TLCOhio

Although the Corinth Canal and the Peloponnese Peninsula are not in Athens, they are nearby. In 2006, before doing our cruise from Athens, we did a wonderful day tour of these interesting areas. From CNN, the cable news network, they had this headline last month: “The spectacular canal that was 2,500 years in the making” with these highlights: “The very first sailings through the Corinth Canal, one of the most significant infrastructural feats the world had ever seen, took place in 1893, fulfilling a vision that had been at least 2,500 years in the making. The canal cut through the isthmus of Corinth in Greece, linking the Ionian Sea with the Aegean, effectively turning the Peloponnese peninsula into an island, and creating an international maritime hub that transformed navigation in southern Europe. It saved ships the nearly 321-kilometer (300 mile) journey around the plane tree leaf-shaped cape, allowing them to reach ports further east much faster and safer. Now a hugely popular destination, it's the second most-visited tourist landmark in Greece today, attracting people from all over the world.” Full story at: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/corinth-canal-greece/index.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 31,695 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

From MSN News earlier this month, they had this headline: “Best Time Of Year To Visit Greece For The Perfect Weather” with these highlights: “We have some great tips on which months will provide you with the most sunshine, the least amount of rainfall, and pleasant temperatures. As an added bonus, this time of year is also great for avoiding large tourist crowds, and overpriced accommodations. The summer months of July and August can be hot in Greece, but thanks to its position, and being surrounded by mass bodies of water, combined with the cool breezes. It's the spring and autumn seasons that are the best time of year to visit Greece. Visiting Greece during both of these seasons affords pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds. Generally, the spring months of April, May, and yes, even June, and the autumn months of September and October, offer visitors clear skies, loads of sunshine, as well as annual celebrations and festivals.” Here are their final, summary thoughts about this amazing area: "Greece is a magical country with amazing history and centuries-old mythology that captivates everyone." Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/the-best-time-of-year-to-visit-greece-for-the-perfect-weather/ar-AA15qqr7 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 32,930 views. Many pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

Yes, the red cardinals are wonderful, especially on snowy and/or dull days. Great funnies, food pix's, etc., at the Cooler. The deer are busy and out working today at our ravine location. Not taking today off as a holiday. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio The deer are out working this morning in Central Ohio around where we have some of our outdoor Christmas decorations.:

We had a very nice, sunny, but cold, Christmas Day in Central Ohio. It was a real White Christmas. See below as proof from Christmas Day, plus two from this morning. The deer are busy and out working today. Not taking today off as a holiday. Sorry for mixing up Week 51 and 52 pictures. Are those in south Florida and in the SW jealous of us having snow on the ground? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio At the top right corner, see the red cardinal in the tree? The deer are out working this morning in Central Ohio around where we have some of our outdoor Christmas decorations.:

Appreciate JP's great visuals, details and follow-up from London. Keep it coming!! Fun to be following without needing to worry about airport messes in traveling. We had a very nice, sunny, but cold, Christmas Day in Central Ohio. It was a real White Christmas. See below as proof. Are those in south Florida jealous of us having snow on the ground? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio At the top right corner, see the red cardinal in the tree?

Appreciate these excellent, above comments. Yes, be careful and cautious. But, don't avoid any and all potential challenges in the world. There are serious issues in many places, but the media and bureaucracies do, at times, over-hype situations. Using good judgement is usually the best policy. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Greatly appreciate your candid and detailed comments and follow-up. Very balanced and honest review. Your wide range of sailings and various lines offers excellent perspectives. As we are looking at a Silversea 2024 Mumbai to Singapore cruise, I am very interested as to what, if anything, you did at the end of your cruise for Mumbai and/or to the various other attractions, sights and experiences in and around India. Any special tips, insights, suggestions? 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 21,497 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

From the London/UK Daily Mail this morning, below was their major headline and graphic. Does this summarize the crazy weather here now in the USA? Full story at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11571729/United-States-freezing-Christmas-bomb-cyclone-leaves-FedEx-warning-presents-delayed.html THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Sorry, Lois, to hear about the COLD hitting northern Florida. Today for us in Central Ohio, the good news is that our high will be all of 10F. But winds are still very high, making the wind chill not too comfortable. But, we are doing much better than Buffalo and some other northern areas. Glad that JP and Chris made it safely to London. Look forward to seeing pix's and reading details from your adventures there. Have a funny below that is not too much about Christmas, but might bring memories from the "good old days"?? No, that is not my picture from younger days. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From former USA Today travel expert Gene Sloan yesterday, his news website had this headline: “Parent company of Carnival, Princess, Holland America is dialing back new cruise ship orders” with these highlights: “The days of go-go growth at cruise giant Carnival Corporation are over — at least for a few years. The debt-laden parent company of Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America and six other major cruise brands won't be ordering many new ships for delivery over the rest of the decade, CEO Josh Weinstein suggested on Wednesday during a conference call with Wall Street analysts. In fact, the company soon could go an entire year without unveiling a single new vessel across any of its brands — something that has never happened in its recent history. The shift away from new-ship growth comes as Carnival Corporation works toward paying down the massive debt it took on to survive the last three years.” Here was another key point from this report/analysis: "On Wednesday, the company reported that its total debt stood at $34.55 billion, up from less than $12 billion at the start of 2020." This thread is now over 90.000 views. Appreciate those who have dropped by, posted a questions, shared an insight or comment, etc. Keep it coming!! These "things" are far from over and settled. Full story at: https://thepointsguy.com/news/carnival-corporation-cruise-ship-orders-on-hold/ 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 98,332 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

