TLCOhio

YES, we hope these newer boosters do more and are highly effective. BUT, that is not totally clear now as things change and evolve. Right or wrong? Excellent comments and follow-ups. Keep it coming! From former USA Today cruise guru Gene Sloan yesterday, they had this headline: “Is the era of amazing cruise deals coming to an end?” with these highlights: “Are we in the waning days of the era of amazing cruise deals? Some industry watchers are suggesting as much as the cruise industry's rebound from a nearly three-year-long, COVID-19 pandemic-related downturn. After a prolonged period that saw some cruise lines discount heavily to fill ships, several Wall Street analysts have noted in recent weeks that rising occupancies on vessels have finally allowed cruise lines to begin raising average pricing above levels seen before the pandemic. The fourth quarter of 2022 'is the first quarter where we expect pricing to be up vs. 2019 levels,' Truist lodging and leisure analyst Patrick Scholes wrote in a research report this week. 'Looking forward into 2023, barring unforeseen circumstances, we expect pricing to continue to accelerate vs. 2019’s comparable levels.' ” We want the cruise lines to survive financially, but we do not want prices going up, UP too much. Right? How to strike the right and best balance for customers and the businesses? Full story at: https://thepointsguy.com/news/2023-cruise-ship-fares-rising/ 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 98,553 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

As to the important question of cruises being back in Australia, we can hope that to be true. But, this morning, USA Today had this headline: “Carnival, Princess and more cruise lines bring masks back in Australia” with these highlights: “A major cruise line operator has brought mask mandates back for its cruise lines sailing in and around Australia amid a rise in COVID-19 transmission the country. That includes lines such as Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Holland America Line. Passengers and crew members have to wear masks at all times inside unless they are eating or drinking. They must also wear masks outside when they cannot socially distance and 'when on company transfers (tenders and buses),' Carnival Australia said.” How much of this change comes just from Carnival? Or, is this change due to pressure from the government in Australia? And, will this mandate spread and hit most all of the other cruise lines and travel providers? Full story at: https://www.yahoo.com/now/carnival-princess-more-cruise-lines-155114508.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmluZy5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJ2jwzUeYEzg_tIdUr1gycDSnjHWbw3DdlI1McJKPpPDUlwQzOM2HOD-bfy9MqFU-9XKin0GLYeWpRbqQ-yFu9AJecb4jbNmj7qfAtGVmEc0QqbeMZmp9AyzUjEF3izFEQBFMet4qd48C5pfAXlOstqRPEOc_pwwj7GcifWDWG2Q 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/

Cruises are back in Australia!! Right? Maybe? More later. Here is a good, positive sign with this attention from the New York Times Travel Section in late October. This major newspaper had this headline: “36 Hours in Sydney” with a few of these highlights: “In Sydney, the intersection of city and nature is magic. A sunrise ocean swim is wholly possible before drying off and heading to the office. A stroll to a neighborhood cafe reveals a kaleidoscopic floral display: bobbing grevillea, flowering gum. But there are greater rewards beyond the obvious. Sydney is fantastically diverse, with a mighty migrant population (more than 40 percent of residents were born overseas). Independent arts and music punch above their weight against the odds of funding cuts and pandemic setbacks. Sydney, along with the rest of Australia, was closed to tourists for nearly two years — it’s time to get properly reacquainted.” Here are a few more info items, including for food, sights, etc.: "Australia’s proximity to Asia makes Sydney a playground for lovers of Southeast Asian cuisine. For many locals in inner Sydney, visiting the Carriageworks Farmers Market is a popular Saturday ritual. Housed in a breezy 1800s rail yard in Eveleigh, the market is a place to meet small producers. Sydney’s love affair with Italian food runs deep. While the famous Bondi to Coogee walk is an undeniable showstopper, the Hermitage Foreshore track in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is as close to a bushwalk in the city as you can get." Many different ideas, options, visuals and suggestions, etc., are outlined and included in this profile. Makes me and hopefully desire to return to Australia. Right? Full story at: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/10/27/travel/things-to-do-sydney.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 21,439 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

