Club Balcony Suite

[Cayman1]

We are looking to book a cruise on NCL, which would be out first with NCL. 

 

Since I don't know as much about NCL, I was wondering what the difference is between a Balcony room and Club Balcony Suite is, other than size.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

[hallux]

Have you reviewed the descriptions of the rooms on the NCL page?

 

You can also find YouTube room tours for Mini Suites, that's what the Club Suites used to be named.  Different classes of ships might have different differences between room classes.

[don't-use-real-name]

4 hours ago, Cayman1 said:

We are looking to book a cruise on NCL, which would be out first with NCL. 

 

Since I don't know as much about NCL, I was wondering what the difference is between a Balcony room and Club Balcony Suite is, other than size.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Size as you have already surmised is larger due to a closet here or there and a bath tub instead of a shower.

 

Location is the other distinction - Club Balconies are generally on higher decks forward aft and mid-ship.

 

Club Balcony was formerly a Mini-Suite - bad terminology confusing with the real deal Suite with Butler and

Concierge. Club Balconies still do not have any of that.

 

Basically it comes down to SIZE AND LOCATION that is pretty much it !

 

You can use almost any search engine to get a general idea of your cabin - NCL (ship name) and cabin number.

  

[KurtMo]

Some wording direct from NCL's website describes some minor perks of a Club Balcony versus a Balcony:

"Starting 8/30/20, the stateroom category Club Balcony Suites will replace Mini-Suites fleetwide providing additional amenities and privileges at no additional cost. Amenities include the option to pre-book onboard entertainment and dining as early as 125 days prior to sail date, complimentary treats delivered to your stateroom, a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine, and a choice of one valet laundry or pressing service. Club Balcony Suites will first debut on Norwegian Encore and then roll out on select ships through November 2020."

[Sand and Seas]

Club Balcony Suites on 'Away' and AwayPlus' class have bigger bathrooms with a larger shower.  

 

 

[fastpitchdad]

7 hours ago, don't-use-real-name said:

Size as you have already surmised is larger due to a closet here or there and a bath tub instead of a shower.

 

Location is the other distinction - Club Balconies are generally on higher decks forward aft and mid-ship.

 

Club Balcony was formerly a Mini-Suite - bad terminology confusing with the real deal Suite with Butler and

Concierge. Club Balconies still do not have any of that.

 

Basically it comes down to SIZE AND LOCATION that is pretty much it !

 

You can use almost any search engine to get a general idea of your cabin - NCL (ship name) and cabin number.

  

 

It is still confusing, in hotel-speak a "club" room implies access to a special lounge area. 

[cruiserbear55]

12 hours ago, Cayman1 said:

We are looking to book a cruise on NCL, which would be out first with NCL. 

 

Since I don't know as much about NCL, I was wondering what the difference is between a Balcony room and Club Balcony Suite is, other than size.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Club Balcony Suites on the Gem, for instance, are, on average 285 square feet. A balcony runs approx. 205 square feet. Like an extra 10x8 room! Also, the outside balconies run 54 sq. feet, as opposed to 38 in a balcony. You'll get a bathtub/shower and larger sink/toilet area. The couch will sleep 2 kids comfortably, and there is a curtain divider between the bed and couch.

[valleyvillage]

Our first mini (now Club) suite experience was on the Sun for a Panama Canal cruise. Boy! Were we ever spoiled! In those days on the Sun mini suites came with concierge service and a special room service menu. The stateroom has a walk-in closet with vanity that leads into a great bathroom with a big tub. We expected the same on the Star but no menu and a tiny tub. Still had the concierge and when I asked about the special menu I was told that because the Sun has far fewer suites and mini suites they can provide them on that ship. Then he asked what I missed from that menu. "Those little Scandinavian sanwiches!" and he immediately sent up a tray. Those were the days!

