TLCOhio

Where is the future for cruising? From CNN, the cable news network, and MSN News in this past week, they had this headline: “The future of cruises: Bigger, longer and electric” with these highlights: “In travel news this week: epic cruise experiences around the world, crocodile ramen and other wild food trends hitting Asia, Construction is complete on the world’s biggest cruise ship, which is expected to set sail in Caribbean waters in January 2024. Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas is nearly 1,200 feet long and will be home to the world’s largest waterpark at sea. In Italy, where beaches are so overwhelmed they’re putting daily caps on visitors, misbehaving tourists are out of control. The latest high-profile incident was the man who allegedly carved his name into Rome’s Colosseum. He now claims he didn’t know the 'antiquity of the monument.' " For most Silversea cruisers, that "BIG, BIG" trend is not as desired. But, over the past decade or so, Silversea has roughly doubled the size from their original Silver Cloud and Wind ships with roughly 298 passengers. Now, the newer Silver Muse-class ships are a little under 600 as the maximum capacity. But, fortunately, that is not a ship holding 5000-6000 passengers. Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/the-future-of-cruises-bigger-longer-and-electric/ar-AA1dAJoY THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Late Summer 2022, many scenic visuals and details from Canada Maritimes doing Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island, etc., via a Tauck land tour. Visual Summary: www.flickr.com/photos/196555480@N08/albums

From the New York Times Travel Section coming this weekend, they had this headline: “Six Ways to Find a Little Elbow Room in Dubrovnik" with this sub-headline: "Visitors can get through the stone gates of this medieval city and meander through its cobbled streets without logjams, even in the high season. They can also get far from fellow travelers with easy jaunts to nearby islands.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “This compact, seaside city in Croatia has drawn millions of travelers from around the globe for years. Its popularity grew when HBO’s 'Game of Thrones' used it as a primary location and visitors soon overwhelmed the city, particularly in the summer. Officials have introduced measures to manage the crowds without limiting the number of visitors, but according to the Croatian National Tourist Board, this year is on pace to become the city’s busiest ever. Planning takes artful timing, minor sacrifices and a bit of luck.” This profile suggests six ways to consider, including "Game the cruise ship schedule", "Ditch the golden-hour photo shoot", "Take a breather in a monastery", "Find life outside the walls", "A green oasis, just offshore" and "Head farther to sea". Many options to consider, including being lucky when there that there is not too many big, BIG cruise ships in the port on your day in Dubrovnik. Plan and research accordingly. Good luck!! Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/11/travel/dubrovnik-croatia-travel.html THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Late Summer 2022, many scenic visuals and details from Canada Maritimes doing Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island, etc., via a Tauck land tour. Visual Summary: www.flickr.com/photos/196555480@N08/albums

Good and interesting background and insights. Suggest posting separately as it might get more notice and higher readership via than a Cooler posting. Things go fast at the Cooler and it could get missed here. Would suggest title of "Silversea & Others: What Doing Well?" Looking forward to your sharing of these details. Agree with reality of Mysty saying: "Some folks avoid the Cooler! " THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Agree with Spins and others that such a BIG, Mega ship is not for me. But from this news story, here is some added background as to how super large will be this sailing ship. They had this headline: “We're in Awe of This Comically Gigantic Luxury Cruise Ship.” Here are some reporting highlights: “As if hulking luxury cruise ships weren't big enough already, Royal Caribbean International's Icon of the Seas is here to break all records. It's almost 1,200 feet long, weighs a quarter million tons — that's five times as heavy as the Titanic — and can carry 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew members across 20 decks. It'll also feature six water slides, seven pools — one of which will be the 'largest pool at sea' — and nine whirlpools. A 'Central Park' will also feature thousands of real plants. It's an entire opulent municipality that can journey across the ocean.” Full story at: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/were-awe-comically-gigantic-luxury-142716670.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 247,933 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

