Noordam SC vs SA

We are looking at a Pacific Crossing on Noordam. The SC cabins 7085 and 7086 are available at around $1000 each less than the SA cabins 2 doors down (7081 and 7082) wondering why the difference in category? Is it that the hump cabins next door can look into the balcony/room or something else.

The hump cabins are SB’s (7087 and 7088) and both available. I was going to book one of those but read on an old post that the floor area of the cabin was much smaller than the other Neptune’s.

It’s a long cruise and my husband is fussy about his cabin so I’m trying to work out our best bet.;p Normally I would have expected him to go for an aft wrap but he’s not fussed on that option this time.

Thanks

Have stayed in 7088 twice. It is not much smaller. It is similar sized, but laid out slightly different. In fact it is more open, so it may not be smaller at all. The balcony is a different shape, and yes neighbors can look into part of it, but no further. Conversely, 7088 can look into part of the balcony forward of it.

Otherwise, there is no problem w/ 7088, and have no problem staying there. In fact, we tried to book the similar cabin on our next ship, but that ship doesn't have the "hump" suite.

The price difference is a marketing tool. No real difference between SA, SB and SC.

I agree that the SC difference is primarily a marketing tool. Allows HAL to advertise a lower price for a Neptune suite, but when you want to pick your cabin you have to pay extra (most times the SCs are sold only as guarantees).

I agree that the SC difference is primarily a marketing tool. Allows HAL to advertise a lower price for a Neptune suite, but when you want to pick your cabin you have to pay extra (most times the SCs are sold only as guarantees).

Not true, in my experience. SCs are not only sold as GTYs. Sometimes, yes, but not always. Probably about 50% of the time in our experience, and it sounds like they aren't GTY's in OP's case.

And SC GTYs aren't at SA price, they are at SC price. So you can get a SA upgrade on a SC GTY booking price. But if they are selling GTYs, and you absolutely want to pick your cabin, yes, you will have to pay SA or SB price.

Not true, in my experience. SCs are not only sold as GTYs. Sometimes, yes, but not always. Probably about 50% of the time in our experience, and it sounds like they aren't GTY's in OP's case.

 

And SC GTYs aren't at SA price, they are at SC price. So you can get a SA upgrade on a SC GTY booking price. But if they are selling GTYs, and you absolutely want to pick your cabin, yes, you will have to pay SA or SB price.

When the SCs are open to booking, they often represent a good "value". This of course varies by ship (and the difference configurations). Of course, this all depends on your cabin placement likes and dislikes.

On the Noordam, the SC cabins are just aft of the SAs on deck 7, thus (IMO) can represent a good trade off in price savings vs location. However, assuming that I selected a specific SC cabin, I would mark the reservation "do not upgrade", as I personally would not want to be "upgraded to the SBs on deck 6 and even the aft-wrap SBs (depending on the cruise).

The SC cabins on deck 7 used to be SA. When they changed tha aft suites to SB they needed to have SC for guarantees. The changed the deck 7 cabins to SC then. We were in 7086 on Oosterdam in October and it was great. We have also been in 7088 and layout is very open. According to another site 7088 is 270 sq ft and SA's and 4 SC's on deck 7 are 391 sq ft. Only thing we didn't care for in 7088 was that there is no short hallway at the door. When open people are looking into the whole cabin

Thanks! That’s super helpful! There is a $1500pp ( Australian $ so over $1000 US) difference between the SA and the SA and $800 between the SC and SB seems a lot even though it’s a 24 day cruise. I would have paid the extra if it was a significant cabin variation but seems not. A$3000 is a lot of bottles of wine at dinner.

Thanks! That’s super helpful! There is a $1500pp ( Australian $ so over $1000 US) difference between the SA and the SA and $800 between the SC and SB seems a lot even though it’s a 24 day cruise. I would have paid the extra if it was a significant cabin variation but seems not. A$3000 is a lot of bottles of wine at dinner.

Sometimes hard to secure the 4 SC suites on deck 7. We spent 2 weeks in 7086 and was wonderful.

Thanks! That settles it...now I just have to decide port or starboard as we are going to a couple of ports in a Hawaii. Thanks so much for all the help.