Eurodam - Club Orange - Neptune Suites

[showgirl85]

We are booked in a Neptune Suite on the Eurodam in October and on previous cruises have had our breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill.  Is that still the same or has that changed to the dining room now that the Club Orange program is in place. 

 

Any info appreciated.  

 

[GeezerCouple]

Are these things pretty much the same on different ships?

We'll be in a Neptune suite on Noordam a month later.

 

GC

[kazu]

From all reports so far, you will still have breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill.

 

The separate room for Club Orange is only on the Pinnacle class ships so any of the smaller ships (including the Eurodam and Noordam) should have breakfast in the PG 🙂 

That’s what is on the HAL site and been reported so far.

[showgirl85]

23 hours ago, kazu said:

From all reports so far, you will still have breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill.

 

The separate room for Club Orange is only on the Pinnacle class ships so any of the smaller ships (including the Eurodam and Noordam) should have breakfast in the PG 🙂 

That’s what is on the HAL site and been reported so far.

Thanks Kazu.  I've seen that info as well, but somewhere (don't recall where) that the older ships (such as the Eurodam) was creating a Club ORange section in the MDR.  I guess I'll find out on board.  43 days and counting.  

[kazu]

7 minutes ago, showgirl85 said:

Thanks Kazu.  I've seen that info as well, but somewhere (don't recall where) that the older ships (such as the Eurodam) was creating a Club ORange section in the MDR.  I guess I'll find out on board.  43 days and counting.  

 

The separate area in the MDR is a whole different kettle of fish.  Breakfast remains available for Suite guests only in the Pinnacle Grill according to both the HAL site & reports by fellow CC members.  On the Pinnacle Class ships, it is not.  They go to Club Orange.

 

Hopefully, it stays that way.

 

Club Orange people who are not in Neptune Suites + above will be able to eat in the MDR with the Club Orange ‘special’ menu.

[3rdGenCunarder]

18 minutes ago, showgirl85 said:

Thanks Kazu.  I've seen that info as well, but somewhere (don't recall where) that the older ships (such as the Eurodam) was creating a Club ORange section in the MDR.  I guess I'll find out on board.  43 days and counting.  

 

As Kazu says, all the reports here say that CO people on ships other than the Pinnacles simply get a different menu, but not a special area in which to eat. I think what you recall is reading early reports that HAL's  plan was to create a CO section in the MDR. Based on the initial reaction to CO here on CC, I think lots of people in Neptune and Pinnacle suites were asking about it onboard and saying they didn't want to lose the Pinnacle breakfast. Perhaps, for once, HAL listened to customers! 

 

CO isn't turning out to be as popular as HAL had hoped--why else would they keep lowering the price? So perhaps someone at HAL figured out that if they didn't build anything in the MDR it would save some money now and make it easy to drop CO if too few people go for it.

 

[Himself]

So, if someone is in a smaller "Mini Suite and purchases a membership in Club Orange, do they eat in the MDR or Pinnacle.  I am assuming are on a Vista or Signature Class ship.

[3rdGenCunarder]

17 minutes ago, Himself said:

So, if someone is in a smaller "Mini Suite and purchases a membership in Club Orange, do they eat in the MDR or Pinnacle.  I am assuming are on a Vista or Signature Class ship.

 

My understanding is that people who buy the "Orange Pass" would eat breakfast in the MDR, not the Pinnacle. I don't think we have a report about whether the "extras" like free mimosas that are in CO on the Pinnacle ships are included for Orange Pass breakfast in MDR or Pinnacle breakfast for suites. 

 

If HAL execs sat up nights for weeks, they couldn't find a way to make this more confusing!!!

 

[kazu]

23 minutes ago, Himself said:

So, if someone is in a smaller "Mini Suite and purchases a membership in Club Orange, do they eat in the MDR or Pinnacle.  I am assuming are on a Vista or Signature Class ship.

 

They eat in MDR.

