Jill, our cabin stewardess mentioned something about black soot when we first arrived, but we haven't seen any sign of soot so far. There is a roof over the balcony -- which overhangs the edge of the balcony by a good foot -- whcih would seem to prevent soot unless it drifts down and back onto the balcony. I'll update this report as the trip goes on, but so far, so good on this front.

Chipsahoy, I will post some pics tomorrow, when we have a full sea day. Regarding the balcony's privacy: this would be the one negative I have to report so far about the new aft cabins. The balconies have a glass half-height wall at the back, and I have to say, it seems stupid to me that these are glass. Or that they are *regular* glass, and not one-way glass. I know on some cruise ships, there are cabins on promenade decks where people can walk around directly outside the rooms, and they equip the rooms with one-way glass. That would have been the right nove for the PG, but inexplicably to me, they put in regular glass. The result is that your first few steps onto the balcony are invisible to anyone below, but if you step further out onto the balcony, it is possible for someone walking below to look up and see you -- not optimal if you want to walk out on your balcony while less-than-fully clothed. That being said, the "view" from below is the Deck 6 area outside La Veranda restaurant, and each morning that I've been out on the balcony, I have yet to see anyone walk underneath in this area. So I'd say they did this in a way that seems less than optimal, but it hasn't really detracted from our use of the balcony so far, either.

No noise from the area above (deck outside La Palette Lounge), and no noise from vibration of the ship yet. (Tonight, we're at full 15 knot cruising speed towards the Marquesas, in 4-6 foot seas with mild ship motion -- no vibration problem at all.)

-- Eric