SLOW TRAVEL
Holland America Club Orange Brings Bonus Benefits, Amenities
Holland America Line is testing a new program that provides exclusive benefits and amenities found in no other existing program. Holland America Line’s new Club Orange is presented as an option for cruise travelers looking to elevate their cruise experience. While Club Orange is not intended to be a way to jump-start the past guest status others have sailed many times to enjoy, it does feel a bit similar. Still, there are distinct differences in new Holland America Club Orange. Let’s take a look.
First and probably the most important part at this point in the life of the program, Club Orange is intended to be:
Club Orange allows guests to add extra premium benefits and luxury amenities to their cruise for a great value- Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line.
PRNews
That thought is important because this is a new program, evolving as we speak. While the details may not be exactly the same when you
New Holland America Club Orange
The Idea
- Club Orange is a pay-to-play option, currently priced at $50 per person, per day.
- Currently available on Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam although fleetwide rollout is possible.
- Club Orange allows guests to opt into extra privileges that are available to a limited number of guests on each cruise.
- The two major areas of benefit to travelers here are Priority Access and Private Dining.
New Holland America Club Orange
How To Get It
- The cost of Club Orange is $50 per person per day
- The first and second guest in the same stateroom are both required to purchase the program
- Included for third and fourth guests in the same stateroom
- Must be purchased prior to cruise departure
- Not available for purchase on board
- Book the cruise first.
- Once booked, travelers or their travel advisor can add Club Orange
New Holland America Club Orange
What You Get
- Priority check-in and disembarkation,
- Priority tender service
- Premium bathrobes that are really nice
- Club Orange Key Card feels/sounds a bit like my dad’s membership to the Playboy Club. The exclusive part is what to focus on here.
- Priority alternative restaurant reservations made on board and this could be really important. Rudi’s Sel De Mer sells out
everynight …unless you are in Club Orange Dedicated line at Guest Services (like above- look for the orange tie)Dedicated line at the EXC Tours shore excursion desk- Dedicated concierge hotline on board for dining reservations, shore excursion assistance, general questions
and support. - Enhanced in-stateroom à la carte breakfast dining menu and it really is, we compared. (see below)
The Menu Everyone Gets
The Club Orange Menu
New Holland America Club Orange
Worth It?
At the rate of $50 per person per day, Club Orange adds $700 to the price of a seven-day sailing on Holland America Line. The Club Orange experience has the greatest value for those who have never sailed with Holland America Line before, for whatever reason. If history repeats itself, that might very well be you reading this right now. Helping travelers find a cruise line that is a good fit for each of us is something we have been taking a stab at here for more years than I care to count.
While different than Holland America’s Mariner Society past guest program benefits, the benefits are considerable and compliment what Holland America is doing onboard right now. That’s good information to have for those considering the program as a viable add-on for their cruise.
Personally? We liked that dinner can be as open seating-ish as early
Getting on and off the ship, priority tendering and that sort of benefit has a value that depends more on our personal interests to determine. Like if you don’t really care when you get off the ship when in port, you probably are not impressed. But you might be.
Holland America Line is doing a wonderful job of rolling out this program with obvious priority. They want it to work and be worth the price. Those I talked to on our sailing of Nieuw Statendam agreed.
