a dealer breaker for many Celebrity cruisers.

 

ARGH! We could not agree more. HA is still way behind the industry (and most of the world) when it comes to their smoking policy. To be very honest, we would not cruise on HA because of their smoking policy except for the fact that HA simply has some of the best (and unique) itineraries in the entire industry for those of us who take longer cruises.

 

Hank

[hulamoon]

Agreed Hank. I have a FCC with them but would like to have a smoke free balcony. So I keep pushing it out to see if there is a policy change.