A seemingly never-ending ‘road’ stretches out ahead of me, with the sound of raucous conversation and jovial banter filling the air.
There are what feels like hundreds of doors leading off into the unknown, with signs pointing to ‘restaurant’, ‘cabins’, ‘engine room’, ‘recycling area’; it’s like I’ve found a tucked away suburban street where daily lives play out just as they might on land.
I’m exploring the impressive cabin quarters of MSC Virtuosa, a cruise ship currently docked in Southampton, on an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour.
As a cruising newbie, my experience with these giant ‘floating cities’ is limited – and my first time stepping aboard on one of these mammoth ships proves unlike that of the passengers who board for a holiday.
While I’m starting up on the glamorous decks, my real mission is to dig deeper and get an insight into what it’s like beneath the shiny surface.
The reality? There’s a whole city down there. The staff quarters are gigantic, and the central hub is a corridor that leads to each section below deck, spanning the entire length of the ship – 331 metres.
When standing at one end, you can see the whole way down this ‘road’, and a gentle stroll through sees us collide with staff getting ready for the ship’s next journey.
As we wander down this street, which exists below sea level, we’re taken off into different rooms and alleys most frequented by the ship’s crew – areas that are almost never seen by guests.
Erin was invited on a behind-the-scenes tour of MSC Virtuosa, a cruise ship currently docked at the port in Southampton
The crowning jewel of the staff areas is, of course, the bridge.
For any fans of TV series Below Deck, you’ll know exactly what this is – it’s the captain’s ‘office’… essentially the room in which the boat is driven.
It’s surprisingly vast – the control deck is in the middle, and the rest of the area is expansive, with plenty of space. I even spy a fancy coffee machine in the corner.
However, this room is for serious business – it’s just the captain and senior officers up here. Oh, and pilots. Confused? So was I.
One of the quirky facts about the cruise industry that few people know is that cruise ships such as this one often invite local pilots on board to help the ship’s captain navigate coming in and out of ports.
A cruise captain might not know the individual area quite as well. Hence, these pilots are sometimes invited on board to help.
They are maritime specialists who come aboard vessels to guide them safely through the unique navigational conditions of each port.
The pilot brings essential local knowledge of currents, tides, depths, traffic patterns, and any navigational hazards that could affect arrival or departure into port.
Life on the ocean waves: An MSC liner navigating past Dover’s White Cliffs in the English Channel
Cruise liner companies may ask local pilots on board to help the ship’s captain navigate coming in and out of ports
A spokesperson for MSC later told me: ‘After boarding from a specialised pilot boat, the specialist joins the bridge team and exchanges details about the ship’s manoeuvring characteristics and the planned passage.
‘Once the vessel is securely berthed, anchored or has cleared the pilotage area, the pilot disembarks and returns to their station, often to guide the next vessel awaiting entry.’
Another fun discovery on my below deck journey was the ‘steering wheel’.
Naturally, I predicted I’d walk in and see a large wooden wheel, like something out of Pirates of the Caribbean.
In reality, it’s just a tiny joystick, a few inches in length, that controls the movement of the entire ship.
As well as visiting the bridge, we’re shown to other areas lower down in the ship.
In the engine control room, you can see the complex machinery up close and learn about the engineering feats that keep the ship moving
That then leads into the engines themselves, vast cylinders that power the immense vessel
Notably, the engine room, waste water cleaning section and recycling rooms.
In the engine control room, you can see the complex machinery up close and learn about the engineering feats that keep the ship moving.
With so many buttons and screens, it’s difficult to fathom how the team keep track of everything.
That then leads into the engines themselves, vast cylinders that power such an immense vessel.
The recycling room is also rather impressive, with hundreds of soft drink cans crushed down to be easily disposed of in a sustainable way.
The recycling room is also rather impressive, with hundreds of soft drink cans crushed down to be easily disposed of in a sustainable way
Erin took a tour to see how waste water is cleaned on the ship
The waste water cleaning is also on the itinerary, a series of tubes keeping dirty water while it’s cleaned well out of sight
The waste water cleaning is also on the itinerary, a series of tubes keeping dirty water while it’s cleaned well out of sight.
More than 80 per cent of all the freshwater used across the fleet is from seawater.
Every day on MSC ships, millions of litres of seawater are transformed into fresh drinking water through reverse osmosis and evaporation.
After use, onboard water is treated before returning to the ocean. MSC has a strict internal policy not to dispose of bilge and treated oily water at sea.
Instead, the company discharges ashore so it can be properly treated at approved facilities.
Visiting the undiscovered ‘underground’ parts of a ship has revealed one thing: there’s a lot that goes on beneath the surface to keep such a huge vessel running with such seeming ease and flair.
Like a swan that glides effortlessly across the water’s surface while its feet are paddling speedily below to keep it afloat, a cruise ship functions much the same way.
