TLCOhio

What was the quick bottom-line from the stock market for the three major cruise lines during the past week? DOWN-HILL! From Wall Street Journal late this afternoon, below are their charts for these three corporations. Royal Caribbean did better than than the other two companies who slid negative at a higher rate. Tuesday morning, RCL actually hit a high-water mark for the past year's trading. Things, however, slowly moved negative for the rest of the week. Norwegian had the most negative slide. What will next week show and how will these values shift in June and July? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights. On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings. Now at 243,080 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

Yes, J.P., I went back to our original letter and found that this personalized message with both my name and that of my wife at the top, was actually more "confused" in my opinion. See below. Two of the three items financially are in Aussie money, but another, also underlined in red above, promises a savings of $650 per suite. It's a mix of U.S. and Aussie money in one letter??? The SS CEO needs to watch more carefully what goes out over her name. BUT, good news, I have AU$155 left from our trip there in 2014. See below for what that current looks like. On Silversea ships now, do they accept Aussie dollars equal to US dollars? Is that good or bad at today's exchange rates? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

YES!! Nice and colorful underwater visuals. Sorry on the rain and other challenges. Sound like a nice bird expert on-board and speaking. Too bad that the bird wildlife has been limited. That has kind of been our experience in many travel areas, such as the Amazon River, that you are not able to see as many of these creatures as desired. Trees at a distance do hide many birds, etc. Keep plugging along, sharing and enjoying. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Great added insights from Skipsaur and Mulhouse. Very interesting and helpful. It is only early May and we have time to continue researching and planning. Keep it coming!! Have a number of library tour book guides from the Eyewitness series, Fodor and Lonely Planet. The good news? Lots of options and potentials!! But, limited time and money. That's a manageable and fun challenge. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.). Now at 71,424 views: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

Love this wonderful "Lawrence of Arabia" look in this picture. Excellent!!! Sorry that Alexandria and Sharm el Sheikh did not work out better. We visited Sharm el Sheikh during our 2018 Middle East sailing and it was only OK, maybe, barely. Not a "Major League Superstar" as we enjoyed during that trip in doing Petra, Wadi Rum and Luxor. Keep up the great posts and visuals. Assume your above picture is representative of the "ornate relics of Alexandria’s past grandeur". Correct? Very good observational wisdom with your prediction for tomorrow's sea-day being "just acres of sagging, crinkly flesh roasting by the pool." THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate this helpful follow-up from cruisemom42. I previously had on my calendar for this coming Sunday to check the election results from Turkey. On April 11 on this thread, I had posted a detailed story from Washington Post and Bloomberg News about this key election upcoming for Turkey's future. But, as you noted, this probably will be only the first round to determine ultimately who will be the next leader for this nation and the future direction for this historic nation. From the respected Reuters international news service this morning, they had this headline: “Erdogan's rival boosted by withdrawal, poll lead ahead of Turkey vote” with these highlights: “The man challenging Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey's presidential elections this weekend received a boost on Thursday when a small party candidate abruptly withdrew and a closely-watched poll gave him a more than five percentage point advantage. The withdrawal by Muharrem Ince, one of four contesting Sunday's presidential vote, could reshape the last days of campaigning in what is seen as Erdogan's biggest test in his two-decade reign.” Clearly there is major interest to see how this election works out and affects future tourism/stability there. Full story at: https://news.yahoo.com/turkeys-erdogan-lags-election-rival-091415899.html THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Summer 2019 Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc. Many visuals, Our firsts in these scenic areas! Now at 19,071 views. Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