Great, J.P., to hear you made it back home reasonably safe and sound. Kind of?? A little later than planned, but not bad under these challenging circumstances. Not a short, easy drive that night from Newark to Albany. Once you get recovered and rested, interested in any additional background and details from your South America adventure. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Any updates from J.P. and Chris? Did you make it home to Albany, NY, OK, on Sunday night? How was Monday as a work-day? Things really bad for parts of New York State, in Vermont, etc. It was THE major national news last night about the rains, flooding, etc. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Lots in the news these days about real estate, safety and other challenges for San Francisco. From those living there and/or visiting recently, any updates and insights to share? From MSN News and an Internet website in the last week, they had this headline: “San Francisco: The food capital of the West Coast” with these highlights: “Many cities throughout the United States are central to any list of foodie cities. When it comes to traveling to the West Coast, San Francisco is one locale that can’t be avoided. Multiple outlets recognize San Francisco as one of the top food cities in the world, and it deserves to be recognized as the food capital of the West Coast. Everything from American, Honduran, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and much more are available in San Francisco.” Added details at: https://localpov.com/posts/san-francisco-the-food-capital-of-the-west-coast?utm_source=RSS Full MSN story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/san-francisco-the-food-capital-of-the-west-coast/ar-AA1dpN5e 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/

What is new and best for Singapore? First time to be visiting Singapore and these other locations. Love to learn any smart tips, suggestions and secrets for these various, exotic parts of the world. Our overall plan for early 2024 include doing private tour options for Agra, New Delhi, etc. Then fly to Mumbai/Bombay Feb. 11, a day there, then starting 18-day Silversea cruise with stops at Mormugao (Goa) and Cochin. Then stops in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, etc., before finishing Feb. 29 in Singapore. Three days in Singapore, then fly to Tokyo for 2.5 days there before flying home through DFW. Previously, this cruise was going to offer two and a half days for Myanmar/Burma, but that has been scrubbed due to the military/government uncertainties in that challenged country. Below is my graphic for our general travel plan. Tips, ideas, insights? From CNN, the cable news network, they had this headline: “Destination Singapore” with these highlights: “A truly modern metropolis, the city state of Singapore is a jewel of Southeast Asia. Founded as a trading post for the British Empire, its rapid development and Western style are a counterpoint to the more visceral Asian cities of Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. While sipping on a Singapore Sling at the renowned Raffles hotel is a quintessential experience, there's still plenty of local color to be found, with hawker stalls serving up spicy noodle soup and fish dumplings, especially around Smith Street. Nowhere showcases the city's modern heart better than Marina Bay, where the spectacular vertical gardens of Supertree Grove nestle alongside the Marina Bay Sands resort, home to one of the world's best rooftop bars.” Everyone I have talked with has great things to say about Singapore. Clean, safe, etc.? What are your personal favorites, biggest surprises, don't miss ideas, etc., for Singapore?? We will be staying at the JW Marriott hotel next to the historic Raffles Hotel. Is the Raffles' classic Singapore Sling over-rated and over-priced? Or, worth it? Full CNN profile at: https://www.cnn.com/travel/destinations/singapore 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 244,373 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

