TLCOhio

Great question from our friend in Australia. Glad you agree with us that Lizzie is cute!! Yes, the chocolate "colour" looks very good. She is a "mix" with a twist or two. From one website, they cite: "the heart of a Labrador and the smarts of a poodle, all in a big, beautiful allergy/asthma-friendly package!" Here is more background: "Initially bred in 1970 in Australia to provide assistance dogs for folks with allergies, the Australian Labradoodle became a beloved family pet that offered the best of both worlds: a large family-oriented people pleaser, highly intelligent, with low shedding to no shedding and no doggie odor. Parent breeds included the Labrador, Poodle, Portuguese Water Dog, and two types of Spaniels." To the credit of those in Australia, they came up with this variety originally. So far, mostly, it is kind of all working OK for us. Getting 'Potty Perfection" is still a work in process!!! 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 242,996 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

At age six months, here is the look for our Lizzie, an Aussie Labrododle, after getting her needed, first trimming Friday. Now we can see her eyes!! Much improved after that cut, right? Like the purple bows? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From a Wall Street Journal-related financial news website late last week, they had this headline: “Royal Caribbean stock rallies after big bottom-line beat, as consumers spend more on experiences” with these highlights: “Demand was already strong, but cruise operator was surprised at how swiftly it accelerated above historical trends at higher prices. This marked the fourth-straight quarter the company beat bottom-line expectations, and the fourth-straight time stock advanced the day results were reported, with an average gain of 7.8%, including the current rally.” This below chart from this source gives a good comparison since the first of this year for how the three major cruise stocks have moved in comparison to the S&P 500 overall market values. Clearly RCL, shown by the black line, has moved better than its two main competitors. Full story at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/royal-caribbean-stock-rallies-after-much-narrower-than-expected-loss-and-raised-profit-outlook-as-demand-has-swiftly-accelerated-eda9a098 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/

Did others received in the past week the 2024 Silversea Worldwide Voyages book? Yes, it was at 250 pages counting the covers, etc. I would call that a "book", not just an ordinary mailer At first, my wife and I thought it was rather wasteful and excessive marketing overkill. But, on the cover was this interesting visual from Burma/Myanmar: We have been booked for several months to arrive in Delhi/India on the evening of Feb. 5, 2024, then doing some type of private SS tour options for Agra, New Delhi, etc. Then fly to Mumbai/Bombay Feb. 11, a day there, then starting 18-day Silver Moon cruise with stops at Mormugao (Goa), New Mangalore and Cochin. Then stops in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, etc., before finishing Feb. 29 in Singapore. This lavish book did not "sell" us, but seeing this cover photo by Steve McCurry, plus many of his other creative visuals inside from around the world was very interesting and inspiring. Other reactions? We get almost daily mailers and/or e-mails from Oceania. That's way too much. Right balance of marketing from Silversea and others? 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 246,894 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

Looking very good and tasty, J.P.!! At age six months, here is the look for our Lizzie, an Aussie Labrododle, after getting her needed, first trimming Friday. Now we can see her eyes!! Much improved after that cut, right? Like the purple bows? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate this interesting background and follow-up. We forget at times how Germany and other Europe countries had colonies in varied parts of the world, including the Pacific. Good to have that historic background. Next is the big question as to if and when Australia will declare itself a "Republic" and not as attached to and under the British King. Has the new Aussie PM started to move forward with that change? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate this great summary, background and follow-up. Yes, that long and tangled history for the British Isles makes things challenging to say it correctly. Just the Ireland versus Northern Ireland portions are a part of a significant and lengthy book with many, many chapters, plus varied twists and turns. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate these additional comments and follow-up from the experienced bennybear. From MSN News earlier this past week, they had this headline: “17 Fun Things To Do In Venice” with these highlights: “We loved Venice, the vibe, the canals The city is located on 118 islands that are separated by 150 canals. It really does feel like a city on the water! A lot of the islands are connected by 400 footbridges while some of them like Burano and Murano you have to take a boat to get to them in the Venetian Lagoon. You will only find four bridges that cross the Grand Canal. And won’t miss the 400+ gondolas that are floating through the canals all around the city.” Interesting data and background. One of the tips is for: "riding on the Grand Canal public water bus (vaporetto). It was packed with people using it as a bus to get around Venice. We paid attention and quickly grabbed the seats at the front and got out my phone to open the Rick Steves Grand Tour app on my phone. His tour lasts 45 minutes – starting from the Piazzale Roma and bringing you just past St Marks Square." Plus, this option: "We started the day with a trip to the fish market at the Rialto Market. It was quite the experience. There are all kinds of different fish just sitting out. I mean fish we have never seen before! Plus there is blood on the ground from the fish and a definite fishy smell! Once of the crazy things is that when the market is done they clean it all up and you could barely tell it was there." They gave mention for Teatro la Fenice, the Opera House that had a long history of being destroyed or damaged by fire and rebuilt. In our 1970 first visit there in Venice,we stayed in a hotel next door to this famed performing arts center. Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/17-fun-things-to-do-in-venice-italy-2-day-itinerary-included/ar-AA1al5WJ 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 246,894 views. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

