I like thousand island salad dressing and when I saw the Wegmans brand thousand island salad dressing, I decided to give it a try. I know Wegmans makes good stuff. I found that their thousand island salad dressing lived up to their name. It has a good thousand island flavor and wasn't very expensive. A 1 pint (16 ounce) bottle sells for $1.99. Diet wise, the dressing is gluten free, lactose free and trans fat free. It does have a bit of fat in it. A 2 tablespoon serving will provide you with 17% (11 grams) of your daily allowance for fat (based on 2,000 calorie diet). Also, it has a bit of salt as the same serving has 260 milligrams of sodium (11% daily allowance). Calorie wise, 2 tablespoons of the dressing has 130 calories with 100 fat calories. (Source for nutrition information: one of the bottles of the dressing I bought).
Overall, I thought it was fine salad dressing. I don't know how it stacks up price wise compared to bigger name brand dressings like Wish Bone or Kraft. I plan to check that out some time and will post an update on it here. Happy dining all!
Monday, December 30, 2013
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Calbee Shrimp Chips Review
While stationed in England, I discovered prawn (shrimp to those in the Unites States) flavored crisps (potato chips to those in the United States). I thought they were pretty cool. I munched many a bag of prawn flavored crisps. While searching through the snacks sections on Wegmans webpage, I discovered they offered Calbee Shrimp Chips. They reminded me of England and, I decided to try them.
The chips are different from prawn flavored crisps in that they have ground up shrimp in them. For those who are allergic to shellfish, you'll want to avoid these. The crisps have a shrimp flavor to them. As they're baked not fried, they're not as fattening as crisps (potato chips). The chips have no cholesterol or trans fats. A 1 ounce serving has 5 grams of total fat and 130 calories. Price wise, Wegmans sells a 4 ounce bag for $1.99. The only down side to see to this tasty snack is they use Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in them. I don't like MSG and, I think they put it in too many processed foods.
Overall, I liked Calbee's Shrimp Chips. They remind me of England even though they're made in California. Strangely, Wegmans stocks them in the International Food section. I don't know why. I'd definitely recommend them if you like shrimp. Happy snacking all!
The chips are different from prawn flavored crisps in that they have ground up shrimp in them. For those who are allergic to shellfish, you'll want to avoid these. The crisps have a shrimp flavor to them. As they're baked not fried, they're not as fattening as crisps (potato chips). The chips have no cholesterol or trans fats. A 1 ounce serving has 5 grams of total fat and 130 calories. Price wise, Wegmans sells a 4 ounce bag for $1.99. The only down side to see to this tasty snack is they use Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in them. I don't like MSG and, I think they put it in too many processed foods.
Overall, I liked Calbee's Shrimp Chips. They remind me of England even though they're made in California. Strangely, Wegmans stocks them in the International Food section. I don't know why. I'd definitely recommend them if you like shrimp. Happy snacking all!
Monday, December 23, 2013
E- book Review of Cruise Ships Ports and Tips - An Under and Over View by Steve Duell
Beginning in August of 1992, Steve Duell began working on various cruise ships as a singer and guitar instrumentalist. After many years, he wrote an e-book titled Cruise Ships Ports and Tips - An Under and Over View. This is a review of that e-book.
Judging from the title of Duell's e-book, you would assume it's about various ports and tips to travelers cruising to them. While Duell does give information on some of the 30 ports he traveled to while working on cruise ships, in my opinion, the book isn't so much a book about those ports as it's a glimpse into what it's like to work on a cruise ship. This is what really interested me about the 93 page e-book. As my readers know, I did an All Access tour on Royal Caribbean's Splendour of the Seas. I found the tour really interesting because you get to see what goes on behind the scenes. In Duell's e-book, you get to read about what it's like from someone who actually worked on at least 10 different cruise ships. It isn't all wine and roses. There are long hours and long separations from family. Another thing that is trying for those who work on the cruise ships is they work for set time contracts - 6 month minimum up to a year (I believe). After that, you out-process from the ship, go home and wait to see if they offer you another contract. This part of working on the ships would really dissuade me from working on them. For Duell, I suspect it wasn't a problem because he's used to working from gig to gig. For him, it would be a plus in a way in that he would have 6 months of guaranteed gigs plus room, board and the chance to travel thrown in.
The only negative I have about Duell's e-book was I felt it needed more editing. I found misspelled words and missing words in other sentences. These imperfections however are minor compared to the interesting information he shares. Also, Duell's e-book isn't expensive. Barnes & Noble sells it for $2.99 and, it doesn't take that long to download it.
Overall, I thought it an interesting and affordable short read. If you want more information on Duell, his website is: www.onebusyguy.com Happy reading all!
Judging from the title of Duell's e-book, you would assume it's about various ports and tips to travelers cruising to them. While Duell does give information on some of the 30 ports he traveled to while working on cruise ships, in my opinion, the book isn't so much a book about those ports as it's a glimpse into what it's like to work on a cruise ship. This is what really interested me about the 93 page e-book. As my readers know, I did an All Access tour on Royal Caribbean's Splendour of the Seas. I found the tour really interesting because you get to see what goes on behind the scenes. In Duell's e-book, you get to read about what it's like from someone who actually worked on at least 10 different cruise ships. It isn't all wine and roses. There are long hours and long separations from family. Another thing that is trying for those who work on the cruise ships is they work for set time contracts - 6 month minimum up to a year (I believe). After that, you out-process from the ship, go home and wait to see if they offer you another contract. This part of working on the ships would really dissuade me from working on them. For Duell, I suspect it wasn't a problem because he's used to working from gig to gig. For him, it would be a plus in a way in that he would have 6 months of guaranteed gigs plus room, board and the chance to travel thrown in.
The only negative I have about Duell's e-book was I felt it needed more editing. I found misspelled words and missing words in other sentences. These imperfections however are minor compared to the interesting information he shares. Also, Duell's e-book isn't expensive. Barnes & Noble sells it for $2.99 and, it doesn't take that long to download it.
Overall, I thought it an interesting and affordable short read. If you want more information on Duell, his website is: www.onebusyguy.com Happy reading all!
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Owings Mills Mall Review
Yesterday, I visited the Owings Mills Mall for the first time. From the outside, it looks like a nice mall. However, when I walked in, I got a serious shock. Owings Mills Mall is a mall that is dying. I walked around and saw a number of empty shops in the mall. It reminded of Laurel Mall which slowly died before they finally tore it down. I don't know why this mall is doing so poorly. It looks like it's in good shape. It has plenty of parking. Yet, it clearly isn't drawing the business it needs. Unless it has a store you need something from and it's close to where you live, I'd pass on this one.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Pilot G2 Gel Pen Review
A.C. Nielsen claims that Pilot's G2 gel pen is the #1 best selling gel pen in America. I don't know if that's true or not. I do know Pilot makes a good gel pen that comes in a very nice array of colors. Before I get started on my review, I have to clarify just which G2 pen I'm reviewing. There are 6 different categories of G2 pens. They are:
- Breast Cancer Awareness pen
- G6 which is a bigger G2 pen
- G2 Pro
- G2 Limited
- G2 mini
- regular G2 pen
The Breast Cancer Awareness Pen, it comes in Black and Pink ink in fine point though you can only buy the black ink pen from their United States website: www.pilotpen.us. I don't know if various stores sell the pink ink pen. This pen as far as I know is the same G2 pen with the only difference being it has the pink ribbon emblem on them symbolizing breast cancer and every purchase of these pens causes a contribution to be made to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. A set of 2 will cost $4.41 on Pilot's U.S. website.
