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I keep on my phone copies of our passports,  driver's license, and visa (if any), vaccination cards, credit card phone numbers to report a stolen card, pictures of the outside of any prescription meds we are taking, telephone numbers of our doctors, our itineraries, boarding passes, ticket confirmation numbers, hotel phone numbers and address, and cruise line/ship numbers. Yes, I have all that in hard copy in a folder in my carry on, but it's great to have it at your fingertips if you need it, particularly if you are out sightseeing when something happens and can't get back to the hotel or ship right away. Conversely, having the hard copy has saved me a couple of times when my phone died or I didn't have internet access.

If traveling overseas, I also put in my phone the address and phone number of the closest US embassy or consulate in every location where we will be traveling.   While I haven't ever needed it, there have been a few times I was glad I had the information handy - such as the time my taxi in Shanghai was involved in a car accident.  

Also, while English is considered a universal language, don't count on everyone being able to speak English to you, particularly if in Asia.  Even in Europe where nearly everyone speaks English, people appreciate you giving it a try in their language. 

And one last tip - consider getting TSA Precheck. If you plan on your travels taking you outside of the US, then consider Global Entry. 

I haven't ever tried to get to the airport from the port in New Orleans, but I have taken a lot of taxis, UBER, etc from downtown to the airport. Whatever amount of time you think it will take, double it. I have more New Orleans horror stories about trying to get to the airport in New Orleans than I can count!

After 40 years of cruising, there are not many cruise lines that we have not been on at least once. We aren't particularly loyal to any one line (depends on itinerary, timing, etc) but we generally book either one of the Premium lines (we like HAL but we also do Celebrity and Princess) or one of the Luxury lines, like Regent. I had been wanting to try Viking, prompting us to book Viking for a cruise last year.  I am sure some will disagree with me, but we had a hard time seeing the luxury line comparison. Yes, it has some all inclusive features that the luxury lines typically have. Small ship. Small ratio of staff to passengers. Still, we felt the overall experience was more in line with a premium cruise line, not a luxury line. And probably closest to HAL in comparison. With that in mind, I'm going to compare it to HAL.   One thing we have learned over the years is that it's not necessarily a matter of which line is "better" but which line fits your travel style and itinerary desires the best. So please take my thoughts with that in mind. 

 Like Viking, HAL is a bit of an older crowd, more low key. We found the food on Viking "ok" but not as good as that on HAL. We normally prefer the specialty restaurants, however, it was difficult, if not impossible, to make reservations of any kind in the specialty restaurants, unless you wanted to eat at 9:00. Everything was booked by the time I was able to make reservations.  I can normally always manage a reasonable time reservation on HAL once on board, even if I wasn't able to online. That was absolutly not possible on Viking. We don't need a lot of entertainment in the evening and generally find the big productions cheesy, but we do like the music venues on HAL. In contrast, we found very little evening entertainment at all on Viking, and what was there was more in line with what you would find on a riverboat cruise. I can't comment on the tours as we were in the Caribbean which is always a "relax, read a book in a deck chair, and don't need a tour" cruise for us. When we are someplace where we want a tour, we typically book a private tour.

Overall, we felt HAL provided just as nice an experience overall, in a comparable balcony cabin, similar vibe, but with better specialty restaurant options. While it does seem to me that in comparing "all in" costs, HAL is still the better value, particularly if you are doing a HIA package, our final determination was not really based on price. For us, HAL seems to be an overall better fit for our needs than Viking IF you are comparing to a premium cruise.    

One last consideration is the size of the ship. HAL ships, particularly the Pinnacle class ships that we like, are certainly bigger than the Viking ships, although not as big as the monstrous mega ships with some of the other cruise lines. We find the Pinnacle class a nice size for us. But if you would prefer to stay with a smaller ship, then you might consider trying one of the luxury lines. 

I fly to Shanghai/Hong Kong 2-3 times a year on business, typically on AA.   I stick with one of the major US airlines or look for one of the major non US flag airlines that is a codeshare partner with a US airline.  I generally find the services fairly consistent on international flights, although every flight is different.  A couple of suggestions.  First, in my experience, Shanghai is typically cheaper than Hong Kong.  My business often has me flying into Shanghai, but ending up south of Hong Kong.  While it would be more convenient to fly out of Hong Kong, most of the time I find it a cost savings to fly back to Shanghai.  The day you fly can also make a big difference as well, enough that I once recognized a $1000 savings by staying an extra day - even after I took into consideration extra hotel, the flight back to Hong Kong, etc. It can also make a difference on the connecting city, both in terms of plane and cost.  For instance, you might find it cheaper to fly through one city going and another on returning.  Also consider booking two different tickets.  A recent trip to Europe netted savings by booking two one ways vs one round trip.  

