Cruise-Ships Books

Why does a man throw his life away? How strange can it get? A very different kind of thriller. Not always satisfying, but you can't look away.

Like others I bought the book on the strength of the recommenders.
I assumed it would be action packed but with a degree of mystery. That it would surprise me with unexpected but plausable turns in the road. It might even make me laugh in the process.
It did none of those things. It is predictable, slow and just boring.
The whole first 2 parts I am wondering when will the story start?
The characters were so confusing. In many places I had no clue who was speaking and saying what. I still have never figured out the thing Fontana had on Manny and Kip. I think. Never made sense.
A lot of the terminology is not really explained. You egt the impression the writer doesnt really knwo much about cruise ships, but pretended to be detailed. The details were not very descriptive.

The ending is horrible. Huge holes. A person will have a huge home on the water, and no alarm? Fontana meeting up with them again, is so nuts. The entire relationship between Matt and Julia was just perverted and stupid. She knew those things, and still did what she did?? yuck!

I was so upset when i closed this book. i wanted my money back.

I have to agree with the people who didn't like this book. The glowing reviews of it must be coming from people working for the publisher or friends of the author. There were some interesting parts and it had great story potential, but there were holes in the plot the size of a cruise ship! A couple of small irritating things like attributing a line of dialogue to the wrong character during the main heist you could probably overlook, but the last two chapters of this book are just plain intolerable. These people are wanted and they are driving around a small town in the car the cops are looking for! With a trailer on the back! The ending itself is just lazy and bizarre. This guy knows he's being followed, has two guns available and doesn't even think to maybe try and kill them first??? And I'm still not even sure HOW it ended. I guess it was supposed to be some sort of twist, but why? She could have taken everything and left when she went the first time. Why even come back? I liked the short story about the cannibals more than the rest of the book. It was at least interesting and somewhat amusing even for a tale about cannibals. I do hate the ending was so bad though. I could have tossed it in my pile of paperbacks to sell at the yard sale if the main character had half the smarts at the end that he had in the other twenty-some chapters. But I'm afraid this one goes in the dumpster.

"Fever," the debut of author Sean Rowe, is an engaging heist novel in the tradition of Elmore Leonard and the film "Ocean's 11." It's a fast, fun and funny romp through South Florida that makes for an ideal late-summer book.

Its lead character is a former FBI agent working as head of security for the world's largest cruise line. When his stepbrother arrives on the scene and blackmails him into helping out with a plot to hijack a cruise ship (which is conveniently carrying a fortune in drug money), his already disappointing life takes a turn for the worse.

"Fever" has plenty of action and a nicely twisted plot. What really distinguishes it, though, is the author's way with characters and his ability to make these flawed people both human and sympathetic. That is the sign of a gifted writer.

I got this book based on all the glittering stars and glowing reviews on this site. After having tortured myself by sticking with it to the inept end, I can only conclude that there must have been a tear in the fabric of the universe letting through the readers of Bizzaro world to write them, because this book stank. The premise sounded intriguing, but the actual plot, and I use the term very loosely here, was dull, had poor focus and little substance. The ending read like the author suddenly tired of writing the book and just abruptly finished it off. Instead of a mastermind, Mission impossible like plan that would actually be needed to take a major cruise liner, especially after the Achille Lauro, this book describes essentially a walk onto the ship that you'd have to be brain dead to believe. Fast paced? Unh,unh. Thriller? I don't think so. Put this on your 'avoid' list.

I started the series in the middle, and just had to get the ones that I missed. I found this on to be one of the better books in the series.

I started reading this author with Talk Nerdy to Me and My Nerdy Valentine. This book is not nearly as funny as the earlier two, but if you loved Some Like It Hot, with Marylin Monroe and Tony Curtis - or if you liked the musical Some Like it Hot, you'll be amused by this book and its tributes to that great film. As with her other stories, there are some very funny secondary characters. In this story, it is a cross-dressing mobster. In her previous stories, the heroes have been stockbroker, and an engineer. In this one, it is a fledgling Private Investigator. The herione is a make-up artist, who is a Marylin Monroe look-alike once you get her to do something with her hair and take her glasses off!

Just like the title says, I love the nerd books. These are not a series, so yo can pick up anyone of them and start reading. They are a light hearted, funny, quick read.

