TLCOhio

From MSN News yesterday, they had this headline: “10 Most Beautiful Beach Towns In Greece” with these highlights: “Ahh, Greece. Words alone aren’t enough to describe how magnificent this country is. To some, Greece is a historical destination, especially in Athens, also described as the birthplace of democracy. While to others, it’s an incredible tourist spot that attracts many with its dramatic landscapes, beautiful islands, delicious foods, and secret coves. The country also has beach towns that soothe the mind with their impeccable beauty. And these 10 are the most beautiful that travelers shouldn’t miss out on.” Their top ten listed were: Preveza, Agios Nikolaos, Kardamyli, Nafplio, Galaxidi, Nafpaktos, Parga, Asos, Symi and Mykonos. Mykonos is the only one of these we have visited. This profile notes it is "famous for its lively atmosphere". Plus: "Shoppers peruse boutiques and souvenir stores along Matogianni Street before sitting in one of the reasonably priced tavernas serving delicious souvlaki and gyro delicacies. Alefkandra, known as Little Venice, has restaurants opening up to narrow paths just beside the sea. As the sun goes down, lovebirds flock here for romantic dinner dates and admire the stunning sunset views, with the famous windmills catching the last golden rays." When we visited Mykonos, there were no other big ships in port and that made things much more enjoyable. Rented a car and visited some of the beaches, too. Plus, exploring around in the main town/village. Lovely!! Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/10-most-beautiful-beach-towns-in-greece/ar-AA19jmEj 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 and details from our first in these scenic areas! Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

From the London/UK Times this past week, they had this headline: “Egypt is currently one of the cheapest places to visit” with these highlights: “Although it has long been a good value destination, a massive currency devaluation in recent months, coupled with prices becoming more competitive due to a reduction in Chinese, Russian, Ukrainian and American tourists, has turned Egypt into the bargain of the season — provided you avoid big international brands and all-inclusive packages that have already fixed prices. Travel independently, eat, drink and shop locally, and you’ll not only be putting cash directly into the pockets of locals and making your own adventure, you’ll save a packet too. Most activities are priced in euros and dollars so are unaffected by currency changes.” Here is another detail shared from their story: "The imminent opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, slated for later this year, will shift Cairo’s centre of gravity for visitors out to the Giza plateau, also home to the Pyramids. The capital is a maelstrom of traffic, so retreating to Giza in the evening is a good plan, especially since the metro takes just six minutes. In the historic centre of Cairo, there’s everything from fragrant spices to stained-glass lamps in the famous Khan el-Khalili bazaar, where the traders are disarmingly well versed in rhyming slang." Full story at: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/egypt-has-never-been-cheaper-here-are-the-deals-to-book-now-50cz88d25 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 242,593 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

Appreciate that nice follow-up from the Green Family. From the New York Times this morning, they had this headline: “Venice Is Saved! Woe Is Venice.” This long and detailed profile focuses much on MOSE, an Italian acronym for Experimental Electromechanical Module. This name is evoking the biblical Moses, who had parted the waters and that this engineering has saved this historic city. Here are a few of their reporting highlights: “Even as Italy now hails its against-all-odds success, MOSE’s story — 50 years in the making — and Venice’s — some 1,500 — are still being written. MOSE has already become much more than an engineering project. It came to embody Italy’s ambition and technical ingenuity, but also its political instability, bad governance, bureaucracy, corruption, debt and defeatism as delays mounted. Now, though celebrated as the city’s sentinel, it may yet stand as a monument to the inexorable nature of climate change and the futility of man’s efforts to stop it. MOSE’s walls, costing 5 billion euros, about $5.3 billion, took so long to come together that the pace of climate change is already outstripping the projections they were built to withstand.” The writers, Jason Horowitz and Emma Bubola, who have reported from Venice over years of floods, raise questions such as: "Will Venice one day have to cut itself off from the waters that are its lifeblood?" Through pictures and their text, they detail that these sea walls are making a major difference in lessen the flooding impacts. But, they note: "Venice is already using MOSE more than expected, and faces the prospect of needing it much more than it had ever imagined against rising seas, so often that it would threaten to seal the city from the waters that are its lifeblood." And that . . . "The sea walls have allowed life to go on as usual." This question is also raised: "Its incessant deployment, experts warn, could render Venice’s lagoon a fetid swamp choked by noxious algae, turning the city’s charming canals into stinking open sewers." Here is the NY Times map featured in this story showing where the sea walls are located and operating: Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/01/world/europe/venice-mose-flooding.html 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 21,675 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

