T. Brian Chatfield - Your First Cruise: A Complete Guide to Planning and Attaining the Perfect Cruise Vacation

Your First Cruise
A Complete Guide to Planning and Attaining the Perfect Cruise Vacation

By T. Brian Chatfield

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Your First Cruise: A Complete Guide to Planning and Attaining the Perfect Cruise Vacation

Copyright 2008 by Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
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SAN Number: 268-1250

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be sent to Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc., 1405 SW 6th Ave., Ocala, Florida 34471.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60138-151-4
ISBN-10: 1-60138-151-4

Chatfield, T. Brian, 1984

Your first cruise : a complete guide to planning and attaining the perfect cruise vacation / by T. Brian Chatfield.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60138-151-4 (alk. paper)

ISBN-10: 1-60138-151-4 (alk. paper)

1. Ocean travel. I. Title.

G550.C53 2008

910.45--dc22

2008019129

LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Web site is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Web site may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Web sites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

A few years back we lost our beloved pet dog Bear, who was not only our best and dearest friend but also the Vice President of Sunshine here at Atlantic Publishing. He did not receive a salary but worked tirelessly 24 hours a day to please his parents.

Bear was a rescue dog who turned around and showered myself, my wife, Sherri, his grandparents Jean, Bob, and Nancy, and every person and animal he met (well, maybe not rabbits) with friendship and love. He made a lot of people smile every day.

We wanted you to know a portion of the profits of this book will be donated in Bears memory to local animal shelters, parks, conservation organizations, and other individuals and nonprofit organizations in need of assistance.

Douglas and Sherri Brown

PS: We have since adopted two more rescue dogs: first Scout, and the following year, Ginger. They were both mixed golden retrievers who needed a home.

Want to help animals and the world? Here are a dozen easy suggestions you and your family can implement today:

• Adopt and rescue a pet from a local shelter.
• Support local and no-kill animal shelters.
• Plant a tree to honor someone you love.
• Be a developer put up some birdhouses.
• Buy live, potted Christmas trees and replant them.
• Make sure you spend time with your animals each day.
• Save natural resources by recycling and buying recycled products.
• Drink tap water, or filter your own water at home.
• Whenever possible, limit your use of or do not use pesticides.
• If you eat seafood, make sustainable choices.
• Support your local farmers market.
• Get outside. Visit a park, volunteer, walk your dog, or ride your bike.

Five years ago, Atlantic Publishing signed the Green Press Initiative. These guidelines promote environmentally friendly practices, such as using recycled stock and vegetable-based inks, avoiding waste, choosing energy-efficient resources, and promoting a no-pulping policy. We now use 100-percent recycled stock on all our books. The results: in one year, switching to post-consumer recycled stock saved 24 mature trees, 5,000 gallons of water, the equivalent of the total energy used for one home in a year, and the equivalent of the greenhouse gases from one car driven for a year.

Foreword

Dear Reader,

Congratulations! By purchasing this book, you have taken the initial step in planning your first cruise vacation. And after being in the industry for 30 years and taking countless cruises, I can assure you that youre making the right decision. Cruising is by far the most convenient, cost-effective, thrilling way to see the world!

In fact, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the cruise industry is the fastest-growing segment of the travel industry achieving more than 2,100 percent growth since 1970, when an estimated 500,000 people took a cruise. Industry estimates are that 12.8 million will cruise in 2008.

Choosing to cruise is a big decision, and with so many different ships and itineraries available, its an overwhelming task to select one. Know that there is a cruise out there for everyone. Whether you prefer the activity and variety of a megaship (todays are more like floating cities) or a more intimate experience aboard a small ship or river cruise, the possibilities are endless.

The same goes for the plethora of destinations that todays cruise ships visit. While the Caribbean remains enormously popular for first-timers and veteran cruisers alike, other popular choices include Alaska, Europe, the Mediterranean, Hawaii, South America, Asia, and beyond!

With so much to see on shore, dont forget just how much there is to do right on your cruise ship. From onboard spas and shopping to lifelong learning opportunities and workshops, your days at sea are guaranteed to be active if you choose. Thats just one of the benefits of cruising. You decide how much or how little you want to do.

Its amazing how far cruising has come in the past decade, evolving into an experience much like those at land-based resorts. When it comes to dining, for example, the possibilities are plentiful. You can choose the more traditional assigned seating in a main dining room, but there are also casual dining options, flexible dining times, healthier options, and alternative restaurants. In fact, on some ships, you can practically dine in a different venue each night!