When you board a cruise ship, you enter into an experience that will be your world for as long as you've signed on. The food you eat, the diversions you choose, the rooms you live in, and the people you meet will all be somewhat predetermined by the cruise line you select. Making the right choice means more than finding the best price and itinerary. It's worth putting in a bit of time and forethought to select the ambience that most suits your traveling style.
Toward this goal, Frommer's 2000 Caribbean Cruises and Ports of Call is a remarkably informative tome. It has everything and then some. It covers every ship that sails the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Panama Canal, as well as what to see in ports of embarkation (such as Miami, Tampa, New Orleans, and Fort Lauderdale) and ports of call from Antigua to St. John. Equally as important, the organizational devices are superb, making it easy to sort through the potentially overwhelming options. It covers when to go, where to go, and choosing the right ship whether you're single and looking to meet someone, a family with children to consider, a pair of honeymooners, or a couple celebrating your 50th anniversary. There's also a useful chapter on getting a good price and a chapter on cruise logistics that can spare you some unpleasant surprises.
In addition, there are lists of Frommer Favorites (best luxury cruises, most romantic cruises, best party cruises, best cuisine, etc.), a chapter on soft-adventure lines and sailing ships, an appendix with price comparisons and sample calendars and menus, as well as an online directory that lets you access relevant Internet sites. A week on the wrong ship can be hell. Using Frommer's 2000 Caribbean Cruises practically insures that you'll find the sort of cruise you had in mind. --Stephanie Gold