The G6 is a larger version of the G2 and comes in blue, black and red ink (not nearly the great range of colors the standard G2 has) in fine point only. It comes singly ($2.88), 2 pack ($5.69) and 12 pack ($32.40). Note: Prices quoted are from the Pilot's U.S. website.
The G2 Pro is a more stylish sleek pen which comes in 3 different barrel colors (red, black and blue) with black ink and a fine point. It comes in single packs and sells for $5.15.
The G2 Limited is a high end G2 pen which comes in a metallic finish in fine point with black ink. It sells in single packs for $15.
The G2 Mini is the smaller version of the G2. It comes in fine point with blue, black, red and green inks. The 3 pack sells for $4.50 (no green pen). The 4 pack sells for $6 (all 4 colors or just black). The 12 pack sells for $17.76 (just black or blue).
The regular G2 pen comes with 4 different points: ultra fine, extra fine, fine and bold. For ultra fine, extra fine and bold, you have a choice of just 4 colors: black, blue, red and green. For the fine point, there are an incredible 15 colors. They are:
- Black
- Blue
- Red
- Green
- Purple
- Pink
- Turquoise
- Navy
- Burgundy
- Hunter Green
- Orange
- Teal
- Periwinkle
- Lime Green
- Caramel
One thing I found that confounds me a bit is Pilot's G2 20 pen fine point set. The G2 20 pen set contains ALL 15 colors as well as 4 additional black pens and 1 additional blue pen. The Pilot website doesn't offer this pen set for sale and yet, you can buy it at Sam's Club for $16.24 and higher on Amazon and Ebay. I don't understand why that's the case. If you want to get all 15 colors on Pilot's Internet store, you'll have to buy the 12 pen assorted box ($25.68 - doesn't include shipping) AND the 4 pen set that contains Teal, Periwinkle, Lime Green and Caramel ($8.61 - doesn't include shipping). Shoppers would do better to buy the 20 pen set at Sam's Club or on-line at Amazon or Ebay.
Another plus about the 20 pen set is it comes in a decent case that you can store the pens in. This keeps them from getting beat up.
Another issue I have with Pilot and their G2 pen is their claim that it's refillable. This is only partially true in the United States (U.S.). If you need a refill for a black, blue, red, green or purple pen, you're in luck. If you want any of the other colors except Hunter Green (they apparently don't offer that color any more in the United Kingdom), you'll have to order the refill from a British website. I found 2 that offer 14 of the color refills for L1.15 without Value Added Tax (VAT) and L1.38 with VAT. I don't know what they charge for shipping to the U.S. though both state they ship there. The 2 British websites where you can buy the refills are:
- www.tigerpens.co.uk
- www.cultpens.com
Writing wise, I found the regular G2 pen to write fine. It glides across paper smoothly enough. I don't know if Pilot's claim that it lasts twice as long as other gel pens is true. The ink cartridges do seem to have the normal amount of ink in them.
Overall, I like Pilot's G2 pens. I particularly like the regular fine point pen because of the array of colors it comes it. I think that's a big plus compared to other gel pens. If it weren't for that option, I don't think the pen is any better than other gel pens on the U.S. market. Happy writing all!
Update January 3, 2016: I've tried 3 different nib/point sizes with these pens so far. I didn't realize they had an ultra fine point (yes, I know I mentioned it in this blog entry but, it's been a while since I wrote it). I plan to buy an ultra fine point G2 pen to see how well it writes. Of the broad (1mm), fine (.7mm) and very fine (.5mm) point sizes, I've found the broad and fine points write very smoothly. Conversely, it feels like the very fine point scratches the paper when I write with it. Because of that, I don't like writing with it as much as I like writing with the other 2 point sizes. The broad point lives up to its name in that it does have a broad line. One last bit of information for this post: I had to buy a 4 pack of the broad point pens at the Laurel, Maryland Staples to try one of them out. The 4 pack cost me $7.99 (just to give you a current price on the pens). Stay tuned for another update once I get an ultra fine point pen and see how well it writes.
Update April 30, 2016: I've tried the G2 ultra fine point nib i.e. .38mm and, I feel it scratches the paper too like the .5mm does. On a different subject, I've found out Pilot produces G2 fine point pens in metallic colors - silver, gold, blue, green, purple and pink. The set also came with a black pen and a white ink pen. I don't think I've seen these in many stores. I had to buy my set through Ebay. Also, they sell outside the United States a set of pastel colored G2 pens - green, yellow, pink, purple and blue. This set came from an Ebay seller in Greece. I've never seen these pens in the United States. I continue to be pleased with these pens though I like Pilot's erasable Frixion pens too (see my recent review on those).
Update May 18, 2016: From now until June 5, 2016, Sam's Club has a special on G2 pens for Advantage Plus members. You can buy up to 3 fourteen pen packs of either black or blue fine point pens for $11.43 vice the normal price of $14.43. Also, you can buy up to 3 twenty pen packs of assorted colors (has all 15 colors in it, I checked!) for $13.98 vice the normal price of $16.98. I think this is a particularly good deal compared to the black or blue pen packs. You're talking getting 6 more pens for just $2 more. One slight downside with the 20 pens packs is they have the nice carrying case they used to have. I really like the carrying case and, I think it's a bummer they don't have it anymore at Sam's Club.
- Breast Cancer Awareness pen
- G6 which is a bigger G2 pen
- G2 Pro
- G2 Limited
- G2 mini
- regular G2 pen
The Breast Cancer Awareness Pen, it comes in Black and Pink ink in fine point though you can only buy the black ink pen from their United States website: www.pilotpen.us. I don't know if various stores sell the pink ink pen. This pen as far as I know is the same G2 pen with the only difference being it has the pink ribbon emblem on them symbolizing breast cancer and every purchase of these pens causes a contribution to be made to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. A set of 2 will cost $4.41 on Pilot's U.S. website.
The G6 is a larger version of the G2 and comes in blue, black and red ink (not nearly the great range of colors the standard G2 has) in fine point only. It comes singly ($2.88), 2 pack ($5.69) and 12 pack ($32.40). Note: Prices quoted are from the Pilot's U.S. website.
