TLCOhio

Any new updates from Lois? Making progress in walking, feeling better? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate this nice follow-up and shared visual from bennybear. Yes, many options to experience in Greece, around Athens, etc. From the London/UK Independent late this past week, they had this headline: “How to spend a day in Piraeus, Athens’ rejuvenated seaside neighbourhood” with these highlights: “Although you’ve probably been through Athens’ bustling waterfront, Piraeus’ once tatty and trashy backstreets have had a much-needed makeover, with art galleries, bougie hotels, hip tavernas and designer boutiques popping up all over.” Author Heidi Fuller-Love calls Piraeus "one of the city’s best kept secrets." Many options for food, drinks, entertainment, etc., are shared in this profile. If you have previously seen the top stars in Athens, this might be an options to consider before departing on a cruise from this port. Or, during a port stop here? Full story at: https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/48-hours-in/piraeus-athens-city-guide-neighbourhood-b2110385.html 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 70,159 views: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Great suggestion!! Just posted there. Excellent tip. Still appreciate any and all smart ideas and insights for experiencing the Eastern Maritimes Provinces. We are not exactly "cruising" there, but we will take a ferry for the 14-miles as our coach sails across Northumberland Strait from Prince Edward Island to Nova Scotia. A cruise?? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Last month, after Canada dropped its mandatory Covid testing when entering their territory, we booked a Tauck tour of the Eastern Maritime Provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Cape Briton Island, etc. Excited for our first visit to these scenic, historic and charming areas. BUT, this past week Canada has just reversed course, somewhat, and is now saying that there will be mandatory "random" Covid testing of fully-vaccinated visitors when landing at their four major airports. We are fully covered with the four different shots. How good or bad will your "random" chances be for such required, off-site airport testing? In flying on Air Canada from Columbus, we will land in Toronto and then go to Halifax on a separate flight. According to the news reports, if picked randomly, we will not need to be tested till reaching Halifax. But, this new government policy change has us confused and adds to the risks for a disrupted adventure plan. Any suggestions, clarifications or insights? Also, are these Eastern Maritime areas as super wonderful as we have been told? Any special tips for there as "must-do's" and "don't miss"? 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/

Sorry to jump in the middle of these excellent and super exciting funnies, but have a specific Canada question. Last month, after Canada dropped its mandatory Covid testing when entering their territory, we booked a Tauck tour of the Eastern Maritime Provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Cape Briton Island, etc. Excited for our first visit to these scenic, historic and charming areas. BUT, this past week Canada has just reversed course, somewhat, and is now saying that there will be mandatory "random" Covid testing of fully vaccinated visitors when landing at their four major airports. We are fully covered with the four different shots. How good or bad will your "random" chances be for such required, off-site airport testing? In flying on Air Canada from Columbus, we will land in Toronto and then go to Halifax on a separate flight. According to the news reports, if picked randomly, we will not need to be tested till Halifax. But, this new government policy change has us confused and adds to the risks for a disrupted adventure plan. Any suggestions or insights? Are these areas as wonderful as we have been told? Any special tips for there as "must-do's" and "don't miss"? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Understand fully the hesitation to be getting back on a cruise ship right now. Dr. Fauci is now back to saying, maybe, mask up in interior spaces, if and if. Canada has just reversed course, somewhat, and is now saying that there will be mandatory "random" Covid testing of fully vaccinated visitors when landing at their four major airports. If you do not pass this off-site testing, you are in quarantine for ten days. Is that a fun risk? How good or bad will your "random" chances be for such required, off-site airport testing? From MSN News and a financial news source this morning, they had this headline: “Cruises could be this summer's cheapest travel option with itineraries going for as low as $29 a day” with these highlights: “There are currently 45 cruises sailing for $50 a day or less through 2022. Vacationing this summer has already shaped up to be 'hellish' and expensive. Airlines have canceled thousands of flights. But amid these skyrocketing prices, chaotic travel stories, and inflation, there's one glimmer of hope for budget travelers still looking for a relaxing getaway this year: cruises, many of which are sailing for under $100 a day.” Sound good? Maybe. But who wants to sail in the Caribbean later this summer or in the early fall? Getting to Europe and/or other distant international locations is a major "roll of the dice" with the current air travel messes. Right? But for the next six to twelve months, how do the cruise lines restore their financial stability (profits?) and normality when they are cutting prices in a period of rising fuel, food, debt and staffing inflationary costs? Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/cruises-could-be-this-summers-cheapest-travel-option-with-itineraries-going-for-as-low-as-2429-a-day/ar-AAZDSJ2 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 32,421 views. Many interesting pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

