Three Cruise Guidebooks To Make Cruise
Planning Easy
Frigid weather, ice and snow make many of us housebound in
northern climes. But it is also a good time to plan a cruise sometime this year
to an exotic locale with agreeable weather conditions, or to learn about the
world from the comfort of a ship. There’s certainly a choice of cruise ships
out there offering diverse itineraries —from the large mainstream cruise
ships with a plethora of things to do, to more intimate luxe ships to
expedition vessels. Or, perhaps, an extended trip on a freighter. Three
guidebooks on cruises explain it all and help navigate the way to make cruise
planning a breeze, whatever the preference.
Complete Guide to
Cruising & Cruise Ships
Author: Douglas Ward;
Publisher: Berlitz; Soft cover 668 pages; US$24.99
This is the 25th edition of this venerable cruise guidebook that imparts information with seasoned
comments by veteran cruise traveler Douglas Ward. The peripatetic reviewer of
ships travels the globe most of the year, inspecting the new, and not so new
ships plying the world’s waters. In this edition, which seems to have more
photos that ever, Ward as usual offers sage advice in cruise planning and what
to expect from a cruise—whether it is just a simple seven-day trip in the
Caribbean to a world cruise or segment of it, and expeditionary cruises.
Well organized into several sections, the Berlitz Guide, as
it is often referred to, is designed to make navigating the cruising world
easy. In the first part, there are three essential chapters to help outline
exactly what type of cruise a would-be traveler is looking for. It covers the
cruising experience, different kinds of cruises and how to choose the right
cruise by summarizing what major cruise lines offer and where they travel. Once
determined what type of cruise is good for you, you can proceed to the next
section with detailed reviews of the 271 cruise ships featured.
In addition, there are hot tips on how to get best value for
the money, the strengths and weaknesses of major cruise lines’ accommodations,
food and service. Other areas covered include expert advice for those traveling
solo, families and the disabled. There is expert advice on expedition cruises,
tall ships and freighter travel along with full-color maps of cruise
destinations. Interspersed throughout the book are interesting factual tidbits
on maritime historical events, nautical expressions or Ward’s “ten rules for proper sea
etiquette.”
The guidebook first appeared in 1985 when cruising, Ward
writes, “seemed to most people an expensive rarefied experience.” The author,
born in the UK with an undying love of the sea, spent 17 years of his early
adulthood working for eight cruise lines, lastly as a cruise director before
writing his first edition of the Berlitz Guide. Now with 5,500 days at sea
behind him, Ward dedicates the book to everyone who has made his seafaring
experiences possible, and to the cruise lines for their cooperation and
assistance during the complex scheduling, sailing, and inspection process.
The end result is an all-inclusive guide for both the
seasoned and first-time cruiser written by an avid and knowledgeable seafarer. Don’t
cruise without reading it!
Stern's Guide to the
Cruise Vacation (10th Edition)
Author: Steven Stern;
Publisher: Pelican; Softback 736 pages; US$26
Author Steven Stern credits his 40 years of cruising with
providing insight into the evolving cruise industry. A result of vast
experience is his Guide To The Cruise Vacation, now in its 20th edition. The primary purpose of the book, Stern writes, is to familiarize those
who have never traveled at sea on what they can expect from a cruise vacation.
It also offers valuable information for seasoned cruisers in making wise
selections for their cruise ship and cruise destination
s. The history of each vessel,
vital statistics, physical details, evaluations in the form of stars, and price
categories for over 280 ships are presented as well as numerous photographs of
ships, decks, and interiors along with actual shipboard menus and daily
activity programs.
In one chapter Stern covers the cruise lines and the vessels
in their fleet and includes overall ratings as well as information on medical
facilities, sample menus from the main dining rooms and daily programs offered
onboard. The concept of alternative dining venues, now becoming the norm aboard
ship, is also covered in another. Then there is a section devoted to the
various cruise destinations and ports of call, setting forth points of interest
such as restaurants, beaches sports facilities and advice on how to better the
time frame of the usual day visit to one’s advantage. Chapter 12, describes “suite”
life at sea onboard the premium cruise ships and what you get for the bucks
while another (Chapter 13) concentrates on the Alternative Restaurants now
found on most ships and displays sample menus and photos of some of the top
venues.
Other sections of the book cover riverboat and barge cruising
in Europe, family travel and helpful advice for those traveling solo, before
Stern concludes with his ratings list of ships and his “Star Awards.”
While the well researched book covers all areas of cruising,
and imparts quite helpful information to the reader, the quality of the print
and lack of color photos detracts from the book’s facility--minor points,
considering the wealth of information found in the guidebook. This reviewer
also found some of the dining menus displayed were dated and do not quite reflect
the ever-changing culinary dishes served on cruise ships. Ditto the CDC Vessel
Sanitation Report found at the end of the book—sanitary scores fluctuate
and a ship with a low score might be raised to a high rating on a second
inspection. Best to check the CDC website http://wwwn.cdc.gov/InspectionQueryTool/InspectionGreenSheetRpt.aspx-.
Still, despite these quibbles, Stern’s cruise guide provides
good insight into the cruise world and aids in the planning of one’s voyage.
The Unofficial Guide
To Cruises (11th edition)
Author: Kay
Showker; Publisher: John Wiley; Softback 704 pages; US$ 23.99
Veteran travel writer Kay Showker passes on her in-depth
analysis of the cruise industry in this 11th edition of The
Unofficial Guide to Cruises, on bookshelves in March. As in her previous cruise
guides, Showker offers indispensable advice on the ins and outs of the more
than 100 cruise lines listed in the book and their ships. She also imparts
helpful hints on how to book air/cruise connections, what to expect when on
board, and lists itineraries by cruise line.
American author Kay Showker has been a travel writer/photographer/lecturer
for more than two decades. She has authored more than 13 guidebooks and has
appeared as a travel sage on network and cable TV including The Travel Channel.
She is the author of the popular guide book “Caribbean Ports of Call: Eastern
and Southern Regions: A Guide for Today's Cruise Passengers.” She pulls no
punches as she reports on the cruise lines and the ships they operate, ranking
each for best value and top quality.
Make sure to get a copy of this informative guide for cruise
planning. If you can’t wait until March, the previous edition is still on sale
in bookstores.