The G2 Pro is a more stylish sleek pen which comes in 3 different barrel colors (red, black and blue) with black ink and a fine point. It comes in single packs and sells for $5.15.
The G2 Limited is a high end G2 pen which comes in a metallic finish in fine point with black ink. It sells in single packs for $15.
The G2 Mini is the smaller version of the G2. It comes in fine point with blue, black, red and green inks. The 3 pack sells for $4.50 (no green pen). The 4 pack sells for $6 (all 4 colors or just black). The 12 pack sells for $17.76 (just black or blue).
The regular G2 pen comes with 4 different points: ultra fine, extra fine, fine and bold. For ultra fine, extra fine and bold, you have a choice of just 4 colors: black, blue, red and green. For the fine point, there are an incredible 15 colors. They are:
- Black
- Blue
- Red
- Green
- Purple
- Pink
- Turquoise
- Navy
- Burgundy
- Hunter Green
- Orange
- Teal
- Periwinkle
- Lime Green
- Caramel
One thing I found that confounds me a bit is Pilot's G2 20 pen fine point set. The G2 20 pen set contains ALL 15 colors as well as 4 additional black pens and 1 additional blue pen. The Pilot website doesn't offer this pen set for sale and yet, you can buy it at Sam's Club for $16.24 and higher on Amazon and Ebay. I don't understand why that's the case. If you want to get all 15 colors on Pilot's Internet store, you'll have to buy the 12 pen assorted box ($25.68 - doesn't include shipping) AND the 4 pen set that contains Teal, Periwinkle, Lime Green and Caramel ($8.61 - doesn't include shipping). Shoppers would do better to buy the 20 pen set at Sam's Club or on-line at Amazon or Ebay.
Another plus about the 20 pen set is it comes in a decent case that you can store the pens in. This keeps them from getting beat up.
Another issue I have with Pilot and their G2 pen is their claim that it's refillable. This is only partially true in the United States (U.S.). If you need a refill for a black, blue, red, green or purple pen, you're in luck. If you want any of the other colors except Hunter Green (they apparently don't offer that color any more in the United Kingdom), you'll have to order the refill from a British website. I found 2 that offer 14 of the color refills for L1.15 without Value Added Tax (VAT) and L1.38 with VAT. I don't know what they charge for shipping to the U.S. though both state they ship there. The 2 British websites where you can buy the refills are:
- www.tigerpens.co.uk
- www.cultpens.com
Writing wise, I found the regular G2 pen to write fine. It glides across paper smoothly enough. I don't know if Pilot's claim that it lasts twice as long as other gel pens is true. The ink cartridges do seem to have the normal amount of ink in them.
Overall, I like Pilot's G2 pens. I particularly like the regular fine point pen because of the array of colors it comes it. I think that's a big plus compared to other gel pens. If it weren't for that option, I don't think the pen is any better than other gel pens on the U.S. market. Happy writing all!
Update January 3, 2016: I've tried 3 different nib/point sizes with these pens so far. I didn't realize they had an ultra fine point (yes, I know I mentioned it in this blog entry but, it's been a while since I wrote it). I plan to buy an ultra fine point G2 pen to see how well it writes. Of the broad (1mm), fine (.7mm) and very fine (.5mm) point sizes, I've found the broad and fine points write very smoothly. Conversely, it feels like the very fine point scratches the paper when I write with it. Because of that, I don't like writing with it as much as I like writing with the other 2 point sizes. The broad point lives up to its name in that it does have a broad line. One last bit of information for this post: I had to buy a 4 pack of the broad point pens at the Laurel, Maryland Staples to try one of them out. The 4 pack cost me $7.99 (just to give you a current price on the pens). Stay tuned for another update once I get an ultra fine point pen and see how well it writes.
Update April 30, 2016: I've tried the G2 ultra fine point nib i.e. .38mm and, I feel it scratches the paper too like the .5mm does. On a different subject, I've found out Pilot produces G2 fine point pens in metallic colors - silver, gold, blue, green, purple and pink. The set also came with a black pen and a white ink pen. I don't think I've seen these in many stores. I had to buy my set through Ebay. Also, they sell outside the United States a set of pastel colored G2 pens - green, yellow, pink, purple and blue. This set came from an Ebay seller in Greece. I've never seen these pens in the United States. I continue to be pleased with these pens though I like Pilot's erasable Frixion pens too (see my recent review on those).
Update May 18, 2016: From now until June 5, 2016, Sam's Club has a special on G2 pens for Advantage Plus members. You can buy up to 3 fourteen pen packs of either black or blue fine point pens for $11.43 vice the normal price of $14.43. Also, you can buy up to 3 twenty pen packs of assorted colors (has all 15 colors in it, I checked!) for $13.98 vice the normal price of $16.98. I think this is a particularly good deal compared to the black or blue pen packs. You're talking getting 6 more pens for just $2 more. One slight downside with the 20 pens packs is they have the nice carrying case they used to have. I really like the carrying case and, I think it's a bummer they don't have it anymore at Sam's Club.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Jules Destrooper Butter Biscuits Review
While shopping recently at the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans, I stumbled upon some Jules Destrooper Butter Biscuits. The biscuits come in a neat retro looking tin so, I decided to buy some and see how good they are.
The biscuits are made in Lo, Belgium by the Biscuiterie Jules Destrooper N.V. which was founded in 1886. According to the tin, they've won gold medals at expositions in Paris (1911) and Ghent (1922). For those of us who in the United States, we wouldn't consider the biscuits to be biscuits. They look more like waffle wafers to us. They're thin and have a criss cross design on them. The biscuits are different from what Americans are use to but, they're still pretty good. The neat tin they come in makes them even cooler in my opinion. However, the tin and the fact they're imported from Belgium make them more expensive. A 240 gram (approximately 8 and 1/2 ounces) tin sells for $11.99 at Wegmans.
If you can't make it to a Wegmans, you can buy the biscuits on-line at the following website: http://julesdestrooper.elsstore.com/. They're called butter crisps at the website and sell for $5.79 for a 6.1 ounce box (this price doesn't include shipping). However, you can't get the biscuits/crisps in the tin from the website. Happy munching all!
The biscuits are made in Lo, Belgium by the Biscuiterie Jules Destrooper N.V. which was founded in 1886. According to the tin, they've won gold medals at expositions in Paris (1911) and Ghent (1922). For those of us who in the United States, we wouldn't consider the biscuits to be biscuits. They look more like waffle wafers to us. They're thin and have a criss cross design on them. The biscuits are different from what Americans are use to but, they're still pretty good. The neat tin they come in makes them even cooler in my opinion. However, the tin and the fact they're imported from Belgium make them more expensive. A 240 gram (approximately 8 and 1/2 ounces) tin sells for $11.99 at Wegmans.
