To Read or Not, That Is The Question?

[Wehwalt]

Food thermometer's? I have never heard of someone doing that. Are they using them at all venues including the buffet?

 

I bring my own digital clock, with three-inch high numbers. Plugs in behind the TV.

[USNUZULOOSE]

I bring my own digital clock, with three-inch high numbers. Plugs in behind the TV.

 

Clocks and things I understand, just find it odd for a food thermometer. I have had to take the food handler test, but I never took a thermometer. I just watch how they handle the food and go from there.

[nana51]

I thought I would hate reading on my iPad when I first got it. I was in the same mind frame as others who wanted "real" books. Now, three years later, I rarely pick up a real book. On the plus side, I can read in the dark if my husband is sleeping and I take 2,000 plus books with me everywhere I go. I never run out. For those who don't think you'll like an iPad, give it a try. It might take a bit to get used to but when you do you'll find it's a great choice.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I prefer my kindle as it is a bit smaller. I am a retired librarian who loves her kindle. I only read a book in paper form if it is a travel book or cookbook. I love having thousands of books to choose from.

[HUNKY]

HAL ships have a librarian? No wonder they scaled back the library on Koningsdam!

 

Just a suggestion...maybe HAL should put book stores onboard. They could even stock cruise "necessities" such as extension cords, duct tape, battery operated tea lights, and the classic over-the-door shoe organizer.

[RuthC]

Food thermometer's? I have never heard of someone doing that. Are they using them at all venues including the buffet?

One poster does that, then reports on the temperatures of his various foods, as if we have a frame of reference as to what is correct serving temperature for things and the foods are meeting it.

[OTOW guy]

has a good library.

[RuthC]

HAL ships have a librarian? No wonder they scaled back the library on Koningsdam!

A cruise activity employee is assigned to the duty. This is not necessarily someone who has a library science degree. The person checks books in and out, returns them to the shelves, and a few general duties like that.

 

A while back this person was also given the task of helping with internet/computer problems. That happened when the dedicated internet employee position was dropped.

[sapper1]

HAL ships have a librarian? No wonder they scaled back the library on Koningsdam!

 

Just a suggestion...maybe HAL should put book stores onboard. They could even stock cruise "necessities" such as extension cords, duct tape, battery operated tea lights, and the classic over-the-door shoe organizer.

 

Don't forget battery operated doorbells----a must have item. :)

[sail7seas]

A cruise activity employee is assigned to the duty. This is not necessarily someone who has a library science degree. The person checks books in and out, returns them to the shelves, and a few general duties like that.

 

A while back this person was also given the task of helping with internet/computer problems. That happened when the dedicated internet employee position was dropped.

The acting librarian is often a cast member., a singer or dancer

 

etc .

Edited July 5, 2016 by sail7seas

[scm1848]

Tampa Girl,

 

We are sailing out of Tampa in November on the Osterdam. I have checked and re-checked my reservation. I'm concerned when you said you were sailing on the O. out of Europe???

[cruisemom42]

Tampa Girl,

 

We are sailing out of Tampa in November on the Osterdam. I have checked and re-checked my reservation. I'm concerned when you said you were sailing on the O. out of Europe???

 

Oosterdam leaves Nov 3rd from Rome (Civitavecchia) for a 15-day trans-Atlantic voyage to Tampa. I assume your cruise must follow....

[sail7seas]

I prefer my kindle as it is a bit smaller. I am a retired librarian who loves her kindle. I only read a book in paper form if it is a travel book or cookbook. I love having thousands of books to choose from.

 

I m unclear what we are to take from this. :D We should all love reading on Kindle? ?

[mamaofami]

I am an avid reader and I used to love to hold a book in my hands. Then I got a kindle. I belong to two book clubs at home and am always reading. When I cruise or vacation, I love to download onto my kindle. That way, I always have something I want to read, and I can adjust the font size.

 

This is what works for me. For those who want to hold a particular book and don't trust they'll find it at the ship's library, bring along a real book.:)

:)

[peaches from georgia]

I m unclear what we are to take from this. :D We should all love reading on Kindle? ?

I don't think nana51 is saying anything more than she loves her kindle because it gives her the availability of thousands of books at her fingertips. She never said everyone therefore should love a kindle.

 

I'm confused about your confusion.

Edited July 5, 2016 by peaches from georgia

[sail7seas]

Don't forget battery operated doorbells----a must have item. :)

 

I remember reading about the doorbell someone here raved about but didn't realize thedy had bec ome ' THE thing. !!!!

Edited July 5, 2016 by sail7seas

[ellieanne]

I have found my reading tastes to be unusual -- in that it's not bestsellers or classics, so I find the HAL library selection severely lacking in books I'm interested in reading. And I have finished with school so I no longer have to read anything I do not want to.

 

Because I'm not likely to find anything I want to read even in a well-stocked shipboard library, I pack paperbacks for my cruise reading. I leave them in the Take-A-Book/Leave-A-Book area upon completion. Any space the books take up is then available for souvenirs.

 

I have a Kindle and I pack it in case I read all the paperbacks I have packed for the trip. I enjoy my Kindle, but I like reading paper books as well. And I refuse to re-purchase books I already own in paper form for the Kindle. I have a library of over 1000 books, I'm not switching to exclusively e-books anytime soon.

 

I would be very sad if HAL got rid of quiet reading locations, but having a stocked library is not really a necessity to me.

[rguy123]

I am a big reader and used to collect lots of books but since I went to a Kindle 3+ years ago almost never read an actual book. Take the kindle everywhere I might have to wait. I also never pay for e-books, too many sources of free books now. For e-book users try Calibre book library, free on line, to handle you ebook sorting, storage, format conversion etc.

[GUT2407]

On our last HAL cruise, the book selection in the library was not up to standard. Rumor has it, Seattle is cutting back. As a 5 Star Mariner, think that is a huge mistake if true. Any thoughts out there?

 

I just take my own books, ones I know I'm likely to enjoy.

[Fouremco]

I like to read purely for the content, getting no additional pleasure from holding a book or turning the pages manually. I did that for well over sixty years before buying one of the very first Kindles, and had no difficulty in making an immediate switch to e-reading, either on my Kindle or my iPad. Every week I check the best seller lists to see what new books have hit the top ten, then put a hold on at my local library for those books that interest me. When they become available, I download them and then import them into Calibre, my electronic library, before transferring them to my reader.

[Hlitner]

Many ship libraries (not just on HAL) are becoming dinosaurs and do not generally stock many of the latest books or magazines. The reality of the 21st Century is that many readers carry a Kindle (or other tablet reader) which can easily be loaded with hundreds (or even thousands) of books. The days when DW and moi used to carry a dozen decent paperbacks on cruises is long gone. And our days browsing the libraries on HAL (or other lines) has pretty much gone by the way side....as we can now carry an entire library (stocked with our personal preferences) in a single small device.

 

Hank