Club Orange dining questions

[bundtkate]

My husband and I will be taking our first HAL cruise to Alaska on the Koningsdam next summer and I keep waffling on the idea of Club Orange. We're on a 7-day itinerary so the cost would be $350 total. I know most think the stateroom upgrade is what makes it worth it, but our current cabin is ideally located right below The Retreat where we have a cabana booked for the week. We could temporarily downgrade and upgrade to our current cabin, but since HAL doesn't consider ours to be that great, it would save us a whopping $20 so it doesn't really add much value. Consequently, I'm focusing on the dining benefits and have a few questions for those who have done CO before.

 

Looking at deck plans, there is an area by the CO dining room with two top tables right by the windows, but it looks like there is a frosted glass wall between these tables and CO itself. Are these tables available to CO diners? I know you can never guarantee any particular table with anytime dining, CO or no, but given how small CO is and the fact we tend to eat on the later side I could see extra tables with a view being a nice benefit we could probably take advantage of fairly often.

How does the service in CO compare to the MDR? We don't do suites often due to the cost, but we were lucky enough to sail in the Haven once and more recently took a Viking River cruise which was a bit below Haven service, but certainly a close second. I understand the CO food is the same as the MDR (save the one extra option), but given Neptune folks dine in CO as well, I'm hoping the service experience is similar to the Haven or Viking which would hold a lot of value for us. A server having the time and knowledge to recommend a really good wine may not seem like much, but it's something my husband and I really enjoy and since we booked super early our HIA includes the upgraded drink package so we should have some good options to take advantage of.

 

What is the extra meal option like? Is it generally a more "premium" offering? Also, is it just an extra entree, or is there an extra of each course? The only time I've actively disliked the food on a cruise was NCL's MDR so we're not overly picky, but we do enjoy fine dining so a genuinely premium meal option would be a plus.

Finally, I was curious how loud CO is compared to the MDR. I know it's a bit piddly, but with so many folks dining at the same time and how close together the tables are in MDRs,  we've sometimes found it difficult to carry on a conversation without shouting a bit. I understand CO is not only a lot smaller, but tables are also a bit less squished together. I'm hoping this creates a more private and quieter atmosphere, which would be worth a bit extra to us.

 

Thanks in advance for any insights and, of course, if folks have general opinions about the value of CO without the stateroom upgrade, I'd welcome your thoughts. We are new to HAL so I could easily be overlooking a better use of that $350 and would happily consider alternatives.

[POA1]

Speaking as someone who has two upcoming cruises booked in Club Orange, I would advise you not to lose sleep. CO gives you an extra entrée at dinner and a separate dining room (on the Pinnacle Class ships.) We've been cruising on HAL for almost 30 years. IMHO the product is really good on its own. Don't sweat it. It's not like we cruised with HAL for decades, just hoping for CO. I think you'll enjoy it regardless.

[consmarci]

We just did CO on our Nieuw Statendam cruise in Europe where there were many tendered ports. That was really the only benefit we thought was truly of value to purchase CO. Not having to grab a tender ticket and wait was really nice. The one unique entree is not a big deal at all. Most don't order it, maybe a dozen a night the maitre d said. CO actually was crowded and we had to wait for tables, even late, so you can be seated quicker in main diningroom. Many just chose to go there when she said there was a wait. I don't see a benefit in a cabin upgrade within the same category, but that's just me. We're hardly in the cabin. We did not notice noise in either the main diningroom or CO. We also were never offered a choice of table as it was too crowded for an option like that. The service was impeccable in both places. 

[kazu]

the tables I think you are talking about are not part of Club Orange.  They are a spot to sit if there is a wait.  There are no sea views in Club Orange.  that’s the bad news but if you dine late there are no sea views anyways 😉 

 

Seriously, I sailed on the Koningsdam in December - January /24. I won’t sail on a Pinnacle Class ship now without it, seriously.

 

I went to one lunch in the MDR and one dinner to join friends and it was one and done.

 

I found service way superior in the CO dining room, the additional entree was actually very good.  (Food is subjective) and I found the food better than in the MDR.  (Maybe they check before they bring you a well done prime rib when you ordered medium rare as they did in the MDR).

