IMNiles

We have sailed Christmas markets on the Danube, both on AMA and Uniworld.  We have also sailed AMAMagna, but not at Christmas.  This is a very difficult choice, and it might come down to the sort of stateroom you are planning to book and whether you are the sort of people to spend a lot of time aboard and in your stateroom, or if you view it as a floating hotel.  I’ll start by saying both lines are excellent and I would never hesitate to sail either of them.

There is no question that Uniworld is more inclusive, and the decor of their ships, while some view it as a bit much, really helps put you in that “old world spirit,” particularly at the holiday time.  The service is impeccable, the food wonderful, and it’s really hard to fault.  Depending on the ship, however, the staterooms may be a bit smaller, and are definitely smaller than AMAMagna.  So, if you’re “stateroom people” you might lean towards AMAMagna.  If the food, wine, service, and inclusivity are most important to you, then I’d lean Uniworld.  I have also found their tours and guides to really be a “cut above” many other lines (they are not employed by the line, but contracted).

AMAMagna is a class unto itself, literally.  Because it is so much wider than standard river ships, the staterooms are very noticeably larger.  The lounge is larger, and there are additional dining options that do not exist on the standard riverboats.  AMA is not all inclusive, though.  This means that not only are you on the hook for alcohol (outside of the daily happy hour and wine/beer at meals), you also have to consider crew gratuities.  Service on AMA is unfailingly friendly, if a bit less “nothing is a problem” than Uniworld.  In my personal experience, AMA had more onboard activities “in the christmas spirit” (like a tree decorating event) than Uniworld, but this was pre-COVID so that may have changed.

You can’t go wrong with either of these choices, really, so pick the one that speaks to you.

As host Jazzbeau has said, this is a tricky question to answer without running afoul of the rules!  Nevertheless, I’ll give it a go.  As many others have said, nothing beats a referral, but absent that, here are a few criteria you might consider, assuming you’re not looking for a rebate/discount :

* Do you always deal with the same agent, and do they either answer or return calls/emails in a reasonable timeframe?

* If your “regular” agent isn’t available (agents are real people too who need to sleep and take vacations), is there someone else “minding the store” ?

*Is the agent associated with some larger organization (like one of the several large consortia) that can either provide some benefit leverage or a minimal expectation of competence?

And really the most important -

* Does the agent actually travel?  In my experience, the best agents are those that love to travel and have been to many of the places they sell.  As a corollary, does the agent like/do the particular _kind_ of travel you are considering? (River, ocean, land…).  Ask the agent what their favorite thing was about a line or destination - do they have an answer and does it resonate with you, or did you read the same thing on google?  Do you sense a passion for travel, or do you feel like they’re trying to close and move on?  

I suspect if Seabourn really wanted out of the expedition market, there would be ready buyers for the two ships given the explosion of the luxury expedition market and the number of players who would otherwise have to wait to build their own.  I don’t see a need to resort to anything more indirect.  Agreed, that longtime Seabourn folks probably want to avoid the APT-chartered sailings until more is known about how they run.  Is it possible that Seabourn has just decided that they’d rather run the hotel side of things and let someone else run the expedition side?  I suppose only time will tell.

Your mileage may vary, but I have a booking on Venture for December 2025, and the kayaks and submersible are already showing as bookable on my reservation.

I have an alternate perspective.  While I have no insight into the details of this specific partnership, there is a non-dramatic precedent in the form of AMAWaterways (river cruise line).  For many years, APT has partnered with AMA to charter some of their voyages and market them in Australia, where AMA has a comparatively weak presence.  I believe I heard that APT also helped finance some of AMA’s ships as a part of this cooperative agreement.  I do know that AMAWaterways is very much a going concern, and this is in no way a “try before you buy” situation - it is a successful long term partnership.  The APT charters work very much like AMA cruises, except that some terms like gratuities are adjusted to match Australian expectations.  I suspect the same may also be true in this case.  Seabourn wants to get exposure to the Australian market, and APT is a very large and extremely well regarded player there.  This charter could well be not just an opportunity to not only fill ships, but to possibly reach a market where Seabourn would like to grow their presence, with much less risk than trying to launch a marketing effort on their own.

