TLCOhio

Great follow-up and insights above from our New Jersey neighbor. Yes, many consumers are borrowing and spending. Others have money and are wanting to catch up, spend it, rebound from missed Covid travel, etc. And, a large number of people, as you correctly noted, are struggling pay-check to pay-check. Strange, puzzling, hard to predict economic environment. From the Wall Street Journal late Friday afternoon, below are the charts for the three major cruise lines during the past five trading days. Up for the middle of the week and then sliding back down to maybe "reality" during the the last two days? From Barron's business publication today, they had this headline: “Royal Caribbean Stock Isn’t Done Climbing. This Analyst Is Upbeat.” with these highlights: “Royal Caribbean Group stock has been on a tear, and one Macquarie analyst sees plenty of room for more gains because bookings remain strong.” Full story at: https://www.barrons.com/articles/royal-caribbean-stock-outlook-d5b957c8 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 22,515 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/ Here is the Wall Street Journal charts for Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian during the past five trading days. Is up and down a good, quick summary for the week? Clearly, Norwegian had the wildest week for its "rocky" ride.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

The Swissôtel Stamford Hotel in Singapore was right nearby to where we stayed earlier this month at the JW Marriott Beach Road. Also, very close to the Raffles, etc. Below you can see a picture that I captured from the top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel showing its soaring location and how relatively close it is to the prime Marina Bay attractions. My cautions/suggestions? With the heat and humidity of Singapore, things can be "close", but walking distances can get a little "taxing" as to what works and is most handy/time-efficient. Plus, there are lots of nice and/or luxury hotel options in Singapore. Depends much on your budget flexibility, personal needs, interests, etc. As I recall, this Swissôtel is a part of the Raffles City Mall and close to other hotel options. From TripAdvisor, this hotel gets good ratings, but not quite at the top, top highest levels. Shop and compare for the best VALUE and location. In this part of Singapore, there are a nice number of nearby dining and shopping places. Much to see and explore here. From the top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, here was my view in early March of these hotels and attractions from across the waters in Singapore.: Does this help? Added questions and info needs? 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 249,338 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

Appreciate these comments and follow-up. YES, customer "affordability" will come into play in the future, especially as to whenever the U.S. and world has a recession and/or economic slow-down. Those economic "down-turns" always happen. It is just a question as to WHEN and how deep/mild. Any insights as to that question? From this Wall Street Journal-related website yesterday morning, they had this headline: “Cruise Line Stock Near Highs; CEO Sees 'Wind In Our Sails' ” with these highlights: “Royal Caribbean is Thursday's IBD 50 Growth Stocks To Watch pick as it forms a cup base and nears a buy point. The cruise line company raised guidance in mid-February due to strong demand, reversing Royal Caribbean stock's downtrend. The stock is ranked second out of 48 stocks in the leisure services group. The group rose to 73rd from 126th four weeks ago. Demand for cruises and international travel has been robust and is expected to remain strong. Royal Caribbean stock is in a third-stage base with a 133.77 buy point, according MarketSurge pattern recognition.” Full story at: https://www.investors.com/research/cruise-ship-royal-caribbean-rcl-stock/?src=A00619&refcode=aflMarketWatch 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 32,945 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

From the Wall Street Journal yesterday, they had this headline: “Can a Boring City Become Cool—With a Little Help From Taylor Swift?" with this sub-headline: "Singapore is trying to shake off its reputation for being dull and uptight.” Here are a few of their reporting highlights: “When it comes to fun, Singapore’s government is super serious. For decades, the manufacturing and trading hub had been known for being a city that was all work and no play. One quip went that Singapore was 'the world’s only shopping mall with a seat at the United Nations.' Now Singapore is trying to shake off its staid reputation by positioning itself as a cultural hub and using a favored tool: pop concerts.” While in Singapore Feb. 28-March 2, we caught a little of the "Taylor Swift excitement". While doing the evening light show on Feb. 28, the sound track was her songs and she supposedly was doing that "live" as a warm-up for her six, sold-out concerts that happened in early March. Here are more details from this WSJ news profile: "Singapore’s pop-star push is the latest in a long-term effort to make a city known for its efficiency, cleanliness and low income taxes a little more lively. For decades, Singapore has said that to attract global talent and forestall emigration, it had to emulate cities like Barcelona and become known as a rich cultural destination." Full story at: https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/can-a-boring-city-become-coolwith-a-little-help-from-taylor-swift-2de2628c?mod=arts-culture_lead_pos3 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados on the Silver Cloud for 26 days. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.). Now at 74,510 views: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/ Here are a few more visuals from our evening at the Gardens by the Bay and their famed night light show, the nearby Marina Bay Sands hotel, etc..: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) At night on Marina Bay, here are some added views of the Fullerton Hotel, the Singapore Lion, etc.: From the 18th floor pool level of our JW Marriott South Beach hotel, here are a couple of varied views of Singapore's amazing and soaring architecture.:

