TLCOhio

Great to hear, Mr. Luxury, that you agree with me. I can't always get my wife to agree with me on certain/many subjects. You are very smart and savvy to remark about "can't wait to read the reviews." Some of the Crystal Cheerleaders will say all is wonderful, but many others will need to accept and reflect the "new realities". All of the past, best staff members will not instantly be back and performing as happened ten or twelve years ago at the peak for Crystal. Bob Dylan summed it well as he sang "The Times They Are A-Changin' ". This includes his final words: "As the present now Will later be past The order is rapidly fadin' And the first one now Will later be last For the times they are a-changin' " 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 241,772 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

It will be a high of 57F today in Central Ohio with lots of great sunshine right now. Almost like being in Florida?? It has been that way for the past couple of days. Tomorrow with be sunny and a high of 56F. Wednesday and Thursday, we will have highs of 68F and 65F. Why go south for the winter? Yesterday, below are a few visuals that I captured in going out and walking around to enjoy the wonderful weather. Spring flowers are here and it is not even yet to mid February!!! 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 246,097 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/ In our wooded backyard area, there were lots of these Spring flowers coming up very early and looking good. Like?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) Right near our home, here is this deer buck with an impressive rack.:

It will be a high of 57F today in Central Ohio with lots of great sunshine right now. Almost like being in Florida?? It has been that way for the past couple of days. Tomorrow with be sunny and a high of 56F. Wednesday and Thursday, we will have highs of 68F and 65F. Why go south for the winter? Yesterday, below are a few visuals that I captured in going out and walking around to enjoy the wonderful weather. Spring flowers are here and it is not even yet to mid February!!! 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 246,097 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/ In our wooded backyard area, there were lots of these Spring flowers coming up very early and looking good. Like?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) Right near our home, here is this deer buck with an impressive rack.:

Lots of great funnies!!! In Ohio, there are a number of Amish folks. But, I do not think many of the Amish are using the Internet to see that earlier posting about them here on the Cruise Critic boards. Don't think any of them will be offended by the negative reference to the "Amish Powerball". Humor can be "sensitive" to some these days. How do you keep a few from maybe being somehow offended? Earlier this month, speaking of comedy, we attended a Jay Leno performance here in Central Ohio. He was at age 72 and after his two recent accidents, excellent, so totally funny, full of continuous energy, etc. Was about eighth row in a smaller theater only holding 768 people. Worked very well to enjoy fully his amazing performance. Jay walks on and immediately asks “What did you expect to see . . . a charcoal briquette?” Lots of jokes and stories about his mother, everyday life, dealing with mob folks early in his career, medical commercials seen on TV, etc. He had a high energy level, strong and continuous for 90 straight minutes. No breaks or dead points in his show and performance. How many in their 70's can pull off that type of mental and physical concentration and high-level presentation? Jay took some questions from the audience and did a nice interplay with people in their seats. No bitterness regarding his earlier shifting TV roles from Tonight show, etc. He shared some great stories about him and old comedians such as Rodney Dangerfield, Don Rickles, etc. Could not have asked for a better show!! Jay did not do any "blue humor" and reflected that doing comedy in these "sensitive days" is much more challenging to avoid offending someone politically, personally, etc. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Congratulations for your upcoming 46th wedding anniversary. This past June, we celebrated our 50th!! In early May, we did a week with our two grandsons and the rest of our family at Disney World and Universal Studios as our guests. Great fun!! But, not cheap. Start preparing for something super special for your 50th. Need ideas? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate this above follow-up. Great to hear your wife has excellent taste and a desire to visit to Bruges. Good link to many different visuals from our neighbor in Maryland. 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 70,998 views: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/ Below are some of my additional visuals from exploring in Bruges that reflects its varied architectural and design highlights.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

