Cruise-Ships Books

I love cruising and reading mysteries about cruising. On recommendations from other cruise enthusiasts' I downloaded Dressed to Keel to my Kindle. I couldn't be more delighted with this book and Candy Calvert's writing.
The background and setting is fun and entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Calvert's descriptions of cruising and the ports of calls. The characters are interesting, totally believable and witty. The story itself was well written and easy to follow. Ms. Calvert has the ability to combine romance, mystery and action very well.
If you're looking for a fun, lighthearted mystery, download this today. I personally can't wait to read the next book in the series on my Kindle.

I think the Frommer's series of guidebooks is terrific, and this definitely has more good Caribbean-specific info than any other book. But it's not as detailed or critical as the general Berlitz guide, so you should check that out too.

Insight Guides usually are good for preparation for a trip but not so good for the nitty gritty of the trip. In the case of Caribbean Cruises however, this book worked well to choose which things to target in our one day per island off the boat.

This book is mostly for teenage kids traveling by cruise to Alaska; however it gives adults quick and easy info as well. It covers all you can do in Alaska. It is simple to read and understand and very informative. It offers many ideas and tips to be prepare. It has fun activities at the end of the chapters and many web sites to get more info or resources. It ends with a chapter about Vancouver and Seattle and a mini diary for the kids to record their adventure. I used it to prepare my 4 and 6 years old children while on the trip. We all learned a lot.

"The Piranha Syndrome" is an entertaining combination of geography, travel, seamanship, and intrigue on an Amazon River boat cruise. It is based on an actual cruise with a murder mystery superimposed. It is both factual and fictional and a skillful presentation of a typical cruise with a fanciful twist.

My husband is also a master mariner (sea captain) although with three small children, we have yet to join him out at sea. This was a fun read to gain insight into life of a merchant mariner couple. . .and so much of it rang true, given the stories my husband shares with me. It's a very different life filled with people from all walks of life. You never know who you'll meet, what you'll see or experience! We hope to have a the whole family out for a few months within the next year. Thanks for the insight!

I am really stunned and fairly insulted by the lackluster quality of this book. I know Mitchard can do ten times better than this. Yet, she doesn't. The dialogue is redundant and often cryptic. The pacing (at least in the first half) is sluggish. The characters are either boring or downright mean. Some paragraphs read like first-draft jumbles that I have to re-read two or three times to understand.

All this and I haven't even finished it yet. I don't think I will.

I'm sad that she didn't try harder to edit this and make it more reader-friendly. When spending $15 on a brand new book, I expect someone's best effort.

Remember when the teacher told you to "never judge a book by its cover?" Now I do, but when I bought this book I did not. I report to you that I paid the consequences by reading a book fraught with errors and improbabilities making the suspension of disbelief impossible.

The plot sounds intriguing, four middle aged friends plan a Caribbean holiday aboard a crewed charter. The back cover promises us a "desparate fight for survival" as the women "battle the elements, the threats of modern day piracy, and their own frailties." Sounds intriguing enough to occupy a summer's afternoon or two on the annual cruise. As I began to read the book, the first words I read were in the Acknowledgements, it was then that I realized my afternoon might not go so well. Mitchard writes, "This is a work of fiction. The author is neither a sailor nor a geographer [uh-oh], and the events described in this book might not have happened exactly how and when where they did in the fictional world. [huh?]" If these events did not happen in the fictional world, where did they happen? One thing for certain, the author spends the next 300 or so pages proving that she is neither a sailor nor a geographer. Heck, I don't think she every looked a map of the Caribbean! And when was the last time you "yanked on your jib?" Before roller furling, I always hanked on my jib. Or perhaps this was a Freudian slip?

To be certain, the plot was interesting, the characters ones with which you could identify (especially if you're a middle aged woman), and the writing skilled enough to build sufficient tension to keep the reader reading. But, and here's a big but, if you're a sailor, if you have some knowledge of the Caribbean, you will repeatedly stumble over the inaccuracies in the book and in the story. It didn't need to be this way, if Mitchard had only done her homework a little better. If only her editor had given the book to a sailor before publishing. If only Mitchard had gone down to the Chicago Yacht Club and asked for some advice, we'd have a better story for sailors and everyone else. The errors are many, detracting from what could have been a great story. And then there are the loose ends, dangling like participles from a poorly formed sentence and too numerous to report here.

If only I had remembered my teacher's lesson.

Dave Lochner
NauticalReads

I listened to the book over a three week period. At first, it was a bit dull in the set-up of the main characters. Once however, the women go on their boat trip, the pace picks ups significantly. I couldn't wait to listen each day on my commute to and from work. Some elements were predictable while others did surprise me. This book doesn't get a five star review as some of the characters and storyline are rather predictable and fit a stereotype.