Appreciate all of these great comments, sharing and follow-ups. As detailed below in my live/blog, we just got back last week from three days in Singapore. Will share today a few visuals, plus more later. See a more complete summary with more visuals as linked below. From the Wall Street Journal yesterday, they had this headline: “Can a Boring City Become Cool—With a Little Help From Taylor Swift?" with this sub-headline: "Singapore is trying to shake off its reputation for being dull and uptight.” Here are a few of their reporting highlights: “When it comes to fun, Singapore’s government is super serious. For decades, the manufacturing and trading hub had been known for being a city that was all work and no play. One quip went that Singapore was 'the world’s only shopping mall with a seat at the United Nations.' Now Singapore is trying to shake off its staid reputation by positioning itself as a cultural hub and using a favored tool: pop concerts.” While in Singapore Feb. 28-March 2, we caught a little of the "Taylor Swift excitement". While doing the evening light show on Feb. 28, the sound track was her songs and she supposedly was doing that "live" as a warm-up for her six, sold-out concerts that happened in early March. Overall, we were very impressed with Singapore, its free-flowing traffic, the great mix of old and new architecture, its many cultural offerings, excellent gardens, great food, wonderful landscaping and greenery, etc., etc. We stayed at the JW Marriott South Beach and loved its great design, nearby offerings and much more. More details later. Here are more details from this WSJ news profile: "Singapore’s pop-star push is the latest in a long-term effort to make a city known for its efficiency, cleanliness and low income taxes a little more lively. For decades, Singapore has said that to attract global talent and forestall emigration, it had to emulate cities like Barcelona and become known as a rich cultural destination." Full story at: https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/can-a-boring-city-become-coolwith-a-little-help-from-taylor-swift-2de2628c?mod=arts-culture_lead_pos3 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio India to Singaore 2024: Live/Blog with many visuals, including “Golden Triangle”, Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2992045-live-terryohio-india-to-signapore-silver-moon-rising-pix’s/ Or, as an alternative use this five-term Google search Live Terry/Ohio India Silver Moon From our private tour with Danny L. of Tours-by-Locals, we explored various areas, including Little India, the Arab Quarter (including the Mosque shown below), lunch in Chinatown, going to the top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel that is the local architectural icon and also pictured below at the top-level pool. Additionally, we are shown in front of a Buddha temple surrounded by nearby, newer high-rises in Chinatown.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) In the evening, it was the Gardens by the Bay and their spectacular light and music show. Look amazing? It was!! At the right lower, is one of the three towers of the Marina Bay Sands complex with their roof-top pool we visited earlier, etc.: Below was part of the view from our river ship in the Marina Bay area with the Sands in the background. As mentioned, it was Taylor Swift music. Live or recorded? Not 100% sure, but it would be fun if she did do it live, as reported, for us sailing in this dramatic setting.: Finally, here is their famed Lion spitting out water with some of the lighted architecture in the background along their waterfront. Finally, we finished at the historic and highly-rated Fullerton Hotel for drinks (Singapore Sling, of course) before going back to the ship to finish packing and getting our luggage put out in the hallway. Yes, the Singapore Sling was not invented at the Fullerton, but we still felt the history and enjoyed this luxury hotel environment. Our JW Marriott is right across the street from the Raffles Hotel, where the Sling was invented.:

