Club Orange worth it?

[TAW1963]

12 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

Ah,  if you remember my post way back, we never received an invoice from HAL.  I have my TA invoice, but I just added Club Orange this week after having the cruise booked for months.  So my invoice will not have CO written on it.  Thanks!

I remember now.  I am sure that it will be on your cruise card onboard, but if they messed up for reasons unknown and didn't put it on there, it seems that there is no other way to prove that it was.  That is what I was worried about so I made sure that I had the HAL agent email me my confirmation.   

 

Oops, just saw the later post by Sea42. That provides the documentation you will need.  Thats great to see.

Edited February 8, 2023 by TAW1963

[Iamthesea]

A couple of weeks ago, I was sent an invoice from the company  to remind of final payment.   On that invoice is a link to make a payment unless we wanted it done automatically (which we did.)  At the bottom of the invoice, it says:

Just keep the attached invoice for your records and watch your credit card statement for proof of payment in the next couple of weeks.

 

All I have from my TA since adding CO is an email saying that final payment was auto paid to them (TA) and that CO was added and paid for. 

 

Just out of curiosity, I clicked on the "make payment" link today and it shows that I have a zero balance.  That's good!  Once HAL processes the payment (HAL's final payment date is later than when the TA ask for it), we will check our credit card statement.

[AFNavigator]

1 hour ago, TAW1963 said:

I remember now.  I am sure that it will be on your cruise card onboard, but if they messed up for reasons unknown and didn't put it on there, it seems that there is no other way to prove that it was.  That is what I was worried about so I made sure that I had the HAL agent email me my confirmation.   

 

Oops, just saw the later post by Sea42. That provides the documentation you will need.  Thats great to see.

You will absolutely know if your cruise card has Club Orange included because the bottom portion of the card will be bright orange instead of blue.

[northernphoenix]

Received an upgrade to a spa verandah (VQ 10047) for our Sept16,2023 Norwegian cruise, Rotterdam. We were originally in VH4110 (partially obstructed).  We feel that this upgrade alone, was worth the Club Orange purchase.

[taxman1]

We are currently on the Rotterdam and enjoying the Club.  The food has been excellent and the service picking up since the first night.  We have only waited one evening for dinner and that was only 10 min.  Our times to dine have fluctuated from 6pm to 7:45pm.  I believe the 6pm slot was when we had to wait 10 minutes.  Again - nothing compared to the wait at the main dining room if you don’t have a fixed time.  We tried Tamarin two nights ago and while the food was outstanding and table location was perfect the service was way off the charts and not in a good way.  Very disorganized with various table orders.  I feel the ship is lacking in the number of staff.  If you are on the fence about Club Orange don’t hesitate and do it.  You will not be disappointed.  

[00649]

Is there a limit to the number of club orange sold. Do you have to purchase before boarding. 

[CruiserN1]

5 minutes ago, 00649 said:

Is there a limit to the number of club orange sold. Do you have to purchase before boarding. 

Apparently yes, there is a limit. I tried to add it to our Mar 18 cruise on Rotterdam and TA said it was sold out.

[TGCRUISEO]

Yes Club Orange is worth it.   On my June Oosterdam 7 day Cruise we added Club Orange to the Booking.  I had a VA before at $2439 Base Fare per guest.  Downgraded to a V Guarantee then added club orange.   They then used Club Orange to upgrade back to the Same VA Cabin as before and the Base fare was $2224 now per guest including Club Orange.  Saved $430 from the orginal Booking and got the Club Orange Included.  Yes Club Orange is worth it.

 

 

[AFNavigator]

2 hours ago, CruiserN1 said:

2 hours ago, 00649 said:

Is there a limit to the number of club orange sold. Do you have to purchase before boarding. 

Apparently yes, there is a limit. I tried to add it to our Mar 18 cruise on Rotterdam and TA said it was sold out.

Yes, HAL says Club Orange is capacity controlled.  No numbers provided, just states as capacity controlled.

If interested in Club Orange, it is definitely most beneficial to add to a booking as early as possible.  That's because the biggest monetary benefit of the program is its complementary "within meta-category" cabin upgrade.  That's obviously of most benefit to balcony cabins because there is a large price range from lowest to highest balcony cabin category.  If the within category cabin upgrade isn't of interest to you, then Club Orange becomes a matter of choice primarily just for its separate dining room on pinnacle class ships and, if it's important to someone, the priority status for most lines.

[oaktreerb]

6 hours ago, CruiserN1 said:

Apparently yes, there is a limit. I tried to add it to our Mar 18 cruise on Rotterdam and TA said it was sold out.

Yes there is a limit.   We re currently on the Koningsdam.  When Club Orange opens for breakfast and dinner each day people are standing in line waiting to be seated.  We were told there were 99 CO sold and Neptune and Pinnacle Suites are automatically enrolled.      HAL cruisers are wise to select fixed dining or Club Orange.  

[Iamthesea]

Is that 99 memberships/persons total, or 99 plus those in the suites?

[taxman1]

Yes there is clearly a limit, however, numbers are sketchy as to the exact amount.  I have not seen the line up at the Club for dinner but we don’t eat at 5pm.  I have not tried the Club for breakfast as we usually skip that meal unless we have a tour planned and are not returning to the ship until after 1pm.  If you are interested in signing up for Club Orange best to do it sooner rather than later.  The room upgrade is a nice perk. 

