Secret codes on cruise ships? Yes, the word is in: amongst the staff and crew of any given cruise ship, there are code words to indicate goings-on. There are many code words, from an emergency “all hands on deck” to “man overboard.” In this article, we’ll outline all these codes and what they mean – for the passengers and staff alike.

Different Codes Amongst Cruise Lines

It’s important to note that different cruise lines may use different codes for certain emergencies. For instance, Alpha Alpha Alpha is the code for a medical emergency on Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships. 

Many of Royal Caribbean cruise ships’ codes contain words in threes: Alpha Alpha Alpha, Echo Echo Echo, Kilo Kilo Kilo, and Oscar Oscar Oscar are some of them. 

Meanwhile, Carnival Cruise Line uses Alpha Team, Alpha Team, Alpha Team as a fire emergency aboard one of their ships. This is why it’s important to familiarize yourself not only with secret codes on ships, but also what that particular cruise line’s codes are, since they can mean very different things depending on the company.

Emergency Codes

The following are emergency codes that the crew should memorize. Below each is the action the crew and passengers should take in response. 

Note that the codes we’ve listed are used as signals to alert crew without causing any distress to passengers. It’s imperative that if you hear any of these codes on board a cruise ship, the first step is to remain calm. Then, proceed by following the procedures outlined by the crew.

Alpha

These codes refer to a medical emergency onboard the ship. Usually, the ship’s medical staff will respond to the call. Passengers generally can go about their day, but those in the area of the emergency should stay out of the way of the first responders. This also indicates a medical emergency aboard a Royal Caribbean ship. 

Bravo

Bravo Bravo Bravo means that there’s a fire onboard. If you hear this code, don’t panic. Someone from the crew will give you further instructions if there’s something you need to do. If you are the first one to spot a fire, immediately inform the officer on watch, who will inspect the area and inform the crew. 

On Carnival Cruises, Bravo Bravo means man overboard.

Brightstar or Operation Brightstar

On a Carnival or Disney Cruise Line, Operation Brightstar is a code used to designate a medical emergency. This is only a code that can be used by a member of the medical team to indicate that someone is suffering from an urgent medical emergency, such as cardiac arrest. It is spoken on the PA system so that the ship’s medical team is alerted and can attend to the person in need immediately. 

Delta

This code has multiple uses amongst different cruise lines, and can indicate a possible biohazard, damage to the ship, or possible injuries or even multiple injuries. 

More commonly, it is used to alert the crew to possible hull damage. 

Kilo

This code means that the captain needs all crew to their emergency posts, and this may occur if there needs to be an emergency evacuation. If you hear this code, pay attention to what’s happening around you and find your travel companions, as you may be asked to evacuate soon.

Echo

Echo can mean high winds, or the ship is starting to drift, which isn’t necessarily a problem because the captain can likely get things under control. It could be more serious if the ship is near another ship or a port.

Sierra/Sierra Team

Sierra will often follow an Alpha code, which means a stretcher is required in conjunction with a medical emergency. You might not hear this over the intercom, but it may be radioed between staff responding to the emergency. 

Some other companies, such as Carnival Cruise Line, use Sierra Team Sierra Team as their code for a stretcher on site.

Oscar

If you hear the crew using code Oscar, someone’s gone overboard. Stand by and wait for further information from the crew. The ship may stop for rescue efforts, and the itinerary may change. The best things you can do with a code Oscar are to stay out of the way of the crew and be patient.

Code Green/Code Yellow

These codes mean that a less serious issue has arisen and is easily solvable by the crew members. Cruise ships generally use a traffic light system, where green means go and yellow means yield, so a Code Yellow may be more serious than a Code Green, but rest assured that neither is an emergency.

Operation Rising Star

If a death or serious medical emergency has occurred onboard the cruise ship, you may hear this code.

PVI

This code means that someone has vomited in a public area. Staff will respond appropriately to clean up the mess. We recommend that you avoid the area.

Code Pink

Code pink means an infant under one year old is suspected to be missing. The ship’s police are likely to respond quickly and assertively. As a passenger, there’s not much you can do except keep your eyes open and report anything you think looks suspicious.

