The Norwegian Pearl

Taking a two-week cruise around the Mediterranean was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Rachael. She saw fantastic sites, ate delicious food, and had experiences that she will remember for the rest of her life. The cruise ship that she traveled on, the Norwegian Pearl, was a marvel. Of course, what interested her most on board was the library.

It was located on deck twelve, roughly midship. Deck twelve was the lido deck, so there were many things available for cruisers to enjoy. There were pools, hot tubs, the arcade, a bar, the spa, the fitness center, the dance club, restaurants, the card room, and (finally) the library. This was where Rachael would spend time when things got overwhelmingly loud at other places on board.

The library was a small room with plenty of soft seating where one could sit and find comfort from the elements outside, whether it was a sunny day or a rainy one. A couple of tables and chairs were dotted along the edges of the room. At times, those were used by travelers with their laptops. The room was always open and available, however, the books on the shelves were locked away unless a cruise worker was present.

When a worker was present, one could borrow a book for the duration of their trip. A return box was located near the door of the library. Anybody could borrow a book; your name and state room number were written down - that was the check out procedure. It was imperative that you returned the book before leaving the ship to go home. If you did not return it, a fee was charged to your final bill.

The choice of reading material impressed Rachael. The shelves along the walls of the library were filled with adult fiction and nonfiction  alike. Their classification system was different from a public library’s, which really intrigued Rachael. Instead of Dewey decimal or Library of Congress, the nonfiction items were labeled within a genre system. There was a small reference section that was filled with travel books. There was also a little free library section. One could “take a book or leave a book” if you didn’t wish to have a book attached to your stateroom.

There were many things to love about the library on board the Norwegian Pearl. It was quiet, it was comfortable, and one could access a small collection of materials while away from home. The only issue Rachael took with the space was that the sign out form was left out in the open. As librarians, we didn’t appreciate the lack of privacy being displayed, but other than that, the library was a welcome refuge during her trip.