Agreed with above that doing pre-cruise research and planning for Singapore is vital. Why? There are so many different options to consider in Singapore that you cannot just go off of our ship, walk around, sample and understand it "ALL" that is there and available. Shopping is big, BIG in Singapore. We did not do much of that as we do not need to stuff more in our overloaded suit cases. Plus, we personally already have lots of "stuff" and we are trying to do some "down-sizing". As you go around in Singapore, you will see the big, expected names for the various luxury brands . . . and more!! Our skilled guide, Danny L., told us many of those shopping in these various stores are flying in from China where such "name" goods are highly valued and desired. 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 111,649 views. From Singapore's Chinatown, here are some more visuals from the temple we visited. Second is a picture of my wife with guide Danny L. who explained how a door was painted with military general to scare off the "evil spirits" and protect this place of worship.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) On the outside of this Chinatown temple, one wall was decorated with a graphic to show how this area looked before landfill expanded Singapore. As noted, this part of Chinatown used to be right along the waterfront where ship were unloaded.:

YES, Mrs. Waldo summarizes correctly that Singapore is a "foodie delight". Many, many options for ALL types of dining. Many are very "high-end". BUT, however, some of those top dining places can run $200 to $400 per person. Rather high in price. That's part of the challenge with Singapore. The "bargains" are not as easy to find for hotels, food, etc. More visuals samples below from Singapore. More to come, plus catching up for man of our enjoyable moments from Japan, India, etc. 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 249,338 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/ Many architectural and design elements are still there in Singapore going back to their British Colonial days, plus we are pictured in the middle of townhouses in the Chinatown area.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) Chinatown in Singapore offers a wide variety of architecture and history going back to the "old days" in this City-State. The fourth picture below show a model as to how Chinatown looked in the earlier days when this temple visited was located right on the waterfront where ships were unloaded, etc.: The Marina Bay Sands and its nearby buildings and museum offerings illustrate a fast-changing skyline. To the right above my shoulder you can see a round, black ball. Understand that is an Apple store. Clearly, Signapore has it "all"!:

Super appreciate this great question and follow-up from our Aussie friend in Sydney. I still have the original 1-23-24 SS email that PROMISED to have "arranged three-night luxury hotel accommodations, reflective of Silversea standards, and enriching and immersive excursions in Mumbai.” Let's have a "reality check". Most of us got "nice and good hotels" with very average, boring, bland buffets in a sterile hotel ballrooms. The few tour options in Mumbai offered by SS were not creative or immersive. Average or OK was the summary bottom-line for these offerings, hardly "reflective of Silversea standards". During the cruise, Silversea should have done some "extras" to express a "SORRY" for those failures to deliver on their missed promises in Mumbai and express regrets for not communicating and performing better. I understand the challenges facing Silversea with these abrupt changes and that there were limits for the best options in and around Mumbai. YES, loved all of the UK folks onboard and these interesting/fun people on our cruise. Keep us posted if you get any type of reasonable response from Silversea as to your legitimate refund/rebate inquiry. 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 111,649 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

During our cruise, it was great to hook up in-person with Charlie 001 from wonderful Australia. She share, despite the bad and confused communications from the Aussie SS people, that Silversea did a good good job in refunds done for the scrubbed Dubai to Mumbai, etc., cruise and costs down. NEXT?? It's the question as to what happens, or not??, for how the Silver Moon gets back from Asia to its key bookings in the Med for later this Spring and during the summer period. Those Med bookings for the Silver Moon are big, BIG money. Those Med schedules must be completed. Getting Singapore to Mumbai, etc., are important, but not as major as the Med schedules. Having been on the Silver Moon Feb. 14-29, Mumbai to Singapore, I offer the view that this situation is somewhat a Charles Dickens "Tale of Two Cities". From those experiences on the Silver Moon, the staff on the ship are excellent and "gets it" totally for serving the passengers well. As to the Silversea brass and paper-pusher in Monaco and Miami, that's a totally different situation. Sadly!! It's the Silversea and/or Royal Caribbean "bureaucracy" and "bean-counters" that are completely out-of-touch for understanding the terrible situation facing customers left "HANGING" and waiting and waiting in not knowing when and how a decision will be made and effective communications are going to happen. From being on the Silver Moon and talking with a number of the ship officials, I also know this is a very complex and challenging situation. These ships are not jet aircraft that can be quickly be moved around the globe in a few hours of time. The "supply chain" for food and materials, refueling, getting the right staff in place, etc. That is also very, very difficult to manage and maneuver. Nothing is easy, simple or quick. Hoping that the Middle East warfare stops and is quickly fixed would be desired. BUT, here is a quick sample for this morning's reality there: From the Associated Press/AP newswire this morning, they had this headline: “Yemen's rebels target Singapore-flagged ship in Gulf of Aden as US and allies down Houthi drones” with these highlights: “The attack on Friday targeted the bulk carrier Propel Fortune, which continued on its way, according to the United States military's Central Command. 'The missiles did not impact the vessel," the U.S. military said. "There were no injuries or damages reported.' The Houthis said Saturday they were behind the attack. Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed that along with targeting the Propel Fortune, the Houthi forces also launched 37 drones targeting American warships. American officials said early Saturday that the U.S. Navy, allied warships and aircraft have shot down 15 bomb-carrying Houthi drones in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. Friday's attack on Propel Fortune came after a Houthi missile struck a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, killing three of its crew members and forcing survivors to abandon the vessel.” In the past week, I read more about the details of the attack in February on a fertilizer-carrying cargo ship, the Rubymar. That ship sank last Saturday after drifting for several days. Plus, there was the recent downing of an American drone worth tens of millions of dollars. To dream this "situation" clears up in the next few weeks seems rather unrealistic. Right or wrong? When will Silversea finalize when and how the Silver Moon heads back and gets to its booking for these Europe port later this Spring? Full story at: https://www.wdsu.com/article/yemens-rebels-target-singapore-flagged-ship-in-gulf-of-aden-as-us-and-allies-down-houthi-drones/60145913 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 249,338 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

