Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships Review

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(More customer reviews)Lending libraries catering to travelers in general and the elderly who appreciate cruises in particular won't want to miss Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2008, a survey packed with independent reviews of cruise companies based on personal experience, not advertising or hearsay. Chapters do more than offer reviews of nearly three hundred cruise ships: they discuss what to look for in a ship and crew, how to compare the major lines for pros and cons, and where to find the best among different types of cruises. Simply packed with essential 'know before you go' detail.


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As new ships are launched and cruise lines compete even more fiercely, passengers can find the choice bewildering. This authoritative and impartial book answers all your questions in detail, whether this is your first cruise or fiftieth. Written by the world's foremost cruise expert, Douglas Ward, this is the bestselling guide to cruising in the UK. The key features include: independent assessments of 280 cruise ships; new ships set to debut in 2008; details of refurbished ships that have launched in the last 12 months; brand new feature on spas; top tips on how to get the best value for money; what to look for in a ship and crew; at-a-glance charts which compare the major cruise lines for cabin facilities, food and service; expert advice for singles, honeymooners, families and the physically challenged; expedition cruises, tall ships, and freighter travel; great pictures to bring the cruise experience to life; and, full-colour maps of principal cruise destinations.

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Cruise Vacations For Dummies 2007 (Dummies Travel) Review

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(More customer reviews)For those interested in taking a cruise this book serves as a very thorough guide. It discusses pretty much all of the available cruises. It talks about planning your cruise and what experiences are available on board - spas, shows, activities and, of course, lots of food. It also covers the excursions available at the different ports of call and where each cruise line goes to, with an emphasis on the Caribbean, Alaska and the Mediterranean.
The only reason I am deducting a star is that the writers give only rave reviews for every cruise line. It seemed like they were often just advertising for the cruise companies rather than offering objective opinions that would be useful for its readers. This made it hard to figure out which cruise lines were best because the writers made each one sound so wonderful. So readers seeking to narrow their options might want to go online to the websites where people offer reviews on their cruising experiences rather than rely on this book.
But for all the nuts and bolts information on planning a cruise, what places you can cruise to and what activites are available, both at sea and on shore, this book is an excellent choice.

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On a cruise vacation, getting there is half the fun—or more. Even if you're a land lubber, this guide will get you ready and eager to set sail. You'll learn what to expect and how to enjoy every minute—on board or in port. As the authors write, "The captain does the driving, the chef does the cooking, the bartenders do the pouring, and the stewards make your bed." You unpack once and then relax and enjoy.
Discover how to pick the cruise for you and choose great things to do, with:
Reviews of the best cruise lines and specifics such as the best ships for families, best romantic cruises, best party cruises, best small ship cruises, and more
Overviews of popular cruise ports in the Caribbean, Alaska, the Mediterranean, the Mexican Riviera, Hawaii, and New England and Eastern Canada
Special icons that point out Bargain Alerts, Heads Ups (warnings about tourists traps, unsafe neighborhoods, etc.), and Kid-Friendly options
Info on onboard entertainment and activities, food, spa offerings, shopping, gambling, and children's activities
Recommendations on the top attractions and best shore excursions at popular ports
Details on everything from passport requirements to packing tips, and from embarkation day to clearing customs

Like every For Dummies travel guide, Cruise Vacations For Dummies 2007 helps you make the most of your vacation. It includes:
Down-to-earth trip-planning advice
Info on the best ships for every budget
Tips on sightseeing at ports of call
Handy Post-it Flags to mark your favorite pages

Whether you're looking for adventure on the high seas or laid-back fun in the sun, get your sea legs and get set for smooth sailing with this friendly guide.

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All in the Same Boat : Living Aboard and Cruising Review

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(More customer reviews)Being homeschoolers we have a number of friends who live full time on their boats and many sail around the world which is a great hands on learning experience.
The thing I like about this book that other books lacked, is information on things like what to do about mail, TV via satellite, computer use, and information that helps you realize even if you live on land, just how much stuff you DON'T need. It's a book that will inform the 2007 reader well.
Banking, paying bills and everyday information that is a must to know. And buying food locally, fishing etc. Visiting other places and knowning the stuff you need to know there.
As well as how to have the right boat for your needs so that you have the comforts you need and even some you want. Now that I am a widow I am seriously considering getting back to living on a boat full time.

