Westerdam Library

[PSR]

We are going on a HAL cruise in January; tried the search function for this forum and couldn't find any current information about the Westerdam library, as to its current size. The latest posts were back in April 2016, so not sure if it has been subject to all the downsizing that has been going on. Would like to find out if it still has the larger book supply as in the past. My husband likes to pick out a few books from the library to read, rather than bringing them along. Want to warn him if the choices are now less.

 

I like to do the sudoku puzzles, and I've heard they are gone, too :( , so I guess I will have to bring my own pages, or do them on my iPad. I prefer paper on cruises, for some reason...

 

Thanks for any info.

[veryseasonedtraveler]

We are extremely disappointed they will not be having Duplicate bridge on the 10 sea days to and from Hawaii in January. Dedicated mariners take long cruises because they enjoy the excellence that Holland America is known for. Unfortunately, It is quickly disappearing.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We were on the Westerdam March/April and talked to the Librarian. Her hours were very limited and she told us that soon her job would be eliminated.

This is what will be replacing the Library:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2431924&highlight=Explorations+Central

[Scrapnana]

Since the change is not going to be made until Westerdam's dry dock, you may be lucky and still have the library on your cruise.

[PSR]

Since the change is not going to be made until Westerdam's dry dock, you may be lucky and still have the library on your cruise.

 

Hope the library is still there in January; I do know about the changes in April 2017. Not sure I like the changes to the Crow's Nest if it takes away the library, but attendance for activities in the CN have gone downhill since we first started cruising on HAL about 1990. Still a great bar, but no one there...

Edited December 21, 2016 by PSR

[Krazy Kruizers]

The library will still be there in January.

Honor system to check out the books.

[Alberta Quilter]

The library was there in Oct/16 but no librarian. Books were reshelved by other entertainment staff and shoved in any available space making it challenging to find a particular author. After experiencing an exceptional librarian on the Zaandam in May/16 and then no librarian on the Westerdam in Oct/16, I'm very disappointed with the elimination of the librarian position.

 

I would plan on bringing your own reading device/books to read and your own puzzles to do. Then you're prepared if the books/puzzles are not available. I believe the puzzles were available in Oct/16 but couldn't swear to it.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[roses313]

Believe I was on the same October cruise as "Alberta Quilter". Yes, there is still a fairly well stocked library. I found a few interesting books to read, and was not concerned about no librarian. I find that often it is the passengers who pull books out and then do not return them to the proper place.

 

The fact I found interesting reads may not be so for others, so my advice carry a book/reading device of your own as back-up. Enjoy your cruise and one of the last HAL libraries.

[Alberta Quilter]

Believe I was on the same October cruise as "Alberta Quilter". Yes, there is still a fairly well stocked library. I found a few interesting books to read, and was not concerned about no librarian. I find that often it is the passengers who pull books out and then do not return them to the proper place.

 

The fact I found interesting reads may not be so for others, so my advice carry a book/reading device of your own as back-up. Enjoy your cruise and one of the last HAL libraries.

 

Bolding mine. This could very well be true. However, as I worked on jigsaw puzzles, I actually witnessed the entertainment staff shove the books in any open spot. They may have returned the books to the correct section (or not, I didn't check) but they definitely did not put them in alphabetical order by author as used to be done.

[PSR]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Sounds like the library will still be there, but we'll take some books and Sudoku puzzles just in case...

[cabinluvn]

We were on the Westerdam March/April and talked to the Librarian. Her hours were very limited and she told us that soon her job would be eliminated.

This is what will be replacing the Library:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2431924&highlight=Explorations+Central

 

 

 

We also will be sailing on her in January. I was hoping there would be a librarian there. I tried to find a way to download the art tour to my iphone, but could not. Hopefully, they still have it on iPods in the library to check out and listen to the tour

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[OceanTraveller4ever]

I was on the Wdam for 21 days last March, and I spent a lot of quality time in her library. It is such a great space, with the comfy recliners, and quality books. I only hope that they would add to it, not reduce it.

[kazu]

We also will be sailing on her in January. I was hoping there would be a librarian there. I tried to find a way to download the art tour to my iphone, but could not. Hopefully, they still have it on iPods in the library to check out and listen to the tour

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

The art tour is on Itunes. It should be downloadable from there - at least I have in the past.

 

If there is no librarian, ask at the front desk about the Ipods. They may be there.

[cabinluvn]

I searched iTunes and did not find it. Any suggestions?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dthawkins418]

My wife and I expect to be on the Westerdam cruise from Rome to Barcelona leaving Rome on September 8. Can anybody tell me if the library is still there. (I read somewhere that it's pretty much gone except for travel guides.) I hope it is because every other HAL ship we have been on had a very good library that we enjoyed using.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Don.

[vino100]

My wife and I expect to be on the Westerdam cruise from Rome to Barcelona leaving Rome on September 8. Can anybody tell me if the library is still there. (I read somewhere that it's pretty much gone except for travel guides.) I hope it is because every other HAL ship we have been on had a very good library that we enjoyed using.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Don.

I was on the westerdamn in May , after the dry dock , and most of the books were travel books. They had a few books about Athens and Rome that were more like history books. The checkout was on the honor system.

[weselka]

A question for someone who has sailed on the Westerdam post dry dock. If the library is gone, except for the travel guides/books, is there (at least) a place set up for a book exchange?

[StLouisCruisers]

A question for someone who has sailed on the Westerdam post dry dock. If the library is gone, except for the travel guides/books, is there (at least) a place set up for a book exchange?

 

The library on the Westerdam is now a disaster. As someone mentioned there are some books about different places, art, food, etc. but trying to find a good novel is impossible. However there is a shelf on the port side of Crows Nest for a book exchange. It's in a spot where they have placed rows of chairs such as you would see in a classroom. That is where the ship thought we should have our meet and greet. Didn't work well at all. I am so disappointed in the direction HAL has gone with their library and the renovation of the Crows Nest. Very sad. Having just returned from Westerdam I will be mentioning it on my survey. I doubt they listen but everyone was saying how bad the library was so if we all mention it on surveys perhaps someone will decide to do something about it. I heard many people walk by and say I didn't bring any books - what will I read?

[rj42]

The Westerdam's library hadn't had any new books for several years, and by last year there was no librarian (who spent 90% of the time answering questions about wifi/ipad tech questions, as on other ships). Any public library will help people with a Kindle or other ereader to upload and check out free library books, and so I always take books with on an ipad, Kindle, and on my iphone (good for reading before a show or at meals on my own, since I can read with one hand and carry it in my pocket). If someone gets stuck without reading material, you can use wifi to download free ebooks (gutenberg.org has tens of thousands of classic books available). Personally, what I'll miss most about the library are the comfortable reclined chairs, perfect for watching the sea and reading with an espresso and chocolate covered strawberries (at least until another annoying dance class or trivia game started to ruin my reading peace).