--PW Mooney, Editor
January 20, 2010
Two Must-Have Books
for Cruisers Now In Bookstores
Thinking of taking a cruise this year? Want a different
experience on your next voyage? Well here are two books to help decide what
type of cruise vacation to take. They provide all the information needed to
ensure a happy experience for both the novice and the seasoned cruiser.
2009 Complete Guide
to Cruising and Cruise Ships
Author: Douglas Ward; Publisher: Berlitz
Publishing; oft cover: 688 pages; US$24.95.
The annual 2009 Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise
Ships provides the basis to understand the somewhat complicated world
of cruise travel. The book now in its 24th edition, is divided into several
sections to define what to look for in a cruise vacation and gives helpful
advice on where to find it.
The author describes the different categories of cruises
available: mainstream cruises, expedition or small-ship cruises, luxe cruises,
world voyages, and even river cruises and freighter travel. There is also an
insert rating North American home ports (Page 10).
The book profiles 272 ocean-going cruise vessels of all
sizes and categories. After a thorough inspection of the ship by the author,
the ship is rated for dining, entertainment, accommodation, and service with an
overall score for the ship.
Another subsection examines the major cruise lines and what
to expect from a cruise: from the dining experience to the entertainment and
shipboard activities. It also explains the different types of shore excursions
offered on cruise itineraries by different ship categories.
For the 2009 edition, the top-rated ships receiving five
stars are broken down into the mainstream, mid-size, boutique and small
vessels. Ships receiving five stars include Cunard’s Queen Mary and Queen
Victoria (both for Grill Class); Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony; Hapag
Lloyd’s Europa, Silverseas’ four ships Shadow, Whisper, Wind and Cloud, and
Regents Seven Seas Navigator; Sea Dream I and II. (Page 167 for the complete
list)
With more than ten new ships making debuts in 2009 Ward says
that cruising is still a good value as prices are locked in by advanced
pricing. However, Ward also points
out that many large resort ships are charging for extras, which can beef up
your final bill at de-embarkation. Ward identifies other trends including more
families cruising—grandparents to children to grandchildren and other
relatives; more themed dining venues; more sophisticated spas and well-being
treatment options for passengers; and the increased demand for smoke-free
ships.
As new ships are
launched and cruise lines compete ever more fiercely for passengers, the
choices can be bewildering. This authoritative book is designed to answer all
your questions. Readers won’t be disappointed in this guide—a respected
“bible” for the industry.
Cruising: All
Questions Answered
Author: Douglas Ward:
Publisher: Langenscheidt Publishers,
Inc.; Soft cover: 256 pages; $US16.95
New
this year is a companion book to the Berlitz Guide—Cruising—All Questions Answered. Printed under the Insight
Guides label, this very helpful book gives advice for first-time cruisers and
lots of money saving tips. Author Douglas Ward addresses the many frequent
questions novice cruisers ask when planning a cruise, covering such topics as
destinations, the different types of cruises available for families, solo
passengers, romantic/honeymoon getaways; life on board a cruise vessel; and
specialist cruises.
As Ward explains in his introduction, “with about 80
companies catering for more than 16 million passengers a year, the varieties
can be initially baffling.” Picking a ship or a destination that is wrong can
be as disappointing as a land-based vacation, he points out.
The purpose of this book “is to help choose the right ship,
for the right reasons, and to leave you as well informed as many specialists in
the cruise business.”
The book’s “50 Most Frequently Asked Questions" section
offers advice on how to choose what is best for each cruise goer in terms of
destination, ship, cabin, and facilities, It also rates more than 300 cruise
ships--including the size and type of each ship, and suitability for the
different types of passenger. Like
the Berlitz 2009 Guide to Cruising, the book is beautifully presented with
lavish photographs, detailed world maps and interesting cruise-history tidbits.
Even this somewhat experienced cruiser found it very
informative—and helpful in learning more about the cruise industry. The
book is certainly a must have if you are planning a first cruise—or need
to specialize for that second one.
About the author: Douglas Ward has built a reputation as the
world's foremost authority on the cruise industry. He bases his judgments on
decades of first-hand experience, and has no commercial links to any cruise
line. He has spent more than 5,400 days at sea and participated in more than
970 cruises.
Ward made his first transatlantic crossing in 1965 aboard
Cunard Lines’ original Queen Elizabeth.
Since then, the author has participated in more than 970 cruises, some 150 transatlantic
crossings and innumerable Panama Canal transits, shipyard visits and overnight
stays in reporting on the ships and the industry. The first edition of the
Berlitz Guide to Ocean Cruising was published in 1985 when 120 ships were
reviewed. Today, the 2009 Guide, now in its 24th edition, reviews 272.
The companion guide Cruising:
All Questions Asked was introduced this year to give advice for first
timers to make their inaugural cruise a happy one. And happy cruisers will, of
course, become avid repeat cruisers.
NOTE: As the changes in
the cruise market happen so rapidly, Berlitz Publishers is introducing free
quarterly updates from the author to help prevent cruise planners from making
an expensive mistake. Just email: cruiseletter@berlitzpublishing.com to request a copy. Or you may fill out the form on the last page of
the Berlitz guidebook and mail to the address listed.
--PW Mooney, Editor of ShipsandCruises
Berlitz Complete Guide to Ships and Cruising 2008
Author: Douglas Ward; Publisher: Berlitz; 708 pages. $24.95 (US) $32.05 Canada £16.99 UK
The winter months find many travelers planning their cruise vacations. Whether novice or seasoned, cruisers will want to check out the 2008 edition of Berlitz’ Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Considered the bible of the cruise industry, author Douglas Ward presents some interesting observations in this year’s guide along with some great tidbits of ship history and fact—Example: Did you know that the first ships to offer private balconies were the Saturnia and Vulcania in the early 1900s?
The writer points to signs that the gap is widening between those cruise ships that belong to the ten major cruise lines and the generally smaller, luxe ships. In addition, he adds, there are signs that quality is also declining at the top end with fewer ships reading the coveted five-star category in 2008. Those disappointed by being relegated to four-stars-plus are Seven Seas Mariner, Seven Seas Voyager, Silver Cloud and Silver Wind, while three Celebrity and three Seabourn vessels also lose points in the Guide's valuable ratings.