Code Gray

If someone is abusive, volatile, or belligerent onboard the ship, you’ll hear a Code Gray. The ship’s police will respond to the code.

Red Party

Red Party means there is a fire at sea. Again, don’t panic. Staff are well-trained and know what to do, so sit back and wait for further instructions.

Zulu

A fight has broken out on the ship, and the best thing you can do is stay clear of this incident and let the ship’s crew and police respond.

Code Red

This designates that an illness has broken out on the ship. Norovirus is usually the culprit, but with the recent COVID-19 pandemic, passengers may be suspicious of hearing a Code Red.

Papa

Depending on the cruise line, this code means there has been some environmental emergency, like an oil spill.

Code 7

Code 7 is one of the few codes meant for crew and passengers. If you hear a Code 7, it means that everyone aboard the ship must report to their muster stations. Muster stations are emergency meeting points, and you will be briefed on the process on your first day on the ship.

Code Purple

This code means that there has been a bomb threat or other biological or chemical threat. If you hear this code, it’s important not to panic. The staff and crew members have been trained to deal with these situations, so sit back and wait for further instructions.

Code Black

A Code Black can mean a few things, like a suicide threat, a fight, or a violent confrontation. Crew and ship police will respond, and passengers should do their best to avoid the violence.

Conclusion

You may hear some of these secret codes on your next cruise. Some are not a big deal, and you can go about your day. Others, though, require a little more care and attention.

Read Also: Cruise Ship Lifeboats – How Are They Tested?

No matter what the code, don’t panic. Stay calm, and wait for further instructions. Chances are you’ll be back to enjoying your cruise in no time!

How many doors do cruise ships have? It sounds like a debate you may have when drinking with friends. Knowing how many doors are on a cruise ship takes some real educated guessing, whether you’re talking about Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, or Norwegian Cruise Line.

Here, we tell you about the ins and outs (pun intended) of the number of passengers that can fit on a cruise ship and how many doors these towering vessels have.

How Many Passengers Are on a Cruise Ship? 

The average cruise ship can hold between 3,000 and 6,000 passengers. Using some deductive reasoning, we can assume that there are likely 2,000 to 2,500 staterooms aboard a typical cruise ship that houses 3,000 passengers, depending on the cruise line.

How Many Total Doors Are on a Cruise Ship?

Each cruise cabin has a front door, but it also has doors to bedrooms and bathrooms, and if we’re getting technical, we should even count refrigerator and cupboard doors. 

If there are 2,000 to 2,500 staterooms on an average cruise ship, each one has one stateroom door. Each stateroom has a bathroom, so that’s another 2,000 to 2,500.

We’re already at a range between 5,000 and 10,000! Each stateroom likely has between four and six cupboard doors, though some cruise lines may vary, and if we average that out at five, that’s another 10,000 to 12,500 doors.

Refrigerator doors count, as well. Add another 2,000 to 2,500. We have a sizable number for our inner-cabin door count alone: between 16,000 and 20,000 doors!

There are a lot of other types of doors to consider, too. Some sections in the lower part of the ship have a watertight door in case of emergencies, and inside hallways may be divided with a sliding door or automatic door.

Then there are entrance doors, doors to each crewmembers’ quarters, storage doors, doors to each of the bars, restaurants, and gyms aboard the ship, and much more.

If each crew member shares a bunk bed with another, and around 1,000 crew members work aboard an average cruise ship, that’s 500 doors. Now add the doors to the selection of restaurants, bars, and fitness clubs – say two dozen for your average cruise ship – and that’s 24 more doors. Not many, comparatively, but they do add up, don’t they?

Now, how many decks are there on your average cruise ship? Here are the facts: there are between 12 and 16 decks on your average cruise ship. The doors to each of these add another 12 to 16 doors to each ship. 

There are then galley doors, doors to the engine room, and elevator doors. If there are a dozen restaurants and bars on your average cruise ship, that’s a dozen galley doors–one for each kitchen. Add one more for the engine room and two for each elevator. Fifteen is our final number! 

But wait…there’s one last door and a very important one: the wheelhouse, where the captain steers the boat!

