For as little as $3.75, you can walk down the gangway of the MV Logos Hope with a book in hand.
The world's largest floating book store is back in town after a three-year absence, the first stop in its destination roster for 2020.
The ship docked at the Cruise Ship Complex in Port-of-Spain on Tuesday and opened its doors to the public today after a brief opening ceremony.
Books are priced between TT $3.75 and TT $150. The ship has special arrangements with publishers so they can offer books for sale at significantly discounted prices. Patrons will be able to browse more than 5,000 book titles ranging from children's fiction and activity books to home improvement guides and adult non-fiction literature.
The store also features a variety of religious texts as part of the crew's commitment to their shared Christian faith.
The on-board experience also features an International Cafe and cultural performances at scheduled times. The crew will also perform The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at 2:30 pm and 6:30 pm every Sunday during their stay.
Over 400 crew members from more than 60 countries work on-board the ship and come ashore at each destination for charitable projects.
Tobagonian native Haelyn Buurma, who has lived on the ship with her husband and two children for the last year, will return to her family home on the island for the first time in 15 years.
The thing she's most excited about?
"Going home to mom's house and sleeping in her bed!" she laughed.
Buurma met her husband on the MV Logos Hope's predecessor, the Logos II, nearly two decades ago. He is originally from the Netherlands where the couple has built their family home. Buurma's husband re-joined the vessel's engineering department last February, and the couple brought their children, ages 9 and 7, on-board for a two-year period of residence.
"We wanted to combine our work and our belief together and this is like the perfect place," Buurma said.
How did her children adapt to living at sea most of the time?
"They learn a lot, my kids are really excited to meet people and learn the different cultures. They love food, so to try the different foods - that has been for them very enlightening. That we can do it together is also really nice because my husband was away all the time when we were home, but now we're together all the time so that's a big bonus."
The entrance fee is TT $5. Children under 12 and adults over 65 are free.
The vessel is in town until January 26, but the ship will be closed on Mondays to give crew members a day off.
