Quick question are books back in library

[Windsurfboy]

What's the latest 're books in library  , website  still says no books

[JoJo1947]

Correct no books. Read on a forum that the company providing the books had gone bust.

[Windsurfboy]

12 minutes ago, JoJo1947 said:

Correct no books. Read on a forum that the company providing the books had gone bust.

 

Thanks, at least it's no longer the universal covid excuse. Shouldn't be to hard to find a new book shop , or the cupboard where they stored the old books.

 

6 months 😁

[Denarius]

Saga need to get their act together on this. In addition to Saga I have sailed this year with Star Clippers in June and P&O in October. In both cases libraries were operating as normal. The covid excuse will no longer wash. 

[ann141]

I was told that because there are no books in the library there is now a book club onboard. I attended  it on our recent cruise and we were each given a copy of a book to read and a meeting later on to discuss the book.Not the same as lots of books to choose from but I enjoyed the book club

[Windsurfboy]

3 hours ago, Denarius said:

Saga need to get their act together on this. In addition to Saga I have sailed this year with Star Clippers in June and P&O in October. In both cases libraries were operating as normal. The covid excuse will no longer wash. 

 

Too ******** true.

[Windsurfboy]

They still have lack of  books as a covid protocol on FAQ. But as far as I can see except for vaccination no other precautions against covid.

 

Can someone confirm that there is

 

No masks

No social  distancing, e.g. stools at bar next to stranger

No track and trace

No routine testing. 

 

If so how can they justify no books, when even public health England has told libraries the chance of getting covid from a book is negligible. 

[JoJo1947]

On 11/19/2022 at 6:44 PM, Denarius said:

Saga need to get their act together on this. In addition to Saga I have sailed this year with Star Clippers in June and P&O in October. In both cases libraries were operating as normal. The covid excuse will no longer wash. 

It's not a COVID excuse.....the suppliers have gone bust! Perhaps email Nigel Blanks with your views 

[JoJo1947]

2 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

They still have lack of  books as a covid protocol on FAQ. But as far as I can see except for vaccination no other precautions against covid.

 

Can someone confirm that there is

 

No masks

No social  distancing, e.g. stools at bar next to stranger

No track and trace

No routine testing. 

 

If so how can they justify no books, when even public health England has told libraries the chance of getting covid from a book is negligible. 

 They rarely update the web site. .All restrictions have been lifted. Email Nigel Blanks and ask him about books! 

[Denarius]

This all begs the question, what happened to the books after they were removed from the library shelves? I had assumed that the books were owned by Saga and would have been taken to some onboard storeroom for safe keeping, ready to be returned to the shelves at the appropriate time. But it is suggested that the former was not the case and that they were hired from a third party. But unless Saga suspended the contract and returned them (did they?) the books would surely have remained in Saga's possession, albeit temporarily not on display. In which case they would still be available unless (as has also been suggested) the supplier has gone into administration and the administrator has since taken physical possession of them. It is all very curious to say the least.

[FatBoy20]

When onboard in October I asked the question re-books & was told by Reception they were awaiting instructions from Head Office!.

[david05]

I had a feeling that the dummy books and art work that replaced the library books were stuck down on the shelves so it may not be just a case of easily removing and replacing the items (eg the shelving may need some work on them and perhaps replaced).

[nosapphire]

5 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

Thanks

 

It can't be difficult to find other book sellers.

 

I've emailed  Nigel Blanks a few times, all I  got was defence B.S. but no action.

 

I'll  wait untill nearer my cruise , if still no books I'll definitely  email Nigel Blanks , and then copy his boss. Hopefully others will have done job for me by then.

The majority of cruise lines seem to use outside suppliers for their libraries (I've been on ships and seen the books being switched on changeover days - boxes out, boxes in).

Ocean Books seem to be a major supplier - perhaps send Saga the link.

http://www.oceanbooks.com/libraries.html

 

I suspect that the continuing lack of books in the library is for other reasons.

[JoJo1947]

In the past the books were tidied and sorted by the cruise staff. They seem to do more now. If there are to be no more books scrape the library for something else otherwise waste of space.

[david05]

1 hour ago, JoJo1947 said:

In the past the books were tidied and sorted by the cruise staff. They seem to do more now. If there are to be no more books scrape the library for something else otherwise waste of space.

