Club Orange questions

[onboard2005]

I am new to HAL and see they have "Club Orange".  I have an inside cabin in a location I like and I travel solo.  Is this Club Orange worth the extra money?  When you call to add it do they add it to you fare balance or do they require payment immediately?  I sail in 2022 and I'm just curious what your opinions are.

 

Thanks,

Linda

[LAFFNVEGAS]

7 minutes ago, onboard2005 said:

I am new to HAL and see they have "Club Orange".  I have an inside cabin in a location I like and I travel solo.  Is this Club Orange worth the extra money?  When you call to add it do they add it to you fare balance or do they require payment immediately?  I sail in 2022 and I'm just curious what your opinions are.

 

Thanks,

Linda

Everyone  no matter your cabin category (except Neptune Suite and Pinnacle Suite) will be the same amount to upgrade to Club Orange, when you call in for it they do charge you immediately. It is like an Upsell offer. Although when ships were still sailing you had to be sent this offer last I knew. Much like a stateroom upgrade. The cost is $35.00 per person per day for Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and the new ship Rotterdam, it is $25.00 per person per day for the other HAL ships. The question on if it is worth it varies on your preferences.   

[onboard2005]

Thank you Lisa.  The info I was able to read didn't specify any offer, it sounded like it was available to anyone.  Maybe because of all the changes and starting up again.  Or I could have read it wrong.  I appreciate your reply and will give it further thought,  I have plenty of time!  November 2022!

 

Linda

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, onboard2005 said:

I am new to HAL and see they have "Club Orange".  I have an inside cabin in a location I like and I travel solo.  Is this Club Orange worth the extra money?  When you call to add it do they add it to you fare balance or do they require payment immediately?  I sail in 2022 and I'm just curious what your opinions are.

 

Thanks,

Linda

My experience varies from the above.  When I called my HAL PCC to ask about adding Club Orange to an existing reservation, I was told that for voyages 8 - 13, days, Club Orange cost $25 p/p/day.  For voyages more than 14 days, the cost is $15 p/p/day.  I am booked on the Nieuw Statendam for 14 days as a solo traveler and the $210 extra Club Orange charge was added to my basic fare with no additional deposit required.

 

This will be my second Club Orange experience on the Nieuw Statendam.  My favorite benefit was the kitchen tour through both food preparation decks with the chance to enter almost every one of the stores rooms and bakeries.  The chef-prepared breakfast was excellent.  Dinner menu was the same as the Main Dining Room with an additional entree that was not very special.  The Room Service Breakfast Card is the same as the Neptune Suites and includes steaks and mimosas at not extra charge (see link below). 

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Room-Service-Breakfast-PS-NP-CO-1.pdf

 

On the bed is the Club Orange bag and Club Orange bathrobes:

 

 

[SLC1954]

I’ve done the Club Orange upgrade, enjoyed the priority check-in and and getting priority on the tenders, the room service breakfast and hearing the “pop” of the cork as they made my mimosa just outside of the cabin before the knock on my door.

Having the dining room staff know me as I walked in for dinner and being seated immediately was nice too. This was when they first introduced Club Orange and the price was right.

[aliaschief]

Next cruise we are booked in a suite so will have Club Orange benefits. Can you request and reserve specific times or is it arrive when you want?
 

If they have reserved seating can you request a time prior to cruise?

[Crew News]

9 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

Next cruise we are booked in a suite so will have Club Orange benefits. Can you request and reserve specific times or is it arrive when you want?
 

If they have reserved seating can you request a time prior to cruise?

No reservations.  If there are no tables available, they have a beeper system to call you.  There is also a community table that can be shared if you wish.

Edited May 25, 2021 by Crew News

[aliaschief]

35 minutes ago, Crew News said:

No reservations.  If there are no tables available, they have a beeper system to call you.  There is also a community table that can be shared if you wish.

Thank you Sir.

[Sir PMP]

Too bad they still have that 'club'.

[onboard2005]

It's simular to Princess "Club Class". I appreciate all the info and opinions. I'll have to give it some thought and see how it fits into my budget with the other things I plan to do. This is my 12th cruise but the first one on HAL out of my city of San Diego.  I'm happy I'll be saving about $325 by cruising out of SD. No shuttle, transfers, or airfare!

 

Linda

[LawDog61]

On those ships without a separate dining room for club class, it says “priority seating”.  I take it that it is in the main dining room. Is there a separate area in the main dining room with dedicated wait staff for club orange as Princess does with their club class?  Thanks for the info.

[oaktreerb]

19 minutes ago, LawDog61 said:

On those ships without a separate dining room for club class, it says “priority seating”.  I take it that it is in the main dining room. Is there a separate area in the main dining room with dedicated wait staff for club orange as Princess does with their club class?  Thanks for the info.

In my experience, no.  There probably should be.   There is a separate checkin line in the MDR for Club Orange and one more choice added to the menu.  You may have to ask for the Club Orange menu.  We were in fixed seating with diners who did not have Club Orange.  Definitely an item for discussion!

[LawDog61]

Thanks OakTree

[onboard2005]

Thank you OakTree.

I had Club Class on Princess and didn't see any real distinction.  That's why I posted the question. Not sure if I want to spend the extra money. I don't eat in MDR often so that aspect isn't important to me. Other than that there doesn't seem to be a lot of benefit for me. I do like getting everyone's feedback.

