Amazon.com
This smart little book offers helpful advice both for those embarking on their first cruise as well as salty veterans. The Essential Little Cruise Book covers everything form how to choose a cruise that's right for you, picking a travel agent and cabin, what to bring, cruise etiquette, and how to cure sea sickness: "Old-fashioned cures that sailors have sworn by: If you do begin to feel sick, go outside, look at the horizon, and stay in the middle section of the ship. Also, eat some dry crackers or bread sticks, and stay away form liquids." With more than 500 cruises under his belt as a cruise director, author Jim West provides insight and tips that can greatly improve a cruise vacation.
Book Description
This compact collection of cruise wisdom holds everything you need to know for a perfect vacation at sea. Jim West has logged millions of nautical miles as a cruise director and doles out the answers to cruise questions with wit and style. This new edition includes two new chapters with tips directed toward cruises in the Caribbean and Alaska.
Customer Reviews:
Not Particularly Useful.......2007-06-08
The gist of this book is: "Have a good time, no matter what. Avoid bugging the staff, your problem's not that big." Very little in the way of stuff which could enhance your cruise or keep you out of trouble.
The Essential little Cruise Book.......2007-03-02
I am returning this item.
Its a small little book with just general information nothing specific or insightfull.
The Essential Little Cruise Book, 3rd........2006-08-22
Having never taken a cruise, I found this book very imformative, answered many questions I had. Would recomend this book to any first time cruiser.
over-hyped, under-delivered.......2006-07-09
A waste of money and a big disappointment. There were no "insider" tips offered. A very general overview of cruising. There is far more good information available from internet cruising blogs. Anyone want to buy a slightly used book?
Neat little book, especially for first-timers -- But not incredibly informative!.......2006-06-07
I've never been on a cruise but am going on my first next month! I decided to get this book because of the decent reviews and reasonable price. I must say, it definitely has several tips that I think will be useful: the best cabin is in the center of the ship both horizontally and vertically, bring Dramamine just in case, and don't think because you feel the cool breeze from the ship moving that you're not getting sunburned! It also has some interesting tips on cruise etiquette (like never decline an invitation to sit at the Captain's Table at dinner)...Some of the items are pretty obvious (don't go into a door that says "Crew Only") and seem to be there to just to lengthen the book.
Overall, it's a fun read, and even if you've been on a cruise before I guarantee you will learn something new from this book. One thing to note is that the book is really just a big bulleted list of hints and suggestions from a former Cruise Director. No real details or war stories from the "inside." The tips are helpful but I wouldn't call them "essential." It would definitely make a thoughtful Bon Voyage gift for someone going on a cruise, though!
Book Description
In the fall of 1897, eight whaling ships became trapped in the ice on Alaska's northern coast. Without relief, two hundred whalers would starve to death by winter's end. Mercifully, an extraordinary missionary, Tom Lopp, and seven Eskimo herders embarked on a harrowing journey to save the whalers, driving four hundred reindeer more than seven hundred untracked miles.
At the heart of the rescue expedition lies another, in some ways more compelling, journey. In a Far Country is the personal odyssey of Tom and his wife Ellen Lopp-their commitment to the natives and the rugged but happy life they built for themselves amid a treeless tundra at the top of the world. The Lopps pulled through on grit and wits, on humility and humor, on trust and love, and by the grace of God. Their accomplishment would surely have received broader acclaim had it not been eclipsed by two simultaneous events: the Spanish- American War and the Alaska gold rush. The United States and its territories were transformed abruptly and irrevocably by these fits of expansionist fever, and despite the thoughtful, determined guidance of the Lopps, the natives of the North were soon overwhelmed by a force mightier than the fiercest Arctic winter: the twentieth century.