[Turtles06]

3 hours ago, cruiserbear55 said:

Club Balcony Suites on the Gem, for instance, are, on average 285 square feet. A balcony runs approx. 205 square feet. Like an extra 10x8 room! Also, the outside balconies run 54 sq. feet, as opposed to 38 in a balcony. You'll get a bathtub/shower and larger sink/toilet area. The couch will sleep 2 kids comfortably, and there is a curtain divider between the bed and couch.

So that the OP is aware: on the Gem and other Jewel-class ships, the club balconies are on Deck 11, under the public (and potentially noisy) areas of Deck 12 (including the pool). Also, re the tub/shower combo: the tub is very narrow (more for kids than adults), and the tub wall is very high, which can be a real problem for short people and people with knee or mobility issues, especially when the ship is underway. I am not a fan of that bathroom (which is also in the penthouse suites on those ships).

[Sand and Seas]

8 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

So that the OP is aware: on the Gem and other Jewel-class ships, the club balconies are on Deck 11, under the public (and potentially noisy) areas of Deck 12 (including the pool). Also, re the tub/shower combo: the tub is very narrow (more for kids than adults), and the tub wall is very high, which can be a real problem for short people and people with knee or mobility issues, especially when the ship is underway. I am not a fan of that bathroom (which is also in the penthouse suites on those ships).

 

Yes, I totally agree with this!   Personally I hated the tub/shower combo on Jewel class and would not book it again.    Also,  much better locations to pick from with a Balcony cabin on Jewel class.

 

On Away/AwayPlus class, we have enjoyed the M6 Club Balcony Suites.  For these ships, if you want a bathtub you will need to carefully check the family cabins or suites.

[PelicanBill]

to summarize:  On some ships, such as Breakaway and Getaway,  a Club Balcony Cabin is exactly the same size as a regular Cabin, and balcony, but with a lasrger bathroom and larger shower with body jets.  On other ships, there is a small amount of extra space and where that is varies.

 

On most sailings I have priced, there is a large uplift in price for a Club Balcony cabin, even over a high deck Balcony cabin, and in my opinion, not worth it at all!  The way to do this is capture the Club price, book a standard balcony, and then when upgrade bidding begins put in a bid that works for you somewhere in between your booked price and that original Club price.

[fstuff1]

On 8/17/2020 at 8:26 AM, Cayman1 said:

We are looking to book a cruise on NCL, which would be out first with NCL. 

 

Since I don't know as much about NCL, I was wondering what the difference is between a Balcony room and Club Balcony Suite is, other than size.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

 

bigger bathroom is usually the only difference.

the bedroom/living room and the balcony size is usually the same as a regular balcony room.

edit: apparently i'm wrong. someone stated above that Jewel class ships also have a bigger balcony

 

the bathroom will have double sinks and/or a combo tub shower, depending on ship.

if you have 3 or 4 people in the room (ie: 2 kids), the double sinks are really helpful.

 

"complimentary treats delivered to your stateroom, and a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine"

- ok, the snacks are new

- but everyone gets a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine if they've sailed NCL at least once. 

i dont find it very good. i add oj to make a mimosa

 

 

edit:

surprised noone in all these years compiled a list of all the differences between a balcony and mini-suite for each class of ship

Edited August 18, 2020 by fstuff1

[cruisekitty22]

We are booked on the Encore and our Club Mini Suite has a huge shower (reason why we booked this cabin ) and no bath tub! Its just two of us.  Not sure whatever perks we will get with this cabin, if any and if the ship will sail in February 2021.  We are hoping it will!

[happy traveler69]

On 8/17/2020 at 10:44 PM, valleyvillage said:

Our first mini (now Club) suite experience was on the Sun for a Panama Canal cruise. Boy! Were we ever spoiled! In those days on the Sun mini suites came with concierge service and a special room service menu. The stateroom has a walk-in closet with vanity that leads into a great bathroom with a big tub. We expected the same on the Star but no menu and a tiny tub. Still had the concierge and when I asked about the special menu I was told that because the Sun has far fewer suites and mini suites they can provide them on that ship. Then he asked what I missed from that menu. "Those little Scandinavian sanwiches!" and he immediately sent up a tray. Those were the days!

