I’m sad to tell you that the Catalina Express will be ending its popular “ride free on your birthday” promotion on Dec. 31. The ferry service has offered this since 2012, and it’s been hugely popular, sparking Birthday Island deals of all sorts from other businesses. But the company has just announced that the promotion will end with 2017, so if your birthday is before then, hurry up and sign up to get a 2-for-1 ferry ride over and back. I’ve done this, it was wonderful and I am disappointed the company decided to end it.

No reason was given for the change, which I learned about in an email from a PR person, quoting CEO Greg Brombard. Learn more: 800-429-4601 or at catalinaexpress.com. You can email the company at mail@CatalinaExpress.com.