Are those masks going to be back and required on cruise ships? From a cruise industry news website this morning, they had this headline: “Carnival Cruise Line Reintroduces Masks for Some Sailings" with this sub-headline: "Carnival Cruise Line is now requiring all guests and crew to wear masks aboard two vessels, and other cruise lines are doing the same.” Here are some of their story highlights: “Carnival Cruise Line has reintroduced mandatory mask wearing policies for the cruise line’s sailings in Australia. Masks will now be required in all indoor public spaces or in any crowded venue, indoors or outdoors, regardless of vaccination status. This policy only impacts Carnival cruises in Australia, and masks are not required on any Carnival ships in other regions.” Here is more from their reporting: "Those indoor spaces include all lounges, corridors, elevators, theaters, casinos, and other spaces, unless guests are eating or drinking. Guests do not need to wear masks in their staterooms. Masks are also now required in outdoors for any large crowded events where guests cannot appropriately distance, such as during deck parties, as well as while on shore tour buses or tenders, or while indoors on any shore excursion. Guests must also wear masks during the entire embarkation and debarkation processes." Sound like fun? Cause you to pause as to whether these cruise conditions would be attractive and satisfying? Other reactions/questions? Full story at: https://www.cruisehive.com/carnival-cruise-line-reintroduces-masks-for-some-sailings/88147 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 239,116 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

From the Wall Street Journal late this afternoon, below are the charts for the three major cruise companies. Does the word "volatile" come to mind? From the dictionary, that word is defined as "liable to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially for the worse." When you look at the below WSJ stock charts, does that fit? Another definition is "rapid or unexpected change." Personally, I cannot remember such a wild, dramatic week for these cruise stocks. Am I missing something important or different? Any predictions for next week or as to what will happen in December and January? 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 47,860 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008 From the Wall Street Journal, below are the charts for the three major cruise company stocks during the most recent five days of trading. Remember patterns like this during any "normal" or recent times?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

From the Wall Street Journal this morning, they had this headline: “Airports Where Delays and Long Lines Are Worst" with this sub-headline: "New York-area airports struggled in the WSJ rankings. They weren’t the only ones with problems.” Here are a few of their reporting highlights: “Some airports perform objectively worse than others, according to the WSJ airport rankings, which tracked performance at the 50 busiest in the U.S. Newark Liberty International was the worst-ranked among the 20 busiest airports, while New York’s LaGuardia took the bottom spot for the midsize group. Other airports had their lowlights. Dallas Love Field posted the worst record for flights that depart on time, with 66% leaving on schedule. Denver International Airport had the longest wait to get through security screening among large airports, a hair worse than John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The rankings evaluate airports on 19 factors, including delays and cancellations over the 18 months to June 2022, as well as security wait times, the cost of airport parking and the cost of a bottle of water—a proxy for concession prices.” If you are doing a cruise, in most cases, you will need to fly and navigate through one or more airports. Clearly, flying these days is not exactly cheaper and/or easier, including for parking, dealing with security, tarmac delays, etc. Some airports are in the middle of major construction, such as at NYC's LaGuardia. Is hope on the way? Among the highest/best scoring larger airports, in order from the top, were: San Francisco. Atlanta, Minneapolis, Detroit and Phoenix. Among the mid-sized airports, the highest/best in order, from the top, were: Sacramento, San Diego, San Jose, San Antonio and Portland. Need more data as to how your airport ranked? Full story at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/worst-airports-newark-laguardia-denver-11668715569?mod=life_work_lead_story 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 245,412 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Appreciate this above link and helpful follow-up regarding the "insider" plays and options used within the financial world. From MSN News and this financial website this afternoon, they had this headline: “Why Norwegian Cruise, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean Stocks Dropped Today” with these highlights: “It looks like cruise ship stocks are cruising for another bruising. An ill-timed insider stock sale at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, combined with a negative analyst note, torpedoed shares of the U.S.-based cruiser -- and took shares of Carnival and Royal Caribbean down with it. Norwegian investors are taking the brunt of the damage. The story begins at Norwegian Cruise, where CEO Frank Del Rio was just reported to have sold off 4% of his company stock -- 58,072 shares -- in a million-dollar-plus transaction on Tuesday.” Norwegian's CFO has sold off a half-million dollars in NCLH shares, too!! Is is fair to say/summarize "When the Captain of the ship jumps off", does that signal a lack of confidence in the future? This reporting also noted that their CFO sold off 29% of his stake in Norwegian. Also a day earlier, this company's general counsel sold $788,000 worth of his stock (16% of his total holdings). Do they know something we do not? Per Credit Suisse, one of their investment banker announced a double downgrade of Norwegian stock from outperform . . . down to "underperform". This analyst says Norwegian is at risk of not earning as much in 2023 as promised. Ready to buy cruise ship stocks now? Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/why-norwegian-cruise-carnival-and-royal-caribbean-stocks-dropped-today/ar-AA14ev5R THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 53,362 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