We are boked on the Sun for April 2022 (Tokyo to Japan). While we normally get a mini (club balcony suite) on NCL, the price for that on this particular cruise scared me. We have just a regular balcony. Reading your post is making me do some number crunching to make it happen!! 

[don't-use-real-name]

If you are making plans for the SUN book the Club Suites on deck (pool) deck 11 - there are 24 forward - 4

located forward over the Bridge - and 6 aft decks 8-9-10

Reference LINK:

https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/Norwegian-Sun

 

The 24 forward have the large walk-in closet separate bath and vanity.

 

Since the Spinnaker Lounge (entertainment) is located deck 12 above try for the aft location cabins for the

least sound problems - although the Spinnaker does not have the Boom-da-Boom acoustics like the

Stardust theater aft.

Note all the eating dinning is aft on the SUN except for the Mid-ship MDR deck 6.

 

[valleyvillage]

13 hours ago, happy traveler69 said:

We are boked on the Sun for April 2022 (Tokyo to Japan). While we normally get a mini (club balcony suite) on NCL, the price for that on this particular cruise scared me. We have just a regular balcony. Reading your post is making me do some number crunching to make it happen!! 

We loved that "suite". They no longer include concierge service nor a special room service menu. Have a wonderful cruise!

[dexddd]

On 8/17/2020 at 9:44 PM, valleyvillage said:

Our first mini (now Club) suite experience was on the Sun for a Panama Canal cruise. Boy! Were we ever spoiled! In those days on the Sun mini suites came with concierge service and a special room service menu. The stateroom has a walk-in closet with vanity that leads into a great bathroom with a big tub. We expected the same on the Star but no menu and a tiny tub. Still had the concierge and when I asked about the special menu I was told that because the Sun has far fewer suites and mini suites they can provide them on that ship. Then he asked what I missed from that menu. "Those little Scandinavian sanwiches!" and he immediately sent up a tray. Those were the days!

Sun does have the best minis, err clubs.

[dexddd]

On 8/18/2020 at 6:19 PM, fstuff1 said:

 

bigger bathroom is usually the only difference.

the bedroom/living room and the balcony size is usually the same as a regular balcony room.

edit: apparently i'm wrong. someone stated above that Jewel class ships also have a bigger balcony

 

the bathroom will have double sinks and/or a combo tub shower, depending on ship.

if you have 3 or 4 people in the room (ie: 2 kids), the double sinks are really helpful.

 

"complimentary treats delivered to your stateroom, and a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine"

- ok, the snacks are new

- but everyone gets a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine if they've sailed NCL at least once. 

i dont find it very good. i add oj to make a mimosa

 

 

edit:

surprised noone in all these years compiled a list of all the differences between a balcony and mini-suite for each class of ship

We need TWO to do a spreadsheet.  So many differences across fleet and even varies on a single ship.

[dexddd]

On 8/20/2020 at 7:38 PM, happy traveler69 said:

We are boked on the Sun for April 2022 (Tokyo to Japan). While we normally get a mini (club balcony suite) on NCL, the price for that on this particular cruise scared me. We have just a regular balcony. Reading your post is making me do some number crunching to make it happen!! 

Suns minis are more like suites but no current benefits.

[3onTour]

On 8/19/2020 at 8:30 AM, cruisekitty22 said:

We are booked on the Encore and our Club Mini Suite has a huge shower (reason why we booked this cabin ) and no bath tub! Its just two of us.  Not sure whatever perks we will get with this cabin, if any and if the ship will sail in February 2021.  We are hoping it will!

 

If you don’t mind, what deck  did you choose? I am booking for 2022 and I would like the larger shower and double sink. I will be booking a club balcony suite. Thank you 

[cruisekitty22]

Deck 10. Cabin 10196.