On one level, I really did enjoy the book, but on another, it was just average.

The first VLT book I read was her third Nerd book, Nerd Gone Wild, which I absolutely adored. It was just such a new, unique concept. Most romance books tend to have perfect hero and heroines, but in the Nerd books, VLT gives you some nerdy traits. They're not hardcore nerds, the guys still have some alpha-male traits, and the females are still sexy and pretty. They're just geeky. It's still a great concept. I also enjoy VLT's writing. She writes some great sex scenes, and her language is very readable and fitting modern young adults. The characters think and talk like your average young person. It's nice to read. Plus, she's got a great sense of humor.

So I loved Nerd Gone Wild and went and got her two previous Nerd books, and since then have bought her next ones as soon as they came out. And while I enjoyed all of them, for the most part, the uniqueness wears off, and the whole idea gets a little old. Even so, Nerds Like It Hot was still pretty fun to read. This book, and the Nerd series as a whole, are just fun, light-hearted reads.

Character and romance wise on this one, I don't really have any complaints. I liked all the characters, and the romance - while not particularly cute or sappy - was nice. I believed the chemistry between them. The plot made sense and worked. I loved the whole Nerd-themed cruise idea and how she worked it into the book. That was fantastic. I wouldn't have minded more of that part of the story. And all the supporting characters were great. I loved Cora.

I had perhaps two complaints overall with the book. The first being the lack of any sort of guessing as to who was after Gillian. You know right off the bat who the bad guy is, and you know exactly how he plans to go after her. VLT even does POV scenes with the bad guy that let you know before hand exactly how he plans to attack her. It took any suspense out of the book. I think it would have worked better if she'd been more vague in that area so that the readers had more to ponder and guess about. And I could have done without all those in-depth scenes about the antagonist's activities

My second complaint is just a preference for me. I would have liked to see more down-time scenes between Gillian and Lex. Most of their time together was very specific and generally plot or sex oriented. They didn't have any sort of casual scenes where they just talked to each other or got to know each other. I think if they'd done that, it would have made the possibility of a lasting relationship between Gillian and Lex make just a bit more sense because really, a lot of their relationship was based on some heavy-duty sexual chemistry. If they'd known each other more thoroughly, I would have minded the ending quite so much, or thought it was just a little too abrupt.

Basically, and enjoyable, fun read. Probably what someone would call a "beach read". It's not meant to be serious or plot-y. It's hot and funny with a smidge of suspense. If you've read any of her other Nerd books, you'll like this one.

I liked this book and love the series but this book just isn't as good as the others. I'm not going to write a plot summary because so many others have already wrote it. However, I will say that the characters didn't really connect. I didn't feel like that were that well developed. I felt that the plot just wasn't that good and there was no mystery about anything. I didn't like how it just wrapped up in a nice little package in about 20 pages. I do still like the concept and will read her next book about Valentine's Day but if this continues maybe the series has just ran its course. I would recommend the other books in this series.

I love the series, sadly the television series is not out on DVD. many of the more recent stories are also hard to get and not in print in the US.
It took me awhile to find this copy.
The best part about Lovejoy is the antiques and Gash's profound knowledge and his artful way of weaving real history into the mix.
I love the series and hope for many more to come.

I much enjoyed the TV series based on Lovejoy and his crew, largely because I enjoyed the rural English locations and the portrayals by excellent English character actors. So I expected this, the first of Gash's books to come to hand, to be equally clever and to the point. Not so. I found the characters too numerous and not particularly well developed, save for Lovejoy himself. And since much of the yarn takes place on a cruise ship, there are no locations to speak of. The frequent lapses into technical talk about how to identify various items were pretty tedious, although I expect antiques hunters would enjoy them. And anyway, if Lovejoy is a "divvy" who spots the real item by instinct, why has he bothered to learn so much technical stuff anyway, and why hasn't he put his gift of divination to more lucrative use? Instead, he seems to get by as a not-too-successful forger/thief/con artist who's primary goal is sleeping with women. He seems not the sort of scholar who's going to master a wealth of arcane minutiae.