Remember the late 60's pop group called the Fifth Dimension who had a hit song titled "Up, Up and Away"? That might summarize what happened with the stock market during this past week. And that shows for the three major cruise ship companies. It was an unusual week with all things moving in a generally positive, upward manner. What will happen next week for cruise companies and the stock market? If you want to read some of the potentially "dark side" for future financial trends, here is an article from a financial news website yesterday afternoon. They had this headline: “Opinion: ‘Most U.S. banks are technically near insolvency, and hundreds are already fully insolvent,’ Roubini says” with these highlights: “In January 2022, when yields on U.S. 10-year Treasury bonds were still roughly 1% and those on German Bunds were -0.5%, I warned that inflation would be bad for both stocks and bonds. Higher inflation would lead to higher bond yields, which in turn would hurt stocks as the discount factor for dividends rose. But, at the same time, higher yields on 'safe' bonds would imply a fall in their price, too, owing to the inverse relationship between yields and bond prices.” Are the concerns gone for high inflation, bank stock risks, bond values shrinking, etc.? Full story at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/most-u-s-banks-are-technically-near-insolvency-and-hundreds-are-already-fully-insolvent-roubini-says-18b89f92 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Dubrovnik! Visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this super scenic and historic location. Over 49,456 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227 From the Wall Street Journal late Friday afternoon, here is how the three major cruise companies performed during the past five trading days. All positive and moving up, UP?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) For a perspective, here is what happened with the overall stock market during the past week as reflected by this WSJ S&P 500 chart.:

Agree with the wonderful idea of "No More Stuff". Have not, however, got my wife to agree to such a smart strategy. Sorry! As to taking on responsibility for a whole cruise ship, I would call that getting "Lots and Lots and Lots of More Stuff". Will pass on the "honor" of getting one. From the Wall Street Journal this morning, here is a mid-week update that shows during the first three days of trading this week, that values have been going up, UP and UP!! Yesterday both Carnival and Norwegian rose yesterday around 6%. Since Monday's afternoon close of business, Carnival went from $8.79 a share to $9.89 late yesterday. That is a 12.5% increase for Carnival in just two days. What is driving these positive cruise stock value trends? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Kotor/Montenegro: Various visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this scenic, historic location. Over 50,515 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

Appreciate, J.P., this great background and these follow-ups. Under our current plan, assuming we can work out the return airline flights with Frequent Flyer miles with AA, we would have four days and three nights in Singapore. That should allows us to see much, but be able to do it at a reasonable, somewhat relaxed pace for folks who are not as young and energetic as you and Chris. Clearly, there is much to see and do in and around Singapore. Look forward to any additional visuals, posts details from your adventures there. Keep it coming!! 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 246,535 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

Super love all of the colorful visuals from the Arts Cafe. Makes me hungry to be looking at these tasty treats. Won't get in the debate over medium rare versus rare. Just looked at your upcoming port stops, including the next two for Morocco. That includes tomorrow for Casablanca, Marrakesh, Morocco. Hopefully you will share some pix's from these exotic locations. Below is the map showing your upcoming stops on the way to Barcelona. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Fun/cute follow-up by R&T. But, not sure I would want to own the ship and have to pay the costs for fuel, staff, maintenance, etc. Owning a boat, especially a BIG one, is never cheap. From the Wall Street Journal financial news website this afternoon, they had this headline: “Carnival’s stock bounces back after long-time bear says stop selling” with this sub-headline: "Wells Fargo’s Daniel Politzer upgraded the cruise operator to neutral, after being bearish, or not rating the stock, for at least the past three years." Here were some of the story highlights: “Carnival’s stock surges, to reverse previous session’s selloff, after Wells Fargo backs away from its long-time bearish stance on the cruise operator. Wells Fargo’s Daniel Politzer said his concerns about the cruise operator now seem 'de-risked.' The stock CCL climbed 6.1% in midday trading, and was among the S&P 500 index’s SPX top gainers. The gain reversed the 4.8% drop suffered on Monday in the wake of the company’s disappointing outlook for losses in the current quarter and the full fiscal year.” At the stock market's close at 4 pm today, Carnival finished at $9.33 a share, a gain of 6.14%. Full story at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/carnivals-stock-bounces-back-after-long-time-bear-says-stop-selling-f9bc3512 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Athens & Greece: Visuals, details from two visits in a city and nearby with great history, culture and architecture. Now at 50,995 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

