THE WORLDS FINEST SHIP, ALSO KNOWN AS HOME

• Raffles
• Onboard
• Ashore
• Financial
• Donald Starkey Designs
• Exploration
• FAQ
• Technical
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• A one of a kind ship
• Facts and dimensions
• LR service notations
• General description
• Apartments
• The electric ship
• Main propulsion
• Electrical systems
• Auxiliary machinery  services and systems
• Dependability,  redundancy and back up
• Safety, fire fighting and  lifesaving
• Navigation,  communications and  computerisation
• The marina and aft deck
• Boats, planes, and toys
• Lloyd’s Register
• Raffles operating costs
• Caution
• PDF version

Apartments / accommodation / amenities and store rooms

All of the owners apartments / penthouses are located in the 4.5 levels of the mainly aluminium full width superstructure above the main deck, starting about 10m above the waterline.

Currently a total number of 122 units, with 112 “standard” or 120m² apartments and 10 penthouses of 260 to 410m² are provided with 12 units located forward at the highest “A” deck level forward. All apartments have full width teak planked private balconies and clear height deck to deckhead of 3.4 meters.

Due to Raffles superstructure design, which is based on using mainly its own design very large extrusions, apartments can be increased / decreased in size or can be duplex or triplex with internal / private stairs or lifts installed and meaning that the total number of apartments may vary.

Typical special aluminium extrusion from Alcan produced in Switzerland in lengths up to 25m.

All apartments face to outboard and inboard access is via two 1.5m wide passageways running forward / aft each side of a 5m wide central steel core. Cross access port to starboard is provided at minimum three, normally lift lobby locations and / or extreme forward and aft on each deck.

Sliding A60 fire doors are recessed into the core closing across passages and divide each deck into fire zones with typically each not more than 20m long x 13.75m but in practice less when subdivided again by the apartments double A60 walls.

The core in the superstructure is used mainly for “domestic” piping / wiring / communications systems but also provides long term dry storage for adjacent apartments. Plus at each level, 3 maids / concierge live full time in small ensuite apartments to provide 24-7 service / security / first emergency response.

A “garage” for the 6 mobile fire engines is provided in the core at each of B, C, D, E, “main” and 02 decks. Another fire engine is garaged at aft on A deck.

Apartment decks are vertically accessed by 3 main columns approximately located at forward, midships and aft. Each column is subdivided again and has two hydraulically operated passenger lifts for 8 persons and a WT / fire proof staircase in 3 separate sections. The midships stair column serving the reception area, which is also the main emergency abandon ship mustering centre and specially ventilated, is also designated a refuge with overpressure air supply to keep out fumes / smoke.

Raffles accommodation layout is analysed by BMT in Canada for its emergency evacuation routes / times.

Crew quarters in about forty number, 1, 2, 3 and 4 person sleeping cabins are on 02 deck below the main deck forward with common bathrooms in the core at centre. Space is provided for about 100 crew and this deck level is well above the waterline. Additional / spare crew space for about another 60 is immediately below at 03 deck on the waterline. Spacious crew recreation / messing spaces are at the main deck forward with the crew galley and ships bakery between.

About 16 officers and senior staff are housed in 1 and 2 man cabins in the superstructure with the Captain and Chief Engineer suites / offices immediately behind the navigation bridge at B deck forward. The communications centre, business centre, bank, post office, and ships offices are in the core adjacent.

The main public spaces / amenities are located in the 6m high main deck level with boat decks outboard port and starboard through 5m high fire proof / armoured, double glazed wall / windows.

Also at this deck port and starboard outboard forward of the reception area are 12 guest cabins 35 / 45m² each, but which are not provided with balconies.

Main deck utilisation from forward is:

• Crew mess + lounge, with galley between
• Auditorium
• Doctors office, ICU and hospital / operating theatre
• Misc. inc. golf simulator range, cigar room
• Reception with high security entrance (lock) in starboard boat deck forward
• Main formal lounge – bar / library / games area
• Supermarket
• Retail outlets

Hellbergs sliding and hinged A60 fire doors, are on all the best ships

At extreme aft port main deck are double WT / fire proof doors / airlock through a 6m high extension to the 2m cofferdam leading direct into the gallery level of the marina. From the gallery wide stairs lead down to the dock side decks (with a chair lift) and a  separate cargo / passenger lift serves both decks and up to the open aft deck over.

Other spaces in the superstructure core and outboard are designated for the bank, business centre, post office, ships office, on B deck, and hobby rooms, place of worship at E deck.

The two public restaurants and the attached kitchens for them are both located on the upper decks. The aft restaurant at “A” deck is casual bistro style while the forward restaurant at the highest “A1” deck forward is formal style with its kitchen a feature at centre. There is also a small snack bar facility at the main deck lounge.

Below the main deck at mid / aft forward of machinery space are the about 2,000m³ refrigerated stores at 02 deck with refrigeration machinery at centre and the about 3,000m³ dry stores immediately below at 03 deck. Both store decks are accessed by wide stairs and a cargo lift from the main deck at aft.

At 02 deck between the refrigerated stores and crew quarters there is a transverse stores lobby with outboard to starboard a double WT shell door / lock fitted with a 2 tons extending gantry crane used for over side storing from boats / trucks.

The deck plans following shows the uppermost A1 deck at the top and at bottom 02 deck, which is the deck immediately below the main deck where crew sleeping quarters are located. The marina side decks can be seen at the left of 02 deck and the spaces between frame 50 and 80 are the upper levels of the two machinery spaces / power stations.

Owners’ apartments / penthouses are located only on the 5 decks below A1 deck.