From the London/UK Daily Mail this morning, they had this headline: “Give Montenegro a go! Medieval towns and glitzy marinas - this Balkan beauty is a rising star in the Med” with these highlights: “The country is one of the best sun magnets in southern Europe. Unesco-listed Kotor town, once a naval base, is wedged between soaring peaks and a deep bay. I have to remind myself I am not in Italy as I amble around. West round the coast, Perast town provides the perfect lunch stop: elegant Conti, where specials include penne ‘The Sopranos’ with steak, porcini mushrooms and white truffles. Boats run to Our Lady Of The Rocks, an islet apparently drafted in from Lake Garda. Its blue-domed church is a beauty, lined inside with silver votive offerings left by storm-fearing mariners over the centuries.” Many colorful visuals are included in the profile that brings back nice memories from when we visited Montenegro. Fun! Full story at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-12053721/Give-Montenegro-Medieval-towns-glitzy-marinas-Balkan-beauty-rising-star.html THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 256,371 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1362155-solstice-livefirst-timer-reportspix’s-italycroatian-june-7-19/

As added background, Steve McCurry, now age 73, is an American photojournalist. His photo, Afghan Girl, of a young lady with piercing green eyes, appeared on the cover of National Geographic. McCurry is the recipient of numerous awards, including Magazine Photographer of the Year, awarded by the National Press Photographers Association; the Royal Photographic Society's Centenary Medal and two first-place prizes in the World Press Photo contest. McCurry's famed career was started when, disguised in Afghani garb, he crossed the Pakistan border into rebel-controlled areas of Afghanistan just before the Soviet invasion. He has covered a wide range of armed conflicts around the world and focuses in on the "human connection" for these various locations. To him, it is not just about the landscapes, but for the people who inhabit these areas. Silversea has also featured this photographer in some TV commercials we have seen on cable where he pushes the point about "Being Curious" in order to encourage a return to cruising. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Yes, very helpful details and recent background from Lois. Keep up the great questions, sharing, etc. Much fun and excitement to consider in Turkey. In order to share more "eye candy" from istanbul, below are three visuals from the 2024 Silversea Worldwide Voyages book by skilled professional photographer Steve McCurry. It provides more evidence that one of our favorite cities, Istanbul, offers such amazing history, architecture, food, culture, etc. As background, Steve McCurry, now age 73, is an American photojournalist. His photo, Afghan Girl, of a young lady with piercing green eyes, appeared on the cover of National Geographic. McCurry is the recipient of numerous awards, including Magazine Photographer of the Year, awarded by the National Press Photographers Association; the Royal Photographic Society's Centenary Medal and two first-place prizes in the World Press Photo contest. McCurry's famed career was started when, disguised in Afghani garb, he crossed the Pakistan border into rebel-controlled areas of Afghanistan just before the Soviet invasion. He has covered a wide range of armed conflicts around the world and focuses in on the "human connection" for these various locations. To him, it is not just about the landscapes, but for the people who inhabit these areas. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 21,810 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/ From the 2024 Silversea Worldwide Voyages book with visuals by Steve McCurry, here are three photographs from Istanbul, including the bridge over the Bosporus, the underground cistern and a sampling of local culture. Bring back nice memories from Istanbul for Lois and others?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

YES, we are prepared that things could change and get adjusted for Burma/Myanmar in early 2024. Those "disruptions" have happened in recent years for Egypt, Istanbul, Russia, etc., when cruise stops got scrubbed We were lucky in 2018 that things were OK and worked well for us in visiting the Holy Lands, Egypt, etc. Also was able to do both St. Petersburg and Moscow on a 2008 cruise. Now? Not possible there for Russia. But there are times when our luck holds out and things move ahead satisfactorily. We will hope for the best in early 2024. In order to share more "eye candy" from the 2024 Silversea Worldwide Voyages book, below are three of their visuals by skilled photographer Steve McCury from one of our favorite cities, Istanbul, that offers such amazing history, architecture, food, culture, etc. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 21,810 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/ From the 2024 Silversea Worldwide Voyages book with visuals by Steve McCury, here are three photographs from Istanbul, including the bridge over the Bosporus, the underground cistern and a sampling of local culture. Bring back nice memories from Istanbul for Lois and others?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

