Neptune suite not entitled to club orange dinner menu?

[Fredric22]

Currently on the NA and the suite concierge looked at me like I had 5 heads when I asked to see what the special dinner entree was tonight.  He said that menu was only for club orange guests.  Last night when we were seated in the dining room, we got regular menus and only got the club orange menu after specifically requesting it.  Did something change?

[canadianbear]

We were in a Neptune for 2 weeks in December on the Oosterdam and were offered the Club Orange menus.  Can’t see it changing.  Even our PCC told us we had Club Orange privileges when we booked. 
 

 

[Fredric22]

1 minute ago, canadianbear said:

We were in a Neptune for 2 weeks in December on the Oosterdam and were offered the Club Orange menus.  Can’t see it changing.  Even our PCC told us we had Club Orange privileges when we booked. 
 

 

That's what I thought! Since Neptune and Pinnacles aren't even offered the option of purchasing club orange I was pretty sure it's already included. Not to mention that it is in HAL's literature.  It's strange to me how the staff seems pretty clueless about it. I know it's only a single dinner entree... but it's kind of annoying how I need to fight for the tiny perk.

[VennDiagram]

"Guests in Neptune and Pinnacle suites will also receive all of the benefits of Club Orange at no additional charge"

 

from here
https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/news/2019-press-releases/news-20190911-ClubOrangeExpand19.html

 

I will look for other references, beyond the press release.

 

 

[VennDiagram]

Another press release

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/news/2018-press-releases/news-20181112-ClubOrangeCon18.html

 

that says this:

 

"Club Orange will be included for guests in Neptune and Pinnacle Suite categories, and the program will be available to purchase for a small number of non-suite staterooms on each sailing."

[VennDiagram]

9 minutes ago, Fredric22 said:

it's kind of annoying how I need to fight for the tiny perk.

 

I'd be more than kind of annoyed.  This is inexcusable, imho.  😞

[Fredric22]

5 minutes ago, VennDiagram said:

Another press release

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/news/2018-press-releases/news-20181112-ClubOrangeCon18.html

 

that says this:

 

"Club Orange will be included for guests in Neptune and Pinnacle Suite categories, and the program will be available to purchase for a small number of non-suite staterooms on each sailing."

Thank you!  I'll see what happens at dinner tonight.  If it's a challenge, I guess I'll have to take a trip to guest services.

[VennDiagram]

37 minutes ago, Fredric22 said:

the suite concierge looked at me like I had 5 heads when I asked to see what the special dinner entree was tonight.  He said that menu was only for club orange guests. 

 

6 minutes ago, Fredric22 said:

I guess I'll have to take a trip to guest services.

 

I'd be taking it to the concierge right now, so the concierge can get it straightened out RIGHT NOW.  That's his job, y'know 😉

[oaktreerb]

If you are in open seating you will probably have to ask for the Club Orange (white menu) every time you have new servers.  With fixed dining you may have to tell your servers to give you the Club Orange menu and they should remember for the remainder of the cruise.

 

I don’t know how the servers would know, otherwise, since they don’t have any way to identify your special status.  If you use the Club Orange entrance and all Club Orange diners have a special area assigned for dining this would not be an issue.  No big deal, just ask.  

[oaktreerb]

11 minutes ago, VennDiagram said:

 

 

I'd be taking it to the concierge right now, so the concierge can get it straightened out RIGHT NOW.  That's his job, y'know 😉

You’ve got to be kidding.  See my comment above.  

[Fredric22]

4 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

If you are in open seating you will probably have to ask for the Club Orange (white menu) every time you have new servers.  With fixed dining you may have to tell your servers to give you the Club Orange menu and they should remember for the remainder of the cruise.

 

I don’t know how the servers would know, otherwise, since they don’t have any way to identify your special status.  If you use the Club Orange entrance and all Club Orange diners have a special area assigned for dining this would not be an issue.  No big deal, just ask.  

Yes we used the club orange entrance last night and the host gave us the regular menu and told us being in a suite only entitled us to priority seating and not the club orange menu.  We had to then insist on it and he went to ask someone else and then we received the menus.  I would have left it at that but then my interaction with the concierge today made be really start questioning it.

Edited March 1, 2020 by Fredric22

[VennDiagram]

Just now, oaktreerb said:

You’ve got to be kidding.  See my comment above.  

 

Not kidding.  The concierge is reported to have looked at the OP as though the OP had 5 heads. So the concierge needs to know the facts, too.

And yes, I had not considered open seating, so you are likely correct that the waiter will need to be reminded.  However, the few times we have been in a Neptune, all the stewards we interacted with seemed to somehow know we were in a Neptune.

 

[bEwAbG]

Sounds like you need to make an appointment with the hotel director if everyone on the ship is confused.  The program has been out for long enough that this should be a non-issue.

