E-reader or print books?

[NCnewbie]

I love my Nook, and I'm one who will spend hours reading on vacation...but I'm wondering if I'll be better off with traditional print books for the cruise so I won't have to worry so much about leaving expensive stuff on my chair to take a quick dip in the pool or something. Thoughts?

[paul929207]

I think your Nook is pretty safe at the pool. I would put a towel or something over it.

[cruzincurt]

I love my Nook, and I'm one who will spend hours reading on vacation...but I'm wondering if I'll be better off with traditional print books for the cruise so I won't have to worry so much about leaving expensive stuff on my chair to take a quick dip in the pool or something. Thoughts?

We take our e-readers. Just don't leave them lying around in the open, we put them in our beach bag under the chaise. My DW and I also usually take turns dipping in the pool so someone is always around.

 

Paperbacks are typically used by chair hogs to reserve their chairs hours in advance.

[cb at sea]

I still prefer reading a REAL book....but, if you do bring your e-reader, just stick it in your tote, out of sight, when you need to. It's fine.

 

It's a good idea to speak to your neighbors at the pool, so if you do take a dip, they can sort of watch out for your stuff....if you are friendly, folks don't mind!

[Thoie]

eBooks all the way for me when cruising - as I always have to fly, it frees up luggage allowance for me :) I generally carry a small bag around with me (with sarong, sunglasses, suncream, phone) and put the kindle in that if I need to go somewhere. I generally leave the back on the deckchair if I'm going into the pool, as the ground can sometimes have puddles.

 

As cb at sea said, if the people beside you are in any way normal, I just ask when I stand up if they could keep an eye on my stuff while I'm in the water - no-one's ever said no yet.

[tak81288]

In everyday life, I actually prefer print books, however, when traveling, I take an E-reader because it takes up less space, I don't really have to worry about weight issues...etc...

 

Yes, there is a possibility that it can get damaged or stolen (anything can get stolen/damage though) but don't leave it out in the open or have someone look over it...etc...to lessen those chances.

[donaldsc]

We take our e-readers. Just don't leave them lying around in the open, we put them in our beach bag under the chaise. My DW and I also usually take turns dipping in the pool so someone is always around.

 

Paperbacks are typically used by chair hogs to reserve their chairs hours in advance.

 

Any books that they leave on chairs I consider part of a free lending library that is available for the taking. The loose the chair and I get a book to read. LOL!!

 

DON

[Ehpride]

I love to read, especially real books. I always intend to read on a cruise but there's too much going on for me to focus!

 

So I'm not going to bother bringing a real book. I've got a few ebooks on my ipod if I'm desperate. Otherwise, I'll buy my usual book in the airport on the way home. Because I always end up doing that even if I've brought a book!

[Scrapnana]

I love to read, especially real books. I always intend to read on a cruise but there's too much going on for me to focus!

 

That is the way I am. I did take a real book on my last cruise and read maybe 25 pages total over 13 days. I love to people watch and I spent much of my reading time doing that instead.

 

For my next cruise, I have downloaded some books onto my iPad and there is a library on the ship, so no paper and ink books will need to be packed (even though they are my first choice at home).

[calliopecruiser]

In everyday life, I actually prefer print books, however, when traveling, I take an E-reader because it takes up less space, I don't really have to worry about weight issues...etc...

 

Exactly. The advantage of a print book is that you can leave it and not have to pack it home, but they're heavy and take up more space on the way down.

[Noel182002]

We just usually put it in our towel bag and call it a day had no problem with anyone taking anything

[RyanDMB99@aol.com]

most e_readers are tough to see outdoors... I think actual books are still ur best bet

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Forums mobile app

[Thoie]

most e_readers are tough to see outdoors... I think actual books are still ur best bet

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Forums mobile app

 

I've never found that with any e-reader. Phones/tablets are often a disaster in sunshine. I have the kindle app on my phone but rarely use it for exactly that reason. I love real books, but flying with enough books to keep me going for a two week holiday means there's no room for clothes!

 

OP, the other thing to keep in mind is that most ships seem to have libraries on board, so if you're not too fussy about what you want to read, you can always borrow a book from there for beside the pool, and keep the e-reader for other times.

[lesley_willis1971]

I take printed books simply because of the glare from the sun. May not be an issue foe everyone though.

 

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[RunnerGirl26.2]

I take my Kindle. The Kindle 2 or Kindle paperwhite (with the white screen) is actually very easy to read, even with full sun on the screen.

 

For beach days, I put it in a gallon zipper bag to keep the sand out. You could do the same at the pool to avoid splashes or spilled beverages. Just put it in your bag if you take a dip in the pool. I usually carry a tote around the ship with Kindle, camera, water, and a wrap for the cooler air conditioned areas.

[Thoie]

I usually carry a tote around the ship with Kindle, camera, water, and a wrap for the cooler air conditioned areas.

 

Off topic, but thank you for assuring me I'm not a freak - I always have a bag with me for all the things you mentioned, plus sun glasses. Loads of people question why I carry a bag on board.

[Ehpride]

That is the way I am. I did take a real book on my last cruise and read maybe 25 pages total over 13 days. I love to people watch and I spent much of my reading time doing that instead.

 

For my next cruise, I have downloaded some books onto my iPad and there is a library on the ship, so no paper and ink books will need to be packed (even though they are my first choice at home).

