Regal Princess Library

[Pitachip1210]

Hello folks. I was wondering what the library situation on Regal Princess looks like. I know they have a small library, but has anyone ever used it before? Is it “up to date” or does it feature old Readers Digest condensed books and stuff?

Edited December 4, 2018 by Pitachip1210

[Nee Nee and Biddy]

I used the library a lot when I was on the Regal a couple of years ago.  I was impressed at the selection of books, and I also read the book that was part of the the "book club" on board.  I'm pretty picky and I was able to find lots of books I wanted to read.  Not sure how it is now, but I am looking forward to going back on the 23rd! I wonder what the book club selection is now or if they are even doing a book club now? 

[geoherb]

17 minutes ago, Nee Nee and Biddy said:

I used the library a lot when I was on the Regal a couple of years ago.  I was impressed at the selection of books, and I also read the book that was part of the the "book club" on board.  I'm pretty picky and I was able to find lots of books I wanted to read.  Not sure how it is now, but I am looking forward to going back on the 23rd! I wonder what the book club selection is now or if they arefor the  even doing a book club now? 

 

Princess has info about selections for the book club through June 2019: https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/onboard-experience/activities/book-club/

[Happy2cruise]

While on the Regal in November visited the library and was disappointed at the very limited selection available.  Would almost say there were more empty shelves than books.  Hopefully, it will be better by the time you sail.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I too thought the library was very underwhelming with few books that were of interest to me.  Most ship libraries have really deteriorated, in my opinion.

[Aus Traveller]

7 minutes ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

I too thought the library was very underwhelming with few books that were of interest to me.  Most ship libraries have really deteriorated, in my opinion.

I agree that the number of books in the libraries has decreased a lot. Those they have are more up-to-date and they don't have the old Readers Digest condensed books. I wonder if this is a direct result of the 'honour' system. No-one checks out and checks in the books so it's likely a lot are taken home. I usually take a few of my own paperbacks for the exchange section of the library. You will need to go to the library as soon as you board to have much chance of getting good books, either from the lending part of the exchange part.

[Pitachip1210]

2 hours ago, Happy2cruise said:

While on the Regal in November visited the library and was disappointed at the very limited selection available.  Would almost say there were more empty shelves than books.  Hopefully, it will be better by the time you sail.

Yeah, pictures lead me to believe it’s lackluster. I’ll be sure to bring my own, I just enjoy the atmosphere of a good reading room. 

[wheezedr]

Cruise ship libraries appear to be a dying breed.  Have not been on the Regal but was underwhelmed when we sailed on her sister the Royal.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

it's definitely lackluster and underwhelming to begin with, and if you don't show up immediately after embarkation, there will be very slim pickings....

On our last cruise I found the very first Jason Bourne book in the series and read it. There was nothing else to read.

So, now I load e-books from my local library onto a tablet and just read that. Or bring a paperback with me (also from the library).

[BarbinMich]

Ship libraries have gotten sparser over the years.  On the Crown-class ships, the library had its own room.  On the newer ships, it shares space with the computers and offers fewer books.  I've borrowed a book or two over the years of our cruising.  Usually both fiction and non-fiction are available.  HAL ships do a better job with their libraries, although still not very extensive. 

[voljeep]

maybe those of you who actually use the library could all write a letter, not an email, a letter, to corporate each week asking that they provide more funding for the ship library...

 

signed

Andy D

 

you have to be persistent , it can't be just a one-off thing

[CruisinCouple2010]

If you enjoy reading then load up on your own books or e-books. The Regal library two weeks ago was very sad more empty shelves than books. Royal and Caribbean Princess libraries seem the same way from our experience. 

[Pitachip1210]

57 minutes ago, CruisinCouple2010 said:

If you enjoy reading then load up on your own books or e-books. The Regal library two weeks ago was very sad more empty shelves than books. Royal and Caribbean Princess libraries seem the same way from our experience. 

That was the looks of things from pictures people posted. All filler no killer, as the kids say. 

[diane.in.ny]

The key, as already mentioned, is getting to the library as soon as you board. If you go the next day, it will be empty. 