Great pictures and details about your adventures and exploring in and around Singapore. Wonderful touring there. Am copying and making notes for our first visit to Singapore in late February 2024. How long, J.P., did you have in Singapore and what were your top dining favorites? What did you miss in Singapore that you wish you would have done? Keep up the great sharing! Hope you are recovering from the intensity of this travel. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

YES!! Should be a great and exciting adventure. Just used the below link and found the current location of the Silver Moon and saw your current location in the Atlantic as you sail toward Barcelona. It looks like you an excellent variety of wonderful ports and locations. Look forward to experiencing many visuals and details. Follow along from this ship location website. https://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/Silver-Moon-1618 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Agree from highplanesdrifter that "No, no, yes.😃" might be the smart, reasonable responses. You could be winning the prize! Other reactions? From the South Florida Sun Sentinel and Yahoo News yesterday, they had this headline: “Cruise, port leaders at Seatrade conference in South Florida see fortunes rising post COVID-19.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “Cruise line industry leaders are feeling better about their prospects after the COVID-19 pandemic nearly destroyed their businesses. Answers emerged quickly Monday at the annual four-day Seatrade Cruise Global conference. A panel of executives from cruise lines and ports painted a somewhat guarded but optimistic picture for tourism worldwide. But a full recovery is likely to come later for places such as Australia, which reopened its economy after the United States. Asia also has been slow to recover, while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is disrupting the Baltic Sea cruise business.” Also detailed was: "Terry Thornton, senior vice president of Princess Cruises, said North America took the lead as being the main source of major market recovery while others lagged for a variety of reasons. 'All geographic areas are not the same,' Thornton said. 'What we found so far, and I’m talking about where guests live, North America led the return by far.' Australia, he said, 'is about a year behind' as it 'just started back up in June.' 'I think we have to say Europe sourcing right now is still somewhat challenged, and I think there are obvious reasons [as] to why that is,' he said, citing the war in Ukraine." Here are some additional aspects cited: "More new ships are on the way, as well, with 17 entering the worldwide market this year and 66 by 2028. Moreover, new operators are entering the business including those with special themes and niches. Two examples: Ritz Carlton and the Four Seasons, both high-end luxury hotel and private residence operators. In the meantime, older less efficient ships are leaving the industry’s fleet as new vessels come online." Full story at: https://news.yahoo.com/cruise-port-leaders-seatrade-conference-004100194.html THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 53,877 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

From the Wall Street Journal this afternoon, they had this headline: “Carnival’s Ship Will Come In Eventually" with this sub-headline: "The leading cruise line’s recovery is delayed amid a mountain of debt, but it has a path to profitability.” Here are some of their analysis/reporting highlights: “Unlike its customers, Carnival Corp. shareholders should focus on the destination, not the journey. Many expected the world’s largest cruise line to be profitable again three years after the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic with so much of the tourism and leisure sector booming. They will have to wait a little bit longer for this very capital-intensive business to get there. The company lost money in its fiscal first quarter ended Feb. 28 and might still be in the red for the year as a whole as it unloads the financial ballast picked up since the global health emergency. As recently as last May, with travel booming and a middle class with ample savings making up for lost time, analysts polled by FactSet expected Carnival to earn $1.58 a share this fiscal year. As of Monday morning, they were anticipating a small loss. One reason is consumer caution amid rising inflation, but a bigger one is Carnival’s own rising costs.” They also noted: "It will take a lot more than full ships and a full revenue recovery to return to prepandemic profitability levels given a sharply higher share count and a balance sheet that has the whole company listing badly in junk rating territory. Getting back to a balance sheet that looks like it did three years ago could easily take the rest of this decade and won’t be free of bumps." Ready to "invest" in Carnival stock? Buy their bonds? Give them big deposits and large advanced payments? Full story at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/carnivals-ship-will-come-in-eventually-3c738d88 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 71,175 views: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

