While many travellers who love a good book pack a kindle or tablet for reading on the go, there are still plenty of us who enjoy visiting a cruise ship library, writes Sally Macmillan in her article published in the Traveller.
Checking out the cruise library
The article goes onto illustrate how the writer and her friend checked out copies of Ian McEwan’s latest novel, Nutshell, for their own private book-club discussions while onboard Crystal Symphony.
The writer has been visiting traditional-style cruise-ship libraries over the years and have a big soft spot for Regent Seven Seas Explorer’s, for its gorgeous leather-tiled floor (keeps the noise down) and comfy green leather chairs; those onboard R-class ships Azamara Journey, Azamara Quest and Oceania Insignia, for their glorious painted tropical-jungle ceilings; Royal Clipper’s, for its gleaming wood panelling, leather chesterfields and nautical memorabilia; and Queen Mary 2, for its sheer size and grandeur.
Other favourites include the more contemporary book collections on Viking’s ocean-going ships, where books are scattered informally around the Living Room and other areas; and Celebrity Solstice’s two-deck high circular library that is an integral part of the towering atrium.
As pop-up street libraries are becoming a thing in our communities, perhaps cruisers could get them going on ships that don’t have formal libraries anymore?
What’s in a cruise library?
The library onboard the Crystal Symphony, was a pleasant, airy space where you can also make reservations for onboard shows and have a chat with the well-informed library manager.
You can often borrow old-fashioned board games such as Cluedo, Monopoly and Scrabble at a ship’s library – it’s surprising how often you’ll spot modern families actually playing them together these days.
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Source: Traveller