This is not a bare-metal charter, so as someone else stated, Seabourn is operating the ship, but it is also true that in this kind of arrangement the charter company does have some control over certain aspects of the operation (by specifying brands that would appeal to their audience, for instance).  This said, I find it hard to believe that Seabourn would be willing to risk their reputation by allowing a charter company to dictate a food and beverage program that would be antithetical  to their own principles such that it would lead to bad press.

Of course, we won’t find out for sure what the experience is like until someone sails and reports back 🙂

We have arrived in Passau to disembark tomorrow, and the water levels are indeed quite high.  Looking out the window at the shoreline down near the tip, all but the top three steps down to the Danube are covered.  Another foot or 18 inches and it will be lapping at street level.  It continues to rain.   In the hour or so I’ve been sitting here, the fourth step went from “in and out” to “consistently submerged.”  Here’s to hoping that Munich airport isn’t badly disrupted, or there is going to be a real mess.

“have just read that a barge has hit the the railway bridge at Regensburg. It happened around lunchtime and river traffic was halted. It was estimated that this would continue into the evening. Not sure if things have returned to normal there yet.”
 

wow, that section of river can’t catch a break this week,  things seem well on the river downstream between Budapest and Bratislava,  water very high, and quite fast through Budapest, but traffic seems to be moving.  I’ve seen only sporadic traffic between Linz and Vienna, but hopefully that’s just a function of schedules and not water.

Oh my, this is a lot more water drama than I expected in December!  I guess this is the new normal.  I’m very sorry to hear about the situation with the Scenic Opal (though sadly it is not out of character for Scenic/Emerald in my experience) - glad to hear they were able to accommodate the reverse sailing on Jasper, anyway.  I get of course that they have less than zero control over the weather, but how they react in a situation like this is what makes all the difference.

I met some folks at the airport who were due to sail on AmaSonata out of Budapest tomorrow, but since she is still way upstream near Straubing that seems pretty unlikely, so I hope they had an alternate ship for them here.  I myself am due to board SS Maria Theresa tomorrow, and I am gratified to see that she is already here, and since we don’t have to pass beyond Vienna until Tuesday I hope that means the trips heading upstream this weekend will be able to make the full run.  I’m quite sure Uniworld will take good care of us in any case, and in the meantime I will continue to gorge myself on Goulash here in Budapest 🙂 

I think folks have mostly covered it, but in general the first two (edge and apex) are “nearly twins” as are the second two (beyond and ascent) - the big changes are between the two pairs.  Most notably, the sunset bar is dramatically improved in the second pair, the layout of the martini bar is improved (more central bar, more space), the rooftop garden is different, and there is quite a bit more shade on the retreat sun deck.  There have been other minor differences of course.  We just disembarked Ascent yesterday having only previously been on Edge and I would choose the Ascent every time unless the price difference was really dramatic.

Imagine how quiet these boards would be if we didn’t have dress codes to talk about!  I sympathize with your questions - I’ve been on multiple christmas market cruises, and multiple uniworld cruises, and even I struggle to articulate what is appropriate to the friends with whom I am traveling in a couple of weeks.

In the end, I settled on “dress as you would for a nice special occasion dinner at a restaurant that does not sell gift cards at the grocery store.”  This is not to impugn chain restaurants, because who doesn’t love bottomless shrimp or endless breadsticks, but my memory tells me that most people will be dressed, as a previous poster aptly put it, “respectfully.”  This means no ball caps, shorts, flip flops, tank tops, ripped clothes, or anything else that you might be surprised to see at church or work.

