Review of the Excellent Club Orange experience on the Koningsdam

[ElleZ]

Husband, 20-year-old son and I had Club Orange as part of our Neptune Suite package on Niew Statendam in December.  7 day Caribbean cruise.  We loved it, though initially we were very sad to say goodbye to Pinnacle Grill breakfasts (that was a special thing for my husband and me).  Since CO is available as an add on for all room categories, husband and I have decided that when we cruise without son, we'll just get a Verandah room and purchase Club Orange

 

What we loved:  no waiting for tables for dinner or breakfast (we cruised during Christmas week so I'm guessing that's a pretty full ship).  We walked by the long, long line at MDR every night and smiled.  The intimate atmosphere of CO (yes, it's in a glass walled room) was amazing.  We got to know the staff really well and that made the trip all the better.  Food was great -- came from the same kitchen as MDR -- plus we could order the "HAL Classics" (caesar salad w/anchovies, french-onion soup, etc.) every night if we wanted.  Though there is indeed an open kitchen , for dinner anyway, son observed every night that the "chef" merely poured sauce into a soup pot and stirred it over and over again.  No meal prep. He did warm the bread for the tables but that was all the "open" cooking that took place.  Kind of a show, actually.  They did really cook breakfast there, however.  Food was delicious and we didn't care where it was made.  The food was served in a timely manner and we were out in 45 minutes - hour after having 4 courses (try that in MDR).  

 

Our part of three was seated at tables for four.  They did put tables together for bigger parties.  Husband dined alone there one night and was seated alone, happily, at a two top.  The staff knew him.  It's like a club.  Awesome.  Makes the giant ship seem small.  No dress code! Complimentary mimosas for breakfast, champagne on first and last nights.  It was lovely.

 

CO also provides access to priority boarding and has a priority line at guest services.  Tender priority as well.  We love it!

 

We did have the opportunity to hear the HAL "hotel" manager give a short talk about Club Orange.  He said that the program is still being rolled out and tweaked, so make your comments known!  Our cruise had an up charge of $25pp per day, he said, and everyone in the same room would be charged that rate. It seemed like very few people on our cruise were participating in the experience. 

 

[Sun&Sand52]

ElleZ, thank you for your review of CO,, it sounds really nice to me.  Question:  you mention “no dress code!”.  Did you find that CO has a more casual, relaxed dress than the main dining room?  That would be fine by me 😊!  Just curious,  did you see anyone in their shorts or workout clothing at breakfast?

[3rdGenCunarder]

12 hours ago, ElleZ said:

Husband, 20-year-old son and I had Club Orange as part of our Neptune Suite package on Niew Statendam in December.  7 day Caribbean cruise.  We loved it, though initially we were very sad to say goodbye to Pinnacle Grill breakfasts (that was a special thing for my husband and me).  Since CO is available as an add on for all room categories, husband and I have decided that when we cruise without son, we'll just get a Verandah room and purchase Club Orange

 

What we loved:  no waiting for tables for dinner or breakfast (we cruised during Christmas week so I'm guessing that's a pretty full ship).  We walked by the long, long line at MDR every night and smiled.  The intimate atmosphere of CO (yes, it's in a glass walled room) was amazing.  We got to know the staff really well and that made the trip all the better.  Food was great -- came from the same kitchen as MDR -- plus we could order the "HAL Classics" (caesar salad w/anchovies, french-onion soup, etc.) every night if we wanted.  Though there is indeed an open kitchen , for dinner anyway, son observed every night that the "chef" merely poured sauce into a soup pot and stirred it over and over again.  No meal prep. He did warm the bread for the tables but that was all the "open" cooking that took place.  Kind of a show, actually.  They did really cook breakfast there, however.  Food was delicious and we didn't care where it was made.  The food was served in a timely manner and we were out in 45 minutes - hour after having 4 courses (try that in MDR).  

 

Our part of three was seated at tables for four.  They did put tables together for bigger parties.  Husband dined alone there one night and was seated alone, happily, at a two top.  The staff knew him.  It's like a club.  Awesome.  Makes the giant ship seem small.  No dress code! Complimentary mimosas for breakfast, champagne on first and last nights.  It was lovely.

