Customer Reviews

Cruise Vacations for Mature Travelers

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This book is not about "old people" - it is instead an extremely well written and informative book for people who just happen to be over 50, who want to go on a cruise, and have a LOT of fun. To quote the author ... "For this book, mature travelers refers to adults who know what they want, both from a vacation and from life. Some overworked forty-year-olds want to prop up their feet and unwind for seven full days while the active retirees water-ski." You want to dance up a storm all night? He'll tell you the ships that offer that kind of nightlife. You don't want to be around children? He'll tell you that, too. The author walks you through the entire process of identifying the right type of cruise for your personality, which ships give special attention to the older person who is traveling with a spouse or alone; how to book one, how to prepare for one, what to do once on board, and finally an overview of the various cruise lines and ship profiles. I have purchased 5 books about cruising this past month from Amazon. Some I found a little bland; some were too hysterical and overwhelming in their detail. This one and the Berlitz book by Douglas Ward were the best for me. I felt Mr. Smith gave me all of the necessary details but in a writing style that was far more personal and interesting. Please don't let the title turn you off - I was worried about it too - this book is terrific!

I agree with the previous review; this book is a gem, whether you are a "mature traveler" or not. Written by a travel agent, it is very easy to read, yet provides a well organized briefing on everything that you need to consider in deciding upon, booking, and going on a cruise. When I bought the book we were very excited about the idea of doing a world cruise on one of the more luxurious lines...at great cost. After reading the book I have a much better appreciation of the various options available, and the strengths and weaknesses of each one. Had we gone directly to a travel agent without reading this first, their glowing enthusiasm (driven by the prospect of a big commission with relatively little work) might have led us to book first and do our research later. Instead I feel like I have just had the chance to spend a couple of days with a very knowledgeable, patient agent, running through all the things we need to consider, and making us much more savvy about what to expect. For the record, I am not a newbie traveler, having taken over 300 flights a year in my consulting life...but I don't have extensive sea cruising experience. Although the book was written in 2001 I found it still very current. In particular, the summaries of the various cruise lines and what they offer seemed to be very relevant and useful, even if it did not list the most recently built ships. Bottom line: $10.00 and several hours spent with this book should return rich rewards in helping you sort through the maze of cruise offerings to find the right one for you, and then get your money's worth.