Books On Board?

[SanNic44]

I've heard that many cruise ships have libraries. Can some people comment on how large they are, how many people use them, and how well stocked they are?

 

Also, do the gift shops have books for sale and how is the selection?

 

Gracias!

[paul929207]

All Princess ships have nice libraries. They have 3000 - 5000 books I think. They have a nice selection of fiction and non-fiction, including some travel guides. They also have some reference books that can only be read in the library.

 

There is also a place where people can donate paperbacks they have read and take ones others have donated.

[Bookish Angel]

It is an international book sharing site where folks tag and track a book's travels. If not found a BC book on a ship yet, but I have left a few.

[eandj]

I've heard that many cruise ships have libraries. Can some people comment on how large they are, how many people use them, and how well stocked they are?

 

Also, do the gift shops have books for sale and how is the selection?

 

Gracias!

 

It would help to answer your question if we knew which ship you are cruising. Oceania has the most beautiful and comfortable libraries with an amazingly large assortment of books.

[cb at sea]

RCI doesn't have a huge selection. I just bring what I would enjoy reading, (although people watching seems to take precedence!)

[lannp]

I find the libraries on Princess ships vary from ship to ship. The books tend to be older and not too much is recent. The library on the QM2 has approx. 8,000 volumes and quite recent titles also.and a good selection of magazines.

[sail7seas]

The libraries on HAL ships are surprisingly good. Particularly Noordam's. I have no guess as to number of volumes but there is a very decent collection with a mixture of category of books. HAL libraries are now part of their Explorations Cafe which includes computers and headsets for personal music selection as well as specialty coffee bar so a fairly good number of people roam in and around.

 

[Morgsmom]

As previous poster said, the libraries on RCI vary greatly. When we were on the Mariner and she was brand new the library was well stocked and lovely. A couple of weeks ago on the EOS there were maybe 100 books total in the library including "Fodors Caribbean 1999" (sic)... Really depends on the ship.

 

Bring your own books, IMO. I always bring several paperbacks and donate all of them at the end of the cruise to the crewmember's library.

[Mary Ellen]

Like Sail, we find the HAL libraries to be quite good. There is an extensive selection of fiction and non-fiction. I've been surprised at the variety of topics and how recent some of the titles have been. When we've been there, it has been well occupied, but not crowded. We've never had to leave because we couldn't find comfy seats - maybe not the seats of our choice ;) , but nice never less.

[rdr525]

The best library I ever saw on board a ship was QMII- Most have just OK libraries- I bring books that I buy and leave them on board in the library. They do have donated books too on some ships that you can borrow -The shops on board sell some paper backs as well as stores u can alway get a book in port, if you run out of reading material

[English Teacher]

On EOS in February, I found a Maeve Binchy novel and a Harry Potter to read, as well as "The Secret Garden," (a kid's book). We don't travel without books, so it wasn't an issue for us, but if you are a voracious reader, make sure you bring lots of books. I love EOS, but she isn't the best-stocked library ship in the fleet.

 

Lou-Ann