This book is a real smasher. We have Lovejoy at his very best here. And the setting that Gash has set this book in is quite wonderful. And the women! Lovejoy has a whole string of quite wonderful women in his orbit this time. Lovejoy is on the lam again, and while he's hiding out in Southampton he gets hijacked onto an ocean cruise to Russia that includes all points north. He's living the high life on the cruise, and he meets all kinds of weird and wonderful people, but it takes him a while to determine why he was shanghaied and what this group of crooks need him for. But never fear. The irrepressible Lovejoy lands on his feet and he'll be around to deal with other outrageous adventures.

I had high hopes for this book, the first Lovejoy mystery, after enjoying the character on tv and being an antiques buff. The book drew me in right away and I really enjoyed the first third or so. Then after repetitious scenes (escape, capture, escape, capture, on and on) and the introduction of a dozen minor characters that come and go without a meaningful role or purpose, I got bored. I finished it out of determination and in the hope that there would be a wonderful denoument that would tie all together, but there was no big payoff; just a lot of preposterous happenings and vague explanations. My sense was that the author went on a cruise and put everyone he met on the cruise into a story, no matter how it all fit together.

I won't give up on Gash though (Lovejoy's a great character and the writing has an enjoyable tone) and have an ealier Lovejoy mystery I'm hoping will be more like the beginning of The Ten Word Game, all the way through.

I would read this book just for the words - words I've never seen before, juicy new words, almost none of which appear in my dictionary since they turn out to be British slang. I fall for British writers the way some people fall for accents. "Black hair fungated above his straining belt." "Benjie would marmalise me if I so much as looked at Gloria." "Once a boxer, he looks a real gent and wears a monocle, very Brigade of Guards, waistcoated, suit, George boots, a toff." "Rob the Hermitage, join this gaggle of duckeggs enacting a crazy Priscilla-of-the-Lower-Third dream?" "A crocodile of passengers," "I wittered, a perfect prat," "a mingy three pieces of toast ... a manky plate of toast," "I said, gormless," "scarpering through undergrowth...." How can you not like a book abounding with such charms?

The book has even more pleasures, chief among them antiques and art forgery. Lovejoy is a "divvy," someone who can divine true antiques by nearly fainting when he's in their presence. He's used this talent for a career just sort of definitely almost barely (his words) this side of the law. He is drawn against his will into a mysterious caper involving the Hermitage and a shipful of antique enthusiasts, almost none of whom can recognize a real antique from a fake. The mystery never completely resolves, a flaw that can be overlooked since it's secondary to the local color in the book. Occasional forays into the history of amber, pottery, wicker chairs and other antiques are a lot of fun, and Lovejoy is quite a storyteller. Is it true that Elvis once entered an Elvis impersonator contest and lost?

I appreciate Jim's experience as a cruise director or entertainer but I didn't get enough info on where I would fit in aboard ship with my skills. I just didn't feel confident this would help me-still researching.

would appreciate some more informtion regarding jobs for Indians in cruise. Any information from the user would be greatly appreciated for a job seeker in cruise.

Working the cruise line industry for many years, I had a chance to meet Mr. Ross and got to read first hand, his latest 2000 edition. I was very impressed by the updated information his book provides. The cruise industry is always changing and Mr. Ross has done well in keeping up with the various changes. Everything is laid out nicely with easy step by step techniques. Want a job that pays you to travel the world...get the book!

I found the contents of this book to be vage and to be perfectly honest it did little to help me. I say this from the point of view of someone who had never worked in the industry. Obviously if you have experience in the Hospitality industry it will be a help but then again if you have such experience all you need is the correct contact information. In the end I did get a Job on board a ship but this was thanks to information I got from another book which i Will not mention, but overall I was dissapointented with this publication.

This is the only book on Cruise Lines that can give you up to the minute information. I ordered countless books about how to be hired in the industry. Until I found Jim Ross I wasn't getting anywhere. After submitting my resume to the Jim Ross standards, I was hired two weeks later by Norwegian Cruise Lines. I recieved countless offers, but I jumped for the first one that came my way. I so far been on one contract with the company and going on another. Now that I have the experience I am ready to conquer other companies. Thanks to Jim Ross.