As for trends, the author sees an increase in large ships that generate more on-board revenue for all the amenities they offer, more multigenerational cruising as the newer ships offer more interconnecting staterooms, more international dining venues, more variety of adventures ashore for active cruisers, and more short cruises for quick getaways as well as more extended cruises for those who have the time.
On the down side in 2008, Ward notes the “sameness” of the entertainment presented on most large ships. He criticizes the aggressive young “cruise directors: who insist on interposing themselves into every minute of a cruise voyage via the PA system. He also criticizes the look-alike standard staterooms on most large cruise ships and the way passengers are often treated after a seven-day cruise at disembarkation. Oh yes, check out his P for Pet Peeves listing 30 of the most common—cell phones in public rooms, skimpy towels, repetitive non-emergency announcements in the staterooms or public areas, the use of paper napkins at meals instead of cloth and paper or plastic cups for drinks.
The book affords wonderful maps so cruise planners don’t have to fetch an atlas for geographical data, terrific photos of cruise ships and destination locales, and even ship diagrams. Note the anatomical dissection of the Queen Mary 2 (Page 101, US Edition).
There is a ratings list of ships best catering to the physically handicapped, a ratings list of expedition vessels, and a chart showing how the luxury ships compare. But most insightful is the section on the Ten Major Cruise Lines. A brief description is given of each line and a listing of its ships. There is an insert that rates the cuisine and service in the hotel area of each vessel. Rated out of a possible perfect 10 score, this year Cunard garners the highest combined scores* in food and service (7.86), followed by Celebrity Cruises (7.70) and MSC Cruises (7.40) and Princess Cruises (6.80). (*Scores do not include alternative restaurants)
New this year is a chapter on Shipboard Spas. This helpful section gives information on what to expect in spa services on the larger ships and describes the many types of massages and other treatments offered during the cruise.
While the guide has useful sections on trip preparation, family cruises, alternative cruises and life on board a cruise ship, it is Ward’s listing of 280 cruise ships that range from deluxe to mainstream to budget, large and small, that is the most helpful to the reader in determining if a trip on the cruise vessel in mind is right for him or her. As Ward writes in the guide’s introduction, “what the book will do is help you choose the right ship for the right reasons and will leave you as well informed as most specialists in the industry.”
So don’t plan a cruise until you have read this interesting and entertaining guide book. No cruiser should be without it!
About the author: Douglas Ward made his first transatlantic crossing in 1965 aboard Cunard Lines’ Queen Elizabeth. Since then, the author has participated in more than 960 cruises, 153 transatlantic crossings and innumerable Panama Canal transits, shipyard visits and overnight stays in reporting on the ships and the industry. The first edition of the Berlitz Guide to Ocean Cruising was published in 1985 when 120 ships were reviewed. Today, the 2008 Guide, now in its 23rd edition, reviews 280.
NOTE: As the changes in the cruise market happen so rapidly, Berlitz Publishers is introducing free quarterly updates from the author to help prevent cruise planners from making an expensive mistake. Just email: cruiseletter@berlitzpublishing.com to request a copy.
A Taste of Excellence
Author: Rudi Sodamin; Publisher: Rizzoli NY; 208 pages hardback; Price: US$29.95, CAN$39.95; Available in book stores
Master Chef Rudi Sodamin has written another beautiful cookbook, filled with relatively easy to prepare recipes that will wow your dinner guests. With the imprimatur of the Holland America Line, Sodamin, who is the food consultant for the cruise line, offers 100 tempting recipes that have been served on board HAL’s 14 ships. Tailored for the home chef, the book provides a wonderful lineup of HAL Signature dishes that run the gamut from breakfast through lunch through dinner to midnight snacks. The book’s 14 chapters include entrées such as cedar-planked halibut with Alaskan king crab and Béarnoise sauce, a variety of rich risottos and pasta dishes, creative fowl and meat dishes, soups, salads and delectable desserts such as a Grand Marnier chocolate volcano cake or a mango-banana-pistachio strudel with raspberry sauce and dried mango chips.
Other chapters give the recipes for sauces and salad dressings, sandwiches and snacks. (See sample recipe at end of this review.) Within each chapter, a recipe for an unusual cocktail is presented. There is also a page on conversion tables for translating metric measurements to American—a handy guide in the kitchen.
This book is beautifully presented on fine stock paper. The photography used in this book is a work of art—one that will make readers drool and inspire them to creative cookery.
In the book’s foreword, HAL’s President Steve Kruse compares the book “as a masterpiece” similar to a painting of a famous artist. He also points out that as HAL’s culinary consultant, Master Chef Rudi is leading the cruiseline’s culinary team to unprecedented heights of culinary excellence with “exciting new concepts” of dining for HAL passengers. Well said.
This book makes a wonderful holiday gift.
About the Chef:
Master Chef Rudi Sodamin has often been described as “the Paul Bocuse” of the seven seas. Through his culinary expertise he has revolutionalized the culinary practices of the top cruise lines of the world.
The Austrian-born chef, at the age of 23, was appointed Chef de Cuisine on the Norwegian America Cruise Line's luxury liner Vistafjord, becoming the youngest chef in the cruise industry to attain that level of responsibility. He later spent 12 years at Cunard Line as vice president of food and beverage, as well as serving as that company's corporate executive chef, before moving to Royal Caribbean International as the overall Executive Chef in charge of culinary operations.
In 2002, Chef Sodamin founded the Florida-based Food Sensation Enterprises which offers full-service, end-to-end creativity, logistics, leadership and training for food industry businesses. In 2004, he entered into a partnership with HAL to serve as culinary consultant for the company's fleet.
Sodamin has published eight cookbooks internationally including Seduction & Spice (Rizzoli, 2000). He has been honored by such international affiliations such as Academy Culinair de France, Master Chef Society and Club de Chefs des Chefs.
The author resides with his family in Florida.
Sample Recipe:
Cranberry Cilantro Relish —just in time for the holidays
1/8 cup hazelnuts
1 ½ cup cranberries
1 large navel orange, peeled, sectioned and membranes removed
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon seeded and minced fresh poblano chile pepper
½ cup sugar
****
In a dry skillet over high heat, stir hazelnuts, taking care not to scorch them, until pale golden beneath the skins. Let cool briefly, then rub inside a clean kitchen towel to remove as much of the skins as possible. Coarsely chop nuts and transfer them to a nonreactive bowl.