Here is another "take" for the announcement by Carnival. From the Reuters newswire this morning, they had this headline: “Carnival posts smaller loss on strong travel demand, higher ticket pricing” with these highlights: “Carnival reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss and beat estimates for revenue, helped by strong demand for leisure travel, higher ticket prices and strong on-board spending. Cruise operators like Carnival, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings are reporting resilient demand from cooped-up consumers undeterred by elevated inflation. 'We are still experiencing a record wave season, which started early, gained strength and has extended later into the year,' Carnival CEO Josh Weinstein said. Carnival’s shares were down about 3% in morning trading as the operator forecasted a larger-than-expected full-year loss, signaling that inflation and rising fuel prices were hurting its profit margins. U.S. airlines have largely been bullish about travel demand for the rest of the year, shaking off worries of slowing demand and cost pressures. Airline chief executives this month said leisure travels remains strong even though recession fears have sparked concerns about consumer spending.” As you can see by this below Wall Street Journal chart, the traders were not happy with this announcement by Carnival. Down, DOWN was the trend for this company today. The other two cruises did not drop that significantly today. Full story at: https://www.reuters.com/article/carnival-results/update-5-carnival-posts-smaller-loss-on-strong-travel-demand-higher-ticket-pricing-idUSL4N35Z2X6 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Panama Canal? Early 2017, Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco adventure through Panama Canal. Our first stops in Colombia, Central America and Mexico, plus added time in the great Golden Gate City. Now at 31,843 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

Appreciate these great comments and detailed follow-up from our northern Philadelphia suburban neighbor. You did very well in focusing on the "education level, wealth and age" factors affecting the cruise industry. Agree, we do not want to go on any type of political tangent. As the Dragnet TV Joe Friday said: "Just the facts, ma'am!" From the Wall Street Journal this afternoon, they had this headline: “Carnival Forecasts Another Loss This Year as Cruise Costs Rise" with this sub-headline: "Projected loss comes as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise expect to post profits this year.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “Carnival Corp. said it expects to post another loss this year as the cruise operator tries to mount a comeback amid rising costs. The downbeat guidance from Carnival comes after rivals Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. have both forecast their first profitable years since the pandemic roiled operations. The cruise sector and other companies across travel and hospitality are facing with higher costs from food, labor, fuel and more. The cruise companies, which issued billions in debt to survive the pandemic, are also getting hit by rising interest rates. Carnival Chief Executive Josh Weinstein said Monday the company is positioned to pay down its debt without selling more equity.” The WSJ also gave this added background: "The company raised its cost expectations for the year, with executives citing everything from food and advertising to labor and fuel. The company also decided to re-enter a couple of still idled ships into service to meet higher demand. The company said adjusted nonfuel cruise costs are now expected to rise 6.5% to 7.5% from 2019 levels, up from prior guidance issued in December of a 5% to 6% increase." Full story at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/carnival-ccl-q1-earnings-report-2023-cf676c5d THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Lisbon, NWSpain, Bordeaux/Brittany: Live/blog, June 2017 from Portugal to France along scenic Atlantic Coast on the Silver Spirit. Now at 33,235 views. Many pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

From MSN News today and a travel news website this morning, they had this headline: “Cruise line gift cards: Where to buy them, how to spend them” with these highlights: “If you’re racking your brain to come up with the perfect gift for your cruise-loving family member or friend, consider buying them a gift card or certificate from their favorite cruise line. Cruisers can use toward purchasing their cruise fare or splurging on a beverage package, specialty restaurant or spa treatment. Don’t rule out the first-timers on your list; you can help them fund their first foray into cruising or surprise them with something extra to make their upcoming trip special. If you’re a cruiser, you may also want to purchase a gift card for yourself, especially when you can find a deal. AARP sometimes offers digital gift cards for cruise lines like Princess, Holland America and Royal Caribbean at a savings of 10%.” No mention in this article that is focused mainly on the larger, mass-market cruises as to if luxury lines such as Silversea make it easy to purchase such discount cards. Interesting idea, especially if you can get such gift cards at a discounted price. Anyone found such discounted cards for Silversea? Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/cruise-line-gift-cards-where-to-buy-them-how-to-spend-them/ar-AA197Qbb THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Athens & Greece: Visuals, details from two visits in a city and nearby with great history, culture and architecture. Now at 50,995 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