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"An excellent and practical step-by-step manual to help prepare you for the cruising lifestyle and to entertain you as you learn." --Cruising World

More than two decades ago, Tom and Mel Neale moved onto a boat full-time with their two daughters. Now their neighborhood is anywhere they choose to anchor. Here's all the information needed to follow in their footsteps, including choosing a boat, earning a living, raising and educating kids, and much more.

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Lonely Planet Baja California & Los Cabos (Regional Guide) Review

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(More customer reviews)My wife and me chose this LP guide for our recent trip to Baja Norte. I actually enjoyed Palmerlee's writing style and his side commentaries on the Baja music scene and other topics of interest. However, there were just too many cases of inaccurate information. For example, Palmerlee says a taxi from Ensenada to La Bufadora is about $12 when actually the round trip cost given to us by numerous taxi drivers was $40. He then says (correctly) that you can save money by taking a $1 bus to the town of Maneadora. But from there, he says, you must hitchhike to La Bufadora. The truth is, as we discovered by talking to the locals, you can easily catch another $1 bus from Maneadero to La Bufadora. Thus avoiding the hitchhiking which many people, including my wife, would not want to try.
Another problem was that the hotel recommendations were too often off the the mark. For example, at the highly recommended Hotel Los Pelicanos in Rosarito we were taken to a dark, dreary room by a very unfriendly hotel receptionist. Of course, we chose not to stay there.
I know that prices change and good places go bad. But still this book just had too many inaccuracies for me to recommend it. In fact, my wife started saying we should read what the Lonely Planet guide said and then do the opposite. I think this was probably a bit of an overstatement on her part. But still I'm sure this is the last thing LP wants to hear from it's readers. By the way, Lonely Planet is still my favorite publisher of travel guides. But hopefully the book we purchase for our next trip will provide better information.

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Discover Baja California & Los CabosCommune with whale calves as their mothers nudge them to the surface for their very first breath.Get dusty on the badder-than-bad backroad to Bahia San Luis Gonzaga.Suck down a caguama (that's Baja for beer) as you watch the sun set in Punta Abreojos.Discover the delectable truth behind Baja's world-renowned invention, the Caesar salad.In This Guide:4872 miles, one black-widow spider bite, one superstar author still kicking, and 30 pages fo the best damn maps anywhere.Special surfing chapter written by none other than Surfer magazine editor Jake Howard - charge on!Mi Querida Baja California feature revealing the lives of a painter, a doctor and a few more local experts.And, since you asked for it - we've incorporated more off-track coverage than any other guidebook.

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Voyaging On A Small Income Review

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(More customer reviews)For anyone thinking of setting off for an extended period of small boat cruising (or voyaging, as Annie more accurately calls it), and not starting with a 6, or even 5 figure bank balance, this book is essential reading. It describes a philosophy of living very different from that maybe experienced before on a cruising holiday, weekend sailing, or even daily life. It starts from the point of view that long term, live-aboard life is both possible and sustainable, providing certain perspectives are adopted. These include rejecting any item of equipment not capable of extended, reliable, cost-effective performance on board a boat (this for example rules out most modern electronics, for entirely sensible and logical, rather than `back to mother nature' reasons), selecting, buying, storing and preparing food from the point of view of where you are, what's available, and how long you may be at sea, and most importantly, managing your limited finances using the most rigorous criteria possible.
Here, Annie applies the basic principles of sound commercial management to all financial decisions (is this a better buy than that over time? can I buy now and save later?) and demonstrates a complete and intuitive grasp of what in the parlance of modern management theory would be called `Total Cost of Ownership Investment Appraisal' - a valuable object lesson for many senior management in some of the largest corporations. She writes about it in her own unique and forthright style, clearly based on many years of real experience, that demands attention and respect.
This is not a `go there, do that, buy the t-shirt' kind of sailing book, but for anyone seriously contemplating long term voyaging on a small budget, or simply wanting a unique insight into an alternative lifestyle from the comfort and security of their armchair, and brave enough to venture past the warning on the cover that this might cause you to challenge some of your most basic beliefs in what passes for `normal' existence, Voyaging on a Small Income, as a useful reference source or a good read, is a must.

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Maintaining that there is little preventing one from cruising the world by boat, this book provides practical ideas for turning one's dreams of life at sea into reality, with suggestions for preplanning and simplifying one's life.

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