 

The Pinnacle Class dining rooms are VERY noisy, service (for us) disjointed and I far preferred the Club Orange atmosphere and service.

 

I have the cabin I want on my upcoming Rotterdam sailing and I still booked it just for the dining (and as @POA1 likes to say for the coveted tote bag 😂).

 

The special line at Guest Services is nice too - especially when you see 20+ people lined up at the other one.

 

It’s worth it for me.  I will be doing a LIVE thread when I sail - but fair warning - CO sells out quickly on some cruises.  Ours was sold out months ago.

 

[BSinPNS]

Concur with Kazu.  We really enjoyed CO on the Rotterdam.  Never had a line and in 21 days, sat at the same table for all except one dinner but we had our usual wait team.  You can also ask for special items that the chef will prepare in the CO galley.  We loved the bok choy she fixed.  

[cbr663]

We sailed in Alaska on the Koningsdam in May.  We were in a Neptune Suite so we dined in CO.  It was a game changer for us.  We will most likely only sail again on a Pinnacle class ship with CO.

 

For us, it was the ambiance and service that the CO dining room offered that the MDR simply cannot.  Think of it as a difference between dining in a banquet hall versus a specialty restaurant.  The MDR is loud and busy and for us an unpleasant experience.  Previous to our May cruise we always planned our cruising to avoid the MDR.  We have taken several cruises where we have even ordered room service from the MDR on dressy nights rather than partake in the actual MDR.  Previously all our breakfasts were room service but not anymore.  Now we enjoy our breakfasts and dinners so much because of the CO dining room.

 

In the CO dining room, tables are spaced further apart than the MDR.  Noise is significantly reduced compared to the MDR.  There are much less passengers and staff milling about.  Less clanging and banging of cutlery and dishes.  Food is served hot and well presented.  We tried a couple of the extra entrees and they were good (the short ribs are really good).  Staff is very attentive and very welcoming.

 

Our our Alaska cruise the first night in CO was busy and there was a 40 min wait.  This was the first night only as the rest of the cruise was walk in and we were immediately seated.  We didn't have a wait in the MDR as we were in a Neptune Suite but the evening wasn't a great experience.  Simply too much noise and bustle for us.  We will be sailing again in Nov on the K and we enjoyed the CO amenities so much that we nixed the Neptune Suite and are sailing in a regular balcony with CO.  I have booked the Tamarind for our very first evening to avoid the first night confusions.  

 

The food items are not more premium - the ambiance and high service though immensely add to our enjoyment.  As you are looking for a more private and quieter experience then I suggest you really give it some thought as a quieter and more private experience cannot be found in the MDR.  Another suggestion is to avail of speciality dining venues and room service.

[DaveOKC]

We really like the CO dining on the Pinnacle class ships.  Alot quieter and better service.  Only negative is if you like meeting new people at dinner, its not as good.

And there is no set (fixed) dining times, so you may have a bit of a wait at peak times.

 

Edited September 16, 2023 by DaveOKC

[wdw1972]

2 hours ago, bundtkate said:

Looking at deck plans, there is an area by the CO dining room with two top tables right by the windows, but it looks like there is a frosted glass wall between these tables and CO itself. Are these tables available to CO diners? 

Those tables are not part of CO and are not for dining.  They're open to anybody (CO or not) to sit and have a drink, or sit & read a book, or play cards, or just look at the ocean.  

 

Sue/WDW1972

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Have dined in CO on the Konigsdam as benefit of Neptune Suite. Usually just breakfast as I like to dine in the Specialty Restaurants at dinner. I found the service to be really good and the staff gets to know you and your likes very quickly. I always have gotten the last two top at the back (I travel solo) now and it is quiet there. Also, it is easy to get to know others around you if you want to. Generally, if you go early, there is no problem getting a table whereas there has been on my sailings a huge line for the MDR. I recommend Club Orange for the dining experience.

[57redbird]

On the K, the MDR is huge & has zero ambience....servers rushing around, no time for interaction with them.  Only ate in there a couple of times on our 35 day cruise -- a couple of lunches & 1 brunch.  CO is head & shoulders worth it....staff gets to know you & you them, for food sensitivity issues the CO chef can substitute or modify your choices.  It can get loud depending on how many pre-dinner adult beverages have been consumed by your fellow diners but for the most part it's an enjoyable experience.  We originally had booked a verandah cabin & added on CO but we were offered a paid upgrade to a Neptune --- were refunded the CO cost when we accepted the Neptune offer.  YMMV.

