Annual Berlitz Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships by Douglas Ward
Now Available: BERLITZ COMPLETE GUIDE TO CRUISING & CRUISE SHIPS 2012 by Douglas Ward
Now in its 27th year, the eagerly awaited guide is the only cruise book you need –while the Berlitz Cruise Ships 2012 App provides easy search among 285 ships
Even as they navigate choppy economic waters,
vacation-hungry (and cost-conscious) Americans continue to book cruises in record numbers and the reason, as world-renowned cruise expert Douglas Ward points out in Berlitz’s comprehensive and authoritative Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2012 (Berlitz; Paperback; $24.99; 19th OCTOBER 2011), is that cruising is still a good value: “It’s never been better,†he writes, “thanks in part to the fact that the economic downturn has forced cruise lines to offer more incentives—such as onboard credit, cabin upgrades, and other perks—in an effort to keep their companies afloat and their ships full.â€
In the guide, Ward provides those thinking about a cruise with every possible criteria
with which to make a choice in an easy-to-use format. “As far as pricing,†he says, “there are multiple ways guests are finding affordable cruise deals that are definitely there for the taking, and this guide outlines precisely how to get the best ones—and also so-called ‘free’ deals to avoid.â€
This is the 27th year that Berlitz has published the guide—the “cruise industry bibleâ€
as it’s known by travel specialistsâ€â€”and this fully revised 2012 edition also details the latest trends in cruising such as the increasing number of language-specific ships; best choices for family cruising, singles, single-parent, honeymooners, seniors, the physically challenged, gays and lesbians; tips on steering clear of some so-called “cruise discounts†that may actually be pricey marketing gimmicks and watching for cruise rip-offs (on-board currency conversions and paying extra gratuities, for example); a section on expedition and nature cruises; and information on cruise lines’ cost-cutting ploys (reducing menu selections and food portions in main dining room venues, for example).
Berlitz Cruise Ships 2012 App for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch coming as well
If your preference is to “cruise for your cruise†digitally, the Berlitz Cruise Ships app (US $9.99), which has enjoyed high ratings in its first year, allows users to instantly search though the array of cruise ships with just a couple of taps. The 2012 version features an enhanced interface, which helps lead the cruise-goer to his/her best possible cruise match-up, and is loaded with every ship review, current background on cruise lines, ship photos and a new design.
Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2012 can be purchased from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Powells.com, independent bookstores. The Berlitz Cruise Ships 2012 App can be purchased on the iTunes App Store for US $9.99.
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