Deck plan Msc Musica

[boatlife]

We are booking a cruise with friends and on the deck plan between the 2 cabins 10059 10061 there is a thick white line which isn't shown for most of the cabins, (I've circled it  in red on the attached plan) does anyone know what this line means?

[crystalspin]

53 minutes ago, boatlife said:

We are booking a cruise with friends and on the deck plan between the 2 cabins 10059 10061 there is a thick white line which isn't shown for most of the cabins, (I've circled it  in red on the attached plan) does anyone know what this line means?

Not familiar with the ship, but those broader lines usually represent "fire walls" on other ships, and often have a door in the hall (not shown on your deck plan) that can be closed to isolate a fire after evacuation. If this is the case, the balconies MAY not have the capacity to open one to another... but I don't know if MSC balconies have that ability anyway!

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic! Hope you enjoy your cruise!

[boatlife]

Thanks so much 

[chengkp75]

Crystalspin is correct, that indicates a fire zone boundary, and there will be a sliding or folding door in the hallway that will be deployed automatically in case of a fire.  The balcony divider between two cabins on opposite sides of a fire boundary are capable of opening, as the ability of dividers to open is based on allowing fire teams to move from one balcony to the next, not passenger convenience.  However, the divider will not be allowed to open, as fire jumping fire boundaries on balconies is the reason the Star Princess fire got so out of hand.

 

Further, as Crystalspin points out, the Musica was built in 2005, and the requirement for opening balcony dividers was not instituted until after the Star Princess fire in 2006.  Maritime safety updates generally are not retroactive, so the Musica is not required to have opening dividers.  Many ships built before 2006 have retrofitted opening dividers, so the majority of them on the ship may be openable, but not between these two cabins.

[john watson]

As an aside the balcony cabins numbered 10060 to 10072 (evens) and 10061 to 10071 (odds) seem to be shown as larger cabins than the lower numbered cabins.  The balcony cabins 10073 (odds) and 10074 (evens) and higher numbers are also shown with larger balconies too.  The latter probably because they are inset but that is not usually a problem apart from those right next to the change.

 

Regards John

[John Bull]

The same is shown on the Deck plans by all stair / elevator lobbies on all Decks, right up to Deck 12, and denotes a watertight bulkhead across the ship with doors which close off the corridors

If seawater is pouring into upper decks eg Deck 12, then the ship is already on its way to the bottom - but a further (perhaps more important) value of the close-able bulkheads is to prevent / delay the spread of fire.

 

They are normally left open apart from for the occasional check.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

[chengkp75]

39 minutes ago, John Bull said:

The same is shown on the Deck plans by all stair / elevator lobbies on all Decks, right up to Deck 12, and denotes a watertight bulkhead across the ship with doors which close off the corridors

Sorry, John, those are not watertight bulkheads, any more than the doors to the outside from the promenade deck up, nor the balcony doors.  Watertight subdivision ends at what is known as the "bulkhead" deck, and this is typically one deck above the waterline (like the I-95 deck), in crew spaces, and there are no watertight doors or bulkheads above this.  These are, as you correctly point out, fire zone division bulkheads.  These are classed as "A-60" bulkheads, meaning that the fittings, doorways, and structural fire insulation is such that regardless of how intense a fire is burning against one side of the A-60 bulkhead, it will take 60 minutes before anything on the other side will catch fire.

[boatlife]

4 hours ago, john watson said:

As an aside the balcony cabins numbered 10060 to 10072 (evens) and 10061 to 10071 (odds) seem to be shown as larger cabins than the lower numbered cabins.  The balcony cabins 10073 (odds) and 10074 (evens) and higher numbers are also shown with larger balconies too.  The latter probably because they are inset but that is not usually a problem apart from those right next to the change.

 

Regards John

Thats interesting. Our group has grown and we have now been offered 3 cabins on deck 9 instead, 9041 9043 9045, would the same apply to this deck, so these would be smaller?

[CruisingWalter]

11 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Sorry, John, those are not watertight bulkheads, any more than the doors to the outside from the promenade deck up, nor the balcony doors.  Watertight subdivision ends at what is known as the "bulkhead" deck, and this is typically one deck above the waterline (like the I-95 deck), in crew spaces, and there are no watertight doors or bulkheads above this.  These are, as you correctly point out, fire zone division bulkheads.  These are classed as "A-60" bulkheads, meaning that the fittings, doorways, and structural fire insulation is such that regardless of how intense a fire is burning against one side of the A-60 bulkhead, it will take 60 minutes before anything on the other side will catch fire.

 

I love all the maritime knowledge you share across all these CC forums. Thanks so much, it's really interesting to read your posts, I learn so much! 

[john watson]

20 hours ago, boatlife said:

That's interesting. Our group has grown and we have now been offered 3 cabins on deck 9 instead, 9041 9043 9045, would the same apply to this deck, so these would be smaller?

 

I had a measure up on the website. 9041, 9043 and 9045 all appear same larger size cabin.  The larger balconies seem to start at 9054 and 9059.  Being lower decks these cabins will exhibit less motion in rough seas.  Note 9041 is forward of the thick white line which as some of the ship construction experts herein have pointed out implies that balcony dividers may not be propped open. Accommodate MIL in 9041!

 

Lol John

[boatlife]

On 10/28/2022 at 12:50 PM, john watson said:

 

I had a measure up on the website. 9041, 9043 and 9045 all appear same larger size cabin.  The larger balconies seem to start at 9054 and 9059.  Being lower decks these cabins will exhibit less motion in rough seas.  Note 9041 is forward of the thick white line which as some of the ship construction experts herein have pointed out implies that balcony dividers may not be propped open. Accommodate MIL in 9041!

 

Lol John

Thank you for the very helpful advice on all fronts  😀