For example, the pirates are introduced early in the story, with the two men from South America as hideous individuals, reinforcing every bad story we have ever heard or read about criminals. It is obvious to the reader that the women and the pirates will have an encounter and that it will not be a good one. What Mitchard does well though is throw in some unexpected twists and turns within these predictable scenes, that kept me focused on how it would all end.

Overall, a good listen. Not sure how it is to read. Some other reviews have not been favorable in the book format.

I liked the book a lot and it was a nice semi-lurid read, but some of it bugged me (SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT):

1) Too much about the characters' beauty or former beauty or weight gain or fact that it was good that one wasn't delusional enough to dare to wear a bikini on their PRIVATE boat trip due to that "extra 20 pounds." Obsessive self-hatred much?
2) The whole pirates thing? Intriguing, but I didn't buy it. I liked the young American guy's story, but I just didn't believe for a minute that they would have been able to fend off rapists, sorry. And this part of the story read for all the world like a bad "romance" novel complete with lecherous swarthy men and enticing, duplicitous swinging of hips.

That's all I got!

Warning - hints about the book, maybe even outright spoilers!

Jacquelyn Mitchard has written an adventure on the sea involving old school friends and a daughter. When four old school friends schedule an adventure in the Carribean, one wimps out, and the teen daughter of one takes her slot on the boat staffed by two owner/operators. What happens next was riveting enough to keep me up one night reading, and overall, I enjoyed this book. It is not, however, perfect. Olivia turns out to be extremely narcissistic, and somehow the other friends hadn't figured that out yet. The friend left behind in the beginning, Janis, becomes a little over-the-top in her adventure at the end - for example, wouldn't she have gone to her surviving friends instead of hauling a boat back to St. Thomas? The surprise twist was seen way, way too early, so the surprise factor was lost. In one part of the book, the wrong character name was used. Still, this book was fun, and entertaining, and deserves three stars.

I must echo the comments of others about the shortcomings of this book. While not every author can be Alice Walker, there were just too many flaws--underdeveloped characters; more descriptions of clothing than about the characters; awkward and misguided metaphors; little or no character motivation; and some of the most grossly detailed, unromantic, and all-too frequent descriptions of sex I have ever read...and I'm no prude. It was sad that the author could describe a pair of pumps in more sensual detail than a sexual interlude. Worst of all, a tragic incident on the ship gets waved away and then lost in the turgid, tangent-filled dialogue. There were even misspellings. The book read like a sixth-rate imitation of Waiting to Exhale. There are just too many good African American writers in this genre--take Connie Briscoe, for instance--to accept substandard fare such as this.

at first when i started reading this book i thought it would really disappoint me. But when i really started reading it, i couldn't for the life of me, put the book down. I just loved it. Even though i didn't like when kelly (one of the characters) left her husband for another woman. Other then that, i loved this book and i'm looking forward to read her other books.

I enjoyed the book. Mia and Miles have been in a relationship for 3 years and in her mind the relationship is not going where she feels it should be. Miles seems to avoid commitment like it's a plauge, will the adventures of the cruise be enough to show him what he has in Mia or will it take another man that's after Mia's attention to open his eyes.

A book about love on the high seas. I enjoyed the book from cover to cover, it is a great book. A writer with great vision.

This book is a great source of entertainment about a group of singles and couples from the Los Angeles area that embark on a vacation of a lifetime aboard a black owned cruise liner called The Chocolate Ship. This book took me on an enchanting ride that shocked me at times, made me laugh, want to book a cruise, and wish I was the one on the other end of that romance scene! This book entails "call your girls up drama", comedy, heart-touching poetry, and a lovely surprise ending. Marissa Monteilh provides a stimulating journey of fun, daring and exciting twists. Take this journey for yourself. You'll love...The Chocolate Ship-

I loved the first two books in this series. The third was not as good but readable. Now ,this one is completely overboard!

Ms Hunter needs to interview a tour guide. They don't wear white capris and cropped black tee shirts! They don't go off and chat with their ex husbands. They stay with the group and offer those who paid for the trip help 24/7.

Jackie and Nana need to start their own series and throw Emily overboard!

Maddy Hunter is a writer with much potential - which is rapidly being wasted. Her first two "Passport to Peril" mysteries, "Alpine for You" and "Top O' the Mournin'" were good, especially "Top O' the Mournin'". The third book, "Pasta Imperfect" was mediocre at best - very juvenile. But "Hula Done It" is downright unreadable. It is not only filled with enough "brand product references" to be an infomercial, it is boring and strained. Like something the advertising department at the publishing house cranked out according to a tired formula.

Maddy Hunter writes the" passport to Peril" mystery series. This one by far, was my favorite! Talk about laugh out loud? Just picturing this bunch of cronies on this cruise made me laugh.
I really do believe they should make this book into a movie!
It would be hilarious. In order to understand what I am talking about... you are going to have to read this book.
If you like humorous mystery books, this fits the bill.

