Club Orange upgrade offer

[QuangFre]

Hi folks,

 

I am seeking advice on whether to take up HAL ‘s offer of Club Orange upgrade, costing an extra $35 pp per day. My family of 5 is on the cruise for 13 days so that would cost $2275.

We will be on the Koningsdam next weekend btw.

This supposedly include complimentary cabin upgrade but such room may not be available though. This is my biggest concern.

Any pointer or suggestion from folks who have had direct experience with this upgrade option is much appreciated.

 

Thanks beforehand,

 

Garrick

[penny49]

NO!!!....I have never heard of a cabin upgrade with it....may be something new.....The Club Orange "private " restaurant is IMO not a great perk...it used to be the Culinary Arts Demo kitchen and a farm to fork restaurant open to all when the K-dam was new....It is hardly used and very uncomfortable chairs and just regular food....the special lines at the desk and at boarding are so not worth all that extra cost IMO.....

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

What sort of cabin are you in and how much of an upgrade are they (maybe) offering? That affects the value of the offer. However, the Club Orange pass without any cabin upgrade normally costs $50 pp per day, so it's a good deal in terms of cost to you.

 

The big attraction of CO is the separate dining room for breakfast and dinner. Breakfasts are upgraded with free mimosas and (I think) specialty coffees and some extra items. The big plus at breakfast is that it's cooked short-order right there and everything is hot and fresh. Dinner is the same as the MDR with one main course added. 

 

You get priority tendering, so that's a plus if you have a lot of tender ports.

 

The value of all of this is hard to put a number on. Whether it's a good deal depends on how much the amenities appeal to you.

Edited June 14, 2019 by 3rdGenCunarder

[QuangFre]

Thanks Penny49 and 3rdGenCunarder.

We are currently on a Oceanview cabin and this CO amenities list includes complimentary cabin upgrade subject to availability. This is the key factor for me.

Breakfast choice seems to be an added bonus as well  but the rest seems rather ordinary. 

 

Best regards,

 

Garrick

[3rdGenCunarder]

Think about this. K'dam has several specialty upsell restaurants. For what you'd be spending on CO, you could have dinner every other night in a specialty restaurant and still come out ahead. 

 

You say family of 5. If it's a mix of adults and kids, the kids may not care about the special restaurant, and maybe not about the upsell restaurants, either.

 

I think I'd take the money and use it on tours or drinks, buy the kids gelato by the pool, etc.

[mcw331]

Garrick,

 

We just received the same offer for our Daughters and Nanny's cabin on your same cruise.  We are going to get it as I have planned to all along as it compliments the amenities we already have with our suite.  

 

The two most important amenities for us are Club Orange breakfast and dinner.  We have never dined here before but have always loved the more intimate experience in the Pinnacle Grill for suites for breakfast and hope this is good too.! Note that some reviewers love it and some don't.   The other is priority tenders which for our cruise really only matters for Kotor so not that big of a deal.

 

Also keep in mind that the $35 is now cheaper than the previous $50 a person and you only pay for guests 1 & 2 in your cabin.  So depending on how many cabins you have it may not be quite so much. 

 

Cheers and see you all next week.

 

Mike

[QuangFre]

Hi Mike,

 

If we only have to pay for 2 people, we wouldn’t hesitate.

Thanks for the info.

 

Garrick

[*Miss G*]

I would absolutely do it for $35/pp/pd.  Having a great breakfast and dinner in a small comfortable venue is well worth it to me.  I loved my Koningsdam CO experience.

[mcw331]

1 hour ago, QuangFre said:

Hi Mike,

 

If we only have to pay for 2 people, we wouldn’t hesitate.

Thanks for the info.

 

Garrick

 

From the email below.

 

"Club Orange benefits are for the entire length of purchased cruise. If there are two occupants in a stateroom, Club Orange
benefits must be purchased by both guests. Third and fourth guests sharing the stateroom with guests 1 & 2 are not required
to purchase Club Orange and will receive all benefits except sparkling wine and tote bag."