Appreciate these updates and various follow-ups as to what happens, or not??, as to how the Silver Moon gets back from Asia to its key bookings in the Med for later this Spring and during the summer period. Those Med bookings for the Silver Moon are big, BIG money. Those schedules must be completed. Getting Singapore to Mumbai, etc., are important, but not as major as the Med schedules. Having been on the Silver Moon Feb. 14-29, Mumbai to Singapore, I offer the view that this situation is somewhat a Charles Dickens "Tale of Two Cities". From those experiences on the Silver Moon, the staff on the ship are excellent and "gets it" totally for serving the passengers well. As to the Silversea brass and paper-pusher in Monaco and Miami, that's a totally different situation. Sadly!! It's the Silversea and/or Royal Caribbean "bureaucracy" and "bean-counters" that are completely out-of-touch for understanding the terrible situation facing customers left "HANGING" and waiting and waiting in not knowing when and how a decision will be made and effective communications are going to happen. From being on the Silver Moon and talking with a number of the ship officials, I also know this is a very complex and challenging situation. These ships are not jet aircraft that can be quickly be move around the globe in a few hours of time. The "supply chain" for food and materials, refueling, getting the right staff in place, etc. That is also very, very difficult to manage and maneuver. Nothing is easy, simple or quick. Hoping that the Middle East warfare stops and is quickly fixed would be desired. BUT, here is a quick sample for this morning's reality there: From the Associated Press/AP newswire this morning, they had this headline: “Yemen's rebels target Singapore-flagged ship in Gulf of Aden as US and allies down Houthi drones” with these highlights: “The attack on Friday targeted the bulk carrier Propel Fortune, which continued on its way, according to the United States military's Central Command. 'The missiles did not impact the vessel," the U.S. military said. "There were no injuries or damages reported.' The Houthis said Saturday they were behind the attack. Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed that along with targeting the Propel Fortune, the Houthi forces also launched 37 drones targeting American warships. American officials said early Saturday that the U.S. Navy, allied warships and aircraft have shot down 15 bomb-carrying Houthi drones in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. Friday's attack on Propel Fortune came after a Houthi missile struck a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, killing three of its crew members and forcing survivors to abandon the vessel.” In the past week, I read more about the details of the attack in February on a fertilizer-carrying cargo ship, the Rubymar. That ship sank last Saturday after drifting for several days. Plus, there was the recent downing of an American drone worth tens of millions of dollars. To dream this "situation" clears up in the next few weeks seems rather unrealistic. Right or wrong? Full story at: https://www.wdsu.com/article/yemens-rebels-target-singapore-flagged-ship-in-gulf-of-aden-as-us-and-allies-down-houthi-drones/60145913 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 249,338 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

