highplanesdrifters

Sometimes I am as clueless as they come. When I first read this I figured he was some money manager I was unfamiliar with. Just googled him. I'm dying!🤣 Thanks aging Terry for letting us play in your sandbox!

@RetiredandTravel"if I can find a biz class airfare that doesn't cost more than the cruise." I hear ya, pricing up for a trip next year which starts in Fiji, ends in Broome, 10k plus. TA thinks she can get it down. 🤞

Our Monsoon season is off to a great start. Wish I could send some across the pond. 20220713_173606.mp4

You are so right about the different Chefs. We were lucky enough to have Pia on the Cloud in June. Best cruise food we have ever had. She and staff quickly learned our taste preferences and delivered amazing flavors. A trip on the Muse last fall delivered the most mediocre food we have ever had at sea.

Thanks FN, I figured it was too good to hope for. Just watched a YouTube video of Endeavor from Crystal launch. Wowza what a ship! No wonder they went bankrupt.

Whew! Here's a Reuters link. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/sas-pilots-plough-with-talks-monday-strike-enters-3rd-week-2022-07-18/

My TA tells me that it still a minefield out there as far as EU flights are concerned. It did hear the same about Finnair that @AussieBoyTXmentioned. I'm glad that we are on a charter from Oslo to Longyearben. Just read a story about all the people stuck there, or can't get in due to the SAS strike. Perhaps there is hope for us. https://www.thelocal.dk/20220717/signs-of-imminent-agreement-as-scandinavian-airline-sas-and-pilots-negotiate-overnight-analyst/ Btw, great little museum in Tromso, The Polar Museum. It's a bit like an attic full of all kinds of historical artifacts including Admundsens skis. Especially fun if you are doing the NW passage.

@Stickman1990Thanks for posting that letter. We are on Explorer in May 2023. I wonder if they will replace the rest of Explorer trips with Endeavour.

Or so the Bitcoin ads tell everyone.😃 in the last year Bitcoin price cut by 2/3s, Inflation at historic highs......hmmmmm....guess we won't see that in the Superbowl ads. Plus, it's equity correlated now. Gee, can you tell I'm not a Crypto fan. We'll see what the BOJ and ECB do with rates this Thursday. Cruise lines that locked in their debt servicing earlier are looking pretty good. Tell her to melt now and you'll buy her some new stuff when it falls off the cliff. If it doesn't.....well...... there are always CZs and Vermeil. 😂😂😂

The Truffle Hunters- A truly wonderful and visually stunning film . Unfortunately you don't get a handful of truffles after watching it. https://www.sonyclassics.com/film/thetrufflehunters

@rkacruiserStimmie distribution, you hit the nail on the head. Should have been limited and targeted. Said me looking in my rear view mirror.😉 In the meantime for the chartists out there...... Will she or won't she? Should I cash in my gold bars to pay for my next cruise before they melt?

Connecting through Heathrow to Oslo in a few weeks for an arctic expedition. We are taking all must haves in our carry ons. If needed, we can survive the trip with just our carry ons. A potential dry run to see if we can travel alla JP. 😀 We are shipping our other bag to Oslo hotel with the thought that it might be safer than transiting through LHR. Our connecting flight is on SAS. They are still on strike so we have booked a refundable flight from LHR to OSL on BA just in case SAS is a no go or canceled. Quite the challenge to navigate the skies these days with or without baggage. If the Fashion Police choose to judge our repeat outfits so be it. Like JP said easier to check them off our socializing list.

Thanks for the update.

It's different this time.🤣 No really it is different this time.🤣🤣🤣 And now for some Ice Cream Cake.

Can you imagine?

I hear ya. It seems that so many of the NZSBs we get here in the states are so grassy it feels like you're chewing the cud.

YES! This might actually happen. Just heard from one of the expedition guys who said "She's an incredible ship! Will be worth the wait".

I like nice cake. Especially when someone brings it to me on a ship!

It's transitory.

Just checked, I am now on a 7:45 flight, as opposed to the 11am flight previously. We'll see what it actually is when we get to Oslo.😃 Anyone have any boot information other than they will be on the ship?

Wow, that's great to hear. Our friends just spoke to a Seabourn agent who told them there was only one flight at 7am and everyone wouldbe on that flight. Hope the person you spoke to is correct! We're going to need some popcorn and patience. 😃

I hear the butlers have specially made formal Carhart onesies. Which I have actually seen on a Seabourn trip.

She is probably still in Valetta collecting staff. One of the expedition team was on our SS Cloud trip in June and he was scheduled to meet Venture in Valetta. I thought the date was July 23, but that sounds a bit late. And as others have mentioned more last minute details. We too are excited for the trip having had 2 years of delays. I fully expect that there will be issues that are associated with a new ship. Combined with Covid supply chain and staffing problems could make for some interesting problems. That being said it appears that Seabourn are pulling out all the stops to make a positive first impression. I'm more concerned about actually getting there, with my luggage, than any shipboard problems. 😁 It's going to be fun, interesting and truly spectacular. I don't care if I see a polar bear, but a Narwhal that would be a real bonus. I'm sure you'll enjoy.

Lois - WHEW! Looks like August is a go!

Yikes, that is early.