Why Cruise Ships Skip Deck 13 and the Superstition Behind It

Take an elevator on a cruise ship and you might notice something strange: the deck numbers jump straight from 12 to 14. Deck 13 seems to have vanished.

Cruise ships sometimes skip deck 13 because of the superstition that the number 13 brings bad luck. Some cruise lines leave it off their deck plans to avoid making superstitious passengers uncomfortable. The ship still has the same number of physical levels, of course. Deck 14 simply takes the place of what would otherwise be called deck 13.

And given how superstitious sailors have been throughout history, the missing number fits right into maritime tradition.

Why Is 13 Considered Unlucky?

The fear of the number 13 has an official name: triskaidekaphobia. The superstition existed long before cruise ships started carrying vacationers around the world.

One explanation comes from Norse mythology. At a gathering of twelve gods, Loki arrives as an unwanted thirteenth guest. His involvement leads to the death of Baldur, a beloved god associated with light.

Christian tradition provides another possible connection. Thirteen people attended the Last Supper, with Judas, who later betrayed Jesus, traditionally associated with the unlucky number.

Over time, thirteen became associated with misfortune in parts of Europe. Sailors had their own collection of superstitions, from avoiding certain sailing dates to considering particular objects or actions unlucky aboard a ship.

By the time hotels began leaving the thirteenth floor off their elevator buttons, avoiding the number had become a familiar practice. Some cruise lines adopted it too.

Do Cruise Ships Also Skip Cabin 13?

Deck numbers are the most noticeable example, but the superstition can extend to other numbered spaces aboard a ship.

Cabin numbers: A ship may avoid assigning the number 13 to a cabin, depending on its numbering system.
Dining tables: Some venues may leave table 13 off their seating plans.
Friday the 13th: The date carries its own superstitions, although cruise ships continue sailing and operating on that day.

These choices depend on the cruise line and the individual ship. Plenty of modern vessels use the number 13 without any special treatment.

Cruise Ships Aren’t the Only Ones

The number 13 is missing from some airplanes and hotels, too. Certain airlines skip row 13, and some hotels go straight from the 12th floor to the 14th on their elevator buttons.

For travelers who consider 13 unlucky, being assigned a different row or floor number can make a difference. Hotels and airlines know this, so skipping the number is an easy way to accommodate superstitious guests.

And even though the signs say 14, the thirteenth floor is still physically there. Only its number has changed.

Did the Titanic Have a Deck 13?

A story occasionally links the sinking of the Titanic to the unlucky number 13, but the ship had no deck numbered 13.

The Titanic used lettered deck names, such as A Deck, B Deck, and C Deck, along with named levels such as the Boat Deck. Its sinking in April 1912 had nothing to do with a supposedly unlucky deck number.

The connection comes from the same fascination with maritime superstitions that makes the missing thirteenth deck interesting today.

Does Every Cruise Ship Skip Deck 13?

Some cruise ships skip Deck 13, but plenty have it. Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, for example, has a Deck 13 listed on its deck plans. Each cruise line decides how to number its decks, and maritime regulations place no restrictions on using 13.

So, if your next cruise ship jumps straight from Deck 12 to Deck 14, you know why. The thirteenth level is still there, with cabins, corridors, and passengers going about their vacations. It simply has a different number on the elevator button.