There is no need to go over the top unless it makes you happy so to do.  For what we paid for this trip, I think it’s fair to expect a sense of occasion, if only at our own dinner table.  So, for my part, I’ll be packing an assortment of slacks, collared shirts, and ties that can be easily mixed-and-matched as the mood suits (pun intended!), and a single sport coat in lieu of sweaters, which I often find to be too inflexible.  While I own a tux, I won’t be bringing it (I’ll save that for Cunard).  My female travel companion will be opting for nice dresses or slacks-and-shirts or sweater-dresses, perhaps lent a little flair with a scarf or well-placed piece of jewelry.  We’ll all probably pick one night to dress our best, most likely the captain’s reception.

Remember also that your itinerary probably includes a couple of evening activities off-ship, like a Mozart concert or evening visit to a venue where you may want to be nicely dressed, but also may be called upon to stand in the cold waiting for a coach or visiting a market.  Sensible trumps flashy, because you want to remember the beautiful market, not how cold you were.

Gosh, this has the potential to spiral out of control very quickly.  Were I a mod, I’d probably close the topic, though I think the answers so far have been generally spot on, and I’m gratified that the flamethrowers have remained mostly holstered.  

I’m very sorry the OP’s plans were ruined, and I have no reason to doubt their own subsequent “lesson learned” response.  An expensive and painful lesson to be sure, but also perhaps a reminder we could all use.  I mean, we were all expecting a global pandemic, right?  

Things that may once have seemed far off and unlikely are not just possible, but seem to be increasing in frequency (or at least in visibility).  Fear of travel is real, and it’s an insurable risk.  If we’re going to visit corners of the world not renowned for their stability, we need to adjust the way we think about that risk, and either accept it or insure against it.  I don’t think it’s fair or reasonable to expect a travel supplier to shoulder a risk from events in which they really have no role (I see no evidence of negligence here).  I think travel agents can also play a part in helping people understand what they can and cannot expect in terms of flexibility in the event of this sort of eventuality.  

I believe it’s also important to recognize, without weighing in on who is right or wrong (this is not the time or place), the impact on our travel plans is definitely not the greatest tragedy of this conflict.

Connection is great aboard Onward right now in the Canary Islands…. Not as good as home but amazing for a ship!

Want2Cruise701, sorry to hear DH isn’t feeling well, but thanks both for reporting in (we’re booked in just three weeks), and also for being so responsible with regard to your travels home!

I don’t believe that anybody but staff are on the bottom deck, but I don’t have any insight into whether people booked the cabins they are in or were upgraded.  People seem to be spread out - we have no immediate neighbors that I am aware of.  I know for sure our connecting cabin is vacant, since after a day of listening to the safety message over and over I had to get the staff to go into the room and shut it off.  I have not discerned any difference in the program due to the low occupancy.  Other than the obvious ease of social distancing, one thing I will surely miss is how easy it is to find a seat in the lounge before dinner - no mad dash to get a seat for the briefing.  

Greetings from the AMAKristina!  Just a quick note to let folks know who may still be planning to travel this holiday season, river cruises are still a GO on the Rhône in France.  We have been aboard for three nights, and have been having a lovely time.  Vaccination was required (and checked), for all passengers and crew.  Most aboard have also (voluntarily) had boosters.  Occupancy is very thin - less than 50 passengers are aboard a vessel that usually hosts around 160.  Our temperature is checked every morning, sanitizing is strongly encouraged, and masks are required (and enforced) when “up and about.”  Dinner tables are assigned and fixed throughout the sailing.  We do feel that we are sailing in a bit of a privileged bubble.  The staff has been very friendly, as is typical for AMAWaterways, and the tour guides have been excellent.  One advantage of Rhône itineraries is that the ports are so close together you can often get the same guide two ports in a row, which is great when you get one you like.

