TLCOhio

From the Lonely Planet website, they have just released their top, must see lists for 2024. Ranked at the top for countries deserving attention, they cited Croatia. With the headline: “Best in Travel 2024”, they had these highlights for Croatia: “Sun-kissed coastline, myriad islands, dramatic mountains and historic walled cities: travel to Croatia has become even easier with its entry into both the border-free Schengen Area and the Eurozone. Now you can journey overland all the way from Lisbon to Dubrovnik without handing over a passport or changing currency.” Full story at: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel#croatia For more background on Croatia, see: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/croatia 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 247,002 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

From the Lonely Planet website, they have just released their top, must see lists for 2024. Ranked at the top for countries deserving attention, they cited Chile. With the headline: “Best in Travel 2024”, they had these highlights for Chile: “With expanded parklands, a new president and plans for a new equity-minded constitution, change permeates the air across Chile – a country of salt flats, rainforests, volcanoes, glaciers and fjords. Chefs in Santiago are unlocking the potential of endemic ingredients. Vintners are finding more natural ways to make wine. Rapa Nui (Easter Island) is imagining a sustainable future, while rewilding efforts in Patagonia are restoring biodiversity.” Sound exciting and interesting? Looking forward, hopefully, for early 2025 in doing Chile as a part of an Antarctica adventure. Full story at: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel#chile For more background on Chile, see: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/chile 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 247,002 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

From the Lonely Planet website, they have just released their top, must see lists for 2024. Ranked at the tops for countries deserving attention, they cited India. With the headline: “Best in Travel 2024”, they had these highlights for India: “New flight routes are providing easy access from Europe and America to much-loved hubs such as Delhi, Mumbai, Goa and Kerala. India's railways are also in for a revamp, with stylish new trains rolling out across the network. Take a 2000 mile boat trip on the MV Ganga Vilas, the world's longest river cruise. For any traveler itching for a dose of dosas and a top-up of temples, this is the ideal time to see the world's most colorful country.” Sound exciting and interesting? Looking forward to early February 2024 when we first visit what is now the world's most populated nation with such an amazing variety of history, culture, architecture, food, etc. Full story at: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel#india For added India insights and information, connect at: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india 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 60,106 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

Appreciate ALL of these good and interesting follow-ups, including about the different ways to look at and measure population. Metro versus city?? Keep it coming with this excellent sharing. For that NY Times profile on Melbourne, below is the interesting visual used to open and illustrate this article: THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Up, UP and Away!!! is that what the past week looks like for the three major cruise lines?? From the Wall Street Journal, below are their charts for the three major cruise line during the past week. Overall, looking very positive and upward? For Royal Caribbean, they started on Monday morning at $104.96 and finished late today at $109.17. That is a positive $4.21 per share improvement for the week. Or, a 4% increase during just these five trading days. And RCL is getting very close to their 52-week high share value of $112.95. Norwegian has improved, but not to the same degree on a 52-week basis as has happened for RCL and Carnival. During the past week, Norwegian went up from $14.35 to $16.42. That's a super healthy 14.4% jump during the past week for their stock. Predictions for later this month as to where the cruise stocks will be positioned by the start of 2024 in one month? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 55,271 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 Here are the Wall Street Journal charts to reflect the past five days of trading for the three major cruise lines. Plus, at the bottom, is the WSJ chart for the broader, overall S&P 500 chart reflecting the general, wider market trends during this past week.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