From the New York Times Travel Section this weekend, they have this headline: “36 Hours in New Orleans" with this sub-headline: "Soak up Mardi Gras season while dive-bar hopping, dancing to brass bands and exploring history in the French Quarter.” Here are a few of their profile highlights: “Nearly two decades after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans remains smaller in population, but arguably richer than ever in cultural treasures. Forced to justify its very existence, the city doubled down on venerating its charming and curious customs and neighborhood gems. Today, there are new ways to engage with the city’s history, arts scene and natural beauty.” Many different options and ideas are outlined for cafes and restaurants, live music and nightlife, shopping and where to stay in the "Big Easy". Plus, a variety of visuals. Here is an example for one good suggestions: "In the French Quarter, the city’s colonial heart, gimmicky ghost tours are as common as cockroaches. A better way to commune with the spirits is to visit the Historic New Orleans Collection’s museum on Royal Street (free), which opened in April 2019 after a $38 million restoration and expansion of an 1816 mansion. Artifacts like an advertisement for the 1859 opening of the French Opera House evoke ghost worlds (the Opera House burned down in 1919). Bourbon Street beckons, just one block away, with its river of whiskey-fuelled partying pedestrians." Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/02/09/travel/things-to-do-new-orleans.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 256,026 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1362155-solstice-livefirst-timer-reportspix’s-italycroatian-june-7-19/

Thailand with nearly 72 million people has fascinating history, culture and background. With its large and diverse capital of Bangkok, there is an 11 hour time difference compared the U.S. Eastern time zone. Below are a few of my visuals captured during our early 2018 visit of three days to Bangkok. Hope these bring back memories for those who have previous been there . . . or to build excitement for planning an upcoming trip to Thailand. Thailand is one of the most visited countries in Southeast Asia. It is the only country in southeast Asia that has never been under European power. As noted by travel writers, Thailand is the ideal destination to witness an exciting blend of natural, cultural, historical and urban delights. Few places have the gorgeous beaches of Phuket, the wild excitement of Bangkok and the 40,000-year-old history. As you arrive in Bangkok you will feel the energy and enthusiasm of a great city. There is commotion in the streets, bountiful colors of museums, shrines and temples and entertainment and cuisine. 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 256,026 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1362155-solstice-livefirst-timer-reportspix’s-italycroatian-june-7-19/ First, we explored the Chao Phraya River, with its various canals. A float down this river is a great way to see the city, experiencing its culture and idiosyncrasies. This includes homes, temples and commerce to fire your excitement for this massive urban area. Below is just one quick sample from our river preview.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) In the area of the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, we sampled and experienced the reverence of this ancient religion that dwells in the city and is practiced by 95 percent of the Thai population.: With a number of these temples in the background, we bow with the greeting offered by many in Bangkok.: Here are a few more visuals as samples for the various designs and glorious decorations used to create these religious sites in Bangkok. The third visual below shows the Thai flag at this location.:

It has been since 2010 and 2015 when we dined at La Dame, making it hard to evaluate today's food quality and "value" for this extra charge location. But from our experience with Silver Note, we really loved the fun and tasty experience. Need proof and evidence? See a few visuals below, plus more available from the live/blog during a Silver Spirit sailing. Very intimate and personal setting, nice service and wonderful food variety. 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 33,074 views. Many pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358 Below are just two of the multi-flight servicing/offerings of food we enjoyed at Silver Note on the Silver Spirit. Finally from a 2019 Silver Muse sailing, here is a sampling of the singer and piano artist performing at Silver Note. Fun, exciting and interesting!!: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

Super appreciate that book suggestion and follow-up by quercus alba. Plus, the great details, visuals and posting from the always excellent Cruisemom42. Wonderful sharing and historic background!! Now, for many in the twenty-first century, some forget how vast and powerful were these "empires" exercised by both Venice and Istanbul. Just checked our local library and they have this Venice book available. Will get it soon. Below is the visual for the cover of his book. Interesting!! Here is the bio the library lists for this experienced author: "Roger Crowley was born in 1951 and spent part of his childhood in Malta. He read English at Cambridge University and taught English in Istanbul, where he developed a strong interest in the history of Turkey. He has traveled extensively throughout the Mediterranean basin over many years and has a wide-ranging knowledge of its history and culture. He lives in Gloucestershire, England. He is also the author of 1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and The Clash of Islam and the West andEmpires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World." 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 70,998 views: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

