100 Best Cruise Vacations, 3rd: The Top Cruises throughout the World for All Interests and Budgets

by Theodore W. Scull

Release Date: 01 January, 2004

Edition: Paperback

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The Cream of the Cruise Crop

This book is exactly what you would expect it to be given the title: a book dedicated exclusively to 100 cruises that are the best in the world in the author's opinion. I agree with him more often than not, but some of the cruises are a bit esoteric and definitely out of the mainstream (particularly the China information), which is fine as long as you understand that is what you are getting here. Many fine itineraries are reviewed here with information on passenger demographics, activities, and cost presented in fine fashion.

My biggest quibbles with the book's format is the lack of maps illustrating the geography of the trip to help get a better handle on where the itineraries actually go, and the lack of an easy to use cost index, which is a factor for many of us considering the astronomical costs of many of these cruises. As always, personal taste often dictates an individual's opinion of certain cruises. For instance, I prefer Celebrity's "Horizon" over their "Zenith," (which Mr. Scull prefers) for a Bermuda cruise.

This is a fine book overall, if somewhat of a 'dream book.' It is excellent for generating ideas for new destinations and ships, and fills it's niche very well. If you are looking for more comprehensive cruise information, I would recommend "Berlitz Ocean Cruising and Cruise Ships 2003" by Douglas Ward as probably the single best cruise reference available, as it is amazingly complete.

Well worth the price considering the cost of cruises today.

If you are one of the 7 million people who will take a cruise in the coming year, then Theodore W. Scull's book, "100 Best Cruise Vacations," will be a good value. There are thousands of cruises to select from with various destinations, itineraries, ship size and cost.

So which ones are the best value for the money? Which cruises have the best food, personnel, programs, accommodations, design and layouts? In Scull's book, you are introduced to his selection of the world's best.

From small ships plying the Amazon or Yangzee Rivers to the behemoth liners of 110,000 tons and 2,600 passengers, Scull provides a comprehensive description of the 100 best cruises by explaining the ship and the itinerary in straightforward commentary. A side bar with pertinent information breakdown accompanies each cruise description. I especially like the thorough contact information provided to get additional information for each cruise, which includes website addresses.

I was disappointed that there were no maps detailing where the cruise travels geographically. Likewise, I was annoyed with the absence of any tables or lists that would break down cruises versus their cost. Thus, if you are looking for a five-day cruise for less than $1,000, you must wade through all 100 listings and their cross reference to a dollar sign icon, which designates five levels of cost ranging from $100 to $600 per day (including accommodations, per person, double occupancy, outside cabin), then guess the cruise cost.

Scull, a travel writer, has given us a useful resource with which to make a better qualitative choice when deciding on a vacation cruise. Worth the small investment when considering the financial outlay that any cruise these days will be. Recommended.