Was it a "trick question"? Or, was I just posing a smart inquiry . . . or only a dumb question? It all depends as to who is asking the question and who has to do the answering. Excellent follow-up as all of us are searching and wondering what happens next. Or, not? From the Wall Street Journal, below are their stock charts for the past week. Plus, more! Why? From this below-connected web financial site, they had this headline: “Why Carnival and Other Cruise Stocks Sank on Thursday” with these highlights: “Carnival announced a beat on earnings yesterday, but still lost a lot of money. Debt levels are rising as free cash flow remains negative, and the company might need to raise more cash soon. Worries over the financial health of one cruise company are dragging down all cruise stocks. Investors just woke up to the fact that Carnival's fourth-quarter earnings report actually wasn't that great. Worse, Carnival's U-turn appears to have caught its rival cruise stocks in its wake. Carnival lost $1.27 per share for the quarter and $5.16 per share for the year, and predicted that it will keep losing money in the fiscal first quarter of 2023.” Full story at: https://www.fool.com/investing/2022/12/22/why-carnival-stock-and-other-cruise-stocks-sank-on/ 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 240,060 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139 From the Wall Street Journal late Friday afternoon, below are the five-day charts for the three major cruise lines during this past rocky and uncertain week. Big Wednesday jump UP and then a negative slide Thursday, etc. Also shown below is the chart for Disney, part a cruise company, but also a major mass-market "entertainment" leader. Finally, below is the overall S&P 500 trends during this past week. Overall, it was not a steady, stable week as we approached the end-of-year holidays.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

For those with "no words" for this cold, below is some "evidence" to illustrate what it is like to now live a "deep freeze". My guess? About three inches of snow on the ground, but very high winds that drives the wind chill factor down so extremely deep. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio From our front door this morning, below is the view of the empty roadway, our driveway, etc. Not much traffic this am. Second is the view out our back patio door. If it looks COLD, that is because it is really chilly!! YES, a White Christmas!: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

Agree!! Merry Christmas to all. Good news here in the Midwest? We will have a White Christmas with lots of snow, etc. BUT, however, it is very, very, very, very cold here. Not warm and sunny as Spins and others are enjoying in Florida. Need proof and evidence? Below is what is posted now for Central Ohio by AccuWeather. Sure glad we were not flying today. Lots of scrubbed flights and other serious challenges for those traveling. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. Chicago and parts of the Midwest are being hit super hard with snow and super COLD today. Lots of flight delays, etc. Friday/tomorrow, it hits us in Ohio as this storm moves east. It's real killer blizzard. In the holiday spirit, below are a few of my visuals from our Columbus Zoo having their annual "Wildlights" display. Over a million lights!! Our grandsons were here from Virginia for this past week and we took them to enjoy this visual treat. Like? 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 Columbus Zoo and its "Wildlights" displays earlier this week in Central Ohio.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

Yes, a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. Chicago and parts of the Midwest are being hit super hard with snow and super COLD today. Lots of flight delays, etc. Friday/tomorrow, it hits us in Ohio as this storm moves east. It's real killer blizzard. In the holiday spirit, below are a few of my visuals from our Columbus Zoo having their annual "Wildlights" display. Over a million lights!! Our grandsons were here from Virginia for this past week and we took them to enjoy this visual treat. Like? Agree, we also super loved Adelaide and nearby Kangaroo Island from when we visited there in 2014. Too bad KI suffered so much from its recent fires, etc. What an amazing area!!! THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Congratulations to Dani with your upcoming 50th!! Earlier this June, we celebrated our 50th. Fun and exciting!! Appreciate the helpful follow-up and details from Cruisemom. From US News magazine this past week, they had this headline: “Best Times to Visit Venice” with these highlights: “The best time to visit Venice is from September to November when tourists desert the city. Although the temperatures – which range from the upper 30s to mid-70s – necessitate some layers, the lowered hotel rates and the barren canals make it worth it. Winters are cold with temperatures in the 30s and 40s, while spring brings Venice's most beautiful weather. Summertime is peak season and plenty of crowds. Although acqua alta (high water) can occur anytime between late September and April, it's most likely to happen in November and December, so make sure to pack a pair of rain boots if you plan on traveling then.” As might have been mentioned earlier on this thread, my first two visits to Venice were in December of 1970. It was magical as there were no crowds and we could explore, sensing life as locals would experience it. Full story at: https://travel.usnews.com/Venice_Italy/When_To_Visit/ 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 239,966 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

