What cruise passengers DON’T see on holiday, including the ‘mini cities’ that exist for crew below sea level

A seemingly never-ending ‘road’ stretches before me, where boisterous conversations and cheerful banter fill the air.

With signs indicating ‘restaurant’, ‘cabins’, ‘engine room’, ‘recycling area’ it feels like there are hundreds of doors opening into the unknown; it’s like I’ve found a secret suburban street where daily lives are lived just like on land.

I’m exploring the impressive cabins of MSC Virtuosa, a cruise ship currently docked in Southampton, with an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour.

As a traveling novice, my experience with these massive ‘floating cities’ is limited – and my first time on one of these massive ships proves to be different from travelers boarding for holidays.

As I get started with eye-catching decks, my main mission is to dig deeper and get a feel for what it’s like beneath the shiny surface.

Is it real? There’s a whole city down there. The staff quarters are huge, and the central hub is a corridor that runs the entire length of the ship (331 metres), leading to every compartment below deck.

When you stand at one end you can see the entirety of this ‘road’ and with a slight jog you see us bump into staff preparing for the ship’s next voyage.

As we wander along this street below sea level, we head into the different rooms and streets most used by the ship’s crew, areas that guests almost never see.

The crown jewel of the staff areas is, of course, the bridge.

For all the fans of the Below Deck TV series, you will know exactly what this is; This is the captain’s ‘office’… essentially the room where the boat is driven.

It is surprisingly spacious; The control panel is in the middle and the rest of the area is large and has plenty of space. I even have my eye on the fancy coffee machine in the corner.

But this room is for serious business; There are only captains and senior officers here. Oh, and pilots. Confused? So was I.

One of the interesting facts about the cruise industry that few people know is that cruise ships like this often invite local pilots on board to help the ship’s captain navigate ins and outs of ports.

A cruise captain may not fully know the individual area, current or wind patterns. Therefore, sometimes pilots are invited on board for assistance.

They are maritime experts who come onboard ships to guide them safely through each port’s unique sailing conditions.

The pilot brings basic local knowledge of currents, tides, depths, traffic patterns and any navigational hazards that may affect arrival or departure from port.

Life on the ocean waves: An MSC ship passing the White Cliffs of Dover in the English Channel

Cruise ship companies may ask local airline pilots on board to assist the ship’s captain in navigating in and out of ports.

A spokesman for MSC later told me: ‘After disembarking from a private pilot boat, the specialist joins the bridge team and exchanges information on the ship’s maneuvering characteristics and the planned passage.

‘Once the ship is safely docked, anchored or has cleared the pilotage area, the pilot disembarks and returns to their station, usually to guide the next ship awaiting entry.’

Another fun discovery on my journey below deck was the ‘steering wheel’.

Naturally, I expected to walk in and see a large wooden wheel like something out of Pirates of the Caribbean.

In reality, it is a small joystick just a few inches long that controls the movement of the entire ship.

In addition to visiting the bridge, we are also shown to other areas below the ship.

In the machinery control room, you can see complex machinery up close and learn about the engineering skills that keep the ship moving.

This then leads to engines, which are huge cylinders that power the massive ship.

Especially the engine room, wastewater cleaning section and recycling rooms.

In the machinery control room, you can see complex machinery up close and learn about the engineering skills that keep the ship moving.

With so many buttons and screens, it’s hard to understand how the team keeps track of everything.

This then leads to the engines, the large cylinders that power such a massive ship.

The recycling room is also quite impressive; Hundreds of soft drink cans are crushed and easily disposed of in a sustainable way.

The recycling room is also quite impressive; Hundreds of soft drink cans are crushed and easily disposed of in a sustainable way.

Erin took a trip to see how wastewater is cleaned on the ship

Wastewater cleaning is also included on the route; a series of tubes hold dirty water while clearing it out of sight

Wastewater cleaning is also included on the route; a series of tubes hold dirty water while cleaning it out of sight.

More than 80 percent of the fresh water used throughout the fleet is provided by seawater.

Every day, millions of liters of seawater are converted into fresh drinking water via reverse osmosis and evaporation on MSC ships.

After use, the water on the ship is purified before returning to the ocean. MSC has a strict internal policy not to discharge bilge and treated oily water overboard.

Instead, the company dumps it on land so it can be properly treated at approved facilities.

Visiting the unexplored ‘underground’ parts of a ship revealed one thing: there’s a lot going on beneath the surface to make a ship this large operate so easily and capably.

Like a swan that glides effortlessly on the surface of the water and paddles quickly to keep its feet submerged, a cruise ship works much the same way.