Don't want nor need Explore4 - can you book without?

[DaveOKC]

Does that mean with the Explore4 package, you can take water off the ship when you head off on excursion?

 

Just about to cancel a Celebrity Cruise we booked due to many issues and re-book instead a cruise on a HAL Westerdam trip which has a better itinerary for my interests.

 

learning loads here. thanks all :D

 

Yes concerning the water. But you cannot purchase it at the gangway as they do not have a register there. Just get it at any bar or the Explorer's Cafe.

[Tinknock50]

Adding the Explore4 if it is now available for your sailing does NOT require canceling and rebooking, they can just add it.

 

Secondly...someone else's experience MAY NOT APPLY. As I try to state every single ship, sailing, date, itinerary is all very different. Everyone's Travel Agency can have very different offers or theri Mariner number has a select discount. So reading what others have gotten more than likely WILL NOT Apply. So YES leaving it to a TRUE Experienced Travel Professional or your HAL Personal Cruise Consultant they are the Experts that can tell you what the REAL options are for your particular instance. If you feel you are not getting the answers you want then call someone else for a second opinion.

Just because you READ it here on Cruise Critic does not mean it will work or will apply to your sailing.

Too many people get upset reading CC and hearing that someone else got something they did not.....but you do not know if that person booked the same cruise, same category, did the agency they had have Select pricing? Did that other CC member have Casino Discount?

There are just too many variables and each and every single one of you are totally different and have a different situation.

 

No worries....I don't think anyone expects every booking to be the same.:)Cruise Critic people seem pretty savvy overall. Agree it never hurts to ask questions and of more than one source.

I appreciate CC so much for letting me know about the Explore4 opt out savings . I never would have known about it otherwise.

I will not be "upset" if I don't get it on next booking...lol. I am a bit puzzled by anyone being upset over an open discussion about it, however.

 

It's all good....and you folks are the best for sharing your good news with us!

[alwaysfrantic]

Yes concerning the water. But you cannot purchase it at the gangway as they do not have a register there. Just get it at any bar or the Explorer's Cafe.

 

I wonder why they don't "fix" this. Surely if they just write down cabin numbers at the pier for water takers they have to put though a register later. Or if not writing on paper but scanning card then it is sort of a register isn't it? There doesn't seem to be a reason they could not allow it to run though as a bar purchase once they key it in later.

[Cindy]

I wonder why they don't "fix" this. Surely if they just write down cabin numbers at the pier for water takers they have to put though a register later. Or if not writing on paper but scanning card then it is sort of a register isn't it? There doesn't seem to be a reason they could not allow it to run though as a bar purchase once they key it in later.

 

 

 

They have the same problem on other lines. I have been allowed to get water, but they have to hand write a ticket and it's a really slow process. Even if you can do it, it's faster to stop at a bar for water and take it with you.

 

 

Cindy

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[SilvertoGold]

No worries....I don't think anyone expects every booking to be the same.:)Cruise Critic people seem pretty savvy overall. Agree it never hurts to ask questions and of more than one source.

I appreciate CC so much for letting me know about the Explore4 opt out savings . I never would have known about it otherwise.

I will not be "upset" if I don't get it on next booking...lol. I am a bit puzzled by anyone being upset over an open discussion about it, however.

 

It's all good....and you folks are the best for sharing your good news with us!

 

Nice post, covering a lot of points. Your low-key attitude must serve you well in booking and cruising. Hope your upcoming cruise is wonderful!

[madera1]

I wonder why they don't "fix" this. Surely if they just write down cabin numbers at the pier for water takers they have to put though a register later. Or if not writing on paper but scanning card then it is sort of a register isn't it? There doesn't seem to be a reason they could not allow it to run though as a bar purchase once they key it in later.

 

On our recent cruise on the Prinsendam, staff had bottled waters , some cold, for sale either near the security or in the room where you obtained tender tickets. They used tickets which you signed. We took advantage of this several times when we forgot to get a bottle at another venue.

 

 

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[DaveOKC]

On our recent cruise on the Prinsendam, staff had bottled waters , some cold, for sale either near the security or in the room where you obtained tender tickets. They used tickets which you signed. We took advantage of this several times when we forgot to get a bottle at another venue.

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Almost all ships do this. However, the discussion was that bottles purchased at this venue cannot be applied to the Signature Beverage Program that comes with the Explore4 package.

[ithaca gal]

Many previous good experiences with this TA.

I don't believe in "one strike and out".

I'll be watching closely in the future.

Three strikes and we'll re-visit the relationship.

:)

 

Everyone has to decide what is best for them, but if my travel agent was too lazy to save me $600, I would be gone. I don't want to have to "look closely in the future". That's what I have my travel agent for in the first place.

 

Who knows? Maybe this isn't their first strike but they just didn't get caught before.

[KAKcruiser]

I agree with the people who mentioned the problem with explore 4 when you book a solo. Not only are you paying double for the cabin but you are paying double for the explore 4 package and only getting a single benefit. They should have some way to adjust the solo supplement to reflect only one person benefiting from explore 4.