Is bigger always better? And, is bigger where the cruise business is headed? Many of us like the smaller, more personal size/style with Silversea, etc. While it is not exactly Covid-related, I thought this below article of interest as to the future of cruising. From former USA Today travel expert Gene Sloan, his web cruise news site had this headline: “Disney Cruise Line will soon own one of the world’s biggest cruise ships after surprise purchase” with these highlights: “Disney Cruise Line will soon own one of the world’s largest cruise ships — in what could be a play at breaking into the fast-growing Asian travel market. The Florida-based cruising arm of tourism giant Disney announced late Wednesday that it was buying a massive, half-finished ship that was until recently under construction for Asia-based Dream Cruises.” This move ties in with what was to be called "Global Dream", whose construction was halted after China-focused Dream Cruises financially went into the toilet along with sister brands Star Cruises and Crystal Cruises. Remember Crystal and their sinking? Disney is working with ship-builder Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany to complete this massive vessel. Disney is modifying the plan to shift it from holding 9,000 passenger down to only having 6,000 on board. This revised ship will be built with specific venues designed to appeal to Asian families and having the various Disney touches and design connections. Interesting that Disney is continuing to be moving more "world-wide" with their sales audiences and operations. The big companies do seem to be getting bigger!! How will consumers and the market ultimately respond? Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/disney-cruise-line-will-soon-own-one-of-the-worlds-biggest-cruise-ships-after-surprise-purchase/ar-AA14cgMd 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 255,498 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Not sure if this below article totally answers all of the questions for future Japan sailing, but it seems that some aspects are starting to move in the right direction. Correct? From the Associated Press/AP newswire today, they had this headline: “Japan to reopen to cruise ships after 2 1/2-year ban” with these highlights: “Japan will lift a more than 2 1/2-year ban on international cruise ships that was imposed following a deadly coronavirus outbreak on the cruise ship Diamond Princess at the beginning of the pandemic, transport officials said Tuesday. The Transport Ministry said cruise ship operators and port authorities’ associations have adopted anti-virus guidelines and that Japan is now ready to resume its international cruise operations while receiving foreign ships at its ports.” Here is more background from their reporting: "Cruise ship operators are expected to discuss with local authorities further details about their port entry plans. Japan’s resumption of international cruise liners comes more than a year after they returned to the United States and Europe. Under the new guidelines, all crew members must have three received three coronavirus vaccine shots while most passengers must be vaccinated at least twice." Has Japan been too slow and careful? Or, handling it just about right? Full story at: https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/japan-to-reopen-to-cruise-ships-after-2-1-2-year-ban/ 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/

Great, quick follow-up from Mr. Banjo. Plus, agree with our friend from Ontario that higher interest rates add to the challenges for the cruise lines and others. My guess is that interest rates will need to go higher before they trend downward. Other reactions and insights? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From MSN News and a financial website this afternoon, they had this headline: “Why Carnival Stock Dived 13% Today” with these highlights: “Shares of Carnival struck an iceberg on Wednesday and are sinking fast -- down 13.7% as of 11:40 a.m. EST after the cruise operator announced that it will issue $1 billion worth of new debt as it tries to roll over older, higher-interest debt taken on to get it through the pandemic. As Carnival explained Tuesday night, its new debt (technically, convertible senior notes) will pay holders 5.75% annual interest and come due on Dec. 1, 2027. The company will float at least $1 billion worth of these notes, but potentially as much as $1.15 billion if underwriters exercise their overallotment options.” Cute description of "stuck an iceberg"? More billions in debt being rolled over? No surprised there for Carnival and the other major cruise lines. My guess is that will continue for many years to come. Lots of money owed and it will take years to get profits up high enough to dig out of the deep financial hole in which they all sit right now. Here is another key point from this analysis: "When we consider that interest rates have been trending higher as the Fed continues to hike its targeted federal funds rate, it seems more likely that Carnival would end up paying more on any new debt it issues, than what it pays on the debt it's replacing." Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/why-carnival-stock-dived-13-today/ar-AA14bEuM 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 70,578 views: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

