Holland America False Advertising

[Copper10-8]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Caveat emptor!

 

 

Caveot lector! Credo nos in fluctu eodem ese 😉

 

  

[iancal]

At best it might be described as misleading or even deceptive.  

 

It is certainly NOT false advertising.   If this was so you would be reporting most other cruise lines and for that matter many other retail organizations.   Nor would I put much stock in BBB.  BBB is a business funded by business for it's client members.

Edited January 20, 2020 by iancal

[CruisingAndDiving]

It's interesting that the OP posted this today.... but yet a week ago she posted about it in another thread ...

 

Sounds to me like just someone wanting attention because as she stated "someone who reviews travel" should have known to check fine print on offers before hand.

 

Edited January 20, 2020 by CruisingAndDiving

[strickerj]

1 hour ago, iancal said:

All of the mass market cruise lines use that gag about a fee upgrade.

 

 I suspect that, and marketing, is why they seem to have so many categories/levels within each stateroom type.   This  can be especially misleading to someone who is not familiar with cruising.   And...a so called cabin upgrade (within a cabin type) does not necessarily mean a 'better' cabin based upon your preferences.

This is kind of like the airlines' complimentary upgrades for elites. It used to be an upgrade to first class, but now it's usually premium economy (coach with about 3" more legroom). So imagine you've already selected a desirable seat in coach (say, the exit row, which has extra pitch to aid evacuation), and on check-in, you find yourself "upgraded" to a middle seat with less room.

 

To the OP, sorry to hear CO wasn't as expected, and I agree "upgrade" in this context is a bit dubious, but it sounds as though HAL did you right by canceling and refunding the upgrade against their normal terms.

Edited January 20, 2020 by strickerj

[drsel]

The email Did NOT state this and that was what I was basing my decision on. Also, when I called HAL they said I would get the upgrade and did not say it was within my own category. I sail 3x a year on Celebrity and was just trying out HAL for a change of pace. 

So how does HAL compare with Celebrity? Besides the club Orange misunderstanding of course

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[Copper10-8]

4 minutes ago, Billthekid said:

....................  Never did see anyone with an Orange Key.  (picture please if you have one)  .......................  Never did see a special exclusive tote bag .............................

 

 

[DaveOKC]

The Club Orange bags are very nice - my DW loves hers!

[ski ww]

1 hour ago, Billthekid said:

We  are just back from a holiday cruise on the Zaandam.  On embarkation there was a separate check in line for Suites, 4/5* mariners and ORANGE CLUB members, but only one agent and a long line.  We (4*) just stepped over to the other agents where there was no line.  Never did see anyone with an Orange Key.  (picture please if you have one)  No separate dinning area for Orange Club.  There was separate lines for the dinning room, guest services, and excursions, but except for the guest services line, there was never a line for the other locations.  Never did see a special exclusive tote bag (1 per cabin although you pay for 2)  In fact we never receive the regular tote bag and had to go to guest services to receive one.  Priority tender were issued along with 4/5* in the ocean bar.  Lowering the value of the Mariners benefits.  No idea what a special bathrobe looks like and does it come with orange slippers?  At the regular price of $50 per day per person ($100 per cabin; $700 for 7 day cruise) there is no real value to eating in a sperate area, having a orange key, special bathrobe and tote bag, and first in line (after the excursions buyers) to board a tender.  

Every thing I've read about CO is not worth the cost to me.

[drsel]

It looks like another money making trick

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[Billthekid]

Thanks Copper10-8.  Never saw one on the ship.  Bag looks great.  Makes it all worth while.

[stratixman]

The OP's complaint doesn't have a lot of merit. She  presumed that her cabin upgrade would be to a higher category.  If that were the case then a Club Orange upgrade might be worth the $350.00 for 7 days. Anyway that was her mistake as the terms of the deal are spelled out. After reading numerous reviews of the Club Orange we conclude that we are better served to spend $350.00 on something else of real value. The only things we see in the Club Orange perks of tangible value are the free glass of sparkly (one time) and an upgrade to a Club Orange bag. Wow. Some expensive sparkly; and the bag nuste  Gucci. Priority treatment for getting on and off, or getting in lines for booking excursions and tendering hardly are worth $25 pp/day. And yes we know Club Orange has it's special dining venue; but based on what we've read it replicates the menu choices from the main dining room, just in a smaller venue. Not worth the price. So.... absent a true, significant tangible benefit, like in the form of a cabin category upgrade, the cost for Club Orange status doesn't impress us. 