Cruise economics? Here is some interesting background for a new ship that Royal Caribbean is now getting ready to use. Big? Even BIGGER?? Most with Silversea do not seek an environment this MASSIVE, but this involves the SS parent and how they make their "numbers" work out and balance financially. From the Wall Street Journal this morning, they had this headline: “The Startling Economics of the World’s Largest Cruise Ship" with this sub-headline: "With its seven pools, six waterslides and dozens of places to eat, drink and gamble, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas brings new meaning to the phrase ‘economies of scale’—and it’s better for the environment too.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “It has been nearly half a century since The Love Boat promised 'something for everyone.' These days, it’s actually true. Before the hit TV show helped popularize them, cruises were derided as being for the 'newly wed and nearly dead,' and were a lot more expensive than they are today. In 1980, the first year data is available from industry body Cruise Lines International Association, there were 1.4 million oceangoing cruise passengers. Next month will see the launch of the world’s largest passenger ship, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, with a maximum capacity of 7,600 people, not including 2,350 crew members.” Great background for how cruise sailing has evolved is reflected in this profile. This includes: "The newest megaships have better environmental footprints per passenger, but they pack in the most jaw-dropping amenities too. With 20 decks, Icon of the Seas would have Captain Stubing jumping out of his knee socks. It has about 12 times the internal area of the Pacific Princess and features seven pools, six waterslides and dozens of places to eat, drink, gamble, exercise or listen to live music. It also has a zip-line, bumper cars, rock-climbing walls, a surf simulator and minigolf. Icon is powered by relatively clean liquefied natural gas, has a specially coated hull to reduce friction, can hook up to shore power, treats its own waste and can produce nearly all of its water through desalination." One of the downsides cited with these bigger ships is that there are limits as to where they can sail and dock. Unlike with Silversea's smaller ships, this type of super large ship cannot dock in many smaller, more unique ports. This article also notes that these larger ships have certain "economies of scale" that can keep the basic cruise prices lower, but they make up for that with more than a third of their revenue coming from onboard spending such as drinks, spa treatments, specialty restaurants and gambling. There is a different economic path with larger ships versus the smaller, more personal sailing on Silversea. Reactions, comments and questions? Full story at: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/royal-caribbean-icon-seas-economy-7b3c9934?mod=hp_lead_pos8 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 59,833 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

From the New York Times Travel Section coming this weekend, they will have this headline: “36 HOURS Melbourne” with these highlights: “Melbourne, long seen as Australia’s second city, is runner-up no more after officially edging past Sydney in population for the first time in more than a century. But if Sydney is the extroverted showboat full of grand gestures (opera house! beaches!), arts- and food-loving Melbourne plays it cool. Visitors will discover odd and wonderful surprises, sometimes hidden in the laneways (what Aussies call alleys), including spaces like a church caretaker’s cottage turned cocktail bar or a limestone art gallery tucked amid rustling gum trees.” This detailed profile features a number of restaurants and bars, attractions, museums and live music, shopping, where to stay and getting around options and potentials. Here some added details that hit me as interesting background: "Melbourne’s city center was a ghost town at night, until a relaxation of liquor licensing in the 1990s brought new life to the laneways. Flinders Lane was the center of Melbourne’s rag trade, as its textile industry was known, until production moved offshore starting in the 1960s. Today, it’s home to a number of gorgeous shops and restaurants. On weekends, Chinatown’s sidewalks are a crawl of families out for yum cha (what Australians call dim sum, from the Cantonese for “drink tea”). Melbourne’s Chinatown is the Southern Hemisphere’s oldest, established in the 1850s during the Victorian gold rush, when tens of thousands of Chinese immigrants came seeking their fortune. Lygon Street, in Carlton, is Melbourne’s original Little Italy, where postwar migrants installed some of the city’s first espresso machines and imported Italian goods." Reactions, corrections, likes and dislikes about this reporting by Tacey Rychter, an editor for NY Times’s Travel section who lived in Melbourne for nearly 30 years and travels there regularly. Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/11/30/travel/things-to-do-melbourne-australia.html 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 34,145 views. Many pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

