Deck Names, not Numbers. Why?

[D C]

Having been a Celebrity cruiser for a decade before taking our first Princess cruise on the Regal in Jan, I'm totally befuddled by what appears to be an apparent insistence on using deck names and not numbers.   

 

Lido deck, Dolphin deck, Promenade deck...make no sense to me.  In an alternate world, I'm reasonably certain where deck 11 can be found relative to the other numbers. So when I'm climbing the stairs and I see deck 9, I know there are 2 to go. 

 

But is L higher than D?  Lower? what about P? Do the number of letters represent the deck number or something?  Doesn't look like it.  So if I'm on Dolphin and I want to go to Lido, how do I know if I want to go up or down? And then how does the floor-name math work?  Throw a little alphabetical order in there, from A to P and we have something to work with.  

 

Heck, I can't even recall the name of the deck we were on. 🤣 Started with an R, but it was deck 14 and was 2 below the bar. 🍸

[CapnCrews]

3 minutes ago, D C said:

Heck, I can't even recall the name of the deck we were on. 🤣 Started with an R, but it was deck 14 and was 2 below the bar. 🍸

Riviera.

Probably a good idea to familiarize yourself with the ship configuration, and download at least the relevant deck plans to a PDF or JPEG folder somewhere.

https://www.princess.com/deckPlans.do?shipCode=EP

[Steelers36]

3 minutes ago, D C said:

Having been a Celebrity cruiser for a decade before taking our first Princess cruise on the Regal in Jan, I'm totally befuddled by what appears to be an apparent insistence on using deck names and not numbers.   

 

Next time, go on the new Sun as it appears to only use deck numbers.

[cruisingrob21]

17 minutes ago, D C said:

Having been a Celebrity cruiser for a decade before taking our first Princess cruise on the Regal in Jan, I'm totally befuddled by what appears to be an apparent insistence on using deck names and not numbers.   

 

Lido deck, Dolphin deck, Promenade deck...make no sense to me.  In an alternate world, I'm reasonably certain where deck 11 can be found relative to the other numbers. So when I'm climbing the stairs and I see deck 9, I know there are 2 to go. 

 

But is L higher than D?  Lower? what about P? Do the number of letters represent the deck number or something?  Doesn't look like it.  So if I'm on Dolphin and I want to go to Lido, how do I know if I want to go up or down? And then how does the floor-name math work?  Throw a little alphabetical order in there, from A to P and we have something to work with.  

 

Heck, I can't even recall the name of the deck we were on. 🤣 Started with an R, but it was deck 14 and was 2 below the bar. 🍸

It used to be on the grand class ships that the decks below Lido were alphabetical, other than Plaza (deck 5) and Promenade (deck 7).  It went Lido, Aloha, Baja, Caribe, Dolphin, Emerald, Promenade, Fiesta, Plaza, Gala.  But when the bigger grand class ships were added, they put "Riviera" above Aloha.  Then the Royal class ships added "Marina" above Riviera.  So to your point, if you arent a frequent princess cruiser, yeah there doesn't seem to be much logic to the naming.  I guess as long as you know where your cabin is, and that public areas are on Plaza, Fiesta, Promenade, Lido, Sun, Sky, Star decks that should help?  

 

As others have mentioned, the newest "Sun" princess doesn't have deck names....yet!

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, D C said:

I'm totally befuddled by what appears to be an apparent insistence on using deck names and not numbers.

Very simple.  Watch a rerun of an old "Love Boat" episode and at the beginning when Julie McCoy is directing people to the location of their cabins, she called each deck by name.  But back then there were only a few names: Aloha, Promenade, Fiesta and Lido, though I don't recall any cabins being on the latter.  Those names have stuck with the brand for 45 years and are part of the Princess Tradition. 

 

Oh. And don't sweat it.  The elevators use numbers and the voice that announces the decks uses both.  "Deck 10...Caribe!"

Edited March 6, 2023 by JimmyVWine

[mowogo]

Because names can eliminate confusion when dealing with multiple spoken languages.  Carnival does this, and so does MSC (Divina used Roman Gods, Meraviglia uses Wonders of the World)

[skynight]

Decks have both names and numbers. Believe elevator buttons have numbers. No Princess ship has a deck 13. They all go from 12 to 14. A quick look at the deck plans before or after you board and you will not have any issues. There are also ship diagrams by each elevator. The screens will also provide you with and directional information. 

Edited March 6, 2023 by skynight

[D C]

58 minutes ago, mowogo said:

Because names can eliminate confusion when dealing with multiple spoken languages.  Carnival does this, and so does MSC (Divina used Roman Gods, Meraviglia uses Wonders of the World)

Woudn't numbers be much more clear than names?

[mowogo]

4 minutes ago, D C said:

Woudn't numbers be much more clear than names?

Spoken, and remember that numbers (and even numerals) are different in different languages.  Proper names gives a universal name for each deck regardless of language.  Princess may present as a primarily English language cruise line, among the crew there are tons of different native languages.  