Need more perspective and background about Royal Caribbean's amazing rising on Thursday and Friday? Here is added insights from Bloomberg and MSN News. They had this headline: “Royal Caribbean Soars After Travel Rebound Fuels Profit View” with these highlights: “Royal Caribbean raised its full-year profit forecast past Wall Street’s expectations as demand for its vacations boomed, part of broader upswing in travel fueled by easing pandemic restrictions. The Miami, Florida-based cruise line now expects adjusted earnings per share of $4.40 to $4.80 compared to previous guidance of $3 to $3.60, coming in well above expectations of about $3.36. 'We knew that demand for our business was strong and strengthening, but we have been pleasantly surprised with how swiftly demand further accelerated,' Chief Executive Officer Jason T. Liberty said in Royal Caribbean’s first quarter earnings report.” Here is more that might be of interest: " 'This year’s bookings have been made at higher prices versus 2019, supporting a three-year plan to attain record Ebitda per capacity day and mid-teen returns on capital,' Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Brian Egger and Josh Brownstein wrote. 'Royal may benefit long term as people resume cruising, with low historical uptake in Europe and Asia.' " Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/royal-caribbean-boosts-guidance-as-cruise-travel-demand-surges/ar-AA1aJE8g 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 19,071 views. Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

Appreciate ALL of these great comments and ideas. Wonderful sharing. Personally, I am not that big for "raw fish sushi/sashimi". Liked the beef ideas/insights. Strawberries sound very good. Glad that they will be a peak at that time when we will be visiting. Am still debating and considering the many, various options for Tokyo, nearby, etc. Good news? A significant number of options. Yes, Tokyo is BIG!! But, the public transit is very good there, right? Any reaction for visiting Kamakura and whether it would be worth it? Keep it coming!! Great tips and suggestions. 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 102,835 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

YES!!! Agree with Wes that this is amazing and fascinating reporting, details, history, etc. We have been to Petra and this Al Uta also seems unique and very special. Loved the two photos posted with #13 and #14, but we want and thirst for more, more, more. Keep it coming!! THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

How are travelers adjusting to a changing and challenged world?? From the Wall Street Journal a few days ago, they had this headline: “Paris Protests and Israel Unrest Aren’t Stopping Travelers" with this sub-headline: "Guideposts for visiting popular tourist destinations experiencing strife.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “Public demonstrations and strikes have made life hard for travelers this year. Nationwide demonstrations have gripped France as citizens have voiced their anger over President Emmanuel Macron’s plan for pension reform. The protests have curtailed Paris’s public transportation and temporarily closed attractions such as the Eiffel Tower. Flights out of Paris-Orly Airport and Charles de Gaulle Airport were delayed and canceled on Monday because of a national strike. Large protests have also occurred in Israel in recent months. A transit strike in Germany brought most air and rail travel to a halt in late March. Yet travelers continue showing up. Occupancy in Paris hotels since the start of the pension protests in mid-January has been 68.1%, higher than the same period in 2022 and 2019, according to hospitality data and analytics company STR.” Full story at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/paris-protests-and-israel-unrest-arent-stopping-travelers-fdcd63d1?mod=life_work_lead_pos4 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Kotor/Montenegro: Various visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this scenic, historic location. Over 50,803 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