[QuangFre]

Great . That makes it an easy decision. Thanks for the info mcw331.

[ski ww]

You're now talking $70 pd. If money is no object then enjoy the up grade

[Krazy Kruizers]

Only you can decide if it is worth it to you.

 

Remember that the breakfast menu is the same one as the main dining room.  Also the dinner menu is the same with the addition of a nightly special.

[3rdGenCunarder]

8 hours ago, mcw331 said:

 

From the email below.

 

"Club Orange benefits are for the entire length of purchased cruise. If there are two occupants in a stateroom, Club Orange
benefits must be purchased by both guests. Third and fourth guests sharing the stateroom with guests 1 & 2 are not required
to purchase Club Orange and will receive all benefits except sparkling wine and tote bag."

 

They have reduced the price AND they're giving it free to 3rd and 4th guests in a cabin?? Sounds like not many people are doing the "rack rate" buy-in to Club Orange.

 

[*Miss G*]

Just now, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

They have reduced the price AND they're giving it free to 3rd and 4th guests in a cabin?? Sounds like not many people are doing the "rack rate" buy-in to Club Orange.

 

 

I guess they were looking for the sweet spot.  At $50 I wouldn’t have done it.  At $35?  That’s my sweet spot.

[BSinPNS]

We are currently on Nieuw Statendam and enjoying Club Orange.  While the menu is the same, there is an additional item for dinner - two nights ago it was a 12oz veal chop.  Quite tasty.  We also enjoy watching the chef prepare our dinner which is served hot.  While the chairs may not fit everyone’s fancy, we are not spending a lot of time except for dinner.  

[Andi Land]

I have a Koningsdam cruise planned for May of 2020. I called ship inventory department to ask about Club Orange for my cruise. I asked about price and it is now $35 pp/pd. Looks like they realized $50 pp/pd was more than people would spend. 

[kevingastreich]

We got that same offer today for a 7 day Alaska cruise EXCEPT is is only $25/day pp. It is on the Oosterdam.

[sfocruiser]

8 minutes ago, kevingastreich said:

We got that same offer today for a 7 day Alaska cruise EXCEPT is is only $25/day pp. It is on the Oosterdam.

 

 

Wonder how that works on the Oosterdam? Only the Pinnacle Class ships have the dedicated CO restaurant (fish bowl) 😉 

 

maybe they have started to rope off a section of the MDR as originally announced.

[*Miss G*]

46 minutes ago, kevingastreich said:

We got that same offer today for a 7 day Alaska cruise EXCEPT is is only $25/day pp. It is on the Oosterdam.

 

Wow!  First time I’ve heard of it being rolled out to other ships.  I am fascinated to hear how that’s played out.  

[3rdGenCunarder]

36 minutes ago, sfocruiser said:

 

 

Wonder how that works on the Oosterdam? Only the Pinnacle Class ships have the dedicated CO restaurant (fish bowl) 😉 

 

maybe they have started to rope off a section of the MDR as originally announced.

 

Maybe it's less expensive on the Oosterdam because it isn't a separate restaurant. I'll be curious to learn how that will work.

[kevingastreich]

3 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Maybe it's less expensive on the Oosterdam because it isn't a separate restaurant. I'll be curious to learn how that will work.

We have an aft facing veranda on Oosterdam so we didn't want the "Stateroom Upgrade" so we didn't buy the offer but here it is below so people can compare it with other ships.  At first glance the major difference looks like the "Club Orange Dining". I'll report back after the cruise.

