Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(20 customer reviews) 10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
I loved this book!,
February 16, 2011 Randy Benjamin "Netguider" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships (Kindle Edition)
This is one of those books that I had a hard time putting down. I always wondered what it would be like to work on a cruise ship. It seems like it would be a party every night...turns out...it is! And more...a lot more!
The book is about what takes place behind-the-scenes as told by a lady croupier. If you think the guests are having fun, wait until you see what goes on with the crew members.
Actually, there's a lot more to the book than just fun and games. I learned what it's like to actually work on a cruise ship. It's so different than any other job that I can imagine. Even though it's a fascinating occupation, there's a tremendous amount of pressure that comes with the job as well. No wonder the crew likes to unwind whenever they can.
One of the things I liked best about the book was the descriptions of the exotic places the cruise ship visited. Most were off the beaten 'tourist' path. These are the discoveries that only someone who's been there...Read more
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Best beach read of 2011!,
May 26, 2011 A Daniels - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships (Kindle Edition)
As a former tour director, I frequently escorted groups of pensioners on a variety of cruise programs. While coordinating activities with officers and staff, I often wondered what dramas transpired in the Upstairs, Downstairs saga of the crew.
With engaging wit, author Cara Bertoia invites us to peer through the porthole of crew life on mythical Regal Cruises' ships. Follow croupier Sarah Seldon's journey as she sails between exotic ports, placing bets for hopeful passengers while gambling on her own love life. Part romance novel, part guide book, part gaming tips, Cruise Quarters is a realistic tome of life below decks--the work ethic, the leisure antics, the heartbreak and the happiness of life on board.
Based on her own experience, Bertoia brilliantly parallels the rules of the tables with the rules of love, weaving a seaman's tale of life at sea with canons such as, "All is fair in love and war, but a gambler never cheats at the table," and "The best part of playing...Read more
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Travel and romance all in one!,
December 5, 2011 Patrice M. Fitzgerald "Author of RUNNING" (New England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships (Kindle Edition)
I had a great time bringing this book along on my Kindle while I cruised the Mediterranean in November. I'm an experienced cruiser with (at least) 17 trips to my name now, and the details I learned about "real life" on board a ship as a member of the crew were fascinating. I even recommended it to the folks I met working on board the Celebrity Equinox as we wound our way through the Greek Islands and a little bit of Italy, Malta, and Turkey.
What I loved was the interesting mix of travel guide, romance, and intimate ship life that this book offered. I have to confess that it made me feel for the hardworking crew... but they assured me that it was worth it for the pay plus the wonderful places they get to visit on their days off.
Altogether a great, entertaining read!