Has anyone taken their Kindle on a cruise?

[Pia1913]

just remember that even if you have the international one you will pay an extra fee -- usually $1.99 per download to be sent via wispernet when outside of the US. Unless you have it sent to your computer, then no international fee. This is for the new Kindle 2 (global) one.

 

Cheap enough. My husband ordered a book when we were in Panama. I still marvel at the technology available to us.

[sing2sas]

unless you have an internationl version you will not be able to. I brought mine to the Caribbean last Jan and was unable to access the Kindle store in all ports except St. Thomas. Note you will have to pay a fee too, the fee is normall $1.99.

 

I recommend getting all your books delivered to your kindle before you leave. Or download them to your computer where ever you are in the world and put on to you Kindle from your computer for no extra fee.

 

I also wanted to share a story. While sailing on the Crown a woman saw my Kindle and asked how I liked it, after chatting for a bit she disclosed that her Kindle was totally dead so I offered to charge it in my cabin for her. Took a bit of time because it was totally dead, and then I delivered it to her cabin.

 

Now that would only happen on a cruise...

 

I totally agree. I just took my Kindle on the CB to the southern Caribbean and could not download any books from the ports (did not try in St Thomas). Glad I had downloaded 6 books before I left!

[Kruising Katt]

I've had a Kindle since late last Fall and love it! It hasn't been on a cruise

yet but will be going in 3 weeks, yikes! I have over 100 books loaded, a lot of them free, and it'll be great to take it for reading on the plane, waiting to board, and on the ship instead of packing enough paperbacks so I don't run out of reading material. I know the ships have a library but I've never found much that interests me. I'm an avid reader and always read some on vacations. The Kindle is easy to read and easy to carry. You forget you're not reading an "real" book.

[BosoxI]

If only there were something like this for shoes...

 

Now that's funny. I've had great luck with the ships' libraries on Princess, and I much prefer a real, live book in my hands. But I have a Kindle and I love it. Download your stuff before you go, though.

[surfclam2003]

Just ordered my Kindle!!!!!!!!

 

Can't wait to get it. That will save me about 20 lbs in my luggage :D.

 

Brinda

[beachseeker]

Just ordered my Kindle!!!!!!!!

 

Can't wait to get it. That will save me about 20 lbs in my luggage :D.

 

Brinda

 

You are going to love it. My kindle goes on its first cruise in a week!

[sirwired]

As a random side-note, if you have a Gen1 Kindle, and don't feel like packing the charger, but you have a source of USB power (laptop, USB charger for another device, like a cellphone or iPod, etc.), you can charge the Gen1 Kindle from the USB. The trick is to not use the USB port on the Kindle. Instead, hunt around online for a "Palm Zire sync cable" (I got mine from eBay for $4.) It includes both a mini-USB plug and the barrel connector the Gen1 Kindle uses for power. (It simply won't accept a charge at all over the USB connection, even though it turns on the charge light.)

 

SirWired

[Pia1913]

As a random side-note, if you have a Gen1 Kindle, and don't feel like packing the charger, but you have a source of USB power (laptop, USB charger for another device, like a cellphone or iPod, etc.), you can charge the Gen1 Kindle from the USB. The trick is to not use the USB port on the Kindle. Instead, hunt around online for a "Palm Zire sync cable" (I got mine from eBay for $4.) It includes both a mini-USB plug and the barrel connector the Gen1 Kindle uses for power. (It simply won't accept a charge at all over the USB connection, even though it turns on the charge light.)

 

SirWired

 

It's a tiny wire. Why wouldn't anyone want to carry it?

[Chesneygirl]

I was thinking of buying this for my DH for our upcoming cruise but I would like to use it as well. He's more of an afternoon reader while I like to read at night to help me fall asleep.

 

Would the kindle allow two users to read individual novels?

[Pia1913]

I was thinking of buying this for my DH for our upcoming cruise but I would like to use it as well. He's more of an afternoon reader while I like to read at night to help me fall asleep.

 

Would the kindle allow two users to read individual novels?

 

Yes. It has memory. So if you stop reading yours and he reads his, once you go back in and click your book, it will know exactly where you were.

[PescadoAmarillo]

My DIL was doing that until she got a Kindle. She said the iphone reading worked, but the eye strain was awful.

 

I have Kindle installed on my iPhone and have about 25 books or so to read. It works great inside, but is useless in the sun. To compensate forthat, I have also loaded over 30 audiobooks (some ofthem duplicate the ebooks). I find that I "completed" more audiobooks than ebooks on our cruise...the audiobooks were perfect when I was lying on a beach or a deck chair. I didn't even have to open my eyes to be entertained.

 

So, if reading is the main goal, the Kindle would definitly win over the Kindle app. But I you want to choose just one piece of electronic equipment to take on a cruise, I recommend an iPhone or iTouch.

[sirwired]

It's a tiny wire. Why wouldn't anyone want to carry it?

