Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships

Douglas Ward's has 40 years of cruise expertise and is president of the Maritime Evaluations Group, and independent international agency that rates cruise ships worldwide. In Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2007, Ward offers independent assessments of 276 cruise ships, advice for getting the best value for one's money, specific tips for singles, honeymooners, families, and the physically challenged, full-color maps of principal cruise destinations, a number of color photographs, and much more. From the "Big 7" cruise lines to smaller ships, to recommendations for what different cruises cater to which interests, to health and safety concerns, to at-a-glance comparisons of major cruise lines for cabin facilities, food and service, Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2007 is an extensive and thoroughly recommended "must-have" for anyone contemplating a business or pleasure cruise.

There are a number of "unofficial" guides to cruises but this one is far and away the best. In my opinion, these types of books tend to err to one extreme or the other: some serve as little more than press releases for the various cruise lines and others act as though taking any cruise would be the worst mistake of your life. This book is critical where it is necessary. Sometimes, it is downright snarky in all the funniest ways. But the author also goes to great lengths to explain how different lines, ships, and intineraries are right for different people. I highly recommend it.

The "Berlitz 2007 Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships" is the single best reference for cruising available. Douglas Ward is an authoritative and enjoyable writer; his knowledge of cruising and cruise ships is without peer. I have owned several earlier editions of this book, and the 2007 volume is the best yet. The most interesting part of the book for me is the data on the individual ships and lines. I concur with his analysis of the ships that I have been on, and find his conclusions to be valid. Although I can't give a first person report on all the ships and lines in the book, I can say that my experiences mirror his reporting. As an aside, I wholeheartedly endorse Celebrity as the best of the large lines, and find Ward's commentary on Celebrity to be on the money, except that I found the embarkation process to be much smoother than Ward. The book features any cruise ship you might reasonably want information on, from the mega-liners of Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, to the small, boutique ships of lines like Classic International Cruises, which still runs the "Athena" on interesting itineraries, despite being built in 1948. The most unique shipboard feature I noted was that the "Bremen" has microscopes available to the passengers along with a large collection of plankton available for their perusal. Before choosing a ship, though, Ward helps guide potential cruisers through selecting destinations, itineraries, cabin type, and cruise line to help ensure a great experience. There are many tips and interesting discussions which will help alleviate confusion, especially for first time cruisers. The "Big Seven" cruise lines get special coverage as they carry the overwhelming number of passengers, but other specialty cruises (sailing ships, freighter ship travel, etc.) are also covered. I recommend this book to anyone considering a cruise. It is complete, concise, and interesting, and covers the cruising options available better than any other single source.

One reviewer said this book didn't cover any one thing well, and that it's only for a first time cruiser. I passionately disagree. This book does its best to cover every single cruise ship currently sailing, and does so with exhaustive, detailed, critical reviews. Seriously, it doesn't just cover food and service levels and cabin condition, it goes so far as to mention minutiae, like the caliber of deck chairs. It's updated yearly, noting the rises and declines in quality of the lines and ships. Plus, it's well written. No other book, or online fan site for that matter, comes close to being this reliable. I buy it every year.

This is an ideal guide to the many cruise ships that now carry passengers to all parts of the world. It enables to traveller to select that vessel that best suits their personal needs. It not only grades the ship overall and list the facilities but also describes the atmostphere and general ambience. Furthetmore it is a satisfying read for anyone interested in cruising and cruise ships.