Sunday, October 22, 2017

Ship's cabins

Cruise cabin
Our cruise bedroom, nay, cabin, was adequate with around 160 square feet, twin beds, a space between the beds for husband to stand with his arms on hips and his elbows at my eye height. It was an 'exterior' cabin, meaning it had a window or a porthole. It also had a bathroom, an easy chair, a small round glass-topped table, space for our empty suitcases, more space to store things under the beds, a desk with a screen on it to watch the ship's news and a tray for the kettle and tea mugs.  And there were four mirrored wardrobes with a dozen drawers.
I remember the cabins on the SS St Britain at Bristol, about half the length of this cabin, and not as wide. Each side held three bunk beds, where you berthed perhaps with five strangers.
I wonder how they  managed noro-virus on such ships in the mid 19th century. Here, on the Balmoral, at every entrance to cafe or restaurant or bar or lounge we are exhorted to use the sanitizer on our hands.  "wash, wash, wash" the captain tells us every midday.

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