Club Orange upgrade offer - on R class ship

[DaveOKC]

Just recieved an offer from HAL to upgrade to Club Orange for our 14 day cruise.  Cost $15 per person, per day.

 

We are on the Amsterdam (which does not have a dedicated Club Orange room) to Alaska.  Since we are 4 Star, we already get some of the items (like priority boarding, disembarkation, and tenders), but was wondering what people who have done this on an R class ship felt - was it worth it?  

[fatcat04]

Just curious, what does the upgrade included besides what you mentioned on ships without a dedicated CO space? 

Edit: Okay. I found the official HAL page about it complete with .pdf. Had not seen this before. https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/dining/club-orange.html

Edited August 20, 2019 by fatcat04

[DaveOKC]

As a Club Orange member, enjoy a range of extras including all of the following:* CLUB ORANGE PRIORITY ACCESS Priority Check-in & Disembarkation Priority line at Guest Services & Shore Excursions Priority access to specialty restaurant reservations Priority access to tenders ashore in select ports  CLUB ORANGE AMENITIES Complimentary stateroom upgrade Dedicated Concierge Hotline access Welcome glass of sparkling wine at dinner on embarkation day Premium bathrobes Club Orange Key Card Exclusive Club Orange Tote Bag (one per stateroom)  CLUB ORANGE DINING - priority seating in the Dining Room for breakfast and dinner with an expanded menu  CLUB ORANGE SPECIAL EVENTS Invitation to a special onboard event chosen by the ship's captain.

Edited August 20, 2019 by DaveOKC

[canadianbear]

So it’s gone from $50pp to start to $15pp now?  😒

[kazu]

An upsell offer.

 

I guess if an extra offering for the dinner menu is worth it and a club orange bag?  I’m assuming you don’t have friends you want to dine with as then you will not be together unless they buy Club Orange.

 

I’ve actually gone to great lengths to make sure on my next sailing that I will be dining with my friends 😉 

I think you already have all the other stuff that’s included.

 

Frankly, I wouldn’t do it but only you can decide 😉 

[DaveOKC]

 

Forgot one thing - a free cabin upgrade.  Within the category you booked (Inside, Oceanview, Vista, etc.) - For me this was not worth anything as I like my current location.

 

Any one else have thoughts on this offer?

Edited August 20, 2019 by DaveOKC

[RuthC]

Club Orange must not be selling well if the price has come down as it has. Even on the ships without a dedicated room, the price has now dropped from $35 per person, per day.
Time for Seattle to rethink this?

[DaveOKC]

Interesting - my HAL PCC just called me to let me know about this Club Orange offer and we discussed it in

detail.  She felt that at $15 it was a very good deal for someone without at least a 4 star status, but in my case it was still a decent deal.  She also wanted to remind me that while it included a free upgrade that since I like what I have, I might end up being disappointed in what was assigned me, so I should decline that option.

 

It was very nice of her to call and walk me through this (I did not call her).  Typical of HAL's good service adn very friendly employees.

Edited August 20, 2019 by DaveOKC

[KirkNC]

A lot of those benefits are marketing speak and not worth anything.  In addition, I can only imagine what answer someone would get onboard when they asked for:

 

• Priority access to specialty restaurant reservations
• Priority line at the shore excursions desk
• Priority line at the Guest Services desk
• Dedicated Concierge Hotline access

Several other amenities may or may not appear, such as sparkling wine, premium breakfast (what does that even mean, steak and eggs??).  I would be curious how this has actually worked for those who did fork over the money.

 

It is interesting that the PDF now has pricing at $35/pp/day for Pinnacle class and $25/pp/day for the rest of the fleet since it started out at $50/pp/day.

[cayman09]

Personally I think it's a terrible value for the product, poorly executed through the venues it's offered in. On the Pinnacle class it's like a fish bowl. Nothing special like competitors currently offer. Not should it be as currently designed.

 

Get rid of it on the Pinnacle ships and use the space for something it was designed to be originally. Or, redesign of to be a special value for the money.

[sevenseasnomad]

If you're already 4*, I see no value in accepting the offer, unless you want to eat in the "special area in the MDR" (who knows what that means!) and want to order the special extra dish which is advertised as being on the CO menu.  Only you can decide whether it's worth it or not.  

 

I hope they do away with it soon and chalk it up to a bad business decision.

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, KirkNC said:

A lot of those benefits are marketing speak and not worth anything.  In addition, I can only imagine what answer someone would get onboard when they asked for:

 

• Priority access to specialty restaurant reservations
• Priority line at the shore excursions desk
• Priority line at the Guest Services desk
• Dedicated Concierge Hotline access

Several other amenities may or may not appear, such as sparkling wine, premium breakfast (what does that even mean, steak and eggs??).  I would be curious how this has actually worked for those who did fork over the money.