We are sailing exclusively through France, so French law applies.  This means that for some tours, and for basically any public venue ashore, a “pass sanitaire” is required (digital proof of either vaccination or recent negative test).  Enforcement of the pass sanitaire has been absolutely universal - I have seen people turned away even from outdoor tables at mostly empty bars if they did not have one.  The Christmas Market in Lyon, while much reduced from previous years, is running and also has strict pass requirements (it’s fenced and guarded at every entrance).  Masking is essentially universal indoors, and very common (but not total, even though required) outdoors.  It was very easy for us to acquire our pass sanitaire at a French pharmacy for 36 euros (each), our vaccine cards, and passports.  

I hope this serves to allay any concerns for anyone preparing to travel yet this year on the Rhône!  Happy to answer any other questions.

Happy Holidays

This does seem to be the norm, yes.  We’re on our second Rhône cruise as we speak (aboard AMAKristina), and have previous sailed aboard Uniworld in the opposite direction. In both cases there were multiple nights spent on both ends of the cruise (Lyon and Avignon).  In some cases, there were scenic “day trips” to nearby ports and excursions, and then the ship returned to the original port for the night.  Unlike on the Rhine or Danube, the distance covered on this itinerary just isn’t that great, and I suspect you’ll find actually that having more time in the “endpoints” allows you to revisit things that you either especially liked or saw in passing.  This definitely does NOT translate into a feeling of “not having seen much” - like most river cruises, it’s pretty much non-stop!  

I’m sure you will enjoy your cruise, especially since it’s aboard Uniworld (“No request too large, no detail too small”)…

On 12/10/2018 at 7:32 AM, Turtles06 said:

 

IMNiles: thank you for taking the time to do a review.  For those of us who haven't sailed on Edge, could you (or anyone else who has been on board) please tell us: 

 

1) is there a forward-facing exterior deck area, open to everyone  -- the kind of open deck area from which it's great to watch sail-ins and sail-aways, and also just enjoy the ocean (like the areas facing over the bow on Decks 15 and 16 on the S-class ships); and

 

2) is there an interior, forward-facing lounge (like the Sky Lounge on S-class), open to everyone, and great for watching the ocean (and sail-ins, sail-aways) when the weather is too hot, cold, or wet to be outdoors, or when you just want to sit in a comfortable chair and have that great view of the water

 

(if yes as to either, where are they?)
 

Thanks!

 

 

Trying this again since my first post seemed to go into the ether.  Based on my recollection, not forward-facing, no.  I did notice the absence of the sky lounge, and I’m not sure what the intended replacement space is.  I’m not aware of any public spaces right at the front of the ship, so if this is important to you then that would certainly impact your decision.  As with many other ships, the gym and spa have views out the front, but unless you’re in the thermal suite that’s not really where you’re going to hang out.

As I recall, the open deck areas are all from the solarium back.  The views out from the pool deck (including from the Solarium) are much improved, and are even better from the magic carpet (when it’s parked on that deck).  I’m particularly fond of the new running track, which actually winds between two decks, offering a much more interesting range of views for those walking/running on the track.  As I noted before, I found the sunset bar to be a little cramped, but the views out from both the inside and outside of the ocean view cafe are hugely improved.  Finally, with the dining rooms moved out of the prime aft space, Eden has a huge multi-deck aft-facing view, as well as outdoor public seating on both sides.  

So a bit of a mixed bag on this score, to be sure.  For me personally, not being someone who likes to be in the sun, I’m perfectly happy, but I know that others will not be.

Wow.  Very polarized opinions!  There is no question that Edge is quite different from previous X vessels (and other ships in general), and this is bound to cause some agita among those accustomed to the older vessels.  Yet, it is also a clear extension of trends we’ve already been seeing on X and indeed industry-wide, including an increasing array of extra-charge “specialty” restaurants and “ship within a ship” areas reserved for suite passengers.  Having been on the ship, I can easily say that it is already among my favorites, but I can also see that it will not be for everyone (nor does it need to be!).

First the disclaimer : I sailed on a two day non-revenue “preview” cruise as an invited guest.  This said, we were (and remain) already booked to sail over New Years, a trip for which we paid full price, and a hefty premium at that.  

