I don't understand HA's suite categories...have questions about inclusions and the suite experience in general.

[Georgia_Peaches]

8 hours ago, REOVA said:

CO is in effect a way for HAL to charge anyone  that wants "priority" or "better" service for a fee. 4 and 5 star Mariners have priority boarding (where ports follow it) and since CO started, they fall in with that group. There is a special line for CO for the guest services desk and excursion desk so they don't wait in the, sometimes, long lines that other passengers do. In the main dining room (non Pinnacle ships) there is a separate (faster) line for CO and priority locations for the dining room as well as 1 "special"  entree selection that CO can order, although you can sit with non CO passengers, they just wont get the menu with the extra entree. On the 3 Pinnacle ships there is a separate small dining room for CO for breakfast and dinner which is quieter and more focused on service (theoretically) but same food as MDR. If you are in Neptune Suite, HAL feels you are paying enough to have these privileges so they are included. CO also have the option to book the cheapest cabin in a category (like V*) and pick a better cabin in that V* category. (I.e. you can't book a Vista and get a Signature Suite as they are different categories). 

 

If you sail in a Neptune Suite there is no reason to purchase CO. But depending on what other category cabin you want, you may be better off booking the lower price cabin and upgrading with CO for a better cabin. Keep in mind, better cabin is in the eye of HAL not necessarily what you may want. And on Pinnacle ships, having breakfast and dinner in the CO restaurant is preferred than in MDR for some (us) except you don't get to sit with or meet new people there as easily as you can in MDR, if that is a concern. 

 

So the short answer is its an add on pass. 

Thank you for this explanation. Really appreciate it!

[DaveOKC]

Remember that if you purchase CLub Orange (generally to upgrade your cabin) and then later take an upsell to a Neptune, ask them to apply the CO charge to the upsell price.  We did this in Dec - Paid $250pp for CO and later was offered an upsell from our Verandah to a Neptune for $249.  When I mentioned that I had already paid for CO, they gladly applied that - thus the upgrade to the Neptune ended up being free!

 

[POA1]

41 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Thank you for this explanation. Really appreciate it!

The basic gist of it is to (1) make sure that Club Orange is available for your sailing. (2) Book the lowest category in your desired meta category. That's usually the guarantee category for inside, ocean view, verandah, vista suite or signature suite. (3) Grab the PDF deck plan for the ship. (4)Pay the deposit + Club Orange cost.

 

(5) Pick the room you want from the available rooms within the meta category. You'll be confirmed into that room and get a new booking confirmation showing Club Orange Pass and your new stateroom.

 

Be aware that Club Orange is not generally refundable, even if the deposit is.

 

After messing up our first CO booking, I got it right on the next one. (I may be a slow learner, but I still learn - eventually.)

 

Our upcoming Rotterdam cruise at the end of the month will be our second CO booking. We need a third one so that everyone gets the magical, life-changing Club Orange tote bag. DW is getting the Rotterdam bag. I'll get the 3rd one. The first one, naturally, went to Poohby Joe.

 

[seagarsmoker]

4 hours ago, Hobar said:

What is “special disembarkation service” for Neptune and Pinnacle Suite guests?  

I have no idea why they still use that in marketing as it is available for everyone now to disembark with own luggage early.  We only stay in Neptune suites and I have asked the concierge each cruise for the special disembarkation service and was told each time it is the disembark with own luggage early program.  The cavaiate to that is last year, on the NS, we stayed in the Pinnacle suite. You do actually receive special embarkation and disembarkation service as an officer or concierge walks you on the ship and off the ship using staff elevators. 

[CruiserBruce]

3 minutes ago, seagarsmoker said:

I have no idea why they still use that in marketing as it is available for everyone now to disembark with own luggage early.  We only stay in Neptune suites and I have asked the concierge each cruise for the special disembarkation service and was told each time it is the disembark with own luggage early program.  The cavaiate to that is last year, on the NS, we stayed in the Pinnacle suite. You do actually receive special embarkation and disembarkation service as an officer or concierge walks you on the ship and off the ship using staff elevators. 

Suite pax can depart the ship any time they wish...they aren't assigned a time. Even if they aren't carrying their bags off.

[terrydtx]

11 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Can someone please elaborate further on Club Orange?  is this an added perk or an add on pass available on all ships?  Advantages?

Club Orange is included with a Pinnacle and Neptune suite. On the 3 Pinnacle class ships CO is also a private dining room similar to Luminae on Celebrity. On all other ships it is priority seating in the MDR with an added entree special for just CO. If you are not in a suite you can add CO for $25pp per day to get all of the benefits, but the number available is limited on every cruise. We added CO to our Koningsdam cruise last November and overall we liked the food and daily special better in the CO dining room than our recent Luminae experiences. We added it to our upcoming Volendam cruise this year. We found that the Koningsdam MDR food was far superior to Celebrity and have made the decision to no longer cruise with Celebrity due to many reasons.