From the Wall Street Journal, below is the chart from Royal Caribbean yesterday. Down in a major way, much more than the overall market. Both Carnival and Norwegian were down yesterday even more, around 4.4%. What is happening and why? The early am opening for RCL's stock was a little of a bounce-back. From the Miami Herald and MSN News last week, they had this headline: “Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line lays off 9% of its shoreside workforce” with these highlights: "Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings let go of 9% of its shoreside workforce on Wednesday, according to the company’s SEC filings. The company declined to comment on which departments were affected and in which locations, but said that the 'majority' of layoffs were in Miami. 'In reviewing our business needs, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has taken several prudent actions across our business to align with our strategic priorities,' the company said in a statement. The SEC filing said that 'cost minimization initiatives' in order to achieve 'sustained, profitable growth,' were what caused the layoffs. Shipboard employees appear to have been spared.” When I read the words "cost minimization initiatives", it causes a pause and question for me as to how these cuts impact the quality of the cruise experience. Clearly, there are major pressure to cut costs and pay back the billions of dollars in debt rolled up, especially as interest rates spike up, UP. Right or wrong? Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/miami-based-norwegian-cruise-line-lays-off-9-25-of-its-shoreside-workforce/ar-AA15nhtt 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 245,617 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Hi Davey!! That Raffles Palm Dubai resort looks spectacular and I am surprised they do not have some better, more unique dining options at this location. Below is a picture of this hotel that I captured when there in late 2018. Very dramatic design and style. Impressive!! From that NY Times profile, there are clearly many, many other dining options to consider, including in and around this massive Palm development. It's just a matter of the logistics and timing as to what is handy and reasonably easy to reach. Dubai is big and sprawling. Not everything is close, quick and easy to reach. Keep us posted as to what works out and how things are these days in Dubai. YES!! Happy holidays to all. For those in and around the Midwest, a big, KILLER BLIZZARD storm is coming in the next few days. Lots of snow, high winds hitting Missouri, Illinois, parts of Indiana, Ohio, etc. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

What an amazing, thrilling finish for the World Cup Final. Congrats to Argentina!! Two extra 15-minute periods and then when tied at 3-3, they needed to go into a dramatic shoot-out period. Could Hollywood have crafted a more exciting finish? Below are a few of my visuals from being in Dubai in late 2018. Hopefully this builds up the "EXCITEMENT" for visiting there. Sky-diving? Near our hotel and Palm Jahmeira, there is an aircraft take-off location from which they offer a chance to jump out of an airplane and land (hopefully safely) right nearby. Sound interesting as an option? 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 245,617 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923 Don't forget the options to buy gold and spectacular jewelry. Right? Are you staying at this Palm Jahmeira hotel shown below? Or, one of the newer ones nearby?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

from the New York Times Travel Section for this weekend, they had this headline: “Dubai Is the Newest Culinary Destination" with this sub-headline: "After years of simmering, the Dubai food scene is at full boil. The emirate now boasts some 13,000 establishments — more per capita than New York City — and some are nabbing global laurels.” Here are a few of their story highlights: “This year, three top gastronomic guides released their first editions for Dubai. The cascade began in February when the World’s 50 Best Restaurants unveiled its list for the Middle East and North Africa. Dubai snagged 16 slots, more than any other city, including the top honor, for the Japanese-influenced 3 Fils restaurant. Then, in June, France’s Gault & Millau held a gala for the release of its U.A.E. guide. A week later, the Michelin guide hosted its own ceremony to shower its stars on Dubai. 'Things have evolved so much,' said Gwendal Poullennec, the international director of Michelin guides, whose undercover inspectors began scouring Dubai in 2017. Credit goes partly to the emirate’s luxury hotels, which have long jockeyed to sign deals with Western and Asian boldface chefs — Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal, Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, Heinz Beck, Bjorn Frantzen, Nobu Matsuhisa — and many top 2022 gastronomic prizes were claimed by hotel kitchens serving Continental cuisine: Stay by Yannick Alléno, Massimo Bottura’s Torno Subito, Ossiano at Atlantis, The Palm.” Lots of great options in Dubai!!!! Might send more later. Busy watching the World Cup final right now from nearby Qatar. Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/13/travel/dubai-food.html 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 21,492 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

