Cruise Ship Deck Plans, Cabins & Bathrooms

The little extra accessories in the ship stateroom

The finest shower bathroom accessories are found in the better stores, and in the top end specialist shops. They are also available from online stores, so the smart soap holder, the antique style shower taps and the towel rail can all be bought for the new shower bathroom, or when it’s time to upgrade. It’s amazing what a few added extras can do to the rather plain shower room, so it’s worth checking out all the shower room accessories which will give it that extra zip.

Good ideas are often cribbed from other places so the lifestyle magazines are great places to find the newest items. Shops selling the products will have example rooms on show as will the big department stores. Then there is the internet with a million sites to ponder as you look for the best items. Some ideas will have been gleaned from last year when the holiday was on the high seas with Mediterranean cruises around Greece, Spain and Italy. In the ships catalogues and online there are deck plans which give the dimensions of the cabins, their deck category and the amenities inside.

Floating five star hotels

Ship cabins have to be designed in a very different way to a hotel room as the potential for things falling on the floor is always there, given there are sea trips across the North Atlantic - and that even applies to the shorter Caribbean cruises. Both areas can be affected by some high rolling seas although the big modern ships are made to be stable in the heavy weather. However, there are safety issues when it comes to cabin design, and the ship operator doesn’t want to have to deal with a passenger injury if they can help it. So most things are capable of being bolted down and that includes items in the shower bathroom.

Cabins generally come in a number of styles and sizes. The most luxurious will be the Penthouse suite located on one of the upper decks and this will include a large bed, sofa, balcony and a well kitted out shower bathroom. They come with large flat screen TV and all manner of gadgets to make for a really top quality experience. The lower decks will have outside fronted cabins and in the low cost area there are the inner cabins. The great thing is that whilst the suite may be out of the budget there is the possibility to take a cruise in one of the more economical sections and still enjoy the benefits of cruising lifestyle.

This is a real eye opener and for the guests who are looking to make some home improvements there are all sorts of new ideas for the shower bathroom. Ships are upgraded regularly and they are made to be comfortable and welcoming. They are effectively floating five star hotels and there are few things better than sitting on the balcony of a cruise ship cabin watching the passing panorama of the Fjord Mountains on the Norwegian cruises. The cruise liner operators are for ever thinking up new ways to bring an extra dimension to a holiday so Celebrity cruises came up with the novel idea of having a Lawn Bowls club aboard. To make it really authentic, and not just a plain piece of Astroturf, they laid the half acre lawn out with real grass!!

New ideas for a new generation

It’s another innovative idea which will bring customers to their ships. In other words it’s sometimes the little extras which make the difference. Amenities in the cabins are obviously important as is space, which to be fair, is at a premium on all but largest ships. The smaller vessels have the benefit of being more personal and in this area the Princess cruises are keen to promote the likes of the Pacific Princess which takes just 680 passengers. Given that the ‘biggies’ take 6,000 it’s easy to see why they are keen to promote the small cruiser idea. The company has larger vessels but this idea of a smaller, more personal kind of cruise fits the bill for many. This ship doesn’t compromise on cabin amenities and the suites have balcony complete with furniture and in the shower bathroom a whirlpool tub. So no skimping on the fittings there, that’s for sure.

If it’s teak, leather chairs and an ambience of the finer traditions of the British way of life, then the ships which head across the world under the names of Oriana, Arcadia, Oceana and Adonia are just the ticket. Anyone who knows their ships will recognise that these are the names of the P&O cruises fleet, the historic company has been providing a quality cruise experience to passengers for more than a century. Its one of the oldest shipping lines in operation and they have constantly been improving and re grading the ships and the customer service. For professionalism and just plain experience this shipping line has to be considered seriously. Like the other cruise ships the mini suite on board the 77,000 ton Oceana has whirlpool tubs in the shower bathroom, and good sized balconies.

Out on the balcony to watch the sights on land

The balcony is a very nice touch on the ships as they offer a spot of privacy while still viewing the sights and take in the sea breezes. Being able to pop back into the stateroom and get a jacket if its getting cold is very handy. For families this is also good to get together in one place and chat about the days events. That’s much better than all gathering in one of the smaller staterooms. The family holiday is always something special, and the Italian MSC cruises have made a point of attracting families to their smart modern ships. Their way of thinking is that the cruise would be relaxed in the way of less formal dining and although they have the option for the sit down restaurant, they have other cuisines on board. Naturally pasta and pizza feature strongly!!

The building of the great ships

There are a whole host of cruise companies from a whole host of countries. The United States has been always been active in the way of cruises to the West Indies, Mexico and the northern reaches of South America. The ship operators have vessels which were launched in Fort Lauderdale, so Florida is a big player in the cruise market whilst New York has been the traditional port for transatlantic crossings from England. The ship building aspect has moved in Europe with the UK no longer the shipbuilding empire it once was. The great Queens were built in the docks of Liverpool and launched with great ceremony into the River Mersey. With the decline in competitive ship construction many ship owners moved their contracts to places in central Europe and even the Far East. The two largest vessels built in recent years were built in Finland and then fitted out with all the cabin fixtures after the launch. That’s when all those nice little shower bathroom accessories are fitted!

Transatlantic from Southampton to New York

One of the shipping outfits to remain in the United Kingdom has been Fred Olsen cruises. As the name suggest they are Scandinavian but they have always operated from Ipswich as this was close to Harwich which was the port for North Sea crossings to northern Europe. That aspect remains under the name of the smaller ferry operators, but the cruise business continues with cruises from Southampton. That’s great for travellers who want to start their journey on home ground, or end the trip with a welcoming party at the cruise terminal in the city. There’s nothing quite like a ship returning to its home port, and on maiden voyages the plumes of coloured water set off by the fire control boats is a sight to behold. There is something magical and awe inspiring about a ship on her maiden voyage or setting sail for a world round journey. The days of romance revolving the shipping industry have not disappeared by any means, but have merely been re invented for a new generation. The festivities on board, the ship deck activities, the entertainment and the cuisine all go to make up the wonders of a traditional or more flexible holiday cruise.

Gala nights on board the cruise liner

None more so than the festive Christmas cruises which host the biggest parties at seas, only maybe to be out done by the New Year bash, which given the right circumstances in the Pacific Ocean can be celebrated twice by crossing the date line! These big on board galas dinners have the best in traditional cuisine, great entertainment and dancing until the early hours. The chances are that there will be like minded groups who will naturally get on, making the event extra special. Maybe these new friends will also be chatting about the cabins on the big cruise. They too could be thinking of utilising the little extras they add to the décor will undoubtedly help to bring the new shower bathroom up to scratch – thankfully they are not the next door neighbours!