Customer Reviews:
Life in Alaska in the late nineteenth century was frought with constant danger and unimaginable challenges........2007-06-17
They certainly were a hardy lot. Those who chose to come Alaska in the latter part of the nineteenth century faced obstacles and hardships that most of us simply cannot comprehend. So why did they come? Despite the fact that the industry was in decline, fleets of whaling ships from such distant ports as New Bedford, Mass. and San Francisco, CA still made the trek to the Bering Sea each year in an effort to eke out a living. Those in the business of saving souls viewed Alaska as fertile territory to spread the Good News. And as the nineteeth century drew to a close there was yet another important reason why thousands would risk life and limb to come to the Alaskan wilderness. The Great Alaskan Gold Rush was on! "In A Far Country" is author John Taliaferro's remarkable account of the events that were unfolding in Alaska during these years.
Tom and Ellen Lopp were missionaries who came to Alaska in the early 1890's. Tom was a Presbyterian from Indiana while Ellen was a Congregationalist who hailed from Minnesota. Both were assigned to a mission at Cape Prince of Wales on the western tip of the Seward Peninsula. Only a month after meeting in July 1892 Tom and Ellen were married. As things turned out Tom and Ellen would start a family and spend the next dozen years ministering to the Eskimos at Cape Prince of Wales. The work was dirty, difficult and exhausting but proved to be extremely rewarding nonetheless. During their years at Cape Prince of Wales the Lopps opened a mission school and assisted in the effort to establish a herd of reindeer in the area. The man who had attracted both Tom and Ellen to Alaska through an advertisment in "American Missionary" magazine was one Sheldon Jackson. Jackson, who was at the time the general agent for education for the new U.S. Territory of Alaska was absolutely convinced that bringing reindeer to Alaska was the key to the regions economic future. Reindeer were indigenous to neighboring Siberia and had been used there for centuries as both a source of food and for transportation. Jackson envisioned teams of reindeer driven sleds moving people, commodities and even the mail throughout the Alaskan territory. At the same time Sheldon Jackson argued that the reindeer could replace the dwindling numbers of caribou as the primary source of food for the native Eskimo population. "In A Far Country" details how large herds of reindeer would eventually be established in several areas of the Alaskan wilderness. Finally, John Taliaferro spends a great deal of time chronicling what became known as the Overland Relief Expedition. At the end of the summer of 1898 a total of 8 whaling ships who were operating in the Chukchi Sea off the northwest coast of Alaska became trapped in the ice and were unable to leave the area. It was feared that unless help arrived in time more than 200 sailors would eventually starve to death. The Overland Relief Expedition was organized and Tom Lopp was tapped to lead the final leg of this Herculian rescue effort. What an incredible adventure!
I found "In A Far Country" to be quite compelling reading indeed. The publishers quite wisely furnished a detailed map of the region at the beginning of the book and I found myself referring to it again and again. I find that inclusion of maps like this often greatly enhances my understanding of the events being discussed in the text. All in all this is a nicely written book about important history that has been largely forgotten. Recommended!
Excellent adventure .......2007-03-24
This is a little known adventure story of missionary people, personalities, government polititians, native Americans, & foreigners. It has graphic illustrations of problems and errors made when dealing with different cultures in unknown and adverse climates. I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it.
Life on the Edge of Civilization.......2007-03-09
It must have taken individuals of rare inner strength to even have the desire to go establish a Christian mission at Cape Prince of Whales, 55 miles across the Bering Strait to Russia and only 70 miles south of the Arctic Circle. Even more surprising to me was the number of women, single or married to missionaries, who went as well. Tom and Ellen Lopp were both single, that is until six weeks after they met.
This is a story of the mission at Cape Prince of Wales, the Lopp's and of a dramatic rescue where Tom and seven Eskimo herders drove a heard of reindeer some 700 miles to rescue stranded sailors whose ships had become frozen in the ice. This was a trip to rival the other famous trip in the cold, but up until now has been little known.
All in all, a most interesting book about life on the very edge of civilization.
epic adventure.......2007-02-06
This book rightly takes its place among the other tales of heroic arctic travel. It is well researched, the writing is sprightly, and the characterizations both compassionate and vivid.