If you can't make it to a Wegmans, you can buy the biscuits on-line at the following website: http://julesdestrooper.elsstore.com/. They're called butter crisps at the website and sell for $5.79 for a 6.1 ounce box (this price doesn't include shipping). However, you can't get the biscuits/crisps in the tin from the website. Happy munching all!
Shorai LFX Battery Review
As I previously reported, I've had problems with my Yamaha TMAX battery dying on me in cold weather or when I accidentally ran it down. Because of this, I decided to get a better battery for my bike. The battery Heyser Cycle recommended to me was the Shorai LFX battery. The battery is supposedly a lot tougher and wouldn't have any problems starting my bike in the winter. It would be over 6 months before I'd get to find out how true that was.
We had a really bad patch of cold weather here in Maryland where I wasn't able to ride my TMAX for 2 weeks. I hadn't forgotten my previous battery problems and so was concerned when I was finally able to ride my bike again. Initially, it looked like my fancy new battery was going to fail. The electronics flickered on my bike and, I thought "oh shit!" Then, the bike kicked over. The new battery had proved itself worth the money. I'm certain that if I'd had the old battery in the bike, I would've had to re-charge it. If you're going to ride your TMAX in the winter, you might want to think about getting a Shorai LFX battery for it. It sure beats the hassle of having to re-charge a dead battery. Happy riding all!
We had a really bad patch of cold weather here in Maryland where I wasn't able to ride my TMAX for 2 weeks. I hadn't forgotten my previous battery problems and so was concerned when I was finally able to ride my bike again. Initially, it looked like my fancy new battery was going to fail. The electronics flickered on my bike and, I thought "oh shit!" Then, the bike kicked over. The new battery had proved itself worth the money. I'm certain that if I'd had the old battery in the bike, I would've had to re-charge it. If you're going to ride your TMAX in the winter, you might want to think about getting a Shorai LFX battery for it. It sure beats the hassle of having to re-charge a dead battery. Happy riding all!
Sunday, December 08, 2013
Calbee Snapea Crisps Review
While doing my weekly shopping at the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans, I came across Calbee's Snapea Crisps in the condiment aisle. They sounded different so, I decided to try the 3 varieties as well as their Lentil Snaps which are just like the Snapea Crisps.
What are Snapea Crisps? They're baked green pea pods (or lentil pods in the case of the lentil snaps). Apparently baking the pods can make them nice and crunchy and Calbee adds 4 different flavorings (salted, ceasar, black pepper and tomato basil for the lentil snaps) to give them some kind of taste. The flavorings aren't overbearing and don't contain any monosodium glutamate (big plus in my book). The crisps/snaps offer a big plus over regular potato chips in that they have less fat, more fiber and less sodium than regular potato chips. They're an easy way to get your veggies (no cooking involved) which everyone needs.
Price wise, the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans sells the 4 different kinds for $1.99 for each 3.3 ounce bag (3 ounces for the lentil snaps). Compared to potato chips, this does make them a little pricey though any veggie snack as far I know isn't going to be cheap barring potato chips.
Taste wise, I found they taste fine. They advertise the tomato basil as Zesty. I found it tame.
Overall, I think they're a nice natural snack that is better for you than potato chips or corn chips. Also, I like that they are a very easy way for me to get my veggies. Do remember if you're interested in these crisps that you'll find them in the condiment section vice the snack section. I think they do that because they are veggies. Wegmans puts pickles, olives, peppers and pickled okra in the condiment section too. Bon appetit all!
January 5, 2014 Update: From January 2, 2014 to January 26, 2014 Costco is offering 20 ounce resealable bags of Calbee's Lightly Salted Snapea Crisps for $5.39 (after they take off $1.50 for the promotion). This is a great deal if you like these crisps. You're talking paying about getting the same product for less than half the cost - 60 cents an ounce at Wegmans vice 27 cents (rounded up) an ounce at Costco. The only down side I see to this deal is you can only get it in the lightly salted flavor. For those who like these crisps, this is a deal they should take advantage of while it lasts.
What are Snapea Crisps? They're baked green pea pods (or lentil pods in the case of the lentil snaps). Apparently baking the pods can make them nice and crunchy and Calbee adds 4 different flavorings (salted, ceasar, black pepper and tomato basil for the lentil snaps) to give them some kind of taste. The flavorings aren't overbearing and don't contain any monosodium glutamate (big plus in my book). The crisps/snaps offer a big plus over regular potato chips in that they have less fat, more fiber and less sodium than regular potato chips. They're an easy way to get your veggies (no cooking involved) which everyone needs.
Price wise, the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans sells the 4 different kinds for $1.99 for each 3.3 ounce bag (3 ounces for the lentil snaps). Compared to potato chips, this does make them a little pricey though any veggie snack as far I know isn't going to be cheap barring potato chips.
Taste wise, I found they taste fine. They advertise the tomato basil as Zesty. I found it tame.
Overall, I think they're a nice natural snack that is better for you than potato chips or corn chips. Also, I like that they are a very easy way for me to get my veggies. Do remember if you're interested in these crisps that you'll find them in the condiment section vice the snack section. I think they do that because they are veggies. Wegmans puts pickles, olives, peppers and pickled okra in the condiment section too. Bon appetit all!
January 5, 2014 Update: From January 2, 2014 to January 26, 2014 Costco is offering 20 ounce resealable bags of Calbee's Lightly Salted Snapea Crisps for $5.39 (after they take off $1.50 for the promotion). This is a great deal if you like these crisps. You're talking paying about getting the same product for less than half the cost - 60 cents an ounce at Wegmans vice 27 cents (rounded up) an ounce at Costco. The only down side I see to this deal is you can only get it in the lightly salted flavor. For those who like these crisps, this is a deal they should take advantage of while it lasts.
Saturday, December 07, 2013
Another Generic Propecia Enters the U.S. Market
This past September, Camber Pharmaceuticals, Incorporated based out of Piscataway, New Jersey announced it would begin selling generic Propecia in the U.S. market. The company will be offering the drug in the 1 milligram pill in 30 count and 90 count containers. (Source: http://camberpharma.com/news/camber_PR_New%20Products%20copy.pdf) This breaks the exclusivity that Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited had at the beginning of the year when they entered the U.S. market in what I believe was the first offering of generic Propecia.
I found out about this when I bought my latest Propecia refill and found out it was made by Camber Pharmaceuticals. Also, I found out that the new generic is apparently cheaper than that for sale by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories. Sam's Club is offering the new generic in 90 count form for $72.53 (that's the price I paid at their Laurel, Maryland store on December 6, 2013) which is over $30 less than the generic (which was probably Dr. Reddy's) back in September (see my September 4, 2013 post). Please note that to get this price at Sam's Club, you must have an Advantage Plus membership.
