Real Books are Still Wanted!

[ithaca gal]

That is simply not true. Actually it is much easier to find any mention of a character in a ebook. On the Kindle if you touch the characters name it will bring up a list of all texts involving that specific character.

 

 

I think some people who are opposed to electronic reading devices have not explored using them. I am on my fifth reading device. Each one I get is an improvement upon the prior generation. They are wonderful in low light situations or when my eyes are too tired to read tiny print. I just switch to a larger font.

 

 

The cruise director I spoke to on the Eurodam at a book club gathering mentioned HAL is investigating having electronic devices available to borrow from their library. He indicated the library would be stocked with travel reference hard books and have the edevices available for other types of literature.

 

I think you are right. I use a Kindle and must admit that I don’t even know all of its special features!

[Sea girl 23]

You mean a special shelf or table that says "try this"? That's why my library does. They have an area where they put out theme books and CDs. Recently it was a double theme, Black History Month and Valentine's Day.

 

The only problem with this idea on a HAL ship is that there's no staff to pull out suggested books.

 

Yeah..wasn't thinking there..my enthusiasm got the best of me..just throwing ideas out there.;)

[crusinbanjo]

I agree completely, Mrs Banjo and I are just off the Zuiderdam, and we were very disappointed that there was no library, not even a book swap area. We both bring books with us, but always enjoy the library. HAL, I hope you are listening!

 

BTW, I think this last cruise on Zuiderdam, was the most uninspiring cruise we have been on. I’ll relate that in a separate review, but if mgt is reading, you all need to do some of that management stuff to win us back.

[ithaca gal]

I agree completely, Mrs Banjo and I are just off the Zuiderdam, and we were very disappointed that there was no library, not even a book swap area. We both bring books with us, but always enjoy the library. HAL, I hope you are listening!

 

BTW, I think this last cruise on Zuiderdam, was the most uninspiring cruise we have been on. I’ll relate that in a separate review, but if mgt is reading, you all need to do some of that management stuff to win us back.

 

I need some help here. We were on the Zuiderdam in January and there were definitely books on shelves. I borrowed a book on the Panama Canal but did not pay much attention to the other books. Were there just travel reference books?

 

(One day I walked in with my husband and pointed to a book and laughed because it was a humor book I had bought recently for our son. My husband innocently said "Yeah, I put it back there." I said "What?! That book belongs to our son!!!". Poor hubby thought he was doing a good deed, returning a book to the library!)

[avian777]

I usually bring 6 or 7 paperbacks with me each cruise, and I always leave them in the book exchange place in the library. Since I will read 2 or 3 books a day on sea days, I do appreciate it when others do the same, as I couldn't pack that many books. Yes, sometimes you have to search for something to read in the book exchange but I have found some new authors that I hadn't read before and liked what I read. I don't care for the E-readers as they are not as enjoyable to me as a real book is.

 

Spot on, travelnap! (y)(y)(y)

[seniorladycruiser]

My husband loves real books. However for 2 years he a used a kindle and then went back to actual books six months ago stating he really prefers books to a kindle. When we were on the Oosterdam in December he brought with a bag of books, some paperback and some hardcover. Since we didn't have to fly it was great to just get on board with his bag. He reads about 2 books a day. The paperback books he left in the library and brought the other ones home. We have a used book store in town next to the library and he can buy hardcover books, some practically new, for ten cents.

 

It is very sad what is happening to the libraries on all the mainstream cruiselines. We will be taking a cruise next year on Regent to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Their ships have very good libraries and we are very much looking forward to it.

[ithaca gal]

my husband loves real books. However for 2 years he a used a kindle and then went back to actual books six months ago stating he really prefers books to a kindle. When we were on the oosterdam in december he brought with a bag of books, some paperback and some hardcover. Since we didn't have to fly it was great to just get on board with his bag. He reads about 2 books a day. The paperback books he left in the library and brought the other ones home. We have a used book store in town next to the library and he can buy hardcover books, some practically new, for ten cents.

 

It is very sad what is happening to the libraries on all the mainstream cruiselines. We will be taking a cruise next year on regent to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Their ships have very good libraries and we are very much looking forward to it.

 

happy 50th!!!

[bennybear]

I need some help here. We were on the Zuiderdam in January and there were definitely books on shelves. I borrowed a book on the Panama Canal but did not pay much attention to the other books. Were there just travel reference books?

 

We were on when they put them on the shelves. They were predominantly travel books or fiction about the Caribbean. Not sure if that will change when the itinerary does. Not much fiction or variety.

[kazu]

I agree completely, Mrs Banjo and I are just off the Zuiderdam, and we were very disappointed that there was no library, not even a book swap area. We both bring books with us, but always enjoy the library. HAL, I hope you are listening!

 

BTW, I think this last cruise on Zuiderdam, was the most uninspiring cruise we have been on. I’ll relate that in a separate review, but if mgt is reading, you all need to do some of that management stuff to win us back.

 

Yikes, I don't like the sound of the library nor the uninspiring cruise.

 

I do hope you will share with us. I don't recall you ever being severely unhappy nor uninspired. So sorry to hear this:loudcry:

[ithaca gal]

I need some help here. We were on the Zuiderdam in January and there were definitely books on shelves. I borrowed a book on the Panama Canal but did not pay much attention to the other books. Were there just travel reference books?

 

We were on when they put them on the shelves. They were predominantly travel books or fiction about the Caribbean. Not sure if that will change when the itinerary does. Not much fiction or variety.

 

Thanks. I didn't look at the other titles -- that sounds about right, though. Sighhhhhhhhh

[richstowe]

To the "powers that be": I won't sail on any ship that does not have a library! Period! So if you are taking or have taken the library out of any of your ships let me know immediately as I will be cancelling any bookings I have or are thinking about booking.