Unsung Heroes.......2007-02-06
This was a fascinating book. It takes an honest look at subjects as diverse as; culture clashes, mission work, family struggles, man verses nature, government inner workings, and humanity's dual nature (good and evil). A whole cast of unsung heroes finally get their day. Unfortunately, it comes about 100 years too late. Although the author resides in our current day of political correctness, his characters do not. Frankly, I find them refreshing.
The Alaskan frontier is shown as the mishmash that it must have been. Competing groups vied for their own goals and dreams. They inevitably mixed and influenced each other resulting in the lines that formerly demarcated distinct people groups being erased and blurred. The outcomes of this amalgamation ranged from laudable triumphs to scandalous tragedies.
For some reason (maybe growing up in the hot South), I have always enjoyed books about Polar Regions. The first book I ever read was Jack London's Call of the Wild. I read In a Far Country in less than a week because the story kept my interest. It is one of the few books that I really hated to complete. I did not want to leave the characters.
Book Description
In the five Ramusian kingdoms, an entire generation has lived in peace. But when old enemies clash, the fate of Normannia will be sealed-once and for all.
Customer Reviews:
Pretty good finish to a pretty good series.......2007-02-27
Why are these books out of print? I thought this series was pretty good and pretty original. Way better than a lot of fantasy out there. I like the real world parallels brought into the book like the question of religion. These books aren't amazing and the character development is not great but they are a fun little read. Great break while waiting for Jordan to get healthy or Martin to release another biblical fantasy.
Not what I expected, but still good.......2004-10-19
What will surprise readers most is the fact that there is a huge time gap between book four and five. Books one through four where pretty much an uninterrupted stream of events and the sudden leap in time left me a bit disconcerted at first, especially being the last book, but once I adjusted I truly enjoyed what Kearney did.
In a lot of ways this seemed like a book long epilogue. He promptly ties off loose ends and by the end of the book no story line is left unfinished, I didn't say all questions were answered though. It is not neccesarily a happy conclusion but for me it was a satisfying and interesting one with some unexpected surprises.
Some reviews state that he seems to have gotten tired of writing and just quit, but I will say that after impatiently waiting for the next books from authors like Robert Jordan, George R.R. Martin, Terry Goodkind, and R.A. Salvatore it is a nice change of pace to have a well written series end in a timely manner.
Series started Great, but Ends Poor!.......2004-06-07
While I have given this book just 3 stars, the series as a whole probably deserves 4 stars.
The Good (What has gone before)
The story was largely well done up until the last book. Kearney did a great in job building a fairly complex, gritty, largely low-fantasy world. There are many intriguing ideas in this series, some of which are obviously borrowed from medieval European history. Ironically, most fantasy writers all but ignore the subject of religion while creating their pseudo-medieval worlds, even though it is religion that gives real medieval history much of its flavor, both for good and for ill. Kearney, on the other hand, is very successful in integrating a religious atmosphere largely reminiscent of our own Middle-Ages. I found this to be fascinating plot device that worked well.
The Ugly (Mostly this last book!)
This last book takes the wind out of the sales of what was shaping up to be a great fantasy series! Virtually all of the main characters that you have spent the entire series with are systematically killed off in the end. It's not that I have to have some sort of happy fairy-tale type of ending, but many of the characters are abruptly dispatched with hardly a reference. We don't even get to experience King Abeleyn's death, but instead are told of it after the fact. And while we are given slightly more detail about Hawkwood's ignoble passing, it just seemed somehow out of place and inappropriate for the story. I agree with a previous reviewer's assessment that Kearney seemed to be tired of writing. The story feels rushed and fragmented; it skips all over the place leaving many unanswered questions and unfinished plot lines. I also found the closing scene of the book/series to be somewhat cryptic. Instead of putting the book down at its conclusion, and having that sense of satisfaction that comes from finishing a good story, I was left scratching my balding head and trying to figure out what I had just read. Perhaps this is what Kearney was after, something that in the end would leave you puzzling over it. If so, he certainly achieves it.