From the Washington Post and Bloomberg News yesterday, they had this headline: “No Recession in Sight From the Deck of a Cruise Ship” with these highlights: “The cruise industry is booming in what seems — at least on the surface — like a stark rejoinder to economic doomsayers. After all, if consumers are willing to fill city-sized party ships to ride waterslides, gamble and drink Bahama Mamas, how bad could the economy be? For the moment, not bad at all, actually. Cruise companies, which effectively closed their core businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic, are back near record levels of passenger traffic, and customers are spending briskly at bars, restaurants and slot machines once they climb aboard. Industry group Cruise Lines International Association projects that cruise passenger volume will rise about 6% above 2019 levels.” Sound good? And from the business pages at two respected reporting sources. Here is more from their summary: "Here’s how Royal Caribbean Chief Executive Officer Jason Liberty put it on Thursday: 'We knew that demand for our business was strong, but what has transpired was a record-breaking extended wave season that translated into robust bookings and meaningfully better prices.' Harry Sommer, incoming CEO of competitor Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., noted that the crisis roiling regional bank deposits hardly registered as a blip." Will it be "clear sailing" for the next year, two or three? Full story at https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/05/09/no-recession-in-sight-from-the-deck-of-a-cruise-ship/920ae67c-ee54-11ed-b67d-a219ec5dfd30_story.html THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 246,894 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

Agree that there is way, way too much hype and marketing over-reach in debating Luxury versus ULTRA Luxury. It is like the pushes for laundry soap with overuse of phrases such as: Dramatically New, Improved . . . versus . . . Extremely Highest Platinum Ultra Extra Premium? Silly, silly?? Agree that there are many questions as to what will happen with the "New" Crystal and how well will these new-to-sailing brands such as Ritz-Carlton will really perform. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate ALL of these various great comments and follow-ups regarding this book from Silversea. Yes, it could be used as a coffee table book, especially for us since we are headed to Burma/Myanmar in February 2024 on the Silver Moon. The compression and pdf questions are way above my pay grade and technical skills. All I know is that I could scan some of these visuals, fine-tune on my MacBook Pro in order to share here. Not sure why this book and/or these excellent visuals are not on the SS website. Maybe in the future? Below are a couple more visuals just to prove the point that these Steve McCury pictures are very nice and highly inspirational. This photographer like to involve people, capturing that "human element" that makes doing such distant travel adventures very compelling, captivating and informative. Agree, the paper quality, printing standards, etc., are very high, making this book a good one to save and study more later. Per our Perth friend, yes, hope that this book is mailed to loyal Australian cruisers. On another question, I have never booked any of the big and/or higher-end suites with Silversea. But, I got this mailing. Hopefully, it is shared widely and that people do not just pitches it like happens with many of the other, varied cruise company advertising. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Summer 2019 Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc. Many visuals, Our firsts in these scenic areas! Now at 19,071 views. Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s Along the Indian Ocean coast, here is one of his visuals that might give a preview for something that we might experience during our upcoming Silver Moon sailing along the coast of India.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) His cute puffin visual below brings back wonderful memories from sailing with Silversea in Norway and Alaska when we were "up close and personal" with these colorful creatures.:

Any pictures of the geysers, birds, etc.??? Inquiring minds are always asking for more fun and interesting visuals. Just like you did with the Blue Turtle!! THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate these great follow-up. The challenges from the Silversea "Bean Counters" is not a recent happening. Back in July 2010 while sailing up and down the Norway Coast on the Silver Cloud during our first cruise with Silversea, I had to get on the phone with the tight-wads in Monaco to settle what I was promised. Got it solved! But, those pesky "Bean Counters" do not always understand the value and importance of excellent "customer service". Back in in 2010, the Executive Chef and Captain also explained to me details for the pressures from distant management to "trim costs". How to do that, successfully, is not always easy and/or done well. Now, they have even more pressure BOTH to trim expenses AND to keep quality as a "luxury" level. From a travel news website yesterday, they had this headline: “Cruise Orderbook: 61 New Ships Set to Debut Though 2028” with these highlights: “According to the latest cruise ship orderbook, a total of 61 new ocean-going ships are set to enter service through 2028. With a value of over $41 billion, the newbuilds will add a total of 139,345 berths to the global cruise market. One of the highlights of the current orderbook, the luxury sector has a sizeable number of ships scheduled to debut over the next few years. In addition to traditional brands such as Silversea Cruises, Viking Ocean and Regent, the list includes ships for several newcomers. Among the new players is MSC Cruises’ Explora Journeys, who has six 922-guest ships ordered, and Orient Express, a brand of the hotel giant Accor who is entering the cruise market with two ultra-luxury sailing ships.” As shown above, this reporting highlighted the Silver Nova coming soon. As noted in last week's RCL stock analyst quarterly review, new ships attract customers and build excitement for brands. BUT, this article details how the competition is ramping up for the various "luxury" brands. More competition, more options? This story also noted: "Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Emerald, Seabourn, Mystic and other brands also have upscale vessels slated to debut over the next five years." Full story at: https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/05/cruise-orderbook-61-new-ships-set-to-debut-though-2028/ THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 256,371 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1362155-solstice-livefirst-timer-reportspix’s-italycroatian-june-7-19/