YES!!! The Brits know super well how to do these lavish and involved ceremonies. It bring back memories from being at Windsor Castle and observing these interesting "changing of the guard" activities as shown below from a 2010 visit. But, as nice and colorful are these ceremonies, there is the longer-term question for all of the costs, staffing, various clothing/uniform expenses, security, etc., required to stage such "events". Very wise comment by Fletcher in sharing: "they go on too long with too much padding and hanging around." THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Super appreciate the kind comments and follow-ups from A Tucson Guy and Ice Bear. Yes, I know the meaning for being "a Mensch" and am happy to read such a generous labeling. From the Wall Street Journal below are the charts for the three major cruise lines during the most recent five trading day period. Plus, also shown for the longer period involving Royal Caribbean. Are you a cruise stock owner? If so, it has been a long, rocky, wild ride. Right or wrong? During this past week, RCL soared very dramatically up, UP!! At Wednesday's close, Royal Caribbean was at $67.08. In just two days, this stock went up to $75.61. That's an $8.53 a share increase in just 48 hours. That rise equals a 12.7% increase based on their quarterly results and the hope for continued strong sales, etc. But, the confidence in Norwegian and their management/direction was not the same, nor close. There is a real "Tale of Two Cities" contrast between these two stocks and companies. Any insights as to why and how for such a different outlook with these two major cruise companies? The future "betting" is clearly stronger for Royal Caribbean. That's good news for those of us with future deposits and plans for sailing with Silversea, etc. Our upcoming early 2024 plan is to arrive in Delhi/India on the evening of Feb. 5, 2024, then doing some type of private tour options for Agra, New Delhi, etc. Then fly to Mumbai/Bombay Feb. 11, a day there, then starting 18-day Silver Moon cruise with stops at Mormugao (Goa), New Mangalore and Cochin. Then stops in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, etc., before finishing Feb. 29 in Singapore. Added time in Singapore, then fly to Tokyo for 2.5 days there before flying home through DFW. First time for all of these locations. Don't be shy in offering any tips, suggestions and secrets for these various, exotic locations. Looking forward to experiencing the Silver Moon. 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 21,810 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/ From the Wall Street Journal, below are the charts for the three major cruise lines and their trading values during this past week. I have adjusted the order to make it easier to see the dramatically different trends during the most recent five trading days for RCL versus Norwegian. Carnival moved in a pattern similar to RCL The same was definitely not true for Norwegian. Why was Norwegian dragging so much?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) These next two WSJ charts shows the movements for Royal Caribbean stock during longer periods of time. First is for RCL since early January 2023. Second is the rocky roller coaster for Royal Caribbean during the past three years. Up and down, up and down has been the summary for these longer periods. Before the Covid shut-downs, RCL peaked around $135. Will those glory days of high value return?:

From the New York Times Travel Section for this weekend, they have this headline: “Rome, Sacred Ground for Nearly 3,000 Years, and Counting" with this sub-headline: "Christianity is just one chapter in the Eternal City’s rich spiritual history. Judaism, Islam and ancient Roman religions are also a big part of the picture.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “According to legend, Rome was born on April 21, 753 B.C., when Romulus, the survivor of its feuding twin founders, hitched his plow and furrowed a circular perimeter in the hills above the Tiber River. 'We have a city founded by the auspices and augury,' the Roman historian Livy wrote. 'There is not a corner of it that is not full of our cults and our gods.' Rome, in a sense, has been sacred ground right from the start. To many, Rome is the epicenter of Catholicism, the seat of the Vatican and home to a seemingly infinite number of churches. But in the nearly three millenniums of the city’s recorded past, Christianity is but a chapter. Rome has sheltered polytheistic pagans and monotheistic Jews, adherents of Middle Eastern cults, and, in more recent times, a sizable multinational Muslim community.” Interesting background and history about Rome and its amazing, varied, changing history. Here is another item outlined: "Rome being Rome, these holy places are often jumbled together or layered — a church dedicated to the Virgin on top of pagan temples; a medieval church built over an ancient home that had a shrine to the Persian sun god Mithras in its basement." Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/travel/rome-sacred-places.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 242,996 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 Lois and Host Bonjour. Very helpful and solid background information. As per the question above, we have not flown out of the new Istanbul Airport. Since it was newly designed and built recently from the ground up, I assume and hope that things function reasonably well there compared to many older and more "sprawling" such facilities from decades earlier. For Turkish Airlines, they are hardly a "minor" operation. They have grown and expanded significantly. Per Wikipedia, "As of 2022, it operates scheduled services to 340 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, making it the largest mainline carrier in the world by number of passenger destinations. The airline serves more destinations non-stop from a single airport than any other airline in the world and flies to 126 countries, more than any other airline." Clearly that airline would not have grown that much if it was providing inconsistent, poor service. Even "major" US airlines such as American, Delta, Southwest and United, etc., have had recent challenges and service flaws. Istanbul has a strategic location to serve as a "link" between Europe and the Americans with fast-growing Asia, etc. Also to consider is that the Venice airport is relatively small and not easy to reach, plus having a more limited number of frequent non-stop flights to major, world-wide airports. Sorry, nothing is perfect and/or easy/simple. More background at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_Airlines 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 53,102 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

