Book Description

Steven B. Stern is the ultimate authority on luxury travel, especially cruise vacations. Whether readers are sailing the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the South Seas, Alaska, southeast Asia, or the waterways of Europe, this is the most comprehensive guide available, with details on all aspects of cruise-ship travel. Updated annually, this edition lists descriptive information for all major cruise ships, including each vessel's history, vital statistics, appearance, itineraries, price range, and sport, dining, and medical facilities. Stern evaluates every detail by bestowing overall Star Awards as well as ratings in eleven specific categories. More than two hundred photographs of ships, decks, and interiors are included, along with actual shipboard menus and daily activity programs for every cruise line. This valuable guide not only assists you in intelligently selecting the ship best suited to your tastes but also advises you on how to prepare for your cruise and what to expect once you are onboard. Stern also discusses every major port of call in the world, listing details on attractions, beaches, hotels, restaurants, shopping, sports, and other recreation. He even includes guidelines on how to make the most of an eight-hour stay in port. A resident of Florida, Steven B. Stern has sailed on more than 750 cruise ships, visited every major port of call in the world, and personally inspected virtually every ship currently in operation. He is also the author of Stern's Guide to the Greatest Resorts of the World. Book jacket.