What Are Accommodations like on a ship? How are they designed?

Similar, but no common head/shower/vestibule. That’s an interesting layout, and I’m always a fan of fewer toilets to be responsible for haha. I will say the semis always seemed to have nicer lounge area, adjacent to the mess, more communal feel.

One of my biggest frustrations when joining a vessel is the lack of proper storage for PPE. It’s annoying when you’re forced to store your gear in your cabin. Every crew member should have a dedicated locker with at least three shelves – one at the bottom for boots, a middle section to hang your coveralls, and a top shelf for your hard hat. The small lockers with just one shelf are inadequate; you end up piling everything in one heap, which not only causes a mess but also spreads dirt and contamination.

Vessels should be designed with proper storage facilities, not just for PPE but also for personal effects when crew are on leave. On many ships, there’s simply no suitable place to store things, leading to people leaving their belongings in inconvenient and inappropriate spaces. It’s common for crew members to leave items in cabin drawers and cupboards when they go home, leaving no room for the person joining to put their belongings.

Drilling rigs, in contrast, often provide two storage lockers – one for PPE and another for personal effects. Ideally, crew should empty their cabins completely before going on leave, storing their gear in these lockers so the next person can make full use of the cabin’s storage. Unfortunately, there are those who leave their things behind, showing a lack of consideration for others. You can tell a lot about someone’s character when they can’t even be bothered to clear out their cabin properly.

There’s also the issue of hygiene. Lockers should be located near sinks so that after removing PPE, crew can wash their hands and avoid contaminating other areas of the ship. I’ve often had to go from doing DPO duties on the Bridge to safety checks on deck, which means constantly moving between these areas. Proper PPE storage and handwashing facilities near the Bridge would help prevent contamination. It’s frustrating to see dirty PPE lying around or door handles covered in oil because there’s no proper place to wash up.

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the author seems to emphasize being able to ‘‘socialize’’ with crew mates. good lord jack !!! if you have a cabin to your self you’re not going to bitch about anything. even sharing a head is ok unless the jackwad fails to unlock your door. (sigh)
If you’re sharing a cabin alternate shifts are a must, … absolutly!!
the most tiniest cabins suk, especially with no windows but it just gives you a incentive to upgrade your capabilities.