Denial of Priority Boarding for Club Orange

[Kamfish642]

We are about to go on our 3rd HAL cruise where were booked the Club Orange promotion, but only on Pinnacle Class ships since we primarily purchase it for private restaurant.  One of the advertised benefits of Club Orange is priority boarding.  However, on two prior cruises from Europe the terminal staff had no idea what Club Orange was, and we were simply directed to an assigned boarding group.  We asked to speak to a HAL representative but to no avail.  Has anyone else had this issue?

[cruising sister]

I would love to know that answer too since I am boarding in Barcelona in 2 weeks. My luggage take does say priority and has orange stripe. I do not have a boarding pass yet to see if it says that too. 

[funntheson]

We have Club Orange for an upcoming cruise. Our boarding passes say, "Priority Boarding" on them. Did yours state that? Maybe it depends on the terminal?

[VMax1700]

In Rotterdam there was a priority queue but in Trieste there was not.  I would think that Barcelona will not have a priority queue either.

HAL sails constantly from Port Everglades during the winter season and can take time to educate the check in staff about priority.  In Europe HAL does not have many ports where they embark ships.  Amsterdam and Rotterdam would be the exceptions, I think.  But, Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Trieste, Lisbon etc, will see maybe one HAL ship embark every 3 or 4 weeks and the staff will not be fully aware of the priority situation.  Also, I don't know if HAL arranges embarkation staff or if it is supplied by the port authority on an 'as required' basis.

[cruising sister]

I was able to pull up my boarding pass for May 6th. No time listed but it says Priority. We will see what that means. 

[FlorenceItaly]

In regards to Club Orange, I sail on May 12 and my boarding pass still says to be assigned.

Perhaps it is still a bit early?

[Sharon in AZ]

I boarded in Fort Lauderdale a week ago today and the Club Orange priority boarding lane was combined with the 4* and 5* priority boarding lane. I have seen it like that before in Seattle and San Diego. 
 

I do agree with @VMax1700 that some embarkation ports like Barcelona did not have that, but when we boarded in Barcelona last June it didn’t matter because the lines were short and we went through quickly. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

36 minutes ago, Sharon in AZ said:

I boarded in Fort Lauderdale a week ago today and the Club Orange priority boarding lane was combined with the 4* and 5* priority boarding lane. I have seen it like that before in Seattle and San Diego. 
 

I do agree with @VMax1700 that some embarkation ports like Barcelona did not have that, but when we boarded in Barcelona last June it didn’t matter because the lines were short and we went through quickly. 

 

When CO was new, FLL had a special desk for CO and an orange rug to stand on at a "private" check-in desk. It was NOT very private, as it was around the back of the row of check-in stations, which meant it was in full view of the people in the waiting area. It felt VERY pretentious. 

 

If they're still doing that, I didn't see it because I wasn't in CO in January. Kiosk check in was so fast, I didn't have time to look. Once the priority passengers go upstairs to wait, 4*, 5*, CO are all called to board together. 

 

Port staff are not HAL employees, so they deal with the rules and priorities of several lines over the course of a season and they don't always quite get it right. Once, boarding a HAL ship in Boston, we were asked how many Marriott stars we had. 

 

Edited April 22, 2023 by 3rdGenCunarder

[*Miss G*]

55 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

In regards to Club Orange, I sail on May 12 and my boarding pass still says to be assigned.

Perhaps it is still a bit early?

 

For clarity… are you saying your room has not been assigned even though you purchased Club orange?

 

Agree with the others that CO priority boarding is more a North American thing than European.

[FlorenceItaly]

1 minute ago, *Miss G* said:

 

For clarity… are you saying your room has not been assigned even though you purchased Club orange?

 

Agree with the others that CO priority boarding is more a North American thing than European.

I am sorry for the confusion.  Yes, I have an assigned room.  My embarkation time is not assigned.  It says to be assigned.  I did purchase Club Orange as I was in an VH guarantee and moved to a VA assigned room.

[*Miss G*]

3 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

I am sorry for the confusion.  Yes, I have an assigned room.  My embarkation time is not assigned.  It says to be assigned.  I did purchase Club Orange as I was in an VH guarantee and moved to a VA assigned room.

 

Aah.  That makes sense.  Don’t worry about assigned check-in times because priority boarding can arrive when they like.  Having said that, however, you may have a different experience at the port, depending on the knowledge of the employees.  🙃 PEV seems to be the most knowledgeable with regard to ease of embarkation, though, so if you’re embarking from there you should not have a problem.  

[FlorenceItaly]

1 minute ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Aah.  That makes sense.  Don’t worry about assigned check-in times because priority boarding can arrive when they like.  Having said that, however, you may have a different experience at the port, depending on the knowledge of the employees.  🙃 PEV seems to be the most knowledgeable with regard to ease of embarkation, though, so if you’re embarking from there you should not have a problem.  

