Liners to the Sun

Until the mid-1960s, the great ocean liners were the only way to cross the Atlantic. Now, the great ships are still sailing, and booking for pleasure rather than purpose, a new generation of travelers is joining longtime enthusiasts. This book recounts the delights of yesteryear, but also takes us to the shipyards to tell how new hulls are launched and older ones stretched to accommodate single-class passengers; recounts those fortunately infrequent "dark nights" during which ships survive--or succumb to--rogue waves, floods midocean transfers, blackouts and fires. He also gives us a glimpse behind the carefully constructed screen of fantasy as owners, masters, stewards and cruise staff give candid and frequently surprising accounts of the vicissitudes and pleasures of working aboard ships.