From the New York Times Travel Section coming this weekend, they will have this headline: “36 HOURS Melbourne” with these highlights: “Melbourne, long seen as Australia’s second city, is runner-up no more after officially edging past Sydney in population for the first time in more than a century. But if Sydney is the extroverted showboat full of grand gestures (opera house! beaches!), arts- and food-loving Melbourne plays it cool. Visitors will discover odd and wonderful surprises, sometimes hidden in the laneways (what Aussies call alleys), including spaces like a church caretaker’s cottage turned cocktail bar or a limestone art gallery tucked amid rustling gum trees.” This detailed profile features a number of restaurants and bars, attractions, museums and live music, shopping, where to stay and getting around options and potentials. Here some added details that hit me as interesting background: "Melbourne’s city center was a ghost town at night, until a relaxation of liquor licensing in the 1990s brought new life to the laneways. Flinders Lane was the center of Melbourne’s rag trade, as its textile industry was known, until production moved offshore starting in the 1960s. Today, it’s home to a number of gorgeous shops and restaurants. On weekends, Chinatown’s sidewalks are a crawl of families out for yum cha (what Australians call dim sum, from the Cantonese for “drink tea”). Melbourne’s Chinatown is the Southern Hemisphere’s oldest, established in the 1850s during the Victorian gold rush, when tens of thousands of Chinese immigrants came seeking their fortune. Lygon Street, in Carlton, is Melbourne’s original Little Italy, where postwar migrants installed some of the city’s first espresso machines and imported Italian goods." Reactions, corrections, likes and dislikes about this reporting by Tacey Rychter, an editor for NY Times’s Travel section who lived in Melbourne for nearly 30 years and travels there regularly. Did not realize that Melbourne has passed Sydney in population. Right? Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/11/30/travel/things-to-do-melbourne-australia.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 246,637 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

From the New York Times Travel Section coming this weekend, they will have this headline: “36 HOURS Melbourne” with these highlights: “Melbourne, long seen as Australia’s second city, is runner-up no more after officially edging past Sydney in population for the first time in more than a century. But if Sydney is the extroverted showboat full of grand gestures (opera house! beaches!), arts- and food-loving Melbourne plays it cool. Visitors will discover odd and wonderful surprises, sometimes hidden in the laneways (what Aussies call alleys), including spaces like a church caretaker’s cottage turned cocktail bar or a limestone art gallery tucked amid rustling gum trees.” This detailed profile features a number of restaurants and bars, attractions, museums and live music, shopping, where to stay and getting around options and potentials. Here some added details that hit me as interesting background: "Melbourne’s city center was a ghost town at night, until a relaxation of liquor licensing in the 1990s brought new life to the laneways. Flinders Lane was the center of Melbourne’s rag trade, as its textile industry was known, until production moved offshore starting in the 1960s. Today, it’s home to a number of gorgeous shops and restaurants. On weekends, Chinatown’s sidewalks are a crawl of families out for yum cha (what Australians call dim sum, from the Cantonese for “drink tea”). Melbourne’s Chinatown is the Southern Hemisphere’s oldest, established in the 1850s during the Victorian gold rush, when tens of thousands of Chinese immigrants came seeking their fortune. Lygon Street, in Carlton, is Melbourne’s original Little Italy, where postwar migrants installed some of the city’s first espresso machines and imported Italian goods." Reactions, corrections, likes and dislikes about this reporting by Tacey Rychter, an editor for NY Times’s Travel section who lived in Melbourne for nearly 30 years and travels there regularly. Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/11/30/travel/things-to-do-melbourne-australia.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 246,637 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

Anything new to update for the Jan. 6, 2023, Silver Moon sailing? What is Silversea offering and how are they adjusting schedules? For the Jan. 26-Feb. 11 Silver Moon sailing, I have seen a copy of the letter/email sent out by Silversea CEO Barbara Muckermann. In part it notes: "For the ease and comfort of our guests based on limited air flight inventory through the city of Aqaba, we will now be embarking our voyage in Dubai, UAE. As a result of this change, we have revised our itinerary to create a more immersive discovery of the Persian Gulf region with far fewer days at sea and featuring extended guest experiences." Now sure how much of the air inventory for Aqaba is a recently changed factor. More time in Abu Dhabi, Oman, etc., might be of interest to some. In 2018, we super enjoyed both Abu Dhabi and Oman. Dubai was interesting to us, but a little "over the top" in certain ways. Oman and Abu Dhabi were more fascinating for our interests and style. In her letter they offer various options and incentives for those keeping with this adjusted sailing. Or, options to switch with future cruise credits for other/later sailings. They also indicated that they offer a full cash refund for those choosing this option. Understand the frustrations with those being subjected to these late changes and the lack of sooner/better communications from Silversea. Also, with the complications/costs as to air flights, insurance, pre-cruise tours booked, etc. Appreciate to be hearing how the late December 2023 and early January 2024 Silver Moon schedules will be adjusted. 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 246,637 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