From the London/UK-focus International Business News this morning, they had this headline: “Travel stocks are expected to soar in the post-pandemic world" with this sub-headline: "People are increasingly looking to travel internationally once again, leading to a rise in the travel industry, which had previously contributed 6.7 per cent of all gross value added in the UK in 2018.” Here are some of their analysis/reporting highlights: “The increased desire to travel in the post-pandemic world has led to a rapid rise in the holiday market. Driven by the demand for adventure, the travel sector, which continues to grow, is expected to make a full recovery. As COVID-19 slowly becomes a thing of the past, here's everything you need to know about the trends in the travel stock market. The travel and tourism industries contributed 6.7 per cent of all gross value added in the UK in 2018. According to the World Tourism Organisation's (UNWTO) scenarios presented in May 2022, international tourism recovered 63 per cent of its pre-pandemic levels. The UNWTO also predicted that inbound tourism spending will exceed $1.4 trillion (£1.14 trillion) globally in 2023. More people are looking to travel internationally as it is now simpler and less stressful than it was a year ago. While the prices of airlines, hotels and more have increased, the demand has not decreased.” Here are the top five travel stocks that this profile predicts to watch in 2023: TripAdvisor (TRIP), Expedia (EXPE), Boeing (BA), Airbnb (ABNB) and Booking Holdings (BKNG), the world's largest online travel agency by revenue. Right or wrong, this article did not mention and highlight any of the three major cruise line companies. Reactions? Full story at: https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/travel-stocks-are-expected-soar-post-pandemic-world-1714581 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Venice: Loving It & Why??!! Is one of your future desires or past favorites? See these many visual samples for its great history and architecture. This posting is now at 101,935 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

Appreciate this follow-up and the mention of "DEMOGRAPHICS". From the Washington Post this past weekend, they had this interesting article that gave a wide range of data as to who sails on cruise more versus those less likely to sail. We will not get into any of the political aspects as we need to avoid those discussions here on the Cruise Critic boards. But certain of the data for ages, income, geographic, etc., might be of interest as to which groups sail more versus less. The Post had this headline: “The politics of cruise ships, and more!” with these highlights from: “Carl Bialik at YouGov, a polling impresario who once wrote the (excellent) Numbers column at the Wall Street Journal. Late last year, YouGov asked 1,000 American adults this very question (at least the one about cruises) as a way to gauge how the coronavirus pandemic had changed our behavior.” Clearly this data shows that those older, with higher educational and income levels, are more likely to do cruise sailing. And, those from the Midwest are the least likely to do cruise sailing. No major men versus women differences. If you are a cruise executive, you are targeting higher income/education audiences with your marketing. Plus, focusing on certain zip codes, too!! Also, interesting data as to those more likely to travel by airplane. Any other reactions and impressions? Full story at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/03/24/cruises-covid-politics/ THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 53,877 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337 From this Washington Post article, below are the demographic details and background from those in the USA who cruise versus those less likely to sail.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

