Trim the sails on an America's Cup yacht, swim among giant boulders, snorkel with sting rays, explore the Pompeii of the Caribbean, buy a hand-made hammock, or stroll through the most famous straw market--Fodor's Caribbean Ports of Call 2006 offers all these experiences and more! Our local writers have traveled throughout the Caribbean to find the best hotels, restaurants, attractions and activities to prepare you for a journey of stunning variety. Before you leave for your cruise be sure to pack your Fodor's guide to ensure you don't miss a thing. The San Francisco Chronicle sums it up best --"Fodor's guides are saturated with information." - We update our Caribbean Ports of Call guide every year. You won't find a more accurate, current guidebook anywhere. - Unlike other travel books, Fodor's guides rely heavily on local experts who know the territory best--so you know you're seeing the real Caribbean Ports of Call. - We give you the planning tools you need to tailor your trip. We give options for all budgets. You make the choices. ----------------------------------- With Fodor's you get much more than a guidebook-we make it easy for you to customize your dream vacation. Visit www.fodors.com to find up-to-date travel bargains, mini-guides to worldwide destinations, information on local festivals, dazzling drives, maps, vacation planning tips and much more! And, for more insider secrets, visit "Travel Talk" and "Rants and Raves" online at www.fodors.com/forums to get advice from other travelers like you.

A cruise is a complete vacation, so it's important that you choose the one that's right for you. Frommer's Cruises & Ports of Call is the most user-friendly, opinionated, and comprehensive guide you can buy before you set sail. We provide in-depth coverage on cruises departing from U.S. ports to the Caribbean, Alaska, Bermuda, Mexico and Canada. Unlike rating systems used in other guides, our system is simple. We break down the essential elements of a cruise experience (dining, activities, children's activities, entertainment, service, overall enjoyment, and overall value), and rate them from "poor" to "outstanding." Photos of each ship combine with the text to give a better sense of the very real differences among the various lines. Most important, this is the only cruise guide that provides the real prices people pay for cruises, not just the rack rates. Other guides tell you that a seven-night cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas costs $2,099. You can pay that if you want to, but only Frommer's tells you that the same cruise is selling for $649. We give both the rack rates and the discount price for every cruise we review. This feature alone makes Frommer's Cruises and Ports of Call by far the most valuable trip-planning book among cruise guides. Our authors, noted cruise experts who've personally checked out every ship sailing in and around North America, offer candid and unbiased opinions on them all. They are completely up to date, with all the latest developments and the newest ships. You'll also get complete coverage of the major port destinations, with advice on how to spend your limited time ashore.

Alaska is a hot cruise destination and is increasingly more popular. As other destinations lose market share, Alaska cruise arrivals more than tripled in the last decade.

Offers advice on selecting and booking a cruise, and describes points of interest in the Bahamas, the Panama Canal, and the Caribbean

Presents a vast range of online travel sites as well as savvy search tips and techniques that are designed to help readers improve the travel-planning process. Readers will learn how to make the most of the Web for leisure and business travel, from planning and reservations to countless ways the Internet can enhance the experience of destinations and cultures around the world.--From publisher description.

From tips on choosing the perfect ship, itinerary, cabin, and dining options for your style and budget to ratings for all the major cruise lines, this guide offers a wealth of insider information about how to make your next cruise vacation truly memorable. Author Corey Sandler is a former journalist and editor. He has written more than 160 books on travel, video games, and computers.