Where have the libraries gone?

[*Miss G*]

3 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I'm on a Westerdam cruise around Japan in April, in an inside cabin... 

 

Are you sure about that?

or

”Around Japan” being the operative words.

 

Okay, sorry about that.  I had to get that out.  😂  I really do hope that you get a chance to enjoy that cruise and come back and tell us all about it.

[MAVIP]

1 hour ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Are you sure about that?

or

”Around Japan” being the operative words.

 

Okay, sorry about that.  I had to get that out.  😂  I really do hope that you get a chance to enjoy that cruise and come back and tell us all about it.

@cruisemom42And if that cruise is cancelled, maybe you can join us a year later on the Noordam? A few large insides are still available. 

Edited February 8, 2020 by MAVIP

[Hlitner]

6 hours ago, comcox said:

Fred Olsen cruises has a crew member wipe down all books as they are returned to the library.  Not a total guarantee but does help.  When you really think about it no place on the ship is completely sanitary.  I read an article once that stated the most germ laden area was the elevator buttons--are they going to eliminate those?

Not only are elevators germ laden,  but you are essentially trapped in a small chamber where there is no escape from anyone coughing or sneezing.  A few years ago, after catching too many colds on ships, we started to minimize our use of elevators and generally use the stairs.  We quickly noticed that we no longer got many colds or other bugs on our long cruises.  Anecdotal....yes....but it does make sense.  And there is another benefit in that we no longer have to worry about being crushed or run over by scooters who like to race into elevators.

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

15 minutes ago, MAVIP said:

@cruisemom42And if that cruise is cancelled, maybe you can join us a year later on the Noordam? A few large insides are still available. 

 

Still hopeful but definitely keeping a good eye on the situation...

 

I already have a S. America/Antarctica (cruising) trip on Westerdam in January 2021, so not sure if I could do this cruise next year, but if it is cancelled it will go back on my bucket list.

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Not only are elevators germ laden,  but you are essentially trapped in a small chamber where there is no escape from anyone coughing or sneezing.  A few years ago, after catching too many colds on ships, we started to minimize our use of elevators and generally use the stairs.  We quickly noticed that we no longer got many colds or other bugs on our long cruises.  Anecdotal....yes....but it does make sense.  And there is another benefit in that we no longer have to worry about being crushed or run over by scooters who like to race into elevators.

 

Hank

And now I expect someone to post that the bannisters on the stairs are germ laden just like the elevator buttons.

 

Actually another benefit from using the stairs is the exercise it provides.

[Himself]

Pepsodent."In the 1950's a pepsodent  commercial went "You'll  wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with

pepsodent.   The in the late sixties asked "Where have all the flowers gone?"   I think the libraries on HAL are going the same way, 

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Himself said:

  The in the late sixties asked "Where have all the flowers gone?"   I think the libraries on HAL are going the same way, 

 

Why are we having to consider the flowers are not seen very much?  Even the orchids on the Lido Restaurant tables have disappeared.  Why does HAL Corporate think that eliminating the amenities and programming that once set HAL a stand out from their competition a more desirable cruise line to book?  

 

HAL makes a change.  Doesn't seem to work.  (An example:  2002 Asia Pacific cruise on the Volendam returning to Los Angeles, our Music Director informs us at the end of the last show that live music was going to be eliminated.)  More changes are made with that issue:  over and over and over.  HAL has become the line of inconsistency of what to expect when one books a cruise on one of their ships.  

 

I am not a gambler.  Given my most recent experiences on Princess and MSC, why am I "gambling" on what kind of cruise experience when I book a HAL cruise?

 

 

Edited February 9, 2020 by rkacruiser

[RocketMan275]

11 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Why are we having to consider the flowers are not seen very much?  Even the orchids on the Lido Restaurant tables have disappeared.  Why does HAL Corporate think that eliminating the amenities and programming that once set HAL a stand out from their competition a more desirable cruise line to book?  

It is all about making a profit.  Profit can come from increased revenues or reduced expenditures.  Increased profit isn't a bad thing, it pays for new ships, etc.  Not every passenger prefers libraries or live performances.  

[RocketMan275]

On 2/8/2020 at 8:39 AM, *Miss G* said:

How many people use libraries the world over?  Libraries are everywhere: towns, schools, hospitals, offices, ships... you name it.  The whole germs-on-books tangent is silly.

Used to be a chemical/biological warfare analyst.  De-contaminating paper is almost impossible.

Besides, do you really think there is a crew member who turns each page and applies a disinfectant?

[Tampa Girl]

On 2/8/2020 at 8:07 AM, esimon said:

the library?  - that is now on your devise - LOL   and while I'm not a germaphobe - I am not picking up one of the books use by who knows - 

And you don't consider yourself a "germaphobe?"  Apparently you never use any library?

[esimon]

16 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

And you don't consider yourself a "germaphobe?"  Apparently you never use any library?

 

Relax Tampa -  I actually do not go to the library any more -- It's on my phone - :)  but thanks for asking.  

[doublebzz]

Having worked in a library and borrowed books from libraries all over the country for many, many years, I have never heard a concern about books transmitting germs before this thread.  My guess is a lot of folks are getting paranoid about the coronavirus.

[AncientWanderer]

5 minutes ago, doublebzz said:

Having worked in a library and borrowed books from libraries all over the country for many, many years, I have never heard a concern about books transmitting germs before this thread.  My guess is a lot of folks are getting paranoid about the coronavirus.

