Cruises and Ports of Call 2008 : From U. S. and Canadian Home Ports to the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii and More Book

List of Maps     viii
Cruising 2008: Big Boats, Big Business     1
The Best of Cruising     5
Our Favorite Mainstream Ships     5
Best Luxury Cruises     5
The Most Romantic Cruises     6
Best Cruises for Families with Kids     7
Best Cruises for Pure Relaxation     8
Best Dining Experiences     9
Best Cruises for the Party Set     10
Best Beaches     10
Best Small-Ship Adventure Cruises     11
Best History & Learning Cruises     11
Best Cruises for Sports Nuts & Gym Rats     12
Best Ships for Spa-Goers     13
Best Shopping Ports     14
Planning, Booking & Preparing for Your Cruise
Choosing Your Ideal Cruise     19
Homeland Cruise Regions in Brief     19
Itineraries: The Long & the Short of It     23
Different Boats for Different Folks     24
Ship Size Comparisons     26
Cruises for Families     28
Family Cruising Tips     29
Cruises for Honeymooners & Anniversary Couples     31
Getting Married on Board or in Port     32
Cruises for Gay Men & Lesbians     33
ActiveTravel & Adventure Cruises     34
Cruises for the Young & Old     35
Cruises for People with Disabilities & Health Issues     36
Onboard Medical Care     37
Booking Your Cruise & Getting the Best Price     38
The Caribbean: A Bargain Hunter's Dream     38
The Prices in This Guide     39
The Cost: What's Included & What's Not     39
Price Comparisons: Discounted Rates vs. Brochure Rates     40
Money-Saving Strategies     45
Average Cost of Onboard Extras     45
Agents & the Web: Finding the Best Deals     47
Be Savvy & Beware of Scams     48
Recommended Agencies & Websites     49
Choosing Your Cabin     51
Model Cabin Layouts     53
Reading a Ship's Deck Plan     54
Booking Your Air Travel     56
Prebooking Your Dinner Table & Arranging Special Diets     57
Booking Pre- & Post-Cruise Hotel Stays     58
Cancellations & Insurance     58
Putting Down a Deposits Reviewing Tickets     60
Things to Know Before You Go     62
Passports & Visas     62
Money Matters     63
Keeping in Touch While at Sea      64
Packing for the Different Cruise Climates     65
Tipping, Customs & Other End-of-Cruise Concerns     70
The Cruise Experience     73
Checking In, Boarding & Settling into Your Cabin     73
A Brief History of Cruising     74
Exploring the Ports of Call: Shore Excursions vs. Going It on Your Own     77
A Typical Day at Sea: Onboard Activities     78
Keeping Fit: Gyms, Spas & Sports     81
Programs for Kids & Teens     84
Onboard Dining Options     84
Onboard Entertainment     89
Shopping Opportunities on Ship & Shore     91
The Cruise Lines & Their Ships
The Ratings & How to Read Them     95
Cruise Line Categories     95
Reading the Reviews & Ratings     95
Evaluating & Comparing the Listed Cruise Prices     97
Ships at a Glance     98
The Mainstream Lines     110
Mini-Review: Azamara Cruises     111
Carnival Cruise Lines     112
Celebrity Cruises     136
Costa Cruises     150
Disney Cruise Line     158
Holland America Line     157
Imperial Majesty Cruise Line     187
MSC Cruises      192
Norwegian Cruise Line     199
Why NCL Owns Hawaii     201
Oceania Cruises     219
Princess Cruises     225
Still the Love Boat     227
Royal Caribbean International     245
The Ultraluxury Lines     269
Crystal Cruises     270
Cunard     281
Preview: Queen Victoria     287
Regent Seven Seas Cruises     291
Seabourn Cruise Line     300
SeaDream Yacht Club     307
Silversea Cruises     315
Small Ships, Sailing Ships & Adventure Cruises     323
Mini-Review: American Canadian Caribbean Line     326
American Cruise Lines     327
Mini-Review: American Safari Cruises     334
Cruise West     335
Lindblad Expeditions     345
The Maine Windjammers     349
Majestic America Line     359
Mini-Review: RiverBarge Excursions     369
Mini-Review: Sea Cloud Cruises     370
Star Clippers     372
Windjammer Barefoot Cruises     379
Windstar Cruises     390
The Ports
The Ports of Embarkation     403
Choosing a Chain      404
Anchorage, Alaska     404
Baltimore, Maryland     409
Boston, Massachusetts     414
Cape Canaveral & Cocoa Beach, Florida     420
Charleston, South Carolina     427
Fort Lauderdale, Florida     432
Galveston, Texas     436
Los Angeles, California     440
Miami, Florida     448
Montreal, Quebec     454
New Orleans, Louisiana     459
New York City, New York     465
New York's Best Pizza     474
Norfolk, Virginia     475
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania     480
San Diego, California     486
San Francisco, California     494
Seattle, Washington     501
Tampa, Florida     506
Vancouver, British Columbia     511
The Caribbean, The Bahamas & the Panama Canal     517
The Cruise Lines' Private Islands     518
Antigua     524
Aruba     527
The Bahamas: Nassau & Freeport     531
Barbados     537
Belize     539
British Virgin Islands: Tortola & Virgin Gorda     542
A Slice of Paradise: Jost Van Dyke      544
Cozumel & the Yucatan Peninsula     546
Curacao     555
Dominica     558
Grand Cayman     561
Grand Turk     563
Grenada     566
Jamaica     568
Montego Bay Golf Excursions     572
Key West     573
Martinique     577
Martinique Golf Excursions     580
Nevis     580
The Panama Canal     582
Puerto Rico     585
San Juan as a Port of Embarkation     586
Walking Tour: Old San Juan     587
Puerto Rico Golf Excursions     592
St. Barts     592
St. Kitts     594
St. Lucia     596
St. Martin/Sint Maarten     599
U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Thomas & St. John     603
Alaska & British Columbia     609
Cruising Alaska's Natural Wonders     610
Glaciers: An Intro to the Ice     614
Cruisetours-'Cause All Alaska Ain't on Water     616
Haines     617
Icy Strait Point     619
Juneau     620
Ketchikan     624
Sitka     626
Skagway      630
Victoria, British Columbia     633
The Mexican Riviera & Baja     636
Acapulco     636
Cabo San Lucas     639
Small-Ship Cruises in Baja's Sea of Cortez     641
Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo     643
Mazatlan     645
Mazatlan Golf Excursions     647
Puerto Vallarta     648
Bermuda     652
Hamilton     654
St. George's     656
Royal Naval Dockyard     657
Hawaii     658
Oahu     660
If You're Embarking in Honolulu     662
Kauai     664
Maui     666
The Big Island     669
New England & Eastern Canada     674
Bar Harbor, Maine     676
Halifax, Nova Scotia     678
The Small Ports of New England & Eastern Canada     580
Newport, Rhode Island     682
Quebec City, Quebec     685
Saint John, New Brunswick     687
U.S. River Cruise Routes     690
The California Wine Country     690
The Columbia & Snake Rivers, Pacific Northwest     692
The Hudson River, Erie Canal & Great Lakes      695
The Mississippi River System     697
Index     702