Appreciate this great follow-up and excellent questions/interests for more on the Christian history, etc., in and around Istanbul. Even though you are from Texas, I loved seeing your Buckeye logo and name connection. Originally from Ohio?? As mentioned earlier from reading "City of Fortune" book about Venice, I learned of this Italian City-State leadership for the major conquest in 1204 in taking over what was then called Constantinople. This happened in April 1204 and marked the twisted culmination of the Fourth Crusade. After the city's sacking, most of the Byzantine Empire's territories were divided up among the Crusaders. Later in the early 1900's, there were the genocides of Greeks, Armenians, and Assyrians done by Turks. Constantinople was considered to be the center and the "cradle of Orthodox Christian civilization." Hagia Sophia was built in AD 537 during the reign of Justinian I, Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, as a major Christian location for worship. It was in its time the world's largest building and an engineering marvel. Per Wikipedia, it is argued that the actions of the Crusaders thus directly accelerated the collapse of Christendom in the east, and in the long run helped facilitate the later Ottoman conquests of Southeastern Europe. The sack of Constantinople is a major turning point in medieval history. The Crusaders' decision to attack the world's largest Christian city was unprecedented and highly controversial per reading the details from the Venice book. Turkey is also home to the Seven Churches of Asia, where the Revelation to John was sent. Apostle John is reputed to have taken Virgin Mary to Ephesus in western Turkey, where she spent the last days of her life in a small house, known as the House of the Virgin Mary. That location near Ephesus still survives today and we visited it in 2008. Christian history in Turkey? Yes, lots of it is there. Given the current challenged leadership in charge of Turkey now, many things are evolving and changing. Some not good, some otherwise. I would do much more Google research and maybe seek out a guide who specializes in knowing and exploring many of these major Christian connections to Constantinople and current Istanbul. Does this help a little? Maybe some others with deep knowledge as to these elements of religious history can add some insights, tips and suggestions. Keep up your research and preparation. You have time before your 2024 trip. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Lisbon, NWSpain, Bordeaux/Brittany: Live/blog, June 2017 from Portugal to France along scenic Atlantic Coast on the Silver Spirit. Now at 33,235 views. Many pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

From Conde Nast Traveler last month, they had this headline: “Best Things to Do in Dominica, the Caribbean’s ‘Nature Island’ " with this sub-headline: "From the commercial capital of Roseau—filled with the buzz of market vendors, bouyon soca and bélé folk music—to lulling fishing villages like Scotts Head that offer up bay views and the fresh catch of the day.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “Landing on Dominica provides a Jurassic Park-like thrill, and first-hand glimpse of why the eastern Caribbean country is called Nature Island. Wildlife-rich rainforests, bubbling natural hot springs, varied hiking trails, and an ocean teeming with fluorescent-colored sea life make it one of the most coveted diving regions in the world. Tourists don’t crowd its city center or quiet mountainside villages like other neighboring countries, giving visitors plenty of opportunity to explore at their own pace. This year, Dominica welcomes the return of a number of cultural festivals that were on pause due to the pandemic. In April, the island’s rich Creole traditions come alive for Jazz ‘N Creole, a family-friendly event held each year at Fort Shirley in Cabrits National Park.” Full story at: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/the-best-things-to-do-in-dominica-eat-stay-play?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=cnt&utm_mailing=CNT_Daily_AM_032723&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=5db3f99524c17c23c34ecf3e&cndid=6657468&hasha=e1ca3019f9f535a4b98389997c63b892&hashb=7daf2541a0de702392cfe60ed513a5c2d1d23598&hashc=f541a9e649534cc2931bd57d58d8c2cac2bb8c5d298f722bad5b05cc8ad5ece2&esrc=IDCONDENAST_REGGATE&utm_term=CNT_Daily 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 and details from our first in these scenic areas! Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

From the Wall Street Journal late today, below are their charts that reflect as to how "Wild and Rocky" was the stock market this past week. This includes for the three cruise lines. Does this look like the Rocky Mountains with the various high's and low's? Clearly the overall markets are not stable and confident. This includes, as just one example, the headline late today for "Deutsche Bank Stock Falls on Contagion Fears." See more on this German bank at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/deutsche-bank-stock-tumbles-on-contagion-fears-1250eb04?mod=hp_lead_pos1 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 242,593 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/ From the Wall Street Journal late this afternoon, here is how the three major cruise companies performed during the past five trading days. All positive and understandable?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) From the Wall Street Journal late this morning, here is how the overall S&P 500 stock index for the week moved UP and DOWN. Look like a roller coaster ride?:

