twangster

The FCC that was used should be reissued.  It can then be applied to another cruise.  

Quantum lacks a Diamond Lounge but there is a "Golden Lounge".   It's not clear how they'll use that space outside of the Asia region. 
The upper Music Hall on Quantum has been made into a VIP Casino. 
On the pool deck where Ovation has "Fish & Ships" now, Quantum has "Noodle Shop".  
The layout is identical and if you were teleported back & forth between ships in many areas you'd have a hard time knowing which ship you were on.   

Not sure.  Even Empress hangs way out in the slip (or did).  Taken from near the aft of Empress:   

At some point as a ship gets longer and longer the physics don't work and there has to be a maximum amount of unsupported ship that can't be exceeded. 
The extra length of Vision class may be past that magic number.  I know the Captain of Empress articulated that winds can be tough in this harbor and he expected a number of missed calls for Empress.   A bigger ship with more hanging out into the harbor has to be a concern.  It's amazing even Majesty got in there.  

Not sure.  Even Empress hangs way out in the slip (or did).  Taken from near the aft of Empress:   

At some point as a ship gets longer and longer the physics don't work and there has to be a maximum amount of unsupported ship that can't be exceeded. 
The extra length of Vision class may be past that magic number.  I know the Captain of Empress articulated that winds can be tough in this harbor and he expected a number of missed calls for Empress.   A bigger ship with more hanging out into the harbor has to be a concern.  It's amazing even Majesty got in there.  

Not sure.  Even Empress hangs way out in the slip (or did).  Taken from near the aft of Empress:   

At some point as a ship gets longer and longer the physics don't work and there has to be a maximum amount of unsupported ship that can't be exceeded. 
The extra length of Vision class may be past that magic number.  I know the Captain of Empress articulated that winds can be tough in this harbor and he expected a number of missed calls for Empress.   A bigger ship with more hanging out into the harbor has to be a concern.  It's amazing even Majesty got in there.  

Explorer is part of the Voyager class while Liberty is Freedom class.  
Freedom class is basically a stretched version of Voyager class.  It's like they took a Voyager class ship and welded in an extra section in the middle.  The extra space in the middle makes room for a dedicated Sorrento's Pizza in the Promenade and an extra pool on the pool deck.  On Explorer pizza is available at cafe Promenade.  
I like Voyager class.  They are a perfect size while not being too big.  They aren't small (bigger than anything in Carnival's active fleet up to this point) so they are a large ship while keeping the guest count to a reasonable level.
Balcony cabins on Explorer are cove like in nature while Liberty has a more open balconies with glass.  Explorer was suppose to go in for her "amplification" right when the pandemic started so it was cancelled.  They had already been doing some things to her such as the cabins were already touched when I sailed her June 2018.  Explorer was set to receive water slides in the amplification so that's a notable omission right now.
Other differences - Liberty has a Suite Lounge while Explorer still has the interior Concierge Lounge, one of a handful left in the fleet.  Generally speaking if you like Liberty you'll feel right at home on Explorer.   The layout except for the extra section in the middle is very similar.  

I agree completely with you@twangster we need to learn from the progress and the mistakes that are being made. My point was with the comment that was posted to the CDC. That person seems to have an axe to grind with the cruise industry as a whole. I think the CDC listening is a good thing, I just hope they listen to the panel that RCG put together and they come up with the best program for us.

Like it or not there is a lot of evidence the current CDC position on cruising is the right thing to do at this time.
MLB tried playing games with a lot of protocols in place, no fans present and masks required for all non-player positions yet we are starting to see outbreaks among MLB personnel.  Between the two teams, the TV crew and the stadium crew there are probably something like 200-300 people present in a very large stadium.  If they can't do that without an outbreak how on earth is a cruise ship supposed to avoid an outbreak?
If there is one valid purpose for those areas in the US that are pushing the limits and reopening a lot it's that the world can learn from it.  If any country or region tried to do the same they'd face the same results - more cases and more death.  
The good news is the death rate isn't climbing like it did with the March case count spike, at least not yet.  If we can learn how to keep the death rate down while the case count is high that's a good thing.  

