NCL Joy ship- Bacony cabin vs Suite ?

[Chirphy6438]

Presently booked onto this ship for may cruise to Bermuda with a balcony stateroom but wondering if upgrading to a suite for additional $200 is worth it. Can't seem to find much differences.  Anyone with any input is greatly appreciated.

[jsn55]

How long's the cruise?  I would think that $200 would be a small price to pay for the extra room in a suite.  Look at the deck plans and compare the two, both square footage and configuration.  Read the booking page to see what extras may be included with a suite.   Peruse what's available and the location ... don't want to book over the nightclub or bowling alley.

[George C]

Need to post this on ncl board.

[CruiserBruce]

3 minutes ago, George C said:

Need to post this on ncl board.

Which is located here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/64-norwegian-cruise-line/

[cruiser2015]

11 hours ago, Chirphy6438 said:

Presently booked onto this ship for may cruise to Bermuda with a balcony stateroom but wondering if upgrading to a suite for additional $200 is worth it. Can't seem to find much differences.  Anyone with any input is greatly appreciated.

We need a bit more information.

Exactly what sort of suite are you looking at?

Is it a Club Balcony Suite?

[UKstages]

6 hours ago, cruiser2015 said:

Is it a Club Balcony Suite?

for $200? i suspect so.

 

club balcony cabins are not traditional suites, despite the moniker. for the most part, the best feature is a larger bathroom.

 

also, on the joy, actual suites do not have some of the benefits associated with suites on other NCL ships, chief among them that there is no special breakfast or lunch provided.

 

that said, if this is a real suite for only $200 more, then, yes, it may be worth it just for the extra room.

 

 

[mking8288]

Joy is going thru dry dock shortly (Happy New Year 2024 ... all) and returning to NY this Spring to do a good # of Bermuda runs.  We sailed her twice in 2022, both in balconies and in 2 different Family (Inside) Suites (coded as SP) w 2 bedrooms that's huge & spacious - comparable in size to Haven's 2 BR suites, minus the fancy deco & services of a butler, concierge and "privileges" - at reduced prices then since sailings weren't anywhere full, enjoyed it both times & both ways.  There were (are) also Penthouse Suite (SC) - midship on the higher deck, nice size and much bigger than a regular (real) balcony.  

 

It is not the same as what is being marketed as Club Balcony Suite (check the details on NCL & other booking sites to see) - formerly known as mini suite, that aren't much bigger than a regular balcony, nicer & fancier bathroom with double sink, some (?) with a tub/shower combo. 

 

For $200 to upgrade, on a typical 7 days cruise to Bermuda out of NY (some are 5 or even 4 days, too short, IMHO) especially if one has a choice to select from a list of available cabin or at least known the deck & location - and if it is within one's budget - then, I say go for it ... since if you try to submit a bid to upgrade, you are likely not going to do any better, others are probably going to take their chances and submit the bid.  

 

Be mindful if you do this, that your existing promo perks (i.e. Latitude double points ... unlikely that anyone booked it with triple points earlier) might be lost or forfeited - confirm & double check, ask or you could lose them.  Club "suite" do come with a little extra, like a free bag of laundry and mini "treats" delivered by housekeeping on a cart (twice on a given sailing) - it's not a bad deal.  However, if you are already at the Platinum level or higher, this 2nd or 3rd bag as extra or additional ones ... really isn't that worthwhile.  

 

Bonus - if you "upgrade" to SC and SP, I believe the "new" booking will entitle you to an extra Latitudes point per night, 7 nights could turn into easily 21 points if you already has double points promo & keeping it ... will be coded & shown on your updated NCL confirmation/amenity statement emailed to you, if you don't see it on the upper right corner, call & ask for one to be "sent" & review it (or, with your travel agent if using their services)

 

P.S.  Other booking sites (non-NCL) might have "outdate" descriptions of the SC and SP benefits that no longer exist, i.e. room service & breakfast delivery are no longer complimentary, read & check carefully.  That's the SC with virtual balcony ... 