As others have noted, it’s hard to judge overall atmosphere and entertainment options on a pre-inaugural cruise.  All the entertainment we saw was very good (if a bit “edgy” in Eden), but I’m withholding judgement (and an actual review) until our first “real” cruise.  

What we CAN judge, though, is the hard product.  Count me in the group that thinks the ship is gorgeous.  Yes, the palette is very muted, but if you visit a premium hotel these days (think “W”) you’re likely to encounter the same.   Did it look cheap?  No, anything but.  The finishes were all to an extremely high standard, and the art was just as diverse and interesting as the rest of the fleet.  It was definitely a much more modern aesthetic though - much more so even than the S class.  If you’re looking for luxury in the form of over-the-top scale, marble, and crystal chandeliers, then this is not your ship.  

Was there a lot of natural wood?  No.  Neither were there acres of marble or other traditional trappings of luxury.  Instead, we have decor that is refined and anything but cookie-cutter.  Everywhere you look (even the ceilings!) there is something interesting to see, and that’s before you even get to the art.  The best word I can use is “details.”  Little details were everywhere, and I noticed new ones each time I passed - it really seems like they put a lot of effort into creating a beautiful and engaging space, and resisted the temptation to throw a lot of wood and marble at it.  

I found Eden, a particularly polarizing space, to be an extremely peaceful spot to hang out in the morning - far from the hustle and bustle of the buffet, I sat with a coffee and a fresh-made breakfast sandwich from the Eden Cafe and gazed out at the wake through the expansive two-deck high windows.  This space was previously wasted (in my mind) for the dining rooms, given that for many people it would be dark by the time they were there.  Was the entertainment at night (after 10) “edgy” and even a bit weird?  Yes.  Even so, we enjoyed our engagement with the “Edenists,” as did (apparently) everyone else who stuck around - those who found it was not to their taste just left.  This is fine.  I did find that the drinks in Eden were expensive, though.  The specialty cocktails were all priced above the threshold of the premium package (it’s unclear whether X will adjust the threshold for this ship).

We really liked the buffet - it seemed a lot brighter and more open than other ships, and there seemed, somehow, to be more connected to the outside.  The food was varied and excellent.  We particularly appreciated the good selection of Indian and Asian food - an X hallmark we miss when on other lines.

We were not in a suite, and are also not in a suite for our upcoming sailing, but we did get a chance to visit the retreat and eat one meal in Luminae.  I’ll admit I will miss not being able to hang out in the outdoor spaces of the retreat - they were much more serene than the regular pool deck - but even so I had no trouble finding quiet nooks on the ship to hang out, both inside and out.  Do I begrudge the suite guests their space?  No.  That’s part of what they’re paying for and by definition you cannot have a “retreat” like that if it’s open to everyone.  The whole point is capacity control and atmosphere.  I thought it was a particularly nice touch that some of the suites had “back doors” that led directly to the retreat.  The food in Luminae was good, but in line with my previous experience on other ships, I found it to be a little fussier than I like for more than the occasional meal.  I’ll happily stick to the MDR or Blu.  

Our stateroom was a concierge-class infinite verandah.  Having also been on several river cruises, we found the infinite verandah to be a welcome addition.  The room did feel slightly narrower (I haven’t checked the actual measurements), but the extra depth and wall of glass at the end made it feel palpably larger and infinitely brighter.  The bathroom was also generously proportioned for a non-suite stateroom.  We left the window open most of the time, and found that this dramatically increased our enjoyment of the stateroom - there was no production of fighting with the heavy curtains and door to get outside.  The motorized shades reliably made the room VERY dark, so we slept extremely well.  Like others have already noted, though, I will miss the ability to “peek outside” or to sit on the balcony while my traveling companion sleeps.  This could probably be solved with a curtain at the bifold doors, but I think we’ll just solve it with a sleeping mask.  Storage was also dramatically improved over S class - we had plenty of drawers and hanging space, and were glad to say goodbye to those awful over-bed cabinets.  We did not encounter a time when the window was locked by the captain, but we did learn that when we leaned on the sill, we blocked a little light sensor that made the window stop, so don’t lean on the sill while operating the window.

