Live from the Rotterdam March 29- April 13, 2024 15 days

[MissiCruzs]

Just got onboard. First time using Club Orange. But first... lunch!

[MissiCruzs]

All the goodies waiting in our cabin. Mariner champagne party tonight... which I thought was unusual. 

[MissiCruzs]

[POA1]

Hello. We're also on your cruise, but we have to get off before you start your second segment. Have a great trip!

[MissiCruzs]

17 minutes ago, POA1 said:

Hello. We're also on your cruise, but we have to get off before you start your second segment. Have a great trip!

You also... jump in any time and share thoughts and comments!

[Holly g]

Following 

 

[iowacruiser]

We board on the second leg with friends/neighbors who are getting married on the ship.

[SUESEABE]

Following along. Rotterdam is my favorite ship. We never used Club Orange either so I'm interested to see your thoughts. Enjoy!

 

[canadianbear]

Have fun!  Will follow along too.

[graceinga]

We are joining you on the second leg and can't wait.  It's our first HAL cruise in nearly 20 years.  

[MissiCruzs]

So far Club Orange is not working well for us. We had a guarantee inside which wasn't assigned until the week before the cruise. We were supposed to get the best available in our category and I find it hard to believe that was deck 1 under BB Kings. So we paid to upgrade to Oceanview and were assigned supposedly the only cabin left.  It was also on deck 1 but it was an accessible cabin. We didn't want or need that. I had to email someone and there was a standard room available also on deck 1 but under the galley. In the end we paid again and upgraded to a balcony for the 15 days. 

[Sea42]

4 minutes ago, MissiCruzs said:

So far Club Orange is not working well for us. We had a guarantee inside which wasn't assigned until the week before the cruise. We were supposed to get the best available in our category and I find it hard to believe that was deck 1 under BB Kings. So we paid to upgrade to Oceanview and were assigned supposedly the only cabin left.  It was also on deck 1 but it was an accessible cabin. We didn't want or need that. I had to email someone and there was a standard room available also on deck 1 but under the galley. In the end we paid again and upgraded to a balcony for the 15 days. 

When we have used Club Orange for the upgrade we were able to choose a specific cabin. That is, to us, the main benefit of CO. Were you not able to pick your cabin?

[Cruise Suzy]

1 minute ago, MissiCruzs said:

So far Club Orange is not working well for us. We had a guarantee inside which wasn't assigned until the week before the cruise. We were supposed to get the best available in our category and I find it hard to believe that was deck 1 under BB Kings.

 

When you purchase Club Orange, you get to select the cabin you want from what's available in your original category. So, you should have selected ANY available inside at the time you purchased Club Orange. You should not have been left at the guarantee level.

[FlorenceItaly]

2 minutes ago, MissiCruzs said:

So far Club Orange is not working well for us. We had a guarantee inside which wasn't assigned until the week before the cruise. We were supposed to get the best available in our category and I find it hard to believe that was deck 1 under BB Kings. So we paid to upgrade to Oceanview and were assigned supposedly the only cabin left.  It was also on deck 1 but it was an accessible cabin. We didn't want or need that. I had to email someone and there was a standard room available also on deck 1 but under the galley. In the end we paid again and upgraded to a balcony for the 15 days. 

When you purchased Club Orange it allowed you to move from your guarantee inside cabin to an inside of your choice.  This is the advantage of Club Orange especially when in a guarantee status.  I have personally done this.  I am sorry you did not know this.  Did you book directly with HAL or a TA?

[MissiCruzs]

Dinner last night in CO was delicious. It was getting it that was the problem. They are so shorthanded. The manager finally came over and was our server and still getting the main course took awhile and then dessert never came. I walked out to go to the mariner party and my DH showed up 15 min later. He went to the Lido and got his dessert. 

 

Breakfast this morning was better. I had to laugh when I got my cottage cheese and fruit. The cottage cheese was in this little tiny dish. Then they brought the toast out and it was ice cold by the time my eggs finally showed up. 

[MissiCruzs]

The live flowers on this ship are stunning. 

[MissiCruzs]

We did a Slot Pull at 10 on the worse machine as far as payout that I've ever seen. We ended up with $54 out of close to $600 and just let the organizer run out the money. I will not be using that machine for the Slot Pull next cruise that I'm running. 

[MissiCruzs]

4 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

When you purchased Club Orange it allowed you to move from your guarantee inside cabin to an inside of your choice.  This is the advantage of Club Orange especially when in a guarantee status.  I have personally done this.  I am sorry you did not know this.  Did you book directly with HAL or a TA?

I booked thru my HAL rep which I really need to change. Not ever been happy with her. 

[FlorenceItaly]

1 minute ago, MissiCruzs said:

I booked thru my HAL rep which I really need to change. Not ever been happy with her. 

WOW!  Yes, your PCC should have known this.  You need a new one.

[canadianbear]

1 minute ago, MissiCruzs said:

I booked thru my HAL rep which I really need to change. Not ever been happy with her. 

That is such a shame.  The HAL rep certainly didn’t do her job in my opinion.  When we booked with CO, our PCC booked us lowest category of a suite then added CO and put us in the highest category-that is how it should work.  I sure hope the CO dining experience improves for you too. 

[MissiCruzs]

4 hours ago, Sea42 said:

When we have used Club Orange for the upgrade we were able to choose a specific cabin. That is, to us, the main benefit of CO. Were you not able to pick your cabin?

Nope wasn't given that option. Bad HAL rep. 

[Sea42]

1 hour ago, MissiCruzs said:

Nope wasn't given that option. Bad HAL rep. 

That stinks!

I sure hope your onboard experience improves!

[510picker]

We were supposed to be joining you on April 7th, but health issues with my mother-in-law forced us to cancel. Very dissapointed, but that is life at times. Enjoy your cruise!

Edited March 30 by 510picker

[RuthC]

5 hours ago, MissiCruzs said:

We were supposed to get the best available in our category and I find it hard to believe that was deck 1 under BB Kings.

That would have been a J-category cabin, and likely was the best available in the inside meta category at that time. The only inside higher category would be an 'I'. 
Not that I would want to be in one of the 3-5 cabins under BB King (I wouldn't), but anything on starboard, especially closer to mid-ship, would be fine with me. Even port side, heading forward (so long as it wasn't one of the few cabins under BB King) would work well for me, or one of the two cabins closest to mid-ship. 

Which is not to disagree with those who have posted that you should have been able to select your idea of 'best available' when you upgraded. It's part of the CO package. 

[FLCruiser97]

We will be on this ship next year so are interested in your interior spaces photos. We have never been on Rotterdam before. Definitely hope things improve for you...and very soon.