From MSN News and a financial news source this morning, they had this headline: “Cruises could be this summer's cheapest travel option with itineraries going for as low as $29 a day” with these highlights: “There are currently 45 cruises sailing for $50 a day or less through 2022. Vacationing this summer has already shaped up to be 'hellish' and expensive. Airlines have canceled thousands of flights. But amid these skyrocketing prices, chaotic travel stories, and inflation, there's one glimmer of hope for budget travelers still looking for a relaxing getaway this year: cruises, many of which are sailing for under $100 a day.” Sound good? Maybe. But who wants to sail in the Caribbean later this summer or in the early fall? Getting to Europe and/or other distant international locations is a major "roll of the dice" with the current air travel messes. Right? But for the next six to twelve months, how do the cruise lines restore their financial stability (profits?) and normality when they are cutting prices in a period of rising fuel, food, debt and staffing inflationary costs? Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/cruises-could-be-this-summers-cheapest-travel-option-with-itineraries-going-for-as-low-as-2429-a-day/ar-AAZDSJ2 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 52,960 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

Very good summary above by Randy. Yes, these "economic stimulus" government actions have been "two-edged-swords". Keynesian economics (thanks to British economist John Maynard Keynes) always looks good on the front-end as politicians are so very, very good at spending money during challenged times. BUT, when the economy is back in good times, they cannot stop spending, nor raise taxes to cover what they had dished out earlier. Then, the debt level goes up . . . and UP!! Then, the currency value gets watered down and we have serious inflation!! Surprised? Nice economic theory, but how does it work in real life? For those living on a fixed income and/or off of low-yielding assets, inflation is a cruel tax caused by governmental malpractice?? Cruise lines are caught in the middle and challenged by these economic pressures. Right? Below are a couple of our "Let them eat cake" (or dessert) examples . Fun sharing these great memories!!! THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Athens & Greece: Many visuals, details from two visits in a city with great history, culture and architecture. Now at 44,995 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008 From our 2016 Silver Cloud South Africa sailing, below are a couple of "tasty treat" examples. Make you hungry?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

Yes, interesting "economic measure" in checking with the "Pawn Shop Meter" as an indicator being offered by Randy. Appreciate these great follow-ups on cruise ship cake. Love Black Forrest cake!! .The visual from Catlover54 looks super wonderful. Very tasty!!! From the Wall Street Journal late Friday afternoon, below are their charts for the three major cruise lines as to how they were viewed by the financial traders. Some differences in how Royal Caribbean was more rocky/up-and-down than what happened with Carnival and Norwegian last week. On Thursday, July 14, RCL hit a 52-week low of $31.10. Wall Street is still not very confident that a return to profitability is that close. Right or wrong? Predictions for next week or next month? Is now a good time to buy cruise ship stocks? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Dubrovnik! Nice visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this super scenic and historic location. Over 48,860 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227 From the Wall Street Journal, below are their charts for the three major cruise lines during this past week. Rocky or more like a roller coaster?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) For the past three months, the below WSJ chart shows how Royal Caribbean has been headed on the downward slide/trend during this period since mid-April 2022.:

From this below-connected financial website this morning, they had this headline: “Can Carnival Stock Recover or Are More Rough Waters Ahead?” with these highlights: “It has been one challenge after another for the cruise industry, with more on the horizon. Bookings and revenue have begun to return, making it tempting to bottom-fish for Carnival stock. But things aren't always as they seem. In this case, look to the enterprise value to tell the story.” Many details are cited as to the affects of inflation and falling consumer "confidence". This impacts people's willingness to spend on "luxuries" such as travel, cruises, etc. In the U.S. this morning, the headline of "U.S. Inflation Hits New Four-Decade High of 9.1%" will make a serious, sobering impact on consumers and their future spending. Full story at: https://www.fool.com/investing/2022/07/13/can-carnival-stock-recover-or-are-more-rough-water/ THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Kotor/Montenegro: Exciting visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this scenic, historic location. Over 49,375 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

