Cruise ships are incredible feats of engineering, with all their amenities packed into one vessel. But how much of a cruise ship is actually underwater?
The answer to this question depends largely on the size and type of the ship. Most larger cruise ships have a draft of around 8 meters, which means that 8 meters of the ship is underwater.
This means that the majority of the hull, including all the propellers and rudder, is submerged. This helps reduce drag in the water and provides a more efficient journey.
The amount of a cruise ship that is underwater can vary depending on the size of its hull and its cargo capacity. Smaller ships may only have around 4-5 meters of their hull below water level. This is still enough to provide stability in rough seas.
Cruise ships also have “freeboard” which is an amount of space between the waterline and the deck. This helps to prevent waves from washing over decks and flooding cabins or other areas with seawater.
On top of this, modern cruise ships are designed with special features such as bulbous bows which help reduce drag in the water.
These features increase efficiency by reducing fuel consumption.
Conclusion:
Cruise ships can range from having 4-5 meters to 8 meters underwater depending on their size and type. The amount of freeboard also affects how much space there is between the waterline and decks. Modern design features such as bulbous bows help reduce drag and improve efficiency.