Are you wondering if Holland America’s Club Orange is worth it, you’re in the right place. On a recent cruise onboard Holland America Rotterdam, we decided to upgrade to Club Orange and give it a try.
Club Orange has been a popular topic of conversation among loyal Holland America cruisers, and has many questioning it’s worth and value.
On the one hand, some cruise passengers believe that Club Orange is a waste of money and is too expensive for what you get. On the other hand, some cruisers believe that Club Orange is worth the price, given the benefits and what’s included.
In fact, they’ll purchase it every time they sail with Holland America!
After much research, I boarded the Rotterdam, Holland America‘s newest pinnacle class cruise ship, ready to try Club Orange and see if it’s worth the price.
In this post I share my honest review of Holland America’s Club Orange program, along with the information you’ll want to know about the cost and benefits.
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How Much Does Club Orange Cost?
The price for Club Orange starts at $25 US per person, per day on cruises that are 13 days or less. On cruises longer than 13 days, Club Orange costs only $15 US per person, per day.
If two guests are staying in the same stateroom, both passengers must purchase Club Orange. However, third and fourth passengers sharing the cabin are not required to pay for Club Orange, but will receive the benefits.
It’s important to note that Club Orange is available on a first-come, first-served basis, as there is limited space in the Club Orange dining venue.
What Does Club Orange Include?
When you purchase Club Orange, you will enjoy the following benefits:
- Complimentary cabin upgrade (within the same cabin type)
- Priority access
- Exclusive dining
- Special events
- Exclusive Amenities
My Experience With Club Orange
Throughout my 12 day Panama Canal cruise on Holland America’s Rotterdam, I had the chance to test many of the Club Orange benefits.
Since I was on an 12 day cruise, I got to take full advantage of the Club Orange benefits. There were some program benefits I really appreciated!
Here’s my experience with Holland America’s Club Orange:
Complimentary Cabin Upgrade
When booking Club Orange, you’ll be eligible for a stateroom upgrade to the best available cabin within that category. You can add Club Orange to your booking, whether you’re booked in an inside cabin, oceanview, veranda or vista suite.
My experience:
I used this benefit to my advantage, and saved money. I booked the cheapest balcony cabin and was upgraded to a mid-ship veranda in a higher category.
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Priority Access
One of the benefits of being a Club Orange guest is that you’ll receive priority access. This means you will have priority check-in on embarkation day and priority disembarkation on debarkation day.
Furthermore, you’ll have priority access to specialty dining reservations and priority access to tenders in select ports of call. Additionally, you’ll have a priority line for guest services and the shore excursion desk.
My experience:
Having priority access was a time saver and improved my overall cruise experience. Embarkation and debarkation were fast and efficient, so in this instance, being a Club Orange guest came in handy.
Priority access to the tenders was very convenient when we visited Half Moon Cay. Instead of waiting in a long line, we were able to board the tender as soon as we were ready.
Although it may seem unnecessary, having a priority line at guest services can come in handy. For example, on the first day of our cruise we had an issue with the Wi-Fi.
Typically, I would avoid going to guest services on embarkation day as there are huge lines. However, when we stepped into the priority line, we were served right away, and our issue was resolved within minutes.
Exclusive Dining
Club Orange guests have access to an exclusive dining area for breakfast and dinner during the cruise. This dining venue will differ depending on your cruise ship.
On Pinnacle Class cruise ships, Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam, Club Orange guests have a dedicated Club Orange dining room. However, on all other HAL cruise ships, Club Orange passengers will eat in a section of the main dining room.
When you eat in the private Club Orange dining room on Pinnacle Class ships, you’ll receive an expanded version of the main dining room menu. When available, the Club Orange menu features at least one main dish prepared and cooked in the dining venue.
My experience:
Dining at Club Orange may have been my favorite part of our experience. Since we were on a Pinnacle Class ship, we ate breakfast and dinner in the Club Orange restaurant every night.
Club Orange has the same dedicated staff every day. This meant more personalized service, and we got get to know the crew throughout our cruise. It didn’t take long before our waiter knew our coffee order and would bring out meals that he thought we’d enjoy, based on what we had eaten on previous nights.
Furthermore, we got to know the Maître’D and the chef, which made our Club Orange dining experience feel extra special.
Overall, our dining experience in Club Orange was incredible. Everyone, from the waiters to the Maître’D and the chef, took pride in what they did and made our dining experience special each and every night.
Special Events
One of the Club Orange privileges is that you have access to special events chosen by the ship’s Captain. You’ll have the chance to attend a private Greenhouse Spa & Salon consultation and a coffee chat with some of the onboard entertainers.
Furthermore, the will be a complimentary jewelry cleaning. Club Orange guests will be notified of these exclusive experiences once they are onboard the cruise ship.
My experience:
I hate to admit it, but we didn’t take advantage of any exclusive experiences during our cruise. I guess we were so busy enjoying other activities both on and off the cruise ship in ports.
Exclusive Special Amenities
As a Club Orange guest, you’ll have access to exclusive amenities. For example, you’ll receive a welcome glass of sparkling wine on embarkation day, an exclusive Club Orange tote bag, and premium bathrobes.
Furthermore, you’ll have a dedicated concierge service who can make your dining reservations, as well as a special Club Orange keycard.
My experience:
Having access to these exclusive amenities was a much-appreciated bonus. We really enjoyed the premium bathrobes, as well as the exclusive Club Orange tote bag. It’s a really nice quality and has a zipper!
Related: Is Holland America Have it All Worth it?
Is Club Orange Worth It? The Verdict
Based on my experience, Club Orange was worth the price. Since we were three people in a cabin, we only payed $50 a day ($25 x 2). For this price and taking account saving money with our cabin upgrade, we felt that Club Orange was a great value that enhanced our cruise vacation.
In my opinion, Club Orange’s highlights were exclusive dining and priority access. These specific Club Orange benefits greatly improved my overall cruise experience.
When it comes to the special events, I do think that they could be a bit more enticing, to make them must-attend events. On a future cruise, I’ll try to attend one to better access the impact on our cruise.
Overall, I think Club Orange is a very good value and I do recommend it. If possible, I would definitely purchase it next time I sail with Holland America. It’s hard to beat the dining, service, extra perks and experience that comes with the Club Orange upgrade.
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Final Thoughts On Is Club Orange Worth It
Well, there it is, everything you need to know about Holland America’s Club Orange program!
Club Orange was an amazing experience, and I’m happy I gave it a try. Moving forward, it’s hard to imagine going on a HAL cruise without purchasing Club Orange.
In this post, I shared my review of Club Orange, as well as what’s included when you purchase Club Orange, how much Club Orange costs, and if Club Orange is worth it.
Would you consider purchasing Club Orange for a Holland America cruise? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Happy Cruising!
Ethan
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