 

CO also provides access to priority boarding and has a priority line at guest services.  Tender priority as well.  We love it!

 

We did have the opportunity to hear the HAL "hotel" manager give a short talk about Club Orange.  He said that the program is still being rolled out and tweaked, so make your comments known!  Our cruise had an up charge of $25pp per day, he said, and everyone in the same room would be charged that rate. It seemed like very few people on our cruise were participating in the experience. 

 

 

If you're thinking about CO for future cruises, be aware that NS and K are the only ships with a separate dining room for CO. On all the others, CO gets a priority line for seating in the MDR.

 

 

[cruisemom42]

13 hours ago, ElleZ said:

Though there is indeed an open kitchen , for dinner anyway, son observed every night that the "chef" merely poured sauce into a soup pot and stirred it over and over again.  No meal prep. He did warm the bread for the tables but that was all the "open" cooking that took place.  Kind of a show, actually.  They did really cook breakfast there, however.  Food was delicious and we didn't care where it was made.  The food was served in a timely manner and we were out in 45 minutes - hour after having 4 courses (try that in MDR).  

 

 

 

Thanks for the detailed information. I find the snippet highlighted above kind of funny. 

 

Just confirms to me that CO would not be high on my list of indulgences to pay for onboard....

 

 

Edited January 13, 2020 by cruisemom42

[Himself]

I was on the Nieuw Statendam in late Feb, 2019 and liked Club Orange very much.

[*Miss G*]

10 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Thanks for the detailed information. I find the snippet highlighted above kind of funny. 

 

Just confirms to me that CO would not be high on my list of indulgences to pay for onboard....

 

 

 

We saw the chef preparing and plating the daily specials each evening.

[BarbarianPaul]

On 1/13/2020 at 9:52 PM, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

If you're thinking about CO for future cruises, be aware that NS and K are the only ships with a separate dining room for CO. On all the others, CO gets a priority line for seating in the MDR.

 

 

Indeed.  Not worth it on the other ships. Frankly, I don’t think it’s worth it on the NS or K either. My wife and I are four star, so the added benefits of priority embark/debark and tendering are available to us anyway. This year, we were also on the K and NS, and, though we did face the occasional MDR line at our preferred dining time of 7-7:30, most of the time we just walked right in.

But I do think it’s kind of hilarious that they pay some chef to pretend he’s preparing food to justify an upcharge for basically the same meals everyone is eating.

[3rdGenCunarder]

6 hours ago, BarbarianPaul said:

Indeed.  Not worth it on the other ships. Frankly, I don’t think it’s worth it on the NS or K either. My wife and I are four star, so the added benefits of priority embark/debark and tendering are available to us anyway. This year, we were also on the K and NS, and, though we did face the occasional MDR line at our preferred dining time of 7-7:30, most of the time we just walked right in.

But I do think it’s kind of hilarious that they pay some chef to pretend he’s preparing food to justify an upcharge for basically the same meals everyone is eating.

 

I had CO because I was in a NS. I opted out of dinner, preferring the larger table with fixed dining in MDR, so I can't say how dinner was cooked.

 

But most breakfast items were cooked right there. Pancakes less than half a minute from the griddle to my table. Freshest breakfasts I've ever had on a cruise. Not sure it would be worth buying as an upsell, and probably not good for my waistline--I had pancakes and waffles for breakfast more often than I usually do. 

 

[BarbarianPaul]

9 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I had CO because I was in a NS. I opted out of dinner, preferring the larger table with fixed dining in MDR, so I can't say how dinner was cooked.

 

But most breakfast items were cooked right there. Pancakes less than half a minute from the griddle to my table. Freshest breakfasts I've ever had on a cruise. Not sure it would be worth buying as an upsell, and probably not good for my waistline--I had pancakes and waffles for breakfast more often than I usually do. 

 

Fresh breakfasts are definitely a plus...but, agreed, not a must have kind of plus. And breakfasts in the MDR are pretty good too, with usually no wait for seating. 

[Go Jets]

As an unashamed hardcore espresso addict I am curious to know if Cappucinos and espressos are gratis in the CO dining room on the Koningsdam.  I ask in part because I have had mixed experiences on past cruises when breakfast dining in Neptune Lounge as a Neptune Suite guest.

