Take one/leave one in Library

[Blue Lagoon]

Wondering what the choice is like in the Libraries on board these days...

 

On longer cruises, guests often leave their paperback books on a table and take something else for their reading pleasure. No signage supplied by Celebrity, the process is just understood.

 

Have all M class libraries been reduced to one level on Deck 8? As I recall, the Acupuncture area and the I lounge have been relocated to Deck 9 on some M class ships.

 

Thanks for any info.

[bubbachief]

Wondering what the choice is like in the Libraries on board these days...

 

On longer cruises, guests often leave their paperback books on a table and take something else for their reading pleasure. No signage supplied by Celebrity, the process is just understood.

 

Have all M class libraries been reduced to one level on Deck 8? As I recall, the Acupuncture area and the I lounge have been relocated to Deck 9 on some M class ships.

 

Thanks for any info.

 

On the Constellation in May the library was pitiful. Plan on bring whatever you want to read with you. Later on in the cruise there were some drop offs, but not many.

[mpace58]

The Equinox library shelves were full back in March. All depends on what you like to read.

[Kartgv]

Also, if you're unlucky enough to have a norovirus outbreak on your cruise, the library will be closed completely. Sometimes the closure extends through to the next trip (such as with the Summit last fall). We now always carry enough reading material for ourselves, mostly on our Kindles.

[TN Vol Fan]

Personally I think the whole idea of a cruise ship library has now become passé. With the availability of paperback books and electronic media, why take up space for a library. Most passengers are not on a cruise ship long enough to require a lot of hardback books. Even on b2bs cruisers know to bring their own reading materials.

I think library space will be eliminated in the near future on newer ships.

[phoenix_dream]

I think the libraries will change as well. Years ago the leave one/take one areas were full of paperbacks a few days into the cruise. Now you may find one or two. The selection of books spans most categories, but recent editions are nowhere to be found. With books so easily available to most on tablets of various kinds, I can see the libraries going away completely as well. Personally, I still love the look, feel, heck even the smell of a new hardcover book. But I confess when on a cruise I load a couple selections on my Kindle rather than lug along extra weight.

[patty1955]

Maybe the cruise lines will look into loaner ebooks? Personally, I'd love to see a Kindle kiosk on every ship.

[sue58]

The library on the Summit in June was just sad. There were a lot fewer books available than in the past year or two and close to 50% of the books were in languages other than English.

 

I always bring 3-5 books to read and leave on the ship. I also put a note, in the books that I leave, that I brought these books and if the person doesn't finish it on the cruise they are welcome to take it with them....so they don't feel guilty about taking it. Hopefully anyone who takes one of these books will pass it on when they have finished reading it.

 

I still love to read "real" ;) books and do like the library on the ships but with the concierge at a desk on 9 and people sometimes using the library to play board games it isn't the quiet hideaway it once was.

[patty1955]

 

I still love to read "real" ;) books and do like the library on the ships but with the concierge at a desk on 9 and people sometimes using the library to play board games it isn't the quiet hideaway it once was.

I prefer my Kindle, but I still love browsing books and we still settle into the library on board with our Kindles.

[DonnaK]

I am a bookcrosser, and I always bring a bag of books on cruises specifically to leave in the ship's library. That's in addition to the ones I bring to read and leave.

 

If the Summit's selection was poor, then I guess the two dozen or so books I left last year were all taken. I have to gather up some more to bring on our cruise there next month! ;)

[sue58]

I am a bookcrosser.

 

I was too. :)

 

If I had ever spotted any bookcrossing books on any of the ships I have been on I would definitely have picked them up and continued their journey. I didn't see any of the dozen or so books I left in the library over the past year. Hope you got at least some of the books you left last time registered.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

On the last cruise I donated the new Chelsea Handler book (your welcome) that I finished on the cruise because it truly was slim pickings but I did read the Kenny Rogers book, which was pretty darn good. It should still be in the Solstice library unless someone swapped it for one of their books.

 

I know us dinosaurs that like libraries and books are a dying breed but I'm stubborn. Book readers unite!

Edited July 28, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[Northern Aurora]

Personally I think the whole idea of a cruise ship library has now become passé. With the availability of paperback books and electronic media, why take up space for a library. Most passengers are not on a cruise ship long enough to require a lot of hardback books. Even on b2bs cruisers know to bring their own reading materials.

I think library space will be eliminated in the near future on newer ships.

 

I really agree with TN Vol Fan. While I still love the feel of a physical book in my hand I've made the transition to e-books with little resistance. My husband and I were on the Constellation TA last April, and spent another three weeks traveling afterward. Between our two i-Pads we had a tremendous selection of reading material available.