[KAKcruiser]

I wonder if it is 99 CO memberships or 99 CO cabins.  That would make the difference between 99 or 198 people.  Assuming there are approximately 50 suites, that would make 100 people.  So, between 200 and 300 people.  No wonder it can get crowded.

[Florida_gal_50]

3 hours ago, taxman1 said:

Yes there is clearly a limit, however, numbers are sketchy as to the exact amount.  I have not seen the line up at the Club for dinner but we don’t eat at 5pm.  I have not tried the Club for breakfast as we usually skip that meal unless we have a tour planned and are not returning to the ship until after 1pm.  If you are interested in signing up for Club Orange best to do it sooner rather than later.  The room upgrade is a nice perk. 

The week of thanksgiving there was always a wait in the morning.  I think I waited 45 minutes one morning.  I generally go about 8:15 am.  I don't go that much at night but I got the last table before a wait and that was around 5:45pm.  I don't remember waiting the other few times at night usually around 6PM.

[oaktreerb]

5 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

Is that 99 memberships/persons total, or 99 plus those in the suites?

plus, but there are fewer Neptune and higher suites on the Pinnacle Class ships than on the other ships.

[oaktreerb]

3 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

I wonder if it is 99 CO memberships or 99 CO cabins.  That would make the difference between 99 or 198 people.  Assuming there are approximately 50 suites, that would make 100 people.  So, between 200 and 300 people.  No wonder it can get crowded.

Club Orange is per person (but I think it includes extra 3&4 person). If a cabin has one person, you would count only one.  The only suites included in CO are Neptune and Pinnacle Siites.

[AFNavigator]

4 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

I wonder if it is 99 CO memberships or 99 CO cabins.  That would make the difference between 99 or 198 people.  Assuming there are approximately 50 suites, that would make 100 people.  So, between 200 and 300 people.  No wonder it can get crowded.

Keep in mind that not all CO and suite guests will use the CO dining room for every breakfast and dinner.  Many may choose to eat at other venues, use room service, or skip the meal for whatever reason.

 

Our experience in using the CO dining room twice for dinner and 3 times for breakfast last Dec was we had to wait about 10 minutes once at dinner and about 5 minutes once at breakfast.  This was on a Nieuw Statendam sailing booked to about 85% capacity.

[Iamthesea]

Does CO operate with changing opening times to allow breakfast earlier when we are at port?  For instance, we have one excursion that starts at 7:30am.  We dock at 7:00am.  Having said that, I think it might be best to have room service on that day.  What time does breakfast room service  start?

[Florida_gal_50]

37 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

Does CO operate with changing opening times to allow breakfast earlier when we are at port?  For instance, we have one excursion that starts at 7:30am.  We dock at 7:00am.  Having said that, I think it might be best to have room service on that day.  What time does breakfast room service  start?

6 am for room service I believe.  The mdr and co open at 7:30 on port days and 8 on sea days.  I can’t stand the lido so I’m no help there.

[Crew News]

59 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

Does CO operate with changing opening times to allow breakfast earlier when we are at port?  For instance, we have one excursion that starts at 7:30am.  We dock at 7:00am.  Having said that, I think it might be best to have room service on that day.  What time does breakfast room service  start?

Here is the Club Orange Room Service card that you hang on your door.  Note the 6:00 AM start time:  Club Orange Room Service Breakfast Card

[Iamthesea]

Thank you for the information and the link to the OC room service menu.  I forgot that we have a special menu.

 

I am surprised that breakfast is not served earlier.  We actually have 3-4 days, on our 14 day cruise, where we dock at 7:00 with early excursions. 

[Crew News]

3 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

Thank you for the information and the link to the OC room service menu.  I forgot that we have a special menu.

 

I am surprised that breakfast is not served earlier.  We actually have 3-4 days, on our 14 day cruise,s where we dock at 7:00 with early excursions. 

There are regular Room Service items you can order before 6:00 AM such as Quesadillas, Cobb Salads, beverages, and Dive In items.  Beverages are also available 24/7 in the Lido Market.

[KAKcruiser]

The only thing I notice different about the Club Orange breakfast card and the standard one is the free mimosas and fresh squeezed orange juice.  They used to have the steak and eggs for free and the Smoothies and I thought I had noticed that somewhere as benefits.

[oakridger]

No free steak for anyone for room service.  I will add that I wrote in two croissants on my room service hang tag, and they always brought them even though they aren't on the menu.  

 

~Nancy

[Iamthesea]

6 hours ago, oakridger said:

No free steak for anyone for room service.  I will add that I wrote in two croissants on my room service hang tag, and they always brought them even though they aren't on the menu.  

 

~Nancy

Croissants are on the menu along with bread pudding.  I thought that odd.  There is also a basket of pastries, which is what we would order that early in the morning.  Maybe pencil in croissants there.

 

Just don't know if I could stomach eggs and bacon that early, but if going out for a long excursion, that's what we would need in our systems.  Quesadillas and Cobb Salads would definitely not be to my liking that early. 😗  Thank you Crew News for that tidbit.  Coffee from the Lido would be more like it.  Good to know it is available 24/7