In a food processor, pulse fresh cranberries until coarsely chopped. Add them to nuts along with the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Yield: 2 cups
(Reprinted by permission from Rizzoli International)
A Family Guide Book to Cruise Vacations
Author: Kim Kavin; Publisher: Adams Media; Softback 383 pages; Price: US$14.95; CAN$19.95
Here’s a helpful guide for families planning a cruise. Recently published “The Everything Family Guide To Cruise Vacations” provides helpful advice on taking a family trip on a cruise ship. Whether it is an extended family cruise where the grandparents or other relatives come along, or just the parents and their offspring, the book helps to sort out just what cruise is right for your family. You will learn which cruise lines cater to young children and teens, parents and grandparents. What cruise itineraries would be good and which excursions you might enjoy. And what the hidden costs are in addition to the cruise booking price.
Written for both the first time family cruisers or those more seasoned, you will come away with lots of helpful information and advice. The book also contains contact information for all major cruise companies with websites where one can research and plan a cruise.
Great River Cruises: Europe & The
Nile
Author: Insight Guides; Publisher: APA
Publications; 368 pages soft back; $23.95(US); £16.99(UK)
Insight Guides’ newest publication Great
River Cruises: Europe & The Nile is an in valuable guide
for those planning a river cruise. It is also helpful for those
experienced river cruisers who want information on other river
lines and/or geographical areas where river cruises are operated.
The guide provides a fascinating history of river cruising (starting
in 1811); an overview about what cruises are available and recommended;
and a complete guide of what to expect on your river cruise.
Cruise authority Douglas Ward who originally
conceived the idea of a river cruise guidebook and who is the
author of the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise
Ships, wrote the book’s introduction and provided the text
on much of the Danube, Rhine and Elbe rivers, as well as smaller
sections on other waterways. His ratings of river vessels appear
at the back of the book.
The book is comprised of three major sections.
The Features section—indicated by a yellow bar on top of each
page— covers the background of the river-cruise industry with
descriptive accounts of how to choose a cruise and what to expect
when on board. There is a brief description of each of the major
river-cruise lines.
The Places section—indicated by a blue bar
over the pages—provides details of trips on Europe’s greatest
river cruises accompanied by diagrammatic maps and features
up-close descriptions of rivers such as the Danube, Rhine, Moselle
and Neckar; Elbe, Oder, Vistula, Rhone, Po, Douro, Volga, Dnieper,
and finally, the Nile as well as their ports of call. Interesting
facts about areas visited are interspersed throughout the section.
For example, did you know that there is regular hydrofoil services
between Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest—I didn’t—that allow
travelers to continue their river voyage once their cruise has
ended in Vienna and want to explore the three cities
in depth. The factual tidbits posted in the chapter on Egypt
are especially interesting and incorporate history with geographical
facts.
The third major section Travel Tips, with
an orange bar over the section’s pages, provides what travelers
need to know on choosing and booking a cruise, facilities on
board, full country information and a list of river-cruise vessels.
The travel narratives provided by seasoned
writers offer a tome of information and help travelers navigate
through every major port in Europe and Egypt that river vessels
visit. Spectacular full-color photos by world-class photographers
provide a pleasing visual display of the countries and their
local culture. Detailed city maps are provided to help travelers
find their way to visit historic sites or other areas of interest.
This handsomely executed guidebook is a must
for anyone planning a river cruise. Don’t leave home without
it.
–P W Mooney
Insight Guides website: www.insightguides.com
The Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises
Author: Linda Coffman; Publisher: Fodor’s;
575 pages softback; US22.9, UK £13.99.
This brand new guide offers reviews of every
major cruise line operating cruises in the Caribbean. A portion
of the book is dedicated to the cruise lines and the ships sailing
in the Bahamas and the Caribbean and offers tips on how to assess
if the line is right for you. The author also explains why it
is important to know what your cruise fare covers so that the
final bill before disembarkation does not give you a heart attack.
The guide also lists which cruise lines have the best and the
worst cabins and how you can find out how to get the largest
standard cabin at the lowest price.
Other sections in the book cover trip planning
and preparation and getting the most out of your cruise; homeports,
ports of call, and tips on safety at sea. There is a section
listing the Best of Cruising covering 16 areas such as best
cabins, best bathrooms, best spas afloat, best entertainment
and best onboard specialty restaurants.
With information on food, fitness and recreation,
typical passengers, dress code, junior cruisers, tipping, this
book is helpful to first time cruisers. However it is somewhat
limiting for the more seasoned travelers in the information
given. So for quick information and advice on planning a cruise,
this is a good book to have on hand.
The guidebook was written by Linda Coffman,
a freelance travel writer whose articles have appeared in major
publications. An avid cruiser herself, she spends much of her
time cruising in the Caribbean when not at her Georgia home.
Here’s three informative cruise guides to
get you started on taking that cruise.
Berlitz
Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships 2006
Author: Douglas Ward; Publisher: Berlitz;
672 pages-softback; Price: US$24.95, Can$37.50, UK £18.99.
This authoritative book provides in-depth
reviews of 269 cruise ships; a listing of new ships coming out
in 2006, plus tips on how to get the best value for one’s money
when booking a cruise. It also lists the top five-star cruises
ships. In addition, the author gives advice on what to look
for in a ship and its crew and how to prepare for a cruise.
Other modes of sea travel are also covered—expedition cruises,
tall ships and freighter travel. A map section of principal
cruise destinations is also included. Interspersed throughout
the book are minisections that not only give information on
all aspects of cruising but provide some interesting ship trivia.
Luxury Cruises. In this edition,
Ward has added a new section entitled Cruising In The Lap of
Luxury. This section defines luxury cruising as different from
standard and premium cruising in other words, like the difference
in autos between a Rolls Royce and a Hyundai. Luxury cruising,
Ward writes, should be a flawless combination of ship, facilities,
food and service.” Unfortunately, he notes, the word “luxury”
is a much overused word, but Ward informs the reader what to
expect on a luxury cruise.
