Alternatives to Explore 4 Promotion?

[Jimbo59]

Holland America's Explore 4 Promotion includes alcoholic beverages, up to $50.00 per person per day. For those who are not heavy drinkers, what alternative promotions are available?

[Ontariotrekker]

It was my understanding that the promo also included specialty coffees, sodas and water as long as they were purchased through a waiter or the cafe. The soda and water in your cabin is not included.

[DaveOKC]

Holland America's Explore 4 Promotion includes alcoholic beverages, up to $50.00 per person per day. For those who are not heavy drinkers, what alternative promotions are available?

 

It may be smarter to wait to book until after the promotion is over, as prices should go down.

[SilvertoGold]

Explore 4 gives you up to 15 drinks, each one worth up to $7.00, per day.

 

So, really not for a light drinker if all you want is booze.

 

I don't think there is any other promo, except Happy Hour where you buy one and get the same for $1.00

[SilvertoGold]

It may be smarter to wait to book until after the promotion is over, as prices should go down.

 

Absolutely!!! Very good advice.

[kqcallahan]

It may be smarter to wait to book until after the promotion is over, as prices should go down.

 

Any guess on when it will be over? If I wanted it to stay it would have been gone two weeks ago. Haha

[VioletHorse]

When we booked our 2014 Alaska cruise in 2013, the Explore4 promo was in effect.

 

After the promo period ended, not only did our room category price NOT go down, it actually went up, right up until the time that the cruise sold out. Had we waited to book thinking that the price would go down, we would have paid more and gotten less.

[DaveOKC]

Any guess on when it will be over? If I wanted it to stay it would have been gone two weeks ago. Haha

 

I think it is on until sept or Oct

[Alberta Quilter]

You could always book now. If the price goes down prior to final payment, have them re fare your booking. You may lose the E4 promo but it sounds like it's not that valuable to you. If the price goes up, well, you've got the less expensive fare and a few free drinks.

 

I recently checked LaffnVegas' thread about the E4 promo returning and the promo is supposed to end at the end of October.

[VermeulT]

Even if you aren't a heavy drinker or even a light drinker... get a bottle of water or two each day to take ashore. Enjoy a nice cup of coffee. Have a soda if you prefer.

 

My sister and I aren't big drinkers... maybe a glass of wine with dinner. But we were happy to get the Explore 4 promo... we don't have to shop & then schlep cases of anything to the ship before embarkation, we can drink whatever we feel like and not worry about adding to the trip's bill, and the free Pinnacle dinner that is included is nice too.

 

Like Quilter said - go ahead and book, and if prices drop - have your TA get you the lower fare.

[esimon]

We had this on our Alaska cruise -- loved it -- bottled water whenever, specialty coffee often, and a few drinks when ever where ever - if it increases the cost of a cruise I haven't found out how or where --

Don't over think it just enjoy it.

[3rdGenCunarder]

For those that have had this promotion, how did the Pinnacle dinner work out? We won't know what day or time we'll get until we board. Do the promo people get the extremely early or late times? Or formal nights when MDR menu is thought to be better?

 

Considering the typical cost of a glass of wine, I think that's likely to be over the $7 limit. And a bottle of wine is definitely over the limit. But a free beer or cocktail, and as someone else has said, free bottles of water for a day in port would be welcome. If it isn't costing me anything, I won't feel I have to make an effort to use up my allowance.

[legalslave]

There was a card in the cabin with our assigned Pinnacle time and day. We were dining with friends we were traveling with. They changed the date and time so we could dine together.

 

I also am not a heavy drinker and loved having the Explore 4 promo. It was nice getting an after dinner cordial or beer or a cocktail in the show lounge or a soft drink whenever I wanted.

 

Diane

[erewhon]

Even if you aren't a heavy drinker or even a light drinker... get a bottle of water or two each day to take ashore. Enjoy a nice cup of coffee. Have a soda if you prefer.

 

My sister and I aren't big drinkers... maybe a glass of wine with dinner. But we were happy to get the Explore 4 promo... we don't have to shop & then schlep cases of anything to the ship before embarkation, we can drink whatever we feel like and not worry about adding to the trip's bill, and the free Pinnacle dinner that is included is nice too.

 

Like Quilter said - go ahead and book, and if prices drop - have your TA get you the lower fare.

 

 

Using the Explore 4 promotion, where do you buy the bottled water ?

