Necessary or not, the current flood of guides indicates cruisers have an insatiable appetite for advice. Most are general-interest books, aimed at everyone from neophytes worried about their wardrobes to cruise hounds who know the ropes. The guides address the differences between major cruise lines and include information on alternative vessels like river barges and freighters.
Some books are mildly critical, but more often they betray a coziness with the cruise industry.
Few cruise writers travel anonymously, and given the perks of the job, it's unlikely many know the discomfort of a night spent wedged into a lower bunk in an inside cabin. 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.