YES, from this side of the Atlantic, Kate has worked out very, very well. Will avoid getting in the middle of the Diana vs. Camilla questions. That has been a "long and winding road" in the words of the Beatles. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Great question from our friend in Australia. Glad you agree with us that Lizzie is cute!! Yes, the chocolate "colour" looks very good. She is a "mix" with a twist or two. From one website, they cite: "the heart of a Labrador and the smarts of a poodle, all in a big, beautiful allergy/asthma-friendly package!" Here is more background: "Initially bred in 1970 in Australia to provide assistance dogs for folks with allergies, the Australian Labradoodle became a beloved family pet that offered the best of both worlds: a large family-oriented people pleaser, highly intelligent, with low shedding to no shedding and no doggie odor. Parent breeds included the Labrador, Poodle, Portuguese Water Dog, and two types of Spaniels." To the credit of those in Australia, they came up with this variety originally. So far, mostly, it is kind of all working OK for us. Getting 'Potty Perfection" is still a work in process!!! THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights. On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings. Now at 242,996 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

At age six months, here is the look for our Lizzie, an Aussie Labrododle, after getting her needed, first trimming Friday. Now we can see her eyes!! Much improved after that cut, right? Like the purple bows? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From a Wall Street Journal-related financial news website late last week, they had this headline: “Royal Caribbean stock rallies after big bottom-line beat, as consumers spend more on experiences” with these highlights: “Demand was already strong, but cruise operator was surprised at how swiftly it accelerated above historical trends at higher prices. This marked the fourth-straight quarter the company beat bottom-line expectations, and the fourth-straight time stock advanced the day results were reported, with an average gain of 7.8%, including the current rally.” This below chart from this source gives a good comparison since the first of this year for how the three major cruise stocks have moved in comparison to the S&P 500 overall market values. Clearly RCL, shown by the black line, has moved better than its two main competitors. Full story at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/royal-caribbean-stock-rallies-after-much-narrower-than-expected-loss-and-raised-profit-outlook-as-demand-has-swiftly-accelerated-eda9a098 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Early 2020, many visuals and details from New Zealand/South Pacific in going from Auckland to French Polynesia. This includes Bora Bora, Fiji, NZ experiences, etc: Live/blog; https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2735732-live-terryohio-“new”-regatta-south-pacificnz-pix’s/

Did others received in the past week the 2024 Silversea Worldwide Voyages book? Yes, it was at 250 pages counting the covers, etc. I would call that a "book", not just an ordinary mailer At first, my wife and I thought it was rather wasteful and excessive marketing overkill. But, on the cover was this interesting visual from Burma/Myanmar: We have been booked for several months to arrive in Delhi/India on the evening of Feb. 5, 2024, then doing some type of private SS tour options for Agra, New Delhi, etc. Then fly to Mumbai/Bombay Feb. 11, a day there, then starting 18-day Silver Moon cruise with stops at Mormugao (Goa), New Mangalore and Cochin. Then stops in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, etc., before finishing Feb. 29 in Singapore. This lavish book did not "sell" us, but seeing this cover photo by Steve McCurry, plus many of his other creative visuals inside from around the world was very interesting and inspiring. Other reactions? We get almost daily mailers and/or e-mails from Oceania. That's way too much. Right balance of marketing from Silversea and others? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 246,894 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

