Home
Samsonite

Newest Articles

  

Newsflash

U.S. State Dept.: Stay The Hell Out Of North Korea


Now officially in effect, U.S. citizens are banned from traveling to the avidly anti-American nation. Current U.S. travel passports are now invalid there, with few exceptions.

Certified journalists and some charitable organizations, such as the Red Cross, may still have permission to visit the country. There have been recent incidents, particularly the jailing and mistreatment of the American college student. The cruel act of sending him home to die should be warning enough for any sane senior traveler.
Cruise ships face weighty problems: Heavier passengers PDF Print E-mail

Fat man

Maybe it’s the all-you-can-eat buffets aboard, but according to the U.S. Coast Guard, cruise passengers today weigh an average of 185 pounds. That’s 25 pounds heavier than those who sailed in the late 1980s.

This may seem to be just a problem for the passengers’ health, but the USCG report says it has more consequences. Larger ships with thousands of passengers may sail with 100,000 pounds of extra weight, affecting fuel costs.

Additionally, there are legal limits to the weight ships can carry, which cuts the number of paying passengers allowed on each cruise. To meet expenses and profit expectations, booking charges have to be increased.

So, if your bathroom scales show an extra 25 pounds or more, and you want to go to sea, consider knocking off the extra weight. Then maybe you can proudly call yourself a biggest cruiser loser.
 
 
Stay in-the-know about the latest Sports, Life, Money, Tech, and Travel stories. You'll get your first 2 months of USA TODAY for $25 (charged monthly). All print subscribers receive the e-Newspaper included with their subscription.