Orange Club Explanation

[Haljo1935]

8 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

 

It is very frustrating trying to work with poorly trained agents and many who have a challenge with providing great customer service.

 

My most frustrating experience was speaking with an HAL agent and explaining that I will not book the cruise if CO is not available and to please check Ship Inventory and if it is available I will book the cruise.  She put me on hold for a long time to tell me that yes, CO was available.  We then proceeded to go through with the booking and when we got to the point of CO she informed me that she would have to put me on hold to secure the CO.  Imagine my disappointment and frustration when she returned to the call to tell me that the last CO sold out while we were trying to book.  When she made her original call to Ship Inventory she didn't ask them to put a hold on the CO as she had a passenger on the line who was in the process of booking and will be buying it.  

 

Yes, that is very frustrating and disappointing; I've had the same experience. 

[POA1]

Club Orange capacity is not huge. I'd figure that it's fewer than 80 slots/people. On a ship with a capacity of 2,200, that's less than 4% of passengers. On the Pinnacle Class ships, it's closer to 3%.

 

It could easily sell out if you dawdle. It's added once you have a booking hold with a booking number. (The promo code gets added to the booking. As long as there's capacity available, it can be added. Adding the promo code increases your fare basis by $25 or $15 per person, per day depending on the length of the cruise.)

 

If you are in a situation where you are competing for the last few slots, luck favors the bold cruiser who books and adds CO over someone who has to know about CO availability and room choices in advance.

 

But more than that, luck favors the early booker who isn't competing for the last few slots.

 

 

[chisoxfan]

9 hours ago, cbr663 said:

 

It is very frustrating trying to work with poorly trained agents and many who have a challenge with providing great customer service.

 

My most frustrating experience was speaking with an HAL agent and explaining that I will not book the cruise if CO is not available and to please check Ship Inventory and if it is available I will book the cruise.  She put me on hold for a long time to tell me that yes, CO was available.  We then proceeded to go through with the booking and when we got to the point of CO she informed me that she would have to put me on hold to secure the CO.  Imagine my disappointment and frustration when she returned to the call to tell me that the last CO sold out while we were trying to book.  When she made her original call to Ship Inventory she didn't ask them to put a hold on the CO as she had a passenger on the line who was in the process of booking and will be buying it.  

 

I would be pretty upset after explaining clearly what you were after. I think that after spending that time I would try and speak to a supervisor. I applaud HAL for the CO concept but in a way they may have created a friendly 'monster'. Like you I would not book without it on a Pinnacle class ship.