Club Orange

[ScottC4746]

How much for two people for 7 nights and is it really worth it for a 1* Mariner?

[Sir PMP]

I don't know if that will be still available..

[Mary229]

The last cruise I was on it was $50 per person a day.  I didn't think it was worth it but others love it.  

[frankc98376]

1 hour ago, Sir PMP said:

I don't know if that will be still available..

I fully agree. Another attempt from the previous administration to let people buy suite and/or 4-5 star benefits.

At some point HAL needs to look at their competition (Celebrity, etc) and decide if they want to be in the suite/deluxe market.

[Crew News]

I was offered Club Orange on the Nieuw Statendam for $15 and accepted it just to see and report here on its value.  It included a private "Behind the Scenes" kitchen tour that was more extensive than the  kitchen portion of the "Behind the Scenes" tour costing $99.  The tote bag was very good and the suite-level Room Service Breakfast was a nice upgrade.if you like mimosas and steak.  Due to the lack of tables in the Club Orange dining area, I was seated at a community table on several occasions and decided not to be on a waiting list on two occasions.  Club Orange adds an extra dinner entree to the regular MDR menu options.

 

It must be noted that the meals with the exception of breakfast are still prepared in the MDR kitchen.  The Club Orange chef for dinner only adds a a few things to the meal such as bread and sauces.

 

Club Orange is not open for Disembarkation Day breakfast.

 

Currently, only two ships, Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam, have separate dining rooms with a chef for Club Orange. 

 

As a solo traveler, $15/day is OK.  If the price was higher, I would pass.

[VMax1700]

4 hours ago, ScottC4746 said:

How much for two people for 7 nights and is it really worth it for a 1* Mariner?

If this is for the Oosterdam then I would pass.  Pinnacle class ships have separate Club Orange dining room, but for others, including Oosterdam, it is only a section within the MDR.  

[KirkNC]

Nothing gets me madder at HAL then this program.  I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars getting 4&5 star status and someone can get most of the same benefits for $15/day.

[Roz]

2 hours ago, Crew News said:

As a solo traveler, $15/day is OK.  If the price was higher, I would pass.

 

I may consider Club Orange on my next solo HAL cruise (who knows when that will be), especially after my last solo experience where I felt unwelcome in the MDR and Lido.  Club Orange would be a smaller venue where I "belonged".

[kazu]

1 minute ago, Roz said:

 

I may consider Club Orange on my next solo HAL cruise (who knows when that will be), especially after my last solo experience where I felt unwelcome in the MDR and Lido.  Club Orange would be a smaller venue where I "belonged".

 

Roz, I am sure you are aware, but just in case- the smaller venue is only on the Pinnacle Class ships.

[Roz]

1 minute ago, kazu said:

 

Roz, I am sure you are aware, but just in case- the smaller venue is only on the Pinnacle Class ships.

 

My understanding is that on the non-Pinnacle ships it's a section of the MDR.  Not as exclusive or private as on Koningsdam or Nieuw Statendam. 

[kazu]

2 minutes ago, Roz said:

 

My understanding is that on the non-Pinnacle ships it's a section of the MDR.  Not as exclusive or private as on Koningsdam or Nieuw Statendam. 

 

 

I really wouldn't count on that.  There have been reports here on the boards and I had friends with Club Orange.  They were in the regular section and just handed the "special" menu.

Perhaps others will chime in to confirm one way or the other for you?  I'd hate to see you disappointed.

[Roz]

@kazu, thanks for letting me know.  I wasn't aware of that.  

[zelker]

4 hours ago, kazu said:

 

 

I really wouldn't count on that.  There have been reports here on the boards and I had friends with Club Orange.  They were in the regular section and just handed the "special" menu.

Perhaps others will chime in to confirm one way or the other for you?  I'd hate to see you disappointed.

 

You are exactly right.  There is a Club Orange podium on the port side, lower level of the MDR ... there is a dedicated CO dining room manager, you can walk right up and get seated almost immediately (anywhere in the MDR), and the menu is in a white cover with the same menu as the MDR with the addition of one Club Orange entree that varied each evening.  It’s a nice, included perk for the Neptune and Penthouse suites if for nothing else than the ease it affords for Anytime dining.  Doubtful we’d pay for it though.

[canadianbear]

21 hours ago, zelker said:

 

You are exactly right.  There is a Club Orange podium on the port side, lower level of the MDR ... there is a dedicated CO dining room manager, you can walk right up and get seated almost immediately (anywhere in the MDR), and the menu is in a white cover with the same menu as the MDR with the addition of one Club Orange entree that varied each evening.  It’s a nice, included perk for the Neptune and Penthouse suites if for nothing else than the ease it affords for Anytime dining.  Doubtful we’d pay for it though.

Same experience here.  We were in a Neptune suite on the Oosterdam for 2 weeks in December last year.  We had anytime dining and used the Club Orange podium and were always seated within minutes and found that a nice perk.  Doubt we’d pay for it either though.  