[Bill B]

I agree with the people who mentioned the problem with explore 4 when you book a solo. Not only are you paying double for the cabin but you are paying double for the explore 4 package and only getting a single benefit. They should have some way to adjust the solo supplement to reflect only one person benefiting from explore 4.

 

They'll never do it because they don't want solos. 'It's' become all about on board revenue... and two spend more than one.

[realnurse2]

Just booked yesterday as a solo under the advantage promo- I took the option of no exporer 4 and my fare was more than $700 less . If I really feel the need of booze I can always buy a beverage card.

[Tinknock50]

Nice post, covering a lot of points. Your low-key attitude must serve you well in booking and cruising. Hope your upcoming cruise is wonderful!

 

Thanks.....I have cruised many times and am just as excited as the first time about my next one!

 

One of my other pleasures is seeing other people enjoying cruising and getting a break on pricing too!

[Tinknock50]

Just booked yesterday as a solo under the advantage promo- I took the option of no exporer 4 and my fare was more than $700 less . If I really feel the need of booze I can always buy a beverage card.

 

Awesome! The numbers are racking up on people saving money on opting out of Explore4. I guess it is not such a rare thing.

 

Doubly good that a solo can get a break this way too.

 

Was this directly through HAL?

Edited September 18, 2016 by Tinknock50

[DaveOKC]

Just booked yesterday as a solo under the advantage promo- I took the option of no exporer 4 and my fare was more than $700 less . If I really feel the need of booze I can always buy a beverage card.

 

What is the Advantage promo?

[SilvertoGold]

Thanks.....I have cruised many times and am just as excited as the first time about my next one!

 

One of my other pleasures is seeing other people enjoying cruising and getting a break on pricing too!

 

We think alike!

 

It is amazing how exited we can be after many cruises. Some think: same old, same old ........ we don't at all!

 

A break on pricing is good to hear about, too.

[RocketMan275]

I agree with the people who mentioned the problem with explore 4 when you book a solo. Not only are you paying double for the cabin but you are paying double for the explore 4 package and only getting a single benefit. They should have some way to adjust the solo supplement to reflect only one person benefiting from explore 4.

 

Can you book without the $xplore four and then buy the drink package for one on board?

[boards]

We enquired about Sept. 2017 cruise on the Noordam that had the Explorer4 promotion and asked for a price without it and the price is $910 difference. Haven't booked yet but we are hoping to soon.

[Tinknock50]

We enquired about Sept. 2017 cruise on the Noordam that had the Explorer4 promotion and asked for a price without it and the price is $910 difference. Haven't booked yet but we are hoping to soon.

 

Great! What itinerary are you considering and what category cabin?

[DaveOKC]

Can you book without the $xplore four and then buy the drink package for one on board?

 

As long as there is only one person in the cabin, this should work.

 

Interesting thought - with the fares increasing so much for cruises that include Explore4, in SOME cases you might as well purchase the SBP once onboard. At least this way you would earn additional Mariner point days (one per $300 spent per cabin- Limited by the number of days you sail).

[OceanTraveller4ever]

Booked my next cruise before the EX4 package promo, and the difference is now 1150pp for my cabin class (with the additional casino discount).

 

I don't mind spending about 300pp or so, in drinks for the duration :)

Edited October 3, 2016 by jpelleti007

[Tinknock50]

Booked my next cruise before the EX4 package promo, and the difference is now 1150pp for my cabin class (with the additional casino discount).

 

I don't mind spending about 300pp or so, in drinks for the duration :)

 

Great! Enjoy the extra spending money. :)

[Ken the cruiser]

I know this is not the norm from what I've read so far on this thread, but our 14 day Jul 2017 Alaska cruise went down $30 pp when we rebooked the cruise with Explore4 when it came out. Interesting note though, I looked the other day and the cruise price went up $50 pp and Explore4 is no longer offered with the cruise on the web site. On the other hand, our Antarctica cruise price went up $1300 pp, so we passed on rebooking the cruise with Explore4. As folks have mentioned, it all depends on the cruise.

Edited October 3, 2016 by Ken the cruiser

[Tinknock50]

I know this is not the norm from what I've read so far on this thread, but our 14 day Jul 2017 Alaska cruise went down $30 pp when we rebooked the cruise with Explore4 when it came out. Interesting note though, I looked the other day and the cruise price went up $50 pp and Explore4 is no longer offered with the cruise on the web site. As folks have mentioned, it all depends on the cruise.

 

Did you by any chance check what it would be without the Explore4 when you booked for $30 less? I mean a with/without rate.

[Ken the cruiser]

Did you by any chance check what it would be without the Explore4 when you booked for $30 less? I mean a with/without rate.

 

We talked with our HAL PCC and she said the price would be the price we had originally booked it for (ie, $30 more). So, it was a win win for us, especially since we had 3 Vista suites booked. Our family can drink a lot of fluids in a 2 week period!

Edited October 3, 2016 by Ken the cruiser

[Tinknock50]

We talked with our HAL PCC and she said the price would be the price we had originally booked it for (ie, $30 more). So, it was a win win for us, especially since we had 3 Vista suites booked. Our family can drink a lot of fluids in a 2 week period!

 

Cool....glad it worked out for you. You are doing the round trip out of Seattle then? I would like to do that someday.