The Most Beautiful Libraries on Cruise Ships for Book Lovers

Traveling While Reading

Many travelers on cruise ships enjoy simple pleasures: scenic t-shirts, sweet soft serve ice cream, lounging under the sun, and — though often overlooked in colorful cruise ads — great books. I see people reading everywhere on board, especially on sea days when everyone seems to have a cocktail in one hand and a book in the other.

The Library on Viking Ships

Cruise lines have recognized this passion by ensuring their onboard libraries are well-stocked with books. While some lines like MSC and Celebrity are phasing out libraries on their new ships, those that dedicate special space for books often put a lot of effort and heart into it. And no one does it better than Viking.

Viking boasts around 100 ships worldwide, each equipped with a library — many even feature more than one. The size of the ship influences the number of books in its library. Viking's ocean ships can house up to 2,000 books, while their river vessels have a smaller selection. All the books are carefully curated and provided by a small bookstore in London called Heywood Hill, which has been operating since 1936.

Heywood Hill and Viking

Heywood Hill is renowned for its quality. Nestled in a quaint house in Mayfair, one of London's most upscale neighborhoods, they sell new, used, and rare books; host author readings and signings; and curate libraries for individual and corporate clients.

In 2013, Viking approached Heywood Hill to design a proposal for a curated library. “I had a strong feeling that this was the company we wanted to partner with,” said Nicky Dunne, the book sales manager at Heywood Hill. “Thank goodness everyone was happy with the outcome.” Since then, the team at Heywood Hill has utilized their expertise, research skills, and evaluations to fill the bookshelves on Viking ships.

Criteria for Book Selection

Books are selected partly based on the ship's destinations. This is not always an easy task. “When asked to create a section on polar exploration for the first ocean ship, I realized I knew very little about the subject,” Dunne shared. “I didn’t know who Amundsen was compared to Nansen, if you catch my drift.”

Thanks to connections in the publishing world, Dunne was guided to a thatched cottage deep in the English countryside to meet David Walton, a renowned professor from the British Antarctic Survey. “Over tea, I explained that I needed help building an engaging library about both poles,” Dunne recounted. “He led me through the garden to a shed with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with thousands of books — a perfect spot for exploring the Arctic and Antarctic.”

Preparing Books for the Library

All books in the Viking onboard library are meticulously selected and chosen by a Heywood Hill team member. The books undergo a rigorous inspection process at Heywood Hill's workshop in London before being sent to the ships. “We check the condition, label each book to identify its location on the ship, and assemble each bookshelf individually,” Dunne explained. “This allows us to see all the shelves and adjust the layout for the beauty and vibe of the collection.”

Heywood Hill employs full-time staff to package books for what Dunne describes as “a continuous flow of boxes of books sent to Viking.” Each box comes with a list of the books inside to ensure accurate organization.

Unique Libraries at Sea

While Viking boasts one of the best libraries at sea, not all cruise lines overlook their passengers' literary needs. Holland America places great emphasis on its library, with each ship hosting a unique library that is regularly updated for convenience, comfort, and quiet space. Everything is done in-house, managed by Holland America's entertainment and development team.

Meanwhile, Star Clippers features a library on all three of its ships, designed in a classic gentlemen's club style. Crystal Cruises also shines with two ships that boast luxurious libraries, each containing around 2,000 books ranging from classics to contemporary works.

Other Lines with Impressive Libraries

National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions attracts adventure enthusiasts with libraries filled with nonfiction and stunning nature photography.

Cunard, with nearly 200 years of ocean travel history, also stands out. Their largest ship, Queen Mary 2, proudly holds the title of having the largest library at sea, featuring over 8,500 books. Each library across Cunard’s fleet is unique and curated according to the onboard entertainment program, frequently updated based on guest preferences.