 

 

 

Edited January 1 by mking8288

[RocketMan275]

20 hours ago, Chirphy6438 said:

Presently booked onto this ship for may cruise to Bermuda with a balcony stateroom but wondering if upgrading to a suite for additional $200 is worth it. Can't seem to find much differences.  Anyone with any input is greatly appreciated.

Book in the Haven.

[CCJack]

We were on a Club Balcony Suite on the joy.  As others have stated, you are going to get a larger bathroom, 2 sinks, a nicer shower, and the ability to book dining reservations 5 days before others.  That is about it, the other perks like cookies delivered to room aren't that valuable to me.   That said, $200 is not much and may be worth the upgrade.  

 

Note that we were on Joy, Deck 8 Club Balcony Suite with the large balconies.  Personally I would not book those large balconies again.  They are very large but deep and skinny.  That means that when you are in your cabin looking out the glass door you have tunnel vision and greatly restricted view of the ocean (of course at the balcony railing you do not have restricted view).  They do have club balcony suites with normal balconies which I would prefer.

[BirdTravels]

21 hours ago, Chirphy6438 said:

Presently booked onto this ship for may cruise to Bermuda with a balcony stateroom but wondering if upgrading to a suite for additional $200 is worth it. Can't seem to find much differences.  Anyone with any input is greatly appreciated.

If you are looking at a Club Balcony (booking class starting with a “M”), you get a bigger bathroom. The balcony and club balcony rooms are about the same size. 
 

If you are booking a suite (booking class “S”), you get a bigger room and bigger bathroom. 
 

There are a few more perks with the Club balcony. Nothing worth $200. 

[zqvol]

43 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

If you are looking at a Club Balcony (booking class starting with a “M”), you get a bigger bathroom. The balcony and club balcony rooms are about the same size. 
 

If you are booking a suite (booking class “S”), you get a bigger room and bigger bathroom. 
 

There are a few more perks with the Club balcony. Nothing worth $200. 

The bathroom alone is worth $200

[Brian V]

2 hours ago, CCJack said:

Note that we were on Joy, Deck 8 Club Balcony Suite with the large balconies. 

 

@CCJack, I have questions about those cabins if you don't mind a slight hijacking 🙂

 

With them being above the theatre backstage or the mooring station (hard to tell on the deck plans), is there early morning noise when docking, late night noise from the theatre, any other issues beyond the "sporty" 🤢 ride from being so far forward?

 

51 minutes ago, zqvol said:

The bathroom alone is worth $200

 

Totally agree 👍, those jets are just what my back needs in the morning!

[vacation44]

1 hour ago, Brian V said:

 

@CCJack, I have questions about those cabins if you don't mind a slight hijacking 🙂

 

With them being above the theatre backstage or the mooring station (hard to tell on the deck plans), is there early morning noise when docking, late night noise from the theatre, any other issues beyond the "sporty" 🤢 ride from being so far forward?

 

 

Totally agree 👍, those jets are just what my back needs in the morning!

Have stayed in this area many times and have never encountered a noise issue.   

[vacation44]

On 12/31/2023 at 2:10 PM, Chirphy6438 said:

Presently booked onto this ship for may cruise to Bermuda with a balcony stateroom but wondering if upgrading to a suite for additional $200 is worth it. Can't seem to find much differences.  Anyone with any input is greatly appreciated.

When not staying in Haven, we always stay in a club balcony suite.   Not for the additional perks, but for the bathroom.    The additional bathroom space is worth $200 to me.  

[CCJack]

2 hours ago, Brian V said:

 

@CCJack, I have questions about those cabins if you don't mind a slight hijacking 🙂

 

With them being above the theatre backstage or the mooring station (hard to tell on the deck plans), is there early morning noise when docking, late night noise from the theatre, any other issues beyond the "sporty" 🤢 ride from being so far forward?

 

We did hear music from the theater below only one time on our cruise.  It wasn't enough to bother us however, it was pretty subtle.    Plus, I would guess the big Theatre is typically done by about 10 pm most nights unlike the casino or clubs.   It may make a difference on which of those cabins you are in.   Guessing further forward may be closer to the stage noise...