Pay attention when booking as to whether the flight is actually with the airline you booked through or a code share partner.  For instance, a flight booked on Delta through Detroit could end up actually being on China Air, which is a Delta code share partner.  Cohorts of mine that are Delta frequent flyers like Delta better than China Air, but if the flight times work for them, its not that big of a difference.  Don't think that happens if the flight is originating in Atlanta.  For what its worth, I fly China Air inside China, but am able to get the points on Delta.  A recent flight to Europe was booked on AA with an AA flight number, but was actually on a British Air plane.  The return was on AA.  In the past, I have found BA quite good, but this trip, AA noticeably beat BA for both comfort and service on board.  Cathy Pacific is an AA codeshare partner.  

As to the plane, airlines don't necessarily fly the same planes out of different gateway airports.  So if you are trying to fly premium economy, make sure you check what it is for that plane/route.  AA flys (or at least used to) its larger, newer (and I find more comfortable) planes to Asia out of Dallas.  Chicago routes tended to be older planes and not as comfortable.

Personally, I try to stay on AA as the FF points work better for me.  My preference  for Shanghai is through Dallas.  The plane is comfortable and I have always had good service.  Good luck!

I have never gone into Thailand by cruise ship, however, I have by air. It has been a year since I was last there, but my recollection is you don't have to get a visa in advance of traveling, but you do have to buy a visa at the airport once you land and before clearing customs. I don't remember exactly what it cost last time. Seems to me was around $25 US.

I have used Travel Pro for years and am a huge fan due to their durability. While they aren't the lightest brand, I have never had a weight problem. I have pieces from both the Crew line and the Platinum line. The Platinum line is a little lighter, and just as sturdy.

My husband ditched the tux and suit years ago. He now packs one or two dark sports jackets and dress pants, as well as dress shirts and ties for the more formal nights. He fits right in.

While it kind of depends on circumstances, as a rule, we don't carry our passports in the Caribbean, just sea pass and drivers license plus a photo copy of our passports. Elsewhere we generally carry our passports. Before we leave, I make 2 photo copies of our passports. One set goes into a cross-body bag I carry on shore and they stay there - even if we also have our passports with us. The other set goes in a travel wallet (the type that travel agents give to customers) that holds all our travel documents. While on board ship, the travel docs, our passports, wallets, and cash all go in the safe. That way, if something happens and we lose our passports, there are copies in our room. In addition, I have copies of our passports on our phones. I also frequently make a second copy of all our travel docs and put them in the bottom of DH's carry-on, particularly if its a long trip with multiple legs, hotels, transfers, etc. Of course, when on board ship, everything goes into the room safe. Maybe overkill, but it seems like every trip we're on I see a family frantically looking for misplaced travel documents or passports.

If you are traveling out of the U.S., I feel the peace of mind knowing you have the passport in hand if you need it is well worth the cost. When you consider that passports are valid for 10 years, the cost really isn't that much. I happened to be traveling when the 9/11 tragedy occurred. I lived on the East Coast, was stuck on the West Coast and ended up having to wait it out until the airports opened back up. Not exactly on point as the passport issue wasn't in play that time. But the point is you can't predict what will happen. That event changed how I travel in two ways. I never, ever leave the US without a valid passport in my hand, even on a cruise where I could get by without it. And I never, ever travel without emergency cash on hand. Just my view.

I never put meds in checked luggage. Fortunately, we have never had this happen to us, but I have been on cruises where it was near the end of the cruise before checked luggage caught up with some passengers. While the cruise ships have some meds available, the odds of them having your particular meds are slim at best. DH once forgot one of his meds on an international trip and we had an extremely difficult time getting him what he needed. For cruises and international trips, I also carry a small medicine kit with OTC meds which I put in my carry-on on outbound flights. For anything that comes in a box, like cold medications, I take the meds out of the box, collapse the box, then put the whole thing in a ziplock bag. That way I always know what it is but it doesn't take up any room in my carry-on. For prescription meds, I take an extra week with me, just in case we get delayed.