Playing for Keeps, a suspenseful book with murders, adventure, and some fun, is about a fourteen-year-old girl, Julia. Julia meets a boy, Ricky, tall, dark, and handsome, on a cruise ship. They become good friends. Her grandma who was as old as dirt is on the cruise for a shuffleboard tournament. She wants Julia to meet another boy. Julia's friend, who came with her, has met Ricky and has been spending a lot of time with him lately. Julia is starting to get jealous. One day when the kids were in the teen lounge, an announcement came on the loudspeaker, which stated that they were at the paradise island of Cozumel. They got out and toured the busy city; they noticed a lot of busses and trams. The scent of diesel fuel clogged their noses as they headed back towards the ship.
Once on, the buzz was getting around that a crewmember, first mate to be exact, was killed off the coast. The body was recovered in fishing net. Ricky's uncle was suspected of the murder. "It was a lefty with a light blue pocketed shirt," said the night watch. Julia was trying to help Ricky and his uncle to be innocent, but secrets are unveiled that might make it impossible. Is Ricky really who he says he is? Did his uncle commit the crime? Why is he suspected? Read on and find out. Playing for Keeps is a fiction book, for adventure readers. You can never be too careful.

Playing for Keeps!! I think playing for keeps was a good story but is wasnt my style at all.

There is a girl her name Rose Ann she sixteen years old. Her gradmother Golry calls her and asks her if she can go on a caribbean cruise.She doesnt want to hurt her grandmothers feeling she she says that she will go with her.Then her grandmother tells her that they are going to play poker tornament.Then she see's a boy his name is Ricky Deiago he was also sixteen. Well they were hanging out for awhile.then they seen people following them around the boat .Grandmother Glory was following them around like a hawk. Then one day her grandmother approached then and said " I hate to say this but we are playing them in 10 mins im sorry Rose" well i cant tell you the end you will have to read it and FIND OUT!!

Thid book is good but not for me!!!!

The book I read and liked very much, was called gPlaying For Keeps.h I bet you already knew this authorfs name, and his name is Joan Lowery. I think he writes books that has narrative hook, which means grabs readerfs attention, and make our feelings gWants to read more and more.h Playing For Keeps is a book, which is a fiction story, and it is adventure, and mystery.
It is a book about teenage girl named Rose, and went to the cruise by ship with her grandma, and grandmafs friend, and her friendfs grandson, Nick. At the ship, Rose will meet the boy, Ricky. From the day they met, they are in love. But Ricky is in danger, because he just escaped from Cuba, and the Cuban government is searching for him. If somebody from Cuban government finds him, they will take him back to Cuba, and the punishment---to kill him. And, there is another problem. The captain was killed on the ship, and when police found him, he was holding blue t-shirtfs pocket. They start searching for the people who have the blue shirts which has ripped on the pocket part.
Do you think Rose and her friends, can solve who killed the captain and help Ricky???
I think this book has lot of strength, because again, it has narrative hook, and it has lot of mysteries. I donft think it doesnft have any weakness, but I donft recommend this book to the children who are 2nd or 3rd grade, because it might make little kids scared, because one of the characters are killed by someone.
I recommend to boys and girls and adults, but I really recommends to the teenage girls, because the main character is a teenage girl, and I think you can feel the same feeling as main character.
I am pretty sure that you will enjoy this book, and thank you so much for reading about gPlaying for the Keeps,h one of my favorite books in the world.

PLAYING FOR KEEPS, by Joan Lowery Nixon, was about Rose Ann Marstead, a sixteen-year old girl who went on a cruise with her grandmother, Glory. Traveling with Glory's friend, Eloise, and Eloise's grandson Neil, Rosie discovered a mystery on the ship. She met a Cuban, Ricky Diago, who feld Cuba and was trying to reach American soil. After two murders, in which Ricky was suspected, Rosie was determined to prove him innocent.

I could probably relate closer to Rosie than any of the other characters. Although I have never helped solve any murder cases, I have felt some of the same things she felt. Before Rosie left, she got into a fight with her mom, and she felt bad the whole trip. She felt bad because she decided to go on the cruise with her grandmother, who, in her mother's eyes, always won. I also feel the same stress she felt of trying to please everyone with her decisions and the way things are handled.

I enjoyed PLAYING FOR KEEPS a great deal. It was an amusing mystery with a fun-loving story line. My favorite part of the book would have to be when Rosie began looking for clues as to who the actual murderer was. My least favorite part would be when Rosie and her mother fought because, although it added to the story, it was just a tiny aspect of it.

