Why Is There No 13th Floor in Cruise Ships?
Key Takeaways:
- Many cruise lines skip Deck 13 because of the widespread superstition surrounding the number.
- Some cruise lines still use Deck 13 for public areas, activities, or entertainment spaces.
- The fear of 13 is known as triskaidekaphobia and is rooted in cultural beliefs and traditions.
- Unlucky numbers vary by culture, with numbers like 4 and 17 also carrying superstitions.
Most people will believe some form of superstition that they stick with for a long time. One superstitious belief that many abide by is the unlucky number 13. This is why you’ll often see buildings, hotels, and even cruise ships skip labeling a 13th floor or deck entirely. The belief is so widespread that many travelers feel uneasy even being assigned a room or seat with the number 13.
In this blog, we’ll talk about how this myth came to be and why it’s considered bad luck. You’ll also learn about “Triskaidekaphobia,” and how cruise ships find alternatives rather than skipping the 13th floor entirely. Hopefully, everything stated below will give you a better understanding of this fabled myth.
How "13" Became the Unluckiest Number
Ancient Stories and Religion
Several powerful stories cast 13 in a bad light. In Christian tradition, the Last Supper is often cited: Jesus and his 12 apostles made 13 people at the table, and Judas, the betrayer, is commonly remembered as the extra, unlucky guest. In Norse myth, a tale tells of 12 gods dining when Loki arrived as the 13th and set in motion the events that led to Baldr’s death. These kinds of stories linked the number to betrayal, chaos, or death in the popular imagination.
The “Twelve Is Complete” Idea (So 13 Is the Odd One Out)
Across many cultures, 12 is a symbol of completeness; 12 months, 12 zodiac signs, 12 Olympian gods, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 hours on a clock. When a system built around 12 is disturbed by an extra item, that extra (13) is easy to label “irregular” or dangerous. That mathematical/structural awkwardness becomes a cultural cue.
Historical Events and Later Reinforcements
Certain historical episodes and modern stories reinforced the unease. Examples often pointed to dramatic events associated with the number (real or retrofitted), while novels, newspapers, and later movies and franchises (think horror movies) amplified the anxiety and made it culturally contagious.
Human Psychology: Why the Idea Spreads and Sticks
People are pattern-seekers and storytellers. Confirmation bias and the availability heuristic mean we notice and remember unlucky things that happen on the 13th and ignore the much larger set of uneventful 13s. Social proof, hotels, architects, and airlines avoiding “13” on floor plans and seat maps, signals that “everyone” thinks it’s risky, which convinces more people it must be true. Over time, these behaviours create a feedback loop: the superstition causes actions, and the actions make the superstition seem real.
It’s Not Universal
Importantly, 13 isn’t unlucky everywhere. In some cultures (Italy, for instance, often treats 13 as lucky), other numbers are feared (four in East Asia because it sounds like “death” in several languages). That shows the “badness” of 13 is culturally constructed, not an absolute property of the number.
What Is Triskaidekaphobia?
Triskaidekaphobia is the Greek-rooted word for something pretty simple: the deep fear of the number 13. But it’s more than just “not liking” the number; it’s when the unease runs so strong that people avoid 13 at all costs, whether that’s refusing to stay in a hotel room numbered 13, skipping the 13th row on an airplane, or feeling genuine anxiety when the calendar hits Friday the 13th.
Think of it as superstition upgraded into a full-on phobia. While many people casually consider 13 unlucky, someone with triskaidekaphobia treats the number like a genuine threat. The mind turns “a simple number” into a symbol of danger, and once that idea sticks, it can influence decisions, behavior, and even architecture. This is why so many skyscrapers jump straight from floor 12 to 14.
How Do Cruise Ships Bypass the 13th Floor Superstition?
Cruise lines also take these kinds of superstitions very seriously. Different cruise lines handle this in their own way:
- Royal Caribbean avoids labeling any deck as 13. For example, Symphony of the Seas goes directly from Deck 12 to Deck 14.
- Carnival Cruise Line does the same on most of its ships. On the Carnival Vista, there’s no Deck 13; you’ll see Deck 12 and then go straight to Deck 14.
- Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) follows the tradition too. On Norwegian Escape, Deck 13 doesn’t appear in the elevator buttons at all.
- Costa Cruises, on the other hand, doesn’t just skip Deck 13; they often skip Deck 17 too, because in Italian culture the number 17 is considered unlucky.
- Disney Cruise Line – On ships like the Disney Dream, there is a Deck 13, but it’s dedicated to fun. It houses parts of the sports deck, water play zones, and the AquaDuck water coaster. Disney essentially flips the superstition upside down, turning 13 into a “lucky deck” for thrill-seekers.
- Celebrity Cruises – Some ships, like Celebrity Solstice, actually keep a Deck 13, but instead of cabins, it’s home to public areas such as the Solstice Deck and Lawn Club. By filling it with activities rather than bedrooms, the superstition gets softened.
Other Unlucky Numbers You Should Know About
While the number 13 takes the spotlight in Western superstition, different cultures around the world have their own “unlucky” numbers. Here are some of the big ones:
- 4 (China, Japan, Korea, Much of East Asia): The word for “four” sounds almost identical to the word for “death” in many Asian languages. Because of this, buildings often skip the 4th floor (like Westerners skip 13). In some hospitals in China, you won’t even find rooms or wards with the number 4.
- 17 (Italy): Italians consider 17 unlucky because, in Roman numerals (XVII), it can be rearranged to spell VIXI; Latin for “I have lived,” a phrase associated with death. That’s why some Italian cruise lines like Costa Cruises avoid Deck 17 in addition to Deck 13.
- 39 (Afghanistan): Known as the “curse of 39,” this number is linked to a slang term that refers to pimping or prostitution, making it deeply taboo. Many Afghans avoid phone numbers, license plates, or addresses with 39.
- 666 (Global/Christian symbolism): Known as the “Number of the Beast” from the Book of Revelation, it’s often tied to bad luck, evil, or misfortune. Many people avoid phone numbers, flight numbers, or room numbers with 666.
- 9 (Japan, Thailand): In Japanese, the number 9 (ku) sounds like the word for “pain” or “suffering.” In Thailand, some also consider 9 unlucky depending on context, although in other cases it’s seen as lucky.
- 26 (India, some regions): Some people in India see 26 as unlucky because several tragic events (like natural disasters and terrorist attacks) have happened on the 26th of the month.
Don't Let the Unlucky 13 Stop You From Cruising!
Once you step on a cruise ship, you’ll barely have enough time to think about other things since you’ll be focused on the fun activities and amenities. If you want your next cruise vacation to be a memorable one, consider booking through Travel With Brigitte. You can talk to our representatives, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your needs.
Email us right away at bookings@travelwithbrigitte.com if you have several questions you need answered.