Appreciate your excellent follow-up regarding that Go Pro 9 black. Will check out more about that camera equipment. Keep up the great postings and travel details. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate this good question and follow-up. But, I am not a stock market expert, nor understanding exactly how such stock ownership gets you for any cruise credits, discounts, etc. Maybe someone else on these CC Board can share more. My caution is that the stock market is rather "fluid" these days and hard to predict as to any and all future trends . . . Up or Down?? From the Miami Herald this afternoon, they had this headline: “Set Sail With the Cruise Stocks? Trading Royal Caribbean and Carnival” with these highlights: “Royal Caribbean is trading higher after its earnings report, while Carnival coughed up its gains. Cruise stocks popped on Thursday’s open, but the rally is running out of steam. Royal Caribbean on Thursday morning reported better-than-expected results. The shares jumped about 9% at the open and were at that level at last glance.” At the close as of 4 pm today, RCL finished at $71.88. Or, up 7.16%. Carnival closed at $9.39 or down -0.42% today. Norwegian closed at $13.75 or down -2.76%. Very different market directions today for three, supposedly similar stocks. Hard to explain and make sense out of these trading results. Full story at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article275064541.html 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 31,916 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

From this morning's Royal Caribbean report and, most important, the various RCL CEO and CFO answers to a wide variety of stock analysts questions, here are some my notes and highlights. There was much mention about the eight new ships added by Royal Caribbean since 2019. There are three new coming this year, including Silversea Silver Nova, plus those other new ships for the SS brand. They view these new and newer ships as as a key, important driving force and factor to help push strong future bookings. There were various questions and comments for what RCL is doing for cost tightening, cost controls, etc. They are hoping customer spending is staying at the same on-board, higher levels, especially going into and through 2024. When pressed, RCL knows about how strong spending is currently and they are doing surveying, etc., to gauge future trends. The business activities in the Caribbean has been very strong now and continues for Europe, future re-opening in Asia, with China customers, etc. They are monitoring very closely future bookings and the higher rates that customers will accept. Load factors are hitting high levels for Spring. In China for 2024, they are working to re-build their sales staff there as that recovery and re-opening happens with that large potential customer base. They noted that net operating costs have been up 3%, but that their various cost controls imposed have helped to mitigate the major, higher inflation factors. For customers, RCL has had double-digit pricing increases, but they have seen demand hold up fairly strong. There was a variety of discussions and comments for their Royal Caribbean private islands and how popular those are with customers, helping them to better pricing levels, etc. We have close friends in Colorado who were just on a Royal Caribbean sailing on one of their super large boats with their daughter and two grandsons. She praise how these large ships cater to kids and that the private island offering/location was amazingly well done. That does not apply or connect for the Silversea sailer, but it shows that the bigger parent is successful in serving their key cruise audiences. Bookings for those new to cruising and new to RCL bookings are holding up well and encouraging for the future. Those "new to" levels exceeded 2019 levels. Much discussion was all about and on pricing, plus how to keep it higher to increase margins. Interestingly there was virtually no mention or questions related to Silversea. None, other that the brief mention that Silver Nova and two other ships will be new for 2023. The Caribbean continues as to being a large portion of their bookings and focus. On customers from China, their spending level is nearly what comes from North American customers. A key point is that there continues to be a significant gap between the "value basis" for land-based travel versus what cruises can and do offer. Looking at competition versus Vegas, Orlando, etc., they see cruises having significant advantages. As a bottom line financially, they are focused on “optimize yield”, not just about basic bookings. They also shared a little as to how they hold back some inventory, use sophisticated computer models, etc., to keep prices and bookings at the highest, best yields for their corporate return to profitability and paying off their billions in debt load. Hope this not too much and is of interest as these businesses look to the future. 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 33,397 views. Many pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

Appreciate this very good follow-up question. Both Carnival and Norwegian were sliding down negative this morning. From the Wall Street Journal below you can see the trend this am for Norwegian. Big difference?? Why?? My guess personally is that the stock experts compared last week's quarterly data/report from Norwegian versus the RCL info today and much prefer the positioning and future direction for the Silversea parent. Right or wrong? More details in my next post. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Dubrovnik! Visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this super scenic and historic location. Over 49,537 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

