Travel Guides Help Plan Your Cruise Vacation

Planning a cruise vacation can be overwhelming. Luckily, you don't have to do it all on your own. A good travel guide helps you narrow down your options and decide which cruise package is right for you. We've reviewed three of the top travel guides for cruises to get you started.

The Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships, by Douglas Ward

The Berlitz Publishing Company started out producing innovative foreign language instruction books. From there, it was a natural progression to offer travel guides, too. Today, the company uses its expertise to create one of the industry's most comprehensive guides for planning a cruise vacation.

This 500-plus-page book is packed with useful information for novice and experienced alike. It takes a comprehensive look at the top seven cruise lines and individual ships. It rates each one with a clear and easy-to-understand system. While the focus in this guide is on oceangoing vacations, alternatives like river cruises and boutique ships are also covered.

Aside from ratings, the guide also covers useful information like budgeting for your cruise vacation, choosing a port, and more.

Frommer's Cruises & Ports of Call: From U.S. & Canadian Home Ports to the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii & More, by Heidi Sarna and Matt Hannafin

Frommer's has been one of the leaders in the travel industry since 1957. Among the more than 300 travel guides that Frommer's publishes, this guidebook is especially valuable for people planning a cruise vacation.

Choosing where to cruise is the first major step in planning. Frommer's helps you to understand your choices with an in-depth review of the most popular locales. From cruising the Nile to an exotic Alaska vacation, they'll help you find the right vacation.

This guidebook is unique because it compares not only rack rates but also discount cruise rates. They make it easier to get a realistic idea of the prices you can expect. Furthermore, the authors have personally visited every ship and port of call reviewed in the book.

Aside from the details about the ports of call, the book also details important information to know before you go and tips on getting the best prices for your cruise vacation.

The Essential Little Cruise Book: Secrets from a Cruise Director for a Perfect Cruise Vacation, by Jim West

Jim West has created a tidy collection of practical hints and tips for making the most out of your cruise vacation. The book's small size makes it easy to bring along with you, and its concise nature makes it easy to read and understand. Instead of wading through hundreds of pages of reviews and descriptions, this book puts a large amount of wisdom right at your fingertips. It's indispensable for anyone who has never been on a cruise vacation before, while also serving as a good reminder for experienced travelers.

These general guides can help you get a good start on picking a cruise line or selecting the best cruise package for you. Once you settle upon a destination, pair these books with specific guides to your ports of call for a wealth of in-depth information about your upcoming cruise vacation.