[miched]

I always put a $5 bill in between the pages of the bible if there is one in the cabin. I figure if someone is reading it and finds the money they deserve it as they will probably use it for a good purpose.

 

Happy sailing 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[patty1955]

I always put a $5 bill in between the pages of the bible if there is one in the cabin. I figure if someone is reading it and finds the money they deserve it as they will probably use it for a good purpose.

 

Happy sailing 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

I read about someone doing that a number of years ago, now I check the Bible in every room we stay in. We don't read it, we just check for money.

[MicCanberra]

I read about someone doing that a number of years ago, now I check the Bible in every room we stay in. We don't read it, we just check for money.

Yes, likewise.:D

We always bring more books than we will read (some may have already been read) and then leave them in the ship's library for others to enjoy.:D

[miched]

I read about someone doing that a number of years ago, now I check the Bible in every room we stay in. We don't read it, we just check for money.

 

How much have you found?

 

Happy sailing 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[MicCanberra]

How much have you found?

 

Happy sailing

I haven't found any money in any bibles but have found that it is not surprising, since so few people put money there and so many people are looking for it.:p

[patty1955]

I haven't found any money in any bibles but have found that it is not surprising, since so few people put money there and so many people are looking for it.:p

Exactly.

[shofer]

I read about someone doing that a number of years ago, now I check the Bible in every room we stay in. We don't read it, we just check for money.

 

There's a Bible in the room? Never saw one.

 

The library on Silhouette was quite nice this past February with a large selection of books. I had my Kindle but Mom wanted a book and found one she liked. She didn't finish it but wrote down the author, title and page number where she stopped so she could get it at her home town library.

 

Sue

Edited July 29, 2014 by shofer

[Caribbean Chris]

Personally I think the whole idea of a cruise ship library has now become passé. With the availability of paperback books and electronic media, why take up space for a library. Most passengers are not on a cruise ship long enough to require a lot of hardback books. Even on b2bs cruisers know to bring their own reading materials.

I think library space will be eliminated in the near future on newer ships.

 

Since the X libraries earn no profit, no doubt you are right. I was surprised at how lame the X libraries were when I saw them.

 

One reason I lean toward Holland America versus X (we cruse on both based on itin) is the wonderful library+Internet cafe+coffee place (Explorations Cafe) on HAL, which has two profit centers - coffee purchase and Internet sales - built in.

 

On some of their ships, there are Eames-type chairs facing the windows overlooking the sea, so you can find a good book or pick up the New York Times summary and relax with your feet up. People on their international sailings use the big tables to open an Atlas and view maps, and there are cases filled with good recent books, guidebooks, etc you can check out.

 

But I realize that's not the atmosphere/demographic X is shooting for.

[hcat]

Maybe the cruise lines will look into loaner ebooks? Personally, I'd love to see a Kindle kiosk on every ship.

 

Nice idea..as well as post just above.....in a go go go world, cruising can be a nice time out....

 

..before the acupuncture was relocated into pax stateroom area there was space for this...they had something called Notes where you could borrow CDs and listen to music...this was awhile ago so memory not clear...but it is on old deck plans! I pods and e books would be fun....

 

too many quiet and relaxation spaces are being eliminated...even the Hideaway on S class is not the quiet coffee space originally envisioned. We see alot of kiddies using the cubbies and seats as an indoor park and also using the main Quasar DJ club on S class ...they had hanging seats on some ships in the club but they soon became swings....I know Reflection has a conference center there instead...not sure what is now on S class ...

 

Maybe they need to expand safe children' s areas and retain adult quiet spaces....

Edited July 29, 2014 by hcat

[Groovybusybee]

On our very first cruise (thomson - a small UK line) there was a jigsaw room adjacent to the library.

 

I absolutely loved this quiet space, at the beginning of the cruise they placed an 8000 piece jigsaw, which I thought would never get completed.

 

It was interesting to see that as the cruise progressed how it took shape. As well as hardened jigsaw fans you saw people come in, complete a couple of pieces and then leave. Suffice to say that in less than a week it was complete.

 

I thought it was a really good idea and worked well with a library.

 

Deb

[hulamoon]

We do not count on books so bring our own, we leave finished paperbacks and pick up a new one to read on the flight back. From guest of course not the ones branded by the cruise ship stamp.

[Chitown12562]

I love my IPad for books, tech manuals, and magazines. I have it all in one place and I'm ready for anything.

 

That said I love the library on the ships, and I hope they stay. They don't take up much room. Not enough for for a resturant, and do we really need another bar?

 

I found a great Neil Gaimen book on our March 2014 Equinox Panama cruise love it so much when I got home I got the book on Kindle. I left the hard bound book on the ship for someone else to enjoy.