Like it or not there is a lot of evidence the current CDC position on cruising is the right thing to do at this time.
MLB tried playing games with a lot of protocols in place, no fans present and masks required for all non-player positions yet we are starting to see outbreaks among MLB personnel.  Between the two teams, the TV crew and the stadium crew there are probably something like 200-300 people present in a very large stadium.  If they can't do that without an outbreak how on earth is a cruise ship supposed to avoid an outbreak?
If there is one valid purpose for those areas in the US that are pushing the limits and reopening a lot it's that the world can learn from it.  If any country or region tried to do the same they'd face the same results - more cases and more death.  
The good news is the death rate isn't climbing like it did with the March case count spike, at least not yet.  If we can learn how to keep the death rate down while the case count is high that's a good thing.  

Like it or not there is a lot of evidence the current CDC position on cruising is the right thing to do at this time.
MLB tried playing games with a lot of protocols in place, no fans present and masks required for all non-player positions yet we are starting to see outbreaks among MLB personnel.  Between the two teams, the TV crew and the stadium crew there are probably something like 200-300 people present in a very large stadium.  If they can't do that without an outbreak how on earth is a cruise ship supposed to avoid an outbreak?
If there is one valid purpose for those areas in the US that are pushing the limits and reopening a lot it's that the world can learn from it.  If any country or region tried to do the same they'd face the same results - more cases and more death.  
The good news is the death rate isn't climbing like it did with the March case count spike, at least not yet.  If we can learn how to keep the death rate down while the case count is high that's a good thing.  

Like it or not there is a lot of evidence the current CDC position on cruising is the right thing to do at this time.
MLB tried playing games with a lot of protocols in place, no fans present and masks required for all non-player positions yet we are starting to see outbreaks among MLB personnel.  Between the two teams, the TV crew and the stadium crew there are probably something like 200-300 people present in a very large stadium.  If they can't do that without an outbreak how on earth is a cruise ship supposed to avoid an outbreak?
If there is one valid purpose for those areas in the US that are pushing the limits and reopening a lot it's that the world can learn from it.  If any country or region tried to do the same they'd face the same results - more cases and more death.  
The good news is the death rate isn't climbing like it did with the March case count spike, at least not yet.  If we can learn how to keep the death rate down while the case count is high that's a good thing.  

As long as dock fees are reasonable I think most ships would prefer to be at dock rather than running their engines burning more fuel and navigating around other shipping or living on anchor watch.
They might even be doing engine overhaul or maintenance.  Ships this old require a lot of scheduled maintenance so now is a great time to get stuff done.   

Trading stock is legalized gambling.  Should you bet on red or black?  Even or odd?  Will the dealer go bust with the next card?
It's probably too early to predict what will happen with Royal.  NCL is in more precarious financial shape so they may be a canary in the coal mine for us.  If NCL goes into bankruptcy it will have a chilling effect on Royal stock even if Royal doesn't follow them into bankruptcy.  Might be a good time to invest more, or it might be a sign that it's time to jump ship.

I have cruised both from Seward to Vancouver.  Millie in 2017 and Radiance in 2019.
Millie:
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/5211-alaska-recap-celebrity-millennium-june-2017/
Radiance:
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/9160-radiance-of-the-seas-alaska-southbound-83118/
Millie was before her revolutionization.  
Both are great ships and similar in size as both were built to the original Panamax standard.  I cruised Celebrity because on that occasion I was booking a suite.  On Celebrity (or X as some refer to it) a suite comes with better perks compared to Radiance suites.  All things being close to equal and since I had never sailed X I picked Millie.  The only disadvantage was not earning Crown and Anchor points. 
On Millie suites have a dedicated restaurant and access to a lounge, plus it came with 4 perks, OBC, gratuity, beverage package and internet.  Put it all together and Millie represented better value dollar for dollar, suite to suite.  
I can't think of much to complain about on either ship.  In both cases I booked the train from Anchorage direct and the itinerary was identical.  
Mille was a bit more refined.  No need to sign out towels, slightly better food in the buffet, suite restaurant on Millie (Luminae) was excellent, like Coastal Kitchen on the bigger Royal ships but better.  Radiance helipad was public where it isn't (or wasn't) on Millie.   
Unless the CAS points are a big factor for you I suggest checking out Millie since she has been refreshed now and it will give you an opportunity to try X, to see what you like or dislike.  I had a great cruise on her and I'd go back for the same reasons anytime all things are close to equal.

