Have you ever wondered where the cruise ship captains’ quarters are located and what they look like?
Well, you are not alone, it’s a common question, and not unsurprisingly, there aren’t many captains sharing details of their private quarters.
However, after some research, we have found some glimpses of the inside of the captain’s quarters.
The size and spec of the quarters will vary depending on the cruise line and the individual ships’ perceived prestige.
So we have endeavored to find as many examples as possible.
What Do the Cruise Captains’ Quarters Look Like?
The cruise captain’s quarters will usually be on par with the average suite types of rooms you’ll find on the ship. Typically the larger or more luxurious the ship, the larger and more luxurious standard you can expect the captain’s quarters to be.
Although often traveling alone, the captain’s quarters will be large enough for when they do have family or guests staying onboard with them. Hence large bedrooms and living space. Much larger than the rest of the crew’s cabins.
As well as typical suite-like features the quarters will have an office with monitors, wifi and various forms of communication, and navigational indicators and monitors so the captain can keep abreast of everything at all times.
There will also be room for meetings with the crew and navigational staff members.
Below are some real-life examples of cruise captains’ quarters that we have found.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Captains Quarters
TikTok and Royal Caribbean cruise captain @captainjohnnyfaevelen gave a scarce insight into the cruise captain’s quarters on mega cruise ship Harmony of the Seas, one of the largest cruise ships in the world, and no doubt a larger than average captains cruise quarters.
@captainjohnnyfaevelen #welcome to the #captain #cabin and #office #onboard @Royal Caribbean #harmonyoftheseas #oasis #class #modern #cruiseship #shipslife #comfortable #life #at #sea
♬ original sound – Captain Johnny
On its launch in 2016, Harmony of the Seas was the largest cruise ship in the world. It has since been overtaken by Symphony of the Seas (2018) and now Wonder of the Seas (2022).
So this captain’s quarters are likely also proportionally larger than many others, so not typical size-wise for the average cruise ship.
From the video, we can see Royal Caribbean Oasis-class cruise ships have very generous-sized captains’ quarters.
On entering the cabin, there is a spacious foyer with doors to:
- Guest Bathroom
- Master Bedroom
- Large Living room
The quarters have a larger Master Bedroom with Queen size bed. The bedroom includes a walk-in closet and bathroom with a large bathtub and shower.
The living room is large and spacious, with a dining table and four chairs. A more relaxed sofa area includes a coffee table, a 55-inch TV, and a recliner chair.
The living room leads to the pantry, which has a refrigerator and dishwashers, various cooking appliances, and lots of food storage space.
Off the living room is the Captain’s Office which can also be accessed directly from the navigation bridge. The captain’s office has a deck and chair and various monitors on display.
Celebrity Cruise Captains’ Quarters
The video below is by Captain Kate McCue, who has a well-known social media presence in the cruising world.
She’s captain of the cruise ship Celebrity Edge at the time of the recording. This is a 130,000 gross tonnage cruise ship with the capacity to carry over 2900 passengers.
@captainkatemccue CRIBS: Captain’s Quarters, Suite Life Edition & tour du jour. You asked for it… #fyp #foryou #captainscabin #celebrityedge #cruise #captain #room
♬ Alone – Petit Biscuit
The video above just gives an inside view of her Captains quarters. She walks through the entrance foyer to the main living space with a large corner sofa, some other comfy-looking chairs, and a large wall-mounted TV.
Kate then highlights the infinite verandah window, which opens fully at the touch of a button. This makes the verandah feel like part of the quarters, letting in the fresh sea air and natural light.
The floor-to-ceiling window gives the captain a view of the bridge.
In Kates’s quarters, she highlights her patron saint of seafarers, St Nichols, which many seafarers, not just cruise captains, always travel with for good luck.
The captain’s bedroom has a King Sized bed facing another reasonably large TV.
Attached is a water closet with dual sinks, a shower, and a smallish soaking tub (which kate uses to wash her Elf Sphynx cat named bug).
She separated the
dining room with a TV, and a small galley area with a refrigerator. These rooms are open-planned, joined with the captain’s office which is directly attached to the bridge.
Where Are the Cruise Captains’ Quarters?
The cruise captains’ quarters are typically located to the rear of the ship’s bridge. This provides the captain with speedy access to the bridge at a moment’s notice, should it be required.
The access from the bridge with usually be to the captain’s office area of their living quarters., Access to their main living quarters can also be accessed by a separate entrance.
When Does The Cruise Captain Sleep?
Cruise ship captains will typically sleep at night, however, they are on call 24/7 for any emergencies that may arise.
The captain doesn’t need to be on the bridge at all times as there will be much other staff who can navigate the ship in the captain’s absense, or while they sleep.