Just to help our travel friend from Virginia (and save us from twisting our necks too much), below are those two visuals rotated. Both looking good and bringing back great memories from scenic Norway on a Silversea ship. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From Conde Nast Traveler magazine, they had this headline: “17 Best Hotels in Venice" with this sub-headline: "In the city where it pays to know what you want when you book.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “In this labyrinthine warren of a city, it pays to be clear about what you want when booking a room: tourist-addled Venice’s classic hotels cluster around St. Mark’s square, along the Grand Canal to the west, and on the riva degli Schiavoni to the east. Elsewhere in the city you’ll find everything from backpacker hostels and intimate B&Bs, to design-forward four-stars and owner-rentals galore. A ‘canal view’ will cost extra, but could mean anything from a spectacular Grand Canal vista to an awkward squint down into mosquito-infested backwater. An inwards-facing room can be far quieter than one that looks out onto a busy thoroughfare—as long as ‘inwards’ means over a courtyard or garden, and not onto a dead wall, that is.” A nice range of inviting pictures are featured for many of the higher-end, etc., hotels in Venice. Many options are featured. If I would win the Mega Powerball Super Lottery, here would be a quick pick for me: "Gritti Palace. In a city with such a concentration of luxe hotels, none do it quite like this Grand Canal classic. Though the 15th-century palazzo—now a member of the Luxury Collection—has been open to guests since 1895, a 15-month, $200 million revamp in 2013 ensured that it’s no creaky museum piece." Full story at: https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-hotels-in-venice?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=cnt&utm_mailing=CNT_Daily_AM_071023&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=5db3f99524c17c23c34ecf3e&cndid=6657468&hasha=e1ca3019f9f535a4b98389997c63b892&hashb=7daf2541a0de702392cfe60ed513a5c2d1d23598&hashc=f541a9e649534cc2931bd57d58d8c2cac2bb8c5d298f722bad5b05cc8ad5ece2&esrc=IDCONDENAST_REGGATE&utm_term=CNT_Daily THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Kotor/Montenegro: Various visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this scenic, historic location. Over 51,808 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

Is this the new "Dress Code" with Silversea? Any word from J.P. as to what time they returned home and how they are doing at work this morning? Below are a couple of tee-shirts that I saw advertised on the Internet for men to wear. Any buyers here? They apparently come in a variety of colors!! THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Cute and true observation by Mr. Luxury. To complicate the challenges for Chris and J.P. in flying back from Lima and dealing with tomorrow, here is a current NYC headline: “Sunday storms dump 7 inches of rain to parts of NY, bringing major flooding risk" with this sub-headline: "Heavy rain will be in and out Sunday and into Monday morning as a slow-moving front slides through the region.” Full story at: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/weather/sunday-storms-expected-to-slam-ny-and-nj-bringing-major-flooding-risk/4489512/ THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Safe travels back for Chris and J.P. Yes, you will need "Lots of Luck" tomorrow in return to work. You have done much at high elevations, with long flights, etc. Love the visuals, summaries, details, etc. Great, as always, sharing!! Fun to travel along. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From the MSN News and a financial news website this morning, they had this headline: “These are the cruise ships with the best — and worst — sanitation scores so far this year” with these highlights: “There's nothing like a stomach virus to ruin your vacation, as hundreds of cruise ship passengers have unfortunately learned this year. The CDC has reported 13 Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships so far in 2023. The last time the industry's yearly gastrointestinal illness outbreak total was that high was back in 2016 — and it's only July.” Great news for Silversea? The Silver Moon was listed as one of 15 cruise ships with perfect scores of 100. Excellent!! My guess is that the rest of the Silversea ship tested scored between 96 and 99. AND, for the 15 cruise ships with scores below a 95, not one was for a Silversea sailing craft. More good news. Of those 14 ships scoring only between 94 and 86, it included, in order from best scoring down to those lower: Freedom of the Seas/Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Gem, Explorer of the Seas/Royal Caribbean, Azamara Onward, Island Princess, Queen Victoria/Cunard, Noordam/Holland America, Star Pride/Wind Star, Le Boreal/Ponant, Norwegian Epic, Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, Carnival Liberty and Carnival Pride. The MSC Seaside was the lowest of group, only scoring a 67. Not good!! They noted in summary: "The majority of vessels have received scores in the high nineties." Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/these-are-the-cruise-ships-with-the-best-and-worst-sanitation-scores-so-far-this-year/ar-AA1dCK3E 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/