The problem is they are not supposed to sail or leave port until muster is complete.  Deactivating a seapass card takes too long for people to notice and do something.  
I suspect we'll be inundated with instructions during check in.  "You MUST do e-Muster before 4pm"... "If you don't do e-Muster by 4pm this horrible thing will happen".
Then there will be paging announcements every 20 minutes from 1pm onward "Guests are reminded they must complete e-Muster before the ship will be allowed to sail".
There will be notices in the staterooms and cabin attendants will remind guests.  
It will be hard to miss.

I think Royal deserves a lot of credit for advancing this and getting maritime regulators on board with the changes.  That's no small undertaking.   
It's interesting they are licensing the program but allowed NCL in through their participation in the safety panel.  Carnival has long "not played well with others" in the industry and there has been a strong rivalry or combativeness with their tactics at the corporate or executive level.  With the patent and license it forces Carnival's hand.  They can't copy without facing potential infringement but the temporary licensing waiver all but forces them to acknowledge and buy into the program which will cost them licensing fees later on.  Well played Richard.
Prepare for a lot of names being called on the PA prior to sailing.  Experienced cruisers will know not to mess with this and to get it done.  New to cruise won't appreciate the improvement or the significance of what this accomplishes and they will need to chase a lot of them down before departure.
After reviewing safety information individually, guests will complete the drill by visiting their assigned assembly station, where a crew member will verify that all steps have been completed and answer questions. Each of the steps will need to be completed prior to the ship's departure, as required by international maritime law.

Another reason to buy the drink package - Muster 2.0.

If they hold true to past years then the fall may see more cruises released.  

Explorer is part of the Voyager class while Liberty is Freedom class.  
Freedom class is basically a stretched version of Voyager class.  It's like they took a Voyager class ship and welded in an extra section in the middle.  The extra space in the middle makes room for a dedicated Sorrento's Pizza in the Promenade and an extra pool on the pool deck.  On Explorer pizza is available at cafe Promenade.  
I like Voyager class.  They are a perfect size while not being too big.  They aren't small (bigger than anything in Carnival's active fleet up to this point) so they are a large ship while keeping the guest count to a reasonable level.
Balcony cabins on Explorer are cove like in nature while Liberty has a more open balconies with glass.  Explorer was suppose to go in for her "amplification" right when the pandemic started so it was cancelled.  They had already been doing some things to her such as the cabins were already touched when I sailed her June 2018.  Explorer was set to receive water slides in the amplification so that's a notable omission right now.
Other differences - Liberty has a Suite Lounge while Explorer still has the interior Concierge Lounge, one of a handful left in the fleet.  Generally speaking if you like Liberty you'll feel right at home on Explorer.   The layout except for the extra section in the middle is very similar.  

A lot is riding on these early cruises.  If they can pull off a few without issue it will speak volumes to the world.  Inevitably there will be a case so we'll have to see how it plays out in the media.  Cruise ships didn't create CV-19 nor are they immune anymore than a land based movie theater, wedding, political convention, etc. yet a single case from an early cruise will garner attention that hundreds of cases from a rally or wedding wouldn't.  