I would recommend this book to people. I would think that young teenagers, probably girls (it can get a little cheesy!), would enjoy this book the most. ALso, you should enjoy reading mysteries with a fun, cutesy twist. So all you young, teenage girls out there, just remember PLAYING FOR KEEPS, by Joan Lowery Nixon.

Playing for Keeps is a great book. It tells of 16 year old Rosa Marstead and her time on a cruise. Rosa first arrives, dazled at the size of the ship but she is still bored. Her grandmother, Glory is trying to fix Rosa up with the nerd of the century. That's when Rosa meets Ricky, a boy whose life is in danger. Ricky had escaped from Cuba and gone on the cruise in order to reach America and ask for asylum. Rosa finds love with Ricky but will this love last?
I loved this book. It tells a story that's similar to the classical love story. The only difference is, the guy can face a death penalty."'I am Ricky Diago. I don't believe we have met.'"
These were the first words that Rosa had ever herd from Ricky. That's besides the time when he stepped on her. He totaly caught her eye with that line though. She fell for him right there and then. She even forgets what she was going to do or ask him.
Suspician starts up on the cruis ship. This is another one of my favorite parts. Ricky is hidding when the Cuba's Republican is mudered. "'Isn't that your uncle?'" Rosa had asked Ricky this and he wasn't sure how to react. He studered and she found out. Not knowing what to do, he told her the whole thing. Starting from the time he escaped to the time he got on the cruise. This is just another one of my favorite parts. It's really hard to pick though.
My all time favorite part of this book was when they tricked the Cuban soldiers. Ricky was suppose to be in his room waiting for the Cuban soldiers but then Rosa and Neal found a way to get Ricky out of there. Neal actually turned out to be really nice and even more useful. It was totaly sweet of him to do that for Rosa and Ricky. He didn't even mind, and he had a crush on her too. He has a lot of guts and courage for a "nerd". He didn't even care about how much trouble he would get into.

This book is definitely not a keeper. Reading the synopsis gave it so much promise, but is was a let down. I kept reading waiting for it to gel for me and it never did. That Lola continued in the games she was being blackmailed into seem was like reading about continuous train wrecks. I finished, with a giant, That's It? I read 330 pages, for that? Save your money... If you still want to read it, rent it so you save your money.

Couldn't make up for my shock as our heroine fellate a young man in the lavatory immediately after he'd used it. What The!?! The agreement Lola made with Captain "Mind-Games" had worn thin by the time it became clear, she was being used and toyed with more so than sexually satisfied. Pfft, she should have just ponied up and paid the man, no matter what the final tally was after her shopping sprees. It's one thing to be a handsome man's willing sex slave, where seduction and pleasure are the rewards of passion and newly awakened desire. It's another to be made a fool of, and continue on after you've realized it. The saving grace of the book has to be Rio DeSilva. Who wouldn't love a handsome man that doesn't bed every willing female in his path?

Already on board the Caribbean fantasy cruise, Lola Wright finds her fiancé not only failed to make it on board the Aphrodite for their erotic pre nuptial pre-honeymoon that was to end in marriage, he took her money and maxed her credit. She has no means to pay for anything and offers to work her way at sea.

Pleased that her fiancé failed to show up as he likes what he sees, Greek Captain Skandalis agrees that Lola can pay for her stay on the Aphrodite. However, he also says the only available job is spending the voyage as his sexual fantasy; he swears he will help her also with achieving her desires. Though her sea legs feel shaky, Lola agrees to earn her keep as Skandalis' cruising lover.

Lola and the Captain are strong individuals who know what they want and go out to get it (why get cake and not eat it). However, in spite of their attraction from the start and her desperation, some readers will be turned off by their sex peddling deal that turns him into an opportunist "John" and her into his whore. Morality aside, they make a fascinating couple due to the encounters between two robust ardent characters in an interesting exotic locale as ALL NIGHT LONG is not enough for either of them. Fans of erotic romance will appreciate the steamy nights on the Caribbean.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Dee S. Knight of Missouri Romance Writers

Lola Wright is getting married on a very romantic, adults cruise. Yes, finally, she's convinced her long-time lover and financial adviser, Dennis Fletcher, to tie the knot while enjoying a sensual trip through the Caribbean. She's sporting a big, ole diamond and cherry red, fingernail-polished nipples, and not much else as she watches the handsome captain of the ship explain the exciting activities she and Dennis can take part in. And she's hoping that when her fiancé returns to their cabin she can entice him to take part in a few activities the captain hadn't mentioned. BUT...