Super appreciate that book suggestion and follow-up by quercus alba. Just checked our local library and they have this Venice book available. Will get it soon. Below is the visual for the cover of his book. Interesting!! Here is the bio the library lists for this experienced author: "Roger Crowley was born in 1951 and spent part of his childhood in Malta. He read English at Cambridge University and taught English in Istanbul, where he developed a strong interest in the history of Turkey. He has traveled extensively throughout the Mediterranean basin over many years and has a wide-ranging knowledge of its history and culture. He lives in Gloucestershire, England. He is also the author of 1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and The Clash of Islam and the West andEmpires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World." 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 70,998 views: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

RESPONSE POSTED BY cruisemom42: After I read a similar book I made it a priority, on my next visit to Venice, to hunt down a number of treasures that made it back to Venice after the sack of Constantinople in the Fourth Crusade, a shocking event in history.... Some of the Byzantine enamels and many of the gems of the incomparable Pala d'Oro (altar screen); items in the Treasury, and (most likely) the famous bronze horses all can be seen in St. Marks. My special favorite is this sculpture in rare porphyry (long reserved for emperors) of the "Four Tetrarchs" or four rulers of the divided Roman empire, dating from around 300 BC and previously thought to grace a monument in Constantinople. It can be seen at one of the corners of the front facade of St. Marks. Interestingly, I have also "visited" the one piece of the sculpture that the crusader looters left behind -- the heel of one of the tetrarchs. It is in the Istanbul archaeology museum now. On the Med/Europe board of CC in reaction to a post on Istanbul, the above was posted about this Roger Crowley book titled "City of Fortune" related to Venice. Interesting?? Then, Cruisemom42 had this helpful follow-up as copied and seen above. Great background that verifies there is so much to research, know and explore for Venice. Great sharing. Thought I would post here. 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 50,373 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=110

Appreciate, Rhoda, your follow-up. Glad to know of your education background and that you are doing this important research and planning. It will pay off as you do this great "adventure". Below are a few visuals from our school visiting. This worked so well to better connect with local students there and learn more about life in these parts of South Afric. Keep it coming with any and all questions. When you get on the ship, ask the excursion staff about arranging any possible special private tours at certain ports. Such tour might cost more, but these options could give you access to do varied and different sights and sites. 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 100,745 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226 In the Zulu area of eastern South Africa, here are some visual samples from visiting during our private tour a school, bringing gifts for the kids, having them perform a song for us, etc. Very interesting!!: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) At East London, we visited this private school where we enjoyed a musical performance, saw athletic/sports training, talked with the kids, etc.:

Sorry, duplicate.

Am much like the wise and experienced Fletcher in saying "It's the itinerary first, second, third and beyond." But for Crystal with only two older, larger ships, how can they offer the wider variety of ports and destinations to compete against Silversea, etc.? We did Crystal once and it was nice with many pluses. However, with new luxury lines starting up and new ships coming from Silversea, etc., I am doubtful that Crystal will be able to compete successfully as the travel world evolves, changes and grows. Am I too cynical and doubtful? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate Randy's very kind and nice follow-up. Glad that I summarized so well many of the key pluses for Silversea. Must be true, right? As to the above excellent question from Kalscruise, we have not done the Silversea larger suites, but our experiences with the butlers in the lower-level, basic verandah and non-balcony suites is that the staff is very, very helpful. The staff still seeks to be very good even if you are not paying the high-end prices for the larger suites. They like to be creative and supportive, if you ask and know what you are seeking. The biggest challenge is that many do not consider and/or "think outside the box" for the potentials from their butlers and/or in the dining areas. Below are just two examples!! First, in the dining room, if you ask a day ahead and they have it in stock, they are happy to prepare a "special request" that might not normally be on the menu. Shown below is the Beef Wellington that we enjoyed on the Silver Muse on the way up to Alaska as we and another couple had dinner with the speaker during our cruise. That meal was wonderful. Another time for our group of six, they did a special Thai family-style dining sampling. Just be creative and ask. If within reason, they love to do such special treats. The wine and beverages on the ship are good. They are not the high, high super levels for certain wines, but it works reasonably well. Again ask if there is a certain type of wine at dinner that you seek or desire. There are varied daily offerings, but they can potentially find something different or better if you desire. Second, are the details and a visual for the World Cup watch we did of the final soccer championship game in July 2010 as we sailed south along the Norway coast. On this Norway cruise, it was my wife's birthday and working with the Executive Chef, we came up with a very memorable five-course celebration dinner for her. As always, ask in advance, be flexible and work out the details. Don't be shy!! Think what you would like to experience and enjoy. Then, work out what will be reasonable, have good options/potentials, etc. 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 246,049 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/ Below is the Beef Wellington requested and served during our 2019 Alaska sailing on the Silver Muse. Second is how our suite on the Silver Cloud looked in July 2010 when we had a World Cup Final "party" with various food and drink items ordered through our butler off of the room service menu. Our butler enjoyed pulling it together and was glad we had the creative to ask. Great way to see the game, have fun with friends and see the scenic Norway coast as we sailed south?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