 

Thanks!

[twodjs]

8 hours ago, Go Jets said:

As an unashamed hardcore espresso addict I am curious to know if Cappucinos and espressos are gratis in the CO dining room on the Koningsdam.  I ask in part because I have had mixed experiences on past cruises when breakfast dining in Neptune Lounge as a Neptune Suite guest.

 

Thanks!

Cappuccinos and espressos are free in the self service machine in the Neptune Lounge but there is a charge in Club Orange.

[Go Jets]

Thanks for the info.  I confused it a bit by stating "Breakfast dining in the Neptune Lounge" when I meant to say "breakfast dining in the Pinnacle Grill."  We are not in a Neptune suite for our upcoming cruise on the Koningsdam but did opt for Club Orange to go along with our Vista Suite.  

[Go Jets]

39 minutes ago, twodjs said:

Cappuccinos and espressos are free in the self service machine in the Neptune Lounge but there is a charge in Club Orange.

Thanks for the info.  I confused it a bit by stating "Breakfast dining in the Neptune Lounge" when I meant to say "breakfast dining in the Pinnacle Grill."  We are not in a Neptune suite for our upcoming cruise on the Koningsdam but did opt for Club Orange to go along with our Vista Suite.  

[twodjs]

We just returned from our Koningsdam cruise and thoroughly enjoyed our Club Orange restaurant experience. I find it quite insulting that someone would suggest that the chef preparing the entrees in the open kitchen was just "stirring soup". This was NOT the case on the Koningsdam. He was AMAZING to watch! Every dish he prepared was done to perfection! Superb presentation! You really appreciate how much effort goes into each dish. From Indian dishes to Beecher's Mac and Cheese - prepared right before our eyes. The entire CO staff was outstanding and we would recommend it to anyone on either the Koningsdam or Nieuw Statendam. Not worth the additional upcharge on any of the other ships, in our opinion. I was one who hated the Club Orange concept from the start. Being 4 star Mariners and Neptune Suite guests, I refuse to forgive Holland for stealing from both the suites and the Mariner loyalty program to create Club Orange. And to add to the insult, they now provide very nice bags to Neptune Suite guests with CLUB ORANGE printed on the side in very large font. Why in hell would I want to promote a program that from the start has been marketed as a way to cruise like a Suite guest without paying the Suite price? Did they not think this through? So an "A" for the venue and a failing grade for the concept.

[RocketMan275]

8 hours ago, twodjs said:

We just returned from our Koningsdam cruise and thoroughly enjoyed our Club Orange restaurant experience. I find it quite insulting that someone would suggest that the chef preparing the entrees in the open kitchen was just "stirring soup". This was NOT the case on the Koningsdam. He was AMAZING to watch! Every dish he prepared was done to perfection! Superb presentation! You really appreciate how much effort goes into each dish. From Indian dishes to Beecher's Mac and Cheese - prepared right before our eyes. The entire CO staff was outstanding and we would recommend it to anyone on either the Koningsdam or Nieuw Statendam. Not worth the additional upcharge on any of the other ships, in our opinion. I was one who hated the Club Orange concept from the start. Being 4 star Mariners and Neptune Suite guests, I refuse to forgive Holland for stealing from both the suites and the Mariner loyalty program to create Club Orange. And to add to the insult, they now provide very nice bags to Neptune Suite guests with CLUB ORANGE printed on the side in very large font. Why in hell would I want to promote a program that from the start has been marketed as a way to cruise like a Suite guest without paying the Suite price? Did they not think this through? So an "A" for the venue and a failing grade for the concept.

I'm not sure whether you favor club orange or not.

[twodjs]

3 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

I'm not sure whether you favor club orange or not.

Wow, I thought I was clear. The restaurant was fabulous. HAL's marketing vision is terrible. 

[DC1979]

6 minutes ago, twodjs said:

Wow, I thought I was clear. The restaurant was fabulous. HAL's marketing vision is terrible. 

Sorry I accidentally responded in the wrong forum and don’t know how to delete it off here!!

Edited February 5, 2020 by DC1979

[BarbarianPaul]

5 minutes ago, twodjs said:

Wow, I thought I was clear. The restaurant was fabulous. HAL's marketing vision is terrible. 