Instead of Dennis, Lola receives a note saying he's found his soul mate. And guess what, it's not her. He plans to stay on Aruba. Good bye. Good luck.

Dennis appears to be leaving not only with Lola's broken heart, but with her cash, credit cards, passport--everything but the diamond on her ring finger--which turns out to be as false as his commitment. As if things aren't bad enough, Dennis has wracked up a boatload of charges on the ship that the captain thinks Lola should pay back. No money? Well, there are other ways the lovely Lola can pay...

In All Night Long, Melissa McNeal delivers a romp on a cruise ship with lots of sexy happenings and a little romance. She sees no ports of call, but lots of the inside of a no-holds-barred nightclub, the captain's quarters, the staff pool, the bathroom, the... You get the picture. Poor Lola. Poor sexually-satisfied-in-every-way Lola. Does she pay off her debt? Does she ever get the chance to visit Grenada or any other slice of Caribbean paradise? Well, if she wants to. After all, whatever Lola wants, Lola gets.

If there ever were a book that could vie for the title of "Bible on Cruising", I would readily put forth Ocean Cruising by Douglas Ward. It is without a doubt the most definitive guide to the subject I have ever seen. I did not use the word "read" because this is truly a reference manual to be used for research and fact-finding and not as a bedtime novel. It is a true encyclopedia of detailed information on just about every aspect of passenger ships sailing the seas today.

What is significant and unique about this book is that it not only covers the subject of traveling by ship but it outlines every last detail of some 256 cruise ships worldwide. In addition, this "bible" provides complete details of the companies that own the ships as well as every facility, activity and even menus offered for each and every ship listed.

My recommendation is for any traveler who has selected a cruise destination or cruise line or cruise ship for his or her holiday, the very next step should be to reach for a copy Ocean Cruising and then read about the specific vessel in question. By doing so, the traveler will be that much more informed, educated and acquainted with all aspects of the ship well before even boarding it for the trip.

Comprehensive. An invaluable tool for those seeking to thoroughly research and compare cruise lines and ships.

Perhaps this tome, or "bible" as the publisher calls it, should be laid to rest with this 20th edition! Having purchased several issues of this book over the years, I find that Mr. Ward and/or his team of reviewers are either allowed little time aboard these ships to actually witness them firsthand, or are more interested in bulk than substance.

Spliting the book in two pieces, the reader first is thoroughly exposed and taught about ALL aspects of modern cruising: Introduction to cruising; picking the right ship; ports and regions, etc. All very useful information, and while not particularly telling, probably effective enough and certainly thorough.

The second portion of the book are the actual reviews of the ships. Here is where the clumsy inaccuracies and bulky repetitive commentary are unavoidable and unfortunate. In a past version of this work the author wrote one review for identical sister ships and would refer you back to the initial review - now we have eight reviews for all of Carnival's "Fantasy" class ships. Had each review actually told us something unique about each ship that would be all well and good, but the text is a carbon copy that has been not-so-cleverly cut & pasted from one ship to the next. Most embarassingly, often times the editor has accidentally cut a portion of the review, re-inserted it for another ship (to make the text appear slightly different) but neglects to remove it from the original place in the review thereby having duplicate text! Not sure if this should be the responsibility of the author, the editor, or the renown and revered Berlitz?

Furthermore, the editorial page asks for the reader to write to Mr. Ward with corrections to outdated information. If the author knows that "Sovereign of the Seas" has had a recent refit and now has a bar/lounge called "Bolero's", how is it that he doesn't know that the dining rooms are no longer called "Kismet" & "Gigi"??? If the "Zuiderdam" has "a complete wrap-around promenade deck, which is enjoyed by many", why does the review go on to say, "....has an exterior promenade deck - something new for this traditional cruise line. Although it DOESN'T go around the whole ship...."??? Additionally, Holland America Line ships (Zuiderdam) have ALWAYS had wrap-around promenade decks.

One last gripe. Since I HAVE been reading (and buying) this book over the years, it is also apparent with this edition that the author is now borrowing word-for-word text from past ships in past texts. I guess the former Rotterdam (1959) which used to be, "like a well worn shoe" is now valid for the QE2.

