Club Orange worth it?

[0106]

CO is only open for breakfast and dinner 

[BAYA]

Once again I learned something valuable on CC! Thanks to all who provided info on this thread, I just booked a 29-day cruise with Club Orange added by my "personal cruise consultant" at HAL, and I got a V category veranda cabin with a price savings of $1045!

I wasn't familiar with Club Orange until I read this thread and I am really looking forward to the perks!

[cruising sister]

I too learned of Club Orange perks here on CC and booked it for my 22 day cruise this May on NS. My TA was not aware of category upgrade and the new lower price. I will be sailing solo and like the idea of the smaller dining room and the more personal service.  Thanks for everyone’s perspective on CO. 

[PACD_JG]

So you Club Orange fans got me curious enough to look at some prices on a 7-day Alaska cruise aboard the Koningsdam.

 

The price for Club Orange for two would cost $25 a day per person, so $350. (25x2x7)

 

The cheapest interior room for two on that cruise is an L category for $2808.

The most expensive interior room for two is an IQ for $2888.

 

So you folks think paying $350 instead of $80 just to eat in a smaller dining room that serves hotter meals in a fishbowl is good value?  My bad, I forgot about the orange tote bag...

[0106]

@PACD_JG I booked an obstructed verandah on a 14 day cruise and upgraded to an aft verandah and saved $140 using CO.  @BAYA said she saved $1045 using CO to upgrade her verandah.  Perhaps the CO cabin upgrade is more beneficial in verandah cabins or longer cruises.  The only reason I do CO is to get a better cabin at a cheaper price.  Everyone should do the math.  

[PACD_JG]

10 minutes ago, 0106 said:

@PACD_JG I booked an obstructed verandah on a 14 day cruise and upgraded to an aft verandah and saved $140 using CO.  @BAYA said she saved $1045 using CO to upgrade her verandah.  Perhaps the CO cabin upgrade is more beneficial in verandah cabins or longer cruises.  The only reason I do CO is to get a better cabin at a cheaper price.  Everyone should do the math.  

Fair enough.  I looked at Verandahs.

 

VH is $3808, VQ is $4988, so that would be a great deal.  A VF at $4508 to a V at $4868 is just an okay deal.

[kazu]

3 hours ago, 0106 said:

@PACD_JG I booked an obstructed verandah on a 14 day cruise and upgraded to an aft verandah and saved $140 using CO.  @BAYA said she saved $1045 using CO to upgrade her verandah.  Perhaps the CO cabin upgrade is more beneficial in verandah cabins or longer cruises.  The only reason I do CO is to get a better cabin at a cheaper price.  Everyone should do the math.  

 

Tina if that is on the Pinnacle Class ship in October, definitely take advantage of Club Orange - it was MUCH better than the MDR on the Koningsdam (just got off a week and a bit ago).

[fsufancc]

Wait... Wait... Wait.  I am just hearing about CO.  Mrs Fan and I are on the Rotterdam in Aug out of Amsterdam.

 

We are in a VE Balcony room.  Actually, we have 2 VE Balcony rooms reserved for ourselves and my sister and sister-in-law that are side-by-side.  Does CO upgrade a move to a suite?  Or just a better version of the Veranda staterooms? 

 

Also, we booked thru {Large Warehouse} Travel. Are we eligible with them as our TA?

Edited January 20, 2023 by fsufancc
Clarity

[*Miss G*]

32 minutes ago, fsufancc said:

Wait... Wait... Wait.  I am just hearing about CO.  Mrs Fan and I are on the Rotterdam in Aug out of Amsterdam.

 

We are in a VE Balcony room.  Actually, we have 2 VE Balcony rooms reserved for ourselves and my sister and sister-in-law that are side-by-side.  Does CO upgrade a move to a suite?  Or just a better version of the Veranda staterooms? 

 

Also, we booked thru {Large Warehouse} Travel. Are we eligible with them as our TA?

 

Assuming you made your reservation with a refundable deposit… and assuming the price/pp is not greater than the price/pp at time of reservation…. and assuming that you won’t lose any included perqs…. and assuming that your TA does not charge a cancellation fee… I would cancel the original reservation and book the lowest/or a guarantee verandah cabin and request Club Orange be added to the reservation.  Be ready to let them know which rooms you would like to reserve as you get to choose from what’s available.  If they don’t know what Club Orange is then ask to speak with someone who does. 