 

It is interesting that the PDF now has pricing at $35/pp/day for Pinnacle class and $25/pp/day for the rest of the fleet since it started out at $50/pp/day.

 

The priority lines at shorex and guest services exist. You don't have to ask. There's a special mat you stand on and supposedly you're served next. At least, that's how it was for guest services on the K, where the regular line was at the right end of the counter and the CO line was at the left. I tried it once just to see how it works. I did not get noticed/called by the next available staffer. Instead, I had to wait for the staffer directly in front of the CO mat to finish with someone who was taking a long time. Meanwhile everyone in the regular line had quick issues and that line moved quickly. I'd have been finished sooner if I'd stood in the regular line. NOT complaining, just pointing out that, as you said, this "priority" wasn't worth anything. 

 

 

[Scrapnana]

Can anyone tell us what is in the expanded menu?

[AV8rix]

@DaveOKC , I'm on the same cruise (see my sig).  Just curious, I'm wondering how they selected the folks to whom to make the offer.  I did not receive such an offer from my PCC.  Not that I would have accepted, I'm 4* anyway.  But I wonder what the criterion for selection was.  Do you happen to know?  Thanks.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Just now, Scrapnana said:

Can anyone tell us what is in the expanded menu?

 

The dinner menu has one extra main course. I can't remember what was special about the breakfast menu. I think it's like the expanded room service menu, steak and eggs, and other things that you pay for in room service but suites don't pay extra.  I do know they were very generous with the mimosas. 🥂

 

[KAKcruiser]

I am still curious about the dining room setup for Club Orange.  Does anyone know if it is a special section of the dining room and if so, where?

[highland cruiser]

So , Dave, did you accept it?

 

[DaveOKC]

6 hours ago, highland cruiser said:

So , Dave, did you accept it?

 

NO, not at this point.  Waiting for good input from my CC friends!  Did you get the offer?

 

[RocketMan275]

10 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

The dinner menu has one extra main course. I can't remember what was special about the breakfast menu. I think it's like the expanded room service menu, steak and eggs, and other things that you pay for in room service but suites don't pay extra.  I do know they were very generous with the mimosas. 🥂

 

I don't know how you can expand the MDR breakfast menu.  The MDR breakfast menu is the same as the menu for breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill.  The question remains though, do suite guests still allowed breakfast in the PG or are they sent to the MDR too?

[RocketMan275]

12 hours ago, cayman09 said:

Personally I think it's a terrible value for the product, poorly executed through the venues it's offered in. On the Pinnacle class it's like a fish bowl. Nothing special like competitors currently offer. Not should it be as currently designed.

 

Get rid of it on the Pinnacle ships and use the space for something it was designed to be originally. Or, redesign of to be a special value for the money.

CO on the Pinnacle class is like a fish bowl?  Then, what's the MDR like, an aquarium?  

If HAL wants to provide something special for suites customers like competitors, then they need to think big like converting the Tamarind to a suites only dining and lounge.

[cayman09]

Rocketman, I like your thinking.

[DaveOKC]

11 hours ago, Av8rix said:

@DaveOKC , I'm on the same cruise (see my sig).  Just curious, I'm wondering how they selected the folks to whom to make the offer.  I did not receive such an offer from my PCC.  Not that I would have accepted, I'm 4* anyway.  But I wonder what the criterion for selection was.  Do you happen to know?  Thanks.

no idea.  My HAL PCC did know about it (she called me about an hour later to explain it in better detail.

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

39 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

CO on the Pinnacle class is like a fish bowl?  Then, what's the MDR like, an aquarium?  

If HAL wants to provide something special for suites customers like competitors, then they need to think big like converting the Tamarind to a suites only dining and lounge.

 

That was my first impression of CO. The difference is when you're in the CO, you feel like people walking by are watching you eat. But in the MDR, everyone is eating and you don't feel like people are looking at you. I got used to it and it didn't bother me.

 

Forget converting Tamarind. Too many people love it. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

I don't know how you can expand the MDR breakfast menu.  The MDR breakfast menu is the same as the menu for breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill.  The question remains though, do suite guests still allowed breakfast in the PG or are they sent to the MDR too?

 

I think someone posted that suite guests on ships other than the 3 new Pinnacle class ships are still getting PG breakfast, but I'm not sure of that. 

 

And looking at the link fatcat posted (thank you for that!), I see that there's no mention of CO in the description of suites. So, on non-Pinnacle class ships, do suite guests get the "expanded" dinner menu?

 

Edited August 21, 2019 by 3rdGenCunarder

[AV8rix]

14 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

no idea.  My HAL PCC did know about it (she called me about an hour later to explain it in better detail.

 

OK, thanks!