We ate one meal in “cosmopolitan” - I thought it was really good, as good or better than what I’m used to on X, but I do find the multiple dining room concept a little off-putting.  We’re “traditional dining” folks because we like not to have to deal with getting reservations, and enjoy having the same staff and companions each night.  Unfortunately, those on traditional dining are automatically placed in one of the four dining rooms for the entire trip.  While the menu is the same in each venue, there is a small selection of special items available only in each dining room.  I would have rather had a more Disney-like rotational dining experience, but I know that didn’t go so well when Royal tried it on Oasis class.  We have traditional dining on our next cruise, but in future may switch to “anytime” and just make reservations for 8:30 every night in various dining rooms right up front.  

We did not try the specialty restaurants, but look forward to experiencing “Le Petit Chef” on our next cruise.  I love the idea that the specialty restaurants have al fresco dining, but I don’t think it was especially well-executed.  It seemed insufficiently protected from wind, separated from passing traffic, and shielded from unlovely views of lifeboats (Blu).

We didn’t spend any time in the Casino, but our muster was there and it seemed nice.  I liked the fact that it was neither required nor actually really possible (without special effort) to pass through the casino to go between other venues.  I think the bar would have been better placed in the middle, but I did note that for the first time I recall, they’ve added bar-top gaming machines.

The Grand Plaza was always quite lively, and it seemed rather easier to navigate than on other ships, but I think they may regret putting the bar at one end, because it’s comparatively difficult to get to when full - perhaps they expect most people to use table service.  As others have noted, this space was often quite loud, especially in the evening hours.  That may be an issue for folks in the specialty restaurants that overlook it.  The Grand Plaza Cafe seemed not to be open much, and when it was I found the food looked better than it tasted.

We weren’t able to spend much time at the rooftop garden, because during our preview cruise it was mostly closed for private events.  I for one will really miss the real grass from S class, but I also acknowledge that the lawn was tragically underused on many sailings.  I’m sure we will continue to sail S and M class, as itineraries dictate, so I’m OK not having it when on Edge.  I’ll agree with the poster who calls out the sunset bar as a missed opportunity.  It seemed very narrow to me, and a step backwards from Reflection in that bar patrons face the bar and not the ocean.

The theater is fantastic.  The stage juts out into the room, so seating is around 3/4 “in the round” - we really felt much closer to the action than on other ships.  There’s even a small section of cocktail tables right down near the stage that we didn’t notice until after our show or we would have sat there.  The technical capabilities are clearly a cut above the other ships in the fleet, and the one show we saw, “Jewelry Box,” was a lot like a cirque du soleil show in that it was quite abstract, but the performances were very good and the production values very high.  This certainly blows the socks off of the last batch of X shows (R.I.P “Maxx”), which we thought were frankly awful.  It’s hard to judge more until we take a “real” cruise and see the full lineup.

We didn’t get a chance to try a ride on the Edge Launches (tenders) but they do look a lot more comfortable.  The destination gateway seems like it will be a much more pleasant place to embark/disembark than the typical “bowels of the ship down by the infirmary”.  The teen club (“The Basement”) was closed for an event, but I did poke my head into the kids club, which was chockablock with video games, robot kits, and other stuff that should keep the kids plenty engaged.

We had a cocktail on the magic carpet, and it was really cool to be right out there “at the edge” over the water.  We didn’t eat there when it was positioned as a restaurant.  I think it’s a big win for tender embarkation when positioned at the bottom.  

