Explore4 is Returning

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Is this offer still on to be announced on the 26th?

Yes with Holland America but some agencies were given advanced booking privileges starting today also some sailings are offering special Mariner Discounts on top of the Explore4 for early bookings.

[solocanadian]

Yes with Holland America but some agencies were given advanced booking privileges starting today also some sailings are offering special Mariner Discounts on top of the Explore4 for early bookings.

Will any of this help my Westerdam cruise next April?

[frankc98376]

We are booked in an SC on a TA next March. Price for ours just jumped from $2999 pp to $3599 pp. We don't drink enough to warrant the increase for SBC. We are primarily wine drinkers, and not really fond of the house wines.

[GeriatricNurse]

OP is a travel agent.

 

In Canada, travel agents are (usually) called travel 'consultants'! :D

[Alberta Quilter]

In Canada, travel agents are (usually) called travel 'consultants'! :D

 

Not in Western Canada...

[cruisin'mama]

I was alerted to a $100pp price drop in my cabin category for my July 2015 Alaska cruise so when I emailed my TA to ask him to get the price reduction for me, I also asked him to see if I could get the Explore 4 when it's launched on Sat.

 

Well I don't know how he did it, but he said he got me the price reduction and the Explore 4 added to our reservation! Woo Hoo!

[Duquesmom]

Just checked HAL site for cruise we are booked on in February, 2015. Price just jumped $500 per person,

[studygirl]

:confused: I've been reading through this thread and would very much appreciate some advice. We have never sailed HAL and are unfamiliar with Explore4, Pinnacle and pretty much everything mentioned about HAL. We are considering a cruise to Canada & NE in August 2015 with two other couples. Our cruise appears to be eligible for Explore4. When would be the best time to book this cruise? And, how is Explore4 used for Pinnacle -- what would we need to do for Pinnacle?

[POA1]

:confused: I've been reading through this thread and would very much appreciate some advice. We have never sailed HAL and are unfamiliar with Explore4, Pinnacle and pretty much everything mentioned about HAL. We are considering a cruise to Canada & NE in August 2015 with two other couples. Our cruise appears to be eligible for Explore4. When would be the best time to book this cruise? And, how is Explore4 used for Pinnacle -- what would we need to do for Pinnacle?

 

If it works the same way as the last Explore 4, you were assigned a Pinnacle Grill reservation day and time in advance. The Pinnacle Grill is Holland America's steakhouse style specialty restaurant. You get 1 night in the Pinnacle per person at no charge, as part of the Explore 4 promo. It's normally a $29 per person supplement.

 

If you want to see some scans of the menu, head to:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/?page_id=908

 

The site is maintained by CC user CrewNews who is nice enough to scan the menus when he travels.

[studygirl]

If it works the same way as the last Explore 4, you were assigned a Pinnacle Grill reservation day and time in advance. The Pinnacle Grill is Holland America's steakhouse style specialty restaurant. You get 1 night in the Pinnacle per person at no charge, as part of the Explore 4 promo. It's normally a $29 per person supplement.

 

If you want to see some scans of the menu, head to:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/?page_id=908

 

The site is maintained by CC user CrewNews who is nice enough to scan the menus when he travels.

 

Thank you for the explanation. Hopefully the 6 of us in our group can try to arrange through HAL to dine together.

[POA1]

Thank you for the explanation. Hopefully the 6 of us in our group can try to arrange through HAL to dine together.

We made a linked online Pinnacle reservation for our entire party. Once we got onboard, we had our free reservation credit applied to our prepaid one. The downside is that someone has to pay for all of the reservations in advance. They'll get a $29 shipboard credit back on the reservations. It's a work around.

[cp556]

OK ... ignorant question here:

 

I know the Signature Beverage Package included with Explore 4 is for drinks up to $7.

 

If one BUYS the SBP individually, is that "up to $7" restriction still in place?

[POA1]

OK ... ignorant question here:

 

I know the Signature Beverage Package included with Explore 4 is for drinks up to $7.

 

If one BUYS the SBP individually, is that "up to $7" restriction still in place?

Yes. Without a doubt.