Appreciate these great comments and follow-ups from our UK friend, Mrs. Waldo, Les, JP, etc. YES, the Raffles is a unique experience, but much has changed with that hotel since 2005. Different owners now, intense competition in Singapore for the high-end, luxury customers, etc. Practically every "Big Name" hotel is there with offerings that are amazing and facilities to boggle the mind (and wallet). Part of our challenge last week was that the Raffles hotel is so super upscale and classy that my wife did not believe we were "dressed up" enough to do that much on the inside. We are told that the Afternoon Tea is wonderful there. Though their windows, we could see it being offered, but we did not seek to try that experience. Given the heat and humidity in Singapore, getting too dressed up in long pants, nicer shirts, etc., can be challenging. We found Singapore to be an awesome and unique mix of "old" and the NEW!! Am getting somewhat caught up and hope this weekend and early next week to continue updating more from our adventures, visuals in Japan, India, on the Silver Moon, etc. Your patience and interest has been great. Keep it coming with any and all questions, comments and sharing. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From the Wall Street Journal, what do their charts show for Norwegian's stock during the most recent periods of this year? Below are those charts. Look a little different from RCL and Carnival? Why? This below story/reporting impacted Norwegian in late February from this financial news source and their headline: “Cruise Stocks Power Higher on Upbeat Results From Norwegian” with these highlights: “Over the past year, Norwegian's recovery from the pandemic has lagged its two larger rivals. Through Monday, the stock was down almost 4% over the past 12 months. Over the same period, Carnival and Royal Caribbean shares were up almost 37% and 66%, respectively. Norwegian sparked the sector-wide rally on Tuesday after the company said it expects to report an adjusted profit in the current quarter. Wall Street analysts were expecting a loss.” Also of interest from this WSJ reporting: "Echoing Carnival and Royal Caribbean, Norwegian said it is at a record booked position for the year, citing healthy consumer demand for travel. Norwegian also cited strength in pricing and onboard spending--a key industry gauge of consumers' appetites to splurge." Full story at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/cruise-stocks-power-higher-on-upbeat-results-from-norwegian-112ee647 Reactions, comments, questions, predictions? 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 34,686 views. Many pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358 Here are the charts for Norwegian stock as viewed by Wall Street traders during the past, recent periods of 2024. Where are things headed for the rest of this year?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

From the Wall Street Journal, what do their charts show for Carnival's stock during the most recent periods of this year? Below are those charts. Reactions, comments, questions, predictions? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Dubrovnik! Visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this super scenic and historic location. Over 53,483 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227 Here are the charts for Carnival stock as viewed by Wall Street traders during the past, recent periods of 2024. Where for the rest of this year?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

Just got back earlier this week from our "Around the World in 31 Days" adventure that involved the "Silver Moon Rising" from Mumbai to Singapore, plus pre-cruise exploring in India's famed (justifiably great) "Golden Triangle" and post-cruise time in Japan. All of those travels are detailed on my live/blog with many more visuals and specifics posted on that thread. Now catching up on this thread for the status of cruise ship finances. . From the Wall Street Journal early yesterday morning, they had this headline: “Cruises Are More Popular Than Ever—and Investors Are Late to the Party" with this sub-headline: "This year’s ‘wave season’ will break revenue records for cruise lines, but investors are wary of massive debts the industry took on during the pandemic.” Here are some of the WSJ reporting highlights: “Four years after Covid-19 shut the industry down, a brief golden age of uncrowded decks and deep discounts has come to an end. With ships sailing at capacity and prime cabins selling out quickly, grabbing an offer as the industry’s traditional 'wave season' winds down this month might be wise. Investors are in more luck than travelers: Even though the lowest prices are off the table, bargains remain available in the shares of cruise lines—especially for those not put off by a bit of choppiness.” What did this story do for Royal Caribbean yesterday? See below. Nice jump up, UP!! Next, I will update for the stock trends with Carnival and Norwegian during the past week, month and year-to-date. Here is more insights/comparisons from yesterday's Wall Street Journal story: "Only Royal Caribbean has been able to keep rallying, coming close to erasing its pandemic losses. The other two are still down by more than half. Further gains look likely for all three as anecdotes trickle in about what is shaping up to be the industry’s best wave season ever." Ready to jump in and buy/invest in cruise ship stocks? When will that expected but delayed recession and/or "economic slow-down" hit and impact the stock market shares? How smart and knowing is your Crystal Ball? Full story at: https://www.wsj.com/finance/carnival-cruise-royal-caribbean-norwegian-wave-season-8d875e9f THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Kotor/Montenegro: Various visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this scenic, historic location. Over 55,259 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193 Here is the WSJ chart for Royal Caribbean during the past five trading days, including Friday's major jump up, UP!!.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) And, for the past month from the WSJ.: Now, here are the trends of RCL since the start of 2024. Things got bumpy during mid February. Why?:

