Club Orange on Vista Class for 5 Star

[USN59-79]

We have booked a restricted view outside cabin for 14 days on the Westerdam.  We have never had club orange but I am wondering if CO at $15. per day P/P is worth it.  We generally have fixed MDR dining and eat breakfast and lunch in the Lido.  As 5* we already get two special dining perqs, do we get two more with CO.  I am just wondering if the $430 for the two of us is a good deal.  Could my TA find out in advance what cabin we might be upgraded to?

Ray

[oakridger]

Westerdam doesn't have a dedicated CO dining room like the Pinnacle Class ships do. (Konningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam)  You will eat in the MDR anyway with one additional entree choice.  No other specialty meals are included with CO.  As 5* you already have the priority embarkation and tendering.

 

I'll let those that like to use CO for the cabin upgrade let you know the details about that.

 

For me, I wouldn't get CO on non-Pinnacle ships.

 

~Nancy

Edited December 28, 2022 by oakridger

[REOVA]

IMHO CO on other than a Pinnacle ship (due to separate restaurant) is not worth it for a 5 star Mariner. You will get to see the "upgrade" selection in your cabin category but another poster elected to keep their booked cabin and received a discount on the cost. Keep in mind that HAL does things differently as the wind blows (so previous actions do not necessarily mean they will be the same). 

[PROCRUISE]

1 hour ago, oakridger said:

Westerdam doesn't have a dedicated CO dining room like the Pinnacle Class ships do. (Konningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam)  You will eat in the MDR anyway with one additional entree choice.  No other specialty meals are included with CO.  As 5* you already have the priority embarkation and tendering.

 

I'll let those that like to use CO for the cabin upgrade let you know the details about that.

 

For me, I wouldn't get CO on non-Pinnacle ships.

 

~Nancy

Absolutely agree.

We tried Orange Club, for the first time, on the Statendam 12/10 - 17. The primary advantage, for us, was the separate dining area. It was marvelous in terms of really attentive staff, food was served HOT and the quietness compared to the MDR made the additional cost worth it, every night! The separate dining area was so much appreciated,  that we've added Orange Club to our February cruise on the Rotterdam and also got a nice cabin upgrade.

[USN59-79]

Thanks for your inputs.  This cruise is a B2B2B starting in Yokohama and ending in Seattle.  For some reason the middle one was twice as expensive as the other two.  I booked a signature suite for the first and last ones but it didn't make sense to do it for the middle one.  I think I will keep it as is without CO.

Ray

[DaveOKC]

Generally speaking, I would not buy CO on a Vista class ship if you are already 5 Star.  Exception is if you want to upgrade your cabin and the cost of doing it the regular way is more expensive.

[Cruise NH]

8 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

Generally speaking, I would not buy CO on a Vista class ship if you are already 5 Star.  Exception is if you want to upgrade your cabin and the cost of doing it the regular way is more expensive.

 

Wouldn't it also be beneficial to get faster access to the MDR with open seating?  DH and I are considering CO for an upcoming cruise.  We were too late to get fixed seating so we're hoping to get preferred seating at the MDR so we don't have to wait in line (vista class ship). 

[USN59-79]

A thought on fixed seating in the MDR.  Most of our cruises (pre-covid) we booked no more than a month or two before departure.  Usually they would say we are waitlisted for early dining.  Soon after boarding we would go to the MDR and talk to the head person.  Almost always he would assign us on the spot to a table.

Ray

[REOVA]

1 hour ago, Cruise NH said:

 

Wouldn't it also be beneficial to get faster access to the MDR with open seating?  DH and I are considering CO for an upcoming cruise.  We were too late to get fixed seating so we're hoping to get preferred seating at the MDR so we don't have to wait in line (vista class ship). 

For open seating, unless you want a table for 2, there shouldn't be a long wait (depending on time you walk in). Kind of like zipper merging, if people are willing to move together then the line doesn't back up as much. 😉

[SilvertoGold]

3 hours ago, Cruise NH said:

 

Wouldn't it also be beneficial to get faster access to the MDR with open seating?  DH and I are considering CO for an upcoming cruise.  We were too late to get fixed seating so we're hoping to get preferred seating at the MDR so we don't have to wait in line (vista class ship). 

Most HAL ships (Vista, yes) have a special line-up for CO in the MDR. 

[DaveOKC]

12 hours ago, Cruise NH said:

 

Wouldn't it also be beneficial to get faster access to the MDR with open seating?  DH and I are considering CO for an upcoming cruise.  We were too late to get fixed seating so we're hoping to get preferred seating at the MDR so we don't have to wait in line (vista class ship). 

Yes you would normally get faster seating (we did on the Eurodam this past month), but I would not pay much money (if any) just for this.  The MDR line seemed to move fairly quickly, at opening time at least.

 

[oaktreerb]

15 hours ago, Cruise NH said:

 

Wouldn't it also be beneficial to get faster access to the MDR with open seating?  DH and I are considering CO for an upcoming cruise.  We were too late to get fixed seating so we're hoping to get preferred seating at the MDR so we don't have to wait in line (vista class ship). 

Ships are sailing full so the dining room is more crowded.  If you prefer a table for two and always dine early you can ask the maitre’d to assign you a table in open dining.  If you don’t show up on time they will hold it for about 15 minutes.