Sad situation!! Appreciate this sharing. The re-enforces in my mind why you want to avoid sailing on any ship when it is too "new", either after being built and/or when coming out of a major re-building. In many cases, all of the "bugs" are not worked out and/or the staff has not gotten fully into their routines. It takes time for the staff to be fully practiced to make thing happening at the highest, expected levels of service. Also, the Shadow is an older ship and those system can require more time to fix and fine-tune. Good luck to future Silver Shadow passengers. 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 244,604 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Hate to share bad news, but Royal Caribbean just hit a new 52-week low this morning when its stock dropped down to only $31.87 per share. What is happening? And, why? Carnival and Norwegian were down about 2% this morning. RCL is now down 4.11% this morning at 10:18 am. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Yes, corporate boards can be a big part of the "problem" when these folks do not hold failing executives accountable for mis-management. From the Wall Street Journal Monday afternoon, they had this headline: “Cruises Are the Cheapest Way to Travel This Summer." Here are a few of their story highlights: “As the cost of hotels, airfares and nearly every other part of the travel experience surges, one industry is cutting: cruises. There are nearly 2,000 cruises that cost under $100 a day for an interior stateroom through the end of the year. Meanwhile, the average daily rate for a hotel room was up nearly 20% compared with 2019 levels. Airfares rose almost 13% between April and May alone.” Is this good news for those seeking to cruise? Yes, sounds great to find more cruise bargains. BUT, as cruise lines seek to restore profits, pay off billions of dollars in loans, pump up their stock prices, deal with rising fuel-food-labor costs, etc., how will ALL of this work out? Will this cruise price-cutting cause the cruise company stock price to remain depressed and make it harder for them to raise new cash? When and how? Full WSJ story at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/cheap-travel-cruises-sales-bargains-11657485614 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 52,960 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

Yes, appreciate this sharing about the "mess" at London Heathrow. Had heard a reference yesterday to this story about the airport challenges there. It seems to be making a bad situation with their major airport getting even worse. Not fun to be traveling in and around Europe (or the USA, etc.) this summer. Right or wrong? From the Wall Street Journal Monday afternoon, they had this headline: “Cruises Are the Cheapest Way to Travel This Summer" with this sub- headline: "With prices high for airfare, hotel rooms and gas, leisure travelers are finding bargains out at sea.” Here are some of their story highlights: “As the cost of hotels, airfares and nearly every other part of the travel experience surges, one industry is cutting: cruises. There are nearly 2,000 cruises that cost under $100 a day for an interior stateroom through the end of the year. Meanwhile, the average daily rate for a hotel room was up nearly 20% compared with 2019 levels. Airfares rose almost 13% between April and May alone.” Is this good news for those seeking to cruise? Yes, sounds great to find more cruise bargains. BUT, as cruise lines seek to restore profits, pay off billions of dollars in loans, pump up their stock prices, deal with rising fuel-food-labor costs, etc., how will ALL of this work out? Will this cruise price-cutting cause the cruise company stock price to remain depressed and make it harder for them to raise new cash? When and how? Full WSJ story at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/cheap-travel-cruises-sales-bargains-11657485614 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 70,109 views: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Agree many CEO's are better at Board politics and picking their friends to be on these bodies. The Boards need to hold the executives who fail accountable for their mismanagement. From the Wall Street Journal late this afternoon, their below chart reflects a new 52-week low today for Royal Caribbean. Both Carnival and Norwegian dropped down around 5% in value today. What are the stock finance types seeing and fearing that is ahead for these three major cruise lines? Something does not seem right and/or good for the months ahead?? 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 70,109 views: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Agree with the comments above that most of us, more experienced travelers, have long understood the value and need to get to your cruise departure port a day or days ahead of the departure time. BUT, there are many, many others who do not fully appreciate that need. Some have legitimate time limitations/pressures, etc. Others are just not as well-traveled, nor fully experienced. That timing point is especially important now to push as the airlines are not able to be fully staffed in a period of rapid, rising demand to resume traveling/exploring. From the Washington Post as a top, lead story this morning, they had this headline: “As the BA.5 variant spreads, the risk of coronavirus reinfection grows.” Here are some of their key reporting highlights: “America has decided the pandemic is over. The coronavirus has other ideas. The latest omicron offshoot, BA.5, has quickly become dominant in the United States, and thanks to its elusiveness when encountering the human immune system, is driving a wave of cases across the country. The size of that wave is unclear because most people are testing at home or not testing at all. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the past week has reported a little more than 100,000 new cases a day on average. But infectious-disease experts know that wildly underestimates the true number, which may be as many as a million, said Eric Topol, a professor at Scripps Research who closely tracks pandemic trends. Antibodies from vaccines and previous coronavirus infections offer limited protection against BA.5, leading Topol to call it 'the worst version of the virus that we’ve seen.' ” Also shared as a summary from this report: "There is widespread agreement among infectious-disease experts that this remains a dangerous virus that causes illnesses of unpredictable severity — and they say the country is not doing enough to limit transmission. Restrictions and mandates are long gone. Air travel is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels. Political leaders aren’t talking about the virus — it’s virtually a nonissue on the campaign trail. Most people are done with masking, social distancing and the pandemic generally. They’re taking their chances with the virus. 'It’s the Wild West out there,' said Ziyad Al-Aly, an epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis. 'There are no public health measures at all. We’re in a very peculiar spot, where the risk is vivid and it’s out there, but we’ve let our guard down and we’ve chosen, deliberately, to expose ourselves and make ourselves more vulnerable.' " Is this discouraging and scary? Or, just being realistic as to the "New Normal"? Full story at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/07/10/omicron-variant-ba5-covid-reinfection/ 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 96,840 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

