I used two main strategies for researching on board living quarters. The first of these, logically, was using the internet for images,  videos etc. There appears to be quite a difference between crew and officer quarters in the videos I found. In both cases though, inhabitants personalise their space. People are generous in sharing their experiences on the net. :)

The second strategy was to participate in the shipboard tours variously labelled, “All Areas Access”, “Behind the fun” or similar. These tours provide a wealth of information about shipboard life – working, sleeping, eating etc.  Although access to cabins is not part of the tours, there is the odd door left open. One of the videos explained that’s because the internet  only works with the door ajar.

The guides for these tours are usually from the guest experience department, however it is labelled for different ships, and they answer even the most obtuse questions (not always mine) quite frankly.

Living on board is not all roses, but there is never a shortage of staff. So, there must be a draw of some kind for people to continue to work there – the lure of the seas, the buzz of exotic destinations, freedom from land-based commitments. It would be a personal choice.

In “On Board” (in progress), Tristan has a panic attack during a storm and braces her arms against opposing walls. She is tall, but I needed to know if reaching across the space was likely to be physically possible. It is. This is the scene that precipitates her uncovering of the Luc/Nico disguise and the questions and conflicts that arise as a result of that.

Haiku:

Crew quarters on board a ship:
Neat and compact space
Strictly necessities here.