My airline has a SOP of always setting the flight altitude panel to match the cruise level in the FMC. As we're a shorthaul operator this doesn't usually cause a problem, but where the max cruise level in the FMC is below the intended cruise and a step climb is needed, there is a need to re-set both the FMC and the pressurisation panel once cleared to the higher level. This regularly leads to a change of differential and a cabin descent as the step climb commences.
I know it is possible to set the intended final cruise in the pressurusation panel nothwithstanding the FMC max cruise restriction, and I inadvertently did just that when just out of line training, to the severe bollocking of my Captain. Was he guarding against some danger or merely pedantically following SOP? Alternatively, would setting the final cruise level in the pressurisation panel lead to a more linear pressurisation regime?