 

Then it starts to fill up again as the cruise progresses and people finish their books. 

 

On our recent sailing on the Sea Princess (28 days), the library was empty until about halfway into the cruise. Then it began to fill up with no room on the shelves for all the books that were left. 

 

That said, whoever was in charge of the library wasn't doing their job. The organization was awful, like non-fiction in the fiction section.

[san diego sue]

I found even the day you board (and go straight to library), hardly anything to read.

Recently on the Royal (repositioning Quebec to Ft. Lauderdale), mostly empty shelves, you would think at the end of cruise, plenty of books, shelves were almost bare. We stayed on for caribbean cruise and it remained bare.

There was a book at beginning I had my eye on but took another instead. At end of first cruise, it wasn't returned and never showed up on the second cruise. It was part of Princess library not donated. So, people are just taking the books home with them. I bring my Kindle loaded with books however I look forward on cruises to read new authors and the lack of books prevents that.

[stoneharborlady]

On 12/4/2018 at 9:53 PM, wheezedr said:

Cruise ship libraries appear to be a dying breed.  Have not been on the Regal but was underwhelmed when we sailed on her sister the Royal.

I would not be surprised if this was a direct result of electronic books and readers.  They appear to be extremely popular although I will be the first to admit, not with me.  I prefer a real book, but after seeing the ship library on the CB and the Ruby,  would never trust that a ship library would have much to my liking.  I would never go on vacation without three or four books of my own choosing.

[BigGuy25]

We sailed on the Regal’s transatlantic in September. My DW is a voracious reader and she was very disappointed with the ship’s library selections.

[GloriaF]

Best to bring your own books in whatever form you prefer.  If not library books, you can donate to the ship's library and lighten your luggage if you have real books rather than e-books.

Edited December 9, 2018 by GloriaF

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 12/5/2018 at 2:40 PM, voljeep said:

maybe those of you who actually use the library could all write a letter, not an email, a letter, to corporate each week asking that they provide more funding for the ship library...

 

signed

Andy D

 

you have to be persistent , it can't be just a one-off thing

lol, I understood your reference. :)

[BarbinMich]

I usually bring something with me to read, but occasionally I look at the offerings in the ship library, meager as they may be.  A few TA cruises ago, I found a mystery (my favorite genre) featuring a young female lawyer in San Francisco in the early 1900s.  She was obviously a rarity at the time and it was hard for folks to accept her as qualified, but she prevailed in the end.  SF is my favorite city so that was an added plus!

[BigGuy25]

On 12/9/2018 at 10:03 AM, BigGuy25 said:

We sailed on the Regal’s transatlantic in September. My DW is a voracious reader and she was very disappointed with the ship’s library selections.

I forgot to mention ... she does load several books into her iPad before leaving home so she has plenty to read. But, she always enjoys picking up an actual book in the library.

[Campbell soup]

We did a 25 day Baltic/TA in September this year and the library shelves were empty. After getting nowhere with customer service on the ship, I wrote an email to Princess directly. I explained that not everyone had the luxury of reading from tablets and phones and that we would be in three English speaking ports before the crossing where they could find books for the ship. Two days later, there were 200 new books purchased in the UK while we were in port. The front desk manager called me three times before I called her back to find out what happened and was my problem resolved.  I guess the head office wanted to know that I was satisfied and happy. It pays to write and complain!

[BarbinMich]

That was certainly a fast response!  However, from the photos it appears that most of the books are soft-cover.  Wonder how well/long they'll hold up.

[cruisingcousin1]

I was on the Regal in November as well and was totally disappointed.   If you plan on the library go as early as possible on the first day.  In fact, you should make it your first stop on the ship.  Otherwise you will not find much to read.  I believe the people that go definitely remove at least 2 or 3 books and keep them in their cabin.  It would be nice if people returned them as soon as they finish reading the book instead of holding it until the end of the cruise.  There was quite a difference in selection when you compare what was on the shelves  on the second cruise day to the next to last day.  

[Hlitner]

Ageee that cruise ship libraries are a dying breed on most lines including Princess.  Consider that my Kindle probably has more books loaded then is in the Regal library.

 

Hank