 

On the Gen1 Kindle (as opposed to the Gen2), the charger is more than a tiny wire; it's yet another "wall wart", which I already carry too many of when I travel, and occupies another outlet, which I don't have nearly enough of.

 

SirWired

[Pia1913]

On the Gen1 Kindle (as opposed to the Gen2), the charger is more than a tiny wire; it's yet another "wall wart", which I already carry too many of when I travel, and occupies another outlet, which I don't have nearly enough of.

 

SirWired

 

Sorry, but I didn't know the difference. However, it never occupies an outlet. My Kindle doesn't require charging more than once every few weeks and your shouldn't either.

[sing2sas]

It's true that a charge should last a couple weeks. But be sure your wireless is turned off. I tried to download books midway through our cruise (unsuccessfully) and did not get it turned off. It drains the battery way fast. I had to charge the Kindle shortly after that and was glad I had the charger with me.

[silvercruiser]

I just ordered my Kindle and also got the Kandle, a clip-on light that got the best reviews on Amazon. The libraries on Princess vary from wonderful on the small Pacific Princess to tiny, tiny, tiny on Emerald Princess, a huge ship.

I can't wait to sit out on my balcony with the Kindle and just relax and read. I think it'll also be nice to have something to do while waiting for the shows in the theatre to start. You have to get there kind of early to get a good seat and now I wont be bored.

[natnat8465]

If you have a blackberry, you can download the kindle app for free.

 

www.amazon.com/kindlebb

[Roses2]

I have had the e-book, kindle 1 and now kindle DX and the DX is my favorite. The e-book is much harder to download, and the kindle 1 doesn't take pdf files. (I also found the ebook to be more difficult to read in sunlight) My DX takes pdf files and I print my travel confirmations to it so I have them with me, along with metro diagrams, and other travel information. The kindle 2 and the DX also have text to speech and while it is robotic, it's great for when you are doing dishes, fixing your hair, or doing anything with both hands. I download information and books from both Amazon and free content websites (Baen for science fiction) including the bible and classic novels (which you can search by word). I prefer kindle to regular books, blogs and emagazines.

 

Skellis,

 

I don't see a Kindle format download on the Baen site - what format and how do you download to your Kindle? Thanks for the info.

 

Roses2 - Peggy & Jerry

[cruisinggranmama]

I can't comment on the Kindle but I have had an eReader for years - the first version that came out 3-4 years ago. I travel with it constantly as I travel in my job too as well as taking 3-4 vacations a year. I keep about 10 books loaded on it and add more for a cruise or vacation when I don't want to be bothered with finding an Internet connection. I can only read so many in a week and there is so much to do on a cruise that it's never been a problem. Even overnight flights are better with my eReader.

 

Sunshine is not a problem and I believe the newer eReaders and Kindles are even better than my older version.

 

As was mentioned, just install the books before you go and enjoy the freedom of pulling that small gadget will all the books in it. No need for an extra piece of luggage.;)

[asnaleah]

I see Amazon just lowered the price of their Kindle book reader to $299. And with their $10 book downloads, that looks very tempting as a lightweight, thin option for the cruise.

 

Has anyone used one? What did you think? How was the readability of the screen when in sunlight (like when you're in your deck chair)

 

I used mine on the CB - southern caribbean. Readability is better than a book - no glare. Great battery life, and I could bring more shoes instead of packing books:)

[sirwired]

Skellis,

 

I don't see a Kindle format download on the Baen site - what format and how do you download to your Kindle? Thanks for the info.

 

Roses2 - Peggy & Jerry

 

Use the "Mobi/Palm/Kindle Format"... it's an option for every download on Webscriptions. To get it to your Kindle, either use USB, or e-mail it to your Kindle (costs a buck or so to transfer via Whispernet.)

 

SirWired

[skellis]

If you go to www.baen.com. go to webscriptions and click on the sidebar for kindle and follow the instructions for kindle. it is now in kindle format and you generally download to your computer and then email to your kindle. Enjoy.

[Roses2]

If you go to www.baen.com. go to webscriptions and click on the sidebar for kindle and follow the instructions for kindle. it is now in kindle format and you generally download to your computer and then email to your kindle. Enjoy.

 

Thanks for the information.

 

Roses2 - Peggy

[annecas]

I have a Sony Reader and will take it with me on my cruise this Wed. Love it! Was able to get ALL of Jane Austen for only $.99! Other books cost about what a paperback would cost - even the new bestsellers.

[sirwired]

For infinite Public Domain books for free on your Kindle, go the the web browser (Menu->Experimental->Web Browser) and browse to http://www.mobileread.com/mobiguide

 

This link will cause a book to be downloaded to your Kindle that contains a huge index of Kindle-formatted public domain books. To update the guide, simply Go To location 1, and follow the link right there on the cover page.

 

The selection there is far more extensive than the free public domain books in the Kindle store.

 

SirWired

[WCAB]

I was looking for a book on the Amazon site for my Kindle and was amazed at all the free downloads. Some are new titles. The thought crossed my mind that I could read for a good long time and never have to pay for a book.