First of all, size is important as the smaller
or boutique vessel can sail into harbors/ports the bigger ships
cannot. Then there is the service—ships with over 1000 passengers
cannot provide the same quality of service that the boutique
ship can. You can book a premium stateroom on board, but once
you leave your cabin, you will have to mix with the other passengers
and line up for buffets or land-excursions disembarkation. On
smaller vessels, Ward notes, the basic differences are that
ship personnel remember your name, ladies are escorted to the
table by the maitre d’hotel, very few announcements on the public
address system, and no Musak-type music in the public rooms,
hallways or elevators.
Most smaller vessels have more public space
per passenger, offer amenities such as snorkeling or water skiing
in warm waters, or better up-close exploration in areas such
as the Antarctic or the Amazon. Other touches may include no
charge for table wine or liquor on board as it is factored into
the cruise rate, and gratuities are included in the cruise fare.
This year, Ward says, 16 ships qualify for the Luxury Ship distinction.
North American ports. Since
there is so much interest in homeport cruising, the author has
included a short chapter on North American ports. The ports
were personally visited by Ward and the MEG panel and based
their findings from their inspections and feedback from passengers.
Not all ports are listed Ward said to this writer during a recent
private meeting in New York, but he rates the best and the worst
of the ports that were visited—Vancouver rated tops while Miami
and New York got the lowest ratings. Embarkation and handling
of luggage, security control and check in process are rated
along with the ease of disembarkation after a cruise, immigration
and customs. Easy access to transportation and car parks before
or after a cruise were other areas assessed.
Other points. Other interesting
chapters in the cruise book include what to expect in cruising
this year—from the growth in the health and fitness areas to
the new hot “alternative” restaurants expecially on the large
resort ships, and close associations with top chefs (Todd English,
Daniel Boulud, Charles Palmer, etc) who give their imprimatur
to the selection of entrees served on board. Or more ships going
Wi Fi and allowing passengers to use their cell phones on board
through the ship’s advanced satellite systems.
What’s not so great, Ward says, are the mega
ships which are really more like resorts and do not provide
the same intimacy with the sea and nature that smaller ships
do. Or the sameness of the onboard entertainment or the repetitiveness
of menus. For example, Ward pointed out to me, “if you book
two seven-day cruises back to back, most likely the same menu
presented on the first cruise will be repeated on the return.”
The book, now in its 21st edition,
provides an outstanding service to both the novice and the seasoned
cruise passenger. One should not take a cruise before reading
this very informative guide to ocean cruising.
The Unofficial Guide To Cruises
Kay
Showker with Bob Sehlinger; Publisher: John Wiley & Sons;
684 pages soft cover; $22.99 (US), Can$29.99; UK £14.99.
The 2006 edition of the Unofficial Guide
to Cruises marks the tenth year that authors Kay Showker and
Bob Sehlinger have produced this helpful book for cruise goers.
Written primarily for the North American public, the book details
more than 100 cruise lines and gives short reviews of 500 ships
that are ranked for value and quality. The book is designed,
as the authors claim, to help the customer recognize the differences
in the cruise lines and the type of cruises they offer. Each
line offers cruises that are different from each other and it
is these differences that distinguish one cruise line from another.
Complete details on cruise lines, ships,
and itineraries around the world are another feature as well
as industry secrets for getting the lowest possible fare, plus
extras like free vacation days and how to get the best cabin
at an affordable price.
The book is broken down into three main sections.
Part One offers sound advice on planning and purchasing your
cruise. As an example, the authors recommend that a credit card
be used in booking the cruise and that the travel agency run
the card through the cruise line’s account, not the agency’s
only. The precautionary tactic is advised because if a travel
agency is on shaky ground, it might use a customer’s payment
to payoff agency debt and if the agency folds, the customer
is “left with no cruise and no refund.”
The second part profiles all the major ‘mainstream’’
cruise lines that primarily sell to the North American market,
giving a background of the company and short reviews of the
line’s ships. The section also covers Small Ships and other
non-mainstream lines catering primarily to an overseas market.
The last section describes cruising alternatives
for those seeking a different experience. Information on river
and barge cruises, specialized cruises, freighters and sailing
ships help readers determine if an alternative cruise is for
them.
In addition there is an Itinerary Index which
lists the cruise lines and the destinations they offer.
The focus of the book is to help readers
select the cruise that fits their lifestyle as well as getting
the best value for it. “Cruising as a vacation choice continues
to attract new travelers by the thousands and has devotees returning
year after year,” writes author Kay Showker, adding that the
“fundamental attraction of cruising is value for money—and that
is not likely to change in the future.”
The book is an invaluable aide in cruise
planning and should have a prominent place on one’s bookshelf.
Frommer's Cruises & Ports of Call
2006: From U.S. & Canadian Home Ports to the Caribbean,
Alaska, Hawaii & More
Authors:
Heidi Sarna, Matt Hannafin; Publisher: Wiley; 722 pages-Soft-back;
Price: US$21.99, Can$28.99, UK £13.99.
Frommer’s new cruise guide details cruises
departing from US ports to the Caribbean, Alaska, Bermuda, Mexico
and Canada. It is somewhat similar to the Unofficial Guide to
Cruises in that it lists the cruise lines with short comments
on their respective ships. However, Frommer’s guide concentrates
on the essential elements of a cruise experience (dining, activities,
children's activities, entertainment, service, overall enjoyment,
and overall value), and rate them from poor to outstanding.
Photos of each ship combine with the text to give a better sense
of the very real differences among the various lines. In addition,
the guide provides the real prices people pay for cruises—discount
rates—not just the rack rates.
The book also gives complete coverage of
major North American ports as well as ports located in Bermuda,
Mexico and the Caribbean with advice on how to spend one’s limited
time ashore and helpful websites for getting more information.
There is an informative chapter at the end
of the book that gives information on US river-cruise routes
such as the Sacramento River that flows up into the Napa and
Somona valleys.
Cruises & Ports of Call 2006 is
a welcomed addition to the roster of guide books available to
travelers.
Devils
On The Deep Blue Sea: The Dreams, Schemes and Showdowns That
Built America’s Cruise-Ship Empires
Author:
Kristoffer A. Garin; Publisher: Viking; 366 pages-hard cover;
Price: US$24.95 (lower on Amazon.com)
The
book chronicles the rise of the modern-day cruise industry in
the early 1980s to the present. The age of steam seemed destined
to fade out in the early 1960s with the advance of jet air travel,
which made ship travel obsolete. But through the determination
of some visionaries and their radical ideas about sea travel
in the jet age, a $13 billion-plus cruise industry emerged.
