crusinbanjo

Thanks all Great advice, pretty much what we were planning, we have most of the gear, (I think), just need better boots, warmer mittens and hats. being from New England, we are used to some cold, but Norway is further north.

Now, I totally agree with Lonedaddy. After 3 years of no cruising, Mrs Banjo and I will be tipping our toes back into the waters. I completely expect that many things will be significantly different, so our plan is to go with the flow and enjoy the ride. I am sure that SS will provide the great service we have come to expect, and also have done cost cutting required to stay in business through this, (hopefully over), pandemic.

Hi All After 3 years, Mrs Banjo and I are looking to return to cruising in January on a Viking Northern Lights cruise. The question I have is what winter clothing should we pack. Will we need our down coats and ski pants along with more extreme cold gear? Any guidance is appreciated.

thanks Terry, enjoy the trip, (one of my favorites), Looking forward to reading your comments about the cruise.

Flying small planes in Alaska is quite challenging, primarily because of weather. I believe Alaska has the highest incidence of aircraft accidents in the country. So risks are there. Even as a trained, licensed pilot, I would not just go flying around that area, I leave it to the pilots experienced in the area and even then, I have stayed on the ground if I thought the weather was not right for the flight. so, given that, like most others, I feel for the families, but I don’t think HAL is responsible or liable and the case is frivolous.

You can book tickets online well in advance, but I don’t think you can reserve a time. In September, the crowds will definitely be smaller, but the Mansions still get busy. Best to go early to Breakers, then Marble House saving the Elm House for last. I would hate for you to miss the Elm House as it has some unique features, as well as, the only backstage ‘servant’s tour’. Good luck!

I think that description fits many of us, not just the Oracle of Ohio!

I would say yes. A quick google search 👀 will result in some options for reliable service.

I agree the Cliff walk is spectacular, but parts of it are closed currently because of erosion.

Mrs Banjo and I live about an hours drive from Newport and visit frequently in the off seasons. Three mansions in one day could be a rushed day. They are all beautiful of course. If you want to do three, I would recommend Marble House, Breakers and Elm House. If you have the time, the Servants tour at Elm House is a fascinating look at the inner workings of the mansions. I haven’t looked at the time in port for this IT, a guide really isn’t necessary because all of the mansions have either live guides or self guided audio tours that are quite good. What you really need is transportation from the docks to the mansions and return. They do have a trolley that makes the circuit, but again, time will not be your friend for 3 mansions. Newport, in the dock area, is very walkable, with great sights, shopping, dining and history all very close.

I totally agree with this assessment

The only constant in the universe is........ CHANGE

Ha, good analogy. Gold as metal, whether it be coins or bullion, has never really been a good investment vehicle. I know what all the buzz is, but consider that in 1979, golf skyrocketed to almost $900 per Troy once, then in the following years retreated to $300 +/- and stayed there for more than 10 years. These companies selling gold, silver etc charge a pretty high premium over the market, and if you want to sell, that is another story and you had better sell back to where you bought it, or know a reputable refinery that will buy it, otherwise, selling or spending it is nearly impossible without paying another big premium. In my 30+ years as a jewelry manufacturer, I bought, then sold, as product, a lot of gold. In my investment portfolio, I own gold in the form of the GLD stock or as mining stocks, but keep little or no coins or bullion. As an investment, It is way to risky for me.

No, that was for one, but Mrs Banjo did help me out! 😇

I think it is growing for a number of reasons: first, the IT and ports look interesting, (Mrs Banjo and I have been looking at these since 2020). They are close to home and does not require long international travel, or even airlines for many embarking points. Even getting to Canada can be a car ride, or other non air transportation. The stumbling blocks in place for almost all ocean cruises mostly don’t exist, or are greatly reduced for Great Lakes cruises.

I suspect “The Oracle” could be trading on the stocks. Any tweet from him will almost certainly have a significant impact on a stock price, that he or his company might take advantage of. I have no knowledge that this is actually happening, but scenarios like this seem to happen, (coincidentally of course), many times by many influential folks.

All of the cruise lines will not be clear of rocky shoals for some time. Many loyal passengers have not cruised since 2020, that can’t be good and with the continued restrictions, protocols and airline chaotic schedules many continue to hold back. Mrs Banjo and I are hoping to return to cruising in 2023, but at this moment our return is still not certain. Stock markets don’t like uncertainties and the cruise lines, right now, are speculative at best. I am hopeful that things will become somewhat stable and reliable in the cruising world. That is the only thing that will return the cruise lines back to profitability. Just my 2 cents.

Yes, here’s my favorite. Not exactly all cake, but close enough I think

All I really know is that when Mrs Banjo and I cruised on SS in the mid 1990’s it was really something special that is not the same anymore.

Interesting,

Personally I like cake!

That pretty well sums it up for me as well. And just to add a little more to the chaos and hoops to jump through LHR wants to limit the passengers at the airport. Here’s a link from the Wall Street Journal this morning. https://www.wsj.com/articles/londons-heathrow-airport-limits-passengers-amid-staff-shortages-surging-demand-11657622503?st=atnq3v9fs3yy04i&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

When Silver Sea was a new cruise line, what attracted Mrs Banjo and myself, were the itineraries that often went to lesser traveled islands along different routes and locations. On our first SS cruise, (Istanbul to Venice), some of the Greek islands were very small ports. One of the hi-lites of the cruise was transiting the Corinth Canal, something I don’t think any cruise line does anymore. I, personally love the idea of some new competitors, let’s see what they come up with and how they influence the Silver Sea experience.

2 plus hours should be enough time……. Assuming no delays in your first flight.

Not always the case. Most times you are correct that the debt associated with the assets are paired together in a sale, but that is not required. In many cases where a company is distressed full divisions can be sold, or spun off with only some of the debt to make them more attractive to buyers. It all comes down to the need to sell vs the value of the business.