can you recommend a guidebook for european cruise?
 

hi,
i'm taking a cruise in may.. europe/mediterranean. 12 days.
will hit barcelona, monaco, rome, venice, istanbul, ephesus, mykonos.

can anyone recommend a good guidebook that would provide good info on these ports of call? would like to get just one book.

thanks,
stephen

Fodor's European Ports of Call has coverage of all these places if you are looking for a "port of call" style book. I edited that book, and that's the one I'd recommend. I'll be happy to answer questions if you have them, but I think you should look at the actual book in a bookstore to make sure that it meets your needs sufficiently. (If you can't find European Ports of Call for some reason, our European Cruises guide also contains the same port of call information, plus information about cruising and cruise lines.

You are smart to limit to one book. I used the Fodors book and it was very helpful, although it has some errors. Check out the shore excursions carefully, esp. if you use the cruise lines offering. You may be able to find private tours that would be better, cheaper and spend less of your tour time at t-shirt shops. Be careful with books. I'm a book nut and the extra weight of guide books and such made a bunch of money for USAir.

I take several guidebooks out of the library, do on-line reearch, and create a Word document for each port--it rarely goes over one page per port, and that way I know that it includes the information I like to have.

I used the Insight Mediteranean Cruises as well as the Fodors Ports of call. Make copies of what you need and leave the book at home.

I like Hunter Travel Guides "Cruising the Mediterranean". Some of the above mentioned spend too much space talking about choosing a cruise - something I had already decided, as you have. Second Edition was published in 2006. I also like Anne Vipond's "Mediterranean By Cruise Ship". Even though it was published in 2004 (I hope she will come out with a new edition soon with some of the new Med. ports), the information is still good. Take a look at both of them and see if you really like either.

This is not a plug. I bought the Fodor's guide and it is very good information. I had the book with me and read it on the plane. When I actually stopped at the port, I almost felt like I knew the place. it was great for the trip planning.