 

Linda

[zelker]

4 hours ago, onboard2005 said:

Not sure if I want to spend the extra money. I don't eat in MDR often so that aspect isn't important to me. Other than that there doesn't seem to be a lot of benefit for me. I do like getting everyone's feedback.

 

Linda

Hi, Linda -

 

Club Orange benefits are included for Neptune and Pinnacle suites but if we had to pay for it, unless you're on a ship that has the dedicated Club Orange restaurant, we don't think it's worth it and if you don't tend to eat in the MDR anyway, I can't see any value added for you personally.  Priority tendering is a misnomer as you will be in the same "priority" as those in the Neptune and Pinnacle suites AND the 4 and 5 Star Mariners ... and that line is usually REALLY long.  Also, it does not get you priority returning to the ship, unlike other lines we've sailed on (Celebrity comes to mind).

 

I can confirm what Crew News posted re: price as I just inquired about it Monday for the Nieuw Statendam ... cruises less than 14 days are $25 pp/per day and for cruises 14 days or more it's $15pp/per day.  I've been told both that you have to pay for it when you add it to your reservation or that it's just added to your final payment.  Seems to depend on who you talk to at HAL.  

 

Barb

[Crew News]

My last Caribbean cruise had early dining at 5:00 PM and late dining at 7:30.  As an early-to-bed person, the latter is too late for me to eat before bed.  Early dining was too soon after my lunch but Club Orange allowed me to walk-in around 6:00 PM.

 

As stated by other posters, Club Orange only has value on the Pinnacle-class ships that offer a separate dining area.

[onboard2005]

I'm easy going so if I can't get seated I don't mind going somewhere else!

 

Linda

[Mary229]

10 hours ago, Crew News said:

My last Caribbean cruise had early dining at 5:00 PM and late dining at 7:30.  As an early-to-bed person, the latter is too late for me to eat before bed.  Early dining was too soon after my lunch but Club Orange allowed me to walk-in around 6:00 PM.

 

As stated by other posters, Club Orange only has value on the Pinnacle-class ships that offer a separate dining area.

I am glad you brought this up.  Has HAL always had early seating at 5?  I thought it used to be 5:45 or something?  I first noticed it in the Caribbean and, like you, just couldn't do 5, that is too early.  So I had to opt into open dining which I really don't like.  My next cruise is a longer cruise so I guess I will eat at 5.  

[kazu]

2 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I am glad you brought this up.  Has HAL always had early seating at 5?  I thought it used to be 5:45 or something?  I first noticed it in the Caribbean and, like you, just couldn't do 5, that is too early.  So I had to opt into open dining which I really don't like.  My next cruise is a longer cruise so I guess I will eat at 5.  

 

No, they haven’t.  Your memory is correct.  it was around 5:30 or 5:45 on the cruises we have been on.  Main dining was at 7:45 or 8 pm.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

On 5/25/2021 at 1:27 PM, Sir PMP said:

Too bad they still have that 'club'.

Hay if it makes money for Holland America and some people are happy with the benefits . great Idea 

and most of all less people going to  the Dinning Room. it is a win win .

[Crew News]

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I am glad you brought this up.  Has HAL always had early seating at 5?  I thought it used to be 5:45 or something?  I first noticed it in the Caribbean and, like you, just couldn't do 5, that is too early.  So I had to opt into open dining which I really don't like.  My next cruise is a longer cruise so I guess I will eat at 5.  

My collection of When & Where programs from previous years shows the earlier dining times began in 2018 on my Koningsdam Caribbean cruise with 5:15 PM and then in 2019 moved to 5:00 PM on the Nieuw Statendam. 

 

Other ships and locations may be different

Edited May 27, 2021 by Crew News

[kazu]

2 hours ago, Crew News said:

My collection of When & Where programs from previous years shows the earlier dining times began in 2018 on my Koningsdam Caribbean cruise with 5:15 PM and then in 2019 moved to 5:00 PM on the Nieuw Statendam. 

 

Other ships and locations may be different

 

Interesting.  I checked my When and Where’s (some are on HALfacts) and my most recent from 2019 does not show the time for Early or Main Dining.  It simply shows the hours the dining room is open (in my case 5:15 - 9 pm) which applies to open dining.

 

 

I don’t see it anywhere else on the When and Where?  What am I missing?

[onboard2005]

At home I usually eat around 5pm. On a cruise I like to eat a little later because I snack throughout the day at places on the ship. So a later dinner usually works better for me now. On my cruises years ago I chose the later dining time but now I like to just go when I choose. However,  if I want to spend more time in the lounges for entertainment I might go a bit earlier.  I really like not having an assigned dining time.

[KAKcruiser]

Do they still offer the stateroom upgrade with Club Orange?  If so, is it an assigned cabin or guarantee?

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, KAKcruiser said:

Do they still offer the stateroom upgrade with Club Orange?  If so, is it an assigned cabin or guarantee?

 I don't know but try calling the number below:

 

"Once a guest has booked their cruise, they or their travel advisor can add Club Orange by contacting Holland America Line Ship Inventory at 1-888-628-8107 or 206-626-7381."