As long as the something else does not result in less seating as the library is a popular spot for sitting in when the weather is not so good.

[JoJo1947]

7 minutes ago, david05 said:

As long as the something else does not result in less seating as the library is a popular spot for sitting in when the weather is not so good.

Can still be and more room taking out the bookshelves if they can't work this out.

[Windsurfboy]

Given that many people like to actually borrow  books from the library,  and it is one of the facilities that Saga advertise. I very much hope it stays open as a library not just a seating area. I doubt if I'll be alone in missing it.

 

 

 

 

[Vivaldi]

23 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

I very much hope it stays open as a library not just a seating area. I doubt if I'll be alone in missing it.

 

I thoroughly agree. It was always a great pleasure on a sea day to pick out a book which looked interesting and sit in the library with a coffee reading it. I've mentioned in another thread being impressed by one bookcase on the Discovery which was filled with volumes from Everyman's Library - a collection of written material which could hardly be bettered. Of course I could take my Kindle with more than enough books on it to last me a cruise, but browsing shelves and finding something unexpected is much more fun. 

 

[Windsurfboy]

I have a tablet that I read , but outside on sunny sea days need real books.

 

Avid reader so had a seperate bag with 12 books for out last cruise, prefer not to have to do thid

[david05]

Saga has confirmed for our cruise next month that, whilst they have a phased reduction in their onboard protocols, they continue not to carry books on board. 

[david05]

11 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Phased reduction of on board protocols.   ???

 

That indicates that there are other protocols still in place, as far as I am given to understand there are NO other protocols still in place.  Did they say what the others are.?

 

If No books is last and only covid protocol..That sounds like B.S..  Absolutely no logic or scientific basis .

There are still protocols regarding isolation if one person in a cabin tests positive and, of course, if testing or mask wearing is required by the country visited.

[nosapphire]

21 hours ago, david05 said:

Saga has confirmed for our cruise next month that, whilst they have a phased reduction in their onboard protocols, they continue not to carry books on board. 

I think it rather insulting that Saga imply we are all gullible enough to believe the lack of books is STILL anything to do with Covid.

My personal opinion - two reasons.

One is that it is a good opportunity to cut costs in a way they hope won't matter too much to their customers (but it does!).

The other is they hope that it will cut down on the spread of Norovirus.

 SoD had a devastating early 2020 season with Noro running riot on several consecutive cruises, bad enough to abandon or be turned away from ports and cut cruises short (plus some bad publicity).

Noro IS spread by contact, and those hand sanitisers are useless, as alcohol has little effect on Norovirus.

One of the officially recommended routes of controlling an outbreak is to either close the library or remove all books.

 

Easier to permanently remove the books  -but if they go that route, then they need to stop describing it as a library in the publicity and ship plans.

And maybe, be honest about why they are doing it.

 

 

[Windsurfboy]

5 hours ago, david05 said:

There are still protocols regarding isolation if one person in a cabin tests positive and, of course, if testing or mask wearing is required by the country visited.

 

If you think about any UK or European cruise there are no country specific testing or mask requirements.

 

There then are NO protocols in place that apply to everyone to prevent spread of covid, except for no library . PHE has said spread of covid via books is negligible. 

 

The isolation protocols are about once you have covid,  You would only be tested if you were feeling unwell, so apply to a few people. 

[JoJo1947]

Booksgate! Yep paper is still the biggest spreader of germs. In the big picture of life accept there are non.not likely to be any in the foreseeable future  chill and in the meantime take a Kindle,suitcase of books,join the book club on board but people are just venting an exhaustive subject. You could I suppose take Saga to court for misrepresentation of wording. 😂

 

[LandC]

On 11/21/2022 at 8:23 PM, nosapphire said:

The majority of cruise lines seem to use outside suppliers for their libraries (I've been on ships and seen the books being switched on changeover days - boxes out, boxes in).

Ocean Books seem to be a major supplier - perhaps send Saga the link.

http://www.oceanbooks.com/libraries.html

 

I suspect that the continuing lack of books in the library is for other reasons.

I agree.  It will very disappointing if the library disappears, but if Saga don’t intend to restock the library they should say so.