 

Sorry.  I think I'm the one who first brought it up.  But I know I will never touch with a 10-foot pole one of those shared magazines that look like everyone and their brother has rubbed a dirty coffee napkin over all.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

But it's funny how all these virus threads have revealed various attitudes towards germs.  Easy to see that the fastidious are helpless against the cavalier.  (DH always catches the ship bugs before I do.  'Nuff said.)

[homedepot124]

Just got back from Royal Princess, beautiful library full of games and puzzles, only a couple of shelves with a few books.

[dockman]

40 minutes ago, homedepot124 said:

Just got back from Royal Princess, beautiful library full of games and puzzles, only a couple of shelves with a few books.

  

About the size of a moderate sized bathroom in many american homes.  Not sure i would call it beautiful or a library but it does have a few puzzles and games and fewer books than i would have in the trunk of my car some days.

All in all, PITIFUL EXCUSE for a library especially on a massive ship  with thousands of passengers.  Just my opinion.

[rkacruiser]

40 minutes ago, homedepot124 said:

Just got back from Royal Princess, beautiful library full of games and puzzles, only a couple of shelves with a few books.

 

I sailed on Royal Princess December 2018 on her New Year's Cruise and that is what I found as well.  

 

I must compliment recent Eurodam guests for their thoughtfulness in starting to fill many of the empty shelves in the Crow's Nest area on the Port side with books that they have chosen to leave behind.  Lots more shelves in that public room to fill.  But, I am thankful that we "readers of hardback/paperback books" are attempting to undo what those in Seattle decreed with regard to the ships' libraries.  

[dockman]

Maybe if all of us paper book readers would leave behind a few books every cruise we could make our own libraries if  that is what it takes. With thousands of pax every cruise it wouldn't take long to once again have a decent selection of books available...of course then HAL would prob say oh we can't allow that as some staff member might have to spend an hour a day cleaning the area up...or better yet we don't want u sitting around reading books when you are supposed to be in the casino, shops and bars spending $$/

[*Miss G*]

5 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Used to be a chemical/biological warfare analyst.  De-contaminating paper is almost impossible.

Besides, do you really think there is a crew member who turns each page and applies a disinfectant?

 

Is that a rhetorical question or was it aimed at someone else?

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Is that a rhetorical question or was it aimed at someone else?

A bit of both.  Someone upthread said a cruise line had a crew member wipe all the returned books.

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, dockman said:

Maybe if all of us paper book readers would leave behind a few books every cruise we could make our own libraries if  that is what it takes. With thousands of pax every cruise it wouldn't take long to once again have a decent selection of books available...of course then HAL would prob say oh we can't allow that as some staff member might have to spend an hour a day cleaning the area up...or better yet we don't want u sitting around reading books when you are supposed to be in the casino, shops and bars spending $$/

But what you apparently do not want to understand is that many of us have given up on taking real books on trips.  Sure, we still love books but they are not very practical for trips.  I an take my Kindle (with over 100 unread books) and read it in a dark room, on a dark plane, in the bright sun, and would even have a years supply if quarantined.  When DW and I used to carry paperbacks on long cruises, we would have to agree on 8 or 9 books and it would add a few pounds to our precious weight.  Now, less then 2 pounds of Kindles gives us several hundred books.

 

Hank

[atexsix]

If it's about costs then why not put in an actual book/convenient store of some type?  Almost every hotel in the world has a small shop that sells the usual forgotten items such as medicine, books, and sundries. And yes they are overpriced but people would expect this, seems to me any ship would make a mint off this.  But instead, HAL seems to think everybody wants to buy watches, shot glasses, and dam ship merchandise.

 

I forgot my Kindle on my last cruise, thankfully I had most of my books backed up to my phone, not ideal but better than nothing.  I also hit up Target at the first port and grabbed a couple of paperbacks.  Unless people are at sea for weeks at a time I can't imagine not being able to buy something for the people that discovered the libraries disappeared.  And yes I left them in the Crow's Nest when I was done and I think they were gone by that evening. Glad it helped somebody!

[RuthC]

58 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

But what you apparently do not want to understand is that many of us have given up on taking real books on trips.

What you don't seem to want to understand is that you don't have to participate in the suggestion.

However, if you aren't going to leave a paper book for someone who would like one, then don't take one, either. 

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, RuthC said:

What you don't seem to want to understand is that you don't have to participate in the suggestion.

However, if you aren't going to leave a paper book for someone who would like one, then don't take one, either. 

We used to do a lot of paperback exchanges both on cruises and in Puerto Vallarta (our winter home).  But it finally got to a point when the pickings were getting slim because fewer folks use paperbacks.   We would leave books on the ships, but found that it was difficult to find other books we had not read.  Some do say that regular/paperback sales are again increasing, but being able to carry 100+ books in a simple Kindle or on a phone is hard to beat in terms of convenience and weight.

 

Hank

[comcox]

4 hours ago, RuthC said:

What you don't seem to want to understand is that you don't have to participate in the suggestion.

However, if you aren't going to leave a paper book for someone who would like one, then don't take one, either. 

Amen!  We left behind 8 paperbacks on our recent HAL cruise.

[kazu]

9 hours ago, atexsix said:

Unless people are at sea for weeks at a time I can't imagine not being able to buy something for the people that discovered the libraries disappeared.  And yes I left them in the Crow's Nest when I was done and I think they were gone by that evening. Glad it helped somebody!

 

If you are heading out on a Transatlantic or Transpacific and didn’t know there weren’t libraries then you’ll be a number of days at sea before you will have the opportunity to buy a book (assuming you can find some in your language 😉 ).