From the Travel+Leisure magazine last week, they had this headline: “Best Times to Visit Dubai for Beautiful Weather, Lower Prices, and Fewer Crowds” with these highlights: “Dubai is one of the most popular travel destinations in the Middle East, known for its iconic mix of cutting-edge glitz and traditional culture found in its souks and cafes. The best —and most popular— time to visit Dubai is from November to March when temperatures are pleasant and outdoor activities abound. Summer months get a bad rap because of the extreme heat, but Chef Kelvin Cheung, chef and partner at Jun’s, finds joy in both seasons. The shoulder season is a much-overlooked time to visit Dubai offering milder temperatures (in the 80s and 90s) and less-crowded streets.” This profile also noted: "Many visitors fall in love with Dubai because of the people — the city is home to diverse residents and attracts tourists from all over the world. Fewer crowds coincide with more favorable accommodation rates. If you’re looking to avoid the crowds, your best bet is to visit anywhere from April to October. This falls within shoulder and low seasons when residents have left the country and tourists are few and far between." Full story at: https://www.travelandleisure.com/best-time-to-visit-dubai-7555350 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 19,463 views. Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

Appreciate this follow-up. Yes, Stockholm has lots to offer and it is almost impossible to sample it reasonably in just one port-day stop. From Travel+Leisure magazine earlier this month, they had this headline: “Oslo Is One of Europe’s Coolest Cities" with this sub-headline: "Where to stay, what to eat, and where to shop in Norway's capital.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “Within hours of landing in Oslo, the Norwegian capital presented me with a prismatic fantasy version of itself. Did I come here to order warm cheese buns and a pilsner on the patio of the cultural center and café Litteraturhuset? Over the course of a week in early September, Oslo insisted on presenting an idealized montage of blazing sunsets, arresting art, bracing fjord swims, and a populace that’s exactly as cool as I’d imagined. Is there a city right now that feels as culturally inclined, well funded, and environmentally minded as Oslo (crowned “Green Capital” by the European Commission in 2019)? Since the discovery of oil in the North Sea in the late 1960s, Norway has gone from being one of the most underdeveloped countries in the region to one of the richest on the planet.” Many different options for Oslo are outlined and detailed in the profile. Full story at: https://www.travelandleisure.com/oslo-where-to-stay-what-to-eat-7509454 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 19,463 views. Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

From the London/UK Independent in late June, they had this headline: “Estonia travel guide: Everything to know before you go" with this sub-headline: "This Baltic nation is an oft-overlooked European gem. Its capital, Tallinn, gets the bulk of attention, but there are compelling things to find all over, from beaches to art, sauna culture to festivals.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “Nestled high in the Baltics, Estonia’s burgeoning popularity has long moved beyond simply the stag party crowd. Step outside the culture-filled cities, all steeped in medieval history, and you’ll find half of this compact country is pure nature, covered in dense coniferous forest and preserved peat bogs, while just off the west coast are 2,000 virtually uninhabited islands dotted with wooden windmills, blinking lighthouses and the occasional isolated community. With its famously clean air and rich cultural heritage of handicrafts and folk music, Estonia is peaceful, natural, and entirely unexpected.” For Tallinn, they shared: "History overlaps and comes to life in Estonia’s medieval capital. Kadriorg Art Museum is housed in a Baroque palace, Toompea Castle plays host to parliament, and street parades regularly dance between the perfectly preserved Viru Gates. The best way to explore? Get lost on foot in Tallinn’s walled Old Town, following needle-sharp Gothic church spires and steep alleyways that open into large courtyards lined with pastel painted Hanseatic merchant houses." Full story at: https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/estonia/estonia-travel-guide-best-things-to-do-eat-stay-b2360349.html THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Late Summer 2022, many scenic visuals and details from Canada Maritimes doing Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island, etc., via a Tauck land tour. Visual Summary: www.flickr.com/photos/196555480@N08/albums