[ChinaShrek]

38 minutes ago, SJSULIBRARIAN said:

Have dined in CO on the Konigsdam as benefit of Neptune Suite. Usually just breakfast as I like to dine in the Specialty Restaurants at dinner. I found the service to be really good and the staff gets to know you and your likes very quickly. I always have gotten the last two top at the back (I travel solo) now and it is quiet there. Also, it is easy to get to know others around you if you want to. Generally, if you go early, there is no problem getting a table whereas there has been on my sailings a huge line for the MDR. I recommend Club Orange for the dining experience.

I also travel solo but I like sitting with other people for dinner. I would not want to book the CO if I have to be seated alone all the time. I would want to be seated at nice round table for 6-8 people. Is that going to happen in CO? 

[Catlover54]

Welcome to HAL, Bundtkate (cute username, BTW):) !  It is always nice to read a post by someone who has  researched and informed herself as well as possible  about a feature being considered but still has specific questions.

 

I am very new to HAL myself (only 4 total, twice in suites) but like others here, I absolutely loved the separate CO dining facility (I was on Rotterdam, but it was similar to the Konigsdam layout).   I thought the service was better than in the MDR (more efficient and more properly staffed), and the venue was quieter.  I strongly dislike loud MDRs and I don't think that dining room noise concerns are "piddly" .  I did not experience lines at CO (which I also try and minimize, including for tenders) , and it was nice to have an extra entree choice.

The only thing I missed was a sea view, and that it was closed at lunch.

 

The food wasn't at Haven level, but was still very good cruise food, and oddly overall I even liked most of the food better than the MDR food on my last 'luxury' Seabourn cruise (and the better service just made everything taste nicer).

If you want an even more "premium" meal, I also encourage you to try at least a couple of the specialty restaurants if you can (book as far in advance as you can to assure a spot at a popular time, though spots open up on the cruise). 

 

If you have your first dinner and decide that the entrees run too small and you or your DH need "extra", you can advance order two entrees instead of one at future dinners (or when the entree arrives you can eyeball it and decide to order more then and there).  But you can do that in the MDR too . I found the portions sizes just right for me, a senior female with a normal BMI and only moderate activities, but a big muscular and/or younger guy who works out a lot might need either a bigger entree, or extra courses.

 

The waiters can suggest some decent wine pairings for your food, but they are not sommeliers and don't have unlimited time .  If you want a more precise pairing, look at the food menu in advance on the app, and you can also look at the wine menu to get some ideas on what is covered by beverage packets, what the mark-ups are, and what might be fun to try, i.e., do a bit of your own research, and then run it by the servers if you still need help. 

 

I hope you have a fantastic cruise, and report back on this board and/or as a "member review" (or both) after you have sailed!

 

 

 

 

[kazu]

1 hour ago, ChinaShrek said:

I also travel solo but I like sitting with other people for dinner. I would not want to book the CO if I have to be seated alone all the time. I would want to be seated at nice round table for 6-8 people. Is that going to happen in CO? 

 

If you tell them you are willing to share and IF the people want to do it, it’s done.

I didn’t even ask.  The head asked a couple he thought I would click with and asked me when I came in if I would mind to share.  he said after a couple of days he was sure we would be simpatico.  Some thought went into it and getting to know us both.

I had a lovely meal with them and was invited to join them anytime we were there at the same time.

 

Eating solo though in CO is not the same as in the MDR.  I was always chatted too.  
I would do it again in a nano second and am, in fact in October 😉 

[Toofarfromthesea]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

If you tell them you are willing to share and IF the people want to do it, it’s done.

I didn’t even ask.  The head asked a couple he thought I would click with and asked me when I came in if I would mind to share.  he said after a couple of days he was sure we would be simpatico.  Some thought went into it and getting to know us both.

I had a lovely meal with them and was invited to join them anytime we were there at the same time.

