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.
REVIEW
cruise confidential This book was great .I have been on 15 cruises and Im a travel agent and always wanted to know what it was like to work on a cruise ship.I could not put the book down. You will love it .I dont think I needed to know that he does not believe in God .Im not sure that help the story any but thats his story.I hope he changes his mind as he grows older.It seems like there is a lot of Sexn going on below deck .I guess thats part of it.I would have like to know how much money he made on his contract as he seems to say they pay them slave wages.But great book. It can be rated X in some spots .
Berlitz is proud to welcome the 2009 edition of Cruising and Cruise Ships, now in its 24th year of publication. Internationally recognised as the definitive cruise guide, this book is written by Douglas Ward, the world's most highly regarded expert on cruising and is the only source of independent star-rating for ocean-going cruise ships worldwide. Fully revised and updated, it features ship by ship reviews of 270 cruise ships, including the 20 new ships launched in 2008. It also highlights the new ships set to debut in 2009, including Oasis of the Seas which will be the biggest cruise ship ever launched. At-a-glance charts compare the major cruise lines for cabin facilities, food and service. Other practical advice covers what to look for in a ship and crew, along with top tips on how to get the best value for money. So whether you are travelling solo, honeymooners, with children, or require special assistance, this guide will find a ship to suit you. Full-colour photographs can be found throughout that will bring the cruise experience to life, before you even step aboard. A brand new chapter for 2009 highlights the 100 best shore excursions around the world, so if you want to explore a European city independently or go sightseeing in the Caribbean with fellow passengers, this guide indicates where and how to go. Whether it is your first or fiftieth cruise, this authoritative guide will answer all your questions in detail, leaving you more time to enjoy your cruise.
1992: Andrew Morton showed a Princess in a light we had never seen before--Diana: Her True Story became a #1 New York Times bestseller.
1999: Andrew Morton revealed the young woman behind the blue dress--Monica’s Story was a #1 New York Times bestseller.
January 15, 2008: Andrew Morton uncovers the true story of the biggest celebrity of our age.
Everyone knows Tom Cruise---or at least what he wants us to know. We know that he overcame a difficult childhood to star in astonishing array of blockbusters: Top Gun, Rain Man, Born on the Fourth of July, A Few Good Men, Interview with the Vampire, Jerry Maguire, three Mission: Impossible movies, War of the Worlds, and more. We know he has taken artisticchances, too, and as a result has earned three Academy Award nominations and three Golden Globes, along with the respect of acting legends like Paul Newman and Dustin Hoffman. After that, the picture becomes a little less clear. We know that Tom is a Scientologist, but not necessarily what that means in his life. We know that, despite persistent rumors about his sexuality, he has been married to Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman, and Katie Holmes. But it was not until the spring of 2005, when he jumped on Oprah’s couch to proclaim his love for Katie and denounced Brooke Shieldsfor turning to the “Nazi science” of psychiatry, that we began to realize how much we didn’t know about the charming, hardworking star. For two years, award-winning biographer Andrew Morton has been tirelessly seeking out everyone from former teachers and girlfriends to Scientology insiders to friends who have watched a once-bullied, “nothing special” outsider transform himself into an icon Forbes has called the most powerful celebrity in the world Here, with never-seen photos and never-heard revelations, is a riveting, sometimes shocking portrait of the real Tom Cruise---his work, his love life, his marriages, his religion---from a master at uncovering the true story behind the public face of celebrity.
REVIEW
Finally, arevealing book about the Hollywood giant ! Tom Cruise is probably still the most popular Hollywood star after having acted for a quarter of a century, nonetheless, there is very little known about his private life, apart from the usually cheap gossip of the yellow press. Like most Hollywood stars he's been very protective and concerned about his past. Whenever reporters tried to find out things about his past on their own he would usually have them threatened with law suits through his many lawyers.
That is why this book is so interesting and revealing. Credit has to be given to Andrew Morton, the author who actually talked to those people that knew Tom from the past. He found out some things that directly dispute the "nice guy from next door" image that Tom has always promoted about himself. Apart from finding out that while during his early youth when Tom and his family were in Canada he was at best a mediocre student, Morton also got into his abusive father's relationship with Tom. His father was mostly harsh to Tom and often down right abusive. Thus it should come as no surprise that when Tom was about 12 years old his mother decided to leave their father behind, and just got the kids and left in a fly-by-night manner across the border back to the USA. While Tom was going to school in Canada, and later back in the USA, he always felt the need to fit in with the most accepted and esteemed kids at the school. Although he usually tried hard to impress them, they usually didn't let him hang out with him, since he was seen as a short and somewhat average guy, and thus not cool or special enough to be part of their highly esteemed crowd.