Conclusion:
If you have read the four previous books you will want to read this one. It does have its moments, for example, we finally get to see Murad get his due. But on the whole, I found this book to be a disappointing conclusion to a potentially great series.
Many unanswered questions!.......2004-05-21
The series as a whole was excellent, but the end seemed far too simple, and left many questions unanswered. I was shocked to discover that this 5th book jumped us many years into the future. Not only this, but the author failed to fill us in on most of what happened during this gap. Also, the author ends up killing the main characters off in mass quantities, and does so in situations that make it seem that the author got tired of writing about them and needed them to go away. For instance, Kearney puts the kings, lords, and military leaders of Astarac and Hebrion on the same boat, and then sinks it. After spending so much time with a character as awesome as Abeleyn, it seems that he was cheated out of a good end. We also say goodbye to countless other characters in similar circumstances.
One of the things I was very sad about was that Bleyn's identity as Hawkwood's son is never revealed, not even to Hawkwood before his death.
The battle at the end of the book also seemed unrealistic. Aruan's mighty army has destroyed the invincible mega-armada of Hebrion and Astarac in less than one night, and yet Corfe is able to do so with a single field army. Aruan has his Flyers attacking his enemy in Charibon, but then does not use them for his own protection when he is attacked by Corfe's small Bodyguard force?
Regardless of what seems to me to be a quick ending written by someone who was tired of writing, the rest of the series is very well put together. The characters had much depth and history to them, and I enjoyed the politics between the kingdoms and such. The last chapter of this book was cryptic and intriguing, and leaves you with a last thought to ponder on.
Read & Enjoy.......2003-10-17
May I recommend this Pentology to any reader interested in good fantasy. Exceptionally smooth reading, interestingly developed mythologies and characters. Well worth your time, & highly recommended.
Book Description
"Huchthausen knows the hidden history of the Cuban missile crisis . . . October Fury contains startling revelations."
-- TOM CLANCY
Drama on the high seas as the world holds its breath
It was the most spectacular display of brinkmanship in the Cold War era. In October 1962, President Kennedy risked inciting a nuclear war to prevent the Soviet Union from establishing missile bases in Cuba. The risk, however, was far greater than Kennedy realized.
October Fury uncovers startling new information about the Cuban missile crisis and the potentially calamitous confrontation between U.S. Navy destroyers and Soviet submarines in the Atlantic. Peter Huchthausen, who served as a junior ensign aboard one of the destroyers, reveals that a single shot fired by any U.S. warship could have led to an immediate nuclear response from the Soviet submarines.
This riveting account re-creates those desperate days of confrontation from both the American and Russian points of view and discloses detailed information about Soviet operational plans and the secret orders given to submarine commanders. It provides an engrossing, behind-the-scenes look at the technical and tactical functions of two great navies along with stunning portraits of the officers and sailors on both sides who were determined to do their duty even in the most extreme circumstances.
As absorbing and detailed as a Tom Clancy novel, this real-life suspense thriller is destined to become a classic of naval literature.
Download Description
"Huchthausen knows the hidden history of the Cuban missile crisis . . . October Fury contains startling revelations." -- TOM CLANCY Drama on the high seas as the world holds its breath It was the most spectacular display of brinkmanship in the Cold War era. In October 1962, President Kennedy risked inciting a nuclear war to prevent the Soviet Union from establishing missile bases in Cuba. The risk, however, was far greater than Kennedy realized. October Fury uncovers startling new information about the Cuban missile crisis and the potentially calamitous confrontation between U.S. Navy destroyers and Soviet submarines in the Atlantic. Peter Huchthausen, who served as a junior ensign aboard one of the destroyers, reveals that a single shot fired by any U.S. warship could have led to an immediate nuclear response from the Soviet submarines. This riveting account re-creates those desperate days of confrontation from both the American and Russian points of view and discloses detailed information about Soviet operational plans and the secret orders given to submarine commanders. It provides an engrossing, behind-the-scenes look at the technical and tactical functions of two great navies along with stunning portraits of the officers and sailors on both sides who were determined to do their duty even in the most extreme circumstances. As absorbing and detailed as a Tom Clancy novel, this real-life suspense thriller is destined to become a classic of naval literature.