From the Wall Street Journal this afternoon, below is their chart for Carnival stock. Big, BIG drop. Not happening that dramatically for the other two major companies, including for Royal Caribbean. Will check more as to what is driving these negative slide. Any guesses or added info? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate this above follow-up. YES, there are a wide range of questions and uncertainty for many part of Asia, including for Japan and China. And what about for Australia?? From CNN, the cable news network, this morning, they had this headline: “Cruise ship with 800 Covid-positive passengers docks in Sydney” with these highlights: “A cruise ship with hundreds of Covid-positive passengers docked in Sydney, Australia, after being hit by a wave of infections. The Majestic Princess cruise ship was about halfway through a 12-day voyage when an outbreak of cases was noticed. The ship had 4,600 passengers and crew on board After mass testing 3,300 passengers, around 800 tested positive for Covid-19, as did a small number of crew. 'All positive cases were mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic, and those guests isolated in their staterooms and then separated from non-impacted guests,' parent company Princess Cruises representative Briana Latter told CNN.” Being "mild" is generally good. BUT?? Is this cruise now over? What happens to all of these passengers who did not test for having Covid? Who pays? Any refunds? Many questions!!! If from the USA, being in Australia, that leaves you a long way from home. Right? This article noted those testing positive were allowed off of the ship. This story also reported: "Australia has seen an uptick in Covid cases recently, leading to more caution from within the government." Full story at: https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/13/australia/australia-covid-majestic-princess-cruise-passengers-intl-hnk/index.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/

From a Wall Street financial website yesterday morning, they had this headline: “Norwegian Cruise Line: Take The Money And Run” with these highlights: “I'm only willing to buy one cruise line. Norwegian is not it. The market seems fixated on the improvement over the pandemic era. I want to focus on the fact that Norwegian Cruise Line's sales are still down 33% from 2019. I think it prudent to compare the most recent 9-month period to the same time in 2019, before this Covid unpleasantness. When we make comparisons to that period, things look far less rosy. For instance, revenue for the first nine months of 2022 is about 33% lower than it was in 2019, and net income is down dramatically, from a positive $809 million to a loss of $1.8 billion. Fuel, 'other', and marketing expenses were particularly troublesome in 2022, up 69%, 37%, and 34% respectively, but most costs increased across the board.” This analysis looks at the world economy and how, especially in Germany, the coming slow-down (or recession) will affect countries in Europe and move downward cruise lines revenues and pricing. Reactions, insights and comments? The author's final summary point is: "Carnival is trading at a price-to-sales ratio of ~1.2 at the moment. Given that I only have so much capital, and given that I only want so much exposure to the cruise line industry, I'll continue to eschew Norwegian until something changes." Full story at: https://seekingalpha.com/article/4556413-norwegian-cruise-line-avoid-nclh-stock 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 98,406 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

Appreciate these various comments and follow-ups about polls, the economy, consumer behavior, etc. Having had some experiences over the decades with work on such survey research, it is getting harder and harder to reach "real people" and get honest feedback. The shift to cell phones and people avoiding such calls makes it harder to connect. Plus, many people don't trust those doing that types of research, etc. With the "polarization", social media growth/distortions, etc., the waters are very "choppy" and confused. From the Wall Street Journal, below are the charts for the three major cruise lines. Clearly on Thursday morning, things jumped up, UP, UP . . . big-time. Was it the monthly inflation numbers showing a potential slow-down in future costs as the key factor moving positive the overall stock market? There are still lots of crazy, financial "loose ends" out there, including this headline of "Crypto Exchange FTX Files for Bankruptcy, CEO Resigns." Sure glad that I did not "invest" (or gamble) with that crazy Crypto crap. Any losers out there who has lost big money with Crypto? I always viewed it as "smoke and mirrors", not anything real and trusted. Was I right or wrong? 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 238,939 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139 From the Wall Street Journal, below are the charts during this past week for the three major cruise lines. Does this mean these stocks are on the way to recovery?: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