From the London/UK Guardian by John Malathronas earlier this Spring, they had this headline: “Hidden Greece: where to stay and what to do away from the beaten track.” This included some specific ideas, locations and suggestion for option to visit in and around Athens. Here are some of the story highlights: “Gorgeous Greece has always been a classic, go-to summer holiday destination, and the pandemic served as a stark reminder that tourism is the main motor driving the economy. As a result, many new initiatives were rushed through: from improving infrastructure and promoting sustainability to developing lesser-known destinations. Early projections suggest that these measures have succeeded and, if all goes well, 2022 could be a bumper season, with tourism reaching 80-90% of pre-Covid levels. So maybe this is the year to discover an out-of-the-way beach or an underrated resort, to recharge those sun-depleted batteries far from the madding holiday-deprived crowds, or to embark on a scenic mountain trek. For trips to the islands, ferry timetables change from week to week, so it’s best to book tickets one to two days in advance using an agent such as First Choice Travel, which has the latest dates and times.” Full story at: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2022/apr/02/hidden-greece-where-to-stay-and-what-to-do-away-from-the-beaten-track 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 96,840 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

Agree, 34 people on a Silversea excursion sounds too crowded, especially for this cruise line that prides itself on being more upscale and above average. Is this type of crowding the "new normal"? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

You asked for more comments and suggestions? Yes, agree that you will fit in fine with Silversea, etc. Below you can look through my life blog and see many visuals, tips from doing this adventure in late July 2019. Great trip and experience!! Super enjoyable in sailing with Silversea with their smaller-ship, more personal style. But, I will raise a few questions, ideas to consider. Are you locked into the late May timing? You will have more weather risks with that schedule. Maybe you will get lucky to have decent weather at that early-season time. But late May runs many, more risks for cold, windy, maybe even snowy weather, etc. Worth the risk? Second, have you done Vancouver before? It's a super great, charming town that merit? two or three days there prior to and/or after your cruise. What about added time in the main part of Alaska for Fairbanks, Denali, etc.? Done the amazing Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure? Don't be shy with any added questions, etc. Happy to share more. 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/