[*Miss G*]

36 minutes ago, VennDiagram said:

 

 

I'd be taking it to the concierge right now, so the concierge can get it straightened out RIGHT NOW.  That's his job, y'know 😉

 

If they were any good at their job they would have already inquired and would now have the correct policy.  And then apologize.

 

Editing to add that if they were any good at their job they would already know the correct policy.  😒

Edited March 1, 2020 by *Miss G*

[rkacruiser]

2 minutes ago, bEwAbG said:

Sounds like you need to make an appointment with the hotel director if everyone on the ship is confused.  The program has been out for long enough that this should be a non-issue.

 

I agree with this poster's recommendation.  The inconsistency of cruise experience from one HAL ship to another is maddening and definitely not guest friendly.  Upper levels of ship management ought to be made more aware of this issue than they seemingly are.  The HD is as "Senior Management" as you are going to get on a ship other than the ship's Master.

[3rdGenCunarder]

28 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I agree with this poster's recommendation.  The inconsistency of cruise experience from one HAL ship to another is maddening and definitely not guest friendly.  Upper levels of ship management ought to be made more aware of this issue than they seemingly are.  The HD is as "Senior Management" as you are going to get on a ship other than the ship's Master.

 

Sometimes I wonder about communication within the company! They don't seem to know what to do with CO on the non-Pinnacle ships. I had early fixed dining and when I told my waiter I was supposed to get the menu with the CO item, he did find the white menu for me that night. I told him we were all in Neptune Suites, but that didn't register. The next night I was back to the regular menu. I asked for it again once and then once after that I was given it without asking. But I was the only one who got it because I was the only one who asked.

 

The concierges don't know what the CO item will be. Before everything was on the TV, they had copies of the evening's menu. Now they don't get hard copy of the menu. But someone should let them know about the CO item because it isn't on the TV. . One time I asked a concierge about the CO item, and she did call and find out for me. I came back from dinner to a message from her telling me what it was. Too little too late. 

[canadianbear]

On the Oosterdam we had any time dining.  There was a separate line for Club Orange where they asked your room number, got the CO menu and seated you promptly.  
 

What you have dealt with is inexcusable as others have said.  Those staff members need to read the information and perks more carefully and it seems you’ll have to show them!  They better start dishing out apologies too.  
 

Oh, and also our first night on the cruise at the welcome party in the Neptune lounge the concierge told everyone in Neptune suites they get the CO privileges.  

Edited March 1, 2020 by canadianbear

[rkacruiser]

53 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Sometimes I wonder about communication within the company!

 

As the size of the fleet has increased, someone(s) at the Senior Management level failed to do what ought to have been done to maintain the consistency of cruise product consistency that the guest experiences throughout the fleet.

 

This has been an ongoing issue for quite some time and does not seem to be any closer to being resolved than when it first appeared.

[mcw331]

7 hours ago, Fredric22 said:

Thank you!  I'll see what happens at dinner tonight.  If it's a challenge, I guess I'll have to take a trip to guest services.

Fredric22 please do report back.  

We had this benefit on our Koningsdam Med cruise last Summer and loved it.  We are interested to see how well they implement it on the NA without the dedicated Club Orange Dining Room.  Also could you let us know who the current Neptune concierges are?  Cruising in 2 weeks and wondering if it is anyone we know from previous.

Thanks in advance!

[canadianbear]

OP:  I really wonder if it’s that ship (management) because we were on the NA last year in a Neptune and had to confirm mimosas were included at breakfast in the Pinnacle as the server said no.  (They were). 

[Krazy Kruizers]

The Concierges should know what is included for Neptune and Pinnacle Suite passengers.

 

Has something changed that the Neptune and Pinnacle Suites don't have gold ID cards while the rest of the passengers have blue ID cards?  That should identify you that you qualify for Club orange.

[Fredric22]

Hi all, just a quick update.  Last night we were seated in the dining room (club orange entrance) and we were given the white menu automatically.  So for now, I'll consider the issue resolved.

 

I'll look to see who the current concierges are this week and report back. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

4 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

The Concierges should know what is included for Neptune and Pinnacle Suite passengers.

 

Has something changed that the Neptune and Pinnacle Suites don't have gold ID cards while the rest of the passengers have blue ID cards?  That should identify you that you qualify for Club orange.

 

NS and PS get the gold cards. I thought CO got a special card, orange maybe?

 

[Fredric22]

4 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

NS and PS get the gold cards. I thought CO got a special card, orange maybe?

 

Yes, I've seen the orange card for those in club orange. 

[*Miss G*]

2 hours ago, Fredric22 said:

Yes, I've seen the orange card for those in club orange. 

 

I wonder if they were given the correct menu?