The Truth About Cruise Ships

Author's hurricane and flooding video aired on national television by ABC's Nightline to 3.9 million people. A finalist in the Global eBook Awards, this is a behind-the-scenes look at cruise ships in a way that's never been done before. Some of the stories are shocking, some are enlightening, but most are just laugh-out-loud entertaining. This tour behind those "Crew Only" doors will reveal: - How romance on a cruise ship is unlike anywhere else - The insane things passengers do - Why alcohol is mandatory at sea - How nude cruises compare to Christian cruises - A first hand account of damage from getting caught in a hurricane Jay Herring was an American senior officer and one of the few who had physical access to the entire ship. He worked with every department and every senior officer, including the captain. His wife worked in the casino, and combined they worked for Carnival Cruise Lines for 10 years and sailed on over 503 cruises. If you've ever wondered what happens below deck on a cruise ship, then get ready to laugh through an experience unlike any other! . . Chapter 1 How Easy Is Romance on a Cruise Ship? I had been onboard my first ship for five days when I went to the crew bar and met a woman from Trinidad and Tobago. She was a black woman and she was overweight, maybe even a little flabby, but such a sweetheart. I saw her the next night in the crew bar and she looked upset so I went over and sat down. "What's wrong?" I asked. "I just had an argument with the chief purser," she said with her Caribbean accent. "That's too bad." "Yes, I do not get along with the pursers on this ship very well," she said, starting to tear up a little. "I do not have many friends onboard." Although I liked her, I could understand why others might shy away. She had slow, almost voodoo-like mannerisms that bordered on creepy. But she was so easy to talk to and, like me, perfectly content to sit and talk one on one. "So do you have a girlfriend?" she asked, changing the subject. "No." "Have you been with anyone on the ship yet?" "Nope. It's actually been twelve years since I slept with someone." "Come on now." "It's true." I said, and then told her why (more on that later). "Hmm. That's fascinating. You know, I used to sleep with a skinny white guy from England on my last ship. You remind me of him." "Oh, yeah?" "He and I had lots of fun, and I never left him unsatisfied. I may not look it, but I'm actually a really good lover." "You don't say." "I've been with lots of men in my day. I'm forty-one, after all. And in my years, I've learned exactly what men like and how to please them. And now"-she took a sip of her drink-"and now all the men I sleep with are extremely satisfied." I had always imagined athletic girls-especially flexible athletic girls-to be the best lovers. But this lady from Trinidad had me rethinking that assumption. Maybe it was just another one of the after effects of abstinence, but those voodoo mannerisms were now bordering on sensual. "Would you like to have sex with me?" she asked, taking another sip of her drink. "We could go to my cabin right now." Woodrow. I couldn't believe how quickly the opportunity had presented itself. "I might be interested in that." "Might?" "Yeah." "But not right now?" "Yeah, not just yet." "Okay, well, you think about it and I'll call you later this week." She got up and left me at the table, alone with my thoughts. My cabin phone rang at 8:00 p.m. two days later. "Hi, it's me," she said. "How are you?" "I'm good. How are you?" I responded. "Good, good. Are you ready to do what we talked about the other night?" she asked, wasting no time on idle chit-chat...

