Promenade: “To walk about for amusement, display, or exercise.”

Most modern cruise ships have a Promenade Deck but the idea of having a promenade deck isn’t new at all.

A Promenade Deck is a deck located midway through a ship that is open to the air. This deck is usually covered and provides a walkway around the ship. It is common to find lifeboats and other mechanical equipment located on the promenade deck.

Many people believe that the term Promenade Deck came from the Swedish word promenaddäck which means walking deck but this is unconfirmed. It is more likely that the deck was named after the use of the word promenade as both a verb and a noun. The word promenade used as a noun dates back to the 16th century and it means the following:

“A paved public walk, typically one along the seafront at a resort.”

The Promenade deck on a cruise ship is mainly designed as a place for guests to walk or run. On most promenade decks, markers will indicate the distance of the promenade deck.

This will typically be something like ‘3 laps = 1 mile’. It isn’t uncommon to see runners running around the promenade deck early in the morning.

Titanic had a promenade deck located on A deck which wrapped around the full length of the ship. The promenade deck was only for use of those passengers travelling in first class and because of the enclosed design, it was well protected from the weather. Guests were able to play chess, shuffleboard, and dominos on Titanic’s promenade deck.

The Queen Mary had a full promenade deck which was partly sheltered. Access to the promenade deck was split between Tourist Class and Cabin Class.

On most ships, you’ll find the promenade deck located mid-way between the lowest and highest decks. Many modern cruise ships have 14+ decks; the promenade deck can usually be found on decks 6, 7 or 8.

The promenade deck has to be located here because of the role it plays in safety and the deployment of lifeboats.