Still, consulting a good guidebook before you cruise can make for smoother sailing. It's a good question, and this is one of the few guidebooks to address it. Indeed, cruising isn't for everyone, the authors note. Slater and Basch, veteran cruise writers who have sailed on all 184 ships reviewed, have an entertaining and authoritative style. Besides the obvious information, they offer tips that might enlighten even repeat cruisers.
Individual ships get an overall rating, plus separate grades for cabins, food and entertainment.
An updated edition is due in mid-April. The authors devote considerable space to distinguishing among cruise lines. Explanatory notes include high, low and average per diems, but if you read the section on getting the best deal, you know that nobody pays brochure price, anyway. Golden covers the cruise industry for a travel trade publication, and her advice is solid, if basic. The book is good at explaining some facts of shipboard life.