Cruise Control [Paperback]

Pamela S Kane (Author), Pamela S Kane (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1999

CRUISE CONTROL is the book to help you take command of your cruise vacations. World-class cruiser and best-selling author Pam Kane explains everything from shipboard dress codes to computer codes in the casinos' slot machines.

After years of cruising and dispensing essential cruise advice both on the Internet and in PORTHOLE and other magazines, Kane has pulled it all together in one place.

Subject matter includes: What to pack and how to pack it wrinkle-free; the secret of The Giant Tote Bag; Avoiding - and treating - mal de mer; Essential Tips on Tipping; Keeping your cabin shipshape; Un-sticking sticky situations; Guerrilla shopping; Freelancing Freedom in port; Scoring shore excursions; wining, dining, and simply enjoying.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Thank you for all your support of CRUISE CONTROL. This title is now out of print. You are encouraged to go and purchase my new book HAPPY SAILS: THE CAREFREE CRUISER'S HANDBOOK published by Beagle Bay Books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Panda Pr; 1 edition (December 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964414406
• ISBN-13: 978-0964414402
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,382,974 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must for new and veteran cruisers alike., October 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cruise Control (Paperback)

Even though I have been on more than two dozen cruises that have taken me to 5 continents I was able to learn many new tips and tricks from this book. The author covers every phase of cruising from what to pack, how to pack it and how to stow it to make best use of your cabin. She then covers the dining and wining and other shipboard activities. Also all shoreside activities, whether to take an organized tour or to freelance. All this is presented in a witty and breezy style.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Information - But Too Cute For Me, June 15, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Cruise Control (Paperback)

I will admit that "Cruise Control" is one of the best books out there to help you prepare for and enjoy a cruise. It is crammed with very detailed and helpful advice about how to get ready for a cruise, what to do once aboard, and how to prepare for the end of the cruise. A third of the book is in a solid question-answer format which is very helpful because the questions and answers are structured and very specific. Ms. Kane is also an extremely experienced traveler and has written widely on the subject. However, her writing style was a little too cutesy for me. Many times I found myself confused about what she was saying because she took too many short cuts with the language. For example, in the chapter entitled "Conspicuous Consumption" [she's writing about money] she writes, "If your destination is Totally Tourist (think the Caribbean or Mexico Riviera), you don't need to take anyone with you except George (for tips), Abe, Alex, Andy, Ben, and company." Huh? Yes, I know she is talking about Presidents' faces on money, but wouldn't it be easier for us if she just gave the denominations? The chapter on packing is manically exhausting in its detail but has good advice. I did have trouble keeping it all straight because she describes packing practically in terms of preparing for a D-Day Invasion. I'll have to read it a third time and take more notes, I guess. I think my frustration with this book comes from the fact that the book is basically very good but could have been better, easier to read and less self-conscious if Ms. Kane could have calmed down a bit and just used plain English instead of using terms like "score" for buy/purchase. While explaining what we may buy in port in Puerto Rico she states, "Rum. Don Q. Feel like a felon scoring 1.75 liter bottles at the muelle (pier) duty-free shops." The above annoyances would be insignficiant if they were not found so frequently in the book. However, don't let this stop you from buying it - this book is worth the price. I guess I'm conservative and don't like it when writing calls attention to itself so much. It should be seamless. I didn't find anything in this book to be funny..just annoyingly too cute and self-conscious.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you always wanted to know about cruising, November 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cruise Control (Paperback)

The irrepressible author finds all those nagging little questions about what to wear, how much to tip, where to find the shopping bargains, what to say when you meet the Captain and answers them with verve and style, and enough humor to make even the most timid cruiser confident and comfortable.

If you want the lowdown on what's in store for you on your first cruise, or if you're a veteran cruiser looking for ways to make the whole adventure even more enjoyable, this is the book for you. Kane is knowledgeable and experienced, and willing to share what she knows. If there is anything wrong with the book, it's not long enough. I wanted to hear more about the author's adventures.