One thing that could not be said for the Caronia was that there was little space in her passenger
staterooms. Quite the opposite! Being built for cruising, with the greater majority of her cabins
placed outboard, there was never a feeling of being cooped-up, especially on a long voyage. One
common remark that would be made by passengers after a gruelling trip ashore in hot climates was
just how welcome it was to return to the ship to put one's feet up for a while.
One other aspect about Caronia was that all her cabins had either a private bath or shower
facilities built-in. This was something that you would not have found, even in First Class, on
board either of the two Cunard Queens! The design concept of Caronia's passenger accommodation
was clearly years ahead of its time. Even if late 1940s style was used to furnish these areas,
it nevertheless shows just how bold Cunard were in building this ship, especially at a time of
such great uncertainty so soon after WWII.
[Above:] A “Main” Deck stateroom
[Below:] An “A” Deck stateroom
What these two pictures clearly show is just how much space there was in twin-bedded staterooms.
One other aspect where Caronia stood alone (for her time) was that each and every one of her
staterooms was uniquely styled, note that not even the drawer handles were standard fittings,
let alone the types of wood used to build the units!