From this Wall Street Journal-connected financial website, they had this headline: “Norwegian Cruise Line's Pricing in Focus Ahead of 3Q Results -- Earnings Preview” with these highlights: “Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is scheduled to report results for the third quarter on Tuesday morning. PROFIT: Analysts surveyed by FactSet expect the cruise operator to post a quarterly loss of 76 cents a share, compared with a loss of $2.29 a share a year earlier. SALES: Analysts expect the company to log sales of $1.59 billion, according to FactSet, up from $153.1 million a year earlier. BOOKINGS: Royal Caribbean Group, which reported third-quarter results last week, said it saw a jump in 2023 bookings during the quarter, particularly after it pulled down many of its Covid-19 policies after Labor Day. Investors will be looking to see if Norwegian Cruise Line is getting the same benefit from the removal of its own Covid restrictions.” Here is more from what they are saying in this story as a preview: "PRICING: When rival Carnival Corp. posted third-quarter results in September, Chief Executive Josh Weinstein said the company was suffering from its steep discounting of tickets in an effort to fill ships. Norwegian Cruise Line executives have been vocal during the pandemic of their strategy to not cut prices and instead wait for demand to return and eventually restore occupancy. ONBOARD SPEND: Leisure and entertainment companies have broadly said that they have yet to see inflation or other economic burdens weigh on their customers." Full story at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/norwegian-cruise-line-s-pricing-in-focus-ahead-of-3q-results-earnings-preview-271667840605 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 245,333 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923 From the Wall Street Journal, below is how Royal Caribbean's stock value went down nearly 5% during one-day trading this day. Plus, continued negative in after-hours trading. As the S&P 500 was up nearly 1% Monday, Carnival and Norwegian were down, but not dropping as much today as RCL.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see this visual larger/better!)

Agree with our SW Ohio neighbor as to how the economy is moving more in a direction of being "two-tier". Some consumers have more and flexible money. Some do not. Will have more comments and an added follow-up shortly. For Silversea and other higher-end cruise lines, that might work out OK. For the mass-market cruises lines, that could be more challenging to fill up ships holding 2500 to 6000 passengers on each sailing. And to get them to open their wallets for lots of "extras" for beverages, tours, spa, etc., spending. From the Wall Street Journal's sister publication of Barron's late last week, they had this headline: “Royal Caribbean Stock Swings Higher Despite Disappointing Outlook. 2023 Looks Strong.” with the highlight and "spin" of being focused on 2023. Weren't they in late 2020 and 2021 focused on profits in 2022?? What happened to 2022 profits? And, interest rates are soaring, making paying off the billions of dollars in borrowing more costly. Right? Full story at: https://www.barrons.com/articles/royal-caribbean-earnings-stock-51667479831?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D54633612909599303722862007499480498454|MCORGID%3DCB68E4BA55144CAA0A4C98A5%40AdobeOrg|TS%3D1667834054&noredirect=y 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 255,498 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Appreciate this follow-up from our Ohio neighbor, but I do not agree that the Federal Reserve will moderate their rate hikes. Agree that these economic conditions are difficult to understand. Also agree that some people have healthy bank accounts, while a large number are challenged, living paycheck to paycheck. Very much a two-tier economy!! How do cruise line executives manage and navigate through these "choppy waters"? From the below-connected financial news website this morning, they had this headline: “Royal Caribbean Returns to Profitability. Is Now the Time to Buy?” with these highlights: “Royal Caribbean Cruises returned to profitability in the third quarter for the first time since the pandemic, but after forecasting that its fourth quarter will likely show a much larger than anticipated loss, the cruise ship operator is seeing its stock sink. The results, though, show that there remains significant pent-up demand for voyages. The second-biggest cruise line, whose stock remains 55% below the level it traded at before the COVID-19 outbreak, remains on course to return to profitability. Unfavorable currency exchange rates, higher fuel expenses, and increased interest rates have the cruise ship operator expecting adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $350 million to $400 million.” Here is more of their analysis: "Demand for travel and tourism is booming. Royal Caribbean said its booking volumes for 2023 doubled during the third quarter when compared to the second quarter, and were considerably higher than it experienced back in 2019. Royal Caribbean is preparing to meet this new era in cruising with a number of massive new ships in its fleet. It's added nine new vessels since 2019, giving it 64 ships across its various brands, and has 10 more ships on order." These new ship include for Silversea. Can they fill up these new ship and do it with higher prices as our national world economy faces a probably recession? Any answers with certainty via your reliable Crystal Balls? Full story at: https://www.fool.com/investing/2022/11/06/royal-caribbean-returns-to-profitability-is-now-th/ 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/