Customer Reviews:
Submarine Down.......2006-08-02
Very well written and engrossing. Contained insights I did not know prior to reading the book.
Good, Fast Reading Marred by Defects: 2.......2006-05-30
"October Fury" is set against the Cuban Missile Crisis in the Fall of 1962. This was when the United States was supposedly "eyeball to eyeball" with the Soviet Union over Russian missiles in Cuba. Author Huchthausen was a crewmember of the USS "Blandy", which assisted the U.S. Naval blockade of that Caribbean island. He extensively interviewed sailors from both Russian and U.S. ships involved in the deployments. Readers will receive a definite grasp for the prevailing undertones in both navies. One lesson is crystal clear: The Russian Navy was a paper tiger, though few U.S. citizens were aware of that fact at the time. Russian subs were in poor mechanical shape and not ready for a protracted siege with a superior foe. Russian rules of engagement were so onerous that the firing of any shots was very unlikely. Actual command of vessels seemed divided between the skipper and the political officer aboard. In OF, Soviet commanders are portrayed as quite responsible, solid and capable naval professionals who cared for the welfare of their crews. They appear as the polar opposite of war mongers. Their true conflict appears to have been between they and their hidebound higher-ups back in Mother Russia. OF capably paints a small picture of that halcyon crisis which probably did not exist. The big geo-political picture has been portrayed elsewhere, perhaps by those driven to burnish President Kennedy's image for posterity. A popular viewpoint is that Premier Khrushchev of Russia dismantled the Cuban missiles when JFK secretly did the same to our weapons in eastern Turkey. (As a side note, this reviewer is still appalled by the rudeness and disrespect that Chief of Naval Operations Anderson showed Defense Secretary McNamara. That guy should have been sacked!). The 3 star rating above results from a reduction in rank due to the appalling (!) inadequacy of the so-called maps. Also, there is no glossary for the plethora of Navy slang. Who makes these decisions to omit? Why are are authors-or more likely, publishers-so remiss? Repair of these defects in future printings would elevate "October Fury" to a more deserving permanent rank of 5 stars. The foregoing is a virtual mirror review of this observer's thoughts on Mr. Huchthausen's "Shadow Voyage", which was plagued by the identical drawbacks. Potential readers are forewarned!
Terribly elitist, poorly researched........2006-04-25
I purchased this book and really looked forward to it. I was on board the USS Lowry, DD770 during the Cuban Missile Crisis and I can't tell you how disappointed I was in this book. You could tell immediately the author was an officer and had little or no knowledge of how a destroyer actually runs (which is rather typical of destroyer officers). His portrayals of the enlisted men were demeaning. I can't speak about the other ships that were there, but his knowledge of what we went through is distorted and factually wrong. For instance, the Lowry was the only ship in the Atlantic Fleet in the area that had a Variable Depth Sonar (VDS) rig on it. And yet he notes that another ship had it too. This is easy enough to document, it is in the Lowry's history posted on the Net for all to see. We were also one of the ships that brought up a nuclear sub and in fact had several ship's bands playing Midnight In Moscow as we circled that sub.
I was in the gun director and had loaded guns pointed at the bridge of a Soviet freighter that was approaching too closely and was prepared to fire at Captain Carpenter's order. I believe that incident was distorted in the book too. Aside from the Captain, the best officers stood back and let us run and fight the ship and I am sure it was the same on the rest of the destroyers. One more point: I never heard an enlisted man say "fooking". And I did check my facts before writing this review. It never ceases to amaze me how many really poor books get published, but this is a perfect example.