As to the question of whether they need to stay in original bottles, I have always carried my prescription meds portioned out in those "daily" containers you get at the drugstores and have never had any problems at customs.

I am a big fan of Travelpro, which is what most airline crews use. We have two 22 inch roll aboards, as well as a few other pieces. Neither are spinners but I have a Travelpro 25" spinner that I have been very pleased with. Wheels work great whether you use it as a spinner or tilted. Travelpro has a pretty good website that gives good descriptions of their products. They have three collections that vary in terms of weight, style, function and price. That said, I have pieces from all 3 collections and I have not seen any difference in how they perform or wear. One of the roll aboards is from the Platinum collection. It is the lighter of the two and seems to have more packing space inside. The other is from the Crew collection. I like the expansion capability on the Crew bag better. It is perfect when we don't need the 25" but just can't quite do it with the 2 roll aboards alone. I also like the outside pockets on the Crew bag better. I've never gone over the 50 pound limit in either bag and that includes times when I was returning from a conference and stuffed documents and books in it and times when I expanded the case. I should note that my Crew bag is about 12-15 years old so the weight is probably less in a new one.

Travelpro is a bit pricey, but less than Tumi or some of the others. They tend to run closeout sales on their website. Also check ebags for their pricing as well as Amazon and ebay. With a little research, you can normally get a pretty good deal, particularly if color isn't an issue. (I prefer sticking with basic black, but that's just me.) You also might try Costco. I happened to be in there this week and they had a Travelpro roll aboard for $100. Don't remember the size. If your local Costco doesn't have it, check online.

Travelpro wears incredibly well, but if you have a problem, they do have a good warranty program. In nearly 30 years of using Travelpro luggage, I've only had to have two repairs. One was the wheels on a 10 year old rollaboard - that then lasted for another 4 years. The other was a repair to the telescoping handle on my rolling briefcase. It's now about 12 years old and still going strong. I have never had to replace a zipper - just a couple of pull tabs. The quality has stayed consistent through the years. The last new piece I bought was last year and I was very pleased with it.

I should note that we are hard on luggage. Between DH and me, our rollaboards are in steady (at least monthly - sometimes weekly) use for business or pleasure. They have been stuffed into airline bins, abused by luggage handlers, lugged onto trains and cruise ships, endured muddy puddles, ice and snow, been left on the tarmac during storms, fallen down an escalator (with me in tow), and been dragged up and down stairs and over cobblestones. I don't have any covers on my luggage, and we frequently check the roll aboards on the way home. The two current ones are about 8 and 12 years old. The 15 year old piece replaced one that was about the same age, but everything is still in good working condition and you would never guess how old it is.

Overall, good wear and performance at a reasonable price. Hope this helps.

We have been on both a Rhine and Danube Christmas Market cruise on AMA. Have not been on Viking so can't compare. However, have been pleased with AMA. We have had both a French/full balcony combo cabin and a French balcony only cabin. The combo is more spacious, but both are quite comfortable.

If the timing works for you, you might consider looking at a cruise that starts around Thanksgiving. We did one starting Thanksgiving weekend that was not billed as a Christmas Market cruise that was significantly cheaper. There were only a couple of markets on the front end that weren't open. We started in Budapest. You can check dates for each location's markets on the internet. Unfortunately, 2019 dates might not be posted until sometime in 2019. If you go this route, however, make sure you are not so early as to miss the Nuremburg market.

One cruise was over Christmas and had a few families with teens. The other, in early December had only one family with children and they were quite young. We find the excursions move a bit slow for us - even the fast walkers tours. We typically use the tours for transportation and, once we get our bearings, go off on our own. There are 2 tours on the Danube that I would specifically recommend for your boys. One is the World War II tour in Nuremburg and the other is the tour of the Abbey and cathedral in Melk. They will particularly like the markets at night, which tend to have a very young vibe - particularly Nuremburg. It is generally quiet on the boats at night. Entertainment is normally local musicians.

I suspect that you will be happy with either Viking or AMA. This really makes for a nice, relaxing family Christmas vacation and your teens will be the right age to enjoy it with you.

You are correct. It is China Eastern. My apologies. I've been in two different ones and both are quite comfortable with a good selection of food throughout the day. You'll be given a pass for the one you can use.