[drsel]

The OP's complaint doesn't have a lot of merit. She  presumed that her cabin upgrade would be to a higher category.  If that were the case then a Club Orange upgrade might be worth the $350.00 for 7 days. Anyway that was her mistake as the terms of the deal are spelled out. After reading numerous reviews of the Club Orange we conclude that we are better served to spend $350.00 on something else of real value. The only things we see in the Club Orange perks of tangible value are the free glass of sparkly (one time) and an upgrade to a Club Orange bag. Wow. Some expensive sparkly; and the bag nuste  Gucci. Priority treatment for getting on and off, or getting in lines for booking excursions and tendering hardly are worth $25 pp/day. And yes we know Club Orange has it's special dining venue; but based on what we've read it replicates the menu choices from the main dining room, just in a smaller venue. Not worth the price. So.... absent a true, significant tangible benefit, like in the form of a cabin category upgrade, the cost for Club Orange status doesn't impress us. 

You hit the nail on the head

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[glenbrook]

My clients with Club Orange were denied priority embarkation on their recent NA cruise that had so many issues that I doubt this group will sail with HA again.  The upgrades they were offered were to the next category but in bad locations so they declined.  In the group was a an owner's suite booking and they were the only ones that did not have complaints.  But then again they were not intending to go ashoe at the ports the ship either missed or cut short the time due to the ongoing  technical problems with the ship.  

Edited January 20, 2020 by glenbrook
spelling

[sfaaa]

4 hours ago, all*aboard said:

The email Did NOT state this and that was what I was basing my decision on. Also, when I called HAL they said I would get the upgrade and did not say it was within my own category.

So where and what did you think the upgrade would be if nothing specific was promised to you other than your own assumption?

[3rdGenCunarder]

31 minutes ago, glenbrook said:

My clients with Club Orange were denied priority embarkation on their recent NA cruise that had so many issues that I doubt this group will sail with HA again.  The upgrades they were offered were to the next category but in bad locations so they declined.  In the group was a an owner's suite booking and they were the only ones that did not have complaints.  But then again they were not intending to go ashoe at the ports the ship either missed or cut short the time due to the ongoing  technical problems with the ship.  

 

Owner's suite? Do you mean Pinnacle Suite? They would have been given CO. Did the others purchase it?

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 minutes ago, sfaaa said:

So where and what did you think the upgrade would be if nothing specific was promised to you other than your own assumption?

 

Good question. All a change has to be is one letter "better" and it's an upgrade.

[taxmantoo]

56 minutes ago, glenbrook said:

My clients with Club Orange were denied priority embarkation on their recent NA cruise that had so many issues that I doubt this group will sail with HA again.  The upgrades they were offered were to the next category but in bad locations so they declined.  In the group was a an owner's suite booking and they were the only ones that did not have complaints.  But then again they were not intending to go ashoe at the ports the ship either missed or cut short the time due to the ongoing  technical problems with the ship.  

Never heard of an "owner's suite" on HAL ??? Do you mean a Neptune Suite or a Pinnacle Suite?

[VMax1700]

At Port Everglades embarkation the lines are clearly marked. One line for suites, 4 and 5 star mariners and Club Orange as the 'Priority Line'. Does the boarding pass not mention Club Orange?

[jimmy2x]

There was an old adage in the Navy. “What the big print giveth, the fine print taketh away”

 

Truer words never spoken. 

[glenbrook]

2 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Owner's suite? Do you mean Pinnacle Suite? They would have been given CO. Did the others purchase it?

 

Yes, I meant Pinnacle Suite.  The others purchased Club Orange.prior to sailing.

 

[maxmtex]

We just returned from an 11 day Panama Canal cruise on Eurodam, and did purchase CO.  Our cost was $550 over the 11 days, and we did it to be upgraded from the lowest veranda category (VH) to anything better.  We chose this cruise (our second with Holland America) after being offered a heavily discounted casino rate for a veranda room.  Our original cabin was unassigned, and we feared being placed in a cabin with metal siding that can't be seen thru.  By upgrading we were able to select from a handful of cabins that had glass under the railing.  This made the purchase worthwhile, as I had checked on a paid upgrade a few days earlier and the cost was quoted at $900, total.  