[CStorm]

I booked the Noordam today for July 11 to Alaska and my TA gave me the Explore 4 package. Our price is the same it's been for a few weeks. Looking forward to a few cocktails. :D

[studygirl]

We booked our eligible Explore 4 cruise to Canada & New England today. We will now have to watch and see if there are any price adjustments.

[Primus]

My PCC just applied the Explore4 promotion for a previous booking of 3 cabins to Alaska in May 2015. No price increase and all the benefits of this promotion.

[POA1]

My PCC just applied the Explore4 promotion for a previous booking of 3 cabins to Alaska in May 2015. No price increase and all the benefits of this promotion.

That's excellent! Good for you.

[Vineyard View]

I am sorry if this has been covered - the signature beverage package - it states 15 drinks/day (up to?). So is it actually 15 drinks or $50/ day - whichever comes first? Thank you

[cruisin'mama]

I also have a question. I realize that the drink package is only for the 1st two passengers on the reservation . My husband is a diabetic and won't utilize the package so can he go to Cutomer Service and have it switched to my son? My son has Down Syndrome and won't be drinking the alcoholic beverages either, but he does drink sodas and juices, etc. ( he is over 21 if that matters )

[POA1]

I also have a question. I realize that the drink package is only for the 1st two passengers on the reservation . My husband is a diabetic and won't utilize the package so can he go to Cutomer Service and have it switched to my son? My son has Down Syndrome and won't be drinking the alcoholic beverages either' date=' but he does drink sodas and juices, etc. ( he is over 21 if that matters )[/quote']

 

Call Holland America or have your travel agent call. It seems like a reasonable request. Here's the page with the contact numbers.

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/contactUs/Preface.action

 

Let us know what they tell you. Good luck!:)

[POA1]

I am sorry if this has been covered - the signature beverage package - it states 15 drinks/day (up to?). So is it actually 15 drinks or $50/ day - whichever comes first? Thank you

There are two flavors of Explore 4. One has a $50 fixed value beverage card. The other one has a 15 drink per day, $7 per drink limit.

 

Some of the literature describes the 15 drinks per day Signature Beverage Package as having a $50 per day value. It's a little bit confusing, but the Signature Beverage Package costs $44.95 + 15% Service or $51.69 per day. The most expensive drink you can currently buy is $6.95. If you got 15 of those, it would be worth $119.85 when you factor in the service charge.

 

Hope that helps.

[Crazy For Cats]

I just got a call from my PCC at HAL. She called to tell me that my cruise to Bermuda qualifies for the Explore 4 promotion. She was letting me know that she was adding this to my booking at no additional charge! :D I am happily surprised by the call, I assumed I would need to call and request the promotion.

[Linda&Vern]

On the day Lisa posted her first message on this thread I randomly selected 4 cruises I thought we might be interested in for 2015. According to her list they qualified for E4 so I priced them out. Today I compared those prices to the current pricing and ... surprise - today's prices were all $400-$800pp more.

 

So ... I doubt we will see a price increase for E4 when it is announed. I think it already happened!

 

Has anyone else been checking prices?

Edited July 25, 2014 by Linda&Vern

[Vineyard View]

POA1 - thank you for that explanation. Do we know yet which beverage package is being offered starting tomorrow?

When we booked our cruise the in Feb it was explained to us that the package was for 15 drinks per day, up to $7 ea - no discussion of $50 top stop, and online info on HAL's site didn't say a thing about $50 - we paid in full the cruise this week and on confirmation it states $50/day max.

I have pushed back on this, and know our TA is going to work for us on this because she is great, but it is a significant difference on a 21 day cruise. So I am trying to determine what to expect as well as what to do about this.

Thank you

[POA1]

POA1 - thank you for that explanation. Do we know yet which beverage package is being offered starting tomorrow?

 

Generally speaking, if it says per day, it's the Signature Beverage Package. If, on the other hand, it just says $50 Beverage Card, it's the one time fixed use card. Last year, the Caribbean & Mexico itineraries had the $50 card, an Alaska, Europe, and some others had the Signature Beverage Package. I haven't seen an email on the new program yet, so that's all I know at the moment.