The popular US TV series “The Love Boat” in the 1980s
that convinced consumers that they too could have adventure,
romance and luxury on a cruise vacation also helped to stir
interest in cruising.
Today some 10 million Americans—and thousands
more around the world—are taking cruise vacations—and the numbers
are increasing. On vessels costing more than half a million
dollars and with today’s newbuilds reaching over the billion-dollar
mark, cruisers are being treated to amenities found at five-star
resorts. These “floating resorts” not only provide recreational
activities such as rock climbing and bungee jumping, but offering
balconied staterooms, a choice of restaurants and lots of night
entertainment, while traveling to exotic locales.
The book chronicles the ups and downs the industry
witnessed in the 1960s to Carnival Cruise Line’s disastrous
maiden voyage in 1972 to struggles with organized crime on the
waterfront and ultimately to the ruthless consolidation wars
in the last decade in which Carnival’s Micky Arison and Royal
Caribbean’s Richard Fain had to face off in an epochal contest
to determine finally who would rule the seas.
The author’s tale of the rise of the cruise
industry combines boardroom drama and entrepreneurial brinkmanship
into a gripping story. However, as you read through the book,
you wonder about the supposed conversations that took place
as the author tells it—was he privy to all that was going on
in those formative years? Of course not, and at times my impression
was that I was reading melodramatic renditions of what happened
in the boardrooms and perhaps not totally accurate. The book
was also narrow in its concentration on the three major cruise
lines—Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line.
There were other companies emerging in the growing industry
but their stories were not told.
Some of the facts Garin puts forth are revelatory
such as the pecking order of the ship staff and the payoffs/bribery
that crew on the lower end of the scale had to pay for favorable
treatment on board or even, for that matter, a chance to become
hired by a cruise-employee agency.
Garin also puts down the quality of medical
staff on board ships as saying some are not medically proficient.
Perhaps that was the case in the formative years of the cruise
lines, but not today. Fully equipped “mini-hospitals” are found
on board and staffed by licensed physicians and nurses. Today,
dire emergencies are handled either through a telemedical conference
with an affiliated on-land hospital, or patients are helicoptered
or boated to a land-based institution.
Garin heavily criticizes the foreign-owned
ships for not paying taxes on incomes as US-based companies,
pointing out that the system of foreign registry allows the
cruise lines to avoid hundreds of millions of dollars in the
US taxes to save more than $1 billion annually in payroll costs
and health benefits by ducking US labor laws and to
virtually keep themselves untouchable in prosecutions
for environmental crimes. “One of the many ironies here,” he writes,
“is that US-based cruise lines that enjoy this arrangement are
part of the shipping industry in only the strictest technical
sense. The general consensus has been that in the interest of
global commerce and good diplomacy, flag of convenience ship
owners will simply continue to get this free ride……like other
ship owners, the cruise lines have taken advantage of this legal
anomaly: the marginal boost the tax exemptions provide has been
a key to their rapid expansion and high profitability perhaps
second only to the savings they garner by using cheap international
labor.”
If this profoundly American Industry is in
fact somehow not American, the author notes, it is also not
one of shipping. In fact, Garin explains, the story of the modern
cruise business has as much as anything been that of its steady
and prosperous retreat from the transportation industry. The
marketing mantra that “the ship is the destination” has grown
truer and truer as the industry has matured. Today, exotic itineraries
notwithstanding, cruise ships in a very real sense hardly go
anywhere at all.
With few exceptions, Garin explains, cruises
out of US ports are roundtrips. “As public companies headquartered
in the US, traded on the NY Stock Exchange, earning the vast
majority of their revenue from American citizens making roundtrip
voyages originating in US ports, the cruise lines have managed
to maintain for tax purposes the status of foreign corporations
engaged in the international transportation of people and goods.
With certain exceptions, such as several of the cruise lines
paying taxes on land-based tour assets and operations they own
in Alaska, the lines pay no federal income tax on their US operations.”
Their defense, Garin points out, is that “the
cruises contribute economically to the homeports that the ships
use, contributing billions of dollars annually, not only by
the payment of port fees and on labor and goods during the turnaround,
but on the millions of people the industry draws to American
port every year enroute to its ships.”
Despite the hype—and the grammatical errors
found throughout— Garin’s book
provides a good read as it looks into the almost Machiavellian
ways of the cruise lines in their quest for profits and sustainability,
and how the industry evolved into a major leader in the global
market.
Nostalgic ship fans will welcome this trio
of small books that cover Cunard’s ships from the early days
of steam to the present. A great gift for the holidays.
Author:
Elspeth Wills; Publisher: Open Way; 160 pages-hardcover; Price:
£10.
This book presents photos and a brief history
of Cunard’s flagships and floating palaces from the early days
of steam to the Queen Mary 2.
Author:
Elspeth Wills; Publisher: Open Way; 160 pages-hardcover; Price:
£10.
Photos and short bios on the celebrities of
yesteryear who traveled on Cunard ships during the golden age
of transatlantic travel
Cunardia:
A Steamer Trunk of Tidbits, Triva and Trifles
Author:
Elspeth Wills; Publisher: Open Way; 160 pages-hardcover; Price:
£10.
The third and latest book on Cunard is a collection
of timelines, lists, maps, photos, stories and poems illustrating
Cunard’s remarkable story for the last 150 years. It’s a compendium
of Cunarders and the people who sailed on them with menus and
cocktails, celebrities and crew, record breakers and shipwrecks,
captain’s questions and on-board etiquette.
NOTE: All three books are available at the London website: www.openthebook.com
Author: Douglas Ward. Publisher: Berlitz.
US$23.95; Canada $35.90. UK£18.99
Click here to read Doug Ward
interview
Often
referred to as “the bible of the cruise industry, Ocean Cruising
and Cruise Ships 2005 provides extensive information on
the cruise experience, ship ratings, different types of cruises
and how to choose the right cruise. The book first appeared
in 1985 giving details on 120 ships on 256 pages in content.
Two decades later, the 20th edition rates 256 cruise
vessels and the book is now 656 pages long.