Just how close it really was...........2004-01-22
This book is a very detailed account of the Cuban Missile Crisis, as told by both the Russian submariners tasked to get through to Cuba and the American destroyers bent on stopping them. In 1962, the decision was made to station both land based nuclear missiles and nuclear armed bomber, as well as SSB submarines armed with nuclear missiles in Cuba. The land based portion, dubbed Operation Anadyr, would use cargo ships to deploy the land based missiles, bomber and troops. The Naval operation, Kama, was to be initiated by four Soviet Project 641 Foxtrot diesel attack submarines, sailing from the Kola peninsula bound for Cuba. These would act as an advanced guard, to be followed by seven Project 629 Golf class balistic missile submarines, each carrying three nuclear tipped missiles. The plan was for these submarines to be based out of Cuba, where they could threaten the southern US. Just prior to departure, each of the Foxtrot submarines received, in addition to their normal torpedo loads, one 10 kiloton T-5 nuclear torpedo. Admiral Gorshkov's orders were "You will use these weapons if American forces attack you submerged or force your units to the surface and the attack...." The fate of the world was thereby placed in the hands of four Russian submarine commanders.
The book skillfully weaves the ensuing tale, alternating the Soviet submariner's stories with the American destroyer's ASW pursuits as the crisis progresses. A showdown in which USS Blandy drops small charges to force one of the submarines, B-130, to surface, leads to frustration for the submarine captain. He therefore orders loading and flooding, in preparation for firing, of the torpedo tube with the T-5 nuclear warhead. Fortunately, cooler heads prevail upon the captain to back down.
Although overall a good read, I had a few minor quibbles. The author uses interviews to reconstruct conversations, and the places them in quotes. In fact it is highly unlikely that those represent the actual words spoken, as quotes imply. He also has tow Russian attaches taking the train to Boston in order to observe the submarines at the New London sub base when the train stops in New London. In fact, Electric Boat is visible across the river, but the submarine base and piers are not at all visible from the train. The closest approach of the train is on the bridge over the Thames River, still some distance, with the sub base some 3 miles away.
Nonetheless, this book lends new insights into just how close the world really came to disaster during that alarming time in history. The author was on board one of the American destroyers, USS Blandy, assigned to the USS Essex task force group, and thus tells tale that from a first hand perspective.
A needed voice of sanity.......2003-03-02
I bought this book because I was offended by the hype on the dust cover, which presented it as another Kennedy Court History in which the Cuban Missile Crisis is made to sound even more scary than it really was. It was a pleasant surprise to read a balanced account of Soviet submarine operations during the Crisis, which refutes many of the exaggerated claims still being made about the possibility of unauthorized use of tactical nukes. We learn that Soviet nuclear torpedos were escorted by armed KGB officers who actually slept on top of the weapons, and the Rules of Engagement were so onerous that a sub would have to be actually sinking before one could be fired. Just to be safe, the sub crews were given no training on the nukes and were kept ignorant of their capabilities. This isn't too surprising when one considers that a military coup was always the secret nightmare of communist govenments. If the tactical nukes assigned to Soviet Army units in Cuba were under similar restrictions, it is hard to see how they could ever have been fired -- the nightmare scenario still being cited by Robert MacNamara to justify the Kennedys' secret treaty with Khrushchev.
Another revelation is the very poor mechanical performance of the Soviet subs which suffered an appalling series of engine breakdowns. From the limited details given in this book, it appears that many of these failures were due to mistakes by poorly trained engineering personnel. (Fatigue due to the intense tropical heat and humidity may be a factor also.) Since these subs had specially selected crews and were just out of refit, the mind boggles at what the average Soviet diesel boat must have been like in 1962. Had Khrushchev actually proceeded with his plan to base Golf-class missile subs permanently in Cuba, the result could only have been utter disaster. The more we learn about the Soviet side of the Missile Crisis, the more it looks like the most badly planned and implemented military operation of all time.
