While a lot of cruise industry coverage focuses on the amazing new features both Carnival and Royal Caribbean are adding to their ships, amusement park-style rides are a small part of the cruising experience. Yes, Carnival has added the first roller coasters at sea to its flagships Mardi Gras and Celebration, while Royal Caribbean has bumper cars on some ships and indoor skydiving on others, but those are more enhancements than core features.
A passenger might spend a few minutes with one of those experiences while shows, live music, and activities like trivia or Bingo actually are what dominate their cruise. In many ways, both Royal Caribbean (RCL) -) and Carnival (CCL) -) still offer a pretty traditional cruise experience.
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Sure, the pools are nicer than they used to be and the performance venues have better equipment, but those are the places people spend most of their time. Seeing the nightly shows, watching live performers, and daily trivia and/or game shows remain a core part of cruising.
You also still see a lot of people reading books (both digitally and in the traditional way) and decks of cards still remain a popular diversion. Cruising has changed a lot, but in some ways, it hasn't changed at all.
That makes it challenging when either cruise line decides to take something away that has long been a fixture on its ships. Carnival Cruise Line has quietly been doing that, and some passengers are angry.
Image source: Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival is phasing out libraries
Many people still like reading a book during their cruise. Some cruisers also like doing that with a printed book rather than using their phone or another digital device to read.
Carnival Cruise Line (and Royal Caribbean) cruise ships have generally offered a small library where readers could drop off a book when they finish it and grab another that a passenger has left behind. The brand's loyalty ambassador John Heald was recently asked about ship libraries on his Facebook page.
John Heald a question of importance for you. We only cruise with Carnival Line because of our children and grandchildren. We should be respected. Libraries are disappearing from all your ships. Only ------ seem to be building new ships with libraries and not removing them from older vessels during drydocks. WHY ? You may not have an open as well as an adult mind to discuss this with any comprehension. Whom should I be sending this to who will listen?
Heald, as he always does, responded politely and asked for feedback.
Thank you so much and this lovely lady is right, we have stopped building new ships with libraries. The reason is so we can have other bars, restaurants etc there and the reason is also that, well, the amount of people who want to borrow a book and sit, in library silence on their Fun cruise was we saw getting less and less.
The post got well more than 3,000 comments with people mostly mixed between those who like to read, but don't need a library to do so, and others who enjoy libraries.
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"When we cruise with friends, we like to sit in there and play games. We have now started doing that more in the buffet area because the libraries/game rooms are getting too small," Janey Coward Angus wrote.
"If I'm going to read, I bring my own book and find a nice spot outside," shared Cassandra Gail.
Unlike many responses to Heald's posts, the comments on this one never got heated. Some people clearly enjoy the library — for games and cards as much as books in many cases — while others felt the ships had more than enough quiet spaces without offering a dedicated library.
"I have found the libraries very peaceful and for me a great way to stop and take a breath. I think there should be some space for games and reading that is not in the middle of all the action," Maryanne DePalmenary Savage wrote.
Carla Burke had a different opinion.
"I read constantly on a cruise, but not in the library. There are so many quiet, lovely spaces in which to indulge my habit," she added.
Royal Caribbean continues to offer libraries and/or card and game rooms on its ships. That includes Oasis of the Seas offering a sort of hidden library in its Central Park area. Other ships have larger game and card rooms in varying locations that also offer shelves full of passenger-donated books.
