Beau Prichard (from USA Today.com) published a list of safety tips for beginners that are preparing for an upcoming cruise. In the wake of the overturned Costa Concordia, and the crap-covered Carnival Triumph it’s important to pay closer attention to emergency measures AND general safety precautions when getting ready for your “vacation aboard”. Remember these tips for smoother sailing on your next vacation!
Here are Beau’s 7 safety steps for cruising:
- “Pay close attention to your safety briefing” – We’ve reached a point when you can’t take anything for granted anymore. You are responsible for you (and your family)… Pay close attention!
- “Take care of your health” – Beau warns against using public restrooms, but if you wash your hands and practice good hygiene protocols this shouldn’t be a problem. We recommend that you try to get some exercise in during your cruise. At least an hour per day should keep you feeling more alert, help with your sleep, and allow you guilt-free indulging.
- “Wear appropriate shoes” – This one is obvious, but worth noting. Ladies don’t need to haul around 4 pairs of high-heals. Get comfortable, and find yourself a quality pair of sandals, and be sure to bring some tennis shoes (or some quality walking/running shoes).
- “Leave valuables at home” – Love this one… and frankly, it’s a good rule-of-thumb for any travel (abroad or otherwise). Unless you feel the need to show off (and it’s OK if you do) leave the jewels at home in the safe. Thieves and schemers love to prey on the naive and on the wealthy. When they spot both (in one person) they know they’ve hit the mother-load! IF you can afford to lose it, no big deal… but if you can’t, better safe than sorry. Just leave it at home.
- “Keep your money out of sight” – See above (same applies).
- “Do not travel alone” – There is safety in numbers. Enough said.
- “Drink in moderation” – This is a tough one, because some folks want to cut loose when on a cruise. Once you’ve reached the point where you can’t drink responsibly you’re at your limit, and it’s best to back off.
There are so many more to mention that we’ll be doing more of these lists in the future. (Here’s a preview… “Make sure you use that sunscreen!”) If you have tips you’d like to share, please do so in the comments below.
Happy cruising-
Tim
One of our co-founders travels a great deal for work. In any given week he can be on the East Coast, West Coast, north or south… Some weeks his schedule is plain hard to keep track of! One thing we get a kick-out-of are his stories of fellow passengers, and the things that frequent travelers deal with on a regular basis. We asked Chris to give us his top 10 list of things NOT to do while traveling by air. *Note- Some of these suggestions are from fellow passengers that Chris interacts with while he hops across the country… We hope you enjoy!
Kathe (Kate) Gehrke was my husband’s great grandmother. In 1923 she left Northern Germany and came to America by boat with her husband Franz and 3 year old daughter (Magdalene). Kate was only 23 at the time. Like so many before her (and so many after) they arrived at Ellis Island in search of a better life. At the time, inflation was rocking Germany following WWI. After boarding the Mount Carroll she would wave goodbye to her parents and a sister… Never to see them again. By the time Kate was able to return to Germany 50 years later, all had died.
Do you write about the issues facing boomers and/or seniors today? Want to publish some of your original material on a national stage? Do you review products related to boomers and seniors? Are you interested in a link/links back to your boomer/senior focused website? IF the answer is YES… WE WANT YOU!
We wanted to take an opportunity to thank our readers and contributors during this holiday season. There is so much to be grateful for! With so much negativity filling the news reels and the blogosphere (guns, healthcare, fiscal cliffs, unemployment, etc., etc.) we wanted to take a minute to acknowledge just a few of the good things going on around us.
If you’ve been following our series on hearing aids, you know that this is a 
selling hearing aids through 
that are subsidized by the sale of hearing aids. When a customer pays $5,000 for hearing aids, he’s paying perhaps $100 for the manufacturer’s cost, $900 for the manufacturer’s profit margin, $1,000 for the audiologist’s time, and then $3,000 to cover the overhead of an inefficient, legacy brick & mortar distribution system that will ultimately be made more efficient by the spread of online distribution. It’s important to understand that audiologists are not price gouging — but given their high fixed cost structure, they literally cannot make hearing aids affordable without going out of business. But the world is changing, and patient needs – not audiologist needs – will determine how hearing aids are distributed in the future. We believe that online hearing aid retailers, like Embrace Hearing, will soon dominate the hearing aid industry, leaving audiologists able to do the medical screenings and testing they are trained to do, and not the salesperson job that they are forced into.”
The Hearing Aid Market
The market for hearing aids is already huge. The NY Times reports that 37 million people already suffer from some form of hearing loss in the United States. We believe this number will skyrocket in the coming decade. Given so many of us will be 
First; The “completely-in-the-canal” fit: This style fits all the way inside the ear canal, and is barely noticeable (if at all). They are the smallest type hearing aid which means their batteries are also very small. This usually translates into shorter battery life mind you… The completely-in-the-canal hearing aids are typically ordered after a custom mould is taken. These types are great for use with telephones (your not bumping the hearing aid on the phone) and wind noise (the blowing wind) is minimized. The completely-in-the-canal hearing aids are targeted at individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Second; The “in-the-canal” fit: The in-the-canal fit doesn’t sit as far into the ear canal as the completely-in-the-canal fit (obviously). These hearing aids are usually custom molded, and also fitted for folks with mild to moderate hearing loss. Using the in-the-canal hearing aid in conjunction with a phone (at the same ear) is not much of a problem. People with smaller ear canals can have some trouble finding a good fit with these units. This fit is barely detectable by others, and quite conspicuous.
Third; The “in-the-ear” fit: The in-the-ear fit is just how it sounds. It fits nicely in the ear, but this unit is visible to folks that approach at an angle. All of these fits are personal, but frankly we don’t think that anyone needs to keep their hearing loss a secret. There millions of folks out there that admittedly have hearing loss, and millions more that aren’t doing a darn thing about it! OK back on task… In-the-ear hearing aids are custom made to fit your ear. These aids can pick up some wind noise, and can interfere with a telephone that might be resting on it (really depends on the fit and the phone). The larger physical size means that larger batteries can be utilized for more useful-life from the instrument. In-the-ear hearing aids are typically a little less expensive than their in-the-canal cousins. Choose these types for mild to severe hearing loss.
Fourth; The “behind-the-ear” models: Behind-the-ear hearing aids are designed to hook onto the top of the ear and rest conspicuously behind the ear. These models are sold either as an “open fit” or with an “ear mold” that fits into the ear. They are versatile, and quite popular choices for people with all grades of hearing loss (and for children). Behind-the-ear hearing aids are more visible, and larger as compared with the other in-the-ear models, but there are several brands that are making streamlined versions that are smaller and more comfortable to wear.
Costco is one of our favorite members-only retail outlets. They stock everything from detergents to computers and so much more! They have buyer programs for cars and trucks, and even host a 