Appreciate, Spins, this added background and follow-up. Understand the why for doing the one-way travel option to make it easier for your DH, etc. Still not sure if a trans-Atlantic fits our personal needs as we are more focused on destinations and seeing new places, cultures, etc. Great sharing!!! THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Many, many great, important questions and follow-up points from highplanesdrifters. It will be an interesting first quarter when the bills come due from the holiday period. From MSN News and super experienced former USA Today travel expert Gene Sloan, there was this headline: “Royal Caribbean cruise boss: High debt won’t keep us from ordering new ships” with these highlights: “Royal Caribbean Group president and CEO Jason Liberty suggested the company wouldn’t dial back on orders for new cruise vessels in the coming years, despite record levels of debt on its balance sheet. While Royal Caribbean Group has paused new ship orders since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, it still plans to roll out new vessels for all its brands at a steady clip over the coming decade, Liberty suggested during the interview.” Here is more background from Sloan's reporting: "Royal Caribbean Group’s long-term debt during the pandemic soared to around $19 billion — more than three times the 2017 level. Some cruise fans worried that the days of a never-ending stream of exciting new ship debuts might be coming to an end. But Liberty suggested to TPG that the debt paydowns wouldn’t be so extreme as to leave the company without new ships in the pipeline for the coming years. Some of the profit stream will continue to be allocated to new ships, too. Making things easier to do both things, according to Liberty: The company has 'a bit of a buffer' when it comes to new ships that already are on on the way — ships that were ordered and financed before the pandemic. Silversea has two ships already on the way for 2023 and 2024. The new-ship pipeline at Royal Caribbean Group, barring new orders, doesn’t really start running low until 2026. That means there’s been no immediate rush to order new vessels." Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/royal-caribbean-cruise-boss-to-tpg-high-debt-won-t-keep-us-from-ordering-new-ships/ar-AA15bZI2 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 255,611 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Sorry to hear, Spins, of your cough challenges, plus the special needs for your DH. Appreciate these added details and background from your sailing. Great to hear that the new staff members are quick to adapt for the Silversea customer needs. What location and timing is planned for your next sailing adventure? Any interesting speakers on this trans-Atlantic cruise? Had very mixed reactions when I saw your comment of "Lots of coughing aboard, and very few masks." THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Much like the earlier/above-posted Wall Street Journal profile, here is more from the New York Times Travel Section for this weekend. The NYT has this headline: “Dubai Is the Newest Culinary Destination" with this sub-headline: "After years of simmering, the Dubai food scene is at full boil. The emirate now boasts some 13,000 establishments — more per capita than New York City — and some are nabbing global laurels.” Here are a few of their story highlights: “This year, three top gastronomic guides released their first editions for Dubai. The cascade began in February when the World’s 50 Best Restaurants unveiled its list for the Middle East and North Africa. Dubai snagged 16 slots, more than any other city, including the top honor, for the Japanese-influenced 3 Fils restaurant. Then, in June, France’s Gault & Millau held a gala for the release of its U.A.E. guide. A week later, the Michelin guide hosted its own ceremony to shower its stars on Dubai. 'Things have evolved so much,' said Gwendal Poullennec, the international director of Michelin guides, whose undercover inspectors began scouring Dubai in 2017. Credit goes partly to the emirate’s luxury hotels, which have long jockeyed to sign deals with Western and Asian boldface chefs — Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal, Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, Heinz Beck, Bjorn Frantzen, Nobu Matsuhisa — and many top 2022 gastronomic prizes were claimed by hotel kitchens serving Continental cuisine: Stay by Yannick Alléno, Massimo Bottura’s Torno Subito, Ossiano at Atlantis, The Palm.” Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/13/travel/dubai-food.html 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 98,049 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

Super appreciate this great suggestion for the staying in one of these charming and interesting former palaces and monasteries. Sound like a great idea!! Time to go back to Lisbon, Porto and Portugal?? Sure!! From the London/UK Daily Mail yesterday, they had this headline: “Lisbon's a treat: The foodie scene in Portugal’s capital has never been more enticing - or varied” with these highlights: “Food tourism in Lisbon has boomed post pandemic with Jose Avillez’s Michelin-starred Belcanto the hottest seat in town. It must be pricey and so I head to his more accessible and less expensive Bairro do Avillez, housed in what was once the Sao Luiz Municipal Theatre. Among its multi-eating options, Minibar, a gourmet bar hidden behind a bookcase, is the most intriguing. ” Many dining options are outlined and detailed in this profile. This includes for pasteis de nata (Portuguese custard tart) from the Manteigaria bakery and at the Time Out Mercado da Ribeira, a gourmet food hall and produce market on the Western Waterfront that we visited and enjoyed in 2017. Many visuals are included to bring back memories and/or build up excitement for exploring in and around wonderful Lisbon. Full story at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/escape/article-11536581/Lisbons-treat-foodie-scene-Portugals-capital-never-enticing-varied.html THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Summer 2019 Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc. Many visuals and details from our first in these scenic areas! Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/