[Himself]

I had it when I was a passenger on the Nieuw Statendam and I liked it.  I will have it on my cruise in early February on the Eurodam.  I hope the cruide goes.

[zelker]

NS has the dedicated Club Orange restaurant while the E'dam does not.  Completely different benefit that might be worth the $$ if, like us, you enjoy being able to eat in a much smaller and quieter venue. 

 

If we were going to spend money for CO, we'd only consider it on a ship that has the dedicated CO restaurant but not on the ships that do not.  YMMV. 

[kangforpres]

I think it's a nice benefit if you are in a Neptune, but I would not pay extra for it.

[Mabs]

I also am a 5 star and do not like it that for a few dollars others can have the same benefits and sometimes more than I had to earn. HAL has no loyality to me so now I am no longer loyal to HAL.

 

[oaktreerb]

Most recently Club Orange was quoted at $25 per person per day on Pacific Coastal cruise in April.  For those cruisers who want to stay out of the Lido and don’t like the crowded dining room it is a viable option on the newest ships.  

[kevingastreich]

On 11/13/2020 at 1:05 PM, Roz said:

 

I may consider Club Orange on my next solo HAL cruise (who knows when that will be), especially after my last solo experience where I felt unwelcome in the MDR and Lido.  Club Orange would be a smaller venue where I "belonged".

You eat all of your meals alone?

[Roz]

1 minute ago, kevingastreich said:

You eat all of your meals alone?

 

That's definitely not my preference, but on my last HAL cruise there were 4 travel groups onboard.  I don't know if they just didn't want me to join them or were newbie cruisers who didn't understand sharing tables and eating with people you don't know is the norm.  In the Lido no one would allow me to share their table or they would actually tell me they needed the table I was sitting at by myself.  I refused to move.  Mostly I ended up sitting by myself out by the pool near the spa entrance.  Huge portions of the Lido were occupied morning, noon, and night by extended families and groups with some kind of social affiliation.  

 

One particularly humiliating evening I was paraded around the MDR while table after table said they didn't want me to join them.  Fortunately there was a 2-top open and the maitre de rescued me.  

[Mary229]

18 minutes ago, Roz said:

 

That's definitely not my preference, but on my last HAL cruise there were 4 travel groups onboard.  I don't know if they just didn't want me to join them or were newbie cruisers who didn't understand sharing tables and eating with people you don't know is the norm.  In the Lido no one would allow me to share their table or they would actually tell me they needed the table I was sitting at by myself.  I refused to move.  Mostly I ended up sitting by myself out by the pool near the spa entrance.  Huge portions of the Lido were occupied morning, noon, and night by extended families and groups with some kind of social affiliation.  

 

One particularly humiliating evening I was paraded around the MDR while table after table said they didn't want me to join them.  Fortunately there was a 2-top open and the maitre de rescued me.  

That sounds awful and down right rude to be asked to give up a seat. Though we enjoy our evening meal alone we certainly enjoy chatting with others during our other meals.  I will try to be more attentive of solo cruisers my next time out

Edited November 23, 2020 by Mary229

[DaveOKC]

35 minutes ago, Roz said:

 

That's definitely not my preference, but on my last HAL cruise there were 4 travel groups onboard.  I don't know if they just didn't want me to join them or were newbie cruisers who didn't understand sharing tables and eating with people you don't know is the norm.  In the Lido no one would allow me to share their table or they would actually tell me they needed the table I was sitting at by myself.  I refused to move.  Mostly I ended up sitting by myself out by the pool near the spa entrance.  Huge portions of the Lido were occupied morning, noon, and night by extended families and groups with some kind of social affiliation.  

 

One particularly humiliating evening I was paraded around the MDR while table after table said they didn't want me to join them.  Fortunately there was a 2-top open and the maitre de rescued me.  

Thats awful!    We would be glad to have you join us!

Dave

[KirkNC]

18 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

Thats awful!    We would be glad to have you join us!

Dave

That really is bad, amazing the way we can treat others.

[Horizon chaser 1957]

52 minutes ago, Roz said:

 

That's definitely not my preference, but on my last HAL cruise there were 4 travel groups onboard.  I don't know if they just didn't want me to join them or were newbie cruisers who didn't understand sharing tables and eating with people you don't know is the norm.  In the Lido no one would allow me to share their table or they would actually tell me they needed the table I was sitting at by myself.  I refused to move.  Mostly I ended up sitting by myself out by the pool near the spa entrance.  Huge portions of the Lido were occupied morning, noon, and night by extended families and groups with some kind of social affiliation.  

 

One particularly humiliating evening I was paraded around the MDR while table after table said they didn't want me to join them.  Fortunately there was a 2-top open and the maitre de rescued me.  
 

That is horrible! On evenings when any of our tablemates weren’t dining at our table, we had other shipmates escorted there. They were not presented for us to accept or reject. It generally resulted in a wonderful evening making new acquaintances.