[TexasBrit]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

Decks have both names and numbers. Believe elevator buttons have numbers. No Princess ship has a deck 13. They all go from 12 to 14.

There actually is a deck 13 though. They just number it as 14! It's the same on most other cruise ships, and also hotels and large office buildings. Triskaidekaphobia!

 

[triple7tahoe]

Oh, The tangled webs we weave 🙂

 

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

Decks have both names and numbers. Believe elevator buttons have numbers. No Princess ship has a deck 13. They all go from 12 to 14. A quick look at the deck plans before or after you board and you will not have any issues. There are also ship diagrams by each elevator. The screens will also provide you with and directional information. 

 

That is what I thought too.  I was really scratching my head that I would miss something like that.   

[ldubs]

12 minutes ago, TexasBrit said:

There actually is a deck 13 though. They just number it as 14! It's the same on most other cruise ships, and also hotels and large office buildings. Triskaidekaphobia!

 

 

How do you know for sure there is a deck 13?  Most understand that deck 13 is removed during const'n and they put #14 right on top of #12.  That is why major shipyards have a deck junk pile filled with all those #13's that were never used.   Apprentice shipwrights often cut their teeth erasing the "1" so they can be retasked as deck 3's.   

[Neonsport]

36 minutes ago, mowogo said:

Spoken, and remember that numbers (and even numerals) are different in different languages.  Proper names gives a universal name for each deck regardless of language.  Princess may present as a primarily English language cruise line, among the crew there are tons of different native languages.  

Never stopped to think about it, but that makes a lot of sense.  Seems like numbers would make more sense but that's only when looking at the number it self (Deck 8, 9, 10, etc.).  When it came to pronouncing the number, 8 could end up being Eight, Ocho, Acht, Hachi, etc.  That could get confusing real quick.

 

 

[TexasBrit]

3 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

How do you know for sure there is a deck 13?  Most understand that deck 13 is removed during const'n and they put #14 right on top of #12.  That is why major shipyards have a deck junk pile filled with all those #13's that were never used.   Apprentice shipwrights often cut their teeth erasing the "1" so they can be retasked as deck 3's.   

Sure they do, sure they do. Now take your medicine and have a nice lie down.

 

[Tedferg]

37 minutes ago, TexasBrit said:

There actually is a deck 13 though. They just number it as 14! It's the same on most other cruise ships, and also hotels and large office buildings. Triskaidekaphobia!

 

BTW 13 is considered lucky in Italy.

[mtnesterz]

Lido means public open pool.  Promenade means a public waterfront walkway. Sports, Sky, pretty easy. Baja, to come down. Dolphin, a mooring place. Aloha, hello and goodby. Words are more descriptive and helpful than solely numbering decks, but no one pays attention.

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by mtnesterz

[cruisingrob21]

Also, no cabin numbers ending in 13 on princess ships.  In fact, its hard to find the number 13 on the ships anywhere, but we have seen a few.

[JimmyVWine]

1 minute ago, cruisingrob21 said:

Also, no cabin numbers ending in 13 on princess ships.  In fact, its hard to find the number 13 on the ships anywhere, but we have seen a few.

Dang!  Now your going to have me obsessing to find some on my next cruise.👀

 

I know that this is a small thing, but I much prefer the cabin designations on Princess with a letter and three numbers (D214) to a cabin number that looks like a zipcode.  (11714).

[mowogo]

15 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

BTW 13 is considered lucky in Italy.

Which is why MSC has deck 13 and skips deck 17

[Ken the cruiser]

Why not both? It makes exploring the ship more fun! At least you'll always know the deck the promenade is on as well as the buffet. 😃

 

              Royal Princess Deck Levels                                                              Sun Princess Deck Levels

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, mowogo said:

Which is why MSC has deck 13 and skips deck 17

Oh no! The NCL Getaway has both! 😱

 

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[teecee60]

4 hours ago, D C said:

Having been a Celebrity cruiser for a decade before taking our first Princess cruise on the Regal in Jan, I'm totally befuddled by what appears to be an apparent insistence on using deck names and not numbers.   

 

[SCX22]

Depending on what you ask, you will get a different way of answering.

 

If you ask ask a Princess guest on what deck deck their stateroom is, they will give you the name of the deck instead of the deck number.  Most people will say, "I'm on Baja," or "I'm on Aloha."  I think this is because the stateroom number are alpha numeric, with the letter corresponding to the name of the deck.

 

If you ask on what deck to a public space on a Princess ship, most people will answer with a deck number instead of the deck name.  For example on Royal Class ships, if asked where the Vista Lounge is, the answer will be Deck 7, not the Promenade Deck.  Tenders will be on Deck 4, not the Gala Deck.  Even the signs directing people to the gangway state the deck number and not name.

 

As has been stated before, the Sun Princess will deviate from the deck naming practice according the current deck plans. 

[tutumomickey]

i happen to enjoy the deck names. I feel it retains some of the elegance and class from the golden years of cruising.BTW, HAL decks also use names though not that colorful (Promenade, Upper Promenade, etc..