From the New York Times this morning, they had this headline: “For Older Americans, the Pandemic Is Not Over" with this sub-headline: "Seniors are increasingly left to protect themselves as the rest of the country abandons precautions: 'Americans do not agree about the duty to protect others.' ” Here are some of the highlights by this writer: “For older Americans, the pandemic still poses significant dangers. About three-quarters of Covid deaths have occurred in people over 65, with the greatest losses concentrated among those over 75. In January, the number of Covid-related deaths fell after a holiday spike but nevertheless numbered about 2,100 among those ages 65 to 74, more than 3,500 among 75- to 84-year-olds and nearly 5,000 among those over 85. Those three groups accounted for about 90 percent of the nation’s Covid deaths last month. Hospital admissions, which have also been dropping, remain more than five times as high for people over 70 than for those in their 50s. Hospitals can endanger older patients even when the conditions that brought them in are successfully treated; the harmful effects of drugs, inactivity, sleep deprivation, delirium and other stresses can take months to recover from — or can land them back in the hospital.” As a "seasoned citizen", I feel "young", but can fully understand these concerns and cautions for those older. Covid is over, kind of, maybe, hopefully!!! But, we need to be thoughtful as we approach travel, especially on a more closely-together cruise ship. Good background data cited in this column. Reactions? Here is a key question from this NYT writer: "The demographic divide reflects a debate that continues as the pandemic wears on: What responsibility do those at lower risk from the virus have to those at higher risk — not only older people, but those who are immunosuppressed or who have chronic conditions?" Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/11/health/covid-pandemic-seniors.html 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 241,698 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

From the New York Times Travel Section last weekend, they had this headline: “36 Hours Bangkok” with these highlights: “Bangkokians have been busy: Travelers returning to 'the City of Angels' after even a few years will notice changes. The impenetrably jammed streets of Chinatown and Old Town, with their glorious religious and royal enclaves, are finally accessible by mass transit with the extension of the Metropolitan Rapid Transit subway. And the long-neglected waterfront of the Chao Phraya River now has two massive, eye-popping developments on opposite banks. A new generation of chefs, designers and artisans has taken advantage of the pandemic lull to open businesses throughout Bangkok, bringing more flair and fun to an already flamboyant city.” There are a wide variety of ideas, options, visuals for dining, locations to visit, etc., being offered in this highly-detailed profile. Brings back many memories from our visit there for three days in early 2018. Fun!! Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/02/02/travel/things-to-do-bangkok.html 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 241,698 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

