Consumer watch: Get away on a boat - Off Duty, travel - Navy Times

Consumer watch: Get away on a boat

If you’re looking for an offbeat vacation experience, here’s one: a houseboat excursion.

Authorized military exchange shoppers can go to the Exchange Online Mall and book houseboat rentals through the Government Vacation Rewards site, a partnership with the Army’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command. These recently added rentals, like others, are open to any authorized shopper, regardless of branch of service.

The houseboats are on 11 lakes — five in California, two in Arizona, two in Nevada, one in Texas and one in Missouri’s Ozark region.

The boats sleep either eight or 12 people. Standard features include a water slide, canopy, gas grill, private staterooms, TV and DVD player, CD stereo, microwave, refrigerator, full oven, toaster and blender.

Additional features vary by model but might include a flying bridge, wet bar and hot tub.

Discounts vary; the site will list the regular price and the GVR discount. If there’s an extra military discount, it will be noted.

By booking through the site, you earn reward points to use toward future travel booked through the site.

To get to GVR, go to the online mall through www.shopmyexchange.com; www.usmc-mccs.org; www.cgexchange.com; or www.mynavyexchange.com.

Pull down the menu under the “Exchange Online Mall” and click “MWR Exchange Vacations.” That will take you to the sign-in screen for authorized customers. Once you’re in the site, you can create a free account with a password.

NEXCOM beefs up online

Navy Exchange officials have been plumping up their offerings in their online store at www.mynavyexchange.com, adding brand-name fragrances, gifts and home items that might be of interest for the holidays.

By Oct. 13, you’ll see home products such as floor care, microwaves, rice cookers, irons, water filters, oral care, candles, giftware, sheets, towels, pillows and cookware.

That will bring the number of items in the new store to about 8,000, said Kristine Sturkie, a Navy Exchange spokeswoman.

Authorized shoppers from any service branch can find the items by logging in and clicking on one of the categories including kitchen and dining, beauty and fragrances, baby, electronics, men, women, and motorcycle gear.

Each week, Navy Exchange Service Command officials will add more items to this new online store, giving shoppers another way to access a limited number of the same items, prices and promotions you would find in the brick-and-mortar NEXs.

Among new kitchen items online are brands like Emeril, Paula Deen, Rachael Ray, Chicago Cutlery and Calphalon. In electronics, customers can buy iPods, other MP3 players and accessories, notebook and desktop computers, GPS units, televisions up to 32 inches and video games.

In the “Navy Pride” section, backpacks, laptop attaches, pad folios and other accessories are available in the Navy working uniform digital camouflage pattern.

Questions? Comments? E-mail staff writer Karen Jowers at kjowers@militarytimes.com.