Club Orange on The Non Pinnacle Class Ships

[billbunger]

Kazu, I don’t think you understood my question regarding the use of the word meta in my message to Miss G. I know what meta means and in my past life I delt  with meta data. 

 

 

 

[Overhead Fred]

4 hours ago, Alberta Quilter said:

I'm considering a future cruise on the Volendam and have a few questions about CO.  I understand about the upgrade but to clarify, if I book an HH, I could book CO and potentially get as high as a C?  As others have said, that would be the only reason for booking CO as I already get some of the other priorities.  I believe I would have to pay for CO now which would be fine but is that CO charge refundable should I later cancel the cruise?  It is more than a year away...  

 

And does the cost of CO depend on the length of the cruise?  This is a three week cruise.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

On a recent related thread -

- Folks reported that they had their CO payment refunded when they canceled their cruise

 

 

[3 on a cruise]

8 hours ago, Windsailer said:

The HAL PDF describing the program is pretty helpful. It's on the Club Orange page of the HAL website. As far as cost - this is what it says:

 

"$25/person/day on cruises up to 13 days $15/person/day on cruises 13+ days."

 

After reading these threads recently I looked into CO and decided to see if it was available on my February cruise. It actually was. And though it did not appear as though there were any cabins were available for the upgrade - I was wondering what the "alterative benefit" would be -  they found me one. I went from a VH balcony - which I was perfectly happy with - to a VA.  Since I was on a roll I also booked it for my August cruise on the NS. A separate dining room will be lovely. Again, I went from a VH to a VA. My TA did take some educating and she finally found someone at HAL who understood the program. 

Am also on the NS 2nd Aug 21 days and amended my booking to take-up Club Orange and received upgrade from  my already booked cabin (VA) from VH a reduction in cost of $800 Aus or approx $575 US ie HA allowed downgrading of VA cabin to VH and then upgraded back to existing VA cabin booking

[Alberta Quilter]

9 hours ago, Overhead Fred said:

 

On a recent related thread -

- Folks reported that they had their CO payment refunded when they canceled their cruise

 

 

Thank you very much!  I missed that thread.

[DaveOKC]

Overhead Fred - that is correct, you should be able to move up to a C from your HH (if cabins available of course).  Good value IMO.  Confirm with your TA first to be safe.

 

[Jananza]

13 hours ago, Windsailer said:

Since I was on a roll I also booked it for my August cruise on the NS. A separate dining room will be lovely.

If Sutamba is still the Maître d' and Keilah the hostess when you get there, you're in for a real treat. Our meals there--Eastern Caribbean, 1/7-14/23,--were lovely. 

[Windsailer]

1 hour ago, Jananza said:

If Sutamba is still the Maître d' and Keilah the hostess when you get there, you're in for a real treat. Our meals there--Eastern Caribbean, 1/7-14/23,--were lovely. 

I am making a note of this! Thanks. 

[Overhead Fred]

6 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

Overhead Fred - that is correct, you should be able to move up to a C from your HH (if cabins available of course).  Good value IMO.  Confirm with your TA first to be safe.

 

 

It was @Alberta Quilter that was asking about upgrading to C from HH.

 

We recently used CO to upgrade from an obstructed veranda to and aft facing one and saved lots of moola on a 2024 Nieuw Statendam transatlantic! Had to act fast before all the aft cabins disappeared 😁.

 

I think we may have sailed with you to Hawaii on the Oosterdam in 2017.

[PROCRUISE]

21 hours ago, Alberta Quilter said:

I'm considering a future cruise on the Volendam and have a few questions about CO.  I understand about the upgrade but to clarify, if I book an HH, I could book CO and potentially get as high as a C?  As others have said, that would be the only reason for booking CO as I already get some of the other priorities.  I believe I would have to pay for CO now which would be fine but is that CO charge refundable should I later cancel the cruise?  It is more than a year away...  

 

And does the cost of CO depend on the length of the cruise?  This is a three week cruise.

 

Thanks for your help!

Yes, per previous posts, the CO charge is refundable if you must cancel. 

[TAW1963]

47 minutes ago, Overhead Fred said:

 

It was @Alberta Quilter that was asking about upgrading to C from HH.

 

We recently used CO to upgrade from an obstructed veranda to and aft facing one and saved lots of moola on a 2024 Nieuw Statendam transatlantic! Had to act fast before all the aft cabins disappeared 😁.

 

I think we may have sailed with you to Hawaii on the Oosterdam in 2017.

We just did exactly the same thing for a fall 2023 Nieuw Statendam transatlantic.  The savings was huge over purchasing the aft-facing VS cabin outright.  It almost seems too good to be true!  You are right about needing to act quickly.  

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, Overhead Fred said:

 

It was @Alberta Quilter that was asking about upgrading to C from HH.

 

We recently used CO to upgrade from an obstructed veranda to and aft facing one and saved lots of moola on a 2024 Nieuw Statendam transatlantic! Had to act fast before all the aft cabins disappeared 😁.

 

I think we may have sailed with you to Hawaii on the Oosterdam in 2017.

Sounds right!  That was a good cruise!

 

[kazu]

23 hours ago, Alberta Quilter said:

I'm considering a future cruise on the Volendam and have a few questions about CO.  I understand about the upgrade but to clarify, if I book an HH, I could book CO and potentially get as high as a C?  As others have said, that would be the only reason for booking CO as I already get some of the other priorities.  I believe I would have to pay for CO now which would be fine but is that CO charge refundable should I later cancel the cruise?  It is more than a year away...  