[oaktreerb]

37 minutes ago, fsufancc said:

Wait... Wait... Wait.  I am just hearing about CO.  Mrs Fan and I are on the Rotterdam in Aug out of Amsterdam.

 

We are in a VE Balcony room.  Actually, we have 2 VE Balcony rooms reserved for ourselves and my sister and sister-in-law that are side-by-side.  Does CO upgrade a move to a suite?  Or just a better version of the Veranda staterooms? 

 

Also, we booked thru {Large Warehouse} Travel. Are we eligible with them as our TA?

 

CO will not upgrade you from a balcony to a suite.  If you want a veranda if you purchase CO HAL will bill you for an obstructed veranda and you can choose your stateroom from the veranda category only.  Be careful what you choose.   If you want to stay where you are, you can pay for CO and your stateroom will be refared as an obstructed view veranda stateroom.  On a 7 day cruise it would probably not give you a financial advantage.

 

You are eligible with the Warehouse store TA.

[cruising sister]

The price for me on a 22 day cruise to get the cabin I wanted saved me money. What I liked that as a solo they did not charge for two so it worked out well for me. 

[cruising sister]

4 hours ago, PACD_JG said:

Fair enough.  I looked at Verandahs.

 

VH is $3808, VQ is $4988, so that would be a great deal.  A VF at $4508 to a V at $4868 is just an okay deal.

They charge the lowest verandah and give you the highest if that is the cabin you want. So you would not start out at VF. My TA did not know this so I had to be conferenced in and event the agent wasn’t sure so she conferenced in a third person. 

[BAYA]

7 minutes ago, cruising sister said:

The price for me on a 22 day cruise to get the cabin I wanted saved me money. What I liked that as a solo they did not charge for two so it worked out well for me. 

I'm cruising solo too. After paying the $435 for CO ($15 * 29) I came out ahead by $1045. I agree with whomever said "do the math"😊.

[fsufancc]

22 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Assuming you made your reservation with a refundable deposit… and assuming the price/pp is not greater than the price/pp at time of reservation…. and assuming that you won’t lose any included perqs…. and assuming that your TA does not charge a cancellation fee… I would cancel the original reservation and book the lowest/or a guarantee verandah cabin and request Club Orange be added to the reservation.  Be ready to let them know which rooms you would like to reserve as you get to choose from what’s available.  If they don’t know what Club Orange is then ask to speak with someone who does. 

Too many moving parts at this point.  I like our rooms; the reservations are not refundable, and we got in on the "Best sale ever" (or whatever it was called way back in September) and it has since gone away, and the perks are not in line with what we received at the time.  Plus, our room is next door to my sister and sister-in-law, and I don't think either of them has been on a cruise before. We want to be able to help them navigate the ship and trip.

 

Good to know for next time.  

[Double D Cruisers]

I have a question for Club Orange fans.  We will be 5-star Mariners on our next cruise. I notice some of the Club Orange perks we already get. One benefit for us may be Priority Seating in the MDR (for non-Pinnacle class ships.)  We prefer anytime dining (Open Seating.) I don't like being forced to eat at 5:00p or 8:00p.  Would rather eat at 6:30 or 7:00p. Is Orange Club "priority seating in the MDR" priority ANYTIME, or only priority only if you show up at 5:00p or 8:00p? .  We have never had a problem with open seating since 2013.  However the last couple cruises (post pandemic) were disappointing.  We were on a 28-day cruise on the Koningsdam in October 2022. Were able to eat in the MDR exactly once. Lines around the block every night for those wanting to eat "Anytime". We ate most nights at the Tamarind, Canaletto or Rudi's,  which were all easier to get into than the MDR.

[*Miss G*]

There is a separate Club Orange line at the entrance.  There is never a wait.

[djvand]

6 hours ago, PACD_JG said:

Fair enough.  I looked at Verandahs.

 

VH is $3808, VQ is $4988, so that would be a great deal.  A VF at $4508 to a V at $4868 is just an okay deal.