 

INTRODUCING OUR EXCLUSIVE NEW ONBOARD PROGRAM - CLUB ORANGE
Club Orange offers an added level of luxury onboard Holland America Line ships
with priority access & exclusive amenities. Enhance your cruise with:
CLUB ORANGE PRIORITY ACCESS: Priority check-in & disembarkation, Priority lines
at Guest Services & Shore Excursions, Priority access to specialty restaurant

reservations & tenders ashore in select ports

CLUB ORANGE AMENITIES: Stateroom upgrade (restrictions apply), Welcome glass of
sparking wine, Dedicated Concierge Hotline access, Premium bathrobes, Club
Orange key card, Exclusive Club Orange tote bag (one per stateroom), Invitation

to a special onboard event chosen by the ship's cabin.

CLUB ORANGE DINING: Premium in-room dining breakfast menu, priority seating in
the Dining Room for breakfast and dinner with an expanded menu

TO PURCHASE CLUB ORANGE FOR US$25 PER PERSON PER DAY, PLEASE CALL US AT (phone number)

Edited June 15, 2019 by kevingastreich

[PSR]

1 hour ago, kevingastreich said:

CLUB ORANGE DINING: Premium in-room dining breakfast menu, priority seating in
the Dining Room for breakfast and dinner with an expanded menu

 

This implies that there may not be Pinnacle Grill breakfast for the Suites? Or maybe just the Club Orange people dine in a special area of the MDR? This is getting confusing...we are traveling on the Westerdam later this year with a "new to HAL" couple in a Neptune Suite as are we, PLUS a friend of theirs also new to HAL in a non-NS. I was wondering how we could all have breakfast together and thought the Club Orange would be a good solution, but not if we all have to eat in the MDR.  Of course, this promotion is for the Oosterdam, so maybe the Westerdam will not be part of it.🤔

[*Miss G*]

5 hours ago, PSR said:

 

This implies that there may not be Pinnacle Grill breakfast for the Suites? Or maybe just the Club Orange people dine in a special area of the MDR? This is getting confusing...we are traveling on the Westerdam later this year with a "new to HAL" couple in a Neptune Suite as are we, PLUS a friend of theirs also new to HAL in a non-NS. I was wondering how we could all have breakfast together and thought the Club Orange would be a good solution, but not if we all have to eat in the MDR.  Of course, this promotion is for the Oosterdam, so maybe the Westerdam will not be part of it.🤔

 

Club Orange is only a good solution for you on ships which have it. There is no solution for your non-NS friends on the Westerdam if they haven’t rolled out CO.  (Other than all of you eating in the dining room.)

[3rdGenCunarder]

Thanks for posting this, Kevin. Interesting that they've added a special event (possibly a cocktail party somewhere?). I wonder what "restrictions" apply to the upgrade? Does this put you at the head of the line to get an upgrade?  I love aft cabins on the Vista ships. I wouldn't want an "upgrade" from there.

 

So they've lowered the price and added some elements to the Orange Pass. Sounds like $50 pp pd wasn't the right price. Does this offer come only after you have booked? I've had cheap upgrade offers pop up after I've completed an airline booking, so perhaps HAL is following that model.

 

 

[Andi Land]

9 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Thanks for posting this, Kevin. Interesting that they've added a special event (possibly a cocktail party somewhere?). I wonder what "restrictions" apply to the upgrade? Does this put you at the head of the line to get an upgrade?  I love aft cabins on the Vista ships. I wouldn't want an "upgrade" from there.

 

So they've lowered the price and added some elements to the Orange Pass. Sounds like $50 pp pd wasn't the right price. Does this offer come only after you have booked? I've had cheap upgrade offers pop up after I've completed an airline booking, so perhaps HAL is following that model.

 

 

When I called yesterday I was able to add it to my 2020 cruise at the $35 pp/pd price. I had to call the ships inventory line and not the regular customer service line. 

 

She did mention the special event. She said it could be a tour or a talk or whatever the captain wanted. So, who knows what it will be. 

 

I also asked about about the upgrade. I’m in an obstructed view verandah. She said they would do an upgrade to a higher level of verandah category IF available. So, I took that to mean if the other categories sell out I’ll probably be out of luck. Who knows. 

 

I was was willing to roll the dice and sign up for it. I’ll see how it goes next year.