I am embarking from PEV.  I am more concerned seeing that they have marked my reservation Club Orange rather than the actual priority boarding benefit.  You know how it goes, lol.  Thank you for your response.

[cruising sister]

1 hour ago, FlorenceItaly said:

In regards to Club Orange, I sail on May 12 and my boarding pass still says to be assigned.

Perhaps it is still a bit early?

Mine just popped up today. I checked yesterday and there was nothing. Sounds like 2 weeks before boarding you will get it. Makes sense that there is no boarding time if we can come whenever. I will report back if I get a boarding time assigned. 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

We cruised on the Rotterdam in July last year out of Amsterdam, I did not have Club Orange but a 4 Star Mariner and other than getting a different check in line we did not have prioirty check in. They told us we had to board based on our check in time which I thought was crazy. I asked two different Reps and they all told me there was no Prioirty except for Neptune and Pinnacle Suites (We were in a Vista Suite). We were probably about the 4th boarding group after Suites, we had friend that checked in at the same time and was assigned an earlier check in that actually board two groups ahead of us as 2 star. I have learned you have to just to go with the flow with HAL.

  

[Crew News]

Received my check-in time via email from HAL 14 days from my May 2 boarding.  Boarding pass still does not have the required barcode for boarding.

[cruising sister]

I have a bar code but no time. 

[57redbird]

We booked a Neptune Suite & embarking in San Diego in February was no different than regular boarding --- we were still in the monster group of people waiting to board.

 

[Coolcruise02]

3 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Port staff are not HAL employees, so they deal with the rules and priorities of several lines over the course of a season and they don't always quite get it right. Once, boarding a HAL ship in Boston, we were asked how many Marriott stars we had. 

 

Then why do the have HAL uniforms on? The people in and around check-in, other than the porters, look like HAL employees to me. They should know the check-in rules and procedures but many of them don't.

 

 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Coolcruise02

[*Miss G*]

1 hour ago, Coolcruise02 said:

5 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

1 hour ago, Coolcruise02 said:

 

Then why do the have HAL uniforms on? The people in and around check-in, other than the porters, look like HAL employees to me. They should know the check-in rules and procedures but many of them don't.

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by Coolcruise02

 

The terminal staff I’ve chatted with at PEV are locals who work at the Port.  If you google you can find the job postings.  (Not going to link it but the info is below if anyone would like to see the description and requirements.)

 

Edited April 22, 2023 by *Miss G*

[Kamfish642]

7 hours ago, funntheson said:

We have Club Orange for an upcoming cruise. Our boarding passes say, "Priority Boarding" on them. Did yours state that? Maybe it depends on the terminal?

Yes, but terminal rep did not recognize since it was not for a suite or 4/5 stars.  Obviously, no one from HAL had briefed terminal staff on Club range.

[Kamfish642]

6 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

For clarity… are you saying your room has not been assigned even though you purchased Club orange?

 

Agree with the others that CO priority boarding is more a North American thing than European.

 

Edited April 23, 2023 by Kamfish642

[Coolcruise02]

To me if they have a HAL uniform on and a HAL name badge they are representing HAL and should be trained by them. I'm not going to argue about who hires or pays them. 

 

We embarked at San Diego and it was a mess!! HAL loyalist tried to blame port employees. I don't care who pays them, but if they are representing HAL they should be trained properly by HAL. They should know who has priority and who doesn't and how to handle each group. Especially, in a situation where people are standing in the sun for 2+ hours! (based on the time HAL assigned us)

 

FYI, we had a GREAT cruise despite the horrible start.

[Iamthesea]

8 hours ago, cruising sister said:

I would love to know that answer too since I am boarding in Barcelona in 2 weeks. My luggage take does say priority and has orange stripe. I do not have a boarding pass yet to see if it says that too. 

I was told that the Orange stripe on the luggage tag doesn't mean Orange Club.    I have orange stripes on mine, but not Priority on the tags.  My boarding pass does say Priority in bold letters. 

Are you perhaps a 4* or 5* Mariner?  That would make more sense for you having Priority on your tags.

[*Miss G*]

Totally agree that training is important.  Sometimes trainees are quick to grasp instruction and sometimes they’re not.  Likewise, Instructors can forget to impart information or fail to provide clarity.  The first point of contact makes a lasting impression.  No one wants an unhappy customer…. Particularly the people having to deal with one.  

[sciencewonk]

4 hours ago, 57redbird said:

We booked a Neptune Suite & embarking in San Diego in February was no different than regular boarding --- we were still in the monster group of people waiting to board.

 

This was my experience in San Diego, also.  We had priority boarding (Neptune Suite) but had to wait in the hot sun for over an hour because they wouldn't let us board until our assigned time.  I suspect this issue is port-specific.