Balcony Classifications - BA-BB-BF-BC

[Solo Cruiser Memphis]

I booked my first balcony cabin (go me!) today for a December 2021 sailing.  As a solo traveler, I have always booked a Studio Room but with COVID-19, I think I would go crazy if an outbreak happened and I was quarantined to an inside studio cabin.  You may already know what the categories mean but I had zero clue!  I talked with an NCL Cruise Consultant today and here's what she told me:

 

BA - Top Decks - most expensive Balcony Category 

BB - Mid Deck Balcony

BF - Lower Deck Balcony - Views not as great

BC - Balcony is not in the middle.  Cabin is either towards Aft or Forward - can be more expensive depending on choice

 

Sailing on the Breakaway.  Do you have a favorite "regular" Balcony stateroom location?  Wish I could afford the Spa Balcony or Haven!  Maybe one day :)

 

[Two Wheels Only]

The standard side balconies on Breakaway are rather small....

 

 

...but there are some options that are better. The angled balconies such as 11182/11782, 11240/11840, 11274/11874, 11294/11894 are the same price as the standard balcony (seen above) but the angled balconies are about 50% larger because they are deeper on one side. You can find the angled balconies on several decks by looking at the deckplan and seeing where the ship gets wider/narrower. You can look at the various prices for deck and location and pick one of the angled balconies if they are available.

 

Other options include the larger balconies (B6) but they will usually cost more than a standard balcony. A Club Balcony suite with large balcony (M6) is another option for very large balconies located towards the front of the ship and some of the aft-facing balconies (B1) have the largest non-Haven balconies on the ship (balcony depth will vary by deck and balcony width can also vary). These options may cost more but might be worth a look. 

[eigig]

1 hour ago, Solo Cruiser Memphis said:

I booked my first balcony cabin (go me!) today for a December 2021 sailing.  As a solo traveler, I have always booked a Studio Room but with COVID-19, I think I would go crazy if an outbreak happened and I was quarantined to an inside studio cabin.  You may already know what the categories mean but I had zero clue!  I talked with an NCL Cruise Consultant today and here's what she told me:

 

BA - Top Decks - most expensive Balcony Category 

BB - Mid Deck Balcony

BF - Lower Deck Balcony - Views not as great

BC - Balcony is not in the middle.  Cabin is either towards Aft or Forward - can be more expensive depending on choice

 

Sailing on the Breakaway.  Do you have a favorite "regular" Balcony stateroom location?  Wish I could afford the Spa Balcony or Haven!  Maybe one day 🙂

 

 

Glad you booked! I too am a solo cruiser and just booked for September 2021. Like you, I usually book a studio cabin and had the exact same thought about needing to quarantine!! Those studios are really nice when you can get out and about but not to stay in all day long.

Thanks for the info on the balcony types. I booked a BB but was also trying to figure out the categories. The price of BB and BC was the same but BC was on 10 forward and BB was 11 and 12.

 

Have fun planning. 

[brovol]

The old thought that "the higher the room is the better it is", fails.  All of the basic balcony cabins on most ships are exactly the same layout.  And although the ocean movement is more on the Forward and Aft ends, there isn't as much difference between high floors vs lower floors, and between the two, the lower floors are preferable.  Having cruised 25+ times in balcony cabins, my wife and I prefer the lower floors.  We like being closer to the water, and closer to ground level when we are in port.  It is also closer to the evening entertainment spots and dining rooms on most ships.  And those categories tend to be slightly cheaper to boot.

Edited December 4, 2020 by brovol

[Cruisinghs]

Hi, we're also booked on the Getaway for December 2021. Fingers crossed all the Covid stuff won't be an issue by then. I haven't cruised in a while so I'm looking forward to this. We're on the December 27 sailing. How about you?

[cruisinmeme]

We usually get a midship balcony on deck 7. Last several cruises (breakaway and getaway) we got a balcony on deck 8. One of the first cabins .(8778 is a favorite) Most of that deck is restaurants and shops. We like it since it is so handy to everything. BTW the view is fine.

[tulch]

General question:  We used to book BC staterooms on the older ships.  When I look online, the only choices I see are BA or BF.  What happened to the other "standard" balcony classifications? 

[BlueJai]

3 hours ago, tulch said:

General question:  We used to book BC staterooms on the older ships.  When I look online, the only choices I see are BA or BF.  What happened to the other "standard" balcony classifications? 

The took them away last year and now the old BC cabins are BA (more expensive) We too always booked BC cabins as we like being up close to the front - favourite room on the Sun 001! 

 

[BirdTravels]

On 12/2/2020 at 7:33 PM, Solo Cruiser Memphis said:

Sailing on the Breakaway.  Do you have a favorite "regular" Balcony stateroom location?  Wish I could afford the Spa Balcony or Haven!  Maybe one day 🙂

We select high decks (quick walk up to the open decks) with a room near an elevator lobby. The "best rooms" per NCL are midship, but our old knees rather be a bit forward/aft next to an elevator. The balconies on the Breakaway are the smallest in the fleet, but for us, being able to get outside, sit, and watch the sea, they are good enough (we have sailed on the BA 5 times).

 

wrt to the Spa balcony, I would personally defer for a future cruise. Even late in the year, I think that ship activities (including use of the spa) will still be limited due to COVID mitigation.  

[Solo Cruiser Memphis]

On 12/13/2020 at 10:57 AM, BirdTravels said:

We select high decks (quick walk up to the open decks) with a room near an elevator lobby. The "best rooms" per NCL are midship, but our old knees rather be a bit forward/aft next to an elevator. The balconies on the Breakaway are the smallest in the fleet, but for us, being able to get outside, sit, and watch the sea, they are good enough (we have sailed on the BA 5 times).

 

wrt to the Spa balcony, I would personally defer for a future cruise. Even late in the year, I think that ship activities (including use of the spa) will still be limited due to COVID mitigation.  

Thanks, I was thinking the same thing about the spa and how COVID will affect the Thermal Spa Suite.  I purchase it every cruise but may need to bring my own spa treats from home and do in-cabin face masks and soak my feet in the bathroom sink LOL.

 

[JamieLogical]

1 hour ago, Solo Cruiser Memphis said:

Thanks, I was thinking the same thing about the spa and how COVID will affect the Thermal Spa Suite.  I purchase it every cruise but may need to bring my own spa treats from home and do in-cabin face masks and soak my feet in the bathroom sink LOL.

 

 

I am hopeful that with the vaccine rolling out now, there won't be many special COVID-19 protocols in place by December. I am booked on the Joy for May, which seems unlikely to actually happen at this point, but if it does, I won't be missing the lack of a thermal spa on the Joy. Hopefully by my next sailing on a ship with a spa, I will be able to comfortably buy and use spa passes!

[BirdTravels]

On 12/15/2020 at 1:30 PM, JamieLogical said:

 

I am hopeful that with the vaccine rolling out now, there won't be many special COVID-19 protocols in place by December. I am booked on the Joy for May, which seems unlikely to actually happen at this point, but if it does, I won't be missing the lack of a thermal spa on the Joy. Hopefully by my next sailing on a ship with a spa, I will be able to comfortably buy and use spa passes!

We're booked on the Joy in April,,,, so we're more unlikely. Back in April 2020, it seemed like a "safe bet far in the future" to rebook our cancelled Bermuda cruise... I guess not. We also have an Alaskan cruise on the Quantum of the Seas in May.... another rebooking not far enough in the future.  

Edited December 16, 2020 by BirdTravels