Do You Need Extra Leg Room?

If you've ever boarded a jet or cruise ship, you're already among a very elite group of people in the history of the world.

Being jammed into an airline seat may not feel like living in the lap of luxury, but compared to walking across the country dragging a suitcase behind you, it's a breeze.

I always tell myself that on long flights, but on our return flight from Madrid, Julie paid a premium for us to have "Main Cabin Extra" bulkhead seats, which seemed to give us more leg room than even the people in Business Class, though our seats didn't recline like theirs, and I have to say, it really makes a difference in comfort for a lot less than the price jump to First Class. Theoretically, you might get assigned those seats, but airlines no longer seem prepared to give that legroom to you simply because you could play center for the Lakers.

At the airport, Julie happened to notice a tour bus for Insight Vacations, which had "MORE LEGROOM - MORE COMFORT" emblazoned on its side beneath the logo. Observing it to be empty, I asked the driver if I might have a look inside, because my 6'7" client Greg has been considering a tour of Europe by motor coach but has concerns about legroom. True to its advertising, by virtue of taking out seats to reduce the capacity to 40 guests, the bus does indeed have "Business Class Legroom."

Why shouldn't you take the most comfortable vacation you can afford?



For most of us, that means boarding a cruise ship on which we can enjoy fine dining and world class entertainment while traveling between inviting ports.

Even among cruise ships, there are varying degrees of comfort, and once you've committed to the idea of taking a vacation, the marginal price difference may not be as great as it initially seems.

For example, while Oceania pricing is certainly higher than Princess, which as you know I've often lauded for wonderful cruise experiences, once you factor in items like free airfare and unlimited Internet plus other amenities worth hundreds of dollars, the gap is far from insurmountable.

As great as mainstream cruises are, when you go to some production shows, you may find it difficult to claim two seats together if you arrive at the last minute.



A more upscale line like Oceania eliminates such inconveniences. On a recent cruise, that became crystal clear. The showroom has significant extra legroom between seats, so late arrivals or waitstaff delivering drinks don't need to step on toes or force people to stand for them to pass. That's accomplished by eliminating tables and making the chair backs thinner but still more supportive, plus adding another foot or so just for good measure.

The philosophy carries on in other elements of the cruise experience. There were always two plushly-padded lounge chairs available any time we chose to relax poolside and never a wait for any-time dining. Even tendering to shore, which was only required once, proved to be a snap. We simply showed up at the meeting lounge to immediately board the lifeboat and head to Portofino as soon as another arrived behind ours, without waiting for laggers to fill all of the seats.

The staterooms are also comfortable, with both bath tub/shower and separate shower (not shown) in the relatively large marble bathroom stocked with complimentary Bvlgari products.

In some ways, a standard balcony on Oceania feels more like a mini-suite, but quite frankly, on their port-intensive itineraries, I could easily go with an interior or certainly an ocean view room, though a private balcony is always nice. Put a mini-suite on a mainstream ship up against an interior on Oceania with free airfare, and the price difference evaporates.

However, make no mistake: every cruise is a wonderful experience, as long as you've been helped to find one that suits your personality.