Customer Reviews

Cruise Control

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

How do you chill beer in your stateroom? What's the secret of the Giant Tote Bag? What do you do with the Waiter from Hell? How do you avoid being the Purser's New Best Friend? All the questions you never thought of, plus all the questions you did, presented in a breezy style guaranteed to make you feel like signing up for a cruise tomorrow. So funny you'll enjoy reading it whether or not you're planning a cruise, invaluable if you are. And hey, I just found out I don't really need that tux.

Pamela Kane has produced a "keeper" with her knowledgeable and refreshingly-humorous how-to book, "Cruise Control." This book is not about how to select the perfect ship, but how to survive "pre-cruise panic" and ensure that your cruising experience will be an enjoyable one - starting at home, and continuing once you're aboard. Her clever writing style adds some spice to the usually-bland library of books about cruise ships and cruising. For example, I laughed so hard I almost fell out of my chair while reading one of her innovative suggestions for ensuring that your window on the promenade deck is not made from two-way glass. My wife and I have been on 11 cruises, and most of Ms. Kane's suggestions read like they came from our own mouths. She's "right on!" This book should be mandatory reading (and studying) for first-time cruisers, and even those with many sailings behind them can find some new information and glean some helpful tidbits from this witty paperback. It belongs in every cruiser's library!

Those of you who have been fortunate enough to be frequent readers of Prodigy's Travel Bulletin Boards have seen many postings by the author of this book. Pamela is known for her witty outlook on the vagaries of travel, especially on cruise ships. She has brought her many years of experience into print for all of us.

If you're new to cruising this book will tell you just about everything you need to know about the subject. If you're an old hand you'll chuckle and nod as Pamela covers situations which we've all encountered.

Where was this book when we needed it?

Imagine that your best girlfriend is an experienced cruiser, and you a cruise virgin who needs a hand for your first voyage. Naturally, you'd call her and steam up the phone lines with a long chat about what to wear, how to pack, and what to do if the seas get rough!

And that's just what you'll get in this fun, fast, conversational book full of down-to-earth and entertaining advice. I've taken four cruises, and consider myself experienced, but this book taught me a lot that I didn't know.

I'm glad I read it before my next one! If you or a friend plans a cruise, you can't miss with Kane's fast-paced, chummy manual; CRUISE CONTROL.

Pam tells me just what I need to do to go on a cruise. I am a 'groupie' of sorts when it comes to Pam's publications. I could never have endured this past cruise to Bermuda if it wouldn't have been for Pam, as her advice and hilarious tidbits helped me excessively. I read all of Pam's publications in Porthole Magazine. She's so entertaining to read. If you are planning a cruise, Pam's new book for a first time as well as a travelled veteran is a MUST!

This is a great book especially for first time "cruisers." She explains EVERYTHING from packing, shore excursions, money exchanging, etc. --all those things that one can become stressed about especially if this is your first cruise. If you are not a first time "cruiser," this book is worth the price alone for just the information you gain to help you save on your next cruise. Best of all... it is fun reading.

For the first-time cruiser, this book could be considered a necessity. But I'm betting that even experienced cruisers would find some useful information here.

One vital concern when booking a first cruise is "What kind of clothes will I need, and how can I pack it all in the allowable luggage?" With my own first cruise, Pam did her best to teach me these things via email. Once we were in our cabin, though, I had plowed through only about 2/3 of my belongings when I realized that Pam had not only unpacked and stowed all her gear, but had also freshened up a bit and was sitting on the balcony with her feet up enjoying a gin-and-tonic.

Pam Kane's Cruise Control is *such* a neat book -- you can not only get one for yourself, but its price is just right for picking up as a gift for that special friend who is planning a special first cruise. She presents her "what to know before you go" information in a manner reminiscent of those famous household hints books written by Heloise. Pam answers questions you might never have thought to ask, and she does so succinctly and with delicious humor.

I highly recommend Cruise Control - It's a perfect price, too, to buy one for you and one for that special friend who is planning a first-time cruise.