Why do many cruise ship superstructures now have indents

Weight distribution has to take a lot of things into consideration, including things such as the height-to width ratio and the interior design layout of the ships. I read an article about the complications related to the design of the atrium on the side of Carnival's EXEL class ships (as opposed to the center on their other vessels). It required them to move some other venues around to "balance the ships weight".

Also, the newer ships have more and more decks being added to the height, while being limited by various port infrastructure to increase the ship's widths accordingly, thus throwing off the CoG (center of gravity). The "indentations" as you call them may simply be a shipbuilders design team's method for compensating for all those variables.

But I'll stop now and revert back to the first two words of my original post on this subject, which were "MY GUESS".

OK third try responding since the two don't seem to have gone through. Exactly. The Vista Class ships for Carnival didn't have the indent (Carnival Vista, Costa Firenze) but the earlier ones for Holland America (Zuiderdam) did. All of the later classes from Carnival lines also seem to have the indent.

Fine except there's all kinds of cruise Ships both older and newer without them. DRG raises an interesting question. One would think the bean counters would use all available space for cabins,restaurants, bars, whatever. You can't tell me they do it to look pretty.

i.e: weight distribution.

My guess would be that it may have something to do with the ships stability control, especially when the side thrusters are engaged during rough seas.

Not sure I am following your explanation. I can see that the elevators are in the wide section of those decks with the indents but that doesn't explain why the entire deck isn't the same width. You could have bigger cabins or more cabins if all that space wasn't cut out.

XX

OK, I'll give it a whirl, only because years ago i had the same question, and when i got the answer, it not only seemed obvious and correct, but it changed the way we picked cabins from then forward. Take a hard look at the location of the elevators on these ships, a very hard look...I don't care what kind of sexy software they're using to try to make them more efficient, you still have to leave room for the shafts and cars, and in front of them for the usual crowd of po'd people waiting for them.. Doesn't have anything to do with lifeboats...when a ship has those "indentations" as you call it (not all do), the cabins located right on the corners are plum pikins as they say around here...they're actually called "bump outs",,,even if the deck plans don't show it, the balconies are several square feet bigger (yes I did measure them once just to satisfy my own anal curiousity and slightly triangular in shape......now you can grab one facing forward, or towards the aft...the wind "may" be a factor facing forward, but the partitions block most of it anyway....we've had breakfasts out there while underway with no problem.. Depending on which you choose (if you're lucky enough to grab one at all) you can see down the length of the ship facing either forward or aft...I like facing forward, because you can actually see the bridge wings! This is the kind of stuff that drives some folks nuts...I just enjoy trying to get me $$ worth anyway I can...makes me feel better.......and...getting over on the ship design beancounter geniuses. Pretty soon they'll charge for breathing filtered air....