Cruise Ship Control Room Overview

Video compliments of the Travel Channel

Ever wonder what's under the hood on cruise ships? What makes them tick and who keeps them up? You can find most of these answers in the control room, which monitors the ship's technical and mechanical operations, from the propellers to the pirate-deflecting gadgets. (Seriously. Modern cruise ships have sophisticated sound systems designed to deter pirates.) Cruise ships also have their own in-house power plants to produce the energy—enough for a small town—necessary to power them. So next time you're on deck and notice the ship moving at a nice clip, or are enjoying a meal in one of the cruise's dining rooms under romantic, mellow lights, thank the control room and all the complex engineering that goes into making the vessel sail smoothly.