But, you realize, you're getting almost the exact same menu as the dining room, right? And you're paying more money, right?

[twodjs]

3 minutes ago, BarbarianPaul said:

But, you realize, you're getting almost the exact same menu as the dining room, right? And you're paying more money, right?

The more intimate space,  extra specialized service and watching many of our choices prepared live in front of us, made the experience worth it. It was a mere seconds from the prep area to our table. Watching the attention to detail was amazing! The extra item on the menu didn't matter to us, since we are both vegetarian. And we were in a Neptune Suite, so there was no additional daily fee.

[BarbarianPaul]

8 minutes ago, twodjs said:

The more intimate space,  extra specialized service and watching many of our choices prepared live in front of us, made the experience worth it. It was a mere seconds from the prep area to our table. Watching the attention to detail was amazing! The extra item on the menu didn't matter to us, since we are both vegetarian. And we were in a Neptune Suite, so there was no additional daily fee.

I think you're right. For the Neptune Suite, its a nice perk. I just question its value for the additional cost. To me, it seems like a bit of a money grab, especially on ships aside from the Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam, where there is no dedicated space and no visible chef.

[RocketMan275]

40 minutes ago, twodjs said:

Wow, I thought I was clear. The restaurant was fabulous. HAL's marketing vision is terrible. 

Could you explain what Holland stole from you to create Club Orange?  Seems like you still have what you had before.

[twodjs]

I agree with you. To offer this on any ship that does not have a separate dining venue is a joke and not worth the money. Their vision from the beginning was flawed. They have tried to create a Celebrity experience, using the "faster-to-the-fun" Carnival plan. Stupid from the start. It only works on the two newest ships. They should kill the concept on the rest of the ships.

[twodjs]

 

3 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Could you explain what Holland stole from you to create Club Orange?  Seems like you still have what you had before.

Exclusivity, a perk normally offered to those in Suite catagories. The Neptune Suite expanded room service menu - now part of the CO experience. We did have exclusive breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill - they closed that. Most other cruise lines now offer exclusive restaurants and other significant perks like prepaid gratuities and free internet for their Suites. Hal has always been at the bottom of the perk barrel, offering none of those perks. Now they have chosen to downgrade the Suite experience further. We now get to eat in the CO restaurant - not exclusive. Priority boarding, tendering, etc. formerly reserved to 4 star Mariners and Suite guests - now given to CO members for just pennies compared to all loyal Mariners have paid to reach that level. The lack of respect HAL is giving to their most loyal guests and their highest paying guests is very disappointing to me, to the point of refusing to use the very nice bag provided to all Neptune Suite guests because Club Orange is printed on the side, suggesting that I endorse this insulting program. 

[Cruising-along]

1 hour ago, twodjs said:

The more intimate space,  extra specialized service and watching many of our choices prepared live in front of us, made the experience worth it.

But was it worth it to sit in the "fish bowl"?  As a 5-star Mariner I've agreed with you about Club Orange in the past.  I just spent 65 days on the NS and Koningsdam and passed by that fish bowl every day.  Not what I would consider an intimate space, JMO.  

[RocketMan275]

12 minutes ago, twodjs said:

 

Exclusivity, a perk normally offered to those in Suite catagories. The Neptune Suite expanded room service menu - now part of the CO experience. We did have exclusive breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill - they closed that. Most other cruise lines now offer exclusive restaurants and other significant perks like prepaid gratuities and free internet for their Suites. Hal has always been at the bottom of the perk barrel, offering none of those perks. Now they have chosen to downgrade the Suite experience further. We now get to eat in the CO restaurant - not exclusive. Priority boarding, tendering, etc. formerly reserved to 4 star Mariners and Suite guests - now given to CO members for just pennies compared to all loyal Mariners have paid to reach that level. The lack of respect HAL is giving to their most loyal guests and their highest paying guests is very disappointing to me, to the point of refusing to use the very nice bag provided to all Neptune Suite guests because Club Orange is printed on the side, suggesting that I endorse this insulting program. 

Instead of complaining about what others receive, why not just enjoy what you receive.