As Tom was getting a bit older and closer to finishing high school he realized that he was a lady's man. Girls tended to like him, since he was good looking and apparently somewhat charming. It was also during high school that he began to realize his potential and talent as an actor. Ironically, it was a friend of Tom's who said that he should try getting into acting seriously. The girl who gave Tom this advice was at the time the leader of the cheerleading team who had herself already been in a commercial or two. Years later when Tom had just begun to play in his first few Hollywood movies, as a young but still mostly unknown actor she remembered a humiliating encounter with Tom. She had long a ago given up acting as a career, and become a waitress. Now unexpectedly Tom came to the restaurant in which she was serving him as a waitress, him the new aspiring Hollywood movie star. She explained to Morton that she never felt so humiliated in her life. Although Tom was nice to her, she couldn't stop thinking how it had been her that told Tom to become a serious actor, and now here she was, of all things, a waitress serving Tom.
Morton`s book is good in describing the personality of Tom Cruise in real life situations. For example, we find out that Tom has always been a control freak, especially in his relationships with women. Perhaps the reason why his 10 year old marriage with Nicole Kidman failed was due to the fact that he couldn't control her as much has he wanted to. Toward the end of their marriage, she was filming intimate love scenes with another scottish actor, who it must be said, spoke about this episode in such a provocative manner that it could only frustrate a control freak, like Tom. It is also very interesting to note, that despite the fact that it was Nicole that often criticized Tom, it was ultimately Tomwho ended their 10 year long marriage. The weird thing about that was the fact that Tom never told her why he left her, when Nicole asked him why all he would say was you know why. This sounds a lot like he didn't want to mention his reason for leaving her, because that would probably have involved having to say that he wanted more control over their relationship. Something that obviously Nicole would not have approved of. It also seems that another reason for the failure of their marriage was the movie "Eyes Wide Shut" that they acted in together. Here both Nicole and Tom had to have love and sex scenes with other film partners. Knowning Tom it must have been especially tough for him to watch Nicole filming sexual scenes with another man. According to Morton director Stanley Kubric was really being harsh on both Tom and Nicole during the extensive filming of this movie. He actually filmed several scenes of Nicole having intimate sex, although he knew that virtually all of it would never make it into the movie, and would thus be left over material for the trash can. Apparently, he took such great pleasure out of ordering Nicole into filming serveral of these scenes thatthey were almost pornographic. This in itself must have been a heavy burden for their marriage and especially for Tom's ego, that is known to be rather bloated.
But apart from their serperation, which clearly hurt Niclole the most, it is Tom's obssession with Scientology which takes up the greatest part of the book. The only question that Morton never manages to really answer is why Tom had joined this cult in the first place. It seems that it was more than anything else his own belief which led him towards this dangerous cult. In the beginning of his Hollywood career he carefully hid his association with Scientology, but as he got more popular and self confident of himself he began to act as a spokesman for the cult. Morton clearly shows how important it was to get Tom recruited to Scientology. Tom`s first wife Mimi is the one believed to have introduced him to the cult. She and her father had already worked for Scientology, but of course all of this could only be suceessful if Tom made the conscious decision to join Scientology. So in the end, he must have personally been convinced of this "religion" as he likes to refer to it.
The book also shows rather well, that apart from his well maintained "nice guy next door" image, Tom is a manipulative opportunist. Both in private as well as professional decisions he always tends to associate with people that he thinks will benefit him the most. In this manner he can of course always rely on his good looks and manners. Another question that not only the author has asked is whether Tom`s whole life has been primarily a facade. After all, why shouldn't a talented actor like Tom make massive use of his acting talent when it comes to his public and private image? In this sense Morton has also posed the question of whether Tom's marriage to Kathie Holmes was one of Tom's manipulative schemes. It is thus interesting to note that those who really knew Kathie (friends and relatives) said almost unanimously that after her marriage to Tom she looked lifeless and depressed. And it was apparent that in this relationship from the outset she was the shy much younger girl while he was the much more experienced elder man. It would thus be much easier for Tom to use his infamous "cruise control" on her than it had been with Nicole, who was about his age and much more demanding than Holmes.