We have also done Crystal and Seabourn in the past with very good experiences, plus Celebrity, Oceania, etc. Most of our recent cruises have been been with Silversea. Below is one of my most recent live/blogs that offers many details and visuals for the food, staff, sights, style, etc. From a Pennsylvania newspaper writer this morning, they had this headline: “Now’s a great time to take that cruise vacation” with these highlights: “Global demand for cruising continues to rise, with several cruise lines reporting record-breaking bookings for many ships and itineraries throughout 2023 and into 2024.” For Silversea, this writer offered this more specific summary: "Silversea Cruises. With over 25-years experience in luxury small ship cruising (4 Expedition/6 Ocean vessels), sophisticated (and international) Silversea sails to over 900 destinations on all seven continents, more than any other cruise line. Silversea ships are spacious with a staff to guest ratio that’s almost 1 to 1. World renowned for devoted, discreet and experienced onboard service, Silversea is also a leader in luxury expedition and adventure cruising. This year, Silversea expeditions will take guests closer to the authentic natural beauty and amazing treasures throughout Greenland, Arctic Canada and Arctic Norway at a 20% limited time savings. The 728-guest Silver “Nova” ocean ship will debut in August." For us, the two biggest pluses with Silversea are their wider/more interesting itineraries that their smaller ships can best access. Plus, the more "personal" service, size and style with a smaller ships versus being "lost" on a ship with 2000, 3000, etc., passengers in such a "mass", cattle-car setting/environment. Other more specific questions and info needs? Full story at: https://www.pennlive.com/life/2023/02/nows-a-great-time-to-take-that-cruise-vacation-sandy-fenton.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 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 a Pennsylvania newspaper writer this morning, they had this headline: “Now’s a great time to take that cruise vacation” with these highlights: “If you’ve decided this is your year to take that well-deserved cruise vacation, you are not alone. According to CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), global demand for cruising continues to rise, with several cruise lines reporting record-breaking bookings for many ships and itineraries throughout 2023 and into 2024. Traveling by ship offers travelers the ability to visit multiple, far flung, pristine destinations in total comfort and few (if any) hassles.” For Silversea, this writer offered this specific summary: "Silversea Cruises. With over 25-years experience in luxury small ship cruising (4 Expedition/6 Ocean vessels), sophisticated (and international) Silversea sails to over 900 destinations on all seven continents, more than any other cruise line. Silversea ships are spacious with a staff to guest ratio that’s almost 1 to 1. World renowned for devoted, discreet and experienced onboard service, Silversea is also a leader in luxury expedition and adventure cruising. This year, Silversea expeditions will take guests closer to the authentic natural beauty and amazing treasures throughout Greenland, Arctic Canada and Arctic Norway at a 20% limited time savings. The 728-guest Silver “Nova” ocean ship will debut in August." Full story at: https://www.pennlive.com/life/2023/02/nows-a-great-time-to-take-that-cruise-vacation-sandy-fenton.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 246,049 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

Sorry, Rhoda, we have not traveled up the west coast areas from Cape Town. For Maputo, I would suggest a ship's tour to sample the highlights there versus just "walking around". That will help give you a better "overview" of the various sights, markets, etc., in that town that has some "challenging" areas where you want to be efficient and safer as to where you are going, etc. We did a ship's tour and it worked well for getting the quick "sampling". On my live/blog connected below, there a number of pictures for what all we saw and did in Maputo. For East London, we were fortunate to have a private tour connection that involved visiting a local school there, having students perform for us, learning more about South African sports, interests, etc. Sorry, cannot line that up for you. Keep researching and considering your many options. From the London/UK Times this past week, they had this headline: “Cape Town is back — and better value than ever" with this sub-headline: "Our favourite South African city is having quite the moment.” Here are some of their profile highlights: “The Waterfront has also bolstered its arts and crafts profile — its Watershed warehouse is now lined with stalls selling covetable ceramics, fashions and jewellery from local artisans. Typical among them are Africa Nova, which has colourful textiles from £50, and Ilundi, where exquisite handcrafted leather bags start at £60 (waterfront.co.za).” Full story at: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cape-town-is-back-and-better-value-than-ever-nfcbj3xvf THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 53,588 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

Excellent to hear from highplanesdrifters that you are headed to Athens and the Ava. As mentioned, we have stayed there twice and their location is so super excellent. Love this area that is so close to excellent dining, important sites, interesting shopping, etc. Please follow-up later as to how your visit there works, etc. Will my booking commission check being in the mail from that hotel? Just kidding!! Just like in many case for sailing with Silversea, the Ava is smaller and more "personal". Not only a big, chain hotel. From a financial news website yesterday, they had this headline: “Royal Caribbean Has Bad News for Passengers" and this sub-headline: "The cruise line has built its business back after the covid pandemic and that comes with some bad news for customers.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “During the early days of the cruise industry's comeback from the covid pandemic, prices were depressed even though capacity was limited. Those days of low prices and cheap cruises may be over, according to comments made by Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty during the cruise line's fourth-quarter earnings call. 'We are seeing particularly strong booking trends for North American-based sailings, which account for nearly 70% of our capacity this year,' Liberty said. 'From a cumulative standpoint, these itineraries are now booked at the same load factor as they were in 2019 and at higher prices. Our 2023 European sailings are booked within historical ranges at better rates with recent bookings outpacing 2019 levels.' CFO Naftali Holtz made it clear that the increased prices had already started to take hold in the fourth quarter. Liberty made it clear that the traditional cruise booking pattern where prices go up on a sailing as rooms begin to fill up has returned.” Part of what is helping to fill up the ships is that many customers from the March 2020 to late 2022 period had cruise credits and want to use them now. What will happen for later 2023 and throughout 2024? Full story at: https://www.thestreet.com/travel/royal-caribbean-has-bad-news-for-passengers 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 50,267 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008 To help building excitement for your upcoming Athens visit, below is one of my night visuals of the Ava Hotel during our November 2018 visit.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see this visual larger/better!)