The cost difference between the generic Propecia and name brand Propecia is now such that you can buy a 9 month supply of the generic for the same price approximately as you can for a 3 month supply of the name brand. This is a HUGE savings. Personally, I hope the generics continue to bring the price down on this once expensive drug.
Update March 9th, 2014: The price on this generic is holding steady. Last week, I bought a 3 month refill at Sam's Club for $72.50. Do remember you must have an Advantage Plus level membership to get this price.
Update June 6th, 2014: The price on this generic has apparently gone down a little. I bought my latest 3 month refill yesterday and, it cost me $64.43.
I found out about this when I bought my latest Propecia refill and found out it was made by Camber Pharmaceuticals. Also, I found out that the new generic is apparently cheaper than that for sale by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories. Sam's Club is offering the new generic in 90 count form for $72.53 (that's the price I paid at their Laurel, Maryland store on December 6, 2013) which is over $30 less than the generic (which was probably Dr. Reddy's) back in September (see my September 4, 2013 post). Please note that to get this price at Sam's Club, you must have an Advantage Plus membership.
The cost difference between the generic Propecia and name brand Propecia is now such that you can buy a 9 month supply of the generic for the same price approximately as you can for a 3 month supply of the name brand. This is a HUGE savings. Personally, I hope the generics continue to bring the price down on this once expensive drug.
Update March 9th, 2014: The price on this generic is holding steady. Last week, I bought a 3 month refill at Sam's Club for $72.50. Do remember you must have an Advantage Plus level membership to get this price.
Update June 6th, 2014: The price on this generic has apparently gone down a little. I bought my latest 3 month refill yesterday and, it cost me $64.43.
Thursday, December 05, 2013
EZ Pass Review
As I mentioned in my review on the Starbucks at Trump Plaza Boardwalk, this past Sunday, I drove up to Philadelphia and Atlantic City. The trip brought back memories when my travel friend Harvey and I drove to Atlantic City and stay at least 1 night at the Trump Taj Mahal. The drive ended being an adventure as neither of us were prepared for all the toll roads we hit going to and coming back from Atlantic City. Repeatedly, we had to stop at toll booths and dig out change or small bills to pay the various tolls. Later, when I drove to a hotel I stayed at not far from Dulles International Airport, I got caught by surprise again and remember counting nickels to pay the tolls on my way to the hotel. Those trips (to and back) got me interested in the EZ Pass program.
The program is simple enough. You buy a transponder from 1 of the participating state agencies (prices vary depending on the transponder), pay in advance enough money to pay for 1 month of tolls and set up an account to where you can recharge your account ensuring you always have money in it to pay for the various tolls.
The toll booths in the participating states will have lanes where you can pay with your EZ Pass. You drive into the lane, an antenna picks up your transponder and your account is charged. Most of the time, you can drive right through the lanes without having to stop saving lots of time. On my recent trip, I would've had to stop 9 times to pay over $28 in tolls. The EZ pass was priceless in this way. One downside to the EZ Pass is you will be charged a $1.50 a month service fee if you don't use the pass for that month. Still, if you're going to be driving on toll roads on the following states, it is really worth getting an EZ Pass.
The following states participate in the EZ Pass program:
Delaware
Illinois
Indiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
New York City
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Virginia
West Virginia
For information on each of these state's particular EZ Pass program, go to the following webpage and click on the appropriate state: https://www.ezpassmd.com/en/about/facilities.shtml
Overall, if you're going to be driving on the various toll roads in the previously mentioned states, EZ pass can save you lots of hassle and time. I was really glad I had mine on my trip north. I'd definitely recommend the program to those who have to drive on the mentioned toll roads. Safe travels all!
The program is simple enough. You buy a transponder from 1 of the participating state agencies (prices vary depending on the transponder), pay in advance enough money to pay for 1 month of tolls and set up an account to where you can recharge your account ensuring you always have money in it to pay for the various tolls.
The toll booths in the participating states will have lanes where you can pay with your EZ Pass. You drive into the lane, an antenna picks up your transponder and your account is charged. Most of the time, you can drive right through the lanes without having to stop saving lots of time. On my recent trip, I would've had to stop 9 times to pay over $28 in tolls. The EZ pass was priceless in this way. One downside to the EZ Pass is you will be charged a $1.50 a month service fee if you don't use the pass for that month. Still, if you're going to be driving on toll roads on the following states, it is really worth getting an EZ Pass.
The following states participate in the EZ Pass program:
Delaware
Illinois
Indiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
New York City
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Virginia
West Virginia
For information on each of these state's particular EZ Pass program, go to the following webpage and click on the appropriate state: https://www.ezpassmd.com/en/about/facilities.shtml
Overall, if you're going to be driving on the various toll roads in the previously mentioned states, EZ pass can save you lots of hassle and time. I was really glad I had mine on my trip north. I'd definitely recommend the program to those who have to drive on the mentioned toll roads. Safe travels all!
Monday, December 02, 2013
Starbucks Trump Plaza Boardwalk Wi-Fi Review
Yesterday, I drove to Philadelphia and Atlantic City so, I could visit the Hard Rock Cafe's there. I wanted to get them added to my Hard Rock travel map and get closer to earning my first reward for visiting so many different cafe's. You get the first one when you visit 10 different cafe's.
While in both cities, I visited Starbucks so I could use their free Wi-Fi to post updates on my travels on Facebook. For me, the biggest reason I visit Starbucks is because of the free Wi-Fi. I have to use Wi-Fi to access the Internet when I use my Nook e-reader. Accessing the Internet this way is way easier than carrying my laptop around. I use a Sprint USB modem I own to access the Internet on my laptop.
I thought all Starbucks shops offered free Wi-Fi barring the small ones in airports as I found out in the Miami airport. To my surprise, the one in Trump Taj Mahal doesn't have Wi-Fi (according to the lady who was working behind the counter). So, I went in search of another Starbucks. I figured there had to be another one some where in Atlantic City.
To my delight, I found another Starbucks at the Trump Plaza Boardwalk. They confirmed they have free Wi-Fi. I tried connecting and, it requested a password. They told me the password is starbucks (makes sense). I entered the password and, my nook e-reader waited and waited and waited and waited for an IP address that never came. I asked the folks there what might be the problem. First, they said try turning the Wi-Fi off and on. It didn't help. Then, they suggested I completely shutdown my e-reader and bring it up. That caused me to get constant Wi-Fi errors stating that the network was overloaded and, I couldn't connect. The people at the Starbucks assured me their Wi-Fi worked but, I was never able to connect there. Later, a saleslady at the Under Armour Outlet store said she'd had the same problem. As luck would have it, there is a Starbucks at 120 North Michigan Ave which is less than a block from the Under Armour store. I tried to connect to their Wi-Fi and, my e-reader connected immediately. Also, I didn't have any problems connecting to the Starbucks Wi-Fi at the Philadelphia shop on 12th and Maple (I believe that's the address) I visited. Because I didn't have any problems elsewhere and the lady at Under Armour experienced the same problem, I have to believe there is some kind of problem with the Wi-Fi at the Trump Plaza Boardwalk. I definitely wouldn't recommend the place because of this.