In the end, this book was a good book that revealed a lot about Tom's life and especially about his hidden side that seems a lot darker than the image that he and his agents have perpetuated in the Media. Although it should be said that Tom is himself not a villain, rather he seems to be mostly a victim of circumstances. Early in his life it was his rather harsh father, then the many times that his family moved - during his school time he actually visited 15 different schools until he finished high school, and ultimately his association with Scientology that had adverse effects on him. Had his early life been a different one, it is quite likely that he would also have developed differently as a person.
For anyone interested in finding out what motivates Tom this is the best book currently available, and will probably remain so for a long time to come. The only other interesting thing to ask is how will Tom Cruise respond to this anything but adulating biography of himself? Will he resort to his usual tactic of suing whoever dares to investigate into his past, especially when the results of such an investigation do not correspond with the "nice guy next door" image that Tom has propagated for so long.
DEVIL'S PACT [Erotic Western Romance/ Menage a Trois]: Epitome of pure evil, born without a heart, soul, or conscience...even his parents did not claim him. He is an outlaw who takes what he wants... The moment Devin Spawn stumbles upon the exquisite beauty bathing alone in a river, he wants her. Morality non-existent, yet he struggles to keep his distance. His sexual excesses and massive proportions would be too much for the tiny girl who appears more waifish and innocent than womanly. She is a widow with so much to give... The instant Megan Spawn feels his heated touch and potent sensuality, her flesh burns with wanton desires. It matters little he is the devilishly handsome outlaw known as the Devil's Spawn, the most feared, lethal gunslinger in the West-and her stepson. Together they risk everything in the devil's playground... Where sexuality is as untamed as the bloodthirsty savages roaming the western frontier, and childhood sweetheart Caleb Walker is guilty as sin, the dark side of lust and passionate surrender comes at a hefty price when you forge a Devil's Pact. ** 5 Angels, Fallen Angel Recommended Read: "Devil's Pact is the kind of book for people like me who enjoy reading about an overly aggressive testosterone filled man in love. Devin is not a gentleman; he's crude, kind of mean but the same passion he uses when killing is exactly what he brings to the bedroom. Samantha Cruise's historical feast was more than just a well developed story with guns, danger, mayhem and delicious wickedness. Devil's Pact was a story that sucked me into the emotional upheaval of the characters. I was right there during the orgasmic interludes that left me sweating and anxious for more. I was with them as they attempted with their bodies to say what each found so hard to say with words. I can't say enough how much I actually loved this book, all 497 pages of it. A story that had me on the hook from the first encounter with Meg to the final culmination when finally a decision was made on if Devin and Megan could make it, if their passion was more than rabid frenzy lust but something life altering, something meant to be forever. Caleb, the third in the ménage, was just icing on a cake already flowing with goodies, but he wasn't Devin: a man readers will go away loving or detesting. That is why I think Ms. Cruise did a great job no matter the impression you get, strong love or hate for some of her characters. She did something special by seducing you into the story to feel anything at all." --Fallen Angel Reviews ** "Devin Spawn is an outlaw. Given away at birth by his father, Devin travels to his father's ranch to find out why. When he gets close, he comes across a tiny, beautiful woman bathing in the river. Since he has the devil inside of him, Devin does the one thing that comes natural to him--he seduces and makes her his own. There is one thing Devin doesn't know. He has just had relations with his stepmother. Megan Spawn has had a tough life. Rescued from a life of drudgery by her now deceased husband, she wants to spend her life caring for her stepdaughters and possibly being able to have a relationship with the town doctor, her first love, Caleb Walker. That is, until she is touched by the outlaw known as Devil's Spawn. Caleb Walker has loved Megan ever since she was a little girl. When his family caught them in the barn when they were teenagers and sent him away, Caleb has despaired of ever being able to be with Megan. He loves her and is willing to give her time. However, with the arrival of Devin Spawn, time may be running out because it seems that no matter how much Caleb loves her, she might not be his for the taking. Samantha Cruise has written a ménage unlike any I have read and I plan to read anything else she releases. She caught my attention with Devil's Pact and I think she will hold it for a long time." --Joyfully Reviewed.
