Spring is here, or arriving, and your thoughts may be turning to vacation. If you are considering taking a cruise for that vacation, the Arkansas State Library has just received two new books that may be of interest to you.
The first is Cruising: All Questions Answered by Douglas Ward. For cruising neophytes, this book offers advice and information about how to choose your destination, the various cruise lines, how to book a cruise, how to save money on the cruise, and what to do once you are on board. There are hundreds of full color photographs in the book, many maps of destinations, and a ship comparison chart.
Ward has also written a more in-depth guide to many of the cruise ships themselves: Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2009. The introduction contains much of the same information as the previous book, but the bulk of the books 688 pages are devoted to detailed reviews and overviews of the many cruise ships in the industry. Each review includes a summary of the ship's size and accommodations, crew/passenger ratio and so on, as well as a score and star rating. The various dining facilities, accommodation options, entertainment, and fitness options are explored in more depth for each ship.