I would stay at the airport. It has taken me as long as 2 hours to get through security at PVG and it is a real pain. I believe Delta shares the Air China Lounge which has showers and sleeping areas. There are also Priority Pass Lounges. Check your credit cards as some types give you access. America Express for instance. There is some decent shopping at PVG if you still need a few last minute gifts.

I never see this mentioned, but I have found great deals at Black and White. Steinmart generally has a collection of dressier pants and skirts that you can pair with a variety of tops. Now is a good time to pick up cocktail attire as all the department stores, like Macy's, Nordstrom's, etc., are clearing out their holiday clothes.

Check on whether there is a difference in the price dropping off at airport vs. a port or downtown location, and then factor in the cost of a taxi/uber vs. free shuttle, which the closer locations have. I don't think you'll have any more difficulty getting to a port location as to the airport and you'll save some time. On the other hand, if you are going to be picking up a car when you return, I strongly recommend picking it up at the airport. The rental locations nearest the port are packed with departing passengers all trying to rent a car at the same time - and the agency may be waiting for those cars to be returned by embarking passengers like you.

I am conflicted on this question. I got Global Entry because I was traveling internationally a lot for business. However, my husband doesn't have it, so when we travel together, I don't use it. And I've traveled with individuals who don't have it. Frankly, I'm not convinced it saves you that much time. I'm not sure I would take a full day and drive 6 hours if you are only looking at a couple of trips a year.

You might consider checking hotels in the Coconut Grove area. It's not too far from the port and is a cute area with lots of restaurants and a bit of shopping you can walk to. Quite frequently the hotels will offer packages that include transportation to the port. In any event, you are about halfway between the airport and the port. Another option is downtown near the Bayside Market.

I agree with the writer who expressed concern about making your connection. I certainly understand why you broke the trip into two separately booked legs. I have done that as well and it can result in a significant saving, particularly when you are flying out of an airport like RIC. However, because the legs are not linked, you cannot rely on Delta to put you on the next flight to Rome at no additional cost, even if the reason you missed the flight was because of their delay. I used to live in Virginia and would fly out of RIC frequently. It seemed like we were constantly delayed, although in fairness it wasn't on Delta and I never flew the RIC-BOS route. When we do this type of '2 leg" trip, we make sure we have a very long layover and there are contingency flights if our first flight is canceled for some reason. We have even flown in the day before and spent the night at a hotel near the airport. We don't do this very often as it is a real pain to put together. But the savings can be surprising if you are having to connect to a major hub for an international flight. We did this last year to connect with a flight out of PHL to Amsterdam. Even with the cost of the hotel and a few extra meals, the cost savings was still slightly over $1,000.

I am executive platinum on AA and have connected through all 3 airports on international flights - both directions. While all three provide adequate times to clear customs and make a connection, I personally try to avoid PHL at all costs. All three airports can have delays for any number of reasons - summer and winter. It's just a fact of travel. And I have been stuck in all 3 airports at one time or another. That said, I tend to find PHL less equipped to deal with delays. CLT and ORD have more resources to deal with equipment and crew resource issues. Plus, CLT and ORD will both give you more options than PHL in the event of delays. I also find customs clearance and connections coming back into the US are smoother through ORD or CLT, which can help if you have a flight that is late arriving and you find yourself squeezed on time. For a reference point, I routinely make a connection in CLT that is literally from the far end of one terminal to the farthest end of the farthest terminal in 20 minutes. It's a brisk walk but you aren't running. The AA lounges (which you will have access to being in business class) in all three are pretty good, but I do find CLT's very well placed and convenient. Ultimately, you'll be fine in any of them - so don't stress.

I think the best time to experience the markets is actually at night. You can easily make a meal from the various food stalls. We also enjoy eating at the local restaurants near the markets. They will be decorated for the holidays, full of people enjoying the holidays, and very festive. I would encourage you try and spend at least one night at a market, depending on the schedule. One option is to have a quick meal on the boat, skip dessert, then go back to the market for the evening where you can get cookies or other sweets and a mug of gluehwein.

In Cologne, you will probably dock within walking distance of the markets. There are a few different markets, but they are all within walking distance of each other. There are also several restaurants around the markets. We were in Cologne last year, but the boat left around dinner time so spending the evening wasn't an option. Still there were a few that looked promising with reasonably priced menus that we would have considered trying had time permitted. The menus are all posted outside and normally with an English version.