With due respect to Sumblefoot, my sense is that former Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald is way too smart to get tangled up with a new cruise line (Crystal) that is going to need to take on bunches and bunches of new debt to finance ship re-do's and massive start-up costs. And, deal with angry folks and heat coming from previous Crystal customers who got stiffed and will not get their money back. Who wants to sign on from that type of bitterness from past failures?? Plus, media reports have said for the coming periods, he will still be on contract to Carnival as a "consultant'. I am sure he will be paid well to make sure that inside "trade secrets" do not leak out. Appreciate these follow-ups. Keep 'em coming!! From the Wall Street Journal late this afternoon, below are the charts for the three major cruises and their performance during this past week. Clearly on Thursday am, the quarterly Royal Caribbean finance report caused some "tensions". But things recovered. And during the week, the overall stock market was impact by the Federal Reserve upping interest rates higher and higher. And, making clear that more rate hikes are coming during future months. Plus, bad economic news this week from the UK, etc. 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/ From the Wall Street Journal, below are the charts during this past week for the three major cruise lines. Does this visually represent a "rocky" week? At the bottom, for comparison purposes, is the performance of the more widely-representative S&P 500 chart from the WSJ during this past week.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

From a cruise news website this morning, they had this headline: “Cruise Line Returns to Asia Beginning December 2022" with this sub-headline: "Silversea Cruises is making a comeback to Asia with four ships scheduled to sail in the region between December 2022 and May 2023.” Here are some of their story highlights: “For the first time in more than two years, luxury line Silversea Cruises will be returning to Asia in December 2022 to destinations such as Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. Between December 2022 and May 2023, the cruise line will sail throughout the continent, with 596-passenger Silver Muse as the first ship to sail in Asia since March 2020. Silversea’s upcoming winter cruise season will include calls in India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Vietnam, and more.” Yes, things continue for getting back to "normal" for re-opening all over the world. As I understand, stops in mainland China are still a "no-no". Right? Not sure when China will re-open. China is on our future "to-do" list, but then there are other "issues" happening now as to that country and its access/safety, political positioning, etc. Full story at: https://www.cruisehive.com/cruise-line-returns-to-asia-beginning-december-2022/86446 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 21,308 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

From the BBC this morning, they had this headline: “Bank of England expects UK to fall into longest ever recession” with these highlights: “The Bank of England has warned the UK is facing its longest recession since records began, as it raised interest rates by the most in 33 years. It warned the UK would face a 'very challenging' two-year slump with unemployment nearly doubling by 2025. Bank boss Andrew Bailey warned of a 'tough road ahead' for UK households, but said it had to act forcefully now or things 'will be worse later on'. It lifted interest rates to 3% from 2.25%, the biggest jump since 1989.” WOW!! Cruise lines, especially Silversea, traditionally have had a decent number of customers from the UK. If the economy is that challenged in the UK, it might have some impacts on cruise lines. Right or wrong? Are things that difficult in the UK and what do those from there view as the economic prediction/climate for the next year or two for the UK? Full story at: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-63471725 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 21,308 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