Before completing the updates, details and visuals from Tokyo/Japan, India, etc., I wanted to give a major shout-out and sharing for the famed Raffles Hotel in Singapore. History and class? Both are there in style and standards at the Raffles. It is right across the street from the JW Marriott South Beach where we stayed for two nights after the end of our Silver Moon cruise from Mumbai. With all of the trees, greenery, etc., in Singapore and among a see of dramatic high-rises, you almost miss noticing the Raffles. BUT, when you walk by and see the perfectly-maintained white stone walls, structures and surroundings, it stands out with its traditional, classic-styling and design. PLUS, everything has been perfectly maintained at the highest, best levels. "Amazing" is one wonder to describe the Raffles from walking around, seeing its various high-end shops, sampling its perfectly maintain grounds and structures, etc. Need proof, evidence and visual samples? See below. Here's a little history on the Raffles. This British Colonial-style hotel in Singapore was first established by two Armenian brothers in 1887. It was named after the British founder of modern Singapore, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. It is now owned by a Qatar-based, government-owned hospitality company that has the "deep-pockets" to have upgraded and maintained such a lavish, historic property. Raffles Hotel Singapore started as a privately-owned beach house built in the early 1830's when Beach Road was located along the waterside before this area started doing all of its landfill to create added building areas. It started as a ten-room hotel, with added wings being built. And, more!! The Raffles was a favorite spot of celebrities such as author Somerset Maugham. The Long Bar is notable for being where the national cocktail, the Singapore Sling, was invented, Our skilled guide, Danny, shared with us the details for how and why this drink was created. Great, fun story/background!! Would we stay here? Much would depend on cost. Plus, this hotel not being a high-rise, is fairly sprawled and spread out. Also, much of the charm of the Raffles are its attractive grounds and landscaping. BUT, given Singapore's heat and humidity, can those be enjoyed as fully when the weather can be so challenging? Glad we got to walk around and sample this "LEGEND". We considered having dinner outside here, but it was a little too hot that day. Hope these pictures give a decent taste for the CLASS that is present at the Raffles. For those who have visited the Raffles, does this bring back memories? Any other Raffles stories, details to share? 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 250,799 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/ Here is a view of the front part of the Raffles, plus the second visual shows the wonderfully charming uniform and warm greeting provided when pulling up to this historic hotel.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) These next Raffles visuals provide a sampling of the ground, greenery, design details, etc. In the first picture at the top right, you can see part of the JW Marriott South Beach that towers over the Raffles. As shown, this hotel is only, at its tallest, three-stories high. Kind of "short" compared to the Marina Bay Sands and the many other luxury brands in Singapore?: Here is another, closer look at the front of the Raffles with its traditional, British Colonial architecture and design.:

Appreciate the nice follow-ups and ratings shared by many. Like the likes!! Will be sharing much more. If you like some additional "eye candy", stay tuned. Checked on the Silver Moon this am and saw that they are docked south of Ho Chi Minh City on their way to eventually being in Hong Kong and Tokyo. Good luck to the great staff and passengers on this ship. We got home late afternoon yesterday. Nice to sleep in our own beds last night!! And, my sleep cycle was a fairly-normal, nearly eight-hours. Amazing given our schedule leaving Tokyo's HND airport late morning yesterday and arriving in Dallas early morning same day, ahead of schedule. Super enjoyed Japan Airline's Business Class service, food and set-up. But, was surprised that the DFW airport seems to be showing its age. At one time DFW was THE airport of the future. After Singapore's great airport and being in other facilities internationally, the DFW airport need some upgrades and focus on the future. Fair or unfair? The flights were full and busy, but major investments are needed to upgrade facilities and catch-up after the challenging Covid period affected the economics and logistics of international travel/standards. 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 258,103 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1362155-solstice-livefirst-timer-reportspix’s-italycroatian-june-7-19/