Book Description
A cruise is a complete vacation, so it's important that you choose the one that's right for you. Frommer's North American Cruises & Ports of Call is the most user-friendly, opinionated, and comprehensive guide you can buy before you set sail. We provide in-depth coverage on cruises departing from U.S. ports to the Caribbean, Alaska, Bermuda, Mexico and Canada.
Unlike rating systems used in other guides, our system is simple. We break down 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.
Most important, this is the only cruise guide that provides the real prices people pay for cruises, not just the rack rates. Other guides tell you that a seven-night cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas costs $2,099. You can pay that if you want to, but only Frommer's tells you that the same cruise is selling for $649. We give both the rack rates and the discount price for every cruise we review. This feature alone makes Frommer's North American Cruises and Ports of Call by far the most valuable trip-planning book among cruise guides.
Our authors, noted cruise experts who've personally checked out every ship sailing in and around North America, offer candid and unbiased opinions on them all. They are completely up to date, with all the latest developments and the newest ships. You'll also get complete coverage of the major port destinations, with advice on how to spend your limited time ashore.
Customer Reviews:
Frommer's Cruises and Ports of Call.......2005-10-31
Cruise section is more up to date than ports of call. Very useful.
A Great Overview - Start Here then Get Details Elsewhere.......2005-06-12
This massive book (691 pages) manages to touch on just about every major cruise ship and port of call that there is in cruising. You get a little taste of everything.
First, you get about 100 pages on the basics of cruising - how to get a good price, what to wear, how a cruise ship works. That will get you started on what a cruise trip is all about.
Next, you get 300 pages on the actual cruise ships. While this seems like a ton of pages, they actually only do 1-2 page reviews of each ship in most cases. In many cases it's a review not just of that ship but of that ship class. For example if Carnival has 4 ships that are similar, you could get one review that covers all 4 ships, with small mentions of things that stand out on a given ship. Since no ship is REALLY identical to other ships, this isn't great.
That being said, I really found the information given here to be FAR more valuable than in similar books. They actually review based on real information from real humans, not just copying from the cruise line's book. They tell you about "ridiculous 108 square feet" cabins. They warn you that on the Promenade deck, you're likely to have joggers running past (and peering in) your windows. They warn you which areas are noisy, they point out which lounges are usually not found by the masses and therefore are perfect places to escape from the noise.
The rest of the book is a quite good write-up of the main port locations. Many people travel in to a port town and consider the port town part of their vacation. This area includes maps of the area, what to see, directions to the docks, and other information.
I was a little put off by the 2005 in the title, implying that you had to buy a new book every year. On one hand you want to get a relatively new set of information - but even with this being "2005" I found errors in pricing. Obviously they can't update every single page in this every year. So it's a trade-off. Again, the book provides good guidelines but should never be taken as absolutely true.
There is obviously no way that one book can cover ALL information on all towns, ships and ports!! Again, this is a sampler. You look through to find out which items appeal to you. Then you should get a full book on that ONE TOPIC. If you're going to Bermuda, don't expect this book to give you the full details. You should get a book on Bermuda.
However, for what this book does, it does it very well. It takes you from the point of not knowing about cruising at all to the point of knowing what your options are and having a top-5 list to persue further. At that point it's time to go to those cruise line websites, to go the forums, and to get some books on specific ports. That will get you the detailed information you need to make your final decision, and to enjoy your cruise!
Lots of Good Information.......2005-02-27
As a person looking to take a cruise for the first time I found most of the info I was looking for in this book. It contains very detailed descriptions, especially of the various cruise lines and the type of activities, food and service that they offer. Of course, the opinions expressed are of the authors only and your taste may vary considerly. But overall they give a fairly objective assessment of the wide range of cruising experiences offered. Recommended.
