• Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline

  • Where the Crew Lives, Eats, Wars, and Parties? One Crazy Year Working on Cruise Ships (Travelers' Tales)
  • By: Brian David Bruns
  • Narrated by: Gary Furlong
  • Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (230 ratings)

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Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline  By  cover art

Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline

By: Brian David Bruns
Narrated by: Gary Furlong
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Publisher's summary

National Best Seller

ForeWord Humor Book of the Year

Benjamin Franklin Awards Humor Book of the Year

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 listeners down into the areas where the crew works and lives, leaving listeners 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 listening for those planning a cruise or for anyone who just needs a good laugh.

Don't miss the entire Cruise Confidential series:

  • Cruise Confidential
  • Ship for Brains
  • Unsinkable Mister Brown
  • High Seas Drifter

©2008 Brian David Bruns (P)2016 Brian David Bruns

What listeners say about Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

excellent

I enjoyed this story almost as much as "The truth about cruiseships". both are very entertaining.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

As real as it gets

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Loved this book. Read it and several of his others.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The unvarnished truth, the good the bad, and the funny as hell. Brian is the main character, and you get a sense of him through his narrative style. I've been waiting for this to come to audible, if you havent read any of Brian's other books seek them out. Wish he was still to Carnival when I was there

Any additional comments?

.....if he said holy cat one more time....

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great narrator and storytelling

Very entertaining. The narrator is great with all the accents, the audio book is great for that over reading the paper version. The author is a great storyteller. I found out there are 3 more books from the series and can't wait to listen to them also.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

I liked it better after I listened to it again

What made the experience of listening to Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline the most enjoyable?

It is fascinating to get an inside glimpse of what the crew experiences, the politics, the interactions.

What did you like best about this story?

The statistics at the end and the list of stupid questions cruisers ask made me laugh out loud.

Which scene was your favorite?

The scenes with his boss that show how unfair and prejudiced things can be.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me want to travel on cruise lines that have the highest ratings from the crew. I want to travel on a line where people are treated as fairly as possible.

Any additional comments?

I have recommended this book to those who love to cruise.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very interesting to see the curtain pulled back

Having been on a few cruises myself, I enjoyed learning what happens behind the scenes. It is a little eye opening about the crews living conditions and work schedule. Good book with an awesome narrator. When the narrator can do an accent within an accent...you know he is good.

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great tales of life on a cruise ship.

I loved the story of an American's escapades below decks in and on a cruise ship. I would have loved to hear follow up on some of the truly amazing things that happened but the stories generally just keep coming with little reference or regard for past incidents.

The story held my interest well but left me wanting more.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

disjointed american centric and not well read

I am not sure if the disjointedness came from the book or a poor reading of it. there was no way to know ehen one chapter finished and another started. tge reading was monotoned in many ways and I for a guy who thinks he is wordly hr really did have that american chip on his shoulder.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting and Engaging

When I heard about this book I did not know what to expect. After listening to some of it, I was hooked. The story moves along and tells you just enough about everything. It makes me really want to take a cruise now and watch to see if you can tell some of these things are happening.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

SS POSEIDON / AMISTAD love child

What made the experience of listening to Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline the most enjoyable?

Wacky below decks behind the glamour expose. Exciting Enthusiastic narration.

What other book might you compare Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline to and why?

Elements of Kitchen Confidential by Bourdain, farcical elements a la M.A.S.H. by Hooker (nee) Hornberger. With some pinches of Toby Tyler by James Otis Kaler via Disney.

Which character – as performed by Gary Furlong – was your favorite?

The author / protagonist.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I 95, Mama told me to see the world, but I should have stayed in school. Is that too long for a film title?

Any additional comments?

A whirlwind, insane insider look at Cruise Ship employee challenges. You wonder why there aren't more "man over board "accidents" involving ships' crew members. lol

I enjoyed Gary Furlong's upbeat narration.

Thank you for making this audiobook available.

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com."

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

The title might have exaggerated the story a bit.

I picked this book up because of the title, but I think it might have exaggerated the story a bit. The writing is fun and there is plenty going on. But it does get a little repetitive after a while. There is very little "behind the scenes" talked about. Most of the stories actually happen in front of guests on the ship.

Gary Furlong did an excellent job narrating. I was a bit surprised Bruns didn't narrate his own story, but that's okay.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

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