Cruise Vacations For Dummies 2004 [Paperback]

Fran Wenograd Golden (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dummies Travel | Publication Date: September 12, 2003

With tons of great cruises to the Caribbean, Alaska, the Mediterranean, and scores of other locations, choosing the right cruise vacation can be tough. Thankfully, this freshly updated and friendly guide covers all the major cruise lines and ports of call, and offers all the smart tips you need to make sure your cruise comes off in style. Inside you’ll find:

• A guide for finding the ideal cruise for any lifestyle
• Descriptions of all the cruise lines and what they have to offer
• Specialized cruising, including sailboats and luxury lines
• Fun onboard activities
• Special advice for those with young children
• Dealing with customs, regulations, and taxes

Like every For Dummies travel guide, Cruise Vacations For Dummies includes:

• Down-to-earth trip-planning advice
• The best ships and packages for every budget
• Concise tips on sightseeing and shopping at ports of call
• Lots of detailed maps

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Your insider’s guide to the best cruise lines and values

Set sail on the right cruise for you

With scores of great cruises to the Caribbean, Alaska, and the Mediterranean, how do you choose one that’s right for you? Relax! The updated edition of this easy-to-understand guide is all you need to navigate the world of cruise vacations – and sail into the sunset.

Discover:

• Down-to-earth trip-planning advice
• The best ships and packages for every budget
• Concise tips on sightseeing and shopping at ports of call
• Dozens of detailed maps

About the Author

<b>Fran Wenograd Golden</b> writes about cruises and travel for the <i>Boston Herald</i> and Concierge.com, among other venues. She is also the author of <i>TVacations: A Fun Guide to the Sites, the Stars, and the Inside Stories Behind Your Favorite TV Shows</i> (Pocket Books, 1996), and coauthor of <i>Frommer&#8217;s Alaska Cruises &amp; Ports of Call</i> and <i>Frommer&#8217;s European Cruises &amp; Ports of Call</i>. Raised mostly in West Hartford, Connecticut, she lives north of Boston with her husband and two teenagers.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 552 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (September 12, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764538225
• ISBN-13: 978-0764538223
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,487,759 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crusing for Dummies is a Smart Book, October 21, 2002

By 

Birnbach "nbirnbach" (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cruise Vacations for Dummies 2003 (Paperback)

Growing up watching "The Love Boat," I was never interested in actually taking a cruise. But real-life cruises can be very different from that program -- and are not only for shuffle-board playing seniors or honeymooners or (as in every episode of "The Love Boat") comically bickering spouses. In fact, a cruise vacation can be a fun, easy way to travel. As the author notes, you can see lots of places, but only have to unpack once.

"Cruise Vacations for Dummies" provides great detail about everything you'd want to know about cruises (*but were afraid to ask), and provides so many useful tips that it's hard to summarize everything, but it includes information on how to make your cruise more romantic, how to plan a family-friendly cruise, even how to gamble, plus how to choose the best shore excursions -- whether you're planning a cruise in the Caribbean, Alaska, the Mediterranean, or a more remote destination -- and how much and whom to tip.

Unlike other cruise books, "Cruise Vacations for Dummies" serves as a kind of Consumer Reports on cruising with its objective reviews of the major cruise lines, their fleet, itineraries, food, entertainment, atmosphere, and cabin choices. In fact, whether you're considering a top-of-the-line experience, like on a Seabourn or Windstar, a popular-priced cruise, like on a Carnival, or a cruise to Alaska (Holland America) or to an alternative destination, like Antarctica, the reviews are great for first-timers and for experienced cruisers, alike.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Overview of Cruising, July 15, 2005

By 

Lisa Shea "medieval swordfighting enthusiast" - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Cruise Vacations For Dummies 2005 (Dummies Travel) (Paperback)

The For Dummies series covers just about every topic that exists, and cruising is no exception. Learn about cruising from the ground up with this informative book.

I have a number of books about cruising, and each has its strengths and weaknesses. Cruise Vacation is a great overview of what cruising is all about, with information given on the most commonly used ports and destinations. There's also a page or two on each main cruise line and what its strengths and weaknesses are.

The beginning of the book goes over the basics - passport and documentation, what to expect on a cruise ship, how you pay your bills, what duty-free is all about, and so on. The next section helps you compare the cruise lines, describing each main line and providing comparison charts of the typical rates for the ship and the fleet's specifications. They update the Dummies book each year, so make sure you get a current book to get valid rates.

The rest of the book - almost the second half of the book - is taken up with descriptions of the various port towns and destinations. If you're leaving from Tampa, for example, you can see maps of the area and learn about interesting things to do before you sail off. You can read through the descriptions of the various destinations and see which ones appeal to you, and start to prioritize your choices.

Where some other books are sure to point out the bad AND good of the locations and ships, Dummies seems much more oriented towards always talking up the good. This makes it less of a "consumer reports" and more of a "promotion of the cruise industry". Cruise descriptions include "outstanding features" and "super deals" - but not any listing of what to watch out for. The very few times they give warnings, they are of the quite obvious kind - i.e. Disney cruises are full of kids, and honeymooners seeking romance should be aware of this.

Still, the book gives a great overview, and is well recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars Cruise Vacation GUide, May 26, 2009

By 

Yorkie (Floral Park, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cruise Vacations for Dummies 2001 (Paperback)

This is a must have for any first time cruiser and a continued resource for experienced cruisers. The information contained in this book is very useful and valuable.