Note: there are Starbucks located at the Showboat, Caesar's, Golden Nugget, The Borgata, Tropicana Casino and Resort and Tropicana Marketplace which MAY offer Wi-Fi. As I didn't know about these other locations, I didn't visit them to try them and see if they offer or how well the Wi-Fi works at these places.
While in both cities, I visited Starbucks so I could use their free Wi-Fi to post updates on my travels on Facebook. For me, the biggest reason I visit Starbucks is because of the free Wi-Fi. I have to use Wi-Fi to access the Internet when I use my Nook e-reader. Accessing the Internet this way is way easier than carrying my laptop around. I use a Sprint USB modem I own to access the Internet on my laptop.
I thought all Starbucks shops offered free Wi-Fi barring the small ones in airports as I found out in the Miami airport. To my surprise, the one in Trump Taj Mahal doesn't have Wi-Fi (according to the lady who was working behind the counter). So, I went in search of another Starbucks. I figured there had to be another one some where in Atlantic City.
To my delight, I found another Starbucks at the Trump Plaza Boardwalk. They confirmed they have free Wi-Fi. I tried connecting and, it requested a password. They told me the password is starbucks (makes sense). I entered the password and, my nook e-reader waited and waited and waited and waited for an IP address that never came. I asked the folks there what might be the problem. First, they said try turning the Wi-Fi off and on. It didn't help. Then, they suggested I completely shutdown my e-reader and bring it up. That caused me to get constant Wi-Fi errors stating that the network was overloaded and, I couldn't connect. The people at the Starbucks assured me their Wi-Fi worked but, I was never able to connect there. Later, a saleslady at the Under Armour Outlet store said she'd had the same problem. As luck would have it, there is a Starbucks at 120 North Michigan Ave which is less than a block from the Under Armour store. I tried to connect to their Wi-Fi and, my e-reader connected immediately. Also, I didn't have any problems connecting to the Starbucks Wi-Fi at the Philadelphia shop on 12th and Maple (I believe that's the address) I visited. Because I didn't have any problems elsewhere and the lady at Under Armour experienced the same problem, I have to believe there is some kind of problem with the Wi-Fi at the Trump Plaza Boardwalk. I definitely wouldn't recommend the place because of this.
Note: there are Starbucks located at the Showboat, Caesar's, Golden Nugget, The Borgata, Tropicana Casino and Resort and Tropicana Marketplace which MAY offer Wi-Fi. As I didn't know about these other locations, I didn't visit them to try them and see if they offer or how well the Wi-Fi works at these places.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Haddon House Smoked Mussels Review
I like mussels and so when I saw Haddon House Smoked Mussels for sale at the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans, I decided to try them.
According to the box which holds the 3 ounce tin of smoked mussels, the mussels are farm raised in China. They are packed in a tin, covered with sunflower oil with some salt added. Each 3 ounce tin holds approximately 2/3 of a cup of mussels. Calorie wise, a 1/3 cup serving of the mussels has 95 calories with 45 of those coming from fat. The mussels do have some saturated fat but no trans fat. Also, they have 50 milligrams of cholesterol. Interestingly, a single serving of the mussels can supply a person with 40% of their daily requirement for iron (based on a 2,000 calorie diet). Price wise, a tin of the mussels will cost you $1.99 which isn't too exorbitant. Taste wise, the mussels were bland though I think that's typical of mussels. Shelf life wise, they seem to have a good shelf life. They box I bought said they were good till April 2014 which would give them at last a 5 month shelf life (I bought the ones I sampled last month).
Overall, I thought the mussels were ok. They didn't wow me though they are a convenient way to have them. You don't have to cook them. You can eat them right out of the can like I did. If you like mussels, you might want to give them a try. Bon Appetit all!
According to the box which holds the 3 ounce tin of smoked mussels, the mussels are farm raised in China. They are packed in a tin, covered with sunflower oil with some salt added. Each 3 ounce tin holds approximately 2/3 of a cup of mussels. Calorie wise, a 1/3 cup serving of the mussels has 95 calories with 45 of those coming from fat. The mussels do have some saturated fat but no trans fat. Also, they have 50 milligrams of cholesterol. Interestingly, a single serving of the mussels can supply a person with 40% of their daily requirement for iron (based on a 2,000 calorie diet). Price wise, a tin of the mussels will cost you $1.99 which isn't too exorbitant. Taste wise, the mussels were bland though I think that's typical of mussels. Shelf life wise, they seem to have a good shelf life. They box I bought said they were good till April 2014 which would give them at last a 5 month shelf life (I bought the ones I sampled last month).
Overall, I thought the mussels were ok. They didn't wow me though they are a convenient way to have them. You don't have to cook them. You can eat them right out of the can like I did. If you like mussels, you might want to give them a try. Bon Appetit all!
Monday, November 25, 2013
Atlantis Resort Tour Review
I thought it was time for another travel blog entry. As any of my readers know, I visited Nassau, Bahamas twice this past September. On my second visit, I did the Discover Atlantis tour. The tour cost $39 as I remember. Here is a picture of the resort:
As far as I know, the Atlantis resort is the most famous one in the Bahamas. It was built with an Atlantis theme and features the largest open water aquarium in the Caribbean. Here is a picture of some of the fishes in their tank:
The tour guide my group had was very good. She was funny and knowledgeable. I don't know about others in the group but, I was shocked when the guide told us how much the Michael Jackson suite was. The suite goes for $25,000 a night with a minimum 4 night stay. Supposedly, a butler is included. I still can't imagine a hotel suite being worth $25,000 a night. Also, there is supposedly a 6 month waiting list for the famous suite. I think those folks don't have better things to spend their money. The resort has some impressive artwork that artists created that was supposed to have been created by the Atlanteans. Here are 2 examples:
Overall, the resort was impressive though I don't have any desire to stay there. It's too expensive. Also, to me, the Bahamas are just another sun and sand Caribbean island. Plus, I didn't find some of the Bahamians very friendly. I found the people in Bermuda to be nicer. However, if you're going to visit Nassau, I would recommend you do the Discover Atlantis tour. I was very pleased with this tour and would highly recommend it.
Correction: the cost of the Discover Atlantis tour is $59 not $39. I got the price mixed up with the Hemingway walking tour I did in Key West.
As far as I know, the Atlantis resort is the most famous one in the Bahamas. It was built with an Atlantis theme and features the largest open water aquarium in the Caribbean. Here is a picture of some of the fishes in their tank:
Overall, the resort was impressive though I don't have any desire to stay there. It's too expensive. Also, to me, the Bahamas are just another sun and sand Caribbean island. Plus, I didn't find some of the Bahamians very friendly. I found the people in Bermuda to be nicer. However, if you're going to visit Nassau, I would recommend you do the Discover Atlantis tour. I was very pleased with this tour and would highly recommend it.