My recollection is that in Nuremburg the docks are about a 30 minute bus ride. We were in Nuremburg on the last night of a cruise, and Amawaterways ran a shuttle back and forth until around midnight. The Nuremburg market is considered by many as the premier market in Europe and you should really plan to be there in the evening. We spent a couple extra days in Nuremburg and found the restaurants near the market, which is located in the historic walled part of the city, a bit pricey. And if you're there on a weekend, you might need reservations. But one of our best evenings was one where we just tried foods from the various stalls.

Have a great time.

We were in Strasburg last year on Christmas Eve, which was deemed a terrorist target. Everywhere we went, we saw increased security, all of whom appeared on high alert. We had a wonderful time. Obviously, anything could have happened, but I am also one of those that does not intend to let my life be governed by a terrorist. As I write this we are getting ready to head out to a large venue in the US where anything could happen here. It's not just a risk in Europe.

Still, whenever I travel internationally, I always take some common sense precautions. Always remain alert to your surroundings and the people around you, particularly when you are in a crowded area. Don't just follow the guides blindly. Pay attention to where you are and make sure you know how to get back to the boat on your own if you need to. I carry either our passports or copies of our passports with me at all times and make sure that I have credit cards and cash on me (can be US dollars). This gives me options if the unthinkable happens. I load into my cell phone the addresses and phone numbers of the nearest US embassies/consulates near where we will be, and make sure I know the emergency 911 number in each country. I also carry travel insurance that includes medical and civil unrest evacuation coverage. These are simple guide rules that security experts install at businesses for executives who travel. They are just as applicable when you are vacation, maybe even more so.

Go and have a great time. The markets are wonderful.

Unless you are one of the cruise lines private islands, I would not recommend booking beach loungers. It will be expensive and you will typically be at a crowded beach with overpriced concessions. Over the years, I've learned to ask some of the crew members where they like to go on a day off. Purser staff, entertainers, and shop staff seem to be good ones to ask. They've never failed to come up with a recommendation for a nice stretch of beach where I can get a beach chair, as well as a bite of lunch. Always make sure to work out your return trip with the cab driver and leave yourself plenty of time to get back to the ship.

The cruise ships weren't really doing organized kid activities when we first started cruising with ours. However, our experience was the kids all seemed to find each other and hook up pretty quickly. We let them go on their own but with some strong rules in place. First complaint from someone and they would have to stay with us from that point forward. That alone is a pretty good incentive to behave. They had to check in with us on a regular basis. They could not, under any circumstances, leave the ship without a parent. If we had a time scheduled to meet, such as for a meal, they had to be there on time. We never had any problem. That said, our kids were pretty seasoned travelers, even at that age. They are now grown with kids of their own, but they still talk about how grown up they felt being able to be on their own.

Ironically, the only problem we ever had was when the waiter for our table invited our then college age daughter out. She promptly told her father who reported it to the Captain. Needless to say, there was a different waiter at our table that night.

I am a Dallas gal also. We have spent a lot of time in that part of Europe in December. You should plan on cold, and potentially wet, weather. It goes without saying to bring a warm coat, hat, warm gloves, and scarf. You will likely want something that covers your ears, so add earmuffs if your hat doesn't. Also, sturdy shoes or boots that will hold up to walking, potentially on snow and ice, and can keep your feet warm even if they get wet. Plan on dressing in layers. We pack the equivalent of long underwear and have found it can make all the difference, particularly once the sun goes down. Keep in mind it will be dark by 4:30 that time of the year. I have found that a pair of opaque tights under my slacks/jeans works great. Wal-mart's is a good place to buy inexpensive long sleeved tees that are designed to wear as a base layer. Last year, I packed knee high boots and found that extra layer on my legs made a big difference.

If you don't have a wool or other heavy coat (as many Dallas gals don't) but do have a trenchcoat, put the lining in it and bring it. I did that a couple of years ago. With the base layers, a warm sweater, and an extra heavy shawl wrapped around my shoulders, I was both stylish and comfortable. And it snowed that entire trip!

We find the common areas on the boat can be chilly. I packed a couple of dressy sweaters for evening that I could wear with pants or a skirt, as well as a shawl that I could add. My husband ended up wearing a sports jacket over his sweater most nights.

Lastly, throw in a couple of small umbrellas in your bag. The cruise lines typically provide big umbrellas, which we used. But if you plan on doing anything before or after your cruise, there is a good bet you will be glad you have them with you.

Enjoy the cruise.