From the Wall Street Journal's sister publication of Barron's yesterday afternoon, they had this headline: “Carnival Stock Is Up Over 80% This Year. Expect More Gains, Analyst Says.” with these highlights: “Carnival stock, already among the top 10 performers in the S&P 500 this year, has room to rise almost one-third in 2024, according to Melius Research. On Monday, Melius analyst Conor Cunningham raised his rating on the cruise operator’s stock to Buy from Hold, keeping his target for the price at $19. That implies a gain of 32% from Friday’s closing price of $14.41. Carnival and its rivals have had a remarkable turnaround this year as Americans catch up on travel after the pandemic halted cruise operations.” Here is more from this report: "Royal Caribbean, up 115%, is the third-best-performing S&P 500 stock this year. Carnival is the tenth, with a gain of almost 82%, though the price remains less than one-third of its level before it plunged in response to the pandemic in early 2020." The point was also made: "likely to affect the stock, are any updates Carnival may offer about the volume of bookings on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The company is expected to release its fourth-quarter results on Dec. 30." Full story at: https://www.barrons.com/articles/carnival-stock-price-upgrade-cruise-demand-ac4ebd84?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D77626320452482689262797225847612851544|MCORGID%3DCB68E4BA55144CAA0A4C98A5%40AdobeOrg|TS%3D1701129972 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 73,380 views: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

If you think that Silversea and Royal Caribbean, etc., had challenges re-starting, dealing with frustrated customers, that nothing compared to what just happened. From the New York Times early this afternoon, they had this headline: “A Three-Year Cruise Is Canceled for Lack of a Ship" with this sub-headline: "Passengers will not be visiting Machu Picchu, the Pyramids of Giza or indeed be going anywhere.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “For months, Life at Sea Cruises has been signing up travelers, taking their money and marketing this unusual offering, which it announced in March. Its website, which was promoting the cruise as of Monday, described the ship, the MV Lara, and promised visits to the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Giza, Machu Picchu and the Taj Mahal. Prospective passengers might pause before booking, though, when they see that the voyage was already supposed to set sail on Nov. 1. And they may be more alarmed to learn that the ship, under its original name, the AIDAaura, was acquired in mid-November by Celestyal Cruises, not by Life at Sea.” No ship. No cruise!! And many who signed up and paid, had sold their homes and prepared for three years to be sailing ALL over the entire world, etc., etc. Sorry!! Won't happen. Always check the finances and track-record when you hear such nice-sounding promises and skilled marketing. It was noted in this article (or used as blame) that the organizers "said that investors had dropped out because of the unrest in the Middle East, CNN reported. The cruise was originally set to leave from Istanbul, then take an extended tour of the Western Hemisphere before arriving in Asia in August 2024. The South Pacific and Australia would fill much of 2025, followed by India." Also, this NYT story said CNN reported: "Passengers were promised repayment in monthly installments through February." How confident would you be that this money will be fully refunded? Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/27/travel/three-year-cruise-canceled-life-at-sea.html THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Summer 2019 Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc. Many visuals, Our firsts in these scenic areas! Now at 20,185 views. Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

Appreciate these follow-ups and details about this frustrating situation. Keep us posted as you, hopefully soon, get more specific information and some reasonable accommodations by Silversea. From the New York Times this morning, they had this headline: “U.S. Navy Rescues Ship From Pirate Attack in Gulf of Aden" with this sub-headline: "The United States is investigating whether Iran was involved in the incident. Hours after the attack, two missiles were fired at the Navy ship involved in the rescue.” Here are more of their reporting highlights: “The U.S. Navy intervened to stop the hijacking of a commercial cargo ship by pirates in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia on Sunday, after which two ballistic missiles were fired from Yemen toward the Navy destroyer that responded to the incident, the U.S. military said. The ballistic missiles were fired from the part of Yemen controlled by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, according to a statement released by U.S. Central Command.” Having traveled in 2018 on a cruise ship near and around Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, I know that passage is full of risks. Even in good, near normal times!!! Now, things are even much, much more challenged. Sadly. Between the Suez Canal transiting and this area near Somalia, I continue to view that Silversea wants to minimize the risks and dangers for sailing in these questionable areas. Reactions, speculation? Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/26/world/middleeast/pirates-central-park-aden-navy.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 249,499 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