Our final total is 16,552 to 20,556! That’s the range of the number of doors on your average cruise ship. Holy smokes! And remember, that is just a ballpark estimate. The bigger the cruise ship, the higher this number will be.

Identifying Doors and Other Door Issues

On a cruise ship with 20,000 doors, it can be tricky to identify which ones are which, particularly if you’ve had a few drinks. Stateroom doors are particularly hard to identify because they all look exactly the same.

Regardless of what kind of cabin you’re staying in, your stateroom door likely looks exactly like the ones on either side of it, which is why a lot of people decorate their cruise ship cabin doors.

Adding some character with cruise door decorations makes your room stand out, and there are a whole host of options for what you can do, from character magnets on a Disney cruise to countries’ flags to soccer jerseys of star players for a given country’s team and more. Choose a door decoration that makes your cabin door stick out so you can easily find your way back to your room.

You can also ask a crewmember to direct you to where you need to go or consult a map of the ship’s deck plan if you get turned around. Many public doors are labeled or are easy to identify. For example, most cruise lines ensure doors to restaurants or lounges are clearly marked. 

Read Also: How Do Cruise Ships Get Fresh Water?

Crew and guest areas are typically kept separate, and you’ll likely never see doors to the crew area on the ship. That said, if you find yourself in a hallway with a muted color scheme and plain-colored unmarked doors, you may have wandered into a crew area.

Parts of the ship meant for the crew are not as colorful as the public areas, but they still have a lot of doors to consider. You can always ask a crew member if you want to know more.

They may be able to tell you more about the lower levels of a modern cruise ship so you can get a better idea of how many doors are in the parts of the ship you don’t see.

Conclusion

There are thousands of doors on your average cruise ship, though the exact number will depend on the cruise line and deck plan. These ships are like miniature cities on the sea, so in conceptualizing the number of doors, you have to think about how you would travel through a city with multiple “houses” and restaurants, etc. If you want to compare your stats with ours, you can always try to count them all on your next cruise.

What is a cruise ship stabilizer? How does it work? Stabilizers serve an essential function on cruise ships. They are fins or rotors beneath the water line, extended from the ship’s hull to stabilize the ship and prevent it from rolling. This rolling could result from either wind or waves, and the stabilizer steadies the ship.

In general, you don’t need to worry about how the ship stays stable – that’s for the engineers to concern themselves with. However, if you’re curious, the following is a guide you can reference for your safety, comfort, and enjoyment.

How Do They Work?

Modern ship stabilizers – of which there are many types – are highly effective and efficient. Below, we describe the different types and how they function. 

Passive Systems

These systems don’t require external power or control. Examples include a bilge keel, fixed fin, and moving weight system.

Bilge Keels

These are used widely throughout the cruise ship industry. A bilge keel is an externally-fitted bulb plate that forces the water to move with the ship, which creates turbulence – a necessary controlled underwater force for smooth sailing – and reduces motion. It functions best at higher speeds. 

Active Systems

These systems use external power and control to provide a roll that opposes the natural roll of the water underneath the ship at any given time. Examples include active fins, gyroscopes, and active moving weight systems. 

Active Fins

Active fins use a roll sensor that conveys the roll angle and velocity to a main external controller. That controller processes these two factors using data algorithms and transmits back the correct response to counterbalance against the roll, using fins and hydraulic pressure. 

Active fins have a relatively high 90% success rate, ensuring smooth sailing (literally). It also keeps the resale value of the ship high. Like bilge keels, active fins are less effective at very slow speeds, but there are modern technologies that can fix that. 

Active Anti-rolling Tanks

These work above the water line. These tanks use pumps or air pressure to control the water’s motion, decreasing roll while a second axial pump transfers water from one side of the ship to the other. The tanks time the water flow in sync with the ship’s roll, reducing overall roll and motion. 

While highly effective, there can be a lag time in filling the tanks, which would cause a delay in the tanks’ ability to stabilize roll effectively.

More on Stabilizers

Consider this section more casual parlance about stabilizers, in case the technical specs were too techy. People who board a cruise ship are sometimes afraid that the boat will rock so much as to make them seasick. We have great news to the contrary – that rarely happens!