Providing updated assessments for 2005 of
ocean-going ships on today’s seas, the guide’s eight major sections
provide enough information to make a cruise experience a delightful
one. The basics cover guidance for new cruisers to information
for seasoned voyagers looking for information on different type
of cruises offered such as romantic and family themed cruises;
alternative cruises such as freighter travel; adventure cruises;
river and barge cruises; and world cruises.
New this year is a section on the dominant
Big 7 Cruise Lines, where the author explains the differences
in taking a cruise on the seven major cruise lines (Carnival,
Celebrity, Costa, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Princess
Cruises, and Royal Caribbean). The differences are even more
remarkable, writes Ward, in that these “Big 7 lines are actually
owned by just three corporations (Carnival, Royal Caribbean
Cruises and Star Cruises Group).” There is also information
on the Big 7’s private-island experiences found on many Caribbean
itineraries and provides a Private Islands Chart that scores
and rates each facility.
In the section on ship classification, four
size classifications were added to further show the differences
in cruise ships—Boutique Ship (50 to 200 p), Small Ship (200-500
p), Mid-Size Ship (500-1,200 p) and Large Resort Ship (1,200-4,000
p). Ward then breaks down the lifestyle of each classification
into Standard. Premium, Luxury and Utterly Exclusive categories.
To further differentiate the different lifestyles
found on board ship, the author has introduced The Oatmeal
Factor. Here, Ward defines how various cruise ships will
present a basic food item such as a bowl of oatmeal in different
ways—from serving oneself from a communal oatmeal tureen and
placing the oatmeal into a plastic dish (standard cruise) to
hot Scottish hand-ground oat flakes served with condiments such
as tahini, sea salt and even a layer of single malt Scotch whiskey,
which is served to your table in a handmade china bowl with
sterling silver cutlery (Utterly Exclusive).
The ratings of the 256 ships reviewed are
the crux of the popularity of the Berlitz Guide.
As Ward writes, “cruise ship evaluations
and ratings have become tougher and more complex.” Although
a ship may be the newest and most advanced technologically,
it is “the onboard food and service that disappoints.” Ward
then goes on to point out that cost-cutting in “food quality,
crew wages and detail items are made by cruise companies in
the hope that passengers will not notice them. However, in the
final analysis, it is the little things that add to points lost
on the great score card.” The book’s ship ratings, Ward explains,
are intended to help the cruise companies take note of their
product, listen to their income-generating passengers and .
. .return some of the items and the finesse currently missing
in the overall cruise-vacation experience, while adjusting fares
to better reflect long-term growth of this good value-for- money
vacation.”
Today, the author points out, “as the cruise
industry has expanded to serve a wider and larger market, the
book has evolved as well. At one time, cruising was a luxurious
pastime of the very rich; today it is accessible to everybody.
As the market widens, the choices in ships and the variety of
the level of services they provide expands. Making a choice
for the right vacation becomes all the more tricky.”
This year’s edition, only 20 ships brought
in the numbers necessary for placement in the Five-Star Club
as opposed to 25 ships earning the prestigious rating in the
2004 Guide. But, Ward points out, “there is no best cruise line
in the world. Cruise lines are like everything else. Their standards
can waver each year because of competition, the introduction
of new ships, and other factors.” Ward asks readers to carefully
consider the numbers which he so dispassionately compiles in
the guides ratings, rather than just the number of stars per
ship. “The numbers never lie,” he remarks. “They reflect evaluations
in an objective way, which is what I have been doing seriously
for 20 years.”
The book’s opening section Why Take A
Cruise? has expanded its most frequently asked questions
about cruising. A wonderful history of cruising follows to give
readers an informative background on how the cruise industry
today evolved. Another section displays maps of the areas cruise
ships visit around the world. The book also gives a new chart
of expedition cruise vessels and a rating score. Interspersed
throughout the book, information-filled charts, tidbits of nautical
history and nautical terminology can be found. And if you have
ever wondered about the hierarchy of the crew on board a cruise
ship, check out The Ship’s Company on page 59 (US edition).
Why is this book so important for those planning
a cruise? Well, it is an objective book, dispassionately presented.
It is a guide to use if wanting objective information, unlike
the polls presented by travel magazines that rate the ships.
“In truth, Ward writes, these polls are only as good as the
number of people who vote in them, the criteria established
and its regulation and tabulation.” For example, Ward points
out, if a US magazine initiates readers’ poll, and no readers
have cruised aboard a British-, or Japanese- or German- or Spanish-speaking
ship, that ship will get no votes. “It stands to reason that
the votes will go to the most traveled ships. The magazines
never state the criteria for their decisions. That is why [this
book] is the most authoritative guide you can buy.”
Author:
Stephen Fox; Publisher: HarperCollins; $29.95(US); $42.95(CAN);
£25 (UK): Note: Sold as ‘The Ocean Railway’
in Europe
This well-written book chronicles the
rise of steam power in the 19th Century to propel ships across
the great Atlantic. Written by Stephen Fox, a freelance historian,
it chronicles how Samuel Cunard, Isambard Brunel and others
developed the great transatlantic steamships, from paddle wheelers
to the sleek vessels of today’s era.
The book details the experience of crossing the Atlantic in
the early 19th century from the different perspectives of first
class, steerage, officers and crew and all the natural dangers
inherent in crossing a vast ocean.
It was not until the late 1830’s that the concept of power
by steam engine took hold to replace the sailing packets that
took weeks and even months to cross the ocean from Europe to
the US. Despite the many setbacks initially, the steamships
went on to redefine ocean travel.
Samuel Cunard went on to form the Cunard Line, which, today,
operates the world’s last two ocean liners, the Queen
Elizabeth 2, and the Queen Mary 2— the largest cruise
ship afloat.
“Transatlantic” is a must for steamship buffs, but
it is also a highly informative read for the general reader
on ocean travel.
Author:
John Maxtone-Graham with photographs by Harvey Lloyd; Publisher:
Bull Finch Press. US$50, Can$75.
This Cunard-authorized book celebrating the
debut of Queen Mary 2— the greatest ocean liner ever built—
is a stunner and a welcome addition to anyone’s library.
