Club Orange Cost Update

[Crew News]

I received and accepted a Club Orange upgrade for $15/day p/p for my cruise next week and accepted it in order to accurately report on the real value of Club Orange.  Part of my acceptance decision was the additional $50 in OBC I would receive. 

 

The last time I received a Club Orange upgrade offer of $35/day, I saw no value in it.

 

Has anyone else noticed this dramatic drop in Club Orange upgrade offers?

[Alberta Quilter]

What ship will you be on?

[*Miss G*]

I’ve read where people were accepting $15/pp/pd offers but I haven’t seen one with OBC as well!  But the $15 was for non Pinnacle-class ships.

[jameslee]

Is the food in club orange much better?

[Crew News]

42 minutes ago, Alberta Quilter said:

What ship will you be on?

 

Nieuw Statendam for two weeks.

[*Miss G*]

1 minute ago, Crew News said:

 

Nieuw Statendam for two weeks.

 

Wow.  Score!!

[Crew News]

24 minutes ago, jameslee said:

Is the food in club orange much better?

 

The food in Club Orange (CO) should be the same as the MDR but with an additional entree (so I have been told) each evening.  Without eating the same food at my regular MDR table and CO on the same evening, it would be hard to compare.  I will try both the MDR and CO on different evenings and post my observations on my live cruise thread.

 

As posted earlier, without such a low price and the OBC, I would never consider the CO upgrade.  Unlike all of my previous cruises, this cruise will be for relaxation with only one shore excursion which gives me the available hours to enjoy the sit-down breakfasts in CO.    The opportunity to have a first-hand experience with CO will allow me to better participate in the CO discussions here on CO.

 

Of course, I will scan every food/beverage menu available.

[*Miss G*]

43 minutes ago, jameslee said:

Is the food in club orange much better?

 

I cannot speak for the non Pinnacle-class ships but breakfast and the additional evening entree were definitely much better.  Those items were cooked to order in the Club Orange kitchen so were hot and fresh.

[57redbird]

Hoping that price will be offered for our cruise in April on the Maasdam.

[DaveOKC]

Some people on our roll call for this week sailing got the $15 pp offer, but not the $50 OBC (that I know of).  We did an upsell to a Neptune so will get CO as I understand.

[Himself]

I was a pax on the NS in late Feb at 35.00 per day.  At $15.00 I would go for it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Crew News

 

Looking forward to your reports.

[Krazy Kruizers]

With HAL offering the CO at $15 per person per day and possibly with some shipboard credit, it sounds like  on some cruises the CO is not selling well.

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

With HAL offering the CO at $15 per person per day and possibly with some shipboard credit, it sounds like  on some cruises the CO is not selling well.

Makes you wonder for sure!

 

At some point it would not seem to be worth the trouble for HAL to continue it.

[VMax1700]

Was the offer of $50 OBC per person or per stateroom?

The maths are getting interesting!

[Crew News]

14 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

Some people on our roll call for this week sailing got the $15 pp offer, but not the $50 OBC (that I know of).  We did an upsell to a Neptune so will get CO as I understand.

 

The upgrade offer included a category upgrade in the same category but since none were available, I got $50 OBC. 

 

The offer came directly from HAL in what appeared to be a change to my cruise in justa few days.  Getting last-minute emails about my reservation is always scary.  I scrolled down the first page and noticed the offer printed under the basic reservation info with a number to call to accept.  I was told about the $50 OBC after inquiring about the stateroom upgrade.

[Crew News]

4 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Was the offer of $50 OBC per person or per stateroom?

The maths are getting interesting!

 

Since I am a solo, I did not ask.

[*Miss G*]

11 minutes ago, Crew News said:

The upgrade offer included a category upgrade in the same category but since none were available, I got $50 OBC. 

 

Ahh.  That makes total sense now.  I did think that was a useless perq if there was no availability.  This is a nice gesture.

[DaveOKC]

4 hours ago, Alberta Quilter said:

 

Thanks, Crew News.  We'll be on the NS in February and would entertain such an offer.  I'm quite surprised that it is $15/day for the NS, given the dedicated dining space.  Did the offer come directly to you or via your TA?  (I book with the Big Box store and they never forward upgrade messages.)

AQ - interesting about not forwarding upgrade messages.  I have heard the same thing in the past, but was not sure of the source.  I know you are very knowledgable about such things so appreciate the information.

[SFO Peter]

We just got off the Oosterdam Nov 30 Hawaii/Mexico collectors.  Club Orange was offered at $ 15 day about two weeks before cruise from TA in Seattle.  Turned it down.   We did not even use our Mariner free dinner at Pinnacle since one of us is vegetarian.   Did ask to see the Club Orange menu in dining room.   An additional entree was listed in the menu and the menu cover was white (not the traditional grey).   Don't remember what the additional entree was since at that time it did not seem enticing.  No OBC was offered.

 

 

Edited December 5, 2019 by SFO PETER
added

[Alberta Quilter]

39 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

AQ - interesting about not forwarding upgrade messages.  I have heard the same thing in the past, but was not sure of the source.  I know you are very knowledgable about such things so appreciate the information.

Well, I've never gotten any such emails via the BBA.  But I'm okay with that since I generally have my reservations marked "Do Not Upgrade" for a specific reason.

[*Miss G*]

18 minutes ago, SFO PETER said:

We did not even use our Mariner free dinner at Pinnacle since one of us is vegetarian.  

 

I suspect you already know this but there are additional vegetarian menus (including Indian) available.  Do they not allow you to choose from those in the PG?

[Cruising-along]

5 hours ago, Alberta Quilter said:

Thanks, Crew News.  We'll be on the NS in February and would entertain such an offer.  I'm quite surprised that it is $15/day for the NS, given the dedicated dining space

Just spent 39 days on the NS, every time we passed by the CO dining area it was nearly empty.  

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, Crew News said:

 

Since I am a solo, I did not ask.

So 7 days X 15USd = 105 - 50 obc = 55 usd cost!  = no brainer!

Even though you already have 'priority' boarding etc through your star mariner level, the value in a smaller evening meal location is worth it!

 

Edited December 5, 2019 by VMax1700

[puppycanducruise]

Looking forward to hearing all about your experience with Club Orange.