The Essential Little Cruise Book, 3rd: Secrets from a Cruise Director for a Perfect Cruise Vacation

This compact collection of cruise wisdom holds everything you need to know for a perfect vacation at sea. Jim West has logged millions of nautical miles as a cruise director and doles out the answers to cruise questions with wit and style. This new edition includes two new chapters with tips directed toward cruises in the Caribbean and Alaska.

 (46 customer reviews)

Written by Jim West, this tiny book can easily fit into a pocket or suitcase corner. It's full of short, quick to read tips on every aspect of cruising.

You're not going to get a long, drawn out planner here. This is really about quick hints to help make your cruise more enjoyable. Much of it is common sense - pack light. Have a happy attitude. Don't sweat the small things. Plan ahead. Use sunblock, carry antacid.

A lot of the wisdom, though, is common sense earned by Jim after thousands of days at seas. He recommends lower floors for their more steady ride. He suggests arriving in port a day ahead of schedule so you're more than ready for departure. When you are leaving the vessel, also don't try to rush. Have a leisurely breakfast and do a crossword puzzle while the ship's crew do all of the docking and final departure preparations.

For those who have never been on a cruise, a lot of the information is invaluable. Always bring a carry-on, because...Read more

I've read seven cruise books, everything from how cruise ships are rated, what cruise lines offer what kind of products, and everything in between. The Essential Little Cruise Book is without doubt the best of all. It contains incredible enhancement tips that will literally save you hundreds of dollars. I also read some of the other reviews on this book, and I know why so many people included Jim West's toll-free number. I contacted him, and he not only took time to personally answer my questions, but he also gave me a letter to give to the captain on the ship we were going to be sailing on. He knew the captain personally, and we were treated like VIP's the entire time we were on the cruise...You should buy it from amazon.com immediately!!

I bought this book because it said in the title that it contained secrets from a cruise director. I have been lucky enough to go on 10 cruises so far. So, I thought to myself, "Secrets? I can't wait to hear secrets." This book does NOT contain any secrets. It is common sense info and things you may not know if you've never cruised before. Don't waste your money if you are an experienced cruiser.