I have cruised both from Seward to Vancouver.  Millie in 2017 and Radiance in 2019.
Millie:
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/5211-alaska-recap-celebrity-millennium-june-2017/
Radiance:
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/9160-radiance-of-the-seas-alaska-southbound-83118/
Millie was before her revolutionization.  
Both are great ships and similar in size as both were built to the original Panamax standard.  I cruised Celebrity because on that occasion I was booking a suite.  On Celebrity (or X as some refer to it) a suite comes with better perks compared to Radiance suites.  All things being close to equal and since I had never sailed X I picked Millie.  The only disadvantage was not earning Crown and Anchor points. 
On Millie suites have a dedicated restaurant and access to a lounge, plus it came with 4 perks, OBC, gratuity, beverage package and internet.  Put it all together and Millie represented better value dollar for dollar, suite to suite.  
I can't think of much to complain about on either ship.  In both cases I booked the train from Anchorage direct and the itinerary was identical.  
Mille was a bit more refined.  No need to sign out towels, slightly better food in the buffet, suite restaurant on Millie (Luminae) was excellent, like Coastal Kitchen on the bigger Royal ships but better.  Radiance helipad was public where it isn't (or wasn't) on Millie.   
Unless the CAS points are a big factor for you I suggest checking out Millie since she has been refreshed now and it will give you an opportunity to try X, to see what you like or dislike.  I had a great cruise on her and I'd go back for the same reasons anytime all things are close to equal.

Giovanni's has menu diversity so more tastes can be accommodated.  
Chops is pretty much is a steakhouse featuring mostly red meat with one or two non-meat seafood options.  If everyone is your party loves a juicy steak you're good but if someone isn't a red meat lover then someone is paying a lot for meal they may not like.  
Typical Chops menu:


Oasis class Giovanni's:

I have cruised both from Seward to Vancouver.  Millie in 2017 and Radiance in 2019.
Millie:
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/5211-alaska-recap-celebrity-millennium-june-2017/
Radiance:
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/9160-radiance-of-the-seas-alaska-southbound-83118/
Millie was before her revolutionization.  
Both are great ships and similar in size as both were built to the original Panamax standard.  I cruised Celebrity because on that occasion I was booking a suite.  On Celebrity (or X as some refer to it) a suite comes with better perks compared to Radiance suites.  All things being close to equal and since I had never sailed X I picked Millie.  The only disadvantage was not earning Crown and Anchor points. 
On Millie suites have a dedicated restaurant and access to a lounge, plus it came with 4 perks, OBC, gratuity, beverage package and internet.  Put it all together and Millie represented better value dollar for dollar, suite to suite.  
I can't think of much to complain about on either ship.  In both cases I booked the train from Anchorage direct and the itinerary was identical.  
Mille was a bit more refined.  No need to sign out towels, slightly better food in the buffet, suite restaurant on Millie (Luminae) was excellent, like Coastal Kitchen on the bigger Royal ships but better.  Radiance helipad was public where it isn't (or wasn't) on Millie.   
Unless the CAS points are a big factor for you I suggest checking out Millie since she has been refreshed now and it will give you an opportunity to try X, to see what you like or dislike.  I had a great cruise on her and I'd go back for the same reasons anytime all things are close to equal.

A lot is riding on these early cruises.  If they can pull off a few without issue it will speak volumes to the world.  Inevitably there will be a case so we'll have to see how it plays out in the media.  Cruise ships didn't create CV-19 nor are they immune anymore than a land based movie theater, wedding, political convention, etc. yet a single case from an early cruise will garner attention that hundreds of cases from a rally or wedding wouldn't.  

Pinging @twangster. If I remember correctly, he has sailed on both Millennium and Radiance and could give the best comparison.
One thing that Millennium has going for her is that she was refurbished late last year / early this year, so she has all-new furnishings and other decor. I can tell you that Celebrity is more up-scale than Royal, and is less about the on-ship bells and whistles than the itinerary and onboard level of service provided. And one of her key features is the Sunset Bar all the way aft, up on deck 10. By all accounts a great place to sit and enjoy the scenery going by on any itinerary, Alaskan or otherwise.