Ship Library - Can you Check Out Books?

[Paulchili]

Even if (and that's a big IF) Marina decided to have a dedicated librarian - how would that really work in this wide open space/corridor called library?

However, if there was to be a librarian, not only would books not be "hoarded" but they would also presumably be properly replaced on the appropriate shelves/spaces (which they currently are not - so one may easily find Albania right next to Zambia, or Barcelona next to Moscow). However, I do understand that currently that may be too much to expect from the busy entertainment staff to do properly; they do have many other responsibilities and only so much time.

[LHT28]

My favorite ship libraries have had librarians. :)

 

I would rather have the ship employ one wonderful librarian than another boring troupe member for the show.

Yes and only open specific hours that may or may not work with your schedule

I hated that on HAL the librarian was never there when i wanted a book:rolleyes:

[JimandStan]

However, I do understand that currently that may be too much to expect from the busy entertainment staff to do properly; they do have many other responsibilities and only so much time.

 

Do members of the Entertainment staff really restock the shelves in the Library? For some reason, I thought that it was housekeeping.

[CintiPam]

Do members of the Entertainment staff really restock the shelves in the Library? For some reason, I thought that it was housekeeping.

 

Entertainment staffers were the restockers on Regatta last year.

[RetiredFL]

Although some people will recoil with horror, we tear our the pages of travel books that pertain to the specific areas we will visit and then throw them away after the port.

Most travel books are out of date in a year or two.

If we have a book we really want to keep we just photocopy the pages we want or scan them into our laptop for reference.

We also copy and paste info from web sites onto a work document so we have full and compact pages and then print them.

Remember if you have things to throw away you have room for souvenirs!

We mainly use the library travel books for reading about future cruises and those are usually not checked out.

Also, remember Oceania gives out a port info sheet for each port, minimal tho it is. There is also usually a local representative on the ship at each port with maps, info and advice.

The night before a port is not the time to learn about it.

[Mura]

Ed,

 

I presume the pages you tear out are from books you own, not library books!!:D

 

Completely agree about how long they can be considered current. I'm constantly buying new books whenever we travel.

 

Although, I do recall when we were in Copenhagen in 1975 Howard and I used my parents' Blue Book on Denmark which had been purchased in 1964. It was so up to date that it described the contents of the exhibit boxes at the art museum. (Or maybe that's a sign of how old the museum exhibits were! The labels were only in Danish so that tour book was awfully useful ...) I still have it, come to think of it.

 

I tend to photocopy the pertinent pages of the books I own and take that along rather than dragging the whole book along (unless it's a small one). And then there's internet research which can also be very helpful.

 

Mura

[Paulchili]

Entertainment staffers were the restockers on Regatta last year.

 

and Marina on all of our segments this year.

[CintiPam]

Also, remember Oceania gives out a port info sheet for each port, minimal tho it is. There is also usually a local representative on the ship at each port with maps, info and advice.

 

The former is minimal indeed, and can be outdated (as described in my Marina review) but the latter is excellent and I commend Oceania for providing this service. I love those local maps, and the desk is positioned so conveniently for me to grab first the map, then the water bottle and then proceed right down the gangway to start my touring, all conveniently located on Deck 5 after I waltz down the Lalique staircase pretending I am the queen of all I survey!:)

[Paulchili]

The night before a port is not the time to learn about it.

 

That is true but a week before, it could be - to look up something new, maybe a restaurant, check on opening hours of the museum, look up something you heard about on "ports of call" lectures that you didn't know about before, etc....

However, many people are finding out about their destinations during the cruise as evidenced but total absence of pertinent travel books (until after we have passed that port/country).

[Mura]

But perhaps they want to check things over as well. I wouldn't assume people have done NO research just because they are borrowing the books. Even though I have always purchased at least one new book covering our route, sometimes I want to at least see what another book may say. (Not that I've ever had any luck on finding a book on the shelf that pertains to a cruise!)

 

I don't doubt that there are some passengers who don't do any research but those (I would guess) are the people who only do ship's tours ... if they even leave the ship.

 

It's easy to make assumptions ... I've made some here myself.

[RetiredFL]

Just checked.

Buy a Kindle.

They have a large selection of travel books including Rick Steves.

So you can carry your books with you without hassle.

:D

[Mura]

As a Kindle lover, I have to object. Mildlly.

 

Yes, you can carry the Kindle around with you while you are doing your walking tour but I find the tour books REALLY hard to read on the Kindle. And it is very time consuming to go through the book and bookmark appropriate pages. You can't leaf through to find the page you want as you can with a REAL book.

 

So I actually prefer a real book for this purpose.

 

(Of course, many people are resisting e-readers just because they like to hold books in their hand, which I also understand. But as a fairly frequent traveler, the Kindle is a great invention. Now I don't have to lug 20 pounds of books on a trip ... unless they are travel books!)

 

Mura