YES! YES!!! Super appreciate this detailed review and all of the visuals from Dr. Ron. The food looks super wonderful. Keep it coming from our Aussie friend!!! We are looking at and considering a Silver Dawn cruise from Barbados in February 2023. Assume the ship is great and that SALT works well. Look forward to reading and learning more. Excellent sharing. 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 245,178 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Appreciate this wise follow-up from our SW Ohio neighbor about how rumors might be "old news". Or, not? And, clearly speculation and gossip does not make it anything like what might be called real, actual, honest "news". I have written that California travel agent (with whom I have previously communicated with by email) and have received nothing back from him. That tells me lots!! Right or wrong? From the Wall Street Journal's sister publication of Barron's this morning, they had this headline: “Royal Caribbean Beats Earnings Estimates. Why the Stock Is Falling” with these highlights: “Royal Caribbean beat earnings estimates in the third quarter as demand remained robust but offered disappointing guidance for the current quarter. Cruise operator Royal Caribbean (ticker: RCL) reported third-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 26 cents on revenue of $3 billion. That beat analysts’ consensus expectations for adjusted earnings per share of 20 cents on revenue of $2.99 billion, according to FactSet.” Here is more from their report this am: "For the fourth quarter, Royal Caribbean expects total revenue of $2.6 billion and a loss of $1.30 to $1.50 per share. Net interest expense, excluding expected loss on extinguishment of debt, is expected to be in the range of $355 million to $365 million, above the $301 million expected. Royal Caribbean sounded more optimistic about 2023, however, noting that early booking trends were strong and at record pricing levels." Oh, a loss of $365 million is kind of like one-third of a BILLION DOLLARS?? And, this is just in one quarter with the ships being some closer to full?? Here is the final note in their reporting: "The shares have fallen 35% so far in 2022, as of Wednesday’s close, underperforming the S&P 500 which has declined 21% over the same period." Is this a good time for stock investing? Or, will things continue downward before bouncing back up after the recession is over? Full story at: https://www.barrons.com/articles/royal-caribbean-earnings-stock-51667479831?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D54633612909599303722862007499480498454|MCORGID%3DCB68E4BA55144CAA0A4C98A5%40AdobeOrg|TS%3D1667486861&noredirect=y 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 31,559 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580 From the Wall Street Journal at 11:18 am today, here is their chart showing some unusual down and up reactions to this Barron's article and the quarterly finance reporting.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see this visual larger/better!)

Very good sharing above by iancal about Santorini. That location is still on our "to-do" list for the future. From the Associated Press/AP newswire and ABC-TV News over this past weekend, they had this headline: “Ahead of harsh winter, tourism roars back in Mediterranean" with this sub-headline: "Tourism is making a stronger comeback from the coronavirus pandemic.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “Tourism around the Mediterranean has been booming. Helped by a strong U.S. dollar and Europeans’ pent-up demand to find a beach after years of COVID-19 travel restrictions, it’s been a stronger comeback from the pandemic slump than many expected, which led to long lines, canceled flights and lost luggage this summer at many European airports — though not in Greece.” Here is more from their story: "Greece is on course to beat its annual record revenue haul from tourism. Portugal also is eyeing a full recovery, while late-summer data suggested Spain, Italy and Cyprus will end the year just shy of pre-pandemic visitor levels. A blessing for Europe’s southern economies, the rebound is also easing the continent’s tilt toward recession brought on by rocketing energy prices, the war in Ukraine and enduring disruptions caused by the pandemic." Good news? Reactions? Full story at: https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/wireStory/ahead-harsh-winter-tourism-roars-back-mediterranean-92333578 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Kotor/Montenegro: Various visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this scenic, historic location. Over 49,606 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

From the Associated Press/AP newswire and ABC-TV News over this past weekend, they had this headline: “Ahead of harsh winter, tourism roars back in Mediterranean" with this sub-headline: "Tourism is making a stronger comeback from the coronavirus pandemic.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “Tourism around the Mediterranean has been booming. Helped by a strong U.S. dollar and Europeans’ pent-up demand to find a beach after years of COVID-19 travel restrictions, it’s been a stronger comeback from the pandemic slump than many expected, which led to long lines, canceled flights and lost luggage this summer at many European airports — though not in Greece.” Here is more from their story: "Greece is on course to beat its annual record revenue haul from tourism. Portugal also is eyeing a full recovery, while late-summer data suggested Spain, Italy and Cyprus will end the year just shy of pre-pandemic visitor levels. A blessing for Europe’s southern economies, the rebound is also easing the continent’s tilt toward recession brought on by rocketing energy prices, the war in Ukraine and enduring disruptions caused by the pandemic." Good news? Reactions? Full story at: https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/wireStory/ahead-harsh-winter-tourism-roars-back-mediterranean-92333578 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 31,559 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580