YES!! Agree with Spins and the above comment for raising important questions, including as to which Silversea ships might be affected. Inquiring minds want to know more!! THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From the Washington Post this weekend, they had this headline: “The mystery of the Ain Dubai, the world’s largest (broken) Ferris wheel” with these highlights by writer Brian Rohan: “It has been more than a year since the world’s tallest Ferris wheel stopped turning, and officials here won’t say why. With more steel than the Eiffel Tower contains and nearly twice the height of the London Eye, the Ain Dubai was supposed to be closed for just a month. Then another month. And another. Finally, in April, operators quietly announced it would be closed indefinitely. The massive legs of this engineering marvel are gathering dust, while scaffolding shrouded in burlap surrounds the main axle.” Here is more background from this reporting: "As the centerpiece of an artificial island boasting some of Dubai’s most expensive real estate, the sense of abandonment is uncanny. Luxury apartments, fine dining, retail shops, a mall, a Caesar’s Palace where it is assumed gambling will one day be permitted in this Islamic jurisdiction — all were built around the titanic disk. Dubai’s residential real estate market is red-hot these days, riding high on an influx of capital from wealthy foreigners, including Russians who have flocked to the Persian Gulf in large numbers since the start of the war in Ukraine, seeking refuge from international sanctions. The story of the wheel evokes memories of past property busts. Critics describe a development scene built on hype and headlines, highly speculative, opaque, often overleveraged, and overseen by officials who refuse to acknowledge mistakes and gloss over failures with shiny new projects" Full story at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/09/ain-dubai-wheel-real-estate/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 21,918 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

Appreciate this nice follow-up with these two videos. Brings back nice memories for both excellent locations. Great sharing. Keep it coming. From the Washington Post yesterday, they had this headline: “Once hailed for decriminalizing drugs, Portugal is now having doubts” with these highlights: “Addiction haunts the recesses of this ancient port city, as people with gaunt, clumsy hands lift crack pipes to lips, syringes to veins. Authorities are sealing off warren-like alleyways with iron bars and fencing in parks to halt the spread of encampments. A siege mentality is taking root in nearby enclaves of pricey condos and multimillion-euro homes.” Although this reporting is not exactly, directly about "travel", it is interesting background as to current "conditions" and background for Portugal today. Here is more: "Portugal decriminalized all drug use, including marijuana, cocaine and heroin, in an experiment that inspired similar efforts elsewhere, but now police are blaming a spike in the number of people who use drugs for a rise in crime. In one neighborhood, state-issued paraphernalia — powder-blue syringe caps, packets of citric acid for diluting heroin — litters sidewalks outside an elementary school. 'These days in Portugal, it is forbidden to smoke tobacco outside a school or a hospital. It is forbidden to advertise ice cream and sugar candies. And yet, it is allowed for [people] to be there, injecting drugs,' said Rui Moreira, Porto’s mayor. 'We’ve normalized it.' " Full story by Anthony Faiola and Catarina Fernandes Martins at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/07/portugal-drugs-decriminalization-heroin-crack/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 21,918 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

Appreciate this great suggestion and follow-up from Kristal Blade. Wonderful tip and insight. Have copied and saved in my file on the MacBook Pro laptop for our time in colorful Jaipur. Excellent background, especially in still wearing that bracelet. Wonderful way to keep those very good memories alive and well. Keep it coming with any and all such creative, nice ideas!! 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 32,113 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

Hi, Bill!! Did send earlier and then resent yesterday an email follow-up. Maybe it went into your spam folder?? Might re-check if it went there by mistake. Since the first part of my email is TLCOhio, that could have happened. Look forward to seeing the details for your itinerary and connecting to learn more. Last night we had dinner with some long-time friends who are super active world travelers. Back in the days before she went to law school, became a Judge, etc., she had been a stewardess with TWA and explored many unique parts of the world. From their "wild" experiences in India a number of years back, they offered . . . Yes, it can be "chaos", but just relax, observe and enjoy that variety and unpredictable nature of what is there with the people, places, history, etc. Lots of colorful variety that is different than our normal, daily expectations in the USA. But, that is the beauty of India! THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Lisbon, NWSpain, Bordeaux/Brittany: Live/blog, June 2017 from Portugal to France along scenic Atlantic Coast on the Silver Spirit. Now at 33,569 views. Many pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