 

oops sorry.  3rdGen and I were posting at the same time.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Just now, kazu said:

 

They eat in Club Orange.

 

Not on Vistas and Signatures, only on Pinnacle ships.

 

See what I mean? WAY too confusing!

[kazu]

1 minute ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Not on Vistas and Signatures, only on Pinnacle ships.

 

See what I mean? WAY too confusing!

 

Correct - sorry about that.  I was editing as you were posting.

 

One thing for sure - they don’t get to go to the Pinnacle Grill 😉 

[RocketMan275]

33 minutes ago, Himself said:

So, if someone is in a smaller "Mini Suite and purchases a membership in Club Orange, do they eat in the MDR or Pinnacle.  I am assuming are on a Vista or Signature Class ship.

 

12 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

My understanding is that people who buy the "Orange Pass" would eat breakfast in the MDR, not the Pinnacle. I don't think we have a report about whether the "extras" like free mimosas that are in CO on the Pinnacle ships are included for Orange Pass breakfast in MDR or Pinnacle breakfast for suites. 

 

12 minutes ago, kazu said:

They eat in MDR.

The operative words here are Mini-Suites and Vista or Signature Class.  People in mini-suites have never qualified for breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill on any ship.  The purchase of a Club Orange doesn't change that.  It isn't that confusing.   Mini-suites passengers on Vista or Signature Class ships that purchase a Club Orange still dine in the MDR.  The only significant change is Neptune/Pinnacle Suites passengers on  a Pinnacle class ship have their breakfast in Club Orange.  Nothing has changed for the non-Pinnacle Class ships.

Edited September 2, 2019 by RocketMan275

[kstrittm]

So sorry to stir this hornet's nest, but I do have a question or I guess a required clarification...

 

Am I correct in stating that HAL has rescinded the earlier announcements to turn sections of the main dining room into "Club Orange" in those ships lacking the separate facility?  From what I read earlier, this was to be done on a rolling basis over a few months and before the end of this year.

 

I'm interested because I'm heading out on the Nieuw Amsterdam September 14 (in a Neptune Suite).  

 

Thanks and sorry to beat this dead horse!

 

[RocketMan275]

16 minutes ago, kstrittm said:

So sorry to stir this hornet's nest, but I do have a question or I guess a required clarification...

 

Am I correct in stating that HAL has rescinded the earlier announcements to turn sections of the main dining room into "Club Orange" in those ships lacking the separate facility?  From what I read earlier, this was to be done on a rolling basis over a few months and before the end of this year.

 

I'm interested because I'm heading out on the Nieuw Amsterdam September 14 (in a Neptune Suite).  

 

Thanks and sorry to beat this dead horse!

 

I doubt anyone really knows.  The only thing we were concerned about was the breakfast in the PG.  That appears to be continued.  We're travelling with son and his wife who have purchased Club Orange.  We're in a Neptune on your cruise as well.  I guess we'll both find out.  I intend to inquire with the concierge as soon as we board.  

[3rdGenCunarder]

19 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

I doubt anyone really knows.  The only thing we were concerned about was the breakfast in the PG.  That appears to be continued.  We're travelling with son and his wife who have purchased Club Orange.  We're in a Neptune on your cruise as well.  I guess we'll both find out.  I intend to inquire with the concierge as soon as we board.  

 

Including HAL. (bold added for emphasis)

 

Several ships are past the date when CO was scheduled to be "rolled out" and all we're hearing from posters is that CO passengers get a special menu at dinner but are in the MDR with everyone else. So it appears that HAL isn't doing any construction. 

 

 

[*Miss G*]

23 hours ago, Epicureangirl said:

Hello again!  I am back from my Alaska Cruise (and did the Club Orange on the Westerdam).   So, without doing a review of my whole trip, it was probably one of the best of my HAL cruises as far as food and service, and some of the entertainment had improved too.  All-in-all HAL managed to make us happy again, though I don't necessarily attribute that to Club Orange.  

