Customer Reviews

The Cruise Companion: A Practical Guide to a Worry-Free Cruise Vacation

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I have never been on a cruise, but I know a lot about cruising. Why? Two reasons: Kevin Yano and his book, "The Cruise Companion".

Before I go on, however, I should make a full disclosure. I have known Kevin for several years and long before he wrote and published this book we would have long discussions about his adventures and the joys of cruising. He was so enthusiastic and his love of the cruising life was so infectious that I often encouraged him to write it all down so he could share his knowledge with all those people out there who may have been interested in taking a cruise but did not know where to start. Well, he did, and "The Cruise Companion" is the result. And a good result it is! A boon to anyone who has ever considered taking a cruise. Here is why:

Some of you may have been to seminars put on by cruise companies. You are deluged with information, some of which is given to you in written form for later reference, and a lot which is simply told to you and thus instantly forgotten, unless you have stenographic skills and thus can take notes while the salesman is talking at you. Plus you probably have a host of questions that never get addressed in the seminar because they never get asked by you or anyone else (since you are all too busy trying to digest what you are being told). "The Cruise Companion" is like being at a seminar where you get to ask all the questions that you could ever think of, even the most trivial yet essential ones that you may have thought of but would be too embarrassed to ask ('What are the real risks of fire or sinking?'-see page 86). The writing style is conversational: accessible and readable. The book's organization makes it easy to find the information that you need. You can read the book from cover to cover and learn about cruising from A (Why go on a Cruise?) to Z (Disembarkation and Return Home). Or you can skip through the book and cherry-pick the information that you need based on the particular questions that you have at that time. In addition, the appendix gives you a list of cruise web-sites, ship index, cruise itineraries, and a glossary for those baffled by some of the terminology (i.e. people like me). The emphasis is on information that is practical and useful, not just for those making a decision about whether to cruise and what do do or bring, but also for those who are already on a cruise and need a handy guide to what to do or expect while on the ship or ashore.

I have already bought copies and given them to friends and family who are interested in cruising or who (in one case) had already signed up for a cruise and needed some concrete information on what to expect and what to do to prepare. In this particular case they took the book with them on the cruise, as well as consulted it before they left. Their verdict: The Cruise Companion is the perfect resource for those who want to know about cruising but don't know where to start.