From Travel+Leisure magazine late last year, they had this headline: “Here's What's New in Japan" with this sub-headline: "An expert deep-dives into how the Land of the Rising Sun has changed over the last three years.” Here was one of the key highlights by experienced travel writer Brandon Presser: “There’s a currency Catch-22. In the 20 years that I’ve been visiting — or living —in Japan, I’ve never seen such a strong U.S. dollar relative to the Japanese yen. It’s made mealtime an absolute pleasure; dining in Japan has always been lower-priced and higher-quality than in Western countries, but now I find myself planning all-day eating excursions to hit up establishments that are no longer aspirationally priced, plus gorging on all of the incredible cheap eats in between. The catch, however, is that accommodation prices are soaring as hotels falsely inflate their rates for the inbound international travelers booking up their rooms.” YES, we have found hotel prices high, HIGH in Tokyo. Part of it is that for our March 2-5, 2024 timing there, that the Tokyo Marathon will be staged that Sunday during our period in Japan. For another insight offered in this profile, here's a good option/tip: "An interesting aberration of Tokyo’s shop-to-socialize culture is the creation of luxury brand cafes. Take home a piece of Fendi or Louis Vuitton at their branded eateries; a latte at the new glass snake of a building in Ginza will set you back 1,500 yen (around $12), a bargain for the brag and the Vuitton logo-ed paper napkin holder you can take home." Full story at: https://www.travelandleisure.com/whats-new-and-whats-changed-in-japan-6890821 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Summer 2019 Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc. Many visuals, Our firsts in these scenic areas! Now at 20,185 views. Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

From Travel+Leisure magazine this morning, they had this headline: “I Stayed at 60 Hotels This Year — This Is the One I Can't Stop Thinking About" with this sub-headline: "The iconic Raffles Singapore has more than 135 years of history — and it's one of the best hotels in Asia.” Here are some of the reporting highlights by Katie Lockhart: “It's a hotel older than the country it sits in; if the walls at Raffles Singapore could talk, they would have lots of stories to tell. From bringing an orangutan to the pool to meet Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor to serving Rudyard Kipling cocktails as he penned “The Jungle Book,” Singapore’s grande dame has welcomed dozens of dignitaries, celebrities, and authors since it opened in 1887. ” Here is more interesting history and background from this profile for this famed hotel: "It has come a long way since its days as a 10-room bungalow offering an elegant reprieve from the Southeast Asian heat. Today, it houses 115 suites, with an updated grandeur that suits its A-list clientele. In 2019, after its 2015 acquisition by Accor, it got a chic top-to-bottom refurb, but don’t worry, it kept its timeless charm. The doorman still ushers guests into the grand, three-story lobby, where the famous grandfather clock has been chiming since the hotel opened." Glad in late February 2024 that we will be staying across the street from the Raffles Singapore at the JW Marriott South Beach. Close for us to visit, but where we are staying offers a better value/rate. From the hotel website and used in this magazine profile, here are two lovely visuals for the Raffles of its exterior and interior. Looking classy and great?? Full story at: https://www.travelandleisure.com/raffles-singapore-hotel-review-8405291 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 108,773 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

Nearby to Portugal's capital, here is a profile for a fun, scenic location we visited on a day-trip from Lisbon in 2017. From the London/UK Sunday Times this weekend, they have this headline: “The Portuguese town where you can watch top surfers ride 100ft-waves” with these highlights by writer William Thomson: “You might expect the world’s biggest waves to be somewhere wild, brutal, inhospitable — the Southern Ocean perhaps, or a windswept island in the Arctic. But no. Just over an hour’s drive from Portugal’s cosmopolitan capital, Lisbon, you can sit on the rooftop of an ancient fortress, sipping delicious coffee while gazing down at superstar surfers risking life and limb to ride the biggest wave on our planet. Welcome to Nazare.” Here is more: "Even when the waves aren’t thumping, Nazare is a fantastic place to visit. I’ve been coming here for ten years, all through the year, with each season bringing something special to the mix. In the summer the town is full of Portuguese holidaymakers who flock to the beaches and bars in the main town to the south of the big wave spot." Full story at: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-to-see-the-worlds-biggest-wave-and-its-daring-surfers-an-hour-from-lisbon-2vv8dht8r 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 246,637 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

