This is an up-to-date, user-friendly ironclad guide.
More holidaymakers than ever are cruising nowadays. According to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), passenger figures surpassed 2017 projections, reaching 26.7 million. Given new vessel launch schedules, 2018 is expected to be another bumper year for the industry, with CLIA forecasting 28m globally. The debuts of ocean, river and speciality ships in 2019 will increase options further still, overwhelming first-time cruisers if not experienced ones. Yet neither should fret since the foremost objective voice in the business will steer readers in the direction of a perfect itinerary.
In print for 34 years, the 27th revised edition of Douglas Ward’s Berlitz Cruising and Cruise Ships remains the number one resource – especially in a digital world flooded with subjective reviews – for cruise-goers to make informed decisions. I say this not least because the lavishly illustrated book is effectively two-in-one: the first section (165 pages) introduces ‘The Cruising Experience’ and how, depending upon destination and accommodation preferences, to ‘Choose the Right Cruise’. ‘Types of Cruising’, meanwhile, illuminates that above-referenced numbers are not comprised entirely of families on resort-style ships in the Caribbean, but undergirded also by solo travellers on a nuclear-powered icebreaker in the North Pole and seniors cruising under sail in the Mediterranean.
These varied vessels, among others (296 in all), are reviewed – using ‘ship’, ‘accommodation’, ‘cuisine’, ‘service’, ‘entertainment’ and ‘experience’ as criteria – in the second section: ‘The Ships and Their Ratings’ (558 pp). High-end criticisms surrounding repetition and alphabetic (rather than fleet) listings do not sink this up-to-date, user-friendly ironclad guide.
Very comprehensive and detailed book with everything you would need to know about cruising, an ideal companion when choosing your next holiday on the sea.
Berlitz Cruising and Cruise ships 2019 contains practically everything you would need to know about cruising the seas, both good and bad points!.
A comprehensive guide to all the ships and cruise companies with reviews of their services offered and life onboard and onshore. Having been on several cruises myself I was intrigued as to how 'real' this book would be but I was pleasantly surprised and I wish I'd known this type of gem of a book existed when I started cruising. An unbiased account of life at sea with many 'how to' guides for avoiding over tipping, bringing drinks onboard and so on. Previous guides have had a few problems by all account but going by what I already knew about cruising this book seems to have ironed out the flaws and made this an invaluable book for before, during and after your holiday on the high seas!