Few people can say they"ve sailed on more than 500 cruise ships, visited every major port of call in the world, and inspected nearly every cruise vessel in operation. With more than 35 years of cruising under his cap, Steven Stern is a certifiable sea dog with a wealth of personal experience to share. Stern"s Guide to the Cruise Vacation is an encyclopedic volume covering how to choose a cruise company, how to select your destination, how long to stay, what day-to-day seafaring is like, cruising for singles and with children, as well as cruising for joggers and tennis buffs. One chapter is devoted entirely to reviews of each cruise line and its vessels, including reprints of actual menus and day and evening activity plans, with photos when available. Stern uses "ribbon awards" like a star rating system to highlight the best of what each line has to offer in categories such as service, cabin spaciousness, activities and entertainment, good for singles, and food. This guide also provides a list of all of the major ports of call with detailed recommendations for how to spend the usually short periods of 6 to 10 hours allotted for time ashore, including must-see sights and where to dine, swim, and soak up some sun. --Kathryn True