Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Changes in Cruising over past 30 years per Douglas Ward
4:56 PM | 
Posted by
LEADERHUNTRESS |
News Release
Berlitz Cruising and Cruise Ships
2015: 30th Anniversary Edition
The eagerly awaited guide by Douglas
Ward also reflects on how cruising has evolved over the years and 30 of his most
memorable cruises
The
first edition, evaluating 120 ships, appeared in 1985, when, he says, cruising
seemed to most people an expensive and rarefied experience. Since then, “some
of the romance surrounding ocean travel seems to have floated away and along
with it various traditions (like, for example, a more formal elegance in dining
rooms, bon voyage sail-away festivities,
everyday contact between senior officers and passengers, and,
thankfully, the midnight buffet).” Plus in those days, he writes, “there were
no lines for security checks, and immigrations checks were minimal. Today it’s
a different story.”
And
that story, he says, is that as ships have become increasingly more sumptuous
as self-contained resorts, the choices and standards have all increased
dramatically. “A vast range of destinations and accommodations, more lavish
entertainment, a burgeoning number of theme cruises, more sophisticated dining choices, top-end sports and fitness
facilities, high-tech (and, alas, far
too high cost) onboard digital communications and of course, stringent safety
regulations. Of course,” he says, what was true back then and is still true
today is “that is a huge difference in terms of quality depending on the
specific ship and the consumer’s price point. And that, if I may say so, has
for 30 years been the book’s central objective—helping consumers pick the right
cruise for the right price and with the right expectations.”
The
anniversary edition would not be complete without Ward reflecting on 30 of his most
memorable cruise experiences, and they could, he says, “serve as an ocean-going
bucket list for cruisers who seek the trip of their lifetime.” They’re not listed in a particular order, but two
have particular resonance:
Titanic Pose
Standing with
outstretched arms, just like Kate Winslet in the movie “Titanic”, at the very
front of Braemar as the ship glides
through the Swedish archipelago towards Stockholm.
Happily Ever After
Looking for a
partner? I met my future wife aboard a Japanese cruise ship some years ago, and
we married several years later. You, too, could meet the person of your dreams
aboard a cruise ship—it happens all the time.
For those interested
in an interview with the author or a review copy, please contact:
In the US:
Melissa Lande or Alan
Appel, Lande PR
O: 212-706-9003 / M:
646-315-3608
In the UK:
Julia Spence or
Annabel Owen, Julia Spence Public Relations
T: 01491 824524 / M:
07802 443113
Fully
updated and revised, Berlitz Cruising
& Cruise Ships 2015 ($25.99,
704 pages, with hundreds of color photographs) is published in the U.S. on
November 1, 2014. Also forthcoming will be the guide in e-book.
For further information visit, www.insightguides.com/berlitz/berlitz-cruising.
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