Agree, great comments and follow-up regarding the interesting debate as to the levels of pay that company executives "earn" versus "deserve". Not easy or simple to figure out as to what is right or wrong. Merited?? This thread is now over 70,000 views. Appreciate all who have dropped by, made comments, shared more, asked questions, etc. Keep it coming!! We all might have thought that these financial and stock value questions would long ago have been in our rear-view mirror. But, last week, the stock values hit a 52-week low. Still too many questions and many aspects of uncertainty??!! From the below-connected financial website this morning, they had this headline: “Traveling This Year? Here's Everything You Need to Know About Traveler's Insurance Post-COVID” with these highlights: “When you decide to travel, there can be many different risks you face. They range from getting injured or suffering an illness while traveling to missing an airline connection. Travel insurance helps protect against these types of risks and any financial losses you may incur as a result. While some travel credit cards provide a limited amount of insurance, it's often not enough to cover every situation. There are many different insurance options, and the most common coverage offered includes: Medical expenses from injury or sickness; Lost or stolen luggage; Last-minute trip cancellations, missed connections, or trip interruptions COVID-19 coverage. Many travel insurance companies are now offering COVID travel insurance. You must select a plan with COVID coverage. Some benefits of this coverage are: COVID-related medical emergencies and medical evacuation. If you contract any strain of COVID after the policy's effective date, then your travel medical insurance can provide coverage. Insurance will also cover any trip cancellations if your trip is canceled due to COVID-19. Some policies cover the cost of COVID tests if you have symptoms and a physician orders it. Some policies also cover the costs of quarantine for COVID-19.” For the future, this profile wisely suggests: "If you plan on traveling anytime soon, getting insurance coverage for COVID-19 may be worth it given the new risks of illness. As more variants spread and many countries implement travel restrictions, trip insurance can help you recoup your costs in case your trip is canceled. If you already have an existing travel insurance policy, you should review the policy documents to see if it will cover issues related to COVID-19." Full story at: https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/personal-finance/articles/traveling-this-year-heres-everything-you-need-to-know-about-travelers-insurance-post-covid/ 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 96,840 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

From the New York Times Travel Section this weekend, they had this headline: “ ‘A One-Hour Layover Is Not Enough Anymore’: A Flight Attendant’s Tips on Surviving Travel Now" with this sub-headline: "In two decades of flying, things have never been as stressful as they are now, a cabin insider says. Here, her tips from 30,000 feet for avoiding airline chaos this summer.” Here are some of her suggestions/highlights: “The pandemic has changed flying more than any event I have experienced in my career. If 9/11 changed how we board planes and enter airports, Covid-19 changed the experience on the airplane all together. It created a strain and made everyone nervous. Historically, summer is always a challenging time to fly, but this summer is much worse. There have been thousands of cancellations and delays each week, and there doesn’t seem to be any relief in sight. If you are going on a cruise, leave the day before. Count it as part of your vacation. Stay in a hotel in a new city and explore. The first flights of the day rarely cancel. Thunderstorms build as the day gets warmer, flight crews reach their duty limits later in the day and traffic builds at busy airports. Yes, that might mean a 3 a.m. alarm, but if your early flight does happen to cancel, there will be more options to rebook a different flight.” Here are more of her experienced insights: "Flights are full. If you buy the cheapest seats you may not be able to sit with your family. It says so when you purchase your ticket. Flight attendants aren’t there to rearrange the whole plane just so you can sit together because you tried to save money on a third party website. Don’t be “that guy.” Don’t hold up boarding because you have your extenders open till they are bursting and you can’t figure out how to make your bag fit in the overhead. Here is a flight attendant secret: We sometimes keep the airplane cold intentionally. For people who struggle with airsickness, heat makes it worse. We don’t want anyone to use those sick sacks. Download the app of the airline you are flying. These apps have valuable information. They will keep you from having to wait in impossibly long lines or to try and get someone on the phone if things go wrong." Good ideas and background? Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/08/travel/travel-tips-flight-attendant.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 237,870 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

Regarding Explore, I did more research on them and in my view, they might be both "REAL" and worth considering. I found for $8,800, total cost for two of us , including tips, taxes, etc., an "Extended Journey to A Yachtsman's Caribbean" (13 Days) Jan. 19-31, 2024, Bridgetown, Barbados to Bridgetown, Barbados. This includes stops in: Roseau, Dominica; Castries (St. Lucia); Deshaies, Guadeloupe; Gustavia, Saint Barthélemy; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Spanish Town, British Virgin Islands; Basseterre, Saint Kitts And Nevis; St. John's, Antigua And Barbuda; Kingstown, Saint Vincent And The Grenadines; before returning back to Barbados. This would includes five locations in the Caribbean we have not visited and four places (Barbados, Dominica, St. Barts and San Juan) we loved from our earlier trip in that region. The other new locations for us seem good, interesting and worth visiting. Right or wrong? On Explora, it will have 461 all-balcony suites with the basic accommodation we would get having 377 square feet. Each stateroom will have floor-to-ceiling windows that open onto a step-out veranda. The crew to passenger ratio on the ship will be 1.25 to 1. The ship will have four swimming pools, including one with a retractable roof, and more than 27,000-square-feet of outdoor deck space with 64 private cabanas, plus various hot tubs, and a large LED screen for "Movies Under the Stars", etc. The effort is being bankrolled by the Aponte family (Italian-Swiss) that controls MCS shipping (now the world’s largest) and that operates the fast-growing MCS cruises. These ship will not have a main dining room, but nine different options. In talking with one of their experienced staff members and asking many specific questions, it seems that they are progressing well and are aiming to seriously compete with Silversea, Seabourn, etc. Their ships (six now on order) will be a little larger, but focused on being very "personal" in their various on-board offerings, excursion options, etc. Clearly their owners, being privately-held, do not have to worry about the stock market and quarterly reviews, borrowing money to stay afloat, etc. Reactions and questions? Yes, competition can be good for the consumers!! 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 244,604 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