YES, Irvington wins the prize!! Those Cherry Blossoms, temple, etc., visuals are from super wonderful Kamakura. We LOVED it, too. So glad we spent Sunday there, escaped the Tokyo crowds on Marathon day, in the subways and on the trains, etc. As the photo below shows, we are now at Tokyo's Haneda Airport (HND), south of the main city, in the Japan Airline's Business Lounge awaiting a boarding of our 10:55 am flight to Dallas/Ft. Worth that will arrive in the USA before we depart Japan. That's thanks to crossing the International Date Line in an eastward direction. We are getting an "extra day" out of our "Around the World in 31 Days" adventure. Much to share from yesterday in Tokyo, including their incredible market area, temples, gardens, etc. Took over 500 pictures yesterday, plus many more to share from earlier in Japan. AND, many more visuals from earlier in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Here is one of the last pictures captured last night after dinner in the Ginza District near our Gates by Hulic Hotel in this prime location. Stay tuned! It ain't over yet, good or bad. Don't be shy with any and all questions about the Silver Moon, these various countries, etc. 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

Just three "quickies" from Japan, yesterday. Much more later. Yes, we saw some early Cherry Blossoms!! Fun and exciting. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

YES, Singapore is fun and I have many more visuals to share from this "Lion City". This includes from the Raffles Hotel, plus, plus. BUT, where are we now? Do these three visuals give a hint from last night, our first here? It's Tokyo!! Arrived late yesterday afternoon after flying from Singapore. This includes riding their subway and train system with our expert guide, Kimi. Much more to share from India, the cruise, etc. But, busy, exploring Tokyo and Japan during the next two days. First time in Japan. Fascinating city and areas. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Early 2020, many visuals and details from New Zealand/South Pacific in going from Auckland to French Polynesia. This includes Bora Bora, Fiji, NZ experiences, etc: Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2735732-live-terryohio-“new”-regatta-south-pacificnz-pix’s/

Below continues our "overview" sampling of Singapore on day one. Much to "soak up" and enjoy here. For the Marina Bay Sands, its opening was in 2010 and it is deemed the world's most expensive stand-alone casino property at US $6.88 billion. The resort includes a 2,561-room hotel, a 1,300,000 square feet convention-exhibition space, plus much more. At the top, the Sands Skypark, spans 1,120 feet with a capacity of 3,902 people and a 490-feet infinity swimming pool, set on top of what Wikipedia calls the world's largest public cantilevered platform. Seem big? See below. Plus, more at night later. 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 20,825 views. Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/ This section starts with going to the "TOP" of Singapore's most famous icon/landmark. That's the Marina Bay Sands. Over 2,000 rooms in three towers caped by a vast swimming pool, dining, full-sized trees, etc., at the top. Plus, a large casino and shopping area in its lower levels. Shown second is a sample of this hotel's large interior lobby. Kind of cold and sterile, like an airport terminal, in my opinion for this part of the complex. Happy to visit, not sure I would desire to stay here.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) Here's another angle on the pool stretching across the tip top of this Marina Bays Sands.: Here are just three examples of the views for different aspects of this city from this high level. The second picture shows the double-domed Esplanade Theaters, Singapore’s performing arts theatre, plus to the right, our towering JW Marriott Hotel. In the third picture, it gives a small sample for how very busy is this port and the large number of ships loading and unloading each day.: From this vantage point, here is a high-angle view of the famed lion fountain and a nearly, historic bridge that we later walked across.:

Below are few visuals samples from the "Arab Quarter" of Singapore, including a range of different dining places, jewelry and carpet stores, many fabric shops, etc. In one of the pictures, Danny is explaining to my wife some of the history and options here. The "action" started on a "hip and happening" street called Haji Lane. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

