Ship's Library.

[dickwho]

We are to travel on the Dawn Princess for the cirumnavigation to the world trip in May.

 

Both my wife Cath and I are avid readers, though we have our particular preferences, she prefers, 'knights in shining armour' and fantasy genres, whereas I spread my preferences around the book world. I've read elsewhere that the library on the Dawn P. is not very good and the reading selection is limited.

 

I'm sort of hoping that the information mentioned is incorrect, as I don't want to have to take too many books with us.

 

Any information would be appreciated.

 

Dick

[BosoxI]

I've always been able to find books to suit my fancy on board ships. The library on the QM2 is fantastic. To be safe, I'd load a Kindle 2 with plenty of books and go on my merry way

[paul929207]

I haven't been on the Dawn, but the libraries on the Ocean and the Pacific are great.

[onthelake]

There will be passengers disembarking along the way and that is the time to check the library for 'trades.' I always take one or two to trade in immediately and then keep an eye on the library as I pick up my daily puzzles.

[rdsqrl]

I don't depend on the ship's library for my reading material as I am particular about what I read on vacation. That's the time I've saved up my favourite authors' latests for! The library on the Dawn was quite small -- if you do decide to go with luck of the draw, get there immediately you embark, and that way you have a fair chance of getting some finds both from the ship's books and the choicest of the passenger exchange shelf. Also check the latter as the cruise progresses as many people, me included, will drop off the books they brought onboard as they finish them, rather than waiting until the last day to make a huge deposit.

And Bosox, I would never compare the libraries aboard the Queens to those on Princess -- just not in the same universe!

[Ando]

I would agree that the library is small with only a limited selection of books available. If i were doing a world cruise (one day ;) ) I would take a selection of books to read electronically (kindle, iphone etc). On several occasions we have picked up fascinating books from bookstores in the various ports of call.

Enjoy your cruise :D

[rollingstone]

On long cruises that I have done, we have held a book exchange for our Cruise Critic group (usually once a week in one of the lounges). At the end of our cruise, we donate the unclaimed books to the crew library, which has far, far fewer books than the library for the passengers.

[DonnaK]

If you're going to leave books in the library, check out www.bookcrossing.com where you can register and label your book, and then track its journey as new people pick it up. I left a book on the CB Canada/NE cruise in Aug 08, and it was picked up by someone who then took it on an RCI ship Southeast Asian cruise, where it was picked up by a someone who read it on her flight back to England and then left it on a ship in the Mediterranean.

 

After cruising, bookcrossing is my second favorite hobby!

[Putterdude]

We always bring aboard our own books as the ship's library to us is kind of a leap of faith....however on a longer cruise it may prove to be just fine.

[Jasperdo]

Here's a photo I took of the library on the Dawn Princess. If I recall there is another bookcase on the other side of the room. We didn't check any books out, so I can't help you there.

 

[billet]

The Star had a separate cupboard where you could leave any books you wanted to pass on.

[paul929207]

On the Ocean and her sisters, there is no "checking out" books. You just take them and return when you are done.

[kendon]

Each ship seems to handle taking the books out differently.

[shagdancer]

We take audio books and player, portable speakers so both of us can do a book together.

We also take some paperbacks to exchange and when finished give them to the cabin steward to keep. Also do the same with soft drinks we have left at end of cruise.