For 1st time cruisers, this book is too textbook-ish and reads like a manual. For experienced cruisers, stick to brochures and online reviews from passengers like yourselves. Personally, I won't be spending another $25.00.

Having been on 23 cruises and very familiar with many of the cruiselines and ships reviewed, I have to say that the last few editions as well as the present publication of this guide book are very disappointing..The ship descriptions are often inaccurate or carbon copies of other reviews for similar ships in the same class..There is also a lot of bias in reviews of certain ships falsly attacking aspects of certain ships from their amenties to the personality of the crew...There is a definate lack of research apparant in many of the reviews.. The book seems to be written by a man who's attitude is quite pretentious and unrealisitic for any person experienced or inexperienced to cruising.. Therefore, I would not recommend this book as a guide for anyone who wants to try cruising as the opinions and the ratings are not trustworthy, and are written from a very negative and overly critical, often exagerated point of view.

To much reading for me. Basically an encyclopedia of information on cruises... information overload for just one trip!

I've checked out all of the cruise guides on the market, and the Frommer's 2000 is by far the best. Not only is it easy (and fun) to read, but it is organized into useful categories from cheapo cruises to super luxury lines. The author really seems to know what she is talking about and obviously has lots of experience.

Though Frommer's reviewed the ports of call in top notch Frommer's style they greatly lack in up to date ship information. In particular, little information on Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas- which is the reason I purchased it. I emailed the author concerning this and received no response.

This is by far the best cruise book out there. The detail it gives about the ships and ports is very helpful. It also gives you other valuable info. before you book and take the cruise. I was very impressed. It is ten times better then the Berlitz book (which I think is very poor). I would suggest this book to anyone getting ready to take a cruise to the Caribbean!

This is a really delightful book - intimate, insightful and observant. The author is obviously an experienced traveler with a real enthusiam for new places and people. Her interest carries through in her descriptions and her love of cruising is infectious. I especially enjoyed the recipes she includes - they look delicious!

This was a weak book. I did not enjoy it at all. Actually couldn't bring myself to finish it. Did not give any interesting details of life on a cruise ship for such a long period of time or much substance about the ports of call. Written in a very "cutsy" style that I found annoying.

This is a really delightful book - intimate, insightful and observant. The author is obviously an experienced traveler with a real enthusiasm for new places and people. Her interest carries through in her descriptions and her love of cruising is infectious. I especially enjoyed the recipes she includes - they look delicious!

I met the author when he came to speak at our travel club. I was impressed with his stories so I bought his book, and if you are a travel fan, you'll really enjoy this. He makes it clear that he doesn't consider himself "the most traveled man on earth" instead he describes the competition for that title, and how ultimately it's a hard definition to really pin down. He relays fascinating stories from his early years (you have to enjoy the one about Haiti and Papa Doc), and then he discusses various modes of travel like tall ships, perpetual cruiser's, and other experiences around the world. The section on genealogy drags a little bit, but if the reader happens to have an affinity for genealogy, this will be another star section of the book. He then discusses road rally's which had more detail than a mere mortal might need, but again, if the reader has any affinity for cars or racing, it's a star section. The book goes on to cover adventures around the world, including "Running with the Bulls" which probably every traveler has given some thought, if only "are those people insane?" It turns out some probably are insane, others are just posers, running the race well ahead of any bulls. Others are macho or completely psycho, or both. There's even a section on disaster preparedness (the author was in that business) and the government ought to tattoo the entire chapter right across "Heck of a Job" Brownie's face. The stories are light reading, very engaging, and pleasant. There are a couple of times where editing would have helped, because these stories were largely written for a magazine and then grouped together, so of course in that context, it's necessary to remind the reader what happened in the last installment, but in the context of a book, it's just irritating. If you have a friend or loved one that's a travel fan, this would make a spectacular gift.

The part of the book about the most traveled people is only 20 pages long. The rest of the the book is the authors own mediocre travel stories.

Llewellyn Toulmin's The Most Traveled Man on Earth is a delightful book for the seasoned traveler and the arm chair traveler alike. The book is filled with interesting information about little known places in the world and written in very readable style. Toulmin's knowldge and sense humor shine through on every page.