From the MSN News and FOX Business News this morning, they had this headline: “Cruise industry seeing summer boom with pandemic restrictions lifted” with these highlights: “The cruise industry is seeing a spike in demand as more people are looking to spend their vacations on the water this year. This is the first full summer without travel restrictions since the pandemic and cruiser goers are excited to get back to their wanderlust.” Here are more specifics from this reporting: " 'Guests have booked earlier than we’ve ever seen before,' said Holland America’s Senior Vice President of Revenue Management Beth Bodensteiner. 'Ships are full throughout the summer at this point. And guests are booking into 2024.' The Cruise Line International Association expects 31.5 million people to cruise this year. That would surpass the nearly 30 million people who cruised in 2019, the last normal year before the pandemic." Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/cruise-industry-seeing-summer-boom-with-pandemic-restrictions-lifted/ar-AA1dAKGN 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 19,463 views. Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

From the New York Times this afternoon, they had this headline: “Against the Odds, the U.S. Economy Chugs Along, as Fears Linger" with this sub-headline: "Hiring slowed last month, a sign that the Federal Reserve’s inflation-fighting campaign is taking hold. But with rising wages and low unemployment, the labor market remains resilient.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “The U.S. labor market showed signs of continued cooling last month but extended a two-and-a-half-year streak of job growth, the Labor Department said Friday. U.S. employers added 209,000 jobs, seasonally adjusted, and the unemployment rate fell to 3.6 percent from 3.7 percent in May as joblessness remained near lows not seen in more than half a century. June was the 30th consecutive month of job growth, but the gain was down from a revised 306,000 in May and was the lowest since the streak began. Wages, as measured by average hourly earnings for workers, rose 0.4 percent from the previous month and 4.4 percent from June 2022.” Good news for the cruise industry and the economy in general here in the U.S.? Here is more from their analysis: "For a year or more, worries about an impending recession have dominated discussions about the economy. Most economists expected a recession to hit the United States by now — in part because of the rapid escalation of interest rates. Inflation data to be released next week is expected to show that inflation has fallen to 3.2 percent on an annual basis, from a peak of 9.1 percent last year." Below are the stock charts from the Wall Street Journal for the three major cruise ship lines during the past five trading days. Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/07/business/economy/jobs-report-june.html 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/ From the Wall Street Journal, below are their charts for the three major cruise lines during the most recent five trading days. Rather bumpy drop on Thursday, but recovered some this morning? But, dropping later in Friday afternoon. Puzzling to follow and predict?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

Appreciate these great comments and follow-ups above from Wayfairers, Aussie lost in space and Kristal Blade. Very helpful and interesting. Keep it coming!! Excellent sharing. Loved this summary of "It is certainly an Island paradise, sometimes to see the true beauty, however, you need to get off the beaten track. If you have a few days there it is certainly worth considering a private driver/guide and staying somewhere such as Kandy as your midpoint overnight." Yes, doing some type of private tour could be great, but we on the cruise ship with included meals, tours, etc. Trade-offs!! Am considering and evaluating the various options and potentials. From the New Zealand Herald earlier this month, they had this headline: “First timer’s guide to Sri Lanka: What to see and do” with these highlights: “For an island nation that’s half the size of our own North Island, Sri Lanka sure does pack an oversized punch. Twenty-two million people call this island nation home and it’s often compared favourably against its bigger neighbour, India. Visitors will be pleasantly surprised to discover how relaxed it really is, as well as how much there is to see and do, especially considering its relatively confined dimensions. Ancient cities, wildlife parks, palm-fringed beaches, picturesque hill country… it really does have it all.” Here is more from their reporting: "After Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa became the centre of the Sinhalese empire and its thousand-year-old ruins are in remarkable condition. Sigiriya was the fortified pleasure palace for a wayward king, built on top of a rocky summit that can be reached after climbing 1200 steps." Too many steps for us to do Sigiriya, but nice summary for Polonnaruwa. This profile also shared: "For more to see and do, visit srilanka.travel." Full story at: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/first-timers-guide-to-sri-lanka-what-to-see-and-do/HWEG2SL7WBGGZBZY7K4EVBCA2Q/ 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 71,988 views: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/