Cruise Buzz

Cruise app review: the Berlitz Cruise Ships 2013 App for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Berlitz guide to cruising goes digital

Click here to view in iTunes

I like what Douglas Ward writes in his app welcome, “tap-and scroll (‘flick-a-ship’)” – how appropriate. And yes, that is exactly the mentality one needs to embrace when using digital devices to scroll through vast amounts of information.

Back in the day

One of the reference books I kept at my desk while I was a travel agent was the Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships written by Douglas Ward. The book (I do love books) was a great tool to help me get quick facts about ships while meeting with clients. Although I do not sell cruises anymore, I still love a good cruise ship review resource and while I am partial to my friend Ralph Grizzle’s online cruise reviews on The Avid Cruiser, I am excited about the evolution of the Berlitz cruise ship reviews via their new app.

YouTube video about the Berlitz Cruise Ships app

Note: although this was for the 2012 version, the video is still very helpful for getting a quick start to using the app.

 

My Review

 

1.What I like the best.

The best part of the app is that the cruise ship database is as up to date as possible. I like that attention to detail. In fact, I went looking for Paul Gauguin Cruises newest ship, which is not on the market yet, and saw that it was included in the Berlitz Cruise Ships app. A+

2. Easy to Use

As far as navigating the app, users of all levels will find the interface easy to navigate. The data in the app is searchable by cruise line name, cruise ship name, Berlitz Star rating, and by “Best For,  which classifies the ships by 12 categories that include cuisine, entertainment, relaxation, adventure travel types and ships that are most likely to appeal for families.

3. Is it worth the cost of $9.99 USD?

Less than $10 dollars is a bit high for the app, let me explain.

I am also an app developer and I have two free apps and one app, which is 99 cents. My apps can’t compare to the volume of information found in the Berlitz app, but I would like to see a little more interactivity for the price (think social sharing features with video and audio interactivity). With that said, most users are not like me and wont notice.

Bottom line

Great app. Love the content. Looking forward to seeing this cruise travel app make a big splash on the app store.

 

A rundown of the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising products

The print edition of the 2013 Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships is available in the US on November 1, 2012 ($24.99).The eBook 2013 Berlitz Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships ($24.99), is available now from Amazon and Apple. The Berlitz Cruise Ships app for the iPhone and iPad ($9.99) –is available now from Apple. To purchase all three of them, click here.