There are 51 ocean cruise lines and 27 river cruise lines. Cruise lines are either for sea or river, and distinct from passenger lines, which only transport passengers.   Cruise lines provide entertainment, food, tours, etc.   They carried 31.7 million passengers in 2023. 18 million from North America. 7.7 million from Western Europe. 35.7 million total expected in 2024. Other fast-facts. Global economic impact in 2019 = $154.5 billion. 34% of all passengers in the Caribbean and 18% in the Mediterranean. Largest ports in million passengers per year. Miami  5.1 Port Canaveral  4.3 Cozumel  3.9 Port Everglades  3.5 Nassau  3.3 Shanghai  3.3 Barcelona  2.5 Civitacchia  2.4 Pursuing net zero carbon emissions by 2050. 47,000 travel agent members. #1 is Carnival Corporation, operating over 100 ships under this name, plus Holland American, Princess, Seabourn, P&O, Costa Cruises and Aida.  Carries 42% of all cruise passengers,...

Yesterday, Rubik's Cube being 50 years old inspired me to start today with the  Caesar Salad  being a century old.  More specifically, July 4 was not only Independence Day, but also the birthday of this dish. Invented in Tijuana. But this is an Italian salad, invented by Caesar Cardini.  Tijuana then was a bustling international city with bullfights, mobsters, movie stars and the like. The music being blared might have been Al Jolson's  California Here I Come . That day, the restaurant was overwhelmed by holiday travelers, so he and his brother just tossed some olive oil, egg and parmesan over Romaine lettuce.  Perhaps an anchovy. The Caesar demands innovation, and people who later prepared it also added some Worcestershire, or Tabasco or lemon juice, and perhaps bacon, kimchi and anything an adventurous cook might choose. Thus, the endurance of the Caesar Salad. Artificial Intelligence, or AI, invokes fear, utility, the future and a wide variety of emotion...