The ship stabilizers are responsible for that stability. While a bit of motion here and there is inevitable, you likely won’t feel it unless there’s a disaster or an unexpected turn, which is rare. Check out the secret codes on cruise ships for more information about those phenomena.

For the active and passive finned stabilizers, a cruise ship’s stabilizers essentially act how you would expect fins to act in the water. They extend out from both sides of any given cruise vessel. They are usually below the waterline, invisible to passengers and crew, while engineers have access to them in case of an emergency onboard (i.e., they stop working).

Smaller ships have two, and larger ships and other vessels, such as military craft, have four. 

In layman’s terms, all “roll” means is the vessel’s movement at sea. Since you want to do all sorts of things that require stability, such as hitting the gym, dancing, or clinking wine glasses with friends – preventing roll is paramount. 

The fins adjust and calibrate according to the motion of the water. One fin lifts, and the other goes down. It’s all about balance. These motions help the ship stay stable and in equilibrium by cutting through the water and creating drag, no matter what the movement of the water will bring. Heavy storms are possible, but cruise ships are so elegantly and maturely designed that they know just what to do.

Technology has its limits, though. There is what’s called “pitch” on all maritime vessels. Pitch is the up-and-down movement of the ship, so lengthwise or horizontal motion. Manual labor is the way through that natural phenomenon – adjusting the ship’s course. With skilled captains at the helm, this won’t be a problem.

Conclusion

This is your go-to guide on ship stabilizers. We’ve provided both highly technical and highly accessible descriptions and specifications of stabilizers, including differentiating between the different types that are out there.

Read Also: Cruise Ship Propeller Size – How Big Are They?

We learned that finned stabilizers act like real water fins, balancing out the motion of the water and helping the ship compensate for it by creating drag. You might want to take this guide with you when you board a cruise ship for the first time or anytime. It will put you at ease.

For cruise ships to float on open seas, they must be able to stand up to the weight of the vessel in addition to luggage, crew, cruise passengers, and supplies. This is done through a combination of buoyancy and density.

Ships can weigh up to 71,550 tons, displacing the same amount of water when in the ocean. They do all this while being pushed up due to buoyancy. So, what does a cruise ship out of water look like?

When examining a cruise ship out of the water, people wonder how such a small percentage of the vessel can be submerged while the rest of the ship towers above and stays afloat. The entire cruise ship looks incredibly top-heavy, making people wonder how it simply doesn’t topple over with the weight.

Taking a ship out of water is known as dry docking; when the ship sails into its shipyard, the water is drained from the dock area allowing its workers to make repairs or inspect it in a dry area. This maintenance is significantly easier for the crew to accomplish on dry land than when the ship is in the water.

Cruise Ship Out of Water – The Naked Truth

When engineers discuss the weight of a ship, they talk about water displacement rather than the actual weight. To prevent a cruise ship from sinking, it needs to displace its own weight in water before being submerged. It is easier to accomplish if the ship is built so it is less dense than the water below it. 

To put it in practical terms, if you submerge a bowling ball into the water, it will sink since it doesn’t displace enough of the water before entering it, causing a sinking effect. However, if you put a beach ball in the water, it will always float. 

Buoyancy

Buoyancy is accomplished by selecting lightweight materials that disperse weight across the ship’s hull yet are composed of sturdy materials.

The hull, the body of a cruise ship below its main deck, is wide and contains deep baselines. Large vessels like cruise ships usually have displacement hulls that push water out of the ship’s way. This allows it to remain floating. 

Adjusting for Center of Gravity

Wide hulls, low centers of gravity, and ballast tanks containing sea water and fuel prevent ships from capsizing. The center of gravity can be manipulated by adjusting a vessel’s weight, commonly in the fuel and ballast tanks. In extreme situations, crew members can drain swimming pools on the upper deck for more stability, allowing the center of gravity to move higher.

Cruise ships have mechanical stabilizing systems that deploy when at sea. This mechanism extends fins that rotate and can exert a righting force when the cruise ship moves. While it won’t prevent rolling, it will considerably reduce it.

Bilge keels also assist with roll. They are metal fins that are long and welded on each side of a cruise ship. 

