Veendam and Club Orange

[Hobbsey]

Happy Boxing Day everyone,

 

Wondering if anyone here has experience with Club Orange no Veendam.  How does the dining work, especially in traditional seating.  Is there value in this package on this ship?

 

Thanks

[3rdGenCunarder]

Happy Boxing Day to you!

 

I haven't been on Veendam, but I've been following the CO discussion since it started. From what we're hearing, the non-pinnacle ships do not have a special seating area for CO. There's a separate priority line for CO passengers in open seating, breakfast and dinner. If you're doing traditional, then you just go to your table. All CO passengers are supposed to get the menu with the one extra main course at dinner, whether it's open or traditional dining times. I think the fact that you're doing traditional dinner time makes CO not worth much IMO. You won't need the priority line at dinner.

 

You would get priority boarding. But that's just one day. You would get a priority line at the front desk and excursion desk. Do you go to those places enough to value priority there? 

 

One thing that might be of value is if your itinerary has a lot of tender ports, because CO would give you priority tendering. If you are in a Neptune or Pinnacle suite and/or you're a 4 or 5 star Mariner, so you would already have priority tendering. 

 

You might ask questions about CO on Veendam on Crazy for Cats "live" thread.

 

Edited December 26, 2019 by 3rdGenCunarder

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

On a recent cruise I had traditional dining with friends and I only was Club Orange due to being in a Neptune Suite. The first night the Club Orange menu was offered to me but I turned it down because my friends were not CO. It seemed rude to me to have a special menu and they did not. The waitstaff  honored my wishes and never gave it to me again.

[oaktreerb]

57 minutes ago, SJSULIBRARIAN said:

On a recent cruise I had traditional dining with friends and I only was Club Orange due to being in a Neptune Suite. The first night the Club Orange menu was offered to me but I turned it down because my friends were not CO. It seemed rude to me to have a special menu and they did not. The waitstaff  honored my wishes and never gave it to me again.

The separate menu is no big deal.  It is the same menu with one added item.   HAL tries to make the menu look special with a white cover as opposed to black and the list of entrees may be on the opposite side (left vs right) which is somewhat confusing.  I suppose if you ordered the “extra” item and your tablemates were envious there might be an issue.  Maybe they could also order the extra item.  I would expect the waitstaff to place their order without question.

Edited December 26, 2019 by oaktreerb

[Crew News]

I discovered on the Nieuw Statendam that with only two Guest Relations reps at the Front Desk, the Club Orange "special line" was never used.

 

There are three menus for both Club Orange (CO) and the MDR.  One page is the daily specials that is used by both CO and MDR.  The dessert page is the same for both.  The variable is that the "Available Daily" menus with the salmon, French onion soup, etc., have the additional entree for CO members and it is clearlyed marked in orange ink for Club Orange.

 

As far as the additional entree, I noted a veal chop, short rib, lasagne.......nothing earth shattering.

 

When I post my 2019-2020 7-day Caribbean menus in the next few days, I will use the CO version.

[knitter]

Can someone please explain what Club Orange is? I haven't seen this on previous cruises. Thanks.

Sandy

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, knitter said:

Can someone please explain what Club Orange is? I haven't seen this on previous cruises. Thanks.

Sandy

 

Here's the page on HAL's website. There's a link there to a detailed PDF. If you want to read experiences and opinions, do a search for "orange" on his forum. Search for titles only, that's easier.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/dining/club-orange.html

[Hobbsey]

Thanks for the comments.  No replies from anyone who has paid for CO on this ship, but in general it does not seem like a good value at full price.  Maybe at 1/2 off.
 

 

[twodjs]

Even at the reduced $15/day times two since both guests in the cabin have to pay, unless your cruise is very tender intensive and you have open seating and insist on no line at the most popular dinner times, the value just isn't there.

[wesport]

I am in a Neptune suite this week in the Nieuw Amsterdam. We and Club Orange get to use the Pinnacle for breakfast every day. In the future If I were not in a Neptune, I would pay the difference just for the pinnacle breakfast benefit. Have not been to the lido once and don’t miss the crowds. Could use room service for breakfast, but don’t like the dishes in our room.

[twodjs]

1 minute ago, wesport said:

I am in a Neptune suite this week in the Nieuw Amsterdam. We and Club Orange get to use the Pinnacle for breakfast every day. In the future If I were not in a Neptune, I would pay the difference just for the pinnacle breakfast benefit. Have not been to the lido once and don’t miss the crowds. Could use room service for breakfast, but don’t like the dishes in our room.

CO cannot use Pinnacle for breakfast! Pinnacle is reserved for ONLY Neptune and Pinnacle suites. NO CLUB ORANGE!

[twodjs]

Wesport, PLEASE double check your facts. The inclusion of CO in Pinnacle REALLY UPSET ME. 

[wesport]

56 minutes ago, twodjs said:

Wesport, PLEASE double check your facts. The inclusion of CO in Pinnacle REALLY UPSET ME. 

Just checked with the Neptune Concierge, and club orange does not get to use the Pinnacle for breakfast. My apologies for upsetting you. Not my intent.

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, twodjs said:

CO cannot use Pinnacle for breakfast! Pinnacle is reserved for ONLY Neptune and Pinnacle suites. NO CLUB ORANGE!

 

CO does get the same Room Service breakfast menu as Neptune Suite guests.

[twodjs]

1 hour ago, wesport said:

Just checked with the Neptune Concierge, and club orange does not get to use the Pinnacle for breakfast. My apologies for upsetting you. Not my intent.

Thanks for your quick response. Relieved...