I am sure it varies by cruise and I agree with the "do the math comment".  In our instance on the Summer 10 day sailing Jewels of the Baltic on the Nieuw Amsterdam we got a "double" upgrade.  The booking perk was to pay for a Ocean View and get a free upgrade to an obstructed balcony VH.   That resulted in a $100 savings PP. Then with CO you get a META upgrade which simply means you can get a space available free upgrade to the highest available room in that same category.  In our case that was a Spa Verandah balcony cabin VQ.  The price difference between those categories was $603 PP.  So "savings" for this cruise for 2 people was $1406 total.  The cost of CO was $250 x 2 $500.  So savings for us was $906 just on the cabin alone.  That DOES NOT even include the free tote bag which 98% of the time they do not have 🙂  

 

In order to do this you book the original cabin.  Then you or your TA call HAL and they speak with them to confirm CO is available.  IF it is you can pay the fee and immediately pick the room that you want in the same META category.  The CO fee is non refundable.  There is a 2 page reference online with all of the other CO perks.

[kazu]

4 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

If you want to stay where you are, you can pay for CO and your stateroom will be refared as an obstructed view veranda stateroom.

 

Now this I did not know - if they will do this it might solve my current conundrum.  Thank you 🙂 

[waiting2retire]

I am beginning to think we may have shot ourselves in the foot here and should have kept Club Orange under wraps. There is limited availability after all! 🥺

[kazu]

48 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Now this I did not know - if they will do this it might solve my current conundrum.  Thank you 🙂 

 

5 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

  If you want to stay where you are, you can pay for CO and your stateroom will be refared as an obstructed view veranda stateroom.  

 

Just called CO to book and no, they wouldn’t do that, sadly.  ‘Sigh’

really don’t want to give up my huge balcony on the Beethoven deck.  ‘Sigh’

[oaktreerb]

21 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

 

Just called CO to book and no, they wouldn’t do that, sadly.  ‘Sigh’

really don’t want to give up my huge balcony on the Beethoven deck.  ‘Sigh’

I don’t understand why, unless they are sold out.  My PCC has booked me this way at least twice.  I choose my deck 4 stateroom, add Club Orange, and he books it at the lowest veranda rate (obstructed).   The cruises have been 7 day Pacific Coast cruises on the Koningsdam.  Maybe you should reach out to the TA or person who booked your cruise for a second opinion.

[cruising sister]

8 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

I don’t understand why, unless they are sold out.  My PCC has booked me this way at least twice.  I choose my deck 4 stateroom, add Club Orange, and he books it at the lowest veranda rate (obstructed).   The cruises have been 7 day Pacific Coast cruises on the Koningsdam.  Maybe you should reach out to the TA or person who booked your cruise for a second opinion.

I just booked the same cruise that @kazu is on for May and that is how it worked for me. She may have a cheaper fare from booking earlier and may not have any savings going to CO. I know I am in a VQ and started with the OV upgrade price. It did take me explaining it to the TA and HA rep had to ask someone else. 

[*Miss G*]

11 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

I don’t understand why, unless they are sold out.  My PCC has booked me this way at least twice.  I choose my deck 4 stateroom, add Club Orange, and he books it at the lowest veranda rate (obstructed).   The cruises have been 7 day Pacific Coast cruises on the Koningsdam.  Maybe you should reach out to the TA or person who booked your cruise for a second opinion.

 

Did you choose your room and add Club Orange at the initial booking or did you refare after you had already made the reservation?

[oaktreerb]

Just now, *Miss G* said:

 

Did you choose your room and add Club Orange at the initial booking or did you refare after you had already made the reservation?

Yes.  Did not refare.  Adding the CO made my booking more expensive because the room I choose is a VB.  

and CO was $25x7x2 for 2 people on our 7 day cruise.   We just save a little on the fare, I choose CO for the smaller dining room.  

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, waiting2retire said:

I am beginning to think we may have shot ourselves in the foot here and should have kept Club Orange under wraps. There is limited availability after all! 🥺

I agree.  Looking at a cruise for the fall and my pcc told me there are only 5 spots left.  I was shocked.