 

One other HAL thing we love is their online Flight Ease it is so much better and user friendlier over Flights by Celebrity. 

Edited March 9 by terrydtx

[alwaysfrantic]

3 hours ago, kazu said:

 

I went to check the deck plans as that sounded strange and OMG - all the aft Neptunes are showing shower only on that ship.  WTH!??  I’m afraid it looks like what you were told is correct and I stand corrected.  I’m going to check the other Pinnacle Class ships to see if they are the same.

 

that would be a game changer for me 😔 

I hope it is a nice shower if it is taking the place of a tub/shower and a separate shower. 

[kazu]

20 minutes ago, alwaysfrantic said:

I hope it is a nice shower if it is taking the place of a tub/shower and a separate shower. 

 

there are some cabin pics on halfacts.com - here is a corner aft on Beethoven deck - https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/4184-nieuw-statendam/

 

The aft suites were smaller than the regular Neptunes.  I wonder if they did this to make more space?

[alwaysfrantic]

16 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

there are some cabin pics on halfacts.com - here is a corner aft on Beethoven deck - https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/4184-nieuw-statendam/

 

The aft suites were smaller than the regular Neptunes.  I wonder if they did this to make more space?

It just a shower.  😐. Nothing fancy, I don’t think.  On the link you provided (thank you!) I saw a tub in one on koningsdam.  They must have made the switch between.  
 

 

[POA1]

Everyone, including the HAL literature, says you get a extra entrée choice daily. That's not strictly true. If it's not a gala menu, nor the culinary council menu, you get an additional entrée choice. You also get to pick a seared tuna with shaved asparagus salad, Beecher's Mac and Cheese or an additional salmon entrée that's not on the MDR menu.

 

So... In addition to the Beecher's Mac and Cheese, you have these three choices most days.

 

[kazu]

8 minutes ago, POA1 said:

Everyone, including the HAL literature, says you get a extra entrée choice daily. That's not strictly true. If it's not a gala menu, nor the culinary council menu, you get an additional entrée choice. You also get to pick a seared tuna with shaved asparagus salad, Beecher's Mac and Cheese or an additional salmon entrée that's not on the MDR menu.

 

That’s the same in Club Orange on the Pinnacle Class ships.

 

[cccole]

We cruised on the Oosterdam in January and chose the particular cruise because I like aft wrap cabins.  On the Oosterdam they are Neptune suites.  Not a big deal to us but our cabin was amazing.  We did enjoy the benefits of Neptune suites at times and when we disembarked early with large bags the concierge arranged for someone to be at our cabin at 5:00a.m. to help us.  I think this is available to anyone though.  Regarding the shower/tub.  I took showers in the tub because I felt so confined in the shower, so I would have preferred a larger shower and no tub.  But I realize that many really do enjoy a nice bath.

 

I think we understood that h'orderves or high tea could be ordered by 11 a.m. the day of.  When we called we were told that only high tea was available and if we wanted h'orderves to go to the Lido.  Not a big deal but we were surprised.  We did enjoy high tea one day.

 

We always had the Club Orange choice on the MDR menu and sometimes but not often ordered it. If I could get an aft wrap with out being a Neptune suite I would prefer it.  JMO. Cherie  

[sciencewonk]

13 hours ago, Hobar said:

What is “special disembarkation service” for Neptune and Pinnacle Suite guests?  

In my experience, it is non-existent. 

[Torquer]

14 hours ago, Hobar said:

What is “special disembarkation service” for Neptune and Pinnacle Suite guests?  

I thought it was that you can disembark the ship whenever you want, and there is no need to wait for your number/color to be called.  This applies to whether you are carrying your own luggage off or if HAL has done it for you.

 

As someone else has stated, when staying in the Pinnacle Suite the concierge will sometimes escort you off the ship using the staff elevators to totally bypass any waiting lines.

[Hobar]

1 hour ago, Torquer said:

I thought it was that you can disembark the ship whenever you want, and there is no need to wait for your number/color to be called.  This applies to whether you are carrying your own luggage off or if HAL has done it for you.

 

As someone else has stated, when staying in the Pinnacle Suite the concierge will sometimes escort you off the ship using the staff elevators to totally bypass any waiting lines.

That answers my question, and that is all I will want as my mom is mobility-limited and I will need to have her wait while I grab a cab to get the car as we will have parked.  Thank you.  

[malony33]

I'm now thinking about upgrading to a Vista suite for the shower and the extra space. And it's a pretty cabin and has a verandah.🙂 I'm a solo senior and it's been a wicked year - I want something to look forward to.

 

It doesn't seem many Club Orange members get the cabin upgrade, but the few other little things give me something to consider. I'm trying to make this a special cruise; that's why I'm willing to spend the extra $.💰

 

What is the current cost of CO? Do members pay a fee for every cruise thereafter once they join,

and if so, what is that fee? Is anyone here a member who wants to add your 2 cents?