YES!! Super pleased with BOTH Singapore and Danny L. Great time and visuals here. Out now on the 18th floor with its pool, open deck of the JW Marriott South Beach with wonderful views and a nice, cooling breeze. What could be better?? Just walked by after lunch and soaked up some of the rarified air in and around the famed Raffles Hotel that is just across the street from our hotel. Below are some more of the many visuals from our first day in Singapore with Danny. Not too many decades ago, Singapore was just a tiny, nothing "Little Fishing Village". Folks from other countries came, including the British. The rest is an amazing history of change, success, financial power, tourist cross-roads, etc. There are many different "quarters" where people were grouped or segregated, based on their origin. This includes the largest number being from China, plus India, Muslim areas, Jewish, etc. Even among all of the high-rises, both for offices and residential, it is wonderfully refreshing to see how the "old" has been preserved and blended into the fabric of this City-State. 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 22,457 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/ This is an example of the older housing that has been preserved and maintained in Singapore. These homes, once very cheap, now cost in the millions and millions of dollars to buy just one townhouse.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) These are some highlights from the various buildings, shops, markets and more in Singapore's "Little India". Quite a wide range of goods, merchandise, services, decorations, etc..:

Appreciate these kind comments and follow-up. YES! Much more to come from Singapore. Below is more from just our first day in the LION CITY as its name means. No lions here, but sounds powerful and strong. True. These are from their highly-rated National Orchid Garden. There are more than beautiful orchids there. Plus, a large, indoor area to have and include orchids grown in higher-elevation, cooler climates. All very spectacular and super well maintained. Amazing!! 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 32,889 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

Just completed this morning departing the Silver Moon!! What do we do without the excellent staff, our Butler, free laundry (as this cruise marks our 100th day plus sailing with Silversea). All went well (except for the long walks in their terminal) for getting off the ship, going through customs, passports, etc. Got a taxi quickly to the JW Marriott and was able to get in early to relax in our luxury room. Wonderful!! Much exciting in this hotel and its nearby areas. Yesterday was exploring and learning about amazing Singapore with our private guide, Danny, through Tours-by-Locals. Excellent!! Learned so much about Singapore, its history, growth, success, including why everything is so green here and traffic is very flowing and easy. Much more on those details later. Below are only a small sample for what did yesterday with Danny. Then, in the evening there was a ship's tour giving an excellent night-lights tour in the key park, on the river and then finishing with the light and music SPECTACULAR in front of the dramatic Marina Bay Sands hotel. AND, supposedly, the music last night for this program was not just Taylor Swift, but according to local media reports, was sung live by her as we were sailing on this open waterway. She is in town getting ready to do a series of live, mass shows here that quickly sold out in just three hours. Things are alive and happening in Singapore. Loving everything we have seen and experienced so far in Singapore. We have two full days to soak up more for this famed City-State. 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 34,619 views. Many pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358 First on our private tour yesterday, we explored various areas, including Little India, the Arab Quarter (including the Mosque shown below), lunch in Chinatown, going to the top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel that is the local architectural icon and also pictured below at the top-level pool. Additionally, we are shown in front of a Buddha temple surrounded by nearby newer high-rises in Chinatown.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) In the evening, it was the Gardens by the Bay and their spectacular light and music show. Look amazing? It was!! At the right lower, is one of the three towers of the Marina Bay Sands complex with their roof-top pool we visited earlier, etc.: Here is one example of the river sailing through and around the Singapore financial district that is now considered third-ranking in the world.: Below was part of the view from our river ship in the Marina Bay area with the Sands in the background. As mentioned, it was Taylor Swift music. Live or recorded? Not 100% sure, but it would be fun if she did do it live, as reported, for us sailing in this dramatic setting.: Finally, here is their famed Lion spitting out water with some of the lighted architecture in the background along their waterfront. Finally, we finished at the historic and highly-rated Fullerton Hotel for drinks (Singapore Sling, of course) before going back to the ship to finish packing and getting our luggage put out in the hallway. Yes, the Singapore Sling was not invented at the Fullerton, but we still felt the history and enjoyed this luxury hotel environment. Our JW Marriott is right across the street from the Raffles Hotel, where the Sling was invented. Lots more to see and explore here.:

From tonight's wonderful entertainment featuring the UK's Martin Kaye doing his wild and wonderful piano salute to Elton John, here are just two fun visuals, including his wild, colorful sox's: Martin is much more than just "color" and rock music. He's the "Real Deal' for exciting entertainment. Plus, here is the Silver Moon Captain leading the salute to the staff for their wonderful performance that makes such a super, positive difference. The third picture shows our excellent Butler, Maricris, in the center, as a part of the group receiving the well-deserved recognition. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Dubrovnik! Visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this super scenic and historic location. Over 53,244 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227