[slabeaume]

I also discovered they can make a really good smoothie. Now to find somewhere on board where they can make a milkshake!

 

As for when is your Pinnacle dinner, ours was the day of embarkation at something like 6pm. That worked out great for us since we didn't have to get back early on a port day and didn't miss formal days. It also wasn't crowded then.

[POA1]

Using the Explore 4 promotion, where do you buy the bottled water ?

Any bar, lounge, or restaurant. Just remember to grab you excursion water when you have breakfast, or the night before and keep it in your stateroom. We could not get water down by the gangway because there's no computer terminal to process the SBP Cards. Other people have reported that they could get bottles of water on their SBP on the gangway, but I would play it safe and get it ahead of time.

[legalslave]

Any bar, lounge, or restaurant. Just remember to grab you excursion water when you have breakfast, or the night before and keep it in your stateroom. We could not get water down by the gangway because there's no computer terminal to process the SBP Cards. Other people have reported that they could get bottles of water on their SBP on the gangway, but I would play it safe and get it ahead of time.

 

Good advise!

 

Diane

[erewhon]

Any bar, lounge, or restaurant. Just remember to grab you excursion water when you have breakfast, or the night before and keep it in your stateroom. We could not get water down by the gangway because there's no computer terminal to process the SBP Cards. Other people have reported that they could get bottles of water on their SBP on the gangway, but I would play it safe and get it ahead of time.

 

Good advice.

Thank you for your reply.

[fuzzywuzzy]

Explore 4 gives you up to 15 drinks, each one worth up to $7.00, per day.

 

So, really not for a light drinker if all you want is booze.

 

I don't think there is any other promo, except Happy Hour where you buy one and get the same for $1.00

 

How much is Explore4?

[Alberta Quilter]

How much is Explore4?

 

The Explore4 promo is "free" on select sailings (as determined by HAL) and includes the Signature Beverage Package (SBP) among other benefits. The reason free is in quotations is that for some sailings the price went up at approximately the same time as the promo was announced.

 

The SBP, if one was to purchase it, costs $51.69 pp/day, including the 15% gratuity, for every day of the cruise. But, each person over the age of 21 in your cabin has to also purchase the package. There is no sharing allowed.

 

So, for a seven day cruise, the cost per person is over $350.

[Tampa Girl]

The Explore4 promo is "free" on select sailings (as determined by HAL) and includes the Signature Beverage Package (SBP) among other benefits. The reason free is in quotations is that for some sailings the price went up at approximately the same time as the promo was announced.

 

The SBP, if one was to purchase it, costs $51.69 pp/day, including the 15% gratuity, for every day of the cruise. But, each person over the age of 21 in your cabin has to also purchase the package. There is no sharing allowed.

 

So, for a seven day cruise, the cost per person is over $350.

 

 

We recently got some quotes for a March, 2015, Caribbean cruise, and the online TA advertised a "free" Explore4 package. Does this actually mean that it will cost nothing for the full 10 days of the cruise, a value of over $500?

[Alberta Quilter]

We recently got some quotes for a March, 2015, Caribbean cruise, and the online TA advertised a "free" Explore4 package. Does this actually mean that it will cost nothing for the full 10 days of the cruise, a value of over $500?

 

Yes. The price of your cruise may have gone up from what it was prior to the promotion but others have reported price drops. But if you're happy with the price, go with the one that offers the free Explore4.

 

When HAL had the promo last year, we got it for free for our 14 day cruise. It was very nice to have free drinks, even though we didn't even come close to maxing it out once.

[Vict0riann]

We have explore4 for our next cruise on Maasdam - 42 days. When we get back I'm joining AA!:D

[VermeulT]

Considering the typical cost of a glass of wine, I think that's likely to be over the $7 limit. And a bottle of wine is definitely over the limit. But a free beer or cocktail, and as someone else has said, free bottles of water for a day in port would be welcome. If it isn't costing me anything, I won't feel I have to make an effort to use up my allowance.

 

Look through this thread. It's long but a super extensive review of what is and what isn't included. There is quite a variety. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1999316

 

I also discovered they can make a really good smoothie. Now to find somewhere on board where they can make a milkshake!

 

Details on the Smoothies please!

Edited August 16, 2014 by VermeulT

[Tampa Girl]

One last question - and I apologize if this has already been answered - but what happens if you order a drink costing $8.00? Do you just get charged the extra dollar or do you not even get the benefit of the $7.00 and have to pay the full $8?