Correction: the cost of the Discover Atlantis tour is $59 not $39. I got the price mixed up with the Hemingway walking tour I did in Key West.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Creative Snacks Company Green Bean Chips
While shopping at the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans, if I see something that catches my eye, I'm prone to seeing what it is and if I like it, I'll try it. Such was the case with Creative Snacks Company's Green Bean Chips. The chips are actually green beans that have been cooked in canola oil. They come in a 5.25 ounce plastic bowl container and sell for $5.99. As far as snacks go, the $5.99 price makes them a bit pricey. Plus, while I suspect the chips are a lot better for you than potato or corn chips, I doubt kids are going to be very enthusiastic about eating them.
Calorie wise, the chips come in at 130 calories for a 1 cup serving. Each bowl container holds 5 servings. A serving contains 3 grams of fat with no saturated or trans fats. They also contain 3 grams of fiber which is always a good thing.
The chips have a good shelf life. I bought the ones I sampled this month and according to the container, they'll stay good till mid April 2014 i.e. 5 months.
Overall, I think they're a decent and nutritious snack though pricey. They don't have any noticeable flavor to them. They're not something I would go rushing out to buy. I don't know how widely available this product is. Bon appetit all!
Calorie wise, the chips come in at 130 calories for a 1 cup serving. Each bowl container holds 5 servings. A serving contains 3 grams of fat with no saturated or trans fats. They also contain 3 grams of fiber which is always a good thing.
The chips have a good shelf life. I bought the ones I sampled this month and according to the container, they'll stay good till mid April 2014 i.e. 5 months.
Overall, I think they're a decent and nutritious snack though pricey. They don't have any noticeable flavor to them. They're not something I would go rushing out to buy. I don't know how widely available this product is. Bon appetit all!
Maryland Veterans Cemetery Crownsville
A couple years ago, Richard A. Medema, a church friend died of inoperable liver cancer. I wasn't able to attend the funeral because I was traveling. I think I was doing an Alaska cruise on Radiance of the Seas. I kept meaning to visit the Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville where he is buried. I remember seeing one of the direction signs as I passed through Crownsville on my way to the Maryland Renaissance Festival.
Today, I finally drove out there to see his grave and to say a prayer for him. The cemetary itself is all right. It isn't as impressive as Arlington or the American Cemetery at St. Laurent by Omaha Beach. It has a small memorial chapel as well as neat rows of square tombstones inlaid in the ground.
Initially, I tried to find my friend's grave on my own but came to realize how big the cemetery is. Thankfully, they have a small office across from the memorial chapel where there's a database machine you can punch in the deceased's last name and find out where they're interred. The office also has maps of the order of the cemetery. These proved very helpful too.
I finally found his tombstone. I remembered him. Richard Medema was an extremely fine man. He had a wonderful family and was a great christian. He died when he was just 55 years old which seems to me to be too early. He should've had more years to live. His youngest child was just 7 I think and his oldest was in her first year of college.
The cancer was terrible in that you could see it slowly killing him. He gradually wasted away. It had to be hell for his wonderful mother who had to bury him. He was her favorite son. It has to be very hard for a parent to bury one of their children.
After saying a prayer for him and his family at his grave, I walked back to my car. Next week, I'll go back to church and, I'll hear them sing the church songs I used to sing with him and his family during church. They'll remind me of him. I know he's at peace and thankfully isn't suffering from the cancer that caused him so much pain. Still, I wish he was alive. He was a very fine person and a blessing to all who knew him.
Today, I finally drove out there to see his grave and to say a prayer for him. The cemetary itself is all right. It isn't as impressive as Arlington or the American Cemetery at St. Laurent by Omaha Beach. It has a small memorial chapel as well as neat rows of square tombstones inlaid in the ground.
Initially, I tried to find my friend's grave on my own but came to realize how big the cemetery is. Thankfully, they have a small office across from the memorial chapel where there's a database machine you can punch in the deceased's last name and find out where they're interred. The office also has maps of the order of the cemetery. These proved very helpful too.
I finally found his tombstone. I remembered him. Richard Medema was an extremely fine man. He had a wonderful family and was a great christian. He died when he was just 55 years old which seems to me to be too early. He should've had more years to live. His youngest child was just 7 I think and his oldest was in her first year of college.
The cancer was terrible in that you could see it slowly killing him. He gradually wasted away. It had to be hell for his wonderful mother who had to bury him. He was her favorite son. It has to be very hard for a parent to bury one of their children.
After saying a prayer for him and his family at his grave, I walked back to my car. Next week, I'll go back to church and, I'll hear them sing the church songs I used to sing with him and his family during church. They'll remind me of him. I know he's at peace and thankfully isn't suffering from the cancer that caused him so much pain. Still, I wish he was alive. He was a very fine person and a blessing to all who knew him.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Wegmans Pepper Jack Cheese
Once every 2 months, I receive coupons from Wegmans that get me either $3 off a $15 purchase or $5 off a $25 purchase. They'll also include coupons where you can get $1 off a $5 purchase in either the dairy, bulk section or frozen section. I decided to use the dairy coupon. I looked for something to try besides milk. I found Wegmans offers 12 ounce, 16 slice packages of Pepper Jack cheese. They use 2% milk in the cheese which presumably reduces the fat in it though it still has 25 fat calories per slice and 50 calories overall. They state the cheese is medium spicy though I found it to be low spicy in my opinion. The 12 ounce packages cost $2.99 at their Columbia, Maryland store.
Overall, I wasn't really impressed with their Pepper Jack cheese. The biggest advantage I found to it was it comes in individually wrapped slices which makes ideal for adding on sandwiches. Otherwise, I think there is better Pepper Jack cheese out there. I don't know how it stacks up price wise compared to other brands. I plan on buying a bulk kind of Pepper Jack I've bought before and see how it stacks up price wise. Stay tuned on this.
Overall, I wasn't really impressed with their Pepper Jack cheese. The biggest advantage I found to it was it comes in individually wrapped slices which makes ideal for adding on sandwiches. Otherwise, I think there is better Pepper Jack cheese out there. I don't know how it stacks up price wise compared to other brands. I plan on buying a bulk kind of Pepper Jack I've bought before and see how it stacks up price wise. Stay tuned on this.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Royal Caribbean Solo Cruisers Get Double Cruise Points Starting October 2013
I've been meaning to post a blog entry about this since I was able to confirm this. I first heard about this on the unofficial Royal Caribbean blog which mentioned a 9 October 2013 article by Franz Neumeier on http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.cruisetricks.de/royal-caribbean-mehr-status-punkte-fuer-alleinreisende/&langpair=de|en&hl=de&ie=UTF8. The article states that solo cruisers who have to pay double to have their own cabin on Royal Caribbean will receive double cruise points starting October 3rd.
