Ahoy! Welcome aboard, folks! We are setting sail on the waves of bonds and discovery aboard the MV Doulos Hope - a beacon of hope. Did you know that the Greek word doulos means 'servant'? This ship is designed to be a servant of hope.
The Journey
My family and I had long planned our visit to the renowned international floating library since last month. Unfortunately, none of us was ever available for the escapade. Suddenly, on the eighth of November, my brother told me to reserve tickets for a visit the day after tomorrow.
It was for a visit on November 9, two days before the MV Doulos Hope departed from Cebu.
I was pleasantly surprised. I immediately booked five tickets scheduled for 2:00 to 3:00 pm; tickets were for three adults, one child and one senior citizen. It was stated on their facebook page, Doulos Hope that you could only visit the library if you reserved tickets online but when we went there, there was a separate line for walk-ins.
It was the day for our planned trip. We departed at 11 o’clock in the morning and rode a black van on the way to SM North Bus Terminal. The fare was 100 pesos per person so we paid 500 pesos. We originally planned to eat at SM but when we went there, we discovered that my brother’s phone was lost. We panicked since the phone was linked to his bank account and the expenses for the trip were borne by him so we went to where we were dropped off. Unfortunately, we didn’t see the van again so we rode a taxi on the way to MV Doulos Hope instead. It was located between Pier 4 and Pier 5.
When we arrived, we quickly forgot the unpleasant feelings we had due to losing the phone. While we already reserved our tickets, we still had to line up to pay for the tickets but since we had our grandmother with us, we skipped the line and paid 150 pesos. The ticket was priced at 50 pesos while senior citizens and children under 12 years old are free.
There is still another line before onboarding the ship. It was truly a busy place and the people who were coming and going continued to increase.
The era of digital media is widespread. You can buy and read on various online platforms like Kindle, Kobo, Google books and more so it was heartwarming to see that many people still value reading physical books. Tourists of all ages, whether young and old, and even international students gathered together on the fleet of knowledge. All the people were unfazed by the sweltering heat, laughing and talking together while waiting in line.
What to Expect on the Deck
We finally made our way to the spiral staircase leading us to the book fair. There is a vast collection of over 5,000 books in various categories like education, self-help, faith, and children’s literature. True to its name, the ship offers books at affordable prices. It’s a dazzling treasure for readers who are quite tight on their pockets, like me!
I also loved classics and there were numerous books from famed authors like Charles Dickens, Shakespeare, Jane Austen and others! Aside from the classics, there are books about dinosaurs, history, stories and such for children. If you are longing to improve yourself, there are Atomic Habits, No Sweat and among others. There are various bibles in different languages available there. Lastly, there are professional books that give you tips in business, careers, in language and beyond.
Fun fact: I was thrilled to see Dickens’ books because during senior highschool, I belonged to a section called Grade 11-Dickens.
The ship uses a unit system for pricing. One hundred units is equivalent to 120 pesos so make sure that you check the list of units and prices onboard.
They also offer various merchandise like lanyards, t-shirts, pens, bottle opener, notebooks and more.
What To Do Onboard
Aside from browsing books, there are other activities that visitors can enjoy onboard!
There are storytelling sessions for children - It’s an engaging activity that will allow them to have fun and learn at the same time. There are also educational seminars on various topics - this can range from personal development to social issues, all for enhancing awareness. You can also converse with the crew - You can ask about their experiences which will truly broaden one’s horizons. Moreover, you can sign up to become a volunteer onboard ! And lastly, you can enjoy snacks and refreshments while you are losing yourself in the world of literature.
A Servant of Hope
The MV Doulos Hope was a former cruise ship converted to a floating book fair. It is owned by a nonprofit organization, the GBA Ships. True to its name and with the same mission as its sister ship, Logos Hopes, it hopes to spread knowledge through literature. Not only that, it also provides life skills, humanitarian aid and shares God’s message of hope in its journey around the globe.
The MV Doulos Hope will remain at Subic Bay until December 13 before departing for Taiwan.
Eating Out
We finished our tour with a purchase of six books. My brother bought me three books as a gift. Thanks kuya HAHAHA. I was hesitant in choosing between Pride and Prejudice and Great Expectations. I finally chose Pride and Prejudice because it was cheaper.
After that, we went to Robinson Galleria since it’s only a walking distance away from the pier.
We were really hungry so we went to eat at Sunburst. It's located on the 2nd floor.
The food was really good. The menu contains many fried chickens in the list. You can choose classic, sunduo, sunny solo, doubles, prime cuts and quadro. There are also appetizers like chic’n cracker, liver, gizzard, calamares, kinilaw and chicken neck. Moreover, there are seafoods like shrimps, tanguigue, and squids. Other categories in the menu are noodles, vegetables, soups, beef and pork, chicken a la carte, salad, desserts and beverages. If you want some extras, it’s available too! We ordered the dishes I mentioned above. I loved kinilaw the most since I’m fond of sour food. It’s really delicious. The fish was fresh, with tomato and spices like ginger and chili.
After eating out, we ended our day with a trip back home.