Club Orange Cost and Benefits???

[fadeintoblue]

I really hate to ask this question as value is subjective but I guess I'm going to be that person. I read the information I could find about Club Orange and I was prepared to pull the trigger thinking it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 35.00 per person per day additional cost or 490.00 for our 7 day on the Rotterdam next year. I called HAL and the agent I spoke with had a lead agent pull the information and quoted me 75.00 per person per day. 1,050 seems high for the listed CO benefits. Is the experience going to be enhanced on Rotterdam thus justifying the cost?

Any info would be appreciated as we're happy to pay for expedited boarding etc... but it would take skipping an extremely long wait time to make the 1,050 a value.

[Crew News]

I paid $15/day last Deceber on the Nieuw Statendam.  Prices vary widely it seems.

[Roz]

$1,050 seems high to me also.  

[Horizon chaser 1957]

Before the pandemic hit, HAL rolled out Club Orange at $50 per day per person. Then there were some promotions at extremely low rates, I guess to stir up interest. I don’t think I’d  pay $50 each per day for it, and certainly not $75. 

[DaveOKC]

$75 pp seems very high to me and I would only consider it if 1) its on the K, NA, or Rotterdam, since they have separate dining areas and 2) you get a decent upgrade out of it.

[Woofbite]

Maybe they were quoting in Hong Kong dollars!

[ColoRockiesFan]

I just booked the Rotterdam for December 2021 and my Club Orange cost was $25/day.

 

[fadeintoblue]

Thank you Colo, I think I’ll call and try again.

[oaktreerb]

Club Orange is $25.00 per person per day on the Koningsdam in April 2021 out of San Diego.  Now I have to figure out how to get compensated for the room upgrade since I chose my VB stateroom and paid the  VB rate.   

[Vict0riann]

20 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

Club Orange is $25.00 per person per day on the Koningsdam in April 2021 out of San Diego.  Now I have to figure out how to get compensated for the room upgrade since I chose my VB stateroom and paid the  VB rate.   

I'm thinking about CO on Koningsdam in April, too.  I wonder what will happen if the cruise is cancelled?  I suppose it will all become part of an FCC.

[oaktreerb]

3 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

I'm thinking about CO on Koningsdam in April, too.  I wonder what will happen if the cruise is cancelled?  I suppose it will all become part of an FCC.

I don’t have any FCC’s now.   I took the cash when my March 2020 cruise was cancelled.  This cruise is out of our home port so no flights are involved.  I hope this cruise happens.  I’ve been looking forward to the Koningsdam sailing on the West Coast! 

[Okanagans]

I think Club Orange is a huge slap in the face to HAL’s loyal Mariners. You complain about the daily costs to jump the Q and have special dining and boarding privileges but many of us have sailed many days and spent much more than that daily rate to earn our Stars.  I hope HAL cancels that whole programme.  It stinks to some of us. 

 

[Vict0riann]

1 hour ago, oaktreerb said:

I don’t have any FCC’s now.   I took the cash when my March 2020 cruise was cancelled.  This cruise is out of our home port so no flights are involved.  I hope this cruise happens.  I’ve been looking forward to the Koningsdam sailing on the West Coast! 

 

Me, too, and my thought was that it might be a safer thing to do, to be able to eat in a smaller venue.  If we don't do it, we will probably just book every dinner in the Pinnacle  for the week!

[Sea42]

6 minutes ago, Okanagans said:

I think Club Orange is a huge slap in the face to HAL’s loyal Mariners. You complain about the daily costs to jump the Q and have special dining and boarding privileges but many of us have sailed many days and spent much more than that daily rate to earn our Stars.  I hope HAL cancels that whole programme.  It stinks to some of us. 

 

From what I can see, HAL's loyalty benefits are not very generous compared to other lines. While we have enjoyed our cruises with HAL, I'm not sure they are much of an incentive to be "loyal" to HAL.

[Himself]

My first cruise on the Nieuw Statendam I booked Club Orange at $50.00 per day and I liked it.  I am booked on the Nieuw Statendam next April and I have Club Orange and I got it for $25.00 per day.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I hope people buy it.  It helps keep the cost of my cruise down. On board revenue.

[BEAV]

On 12/20/2020 at 4:06 PM, Okanagans said:

I think Club Orange is a huge slap in the face to HAL’s loyal Mariners. You complain about the daily costs to jump the Q and have special dining and boarding privileges but many of us have sailed many days and spent much more than that daily rate to earn our Stars.  I hope HAL cancels that whole programme.  It stinks to some of us. 

 

 

While two wrongs don't make a right, the same thing is going on over at Celebrity. I'm at their second highest tier, but accept that the party may be over in terms of bennies and goodies as gratis.

 

I'm pretty much over loyalty programs, personally. And that also goes for airlines, hotels, etc.

 

The entire travel industry is on full reset. If I want a particular service or heightened experience, I expect to have to pay for it as opposed to receiving it as a reward for my loyalty and business. And I'm actually okay with that because I believe that will be the new norm whether I like it or not. And if I'm mistaken, then I'm in for a pleasant surprise! 

[BJzink]

On 12/20/2020 at 5:18 PM, Sea42 said:

From what I can see, HAL's loyalty benefits are not very generous compared to other lines. While we have enjoyed our cruises with HAL, I'm not sure they are much of an incentive to be "loyal" to HAL.

 

[BJzink]

As a 4-star Mariner I think that the free laundry (I do long cruises) and half-price Pinnacle are great perks for me.  And, the more interesting itineraries on HAL. 

[dtells]

On 12/29/2020 at 5:26 AM, BJzink said:

As a 4-star Mariner I think that the free laundry (I do long cruises) and half-price Pinnacle are great perks for me.  And, the more interesting itineraries on HAL. 

yes, and much nicer passengers,, I've found,  and they actually deal with (i.e. cook for) food allergies instead of just removing items from the plate until I end up with a naked chicken breast on naked vegetables like all the other cruise lines I've sailed with (except AMA Waterways, but on that particular cruise more than 25% of the passengers were celiac... so I have no idea if that was usual)

[leerathje]

I's like to ask if anyone has booked Club Orange for the winter Caribbean season?   What was your cost?

 

L.

[Crew News]

17 minutes ago, leerathje said:

I's like to ask if anyone has booked Club Orange for the winter Caribbean season?   What was your cost?

 

L.

For my Caribbean 14 days in November, I paid 15/day for Club Orange.

 

Edited July 9, 2021 by Crew News

[leerathje]

Sounds possible.....And are you able to pick your room, or is it guarantee?

[Crew News]

Just now, leerathje said:

Sounds possible.....And are you able to pick your room, or is it guarantee?

I already had my room and had no wish to give it up.  I cannot answer your question about guarantee. 

 

Here is the number that may be able to help you:  Holland America Line Ship Inventory at 1-888-628-8107 or 206-626-7381.

[DaveOKC]

6 hours ago, leerathje said:

Sounds possible.....And are you able to pick your room, or is it guarantee?

I do not know for certain if it always can be done, but my relatives about a month ago had a casino offer with a guarantee cabin.  They called the HAL PCC and purchased Club Orange and at that time were able to pick a specific cabin (a verandah right next to the Neptunes).  They were very happy with this approach.