I tried to get Royal Caribbean to confirm this information on their Facebook page but, they never answered me. Later, I looked on Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor page which shows the benefits for each level in their frequent cruiser program and, I found the following:
14 One Cruise Point for each completed night of sailing and an extra Cruise Point per night when you purchase and sail in suite accommodations (categories RL, RS, PS, SL, TS, A1, A2, A3, CL, OS, FS, GS, JS) and/or sail in any category and pay a single pricing type for double occupancy staterooms. All other rates including Travel Agent rates, as well category SI and SB, are excluded from single price type extra point promotion. Cruisetours are included as an additional night per each day on the cruise tour. Points will be awarded by rate paid not rate berthed, for example, in the instance of an upgrade from an outside to a suite category.
This confirmed the German cruise article. Also, Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society did post a blurb in their news section saying the change would take effect October 4th.
For me, this is mixed news. As I always cruise solo, it's a nice little plus for having to pay double. However, I'm a little irked in that Royal Caribbean didn't as far as I know give any heads-up that this change was coming. I would've changed my September cruises to October if I could have so I could have gotten the extra 7 cruise points and made Diamond with their frequent cruiser program. As it is, I'll have to wait until I do my April 2014 Panama Canal cruise with them before I can make enough points to finally make Diamond. Stay tuned for posts on that. Happy cruising all!
Update April 26th, 2014: I am finally able to personally confirm the awesome rule change for solo cruisers. I completed the April Panama Canal cruise I mentioned above on April 16th. It was very nice and, I'll be posting some blog entries about it later. Concerning the double cruise points, I did run into one unexpected problem. Initially, I received half my promised points. Finally, I contacted Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society about the missing cruise points. They're the ones who handle such issues and have the authority to issue missing points. It turned out my reservation had been coded wrong. Because of that, their system didn't know to give me the double cruise points. The lady I chatted with expertly fixed the problem and, I had my missing points before we closed our chat. So, 1) watch for your cruise points, if you don't get all of them, this could be why in which case 2) contact Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society who can fix the problem like they did in my case. It is worth the hassle. Remember, the rewards get nicer as you go higher with Royal Caribbean's frequent cruiser program. Happy cruising all!
I tried to get Royal Caribbean to confirm this information on their Facebook page but, they never answered me. Later, I looked on Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor page which shows the benefits for each level in their frequent cruiser program and, I found the following:
14 One Cruise Point for each completed night of sailing and an extra Cruise Point per night when you purchase and sail in suite accommodations (categories RL, RS, PS, SL, TS, A1, A2, A3, CL, OS, FS, GS, JS) and/or sail in any category and pay a single pricing type for double occupancy staterooms. All other rates including Travel Agent rates, as well category SI and SB, are excluded from single price type extra point promotion. Cruisetours are included as an additional night per each day on the cruise tour. Points will be awarded by rate paid not rate berthed, for example, in the instance of an upgrade from an outside to a suite category.
This confirmed the German cruise article. Also, Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society did post a blurb in their news section saying the change would take effect October 4th.
For me, this is mixed news. As I always cruise solo, it's a nice little plus for having to pay double. However, I'm a little irked in that Royal Caribbean didn't as far as I know give any heads-up that this change was coming. I would've changed my September cruises to October if I could have so I could have gotten the extra 7 cruise points and made Diamond with their frequent cruiser program. As it is, I'll have to wait until I do my April 2014 Panama Canal cruise with them before I can make enough points to finally make Diamond. Stay tuned for posts on that. Happy cruising all!
Update April 26th, 2014: I am finally able to personally confirm the awesome rule change for solo cruisers. I completed the April Panama Canal cruise I mentioned above on April 16th. It was very nice and, I'll be posting some blog entries about it later. Concerning the double cruise points, I did run into one unexpected problem. Initially, I received half my promised points. Finally, I contacted Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society about the missing cruise points. They're the ones who handle such issues and have the authority to issue missing points. It turned out my reservation had been coded wrong. Because of that, their system didn't know to give me the double cruise points. The lady I chatted with expertly fixed the problem and, I had my missing points before we closed our chat. So, 1) watch for your cruise points, if you don't get all of them, this could be why in which case 2) contact Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society who can fix the problem like they did in my case. It is worth the hassle. Remember, the rewards get nicer as you go higher with Royal Caribbean's frequent cruiser program. Happy cruising all!
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Coco Cay Bahamas
Here's the first of my travel pictures I took while on my back-to-back cruises to the Bahamas and Key West. This first one shows one of the beaches on Royal Caribbean's private island resort Coco Cay. Interestingly, the island belongs to a marine biologist who has a home on the island he and his family visit occasionally. Supposedly, the biologist signed a 99 year lease with Royal Caribbean. I bet he got some serious bucks!
Another interesting feature of the island is its iguanas. You can see one in this picture. There's a small cove they like to frequent. When I visited, I saw 5 of them laying around on the ground and in the trees. My travel friend Harvey thought they were so neat, he bought a t-shirt that featured the iguanas. Supposedly, people can feed them pieces of banana though I didn't try it.
Monday, October 07, 2013
Columbia Maryland Wegmans Wi-Fi
I found another reason to like the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans supermarket. They offer fine free Wi-Fi there. I checked their website before going there with my Nook e-reader and, it says they offer it. I hooked up in their dining area. I don't know if the Wi-Fi signal is available throughout the entire store. Their dining area was a pleasant area to enjoy a little meal, snack or drink while checking your emails or posting something on Facebook. It's another reason (like I need them) to visit this Wegmans which has good prices and service. Happy surfing all!
Tyson's Corner Center Wi-Fi
For a long time, I could've cared less about Wi-Fi hotspots but now that I have a Nook e-reader where I can surf the web via Wi-Fi, I am trying to find out if various places offer free Wi-Fi. One such place is the Tyson's Corner Center in McLean, Virginia. The mall is BIG with a huge selection of shops. The mall offers free Wi-Fi at it's food court on the 3rd level close to the AMC movie theater. You click on ShopTysons, a waiver comes up saying we offer the service as is and accept no responsibility for anything bad happening if you use it and, you connect. I found the Wi-Fi worked fine there.
Also, the Barnes & Noble store in the mall offers free Wi-Fi though I didn't try to connect there so, I don't have any idea how well it works.
If you're at the mall/center, you might want to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi. I saw the food court had a playground and train kids would enjoy. You could surf the web there while they have fun riding the train or playing in the playground. Happy surfing all!
Also, the Barnes & Noble store in the mall offers free Wi-Fi though I didn't try to connect there so, I don't have any idea how well it works.
If you're at the mall/center, you might want to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi. I saw the food court had a playground and train kids would enjoy. You could surf the web there while they have fun riding the train or playing in the playground. Happy surfing all!
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