Appreciate these great above questions by the savvy highplanesdrifters and the follow-ups by R&T, etc. Agree that it is very, very unclear as to how ALL of these economic developments will affect the cruise lines. Not an easy period for "navigating" and predicting/anticipating the future. As noted previously, I am happy to not be a cruise line CEO or CFO. The are "gambling" with billions of dollars in debt, assets, etc. From the Wall Street Journal, below are their stock charts for the three major cruise lines companies during this past week. Surprisingly, all three of these corporate cruise stock values did not exactly move in the same patterns during this past week. Rocky??? Also from the Wall Street Journal late yesterday afternoon, they had this top headline: “S&P 500 Turns In Worst Week So Far This Year" with this sub-headline: "Index gains on Friday, but not enough to make up earlier losses; crude oil rises.” Here are a couple of the WSJ reporting/analysis highlights: “U.S. stocks swung between small gains and losses Friday, capping a week in which this year’s investor optimism about the direction of the economy faced its first test. The S&P 500 fell in early trading, then inched up before moving in a tight range for the rest of the day. The index turned in a 1.1% weekly decline, its worst weekly performance so far in 2023. Markets seemed to be digesting the previous week’s news, which included the Federal Reserve’s 0.25-point increase and a surprisingly strong jobs report. With the fourth-quarter earnings season more than halfway through, fewer companies are topping Wall Street profit expectations than normal.” Full story at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/global-stocks-markets-dow-update-02-10-2023-48a30126 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 21,566 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/ From the Wall Street Journal, here are the charts for the three major cruise lines during the past five trading days. Does the "ride" of Royal Caribbean look like a roller coaster? And Norwegian's stock had the wildest movement for this past week. Strange? Any explanations?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) Also from the Wall Street Journal, below is their chart for the past week as to the three major stock market measuring sources, including the S&P 500, plus the more tech-reflective Nasdaq. Not exactly a positive week?:

To clarify and be fair to the Royal Caribbean CEO, he was more referencing their past and/or expected future customer base to be drawing 10% of their passengers from China. Some cruises ships are now doing a little with Hong Kong, etc., but they are a long ways from being "back to normal' in that part of the world where they expect and seek much future growth. In such a super short media interview, it is hard to generalize and precisely include detailed discussions for all three of the RCL brands, including Silversea. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From CNBC cable news this afternoon, they had this headline: “Royal Caribbean CEO on inflation, pricing power, health of the consumer and company outlook” with these highlights: “CNBC's Seema Mody and Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean CEO, join 'The Exchange' to discuss the state of the traveling consumer, inflation and pricing power.” From their website, you can review the full, nearly three minute video interview. The RCL CEO was on one of their large 4600-passenger ships when being questioned. He cited that recently they have had nine of the best booking weeks in their company history. Plus, also cited was their prices set and achieved being above 2019 levels. "Incredible demand" was spotlighted by Liberty. As a key point, he cited customers seeking to shift from "buying stuff to buying experiences." Stating that most of their cruise customers have jobs and/or strong savings, any threats of a coming economic downturn were not viewed by him as threatening to their economic model. For the RCL fourth quarter, they cited a 94.9% occupancy rate. Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/royal-caribbean-ceo-on-inflation-pricing-power-health-of-the-consumer-and-company-outlook/vi-AA17dq53 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 31,753 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580