If I had to sum up my impressions, I’d say that they definitely nailed the “modern luxury” aesthetic, but I do think it’s going to turn off a segment of more traditional cruisers.  The “retreat” will both appeal to suite guests and annoy those who think all spaces should be for everyone (for what it’s worth, there is no shortage of public space open to everyone).  I do think we might be missing one “show lounge,” but it’s also possible that I just never found it.  It seems clear to me that X is trying to push themselves a bit further up-market and are catering to a slightly younger, more affluent,  well-traveled crowd who may not have ocean-cruised before, and will appreciate all the details that set the Edge apart from a typical cruise ship.  Unfortunately for X, these aren’t necessarily the folks who write cruise ship reviews, so I think they’ll continue to be skewed to the negative “not like other ships” type for at least the next few months.  I encourage people to see for themselves, and decide if Edge is for them.  I for one am really looking forward to re-boarding in just a few weeks.

The concierge and regular Infinite Verandahs are identical except for a few amenities.  The toiletries are nicer in concierge (C.O. Bigelow instead of X branded), fluffier robes, umbrellas and binoculars, evening canapés, and a couple other things.  We were just on an inaugural in a concierge cabin and really loved the infinite verandah, but it may upset some traditionalists.  It’s pretty much exactly like a river cruise cabin - the whole outer wall is glass, and the bottom top slides down electrically.  We pretty much left the window open all the time, and it was great - you didn’t have that problem where you’re trying to prop a balcony door open and fight the curtains, etc etc.  The climate control turns off while the window is open.  The window is covered by a motorized blackout shade that is VERY effective at darkening the room.  The shade is controlled either by a switch right next to it, or from the electronic thermostat, which has light/shade modes for morning/evening/sleep, etc.  We never closed folding doors that demarcate the “balcony” area. First, they were slightly fiddly to open and close, and the really don’t add a lot of value since they are clear. 

For all infinite verandah staterooms, the bathroom and shower were also noticeably larger than S or M class, but not huge.  Just about right, I think.  Storage is hugely improved over S-Class, with more drawers and hangers provided, and no more of that awful giant storage bin over the bed.

A few things that surprised us : 

1. The captain can remotely close and lock the windows in the case of inclement weather or for safety reasons.  Also there is a light sensor on the ledge that, when blocked, will stop the window.

2. The cabin steward warned us to pull the furniture back from the window so that the shade would not be damaged as it is lowered - I suspect a lot of these shades will need replacing fairly often, but we LOVED how dark they made the room when closed.

3. When the shades are closed, there is no way to “peek” outside without opening the blinds and flooding the room with light.  There are no shades for the “balcony” partition, so one person cannot sit there and look at the ocean while another sleeps, unless that other has a mask on or can sleep in a light room.

net net, we MUCH prefer the infinite verandah, and will put up with the shortcomings.

As Jack1 said, it is not difficult to use Visa on Arrival (VOA) for either a single or multiple entry Vietnam Visa. We sailed this year with AMAWaterways and used vietnamvisapro.net to arrange our VOA letter. We paid a little extra ($30) for the "VIP" service where somebody met us to collect our letters, passports, photos, and money, but when we arrived in Hanoi there was no line at all so it would not have been difficult to do ourselves. The letter itself was very cheap - we paid $33 for a private letter for three travelers. The visa itself was $50 per person (cash). So in total for three people we paid $213. Cambodia was even easier - there was a very obvious desk right after we entered the terminal and before baggage claim where we bought our Visas for $35 apiece.

Thanks for sharing!

Apparently, another round of bar price increases is making the rounds, but I'm not sure if it's made it to Brilliance - Do you by any chance remember what the prevailing price was for a fairly standard well cocktail, or even a premium on like a grey goose vodka or something?

This is a tough call - they're both fine ships (I've sailed both). For families, I'd give the edge to Royal - they skew younger and there is more for the kids to do. For a 45+ couple then I'd give the edge to Celebrity. We're both "lower forties" and now find that we prefer the ambiance on Celebrity. It's classy without being stuffy, with a vibe that befits their "modern luxury" tagline.