 

And does the cost of CO depend on the length of the cruise?  This is a three week cruise.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Your other questions have been answered but the other day when I added. It, i was reminded it was non-refundable.  Was the rep wrong?  Who knows?

[Overhead Fred]

15 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Your other questions have been answered but the other day when I added. It, i was reminded it was non-refundable.  Was the rep wrong?  Who knows?

 

Hi Jacqui,

 

Real world experience from CO cruisers that had to cancel says that the CO charge is refundable. 

 

Hope your elbow is feeling better!

 

Fred

[Overhead Fred]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

Sounds right!  That was a good cruise!

 

 

It was, we should do it again!

[Florida_gal_50]

54 minutes ago, Overhead Fred said:

 

Hi Jacqui,

 

Real world experience from CO cruisers that had to cancel says that the CO charge is refundable. 

 

Hope your elbow is feeling better!

 

Fred

I’m wondering if you buy it and decide a couple day later (or whenever) that it’s non refundable.  They really need to be more clear.

[TAW1963]

34 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I’m wondering if you buy it and decide a couple day later (or whenever) that it’s non refundable.  They really need to be more clear.

I think that this may be the case.  I’ve recently added CO to two new bookings.  I had to pay for it but the fee schedule in my cruise contract would indicate that I would get the cost of CO back, along with my refundable deposit that I put down,  if I cancelled before the 120 day period before the starting date of the cruise.  They certainly should make this more clear before hand. 

[Overhead Fred]

4 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I’m wondering if you buy it and decide a couple day later (or whenever) that it’s non refundable.  They really need to be more clear.

 

If I understand your comment, that would seem to be an open question. If you buy CO and change your mind about it, but still stay on the cruise, can you cancel it and get a refund? Anyone have any real world experience with that?

[*Miss G*]

4 minutes ago, Overhead Fred said:

 

If I understand your comment, that would seem to be an open question. If you buy CO and change your mind about it, but still stay on the cruise, can you cancel it and get a refund? Anyone have any real world experience with that?

 

I haven’t had that exact experience, but when I upgraded to a Neptune and no longer needed CO, they applied my CO payment to the upgrade.  I suppose that’s essentially refunding it.

[KAKcruiser]

If you want to really get confused, try getting a price reduction on a Club Orange fare.  I had been told when we bought Club Orange with a VH category and upgraded to a V that we would still be listed as having purchased a VH.  When the price went down on the VH category, the regular customer service reps kept telling me that I was wrong and the V price was now more.  I couldn't convince them that it should be based on the VH rate until they agreed to connect me to a pricing specialist and then the matter was resolved in one minute.

[Florida_gal_50]

9 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

If you want to really get confused, try getting a price reduction on a Club Orange fare.  I had been told when we bought Club Orange with a VH category and upgraded to a V that we would still be listed as having purchased a VH.  When the price went down on the VH category, the regular customer service reps kept telling me that I was wrong and the V price was now more.  I couldn't convince them that it should be based on the VH rate until they agreed to connect me to a pricing specialist and then the matter was resolved in one minute.

They love to try to tell you that.  Even my last pcc has played that card.  It’s super annoying.

[Florida_gal_50]

10 hours ago, Overhead Fred said:

 

If I understand your comment, that would seem to be an open question. If you buy CO and change your mind about it, but still stay on the cruise, can you cancel it and get a refund? Anyone have any real world experience with that?

Yes, exactly.  It’s not something I would do because I want club orange, but since they do refund when people cancel the cruise I’m wondering what is non refundable.  I wouldn’t fault them if they don’t refund because if people book it just in case they feel like it and then others can’t purchase it, that’s a bit of a difference. 

[seaoma]

22 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Yes, exactly.  It’s not something I would do because I want club orange, but since they do refund when people cancel the cruise I’m wondering what is non refundable.  I wouldn’t fault them if they don’t refund because if people book it just in case they feel like it and then others can’t purchase it, that’s a bit of a difference. 

 

My thinking is that CO becomes non-refundable when you have paid for CO and received the upgraded cabin. HAL would not want you to take advantage of this situation and then cancel CO. It would be a nightmare to argue with passengers that they would now have to either pay for the upgraded cabin or return to the cabin that they actually paid for.

[Florida_gal_50]

43 minutes ago, seaoma said:

 

My thinking is that CO becomes non-refundable when you have paid for CO and received the upgraded cabin. HAL would not want you to take advantage of this situation and then cancel CO. It would be a nightmare to argue with passengers that they would now have to either pay for the upgraded cabin or return to the cabin that they actually paid for.

That makes sense unless you cancel the cruise.  I think if you cancel the cruise it should be returned. 

[DaveOKC]

49 minutes ago, seaoma said:

 

My thinking is that CO becomes non-refundable when you have paid for CO and received the upgraded cabin. HAL would not want you to take advantage of this situation and then cancel CO. It would be a nightmare to argue with passengers that they would now have to either pay for the upgraded cabin or return to the cabin that they actually paid for.

I agree.  My thinking is that once you purchase CO your payment for it becomes part of your base fare in a sense (sort of like paying more for the upgraded cabin).  Now, if you cancel your cruise and are outside of the final payment date, you get all of your monies back.  After final payment, you get back only what the rules are for cancellation at that point.  Not sure how cancellation insurance would come into play.  Makes sense to me, but I do not know this for certain, but it does explain part of the confusion on HAL's agents part.

 

Edited January 28 by DaveOKC

[seaoma]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

That makes sense unless you cancel the cruise.  I think if you cancel the cruise it should be returned. 

 

I absolutely agree.