The Essential Little Cruise Book: Secrets from a Cruise Director for a Perfect Cruise Vacation

This is a great pocket size guide for anyone who cruises or wants to cruise. Lots of helpful information about preparing for your cruise, packing, activities, how the tipping works. Really, everything. It is a small book so you can bring it in your bag and refer back to it again and again.

Written by Jim West, this tiny book can easily fit into a pocket or suitcase corner. It's full of short, quick to read tips on every aspect of cruising. You're not going to get a long, drawn out planner here. This is really about quick hints to help make your cruise more enjoyable. Much of it is common sense - pack light. Have a happy attitude. Don't sweat the small things. Plan ahead. Use sunblock, carry antacid. A lot of the wisdom, though, is common sense earned by Jim after thousands of days at seas. He recommends lower floors for their more steady ride. He suggests arriving in port a day ahead of schedule so you're more than ready for departure. When you are leaving the vessel, also don't try to rush. Have a leisurely breakfast and do a crossword puzzle while the ship's crew do all of the docking and final departure preparations. For those who have never been on a cruise, a lot of the information is invaluable. Always bring a carry-on, because your main luggage might not get to your room until late in the evening on the first day. You always want to do the reverse on the way off the ship - the crew will take your luggage the night before. You need to have a carry-on with you to carry your PJs and toiletries off the ship with you. The price is relatively reasonable for such a tiny book full of nuggets of wisdom. It's well worth buying a copy and passing it along to each member of your party before you leave. You never know who will find which pieces of information to be critical!

Alright, so you read a lot of good reviews about this book from many different people, and you wonder if the author himself or his family didn't have something to do with the good things that have been said about it. In my opinion, this little book has been the most helpful reading material I have ever invested in for any vacation. My wife and I spent a lot of money on our first cruise and we wanted everything to be just right, so we bought The Essential Little Cruise Book. Not only was the book beyond our expectations (especially for the amount you pay), but the tips were extremely helpful.I called Jim West using the toll-free number I found in the book(800-708-0880) to express to him our gratitude, and when I told him about the cruise my wife and I were planning on the Crystal Harmony, he not only found the exact same package (a better cabin location too) for $1400 less than what my local travel agent gave us, but he also offered to personally plan the entire cruise. I cancelled with my local travel agent, gave him the business and have just returned from that cruise.I can't express enough my thanks to Jim for all his help. If you're planning a cruise, call him!! He is a great guy and without doubt, HE is the best investment you'll make on your cruise.