Veranda + Club Orange vs Vista Suite

[Crew News]

2 minutes ago, msmayor said:

I'm giving some serious thought to Club Orange for our NS cruise scheduled for March 2022.  I'm not so sure I care about the upgraded stateroom (I am booked into one of the two aft staterooms on deck 4 with the double-wide balcony), but the other perks are intriguing...especially the idea of the separate dining space for breakfast/dinner.

 

My question is about dinner...if one chooses to eat there every night, do you need to have reservations?  Does the same wait staff work there the entire cruise, and can you try to get the same crew each evening as one would in fixed dining in the large dining room?

Love my aft staterooms and would not surrender the.  No  reservations required.  Same wait staff for the entire cruise.  LIke the MDR, waiters usually have the same tables and you can ask to be seated at any table that is open.

Edited May 31, 2021 by Crew News

[leerathje]

I have a couple of photos of Club Orange DR on the Koningsdam.  You can see into the restaurant at the entrance, and the wall curves to the left, with the hostess on the right.  There's another shot looking the opposite way down the hall outside  And for those that can't tell, yes, the walls are glass and everyone walking by can see in.  I described it to my DH as sitting in a fishbowl, while those on the outside can watch you eat as they walk by.  I was really put off by that.

 

L.

 

[DaveOKC]

By looking in, they can see who the VIPs are!

 

Just kidding of course.

[Crew News]

It must be noted that the glass walls of Club Orange have applied patterns that would require those passing by to stop close to the glass to peer at the diners.  Here is a photo of the Nieuw Statendam Club Orange windows:

 

[leerathje]

2 hours ago, Crew News said:

It must be noted that the glass walls of Club Orange have applied patterns that would require those passing by to stop close to the glass to peer at the diners.  Here is a photo of the Nieuw Statendam Club Orange windows:

 

 

Trust me, I wasn't close to the glass, and I could see a woman putting a forkful of salad in her mouth.

 

L.

 

[taxmantoo]

11 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

By looking in, they can see who the VIPs are!

 

Just kidding of course.

They would have to look elsewhere because no self-respecting VIP would ever be seen eating dinner at Club Orange. 🤔

We had the misfortune of sitting there one night for a Cellar Master Dinner ... probably our worst dining experience ever on a HAL ship.  Uncomfortable seating, overly bright lighting, terrible acoustics ...  and we knew the Cellar Master who had kept us the best table in the house.

Edited June 1, 2021 by taxmantoo

[Caribbean Chris]

23 hours ago, thepoint said:

Your right, DaveOKC.   Both my husband and I wear hearing aids.  It is hard enough in a regular restaurant.  It is  extremely difficult in a venue of several hundred  people with all the talking, clattering of dishes, etc.    

We are looking forward to it also.  Plus the breakfast menu posted above looks absolutely fantastic.  

You are both so right! I also have severe/profound  hearing loss in both ears (helped now by a cochlear implant in one ear) and that is one reason we like the smaller private dining room on HAL & Celebrity. Space between tables also makes it easier to accommodate my service dog.

 

I wish HAL followed the Celebrity scheme of all suites having access to the smaller dining room, though, but it only is available for Neptune Suites on HAL. (Or those who buy Club Orange.)

 

When we were in a Neptune in 2019, we enjoyed Club Orange even though the decor wasn’t great. Service was very good. Best wine steward I’ve seen on HAL in many, many years. 

Edited June 1, 2021 by Caribbean Chris

[Florida_gal_50]

12 hours ago, leerathje said:

 

Trust me, I wasn't close to the glass, and I could see a woman putting a forkful of salad in her mouth.

 

L.

 

I have eaten in there.  I don't enjoy being in a fish bowl and people staring.  Not once did I feel like that.  That said, if you don't want to eat in there that's up to you.  I would pay extra to eat in there again and I did in Apr 2020.  Of course that cruise was cancelled.  In my mind it would be totally different if it was glass without the frosting.  I wouldn't enjoy that.

[zelker]

Don't understand all these "fishbowl" comments.  Why is it ANY different than people walking by (or even just sitting looking around) in the MDR, the Lido, the Pinnacle Grill, or for that matter, the Dive In??  

[fellswoop]

So for an upcoming Hawaii cruise we bought the Club Orange upgrade with our balcony. Our TA said they sell a limited number.  My question is does this just apply to dinner only or are we able to eat breakfast there too?  Thank you!

[Crew News]

18 minutes ago, fellswoop said:

So for an upcoming Hawaii cruise we bought the Club Orange upgrade with our balcony. Our TA said they sell a limited number.  My question is does this just apply to dinner only or are we able to eat breakfast there too?  Thank you!

Breakfast, too.  Cooked to order of course by a chef just a few feet away from you. Free mimosas of course.

 

Edited June 2, 2021 by Crew News

[msmayor]

How far in advance can you add Club Orange to a booking?  

 

Gosh I wish my PCC hadn't been let go...I need to find another.

[kazu]

10 hours ago, fellswoop said:

So for an upcoming Hawaii cruise we bought the Club Orange upgrade with our balcony. Our TA said they sell a limited number.  My question is does this just apply to dinner only or are we able to eat breakfast there too?  Thank you!

 

It depends on the ship you are on.

 

details are here under dining for Club Orange:

 

[DaveOKC]

57 minutes ago, msmayor said:

How far in advance can you add Club Orange to a booking?  

 

Gosh I wish my PCC hadn't been let go...I need to find another.

A friend bought Club Orange nine months before the sailing, did it last March.

 

[Tampa Girl]

19 hours ago, zelker said:

Don't understand all these "fishbowl" comments.  Why is it ANY different than people walking by (or even just sitting looking around) in the MDR, the Lido, the Pinnacle Grill, or for that matter, the Dive In??  

 

Being in a crowd and "looking around" is not the same as being outside and looking in.   Curiosity.