I have read dozens of posts on CC over the years with threats to never cruise again with X if they do Y or Z . I tend to discount these proclamations .

Maybe I should start a thread , most unlikely threats . So far it would be either NEVER cruising again with some line because of a change from butter to margarine OR

threatening to do so because they discontinued the "tropical" band on the Lido . :')

I get to each their own but seriously...

Edited February 21, 2018 by richstowe

[Sea girl 23]

I have read dozens of posts on CC over the years with threats to never cruise again with X if they do Y or Z . I tend to discount these proclamations .

Maybe I should start a thread , most unlikely threats . So far it would be either NEVER cruising again with some line because of a change from butter to margarine OR

threatening to do so because they discontinued the "tropical" band on the Lido . :')

I get to each their own but seriously...

 

Mind you,haven't been here that long.. but yeah.Substiute libraries or anything else that doesn't make enough money(like promenade decks) The..searches for a word and settles on "obsession" that some here have with such things is mystifying to me.

 

Yet those people have 2-3-4 week cruises booked right after they make such comments..ON HAL.:rolleyes:

[Slarty]

For the Powers That Be in management: Libraries with books are still wanted...and used! An informal small analysis of two rows of the main theater (folks waiting for the show) showed most people reading REAL books. Those on electronic devices were playing games. I saw nobody reading a Kindle and nobody was reading a book on a device. Keep the libraries with books!

 

Oh come-on! It's 2018. You can have a kindle with 2,000 books on it. It weighs so much less, back-lit, so you can read it in the dark or broad daylight.

[NeonMoon]

I read books on electronic devices and I read print books but from your attitude it sounds like I would not be interested in your writings.

 

Although it seems like I just read your writing on an electronic device.......[emoji849]

 

(y)

 

(y)(y)

[NeonMoon]

The quiet ambiance of a library and the possibility that you will discover a n delightful author or book previously unknown to you. I learned long ago the joy of reading a few paragraphs of a new book and discovering that I wanted to read more by this writer. That is not possible on ebooks because most people don't buy/borrow books with which they are unfamiliar.

 

 

Are you not familiar with sample downloads? You can download a sample of almost any book with no commitment to purchase. Allows you to read several pages to an entire chapter of a book to determine if it appeals to you. And then there are the searches and recommendations you will find in the online Kindle store. You can discover a vastly greater number of books than working your way through the library stacks.

[ithaca gal]

I have read dozens of posts on CC over the years with threats to never cruise again with X if they do Y or Z . I tend to discount these proclamations .

Maybe I should start a thread , most unlikely threats . So far it would be either NEVER cruising again with some line because of a change from butter to margarine OR

threatening to do so because they discontinued the "tropical" band on the Lido . :')

I get to each their own but seriously...

 

I would love to see that thread started. Sounds pretty humorous to me!

[*Miss G*]

I dunno. Changing from butter to margarine sounds pretty serious to me.

[Stevanb]

Ooh that is a nice library on the Aegean Odyssey.

 

My issue with the old library/Crow's Nest on the Westerdam was that it seemed a bit cramped. YMMV.

 

 

Well if you want a library that looks like that are you willing to pay $5,150*pp for an standard inside cabin on a 18 day cruise 286.00 per day per person

 

[ithaca gal]

Well if you want a library that looks like that are you willing to pay $5,150*pp for an standard inside cabin on a 18 day cruise 286.00 per day per person

 

 

Uh, I'll bring a Kindle, thank you.

[Stevanb]

Uh, I'll bring a Kindle, thank you.

 

 

When we are Silver Seas they have a great one no really uses it anymore. Library's are like formal night on mass market go to the grave

[cruisemom42]

Well if you want a library that looks like that are you willing to pay $5,150*pp for an standard inside cabin on a 18 day cruise 286.00 per day per person

 

But compare apples with apples. The VTA cost includes all gratuities, very good shore excursions (not just basic 'walking tours' or introductory tours like on Viking), plus free beer/wine/soft drinks at dinners.

 

Also, VTA charges low or no solo supplement. So whatever you would pay on HAL per person -- double it, and that's what I would normally pay.

 

For me, a no brainer. ;p

[*Miss G*]

But compare apples with apples. The VTA cost includes all gratuities, very good shore excursions (not just basic 'walking tours' or introductory tours like on Viking), plus free beer/wine/soft drinks at dinners.

 

Also, VTA charges low or no solo supplement. So whatever you would pay on HAL per person -- double it, and that's what I would normally pay.

 

For me, a no brainer. ;p

 

Well that certainly puts things in perspective. A no-brainier indeed. Thanks CruiseMom.

[bennybear]

And it doesn’t have to be either or! Cunard has kept beautiful libraries, and their costs are often comparable to HAL.

 

Some of us appreciate the loss of a nice space, with books to discover. It is one more loss, that may or may not be a deal breaker. But as the losses rack up, people will explore other options.

[Barrheadlass]

I’m sitting here chuckling...as a retired librarian I love to read the “real” versus ebooks comments. I travel a lot, all overseas. Every trip I bring a few paperbacks, occasionally a hardcover. However, I must have close to 100 ebooks downloaded on my iPad. With the amount I read, I’d be filling up my suitcase with print books to keep me in stock. I also have a kindle and a Nook! I love the Amazon feature of downloading a few pages for free. I love suggestions they make based on my history. Today I’m reading a mystery by an author recommended by a friend. I make recommendations too.

[ithaca gal]

I have a Kindle but I also like holding a "real" book. (I don't read a lot when I'm not cruising.) I like the libraries but I feel the same way that some others do --- How do I know that someone else has picked out books I will be interested in?