 

So was it worth the extra $50 a day for a ship that doesn't have the dedicated restaurant such as Koningsdam?  Hmmm.... I think it depends on if you are okay paying for a room upgrade or not.  The room upgrade was the most important benefit of CO in my opinion.  Right away when you call to enrol in CO, they book your upgrade with you so you have a choice of room assignment.  So in my case, I was originally booked into the lowest category of Verandah (Forward, above the Mainstage), and they upgraded that to the highest category of Verandah (a good quiet midship location with rooms above and below).  I happen to know at the time I booked my cruise, there was a huge price spread between those categories so YES, in that regard Club Orange was totally worth it for me.  I highly doubt that had I been booked into a higher Verandah Category, that they would have put me in a Suite -- I would be interested if that worked for anyone else, but it seems like it might be too much of a 'jump' in price.  If they do that sort of thing, I would be tempted to get the highest level Verandah, and then see if Club Orange could push me into a suite at a lower price than if I had booked it originally.

 

For the Westerdam, this was only the 2nd week of implementing the Club Orange program, so I think it wasn't fully worked out and familiar to all the staff.  I went to guest services, and asked about my in-room dining menu for breakfast (which for CO is supposed to be much more extensive and include free mimosa's, steak and eggs and a few items without an upcharge), and they just gave me a 'regular' breakfast menu.  I was really disappointed about this (I was planning to eat a better breakfast on the Verandah instead of leaving the room), but in the evening turn-down service, I got the 'full' menu I was expecting with CO.  So I am assuming I did in fact get the correct menu, but the person I talked to did not understand about that part of the benefits.

 

Now, for the evening meal, I was expecting two things with Club Orange.  One, being that you get a CO menu that has an extra menu item.  Two, being that for dessert your espresso or cappuccino was complementary.  So yes, there is an extra menu item, but the espresso and cappuccino was not complimentary, there was still a surcharge.  I did talk to the dining room steward/manager (sorry I don't remember their official title) and expressed my disappointment in this, being that I thought that was one of the CO benefits.  It does not seem that they are doing this on the ships that don't have the dedicated restaurant.  However, to 'make me happy', they did give us complimentary espresso/cappuccino when having dinner in the Dining Room.  So it was nice that they took care of us in that way, but I probably took advantage of that twice.  It is such a small cost to them, I really don't know why they wouldn't have included that as part of the Club Orange menu.

 

As for Club Orange 'priority', there were no tender ports to use that preference with, so the only time I could use the priority was when checking in on embarkation day (you get the next available person instead of having to be in the long line up), and whenever going to Guest Services.  Most times when going to Guest Services you could walk straight up to the (empty) CO line and get help.  However this completely fell apart when I needed it most (the day before disembarkation when things are crazy-busy), and no one was serving the CO line.  All the other agents were helping the long-line, and never calling us from CO -- we had to ask if we could get someone to help us.  I will chalk this up to CO being new to them, and the agents in the other part of the line not being taught to look for CO passengers.  Possibly there is a CO agent assigned to that spot, but maybe they were one break and didn't arrange coverage?  

 

As for the main dining room (on the lower level) there is a Club Orange desk that give you priority to get into the dining room, so I could see this being helpful if you don't have a fixed dining time.  For us, we had early dining at an upstairs table, so the CO priority wasn't used at dinner.  At breakfast or lunch for the dining room, we always were given one of the best window tables, so even though this isn't listed as a CO benefit, I do think it influenced our seating assignments in the dining room.

 

Other perks were small, a special box of chocolates (only 2 chocolates) and a Club Orange bag that I don't particularly find attractive and won't use.  

 

If I had booked a suite or secured a very specific room that I love (i.e. an aft verandah), I don't think I would need CO at all and couldn't justify the expense.  I would rather use that $50/day for the specialty restaurants.  I think that this was really worth it for us this time, just based on the room upgrade.  