 

I could read all day at home. But I enjoy the people watching too much to do it on a ship. It seems like the only time I read on a cruise is on the plane coming home because I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm going home!

[Hlitner]

Love this topic. It took me a couple of years to convince DW that his/her Kindles were a good thing for our future. We take long cruises (often over 30 days) and both of us do a lot of reading on our cruises (we often have many sea days). When we carried our own books we would often take at least 10 paperbacks and also spend time in the ship's library. But our Kindles now have over 100 books on them...so instead of all that extra weight we simply take our small Kindles and have our own library. On these longer cruises we have noticed that a majority of reading passengers have electronic reading devices (Kindles, Kindle Fires, Nooks, iPads, etc) and real books are becoming more and more rare. We think it will not be many years before printed books are thought of like vinyl records are today.

 

Hank

[NCnewbie]

Ok, I'm convinced - I'll stick with my Nook. I've got my eye on an upgrade anyway, so I'll have an excuse to buy a new one if I have bad luck and something does happen to it.

[5326jan]

I have a Kindle Fire and love taking it with me. The only negative is that in some light it's a little hard to read. We try to sit in the shade as much as possible and it's fine there.

 

I would like to upgrade to the newest Kindle Fire 2 which has a camera in it. There are just some moments at the pool that you want to take a picture of someone/thing and don't want to be so obvious as to take your camera out! :p

[cruzincurt]

Our Kindle Touch and Paperwhite work very well in full sunlight. Color screens such as Kindle Fire and Ipads wash out. In fact our Ipad overheats in the sun and shuts down. I've even used the Kindle app on my smart phone to read a book on a cruise.

 

So for $100 or so, the e-readers might be a better choice and if stolen or broken not as big an economic impact. They also have much longer battery run times. I believe in using the tool that fits the job.

[AZbeachboy]

Any books that they leave on chairs I consider part of a free lending library that is available for the taking. The loose the chair and I get a book to read. LOL!!

 

DON

 

Double wammy for chair hogs.

[terri-eddie]

I bring my e-reader because I read a lot, and I don't want to take up excess weight in my baggage when we fly. However, I always bring one or two paperbacks...usually picked up at flea markets or yardsales intentionally and saved for the trip. I take one of these to the beach or pool if needed. Also, one year my e-reader failed, and all those lovely books I had downloaded for the trip were inaccessible! My motto is...always have a Plan B....and C....and sometimes D!

[MrsPete]

I've been a Kindle reader for 6-7 years now. I'm on my second Kindle, my first having died from excessive use, and I much prefer this format to a DTB (dead tree book).

 

Benefits:

- Lightweight and easier to hold than a book.

- Font size can be increased if your eyes are tired at night.

- Kindle editions are generally cheaper than books, and you don't have to store them on a bookshelf when you're done.

- I thought I had a good vocabulary, but having an instant dictionary has honed my word knowledge.

- If you like to be read to, the eReader will do that (via headphones, please, if you're at the pool).

- If your favorite author is coming out with a new book during your vacation, you can buy it poolside.

- And the best of all, you can carry literally hundreds of books with you; thus, you're not going to run out of good reading material.

 

If you're going to read in the sun, you want a Kindle, not an iPad or a Kindle Fire. I don't know Nooks, so I'm not saying yeah or nay to them. The plain old Kindles have a screen that is great in direct sunlight, and you'll have no problems at all with glare.

 

As for leaving my Kindle on a pool chair, I'm cautious but not paranoid. My first Kindle was $300+, and they were still relatively unknown at that point -- strangers used to come up and ask me about it constantly, but that doesn't happen anymore. Back then, I was very careful to take it with me when I went to the restroom, to hide it in my bag and keep an eye in that direction when I dipped into the pool. Today I'm not quite so cautious. My new Kindle was less than $100, and I don't think they're highly steal-able items anymore. If mine were to be lost/destroyed, the greatest loss would be my lack of reading material on the cruise -- not the Kindle itself. Ipads and SmartPhones, yes, people want to steal those . . . the less expensive Kindles, no. I do still put my Kindle into my little pool bag when I get into the pool, but I am not so cautious as I used to be to keep my eyes on it at all times.

 

In contrast, I often do take one paperback book for the beach. I don't think basic Kindles are much of a temptation to people who can afford cruises, but on some island beaches, the natives are so poor that they will take anything of value -- has anyone noticed the used shoes booth at the Labadee market?

 

I do not recommend hiding your eReader under a towel. I saw a very upset woman whose child had come along and plopped himself down on her chair -- he didn't realize her eReader was under that towel.

[MrsPete]

Our Kindle Touch and Paperwhite work very well in full sunlight. Color screens such as Kindle Fire and Ipads wash out. In fact our Ipad overheats in the sun and shuts down. I've even used the Kindle app on my smart phone to read a book on a cruise.

 

So for $100 or so, the e-readers might be a better choice and if stolen or broken not as big an economic impact. They also have much longer battery run times. I believe in using the tool that fits the job.

When I got my second Kindle, I was soooo pleasantly surprised with the increase in battery life! Even with heavy use, mine lasts 3-4 weeks between charges -- provided, of course, that the wifi is turned off. You only need the wifi for a few minutes when you're buying a new book.