Looking very good and tasty, J.P.!! At age six months, here is the look for our Lizzie, an Aussie Labrododle, after getting her needed, first trimming Friday. Now we can see her eyes!! Much improved after that cut, right? Like the purple bows? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate this interesting background and follow-up. We forget at times how Germany and other Europe countries had colonies in varied parts of the world, including the Pacific. Good to have that historic background. Next is the big question as to if and when Australia will declare itself a "Republic" and not as attached to and under the British King. Has the new Aussie PM started to move forward with that change? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate this great summary, background and follow-up. Yes, that long and tangled history for the British Isles makes things challenging to say it correctly. Just the Ireland versus Northern Ireland portions are a part of a significant and lengthy book with many, many chapters, plus varied twists and turns. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate these additional comments and follow-up from the experienced bennybear. From MSN News earlier this past week, they had this headline: “17 Fun Things To Do In Venice” with these highlights: “We loved Venice, the vibe, the canals The city is located on 118 islands that are separated by 150 canals. It really does feel like a city on the water! A lot of the islands are connected by 400 footbridges while some of them like Burano and Murano you have to take a boat to get to them in the Venetian Lagoon. You will only find four bridges that cross the Grand Canal. And won’t miss the 400+ gondolas that are floating through the canals all around the city.” Interesting data and background. One of the tips is for: "riding on the Grand Canal public water bus (vaporetto). It was packed with people using it as a bus to get around Venice. We paid attention and quickly grabbed the seats at the front and got out my phone to open the Rick Steves Grand Tour app on my phone. His tour lasts 45 minutes – starting from the Piazzale Roma and bringing you just past St Marks Square." Plus, this option: "We started the day with a trip to the fish market at the Rialto Market. It was quite the experience. There are all kinds of different fish just sitting out. I mean fish we have never seen before! Plus there is blood on the ground from the fish and a definite fishy smell! Once of the crazy things is that when the market is done they clean it all up and you could barely tell it was there." They gave mention for Teatro la Fenice, the Opera House that had a long history of being destroyed or damaged by fire and rebuilt. In our 1970 first visit there in Venice,we stayed in a hotel next door to this famed performing arts center. Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/17-fun-things-to-do-in-venice-italy-2-day-itinerary-included/ar-AA1al5WJ THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 246,894 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

Need more perspective and background about Royal Caribbean's amazing rising on Thursday and Friday? Here is added insights from Bloomberg and MSN News. They had this headline: “Royal Caribbean Soars After Travel Rebound Fuels Profit View” with these highlights: “Royal Caribbean raised its full-year profit forecast past Wall Street’s expectations as demand for its vacations boomed, part of broader upswing in travel fueled by easing pandemic restrictions. The Miami, Florida-based cruise line now expects adjusted earnings per share of $4.40 to $4.80 compared to previous guidance of $3 to $3.60, coming in well above expectations of about $3.36. 'We knew that demand for our business was strong and strengthening, but we have been pleasantly surprised with how swiftly demand further accelerated,' Chief Executive Officer Jason T. Liberty said in Royal Caribbean’s first quarter earnings report.” Here is more that might be of interest: " 'This year’s bookings have been made at higher prices versus 2019, supporting a three-year plan to attain record Ebitda per capacity day and mid-teen returns on capital,' Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Brian Egger and Josh Brownstein wrote. 'Royal may benefit long term as people resume cruising, with low historical uptake in Europe and Asia.' " Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/royal-caribbean-boosts-guidance-as-cruise-travel-demand-surges/ar-AA1aJE8g THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Summer 2019 Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc. Many visuals, Our firsts in these scenic areas! Now at 19,071 views. Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/