The bridge is one of the few places on a cruise ship that most passengers will never get to see. It’s where the captain and officers navigate the ship, monitor everything around them and make some pretty important decisions.
I’ve been lucky enough to step onto the bridge of several cruise ships, and there’s a lot more going on up there than you might expect.
So what’s actually inside a cruise ship bridge, where is it hidden and is there any way you can visit one yourself?
Where The Bridge is Located
The bridge on a cruise ship is usually on an upper deck, at the front (fore) of the ship, which gives the captain and crew the best visibility of the waters and where they’re heading.
The bridge is the ship’s command centre, where the crew use electronic charts and navigation equipment to plan and monitor the ship’s route. It’s also home to the controls used to steer the ship and adjust its speed, along with equipment for communications, radar and monitoring key systems onboard.
My friend John, who is a ship pilot, often working from the bridge of cruise ships, sent me this photo of the conning display he uses to monitor the ship…
The bridge also plays a crucial role in keeping the ship safe. The officers on watch monitor the ship, surrounding traffic, weather and potential hazards, allowing them to react quickly if something goes wrong.
The term ‘bridge’ has historical roots dating back to the era of paddle steamers, when a raised walkway was constructed across the paddle houses, thereby ‘bridging’ the two sides of the ship.
This design innovation provided the captain with a panoramic vantage point from the quarter-deck, allowing for a view of both paddle wheels and sides of the ship.
The bridge is also sometimes known as a pilothouse or wheelhouse, derived from early ship designs where the pilot would steer the ship using a wheel within a designated house-like structure on the deck. This is more common on river cruise ships.
Touring the Bridge
Some cruise lines allow you to book a behind-the-scenes tour of the ship, including the bridge. There is usually a fee to take a tour, although some offer it for free if you are part of their loyalty schemes. Otherwise, the bridge is not a place that can be accessed by passengers.
On our recent cruise on Fred. Olsen’s Bolette, the children enjoyed a visit to the bridge as one of the activities in the kids’ club.
Other smaller cruise lines, or expedition cruise ships, have an open bridge policy where passengers can visit during quieter times, such as Windstar. Although if the ship is coming into the dock or there is bad weather, it will be off-limits.
Occasionally, on some cruise ships, there is a Bridge Viewing Room where you can peer down at the crew at work. However, many of them have been removed due to health and safety.
What a Cruise Ship Bridge Looks Like
A cruise ship bridge is often curved in the central cockpit portion. Windows are slanted to reduce reflected light, as a bridge is unlit apart from instrument lighting
This robust design with reinforced glass ensures the bridge can withstand high winds and bad weather while having a panoramic view.
On most modern cruise ships, on either side, there are extensions which look like wings. These are known as Bridge Wings and give the crew better visibility right to the back of the ship.
The bridge wings usually have manoeuvring controls that allow the officers to control systems such as propellers, rudders and thrusters while keeping a close eye on the ship’s position.
They also sometimes have a section that has a glass floor so that the crew can see beneath them, down to the water. This gives an excellent view when docking in a port.
Inside the Bridge
A bridge on a cruise ship has some things that you would expect and some that you might not. Below are some photos which I took inside the bridge on Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition, so you can see…
Seats for the navigation crew
The captain sits in the back seat. In the image below, you can see that it says ‘Master’, which is another word for captain. That’s because the captain’s job isn’t to drive the ship! Instead, he or she is responsible for everybody on board and has overall command.
Usually, on the bridge of a cruise ship, you will always have two deck officers and two lookouts, of which one is designated helmsman. The steering is set to automatic when in open waters.
The captain can take control and ‘drive’ the ship, and he will state when he is doing this so that the rest of the bridge team knows.
The Pilot Station
When arriving at or leaving many ports, a local pilot will come onboard to assist the bridge team. Cruise ship pilots have detailed knowledge of the local waters, port and navigational hazards, helping the captain and officers manoeuvre the ship safely. The captain remains in command of the vessel.
The Ship’s Wheel
You’d be forgiven for thinking that cruise ships have huge wheels. After all, pirate ships in movies do, right?
A cruise ship’s steering wheel is actually smaller in size than a car steering wheel, as you can see from the image below…
Indicators
If there’s a fire or a flood, the bridge team needs to know exactly where it is and which doors have been closed to contain it. There are displays for this, as well as a whole host of other things that are to be monitored.
There are various screens to be monitored, such as the one below, which is the engine monitor on a ship…
Meeting Area
Sometimes, the crew need to get together to discuss their plan and communicate with each other. There’s usually a table they can gather around to facilitate these meetings. The discussions most often involve navigation plans, such as arrival and departure briefings.
All conversations are recorded, as are the electronic charts and radar readings.
Coffee Machine
Ask any seaman what’s the difference between working on cruise ships and other large vessels like cargo ships, and they’ll tell you – the coffee!
Cruise ship coffee is great, especially when the crew have their own barista-style coffee machine, like this. And an endless supply of cookies!
How to Watch Cruise Ship Bridge Cameras
Some cruise ships have bridge cameras with live feeds, letting you see the view from the front of the ship in real time. Depending on the ship, you may be able to watch the feed on your stateroom TV.
Some cruise lines also make webcam feeds available online, although availability varies by ship and cruise line. They can be a fun way to see where a ship is sailing or follow along when friends or family are onboard.
You can read my article to see a list of all the cruise ship webcams.
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