Hopefully by Dec. 1 and/or the end of this coming week, there will be BOTH "clarity" and compassion as to how Silversea manages this challenging situation. Normally, they do not like to give full refunds, but hopefully they will give not only future cruise credit AND throw in some added bonus compensation to make up for these late schedule changes. As of this morning, the Silversea website still shows schedules not being updated. Good luck to all involved. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

With the major Thanksgiving holiday in the USA on Thursday, this has been an unusual week for stock trading this week. Then for the cruise lines, it got even more . . . rocky, twisted and strange!! From the Wall Street Journal late Friday, below are the charts for the three major cruise lines. It was a big, BIG drop on Tuesday and then a major "bounce-back" on Wednesday. Plus, downward slides later on Wednesday and for Friday. 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 108,687 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226 Here are the Wall Street Journal charts to reflect the past five days of trading for the three major cruise lines.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) To provide added, overall stock market perspective, here is the WSJ chart for the S&P 500 during this past week.:

This challenging situation is very puzzling and difficult. As of this morning, Friday, Nov. 24, the Silversea website shows below as if all is still fully on schedule as advertised and planned. Keep us posted as to any more details and background. As mentioned earlier, the biggest mystery for us is as to when and how the Silver Moon transits the Suez Canal to get from the Med to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. With a short-term cease fire starting today, maybe, hopefully, things will calm down in this war-plagued part of the world?? But, for how long? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate these posts. After your visits, follow-up here and let us know what you loved the most while seeing in and around Chile. For those of us living in the northern hemisphere, do we need to consider winter escapes? From Condé Nast Traveler magazine earlier this month, they had this headline: “19 Warm Places to Visit, From Chile to Sri Lanka" with this sub-headline: "The only ice you’ll see is in your cocktail.” Here are some of the highlights focused to this area of South America: “Chile: Average winter temperatures: High of 68 degrees, low of 51 degrees. Chile really does have something for everyone. Sightsee in urban Santiago, head into the Atacama Desert to stargaze with astronomers, or pass through Chile’s vineyards to get to the colorful, coastal town of Valparaíso. The city is arguably one of the most scenic hubs in the country, with lollipop-colored homes staggered along the 22 hills that rise from the Pacific Coast.” Full story at: https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-04-30/places-winter-nonexistent?redirectURL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cntraveler.com%2Fgalleries%2F2014-04-30%2Fplaces-winter-nonexistent 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 249,449 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

Great to see that this original posting attracted some attention and interest. Yes, Sydney gets lots of positive coverage for many good reasons. For those of us living in the northern hemisphere, do we need to consider winter escapes? Plus, do those down under like reading more favorables about Sydney and Australia? From Condé Nast Traveler magazine earlier this month, they had this headline: “19 Warm Places to Visit" with this sub-headline: "The only ice you’ll see is in your cocktail.” Here are some of the highlights: “Sydney: Average winter temperatures: High of 80 degrees, low of 65 degrees. Those summer hemisphere summers start to look really good as the temperatures drop back home. Sydney is always a great place to stay for a week or two, with golden beaches, surfable waves, and incredible restaurants. If you need a break from the student crowds (it is their summer vacation, after all), you can always take a quick day trip to the Blue Mountain region or dreamy Northern Beaches.” Full story at: https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-04-30/places-winter-nonexistent?redirectURL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cntraveler.com%2Fgalleries%2F2014-04-30%2Fplaces-winter-nonexistent THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Canada 2022/2023: Scenic visuals, details from Canada Maritimes (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island). Plus, new from Aug. 2023, exploring historic/charming Quebec City. Visual/Info Summaries: www.flickr.com/photos/196555480@N08/albums