Displacement Hulls

Displacement hulls with a round bottom appear like large rectangles with rounded edges. They work to dissipate any force or drag exerted against the ship. Rounded edges decrease the water’s force against its hull, permitting larger, weightier ships to move smoothly. 

If you examine a ship when it isn’t in the water, the hull appears to be in the shape of a large “u,” depending on keel size. Keels run from stern to bow, creating the backbone of any ship.

Worth Reading: Ships as Female – Why Are Ships Called She?

Displacement hulls with rounded bottoms have both pros and cons. These hulls move through the water easily, making them seaworthy and stable. Passengers tend not to notice any rocking movement while on board. 

They move fluidly through the sea; however, the water resistance makes it slower. These ships can only sail at a top speed for so long before the engine power reaches points of diminishing returns. The requirements for smoothness and stability will always override high speeds, making this type of hull the best fit for a cruise ship. 

Hulls also protect against icebergs, sandbars, and reefs which can tear through their materials. To prevent extensive damage, builders construct the hull using extra-strength steel. They also insert a double hull to provide additional protection. Double-hull designs look like a hull within another hull.

Regrettably, accidents can happen. To prevent sinking if the first two lines are compromised, ships are equipped with bulkheads, which are watertight dividers in the interior of a ship’s hull. 

In an emergency, the bulkheads will keep a damaged cruise ship floating by containing any incoming water and placing it into the compartments. This prevents the ship from flooding or taking on water. 

Flat Bottoms

The square shape on the bottom maximizes the space on board a cruise ship and allows the vessel to be stable. Flat bottoms make construction simpler and the dry dock process easier. The bottom, however, is not quite as flat close to the bow or at a raised area located where the propellers lie close to the stern. 

What About Power?

Ships move by using reciprocating diesel engines for propulsion. The power goes through transmission into propeller shafts. The transmissions are what determine a propeller’s revolution. Most ships contain diesel-electric, gas turbine, or LNG-powered solutions.

The larger the ship, the higher the demand for electrical power. Some ships only need two different sources of power, one for electrical power and one for propulsion. 

Special Markings

Looking at its draft marks, people can see how deep the cruise ship is when sitting in water. These marks are at the stern and bow of a ship. 

The load line marks the center of the side of a ship and is known as the Plimsoll line, named after Samuel Plimsoll. Samuel Plimsoll campaigned for safe draft marks, which was enacted in 1875.

A line through a circle indicates the lowest a ship should sit in the water when it is fully loaded. There are different lines for maximum drafts in specific conditions. These are:

• T for tropical
• S for Summer
• W for Winter

An S load line is typically used as it is illegal for a ship to sail with the S line submerged. If it is, the cruise ship is overloaded. 

N and V designations are the ship’s classification society. They ensure it is maintained and constructed according to the relevant international standards. NV indicates Bureau Veritas while LR is Lloyds Registrar. 

Additional Items

In addition to engines and propellers, most guests will note the towering decks on any cruise ship. The upper decks contain all the cabins and staterooms. The lower decks are where the crew live, sleep, and eat.

There are also rooms used as the morgue and jail or brig on a cruise ship. These are all below deck and set apart from guests, with only the crew having access.

Within this construction, on the inside, are specialty dining, entertainment venues, an assortment of activities, pools, water slides, spas, whirlpools, and a myriad of fun activities available to anyone on the cruise. 

Is it Possible for Cruise Ships to Roll Over?

While it may be technically possible, it is unlikely. In the cruise industry, navigational officers and the Master continually monitor a cruise ship’s stability. Weight distribution is adjusted as needed to ensure the safety of all guests on board. 

Cruise ships, however, can capsize if buoyancy and weight distribution are compromised, creating negative stability. However, in large cruise ships, tipping is impossible even if you are traveling in the most turbulent of waters.

Final Thoughts

The design of a cruise ship is remarkable. A cruise ship out of water will contain a flat bottom, hulls in a u-shape, plus bilge keels and stabilizers to prevent rolling. All these things coordinate to ensure the cruise ship is kept in an upright position.

Read Also: How Big is a Cruise Ship?

Deck officers and the Master monitor the ship’s stability continuously by adjusting the ballast and other items to ensure the ship remains upright and preserves its stability within the designated parameters.