A great place to start.......2004-12-26
Whether you are a seasoned cruiser and are looking for something new or have never cruised before this book is very handy. I have cruised three times but was not sure where I wanted to visit next and which cruise line I wanted to take to get me there so I borrowed Cruises & Ports of Call 2005 from the library. I spent the greater part of an afternoon studying cruise lines, ships, itineraries, and cabins. It immensely helped me choose which cruise was right for me because it went into a very detailed description of the ins and outs of each port and line out there.
thorough and fun!.......2003-07-04
this was a pretty good guide geared towards cruisers--only buy if you're interested on going on a big name cruise ship. port information was good for st. john, st. thomas, barbados, and aruba. the info on martinique was not good. the author described martinique's main town as cosmopolitan, people dress like paris, fort du france looks like new orleans. i don't know when he went to martinique. martinique was seedy and falling apart.
Amazon.com
If you're going to cruise the Caribbean, you need a guidebook focusing on the ports of call, not weighing you down with options you won't have time to explore. Kay Showker's guide gives cruise selection advice, provides information on 22 Caribbean cruise lines and 105 ships, then delves into the eastern and southern Caribbean Islands, from Puerto Rico to the San Blas Islands off Panama. For each of the 30 islands, Showker gives "Fast Facts" of population, size, government, currency, language, holidays, and telephone codes. She profiles island transportation, shore excursions, walking and driving tours, shopping, snorkeling, and dining options, nightlife, sports, and highlights--in short, all you'll need to know.
Book Description
The splendor of the Caribbean and the pleasures of cruising make an unbeatable combination. Accessibility, good prices, superb weather, and variety make cruising the Caribbean an ideal vacation choice. This guide, based on the author's personal experience, shows you how to plan a carefree vacation at sea. (5 1/2 x 8 1/2, 368 pages, b&w photos, maps, icons)
Customer Reviews:
Handy Guide to the Caribbean.......2000-04-04
This guide is useful for a vacation on a cruise to the caribbean. The reviews of the excursions are very helpful for planning your own excursions. It tells you if it easy or difficult to use ship's excursions versus your own transportation. It also highlights popular atractions in each port.
Average customer rating:
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Eastern Caribbean Ports of Call: From Puerto Rico to Aruba Including the Panama Canal
Kay Showker
Manufacturer: Globe Pequot Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Aruba & Netherlands Antilles | Caribbean | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Caribbean | Travel | Subjects | Books
Cruises | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
Panama | Central America | Latin America | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0871062356 |
Books:
- The Fifty-Year Wound: How America's Cold War Victory Has Shaped Our World
- The Four Agreements Companion Book : Using the Four Agreements to Master the Dream of Your Life
- The Four Steps to the Epiphany
- The Horse: 30,000 Years of the Horse in Art
- The House of the Scorpion
- The Keeper of the Flame: The Supreme Court Opinions of Justice Clarence Thomas 1991-2005
- The King's Chessboard (Picture Puffins)
- The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination, Second Edition (Yale Nota Bene)
- The Memory Keeper's Daughter
- The Politically Incorrect Guide(tm) to Islam (and the Crusades) (Politically Incorrect Guides)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Rickshaw: The Novel Lo-t'o Hsiang Tzu
- Halo, Books 1-3
- Women in American Architecture: A Historic and Contemporary Perspective : A Publication and Exhibiti
- Baby's Box of Fun: A Karen Katz Lift-the-Flap Gift Set: Where Is Baby's Belly Button; Where Is Baby'
- Costume Design
- Essentials of Stem Cell Biology
- Detroit Then and Now
- Arnheim, Gestalt and Art: A Psychological Theory
- American Curiosity: Cultures of Natural History in the Colonial British Atlantic World
- Altimeter Rising
The Unofficial Guide to Cruises (Unofficial Guides)
What Time Is the Midnight Buffet?: How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Our Cruise
Fodor's FYI: Plan and Enjoy Your Cruise, 1st Edition: Experts Share Their Secrets (Special-Interest Titles)
Cruise Vacations For Dummies 2006 (Dummies Travel)
Frommer's Cruises & Ports of Call 2007: From U.S. & Canadian Home Ports to the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii & More (Frommer's Cruises)
