A couple of friends are on an extended vacation to Europe and they chose to sail there rather than fly.
A few days ago, they sent me a picture of their “stateroom.” I showed the picture to a friend during lunch a few days ago, and he asked why it was called a “stateroom,” and not just a room or maybe even a cabin.
Well being a good friend, I figured I should check in to that for him. Originally, “state rooms” referred to the grand and luxurious rooms in European palaces and mansions during the 17th and 18th centuries. These rooms were designed for entertaining royalty and high-ranking officials showcasing the wealth and status of the host.
The term “stateroom” also began to be used in the 17th century to describe the captain’s cabin on a ship. As passenger ships became more common, the term evolved to denote the more luxurious cabins reserved for high-paying passengers. These rooms were superior in comfort and amenities compared to standard accommodations.
Another possible theory — the one I like — is that early American riverboats and steamships often named their passenger cabins after U.S. states — like, the “New York Room,” “Georgia Room,” or “Virginia Room.” Again, these rooms were the more luxurious accommodations — they didn’t have numbers, just names.
But, no matter how it came about, to this day cabins on ships are called staterooms.
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