 

Eating solo though in CO is not the same as in the MDR.  I was always chatted too.  
I would do it again in a nano second and am, in fact in October 😉 

 

This is encouraging to me as I will be sailing solo for the first time since DW passed, and I enjoy meeting people.  I hope I have as much success on the CO as you did.

[bundtkate]

Thanks, everyone, for the feedback. I'll admit, I'm surprised CO is so popular for dining alone. I was expecting some eye rolls for even considering based on some other threads I've read. Overall, it sounds like something we'd really appreciate so I think I'll reach out to my TA on Monday.
 

3 hours ago, kazu said:

the tables I think you are talking about are not part of Club Orange.  They are a spot to sit if there is a wait.  There are no sea views in Club Orange.  that’s the bad news but if you dine late there are no sea views anyways 😉 

Thanks for letting me know! That was my suspicion based on the layout, but I was kind of hoping to be wrong. Normally you're right about the late hour limiting the views, but I understand Alaska stays light out a fair bit later in the Summer so I figured it would be worth the ask, just in case. Somewhat disappointing, but c'est la vie.

 

5 hours ago, cbr663 said:

For us, it was the ambiance and service that the CO dining room offered that the MDR simply cannot.  Think of it as a difference between dining in a banquet hall versus a specialty restaurant.  The MDR is loud and busy and for us an unpleasant experience.

 

This is wonderful to hear! Honest, I never thought twice about noise in the MDR, until I cruised in Sept 2021, just after restart. As you might imagine, there was nary a soul on that ship and the MDR was certifiably serene. On our first cruise back at full capacity we suddenly realized just how loud it had been all along and it has bothered me ever since.

 

5 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

Only negative is if you like meeting new people at dinner, its not as good.

 

We'd consider that a feature, tbh. I sometimes enjoy meeting new people at the bar or other activities, but we've always preferred dinner on our own.

 

3 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

It is always nice to read a post by someone who has  researched and informed herself as well as possible  

 

Thank you! I definitely miss things from time to time, but I do my best. Also, as someone lucky enough to be allowed in the presence of 4 appropriately spoiled cats, I give your username a big 👍

 

3 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

The waiters can suggest some decent wine pairings for your food, but they are not sommeliers

 

This would be more than adequate for us. We enjoy wine, but are most definitely not connoisseurs. Someone with passing knowledge can easily impress us so if they have an extra moment to help use decide, that's all we'd need.

 

3 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

I hope you have a fantastic cruise, and report back on this board

 

Thank you! I always try to do a quick report. Sometimes I'm slow, but I usually get to it. This one isn't until June next year, but since Alaska excursions and CO both tend to sell out quickly I'm trying to get everything booked early. I've got 3 other cruises to go on and report on before this one, but I'll do my best to stop by and share my thoughts. This will be our first time on HAL and in Alaska so we're really looking forward to it.

Thanks again, everyone, for all of the advice. It very much sounds like CO is a worthwhile upgrade for us, so I'm glad I asked instead of just listening to the posts that focus on the stateroom upgrade.

[kazu]

7 hours ago, bundtkate said:

Thanks, everyone, for the feedback. I'll admit, I'm surprised CO is so popular for dining alone. I was expecting some eye rolls for even considering based on some other threads I've read. Overall, it sounds like something we'd really appreciate so I think I'll reach out to my TA on Monday.

 

When I did CO, it was for the upgrade benefit, originally. Once on board I quickly realized how nice the dining was in the CO dining room compared to the Pinnacle Class MDR.  My eyes were opened and for me, it’s worth it.  

 

[DaveOKC]

14 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

I also travel solo but I like sitting with other people for dinner. I would not want to book the CO if I have to be seated alone all the time. I would want to be seated at nice round table for 6-8 people. Is that going to happen in CO? 

I do not recall any large tables (6 or 8) in CO (perhaps maybe one or two?) 

Edited September 17, 2023 by DaveOKC

[kazu]

2 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

I do not recall any large tables (6 or 😎 in CO (perhaps maybe one or two?) 

 

There were 2 tables of 6 on the K and some 4 tops.  

[Nodakboiler]

The only negative we've had in CO is when people insisted on having the same table and then never show up without letting CO know and it sits empty the entire breakfast service. This shouldn't happen.