 

FEEL FREE TO EXPRESS YOUR IDEAS AND TIPS - I LOVE READING THEM!❤️

 

ALL INFO AND OPINIONS ARE APPRECIATED, ESPECIALLY SINCE I AM A 1ST TIME HAL CRUISER. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.😉

[oakridger]

@malony33 Club Orange is purchased on a cruise-by-cruise basis.  Many verandah cabins have showers, you don't need to get a more costly vista suite to have a shower!  

 

I suggest you read the other threads here on the HAL forums and many of your questions will be answered.  You have posted in a thread that is discussing suite category perks.

 

After checking the other threads then go ahead and start a new thread that is specifically for the remaining questions you may have.

 

Have fun reading and I'm sure you will like HAL.

 

~Nancy

Edited March 10 by oakridger

[malony33]

17 minutes ago, oakridger said:

@malony33 Club Orange is purchased on a cruise-by-cruise basis.  Many verandah cabins have showers, you don't need to get a more costly vista suite to have a shower!  

 

I suggest you read the other threads here on the HAL forums and many of your questions will be answered.  You have posted in a thread that is discussing suite category perks.

 

After checking the other threads then go ahead and start a new thread that is specifically for the remaining questions you may have.

 

Have fun reading and I'm sure you will like HAL.

 

~Nancy

Hi, Nancy, The available verandahs are obstructed view. I've had a rough year or two; a Vista suite and CO might give me a "suiter" cruise to look forward to.

[crystalspin]

59 minutes ago, malony33 said:

I'm now thinking about upgrading to a Vista suite for the shower and the extra space. And it's a pretty cabin and has a verandah.🙂 I'm a solo senior and it's been a wicked year - I want something to look forward to.

The advantages to a Vista Suite over a Verandah on the Rotterdam are location (either prime midships, without obstruction, or aft-facing), double Mariner aka loyalty Points, and 32-sq.feet, or about 4' added depth to the cabin. The bathroom is essentially the same between a Vista and a Verandah, nice glass-door shower in either. There are no room-service advantages.

 

The sitting area in the Verandahs is near the balcony, and in the Vistas, it is near the hall and bathroom. There are a number of cabins on HalFacts.com that are mis-categorized. You can tell if the bed is near the window, it is a Vista Suite.

https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/

 

ETA: I hope you have a wonderful cruise to make up for your difficult year. A well-chosen Verandah will save you enough over a Vista Suite for some extra things. The Club Orange benefit is most evident (IMO) with the Verandahs -- book the worst obstructed VF or VH and upgrade to the best available V or VA! Sometimes CO even pays for itself in the savings.

 

Edited March 10 by crystalspin

[Haljo1935]

@malony33 CO is not a "membership" club - it's a per-cruise paid benefit.

IMO the best benefit is the amity to select a specific cabin in your desired location w/o the cost.

I agree a well chosen verandah can be a nice reward and help soothe away a bad year. We prefer true aft cabins w/wake view.

Safe travels- enjoy your cruise!

[HollDoll]

Someone said with a suite you can disembark anytime.  Is that only a Neptune or does that also apply to a signature?

[Cruise Suzy]

21 minutes ago, HollDoll said:

Someone said with a suite you can disembark anytime.  Is that only a Neptune or does that also apply to a signature?

Does not apply to Signature Suites.

[Torquer]

4 hours ago, HollDoll said:

Someone said with a suite you can disembark anytime.  Is that only a Neptune or does that also apply to a signature?

NS and PS only.  Usually, the Neptune Lounge concierge will talk to you a few days before disembarkation to find what your plans are and when you want to leave the ship, and make appropriate arrangements.

[mawvkysc]

23 hours ago, cccole said:

We cruised on the Oosterdam in January and chose the particular cruise because I like aft wrap cabins.  On the Oosterdam they are Neptune suites.  Not a big deal to us but our cabin was amazing.  We did enjoy the benefits of Neptune suites at times and when we disembarked early with large bags the concierge arranged for someone to be at our cabin at 5:00a.m. to help us.  I think this is available to anyone though.  Regarding the shower/tub.  I took showers in the tub because I felt so confined in the shower, so I would have preferred a larger shower and no tub.  But I realize that many really do enjoy a nice bath.

 

I think we understood that h'orderves or high tea could be ordered by 11 a.m. the day of.  When we called we were told that only high tea was available and if we wanted h'orderves to go to the Lido.  Not a big deal but we were surprised.  We did enjoy high tea one day.

 

We always had the Club Orange choice on the MDR menu and sometimes but not often ordered it. If I could get an aft wrap with out being a Neptune suite I would prefer it.  JMO. Cherie  

Just curious, who did you call? Room service or the Neptune Concierge? 

[crystalspin]

23 hours ago, cccole said:

when we disembarked early with large bags the concierge arranged for someone to be at our cabin at 5:00a.m. to help us.  I think this is available to anyone though. 

Surely not available to anyone. Early disembarcation is Self Carry; you must be able to handle all of your baggage. Otherwise you put luggage out at about midnight the night before to be moved en masse and claimed outside the ship/at pier.