YES!! Glad to hear you made it home. Somewhat safe and mostly, kind of, sound. Agree with J.P. We look forward to your wrap-up summary, added details, feed-back from your fellow passengers, insights about Silversea, etc. Rest-up!! From your vacation. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

As you look at the below charts, what shape/design does it resemble? A roller coaster ride? A crazy, multiple-humped camel? Your description? Are these shifts and changes going to be positive or negative? From the Wall Street Journal late Friday afternoon, below are the charts for the three major cruise lines listed on the NY Stock Exchange. Do these trends inspire future confidence? Or, is now the best time to buy and ride their certain upward swing? 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 237,870 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139 From the Wall Street Journal later today after their market closing, below are the charts for the three major, listed cruise companies. For all three lines, early Tuesday am was a major dropping point. For Royal Caribbean and Carnival, that early Tuesday trading was a new, 52-week low for these two stocks. What will happen for next week and in later July?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) For Royal Caribbean, here has been the WSJ charting trending since early January 2022. Has there been a clear, specific trend? Is is positive or negative?:

During the past two years with billions of dollars in losses for the three major, pubicly-listed cruise lines, have their CEO top executives suffered financially? From this below-connected financial website yesterday morning, they had this headline: “The Highest Paid Cruise Industry CEOs” with these highlights: “Don’t take the media’s word for it that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio is overpaid. Ask Norwegian’s shareholders, who rejected his compensation package by a 5.5-1 vote margin at Norwegian’s annual meeting June 16. The non-binding vote won’t keep the Del Rio from keeping the $19.7 million he got paid last year. But it was the second straight year the company’s shareholders turned thumbs down: Del Rio’s $36.4 million 2020 pay, as the industry all but foundered, was disapproved in a 5-1 vote. 'Norwegian had the lowest level of support for pay of any Standard and Poor’s 500 index company,' said Rosanna Landis Weaver, an executive pay expert at As You Sow, a non-profit that promotes corporate accountability through shareholder advocacy and litigation. Cruise company CEO wages have become a lightning rod in the larger debate about income inequality, Weaver said." Here was their chart for Cruise Industry CEO Pay 2021 Frank Del Rio, Norwegian Cruise Line, $19.7 million Richard Fain, Royal Caribbean Cruises, $15.8 million Arnold Donald, Carnival Corporation, $15.1 million Additionally from this story, they reported: "Cruise-industry wages are low because the companies hire heavily in developing nations, especially the Philippines, and most workers aren’t on the job for the full year. The median wage at Norwegian is $19,319, compared with $14,706 at Royal Caribbean Group and $8,658 at Carnival Corp. Del Rio’s car allowance alone was $27,600, more than his median staffer’s total pay. His son, the company’s chief sales and marketing officer, gets a $1,200 a month auto allowance, which works out to $14,400 annually, according to the proxy. Norwegian lost $982.7 million in the first quarter of 2022 and $4.51 billion last year. But Del Rio has company: Execs at Royal Caribbean and Carnival have also cashed in big. At all three, CEOs make more than 1,000 times the pay of the median worker at their companies.” Norwegian is actually not the third-largest cruise line company. MSC is actually ranked third in the world, but is privately-owned by the Italian-Swiss billionaire Aponte family. MSC is not listed on the NY Stock Exchange and their data is not a widely-known. For a much smaller and fourth-ranked Norwegian, it does seem that Del Rio's total financial package seems rather large compared to his company's relative size and profitability. Right or wrong? If and when Norwegian returns to being profitable, how much more will he pay himself? If you are thinking of buying cruise ship stock, how does this pay data inspire confidence and trust? Full story at: https://skift.com/2022/07/07/the-highest-paid-cruise-industry-ceos/ 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 244,604 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923