REVIEW
GREAT BOOK I LOVED THIS BOOK, 2 HOT GUYS, ONE LITTLE MISS PRISS, DONT PASS UP UP ON THIS BOOK, YOU WONT BE SORRY
Birnbaum's Disney guides take to the high seas with this comprehensive look at the Disney Cruise Line and all the events, activities, and ports of call to sample aboard the Wonder and the Magic. In "Before You Sail," receive advice on what to do and pack prior to your journey. Then get a deck-by-deck, cabin-by-cabin introduction to your vacation "home," as well as personal dining tips, from midday snacks to gourmet dinners. Find out the characters' favorite hangouts, and, for adults only-find out some of our little-known hideaways.
The guide also includes a chapter on Ports of Call to help you decide which tours and shore excursions to take, plus a fun-filled guide to activities for kids of all ages-tots and teens and in-betweens. Additionally, we'll show you where to massage your cares away, the best places to be after dark, how to celebrate in style whether you're just married or renewing your vows, marking a special birthday or anniversary, or just rejoicing, and the secrets to planning a successful family reunion.
This year's edition includes insights into the newest shore excursions available to guests aboard the Disney Magic and Wonder, first hand accounts of new dining and entertainment opportunities onboard the Disney ships, and updates on the extensive kids-only activities and programming provided by Disney Cruise Line. And now that Disney Cruise Line plans to add two new ships to its fleet, we'll provide a sneak peek into the not-too-distant future.
REVIEW
Birnbaum Guide 2009 Disney Cruise Line This book was just what I expected. It helped answer many of the questions I had about our upcoming cruise. It had clear descriptions of excursions, activities on the ship, and the different restaurant choices. I recommend this book to anyone planning a Disney Cruise.
Amazon.com ReviewFitness trainer Jorge Cruise has helped 3 million cyberspace clients lose weight, and now he's headed for your bookshelf with the same goal in mind. In just eight minutes a day, says Cruise, you can drop two pounds of fat per week, change your shape, and gain muscle and energy. His secret formula: an inspirational "wake-up talk," followed by strength training two muscle groups per day, eating according to his "eating card" program, and keeping a journal. For exercise, Cruise presents a varied, 28-day program of illustrated exercises using dumbbells. Why the emphasis on strength training? While aerobics burns calories while you're exercising, adding muscle revs up fat burning at rest byincreasing your metabolic rate. Every pound of muscle you gain burns an extra 50 calories per day. You'll look better and feel younger and more energetic, resulting in more activity, burning more calories, he says. Cruise's eating plan emphasizes "good" (omega) fats, complex carbohydrates, high-quality protein (low in saturated fat), and vegetables, with dairy, fruits, and "treats and cravings" in moderation. His "Eating Card System" gives you an allotment of portions from each of the food groups. If you're the kind who likes the regimentation of following a specific program every day, Cruise will get you moving, eating better, and losing weight. --Joan Price
REVIEW
Good book This was a good book with exercises that you can do in the comfort of your own home, or on the road (traveling).
Alvirah Meehan, lottery winner turned amateur sleuth, and private investigator Regan Reilly are guests, along with their spouses, on the "Santa Cruise." The cruise is a gift from Commodore Randolph Weed to a select group that "has made the world a better place." His largesse is prompted by the desire to create a buzz about his new cruise ship, the Royal Mermaid, as she sets out on her maiden voyage.
Alvirah, Regan, and her new husband, Jack -- head of the NYPD Major Case Squad -- are joined as guests on the cruise by a mystery fan convention celebrating a "ghost of honor," as well as ten men who donated time playing Santa Claus, now hoping for a restful post-season. That tranquility vanishes when two Santa suits disappear from a locked room, a storm develops, and an attempt is made on a passenger's life. As the Royal Mermaid sails through troubled waters, Alvirah, Regan, and Jack uncover clues that lead them to dangerous criminals not on the original guest list....
REVIEW
Santa Cruise Do you like bungles and bumps? Then you will like this book. It tickled my funny bone many times.
The new sixth edition of Alaska By Cruise Ship has been completely updated with new attractions and shore excursions for cruisers to this beautiful state.
Over 400 color photographs and dozens of color maps support the narrative describing this exciting cruise. Comes with a large color pull-out map with inside page references and a mile-by-mile locator system showing distances traveled. All base ports and ports of call of an Alaska cruise are included with comprehensive shore excursion information (with port walking maps) and land tour options for each stop. Extensive detail on history, wildlife, native culture and natural phenomena also are included as well as hiking tips and trail locations. A detailed chapter deals with the diverse wildlifeand also includes a special full-page map to help you locate and identify the different species of whales.
Covers details of ports from Seattle to Fairbanks and beyond and draws on authorities from the Universities of Alaska and British Columbia.
