A GLOBAL ADVENTURE TO CONSIDER

From Worldometer (new  COVID-19 deaths yesterday):

         DAY  USA  WORLD    Brazil    India    South Africa

2020

June     9     1093     4732         1185        246       82

July    22      1205     7128         1293      1120     572

Aug    12      1504     6556        1242        835     130

Sept     9      1208      6222       1136       1168       82

Oct     21      1225      6849         571        703       85

Nov    25       2304    12025        620        518      118

Dec    30       3880    14748       1224       299      465

2021

Jan     14       4142      15512       1151         189     712

Feb      3       4005    14265       1209       107      398

Mar      2       1989     9490        1726       110      194

April     6        906    11787         4211       631       37

May     4        853     13667        3025      3786     59 

June    1        287    10637         2346      3205      95

 July    7         251      8440        1595        817      411

Aug     4         656    10120        1118        532      423 

Sept   22      2228      9326          839       279     124

Oct      6       2102      8255          543       315       59

Nov    3        1436      7830         186        458       23

Dec     1       1633      8475          266        477       28

2022

Jan     7        2025      6729         148         285     140

Feb     2        2990   12012          946        991      175

Mar     2        1778     7756          335         173       28 

Apr     1          439      4056         290          52       12

May    5          225      2404         151            ?        64

June    2         216      1413         130           10        31

July    6          316      1627         335           35       12 

Aug    4          311       2138         258          70         ?

Sep    1           272       1732         174            ?         ?

Oct     6          281       1305         119            9         ?

Nov    3          167         980           16            ?         ?

        25            88         985           71             3        ?  

Dec    3          149       1029         131            3         ?

          8          194       1320         104             6       86

        15           147       1295         124             4         ?

        22          289       1637         165             9         ? 

        28          296       1768         337            2         ?

Jan    4          346       1534         207             ?         ?

         5           220       1611          183             ?         ?

        11           408       1645           96             ?         ?   

Summary:

• Yesterday, leader in new deaths was the USA with 408, Japan #2 with 381.
• New cases #1 Japan with 198,873, #2 S. Korea 54,343, #3 USA 37,497.

On Monday I provided a Condé Nast Around-the-World Cruise Guide.  When describing what looked like an attractive Viking 138-day global voyage, ended with:  I called 1-866-984-5464, and had a pleasant chat.  They will send me details.

So I talked to a Viking representative, and he sent me this initial offering:

• Leave Fort Lauderdale on 20 December 2023.  Arrive London on 06 May 2024.  137 cruise nights. Why they don't go on to end in Fort Lauderdale remains a mystery.
• Category:  CV6-Deluxe Veranda, stateroom 3036.
• He priced it for only me, but sort of expected there would be a second person.  
• The deposit was to be $11,024, with an expiration date of January 6, tomorrow.
• Full final payment of $110,241 due on May 15.

With all the questions still being bandied about, I think the cost of the cruise/person should be either $59,000 or $61,000, with Viking arranging for two business class seats from Honolulu to Fort Lauderdale and from London to Honolulu.  The value of this benefit should be in the range of $10,000 so that would drop the cruise fare to around $55,000/person, or just about $400/night for the 138-day cruise.

But consider that the following:

• FREE:
• 57 guided tours, one port.
• 28 countries.
• All onboard gratuities, port and service fees and taxes.
• Silver Spirits beverage packets...which is more than adequate.
• Complimentary visa service...hope we don't need to again get another India visa.
• Wi-fi.
• They indicate that all the above has a value of $25,000/guest.
• If you book by March 31, you will also receive an additional $1000/person shipboard credit, and if you are a Viking Explorer Society member, an additional $1000/person.

Thus, doing the mathematics:

     $55,000 - $25,000 = $30,000 divided by 138 days...or $217/day, a real cruise bargain.

And you see the world:

Of course, we will need to pay 15 Craigside around $50,000 just to be away, so that's a downer.  In addition, we leave in March to Sydney for a 53-day cruise back to Honolulu, and this global itinerary has many similar stops, so that's also a negative.

But for those of you who just live at home, can pack and leave anytime, and have always wanted to catch the ideal around-the-world cruise for an attractively low cost, this could well be it.  Further, my posting of 9October2022 showed that Viking might today be the most popular cruise line.  Condé Nast Traveler ranks them as #1 in medium ship and river cruises.

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