- Detailed entries for each port that include phone numbers and Web addresses
- Port-specific tips that prevent readers from making costly mistakes
- Tips for selecting a cruise line and itinerary based on your budget and interests
- The book is geared exclusively for cruise travelers. Others should buy a conventional guidebook.
- Star system for evaluating port attractions should not be taken too seriously
- At 422 pages, it's probably too heavy for many travelers to stow in a bag
- The book is divided into six sections. The first is dedicated to the first-time cruiser and initial travel decisions.
- The second section looks at the strengths and weaknesses of specific cruise lines so a good selection can be made.
- Part three is devoted to the gateway destinations of Puerto Rico, The U.S. and British Virgin Islands and St. Maarten.
- Part four includes eastern Caribbean islands such as Antigua, St. Barts, Barbados and Grenada.
- Part five is devoted to southern Caribbean destinations such as Aruba and Bonaire.
- The final section explores ports close to the coasts of Central and South America such as Venezuela, Columbia and Panama.
- Showker also has written separate but similar volumes about cruises to western Caribbean ports.
- Published by The Globe Pequot Press, Guilford, Conn. 2008
Travelers who choose a cruise vacation often do so because of the feeling that they will pay once for everything: transportation, lodging and food. While those items are covered in the typical cruise fare, they are certainly not "everything."
Kay Showker, the author of this book, writes on page 11 that since 1987, shore excursions (and other ship services) have become profit centers for the cruise lines. Since then, she writes, "the situation has changed so dramatically that I must alert readers to the change."
Showker continues with this observation: "I found prices jacked up 30 to 50 percent; some are even double the prices you would pay on shore."
To be sure, not all excursions are overpriced. But Showker's book helps you find the best experiences on each island and then determine how much they should cost. If the brochure price doesn't match up, you can make your own arrangements without the cruise line's involvement.
Showker evaluates each port on a list of 20 considerations such as the quality of beaches, culture, dining and sports. Some might find this approach simplistic, arbitrary and unfair.
The U.S. Virgin Islands rate two stars for cuisine and five stars for scenery. You might disagree, but at least this gives the first-time visitor some idea about the amenities for which a given port is revered. You might skip a beach excursion in Dominica (one star beaches) and plan a beach trip for your stop in Antigua (five star beaches).
Armed with this book, travelers can focus on the best experiences in each port and find the best prices for those choices. It's a much-neglected service that cruise travelers on a budget should appreciate.