REVIEW
Don't leave home without it We checked out a few Alaska guidebooks before planning our September/07 Alaska cruise and found most lacked the cruising information we needed to help us pick a cruise. We found Ms. Vipond's writing entertaining and thoughtful and her specific information on the types of Alaska cruises that are available (round trip or straight line) very helpful. She also goes into the region's history, native peoples, wildlife, port attractions with lots of detail on shore excursions which helped us sort out our choices.
On the cruise, the guide's detailed port maps and the large Alaska pullout map at the back of the book were indispensable. And unlike many other guides, this one has hundreds of color photos which are useful to identify wildlife, spot attractions and gave us an idea of what we would see on various shore excursions. We never left the ship without it.
Amazon.com Review10 Questions with Jorge Cruise about The 12-Second Sequence™ 1. What is the 12-Second Sequence™ and how does it work? The 12-Second Sequence™ is a breakthrough new method to lose belly fat with resistance training. It uniquely combines two proven resistance techniques--slow cadence lifting and static contraction--to create my trademark method: Controlled Tension™. My team and I spent years developing this method that dramatically reduces the average workout time. In just twenty minutes, you will get theequivalent of a two-hour workout. How is this possible? Well, Controlled Tension™ fatigues your muscle tissue faster than any other program available; when you create muscle fatigue, you are on your way to building new fat-burning lean muscle tissue, which is critical to sculpting and toning your body--and getting rid of that dreaded belly fat! With the 12-Second Sequence™, you will see your waist shrink in two weeks. Plus, if you commit to the entire 8 weeks of the program, you will see your best body ever. The plan consists of two 20-minute workouts per week. Those 20-minute workouts are made up of three circuits of four exercise moves, for a total of 12 moves per workout day. You'll do 4 reps per move. Each move should take you 90 seconds and each circuit should take you 6 minutes, for a total of 18 minutes. I've thrown in 2 minutes of transition time for you.
2. Why is lean muscle tissue so crucial for weight loss? Lean muscle tissue is the most metabolically active tissue on your body. Because it needs energy just to operate, it burns calories constantly--even when you’re doing nothing at all. This means that the more lean muscle tissue you have on your body, the more fat you burn every day. Plus, lean muscle is much more compact than fat so it actually makes you appear slimmer, and it's what gives you great tone and definition.
3. Can you really burn up to 20 percent more calories every day? How does that work? Yes. Using the average woman as an example, I will show you how it works. A woman who’s 5'4", 160 pounds, naturally burns about 1,800 calories a day. When you strength train twice a week with the 12-Second Sequence™, you burn 200 calories during each workout, already burning an extra 400 calories. Plus, when you strength train you create after-burn, which is the energy your body uses to return itself to a "resting state." This energy burns an additional 400 calories each week. Now, for the most powerful calorie-burning element—lean muscle tissue. When you add five pounds of lean muscle tissue to your body with the incredibly effective 12-Second Sequence™ workouts , you increase your calories burned each day by 250--that’s 1,750 more calories burned each week! Here's a quick overview of how it all breaks down: 400 calories (from the workout) 400 calories (from the after-burn) + 1,750 calories (from lean muscle tissue) ____________________________ 2,550 additional calories burned each week! = 20%
See all 10 questions and answers from Jorge Cruise
REVIEW
Worth it Gives you a good wieght workout for busy people. If thats what you need it is well worth the money.
For those who say the info is available in other spots that is True but I do not want to do that research. I'd rather pay the money.
One of the greatest engineering feats ever, the Panama Canal is becoming one of the world's most popular cruise itineraries. Ports of call span the Caribbean and the Mexican Riviera, but the highlight of the cruise is the eight-hour transit of the Canal in which six massive locks raise and lower the ship 85 feet. Read about the monumental construction of the Canal as well as the history, culture, flora and fauna of this tropical region. Detail provided on popular ports, from Florida to California. Over 400 maps and photos most in color. Includes giant color fold out map of Panama Canal
REVIEW
Great Guide for upcoming partial transit of canal This will be packed and going on my upcoming cruise. It has not only the historical, cultural, political perspectives on the canal, but has all the Central America, Mexico, South America ports where you stop during the cruise. Wonderful maps, pictures, and discussions about the surrounding areas.
I am enjoying studying it each night in prepartion for our cruise.
Well write and easy to pack. This author did a tremendous job with this guide. I would definitely buy other guides from Ms. Vipond.
Linda Canada