As others have mentioned, we think the food on X is a "cut above" Royal and while I know this sounds like a minor thing, we love the fact that there are no announcements other than the midday captain's briefing and perhaps the occasional crew drill. No "BINGO BINGO BINGO" or what have you.

Both ships are similar in size, though the space ratio is better on Millennium. We have found that the drinks have gotten fairly expensive lately on Celebrity, but since you have the drink package that's no big deal.

Someone else asked about future cruise bookings - no, they are not transferable across lines but you can book one while sailing on the other. Yes, Diamond Plus makes you Elite on Celebrity, and we find that we prefer the elite cocktail party on Celebrity over the Concierge Lounge on RCCL. The free internet (amount varies by trip length) and laundry are also a big plus.

Either ship would be a great choice, of course - you can't go wrong!

As others have said, it's all commission based. Rates vary by line and how much volume the agency does. Many (most?) agents now are independent and affiliated with "host agencies" that also take a cut.

Before you start doing the math and adding up the commissions, know that in addition to the taxes and fees (which are naturally not commissionable) there is also an invisible "non commissionable" part of the fare that is carved out before commission is paid. This number is not public and will vary. bizeemom4 is right in that air almost never pays a commission any more, and the liability for error is so high that many agents just don't want to deal with it (it really is a pain).

As another poster mentioned, TAs often compete by putting together groups of cabins that they book in advance at preferential rates (often with extras like an OBC), and sell individually. Just about any other "perk" is bought right out of the commission. Some agents compete on this basis, others don't. They're just different segments of the market. The lines typically do not allow discounting of any kind, and also have restrictions on the kinds of things that can be "rebated" out of an agent's commission.

The "TA or direct" question comes up often, and the answer really always boils down to "it depends." If you're a motivated do-it-yourselfer then you might value the direct access to the line or the perks offered by an online "call center" TA. If you are inexperienced, pressed for time, or simply not interested in sweating the details, then a good TA is worth their weight in gold.

Nobody gets rich being a TA, but there are the considerable rewards of helping people realize their dream vacation, and yes, the occasional discounted trip.

You really can't go wrong with either of these ships. They're similarly sized, and you're clearly familiar with the Celebrity "vibe." In fact, as Summit is sister to Millennium, you are already familiar with the ship. Not sure if you sailed before or after her "Solsticization."

I sailed Radiance Southbound in Alaska a number of years ago, and it was a fantastic trip. Others are right when they say that all that glass really makes a difference - so much more immersive than the larger, more inward-looking ships. This isn't to say that Millennium feels closed-in, of course, but Radiance class was built for places like Alaska - you really feel more connected to the outside.

All of this said, if I had to choose today, I personally would choose Millennium because I've come to appreciate the Celebrity experience, and while I still enjoy Royal cruises, I find them just a bit wanting relative to X. It's the little things like the welcome champagne, the hot (or cold, depending on weather) towels at the gangway, the restrictive smoking policy, and above all the blissful absence of all-day PA announcements for "BINGO BINGO BINGO" (there is only the captain's noon announcement) that keep me coming back to X.

As I said at the start though, you really cannot go wrong here.

Yes, all the various layers of options, promotions, combinability, etc have made it very complicated (and it's not just Celebrity!) - it helps to have a good agent, or a lot of time to search. I've taken to telling clients the same thing I tell people who want to book guarantee cabins - book the cabin (or price/promo) that makes you happy, and if we find a better promo later then it's a bonus! Nobody wants to leave money on the table, but your time is worth something.

In the end, I often find that various combinations of promos always "net out" to about the same price. The idea to book the previous years' cruise aboard and move it later is also a good strategy.

Also, never look at prices after final payment - those last minute specials can sting a bit, but are rarely for the cabin you chose. You pay a premium for that certainty. I make it a policy to only look at higher cabins into which I might upgrade after final payment :)