Set sail and dive into Europe's magnificent port cities with Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports! Inside you'll find: Rick's expert advice on making the most of your time on a cruise and fully experiencing each city, with thorough coverage of 23 ports of call Practical travel strategies including how to choose and book your cruise, adjust to life on board on the ship, and save money Self-guided walks and tours of each port city so you can hit the best sights, sample authentic cuisine, and get to know the culture, even with a short amount of time Essential logistics including step-by-step instructions for arriving at each terminal, getting into town, and finding necessary services like ATMs and pharmacies Rick's reliable tips and candid advice on how to beat the crowds, skip lines, and avoid tourist traps Helpful reference photos throughout and full-color maps of each city Useful tools like mini-phrasebooks, detailed instructions for any visa requirements, hotel and airport recommendations for cruise access cities, and what to do if you miss your ship Full list of coverage: Provence, Marseille, Toulon and the Port of La Seyne-sur-Mer, Cassis, Aix-en-Provence, Nice, Villefrance-sur-Mer, Cap Ferrat, Monaco, Cannes, Antibes, Florence, Pisa, Lucca, the Port of Livorno, Rome, the Port of Civitaveccia, Naples, Sorrento, Capri, Pompeii, Herculaneum, the Amalfi Coast, Venice, Split, Dubrovnik, Athens, the Port of Piraeus, Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu, Olympia and the Port of Katakolo, Crete and the Port of Heraklion, Rhodes, Istanbul, Ephesus, and The Port of Kusadasi Maximize your time and savor every moment in port with Rick's practical tips, thoughtful advice, and reliable expertise. Heading north? Pick up Rick Steves Scandinavian & Northern European Cruise Ports.

These widely acclaimed essays from the author of Infinite Jest -- on television, tennis, cruise ships, and more -- established David Foster Wallace as one of the preeminent essayists of his generation. In this exuberantly praised book -- a collection of seven pieces on subjects ranging from television to tennis, from the Illinois State Fair to the films of David Lynch, from postmodern literary theory to the supposed fun of traveling aboard a Caribbean luxury cruiseliner -- David Foster Wallace brings to nonfiction the same curiosity, hilarity, and exhilarating verbal facility that has delighted readers of his fiction, including the bestselling Infinite Jest.

The stunning elegance and luxurious interiors of todays vast fleet of cruise liners remains unrecorded in all but holiday brochures. This book gives a complete overview of the cream of these ships, todays queens of the sea. Each liner is illustrated and described with color illustrations of external and interior views. Details of the design, building and service history of each vessel are provided with vital statistics of the ship and its facilities.Among the ships included are Cunards Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2, the big new Princess Line liners—Ruby, Grand Sea and Celebrity Eclipse, the two Ocean Village ships and the largest of the P&O liners Ventura, Oceana, Arcadia, Aurora and Artemis. This is a book of reference for maritime enthusiasts, would-be holiday cruisers and those who have been passengers.

In Cruise Confidential, Brian David Bruns spills the dirt — or in this case, the dirty water — on those romantic, fun-filled vacations at sea. His hilarious chronicle of the year he spent working for Carnival Cruise Lines takes readers down into the areas where the crew works and lives, leaving readers gasping with laughter as they’re assaulted nonstop with events that range from the absurd to the utterly bizarre. Stewards fighting over food. Cutlery allowances and other nonsensical rules. What the crew calls those onboard (no, it’s not “passengers”). And of course, the sex. An abundance of ready, willing, and able bodies eager for action on a vessel replete with nooks and crannies leads to love in some mighty strange, and seemingly impossible, places. Breezy, entertaining, and informative, Cruise Confidential is essential reading for those planning a cruise or for anyone who just needs a good laugh.

An insider's view of how the cruising business operates "Selling the Sea" offers a complete picture of the cruise line industry along with step-by-step coverage of how to effectively market the cruising experience. This updated "Second Edition" features new coverage of how technology has impacted the industry, new niche markets in cruising, and expanded material on shipbuilding and design. It also includes insightful interviews with today's captains, social directors, food and beverage managers, and cruise line executives who have hands-on experience at the day-to-day workings of a cruise ship. Bob Dickinson (Miami, FL) is President and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines and a member of the Board of Directors of the parent company Carnival Corporation. Andy Vladimir (Coconut Grove, FL) is a well-known business and travel writer, a member of the Editorial Board of the FIU Hospitality Review, and contributing editor of Quest magazine.

The behind of the scene about working on Cruise ships. A real story where you will get surprised about how is living onboard, the violation of labor rights, humiliation and lack of consideration of their employees. What companies does to comply with guests while exploited crewmembers. Are you a guest or a number? The truth is in this book.

A shocking exposé of modern piracy - the Fast Food Nation of the cruise industry