RCI-Childern books in library?

[hooked-on-travel]

OK, this one may be a softball for experienced family cruisers, but we haven't cruised since our now toddler joined the family. She's addicted to books, but I hate to haul enough to entertain her for the week. Does the library (we're going RCI) have children's books?

[crusinmama06]

LOL! I don't know the answer to this one but I will check on our next cruise and report back to you (9 days from now).

 

Bringing some books would be nice. But I bet you won't need THAT many cause there will be lots to hold her attention.

[DCPIV]

You know, I've never looked! We've always brought a few books for the kids. We just have them choose two or three, each, for bedtime stories and reading. Crusinmama is right, though, they usually aren't all that interested in books, except at bedtime.

 

 

D

[hooked-on-travel]

Well, I plan to bring just a few, but I was hoping that the library could bail me out if we ran out of interesting ones. When I say "addicted" to books, I mean addicted. I think it's genetic. She was 14 months old, would wake up at night (teething), I'd pick her up to rock and she would sleepily say, "Book?" Some babies lull to sleep with a blankie or bear, she has to have her security book. OK, maybe I'm the only mom with this concern...

[hooked-on-travel]

Cruisinmama, anyone? The more I think about it, we will HAVE to have a good stash of books. But if I can take a few familiar ones and "live off the land" for some "new" ones that will sure help packing!

[crusinmama06]

I was looking for this thread! YES!!! They had them! I went to the library and right in the window was a selection of kid's books on display. So everytime I went past the library I looked to see if there were any children and a few times I DID see a parent with a child looking through the books.

 

Now this was on Freedom. But I made sure to look for ya and they were there. :D

[Boyz3mon]

I can tell you that there were NO children's books in the library on the Mariner of the Seas (RCI). My kids are HUGE readers, and checked out the library on day one. There were not many good books there, and none for kids, really.

[hooked-on-travel]

Well, I'll take the answer as a "It depends." We're going Rhapsody next week, so we'll pack a few extra in case not and report back after to let anyone else know. And here I thought it would be an easy question. Thanks for checking for me crusinmama... I know you had other things on your mind.

[Chocochip]

There was a shelf of kids books on Radiance (we just got back). Probably about 15-20 books, geared towards young kids.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I would just bring a few of my child's favorite books just in case your ship doesn't have any. Try for softcover to save on weight. Also bring a coloring book and some crayons (even though many cruiseships will provide a children's menu with activities and the primary colors of crayons at dinner).

[hooked-on-travel]

Well, we're back, so I can report about the condition of books on Rhapsody. We took maybe 20 and it definitely wasn't enough. We also had two color books and our own crayons. (The dining room menu was a color page, but they didn't provide crayons, so I was glad to have them!) The library did NOT have kids books, so I inquired if AO had any. They did and since I explained the library didn't have any, they said I could borrow a few at a time. I don't think they had ever had that request before, b/c they didn't have a system for "checking out" books. I just informally borrowed a few and traded them out every 1.5-2 days. It helped a TON to have fresh books! Like I said, my toddler is a true book-a-holic.

 

(She repeats the phrase "New Book!" when she's bored with the ones she's read too many times. We don't let her watch much TV, so books are her best outlet for stories. I'll get her crates of books if it's what she wants to do with her time!)