 

There is one special 'event' for Club Orange passengers that they get an invitation to but they don't tell you what it is going to be until the invitation comes out.  In our case it was a tour of places that people don't usually see, and I did enjoy it quite a bit.  I have been on a kitchen tour before, but this also included two 'staff only' levels that has all the extensive food storage areas and other prep areas.   Seeing more of what goes on below deck and how much food and booze they have on board is really impressive and gives me a whole new respect for the planning and skill it takes to feed that many people.

 

I really have no probably thinking of this as just paying for an upgrade, and getting a few other little perks with it.  I don't know if this will continue to be part of Club Orange, but we did get a LOT of phone calls checking if we were happy and if everything was going okay and also some visits to our room by the housekeeping manager checking that everything was to our liking.  I did feel that they were falling over themselves trying to make sure we were taken care of.

 

I hope you are all enjoying this gorgeous weekend!

 

18 hours ago, Epicureangirl said:

 

Dinner is in the MDR, but we were in the upper dining room by the window, but I didn't see a bunch of CO menus around us so I'm not sure if they just gave good window seats to CO distributed around the dining room or if we really were in a certain section.  You definitely don't have any signage or anything obnoxious defining the area!  I'm not sure if all the CO guests attended the tour, but there were about 30 of us, so not that many at all.

 

I am taking the liberty of reposting Epicureangirl’s recent experience with a Club Orange pass on the Westerdam. (With apologies to EG should she not have wanted her posts on this board.)

 

It looks like “specialty” coffee was out for the Club Orange pass (which we did receive in the Club Orange venue) but the question of unlimited mimosas is a good one.  Were mimosas on your menu, @Epicureangirl?

[Epicureangirl]

32 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

I am taking the liberty of reposting Epicureangirl’s recent experience with a Club Orange pass on the Westerdam. (With apologies to EG should she not have wanted her posts on this board.)

 

It looks like “specialty” coffee was out for the Club Orange pass (which we did receive in the Club Orange venue) but the question of unlimited mimosas is a good one.  Were mimosas on your menu, @Epicureangirl?

 

So now that it's been reposted in full, all my glaring typos and autocorrect replacements are evident to me, so apologies to those reading! 

 

Mimosa's were included on the in-room dining breakfast menu only.  When eating in the MDR there was still a charge for Mimosa's and no specific Club Orange menu for breakfast.  They only gave me the in-room breakfast menu at evening turn-down when the following day was a sea-day. I'm not sure if that is normal as I don't usually eat my breakfast in room and look for that menu.

 

The one morning that I did take advantage of the in room dining for breakfast, I had ordered 1 mimosa and they sent up two which was nice as they are in small glasses.  That menu also includes steak and eggs as well as a smoked salmon Eggs Benedict, without the usual upcharge. My Benny was perfect, which really surprised me as I thought it might be a bit cold or overdone by the time it was delivered. There are many breakfast sides and pastries available to order, as well as steel cut oats, parfaits and other things that are not on the regular in-room dining menu.  I'm guessing that suite guests have always been given this extended menu, but it was nice to have more of a choice of in room offerings. 

 

 

 

[*Miss G*]

Yes, that does sound like the NS breakfast menu, though why you would only receive it on a sea day is a mystery.  So, really, on a non-Pinnacle Class ship there doesn’t seem to be any advantage to having CO with regard to dining (which is the only reason I’d purchase it) other than a window seat.

 

Thanks @Epicureangirl!

Edited September 3, 2019 by *Miss G*

[RocketMan275]

3 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Including HAL. (bold added for emphasis)

 

Several ships are past the date when CO was scheduled to be "rolled out" and all we're hearing from posters is that CO passengers get a special menu at dinner but are in the MDR with everyone else. So it appears that HAL isn't doing any construction. 

 

 

Considering the pushback when X enclosed a portion of their MDR for Club Blu, I'm not surprised.

[bEwAbG]

The addition of Blu and Luminae on X was a net gain for them.   With Blu, people are paying a premium to sail in rooms that otherwise are not that desirable and with Luminae, they're commanding high prices for their suites.