Royal Caribbean stock really SOARED higher and higher this morning. See the Wall Street Journal below. From the Wall Street Journal sister publication of Barrons this morning, they had this headline: “Royal Caribbean Stock Surges. Consumers Are Still Spending on Cruises.” with these highlights: “Royal Caribbean Group shares soared as the cruise operator turned in a smaller loss and higher revenue than expected. Companies in the business are shrugging off concerns that an economic slowdown could hit consumer spending. Royal Caribbean reported an adjusted loss of 23 cents a share, compared with a loss of $4.58 a share in the same period last year. Revenue rose to $2.89 billion from $1.06 billion.” Full story at: https://www.barrons.com/articles/royal-caribbean-stock-earnings-cruises-spending-bc14c963?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D16555977054186541662437303681582532365|MCORGID%3DCB68E4BA55144CAA0A4C98A5%40AdobeOrg|TS%3D1683214920 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Kotor/Montenegro: Various visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this scenic, historic location. Over 50,803 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

From a financial news website this morning, they had this headline: “Royal Caribbean And Carnival Shares Are Rising Thursday” with these highlights: “Royal Caribbean shares are trading higher Thursday after the company reported better-than-expected first-quarter results. Shares of Carnival were moving in sympathy with Royal Caribbean. What Happened: Royal Caribbean reported first-quarter revenue of $2.88 billion, which beat consensus estimates of $2.82 billion. The cruise company reported a quarterly loss of 23 cents per share, which beat estimates for a loss of 70 cents per share. Royal Caribbean said its strong results were driven by strong close-in bookings at higher prices, continued strength of onboard spend and favorable timing of operating costs.” Will post more details shortly after listening to the hour-long presentation and especially from the various questions asked, RCL responses provided, etc. Full story at: https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/23/05/32215082/royal-caribbean-and-carnival-shares-are-rising-thursday-whats-going-on 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 53,102 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

Below are three of the charts presented this morning during the time when the Royal Caribbean CEO was doing his presentation to the Wall Street financial analysts. More later. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

As causing and travel ramps back up, here is a good summary for an important aspect to consider. When does your Passport expire? From the Wall Street Journal this morning, they had this headline: “It Takes Three Months to Renew a Passport, So Do This to Save Your Summer Trip" with this sub-headline: "Travelers should expect longer waits to get their passports renewed. But there are options to speed up the process.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “If you haven’t yet renewed your passport ahead of international summer travel, prepare to pay plenty to fix the problem. Wait times for passports have increased across the board in recent months. Standard processing times are 10 to 13 weeks, the State Department says. Expedited processing times are seven to nine weeks. Neither estimate includes mailing times, which officials say can tack on two weeks each way. These times are up from five to seven weeks for expedited passport renewals and eight to 11 weeks for routine renewals a few months ago.” Full story at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/passports-renewal-travel-customs-global-entry-a47be108?mod=life_work_lead_story 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 53,102 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

YES!! Will be watching those gold prices as our economy goes through its varied changes as the world navigates an uncertain financial future. From a financial release from Royal Caribbean this morning, they had this headline: “ROYAL CARIBBEAN GROUP REPORTS FIRST QUARTER EARNINGS ” with these highlights: “Royal Caribbean today reported first quarter Loss per Share of $(0.19) and Adjusted Loss per Share of $(0.23). These results were significantly better than the company's guidance primarily due to strong close-in bookings at higher prices, continued strength of onboard spend, and favorable timing of operating costs. As a result of a record-breaking WAVE season and accelerating demand for its cruise experiences, the company is increasing its 2023 Adjusted Earnings per Share guidance to $4.40 – $4.80.” At 10 am today, the top Royal Caribbean executives will face questions from Wall Street analysts. Will listen in and share later any points of interest being raised for the cruising future. Here is more from the RCL PR release: " 'We knew that demand for our business was strong and strengthening, but we have been pleasantly surprised with how swiftly demand further accelerated well above historical trends and at higher rates,' said Jason T. Liberty, president and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Group. 'Leisure travel continues to strengthen as consumer spend further shifts towards experiences.' " All true or just spin? Full story at: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/royal-caribbean-group-reports-first-115900944.html THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 53,958 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