Insight Guides Cruising & Cruise Ships 2025

Insight Guides Cruising & Cruise Ships 2025 is written by Douglas Ward, the world's foremost authority on cruising and cruise ships. Designed for cruise enthusiasts, it offers up-to-date information on 368 cruise ships across 408 pages. Packed with expert advice, tailored recommendations, and ship reviews – including scores for ship quality, accommodation, food, service, and overall cruise experience – this edition provides everything travelers need to make informed decisions about cruising, all presented in a user-friendly format.

Previously known as Berlitz Cruising and Cruise Ships, this updated edition adopts a more streamlined approach. The ship reviews are now more concise, offering key details in a nutshell, allowing readers to quickly grasp the essentials. With larger fonts, vibrant photography, and a more accessible layout, the book has been modernized to better serve today’s cruise-goers, while maintaining the trusted insights that have made it the authoritative guide for decades.

The book is structured into sections that cater to every aspect of the cruise journey:

• Introduction: New to cruising? Start with an in-depth look at the basics, the evolution of cruising, and what the future holds for this ever-growing industry.

• Choose the Right Cruise: Get expert guidance on choosing the perfect cruise and destination. This section covers everything from where to cruise, selecting the right ship, and accommodations to understanding ships as destinations in themselves.

• Types of Cruising: Explore various cruising experiences tailored to different traveler types, including families, solo travelers, seniors, and more. Whether you’re interested in themed voyages, expedition cruises, or coastal cruises, this section has it covered.

• The Cruise Experience: Discover what life on board is truly like, with a roundup of the author’s 40 most memorable cruise experiences. Dive into details about cuisine, entertainment, spas, wellness facilities, and excursions ashore.

• The Cruise Companies: Learn about the major cruise lines and smaller, niche operators, helping you find the right company that aligns with your travel preferences.

• Practical Information: Essential tips on cruising safety, sustainability, and what to do in case of emergencies are provided to ensure a smooth and safe journey.

• Ship Listings with Ratings: Dive into essential profiles and Douglas Ward’s ratings of  368 ships, with a section dedicated to how these ships are evaluated.

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About the Author

Regarded as the world’s top authority on cruising and cruise ships, Douglas Ward has completed over 6,400 days on ships and riverships on more than 1,130 cruises, 160 transatlantic crossings, and countless Panama Canal transits, shipyard visits, ship-naming ceremonies, and maiden voyages. Often described as a maritime Sherlock Holmes, Ward’s reviews leave no stone unturned, examining everything from the fluffiness of the towels and the quality of china and silverware, to the welcome aboard and disembarkation process. 

Praise For Berlitz Cruise Books

‘No other annual guide charts the growth of the modern cruise industry the way Douglas Ward’s authoritative annual Berlitz Cruising and Cruise Ships has done’ The Business Travel News

‘The author is the most feared critic in the business’ The Times, London

‘Read before cruising’ Daily News, New York

‘The serious cruise traveler’s Bible’ Cruisediva.com

‘Legendary’ USA Today

‘Level of detail and rigorous research are unbelievable’ BookPleasures.com

‘This is the encyclopedia of cruising’ The Times-Picayune, New Orleans