Every one of this series has been a fun, happy read. Well plotted. Goofy characters, some quite believable. The writing is sprightly without even a hint of self-consciusness. No faux anything here. Just a fun, whacky cozy. I save these books for plane trips...they dull the pain.

The 'cliffhanger' was terribly disappointing, I admit. But the storyline was still good, with interesting characters and a good mystery. I'm concerned that the romantic quality of the series is showing strain, but the individual mysteries and good characters make up for it. Still worth reading, but nothing truly amazing (I still highly recommend the first three books, however). I hope the next book is more in line with the first three, and is less like the slightly disappointing fourth.

But while it's fun, it is predictable ~~ and like another reviewer in this book, I did skip to the end to find out just what ex-wife was the target of her ex-husband's killing wish. The first five chapters were way drawn out ... and don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading Heller's books as she has a knack of making me laugh, but this one is not a best-seller by any means. All it did was convince me not to go on a cruise for another year. (Just kidding!)

It is your typical chick flick reading. It's fun, sassy and cute. It's about three Blond Mice, AKA Jackie, Pat and Elaine, who go on annual vacations together since their ex-husbands left them. Jackie is the typical man-hungry woman who wants nothing more than to flirt with every male. Pat is the housewife who still pines away for her ex. Elaine is the typical businesswoman with no desire to ever pursue the romantic path again. This year, they decided to go on a cruise. Elaine loses her luggage so was forced to wear the glitzy gift shop wardrobe till her more elegant clothes are on board. (Now, that is funny, hearing the descriptions of the glitzy clothes ...) Elaine also happens to overhear two men talking about murdering a man's ex-wife. Panic ensues. Well, sorta. It was hard to get worked up over it since this book wasn't going anywhere fast.

All ends well ~~ of course ~~ and everyone finds love again.

If you're looking for a quick read that is brainless, pick this one up. It is relaxing and will carry you through ~~ even through the slow moving parts. If you're not, forget picking this one up. There are way too many more interesting books out there to wade through!

1-14-07

The three forty-something friends with no men in their lives, Elaine Zimmerman, Pat Kovecky and Jackie Gault, have gone on several vacations together. Pat and Jackie decide that their trip ought to be a Caribbean cruise on The Princess Charming. Reluctantly the third amigo agrees though the sailing makes her nervous.

The trek starts off poorly for Elaine when she loses her luggage; she replaces her missing clothing by buying from the boutique sequined gowns that she must wear at all times. Elaine panics when she overhears someone planning to murder one of her buddies. She wonders which of the people at their table the killer is. She makes inquires hoping that is not Sam Peck, who she likes, but how could it be the elderly couple too busy having sex to kill anyone or the stockbroker and his wife too busy shopping and avoiding sex to kill anyone.

Though the three female buddies are overly stereotyped, readers will enjoy this fine amateur sleuth romance due ironically because of the likable trio. Elaine is the prime star cruising for clues on who and why someone she dines with wants to kill one of her friends even as she wonders if a major suspect is at long last the love she has waited for over four decades to meet. Jane Heller writes a lighthearted romantic cruise mystery that is fun to read.

Harriet Klausner

Will the story never end? Dragging out the suspense didn't make this any better.

Elaine and her two friends Jackie and Pat take an annual divorcee's trip, and this year they are going on a luxury cruise. Elaine's luggage is lost and she is forced to don tacky cruise wear and sequined gowns (and the descriptions of these outfits are hysterical). When Elaine overhears a plot to murder a divorcee, she makes the leap to think it's one of her pals who's been targeted, particularly when Jackie becomes suddenly ill and Pat takes a mysterious fall down the stairs. Elaine wades through clues to find not only the culprit behind the plot, but his intended victim, and make no mistake - everyone from the geriatric couple and honeymooners to sexy tablemate Sam are suspects. Sam's presence makes Elaine wonder if swearing off relationships wasn't too hasty a decision.

Add equal parts "Dial M for Murder," "Love Boat," and "Murder She Wrote," then toss in every cruise ship caricature imaginable, and you have Heller's hysterical plot. While the story starts out slow, once the action and sleuthing begin on the high seas, hilarity ensues. Heller's grasp of irony and witty bantering is unsurpassed. My only complaint - Pat's constant mispronunciations - it was funny the first twelve times, but quickly became annoying.

Elaine, Pat, and Jackie are best friends that take a vacation with eachother every year since they met getting divorced. This year they decide to go on a cruise on the Princess Charming. Everything seems nice and normal at first, but then mysterious things start to happen.

First Elaine overhears a conversation from the boat trying to convince someone on land to let him not kill the mans ex-wife, then a note appears in Jackies state room saying that one of the three of the women would die. Then Jackie gets sick and Pat gets injured while on the ship. With the help of Elaines new boyfriend that she met on the cruise she investigates these occurences and is able in the nick of time to crack the case before one of the three of them is dead.

Great Book