 

The agent was clear to us, letting us know that we would not be upgraded out of the veranda class, and that in fact, our room might be slightly smaller in order to get the glass view of the sea.  One thing she got wrong was that there was a slight obstruction as we were on Deck 5, and the lifeboats on Deck 4 do block a downward view of the water. She stated that there were no veranda rooms with obstructions other than the metal railing walls.

 

The additional benefits we received, and our impression of their usefulness:

1.  Bathrobes - my wife used hers frequently as she dressed each evening, but mine never left its bag. Not a fluffy bathrobe, but she was comfortable.

2.  Embarkation/Debarkation -  we did value this, particularly the debarkation.  We were amongst the first off the ship, after self-carrying folks departed.

3.  The glass of sparkling water - my wife likes it, and I don't.  You get it at the first dinner, and the waiter did ask if we wanted our free drinks.

4.  The OC line at the Guest Services was useful once, as we were billed for something we did not purchase, and our situation was handled immediately and properly.

5.  We did not utilize the tendering advantage.

6.  My wife did use the room service menu once, and liked it.

7.  We both tried some of the extra meal options in the dining room, and they were quite good in most cases.

8.  My wife got a behind the scenes tour that she enjoyed.

 

So, we got what we felt we were promised, and we did understand that the upgrade was only inside the level we had paid for.

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

9 minutes ago, maxmtex said:

We just returned from an 11 day Panama Canal cruise on Eurodam, and did purchase CO.  Our cost was $550 over the 11 days, and we did it to be upgraded from the lowest veranda category (VH) to anything better.  We chose this cruise (our second with Holland America) after being offered a heavily discounted casino rate for a veranda room.  Our original cabin was unassigned, and we feared being placed in a cabin with metal siding that can't be seen thru.  By upgrading we were able to select from a handful of cabins that had glass under the railing.  This made the purchase worthwhile, as I had checked on a paid upgrade a few days earlier and the cost was quoted at $900, total.  

 

The agent was clear to us, letting us know that we would not be upgraded out of the veranda class, and that in fact, our room might be slightly smaller in order to get the glass view of the sea.  One thing she got wrong was that there was a slight obstruction as we were on Deck 5, and the lifeboats on Deck 4 do block a downward view of the water. She stated that there were no veranda rooms with obstructions other than the metal railing walls.

 

The additional benefits we received, and our impression of their usefulness:

1.  Bathrobes - my wife used hers frequently as she dressed each evening, but mine never left its bag. Not a fluffy bathrobe, but she was comfortable.

2.  Embarkation/Debarkation -  we did value this, particularly the debarkation.  We were amongst the first off the ship, after self-carrying folks departed.

3.  The glass of sparkling water - my wife likes it, and I don't.  You get it at the first dinner, and the waiter did ask if we wanted our free drinks.

4.  The OC line at the Guest Services was useful once, as we were billed for something we did not purchase, and our situation was handled immediately and properly.

5.  We did not utilize the tendering advantage.

6.  My wife did use the room service menu once, and liked it.

7.  We both tried some of the extra meal options in the dining room, and they were quite good in most cases.

8.  My wife got a behind the scenes tour that she enjoyed.

 

So, we got what we felt we were promised, and we did understand that the upgrade was only inside the level we had paid for.

 

 

It sounds like it worked out to be a good deal for you.

 

I think the misunderstanding about "obstructed" is that it generally means something outside your windows, not something blocking the view when you look down. 

[RuthC]

7 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

Surely it doesn't require a genius computer to figure out that a higher deck is a better room.

"Better" is in the eye of the beholder. Not everyone thinks a higher deck is better; it isn't always. 

[glenbrook]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

At Port Everglades embarkation the lines are clearly marked. One line for suites, 4 and 5 star mariners and Club Orange as the 'Priority Line'. Does the boarding pass not mention Club Orange?

Yes, my clients boarding passes had CO on them but they were still denied priority embarkation. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 minute ago, glenbrook said:

Yes, my clients boarding passes had CO on them but they were still denied priority embarkation. 

 

You can't blame HAL for that. The people working the check-in process are port employees, not HAL employees.

 

When CO was new last winter, the port staff at FLL were making a big production out of escorting priority passengers to the Orange mat that said "Club Orange."