KEY POINTS:
Cruising: a guide for first time cruisers by Catherine Stewart
Published by Catherine Stewart, PO Box 576, Tauranga, $19.95
If you've been thinking about going for a cruise for the first time - maybe on the Queen Mary 2 - but aren't quite sure what that would involve, this book is a good place to start.
Stewart, a self-confessed cruise junkie, with experience as a passenger and a cruise consultant, says she produced it to help New Zealanders and Australians make the most of their cruising opportunities.
Its 64 pages are packed with information about cruising options, life onboard and the various destinations cruise ships call at around the South Pacific.
Much of it seems fairly obvious but then good advice often sounds that way once you've heard it.
She quotes the case of a passenger who did not pay an extra cent once onboard - as a rule you can reckon on needing an extra 15 per cent on the fare to cover drinks, shore excursions, souvenirs, etc.
Another intriguing bit of information is that most cruise companies debit passengers' cruise cards by around $6.35 a day to cover tips for cabin stewards and waiters - though you can have the amount increased, reduced or even removed ... if you're strong enough.