Although this Wall Street Journal article yesterday morning does not specifically mention Silversea, this reporting spotlights a key trend for many travelers wanting a smaller, more unique "personal" sailing experience. They had this headline: “Hate Crowded Cruises? 6 Small-Ship Getaways to Book Instead" with this sub-headline: "These voyages keep the passenger lists small, the suites luxurious and the activities exclusive, from gliding to Galapagos to slicing through ice on the way to the North Pole.” Here some of their reporting highlights: “As a locked-down world unlocks, cruising is booming. Popular megaships with over 6,000 passengers—and extras like an ice-skating rink, IMAX, crazy waterslides and Broadway-scale theaters—welcome the budget-conscious. But those wary of packed conditions, banquet-size buffets and iffy renditions of 'Mamma Mia' are turning to more intimate adventures on cruise ships with fewer passengers, celebrity-chef cuisine and thoughtful tours, even if obliged to pay considerably more. 'Smaller expeditions are up 43% over 2019,' reported Misty Belles, vice president of global public relations for Virtuoso, a network of 20,000 travel advisers.” This article makes a key point that is very important to us. We do not want to just "Float on a Boat" around in the Caribbean and/or Med seeing the "same old, same old" that we have done previously. Unique destinations on smaller ships has many advantages and this WSJ article re-enforces that valuable point. That demand and interest has to be helping Silversea fill up its ships. Full story at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-ship-cruises-alaska-north-pole-galapagos-2768566?mod=life_work_lead_pos2 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 71,175 views: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

Agree on the major questions facing the U.S. Treasury Secretary, the Fed, etc. Congress does hold the "purse strings", but when, how and if will they act or react?? Is that the right/key question? From a Wall Street Journal-related financial website earlier this week, they had this headline: “Shares of Carnival Corp. rose" with this sub-headline: "Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Woronka made a short-term recommendation to buy, a week before the cruise operator reports fiscal first-quarter results.” Here are some of their story highlights: “ 'The company reports [fiscal first-quarter] results premarket on Monday, March 27, and we believe the report is likely to elicit a positive reacting from the stock, based primarily on weakening sentiment heading into the prints, as well as what we believe to be a low bar for [Carnival’s] outlook for the remainder of [fiscal 2023],' Woronka wrote in a note to clients. Woronka said investors may be concerned about possible deceleration in consumer spending if the economy slows further, but he believes leisure travel should remain one of the more resilient subsectors of the larger consumer discretionary sector.” Will leisure travel remain "resilient" when and if the economy slows down?? Full story at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/carnivals-sto 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 246,535 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/ From the Wall Street Journal late this morning, here is how BIG is the stock price zooming UP, UP for Carnival. Major positive upswing?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see this visual larger/better!)

YES, there are "Ripple Effects" happening that impact the financial markets. Appreciate your follow-up for those special classes of Europe bonds. From the New York Times this afternoon, they had this headline: “The Fed Raised Rates and Acknowledged Bank Uncertainty" with this sub-headline: "Federal Reserve officials raised interest rates by a quarter-point while noting that bank turmoil could help slow the economy.” Here are a couple of their reporting highlights: “Federal Reserve officials raised interest rates by a quarter-point on Wednesday as officials tried to balance two conflicting problems: the risk that inflation could remain rapid and the threat that higher borrowing costs could fuel turmoil in the banking system. The Fed on Wednesday pushed interest rates to a range of from 4.75 percent to 5 percent, and it forecast one more rate increase in 2023. In doing so, officials tried to signal that they remained focused on wrestling down price increases and were also paying attention to financial threats.” Below you can see how this Fed announcement sent cruise and other stocks, down, down and DOWN. Not good news? Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/22/business/federal-reserve-interest-rates-banks.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 256,195 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1362155-solstice-livefirst-timer-reportspix’s-italycroatian-june-7-19/ Here is the Wall Street Journal chart for the past five days of Royal Caribbean trading. WOW!! What a big, BIG drop in value this afternoon when word got out as to the actions of Federal Reserve to raise interest rates. Does this sound good for the economy moving forward? In a little over an hour, RCL dropped sharply down more than two dollar a share. That was after a dramatic jump, up, UP early Tuesday morning. What is happening and will it become predictable?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see this visual larger/better!)

Appreciate, J.P., this info and follow-ups. Seems interesting, especially for exploring these various, more remote areas in Finland and Sweden. You will be near St. Petersburg, but not in Russia. Hope all stays calm in this challenged part of the world. Look forward to your pictures and details for this new, unique "adventure"! Are most of these ports new for Silversea and/or any major cruise lines to be visiting? Doing any more traveling in Germany after the Hamburg docking? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

The three cruise stocks are up, UP big early this morning. Royal Caribbean is up 3.4% as of 10:34 am today. The other two companies are up 4.3% to 5.4%. Something major driving this positive swing? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio