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Club Orange is Excellent


NanaBnana
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16 hours ago, newbe4 said:

We were on the Nieuw Statendam last week in a Neptune Suite.  We LOVED Club Orange. We ate there for breakfast twice and dinner four times. I am working on posting an extensive review right now.  Enjoy the rest of your trip.

 

Very useful to hear your comments and the OP’s information. Thanks for posting.

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39 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

This is really not an extra perk.  Only the NS passengers get it free, and it replaced the perk of breakfast in the Pinnacle.  I am somewhat surprised that non-NS passengers feel that $100 day for the privilege of dining separately from the rest  of the ship and priority tendering is worth it.  A little bit of elitism?

 

The way HAL describes it, I get the feeling they're trying to play to people who want to feel elite. Both my cabin steward and the concierge said HAL wanted to "make suite passengers feel special." I found this notion that HAL knows what will make me "feel special" annoying. I don't need HAL to bolster my self-esteem, but if some people do, they can buy it for the price of a suite or $50 pp pd. 

 

But "feeling special" isn't the only reason some people may choose to pay the upsell. Some people  prefer a served dinner but dislike the ambiance of the large MDR with its "banquet food." So for someone who would rather have the small-space dining experience with some items cooked to order right there, it can be about enjoying dinner they way they want, not about feeling superior. 

 

I think the fee is too much, but we all decide what is worth our money and what isn't. 

 

Edited by 3rdGenCunarder
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$50 per person per day seems a bit expensive for the current benefits.  Might as well pay for the NS at that point.

 

However,  I suspect Club Orange will morph into a spiff they can give people as a customer resolution tool.  Something with perceived value that doesn't really cost them anything to give to people on an as-needed basis to resolve an issue. 

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Other major lines (Celebrity, NCL, MSC) are offering dedicated dining for suite passengers.  It appears HAL and Princess decided that they would follow the rest but didn't want to make a large investment in a new venue,  Hence the former Culinary Arts center on the two new ships and a section of the MDR on the rest of the fleet (as Princess currently does). Now that Princess and HAL are under one roof in Seattle doesn't surprise me.  

 

They also decided to offer it to all passengers at $50 per day per person (I believe that only HAL and Princess are doing this),

 

My guess is that they want to get rid of the "suite" market. There are fewer NS on the two new ships than on MS Amsterdam. I'm wondering that at some point those are converted in a dry dock to "Vista Suites" (formerly known as Veranda).  Twice as many cabins in the same space.  They then could offer the "Elite Club Orange Package" to make anyone feel like they are in a suite. They are selling priority boarding just like the low cost air carriers.

 

I wonder that at some point if Princess ships will be painted blue or HAL ships painted white. I guess it depends on whether they want to focus on long maritime history or "The Love Boat".

 

Below is a picture of a Yacht Club restaurant on MSC- big difference

 

 

 

MSC17010872.jpg

Edited by frankc98376
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5 minutes ago, mdjohn5 said:

$50 per person per day seems a bit expensive for the current benefits.  Might as well pay for the NS at that point.

 

However,  I suspect Club Orange will morph into a spiff they can give people as a customer resolution tool.  Something with perceived value that doesn't really cost them anything to give to people on an as-needed basis to resolve an issue. 

 

I wonder if it will be like Celebrity, who often offer a reduced price on specialty dining if the bookings are low -- maybe HAL will offer this "perk" for $40 or even $30 if they don't have many takers....  :classic_dry:

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5 minutes ago, mdjohn5 said:

$50 per person per day seems a bit expensive for the current benefits.  Might as well pay for the NS at that point.

 

However,  I suspect Club Orange will morph into a spiff they can give people as a customer resolution tool.  Something with perceived value that doesn't really cost them anything to give to people on an as-needed basis to resolve an issue. 

 

I do not like this idea. It's too subjective (in terms of who would be given this perk), and if I'd paid $50 per day for CO and found out that someone was given that for free, just for bitching about something, I would NOT be happy. 

 

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2 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 Both my cabin steward and the concierge said HAL wanted to "make suite passengers feel special." 

And how exactly does taking away the Neptune and Pinnacle Suite exclusive breakfast in Pinnacle Grill make Suite guests feel special? 😠

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1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I wonder if it will be like Celebrity, who often offer a reduced price on specialty dining if the bookings are low -- maybe HAL will offer this "perk" for $40 or even $30 if they don't have many takers....  :classic_dry:

Actually cheaper to eat in PG, Cannaletto, or Tamirind.  According to press release was only available by advance purchase and $50 per person per day and must be purchased for full length of cruise. They said would not be available on board (let's see how long that lasts)

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2 minutes ago, twodjs said:

And how exactly does taking away the Neptune and Pinnacle Suite exclusive breakfast in Pinnacle Grill make Suite guests feel special? 😠

It wont.  It will make people that pay an extra $100 per day feel special. Right up there with the Lido Cabanas on Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam- they didn't spread fleet wide or make it on the new ships

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2 minutes ago, frankc98376 said:

Actually cheaper to eat in PG, Cannaletto, or Tamirind.  According to press release was only available by advance purchase and $50 per person per day and must be purchased for full length of cruise. They said would not be available on board (let's see how long that lasts)

Exactly! How bad at math do you have to be to think that adding $1000 to a 10 day cruise for no specialty restaurants and no cabin upgrade is smart? You just paid that for MDR food! Why? Just hand me the thousand and I'll throw it overboard for you! 

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I didn’t feel “special” but I certainly felt “relieved” that I didn’t have to eat dinner in the MDR.

 

I also preferred CO breakfast over PG breakfast on the NA.  That was a horrible experience.  So bad that I only went twice.  Once because I didn’t know any better and the second time to confirm that it wasn’t just a fluke.  Never went back and nobody cared to ask why.

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1 minute ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Why did you feel that way?

 

I do not like the MDR.  Too large; too many people; too noisy; too impersonal; too banquety;  too much for the staff to do.  If the staff are stressed, I’m stressed.  That’s not my idea of a good time.

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4 hours ago, frankc98376 said:

Actually cheaper to eat in PG, Cannaletto, or Tamirind. 

 

Or Sel de Mar.  On Nieuw Statendam, my dinner bill was $19.50 after my Mariner's discount was applied.  What did I order?  Escargots, Dover Sole, Haricots Verts, and Crepes Suzette.  Everything was delicious, the service was impeccable including from the Wine Steward who did not "turn up his nose"  having to serve my wine from my wine package that had been sent to the restaurant from the MDR.

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1 minute ago, *Miss G* said:

 

I do not like the MDR.  Too large; too many people; too noisy; too impersonal; too banquety;  too much for the staff to do.  If the staff are stressed, I’m stressed.  That’s not my idea of a good time.

 

Thank you for the explanation.  I understand.

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100% share Miss G's opinions on the MDR and breakfast in the PG. (love the lunches and dinners in PG though)

So for us CO will be considered a suite perk as for the most part as we do not utilize the MDR or PG breakfast. Any additional alternative will be most welcome and appreciated. I also understand and respect that some people have become seriously attached to the PG breakfast's making this a spirited debate to say the least.   

 

Also agree with Frank-c that if CO was not an included suite perk that the math would not make sense for CO @ $50.00 per day if compared and combined with the cost for the specialty venues, mariner discounts and the 4* benefits. Unless it was included with our cabin choice I am guessing we wouldn't sign up but won't know for sure until we get to experience it ourselves in a few weeks.   

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Well, I have hesitated to post on this thread, but here goes.

 

Caveat - I HAVEN’T done Club Orange but it’s not really thrilling me.

 

I’ve only had one bad experience in the PG so for me, PG is far preferred.

I am thankful that my next cruise is on a ship where it doesn’t exist and where I can enjoy the views and the rosewood one last time.

 

I’ll wait to hear more reviews on Club Orange and where it is on each ship, but somehow, I think we will opt for the cheaper seats on the ship (upsell or not).  This just doesn’t grab me looking at both pics of the Koningsdam and N Statendam.

Happy if people like it but I don’t think it matches the ambiance of most Pinnacle Grills.  

 

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NanaBnana, can you tell me if they have a buffet for breakfast in CO. On NCL, they have a a small buffet with fruit, cereal, oatmeal, bagels, pastries and other items. It may sound silly but I really enjoyed it and am hoping that HAL has that. If not, that will be ok as well. 

 

Thank you

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3 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

I didn’t feel “special” but I certainly felt “relieved” that I didn’t have to eat dinner in the MDR.

 

 Never went back (to breakfast in Pinnacle Grill) nobody cared to ask why.

With the exception of NS and K-Dam, members of Club Orange and Neptune Suite guests will be assigned to a roped-off section of the MDR. So no relief there. Curious if you were experiencing bad service in the Pinnacle Grill, why didn't you say something? You said you went twice and never went back. How would someone know to ask you what the problem was if you didn't speak up? Sorry that you had such a bad experience. We have had excellent service each time. You are paying a premium for your "perk" when you stay in a Neptune Suite - it is not free. Please speak up! My guess is that they are using the same serving staff in CO that used to be in Pinnacle. 

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5 minutes ago, twodjs said:

With the exception of NS and K-Dam, members of Club Orange and Neptune Suite guests will be assigned to a roped-off section of the MDR. So no relief there.

 

I am always willing to try something once or twice before I make a judgement, so if their Club Orange on the non-Pinnacle class ships is not to my liking I would retreat to the Pinnacle Grill for my meals.

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8 minutes ago, twodjs said:

Curious if you were experiencing bad service in the Pinnacle Grill, why didn't you say something?

 

It wasn’t just a case of bad service.  The staff were not a cohesive unit and a table for two was actually a table for you and everyone else because you were right on top of each other — and the other patrons were not the friendly type.  The entire atmosphere was tainted and I was not in the least bit interested in suffering through them trying to put it right.  Or not.

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5 minutes ago, twodjs said:

All Pinnacles are not designed as you describe. Crammed together would be terrible! 

 

Yes, that is why I specified it was the Nieuw Amsterdam.  I found the Zuiderdam the complete opposite and completely enjoyed my experience there.

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