why to book the larger room

Deluxe Suite on the Sanctuary Ananda

Our journey has taken us to Bagan where we were met upon arrival by an A&K rep who assisted with our transfer to the Sanctuary Ananda, the riverboat that would be home for the next three days in Myanmar. We were escorted to our Deluxe Suite on the Mandalay deck and started settling in. During the course of unpacking, I discovered a sheet offering upsell possibilities. For $500 all-in, we had the option of an upgraded Luxury Suite.

We asked to ask to see the larger suite. The difference between Deluxe (291 sq ft) and Luxury (334 sq ft) is just 43 square feet. To luxury hotel aficionados, space onboard ships will always seem cramped. The Deluxe "suite" (291 sq ft) had enough room for a bed and a small desk; no place to sit or hang out. The Luxury "suite" (334 sq ft) had an additional 43 square feet of living space. That may not seem like much, but it would mean a world of difference inside our cabin.

• The larger suite had a sitting area with a sofa and easy chair.
• Two luggage racks were provided in the room.
• The closet area was more accessible and much more usable.
• The balcony was 50% larger with a lounge chair.

In the world of hotels, 334 square feet constitutes a very small "superior room." Onboard a river cruise ship, a cabin that makes efficient use of this space can be quite comfortable.

We upsold and are delighted we did! Lesson to be gleaned: when you book a cruise, it's well worth the additional cost to secure the largest cabin within your budget. Your cabin becomes personal space, not just a place to sleep.

copyright  (c)  2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

our first river cruise — cruising the Irrawaddy

River cruising is the hottest new trend in foreign travel, and it's easy to understand why.

You pack and unpack just once.

Your ship docks right in the center of things, not in an ocean port many miles away.

Meals and touring opportunities are all included.

Claire and I will soon experience three nights aboard the Sanctuary Ananda during our week in Myanmar, cruising the Irrawaddy from Bagan to Mandalay. We'll have a chance to visit pagodas, markets, a monastic center, and the intriguing U Bein Bridge, the world's longest teak bridge.

Not all river cruises are created equal. If you contact us, we'll be happy to share some comparisons among the major river cruise lines. To whet your curiosity, here are some interesting data points for European river cruises on the Rhine and Danube rivers. While these ships are the same size, most have 150 guests (or more) on board. More guests means less space, crowded restaurants, and smaller cabins. Most river cruise cabins are smaller than 225 sq. ft.

Luxury travel means having space to call your own and the experience of exclusivity. To find out the identities of all six cruise lines in this chart, just get in touch!

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.