The QM2 is a record-breaker. Four city blocks
long and as tall as the Statue of Liberty, at $800 million,
she is the most expensive and ambitious passenger vessel of
all time. Her public rooms include a planetarium, ballroom,
theater, cinema, Canyon Ranch Spa, and 10 restaurants. Twenty-six
hundred passengers are accommodated in a splendid variety of
cabins, three quarters of them with balconies overlooking the
sea.
The book details, details from concept to
completion what when into building this magnificent ship. The
author, John Maxtone-Graham, has written more than a dozen books
on passenger ships and lectures frequently on maritime history.
In this book he excels as he meticulously details how a concept
for a great ship came to fruition. His details of the design,
construction, engines, lavish interiors, and the ship’s sea
trials give a perspective of what went into building the world’s
largest passenger ship. An eight-page gatefold shows a detailed
cutaway of the remarkable interiors. The book also contains
archival images juxtaposing the QM2’s significance against her
historic predecessors.
The pictures in the book are in a category
of themselves—breathtaking shots that range from the ship’s
keel laying to her completion—that were taken by photographer
Harvey Lloyd. The stunning four-color photographs give a live
portrayal of what went into building this vessel.
After finishing this book, readers will want
to take an ocean voyage themselves on this vessel.
Available in North American bookstores and
on Internet bookstores, the tome will be published in the UK
later this year.
Authors:
Kay Showker & Bob Schlinger. John Wiley Publishers. US $23.95;
UK £15.50.
This annual guide provides a basis for the
novice cruiser in how to go about planning a cruise vacation,
giving the inside track on selecting the ship right for you;
tips on cruise planning, gratuities, and what to do when things
go wrong.
In 2004 modern cruising marks its 38th
anniversary, say the authors. Since then the cruise industry
has exploded in recent years and with increasingly more vessels
being introduced, the book attempts to cover all facets of cruise
planning, including finding the best rate on airlines taken
to the ship’s departure city.
The book, say the authors, is divided into
three parts so that the traveler or the travel agent can better
understand the cruise line and the type of cruises it offers;
planning your cruise vacation; cruise lines and their ships;
and cruising alternatives.
The first section dispenses tons of advice
on how to plan your trip. Starting with tips on how to read
a cruise brochure to picking the right ship to gratuities and
ship departure to what to do when things go wrong, the section
aims to help the beginning cruiser to avoid pitfalls and have
a positive cruise experience.
The second section evaluates more than 100
cruise lines and 500 ships, which are reviewed and rated for
value and quality. New ships are not rated until a year in service.
The evaluations are aimed primarily at the North American traveler.
However since cruising is becoming popular in Europe and elsewhere
in the world, there is information at the end of the section
on cruises geared more to the European or Asian traveler.
The third section deals with alternative
means of cruise travel such as freighters or sailing vessels.
There is also information on riverboat or barge cruises, sailing
vessels, coastal cruises, and overnight ferries.
Inside Guides Publishers. US$23.95; UK
£16.99
London-based
Inside Guides have been publishing visual travel guides since
1970 and collaborates with Discovery Channel, the US television
channel that helps home viewers explore the world. This guidebook,
written by recognized travel journalists, is structured to convey
an understanding of sea travel by cruise ship and to guide readers
through their shore excursions in the Caribbean, Central America
and southern Florida regions as well as Bermuda and the Bahamas.
Text and stunning photos printed on high-quality glossy paper
will certainly whet one’s appetite to indeed take a cruise to
these beautiful islands.
The book has three main sections. The Features
section covers the cultural history of the places visited as
well as cruising tips. The main Places section is a complete
guide to all the shore excursions and sights worth visiting
while in port. The Travel Tips listings section gives information
on trip planning, land excursions, dining and hotels for extended
stays, as well as tips on shopping and other shore activities.
Detailed cross-reference maps clearly highlight all sites and
are numbered in relation to the text. The book is a worthy addition
to the bookshelf and a great souvenir of one’s cruise trip.
All three of the above books are available at bookstores or
on line at www.Amazon.com
or www.bn.com .
Normandie-Liner of Legend
Author: Clive Harvey
From
the editor of the Ocean Liner Society's "Sea Lines"
comes a new 96-page soft cover book on the famed French Liner.
Filled with photographs and illustrations, many in color, text
in English. "Most interesting indeed with a lot of new
information"
To order, contact:
Richard C. Faber, Jr.,
230 East 15th Street
New York, NY, 10003 USA
Telephone (212) 228 7353 Fax: (212) 477 9392
Email: helenan37@aol.com
Liners In Art
Author: Kenneth Vard; Publisher: Halsgrove (UK) 2001; Price:
29.95 pounds sterling.
The
book presents a miniature art gallery of more than 70 superb
ocean liner paintings. Each painting is accompanied by a fascinating
commentary on the style and composition. Included in the book
is a complete history of each vessel, full technical specifications
and a biography of each artist.
To order, visit www.halsgrove.com
; or email:
marketing@halsgrove.com
Japanese Merchant Ships At War
Author: Hisashi Noma; Publisher: Price: $70 (International Postal
Money order only).
This book offers a very unique perspective from the
"other" side of the war theater and a look at vessels
that have rarely been covered in the West. It is hard cover,
619 pages, and profusely illustrated with b/w photos of the
losses and, when possible, the craft and aircraft that sunk
them with pages of color paintings illustrating the fighting
and sinking scenes by famous marine artists. Available in both
English and Japanese.
To order, email:
maruship@trust.ocn.ne.jp
Postal Mailing Address:
Hisashi. Noma
3-5-7 Kitanodai,
Hachioji,
Tokyo, Japan.
Eastern Steamship
Authors: Edwin L. Dunbaugh and David Crockett; Price: $40.
This book recounts the exciting story of one of the
most successful shipping lines that operated along the Atlantic
coast prior to the war. Along with a history of the company,
the book includes photographs of the vessels of Eastern Steamship,
many deck plans, as well as a fleet list of the major vessels.
SS Independence/SS Constitution:
Great American Ocean Liners
Author: William H. Miller. Price: $40.
This
book features 122 illustrations and cover art by noted marine
artists William H. Muller and Don Stoltenberg. This book covers
not only the story of these two classic liners, but also the
operations of American Exports Lines' other passenger vessels,
the Four Aces and La Guardia.
To order, click the Steamship Historical Society of America
website at www.sshsa.net
Then click > Store <; then >Books <.