Need to consider winter escapes? Plus, like reading more favorables about Sydney and Australia? From Condé Nast Traveler magazine earlier this month, they had this headline: “19 Warm Places to Visit" with this sub-headline: "The only ice you’ll see is in your cocktail.” Here are some of the highlights: “Sydney: Average winter temperatures: High of 80 degrees, low of 65 degrees. Those summer hemisphere summers start to look really good as the temperatures drop back home. Sydney is always a great place to stay for a week or two, with golden beaches, surfable waves, and incredible restaurants. If you need a break from the student crowds (it is their summer vacation, after all), you can always take a quick day trip to the Blue Mountain region or dreamy Northern Beaches.” Full story at: https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-04-30/places-winter-nonexistent?redirectURL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cntraveler.com%2Fgalleries%2F2014-04-30%2Fplaces-winter-nonexistent THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Canada 2022/2023: Scenic visuals, details from Canada Maritimes (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island). Plus, new from Aug. 2023, exploring historic/charming Quebec City. Visual/Info Summaries: www.flickr.com/photos/196555480@N08/albums

Need to consider winter escapes? From Condé Nast Traveler magazine earlier this month, they had this headline: “19 Warm Places to Visit" with this sub-headline: "The only ice you’ll see is in your cocktail.” Here are some of the highlights: “Namibia: Average winter temperatures (measured along the coast/Namib Desert): High of 68 degrees, low of 59 degrees. If your idea of a perfect winter escape involves safaris rather than sunbathing, then Namibia is perfect for you. The beautiful country has seen a boom in tourism recently, thanks in large part to the fact that it’s more accessible than ever. The last few years have seen a proliferation of connecting flights into Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, through hubs like Johannesburg on South African Airways, Amsterdam on KLM, Doha on Qatar Airways. And with some of Africa’s most navigable roads, road-tripping has exploded—especially among anyone eager for Instagram fodder.” Full story at: https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-04-30/places-winter-nonexistent?redirectURL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cntraveler.com%2Fgalleries%2F2014-04-30%2Fplaces-winter-nonexistent THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Canada 2022/2023: Scenic visuals, details from Canada Maritimes (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island). Plus, new from Aug. 2023, exploring historic/charming Quebec City. Visual/Info Summaries: www.flickr.com/photos/196555480@N08/albums

Need to consider winter escapes? From Condé Nast Traveler magazine earlier this month, they had this headline: “19 Warm Places to Visit" with this sub-headline: "The only ice you’ll see is in your cocktail.” Here are some of the highlights: “Cape Town: Average winter temperatures: High of 83 degrees, low of 59 degrees. Our winter is the best time to experience Cape Town, with pretty much perfect weather in terms of both temperatures and rainfall. While December and January mark the city’s high season—which means crowds and premium prices—it’s worth it to experience those incredible beaches, mountains, and vineyards in their absolute best light. Make the trek up Lion’s Head for the best views in town. And when you need a break from the sun, just pick a restaurant out of a hat—it’s almost guaranteed to be delicious.” Full story at: https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-04-30/places-winter-nonexistent?redirectURL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cntraveler.com%2Fgalleries%2F2014-04-30%2Fplaces-winter-nonexistent THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Summer 2019 Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc. Many visuals, Our firsts in these scenic areas! Now at 20,160 views. Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

Need to consider winter escapes? From Condé Nast Traveler magazine earlier this month, they had this headline: “19 Warm Places to Visit, From Chile to Sri Lanka" by Caitlin Morton with this sub-headline: "The only ice you’ll see is in your cocktail.” Here are some of the highlights: “Sri Lanka: Average winter temperatures (measured in Colombo): High of 87 degrees, low of 74 degrees. With countless sacred sites, boundless crystal blue waters, and picturesque jade-green tea estates, Sri Lanka offers plenty of charms to those willing to explore. Given the country’s alternating monsoon seasons, you’ll need to be strategic about which coast to visit during different times of year. Sri Lanka’s southwest coast (home to the capital city of Colombo) and Tea Country are both great spots to visit in December, as the month marks the peak of the dry season in these corners of the country.” Full story at: https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-04-30/places-winter-nonexistent?redirectURL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cntraveler.com%2Fgalleries%2F2014-04-30%2Fplaces-winter-nonexistent 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 257,252 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1362155-solstice-livefirst-timer-reportspix’s-italycroatian-june-7-19/