The hull was built to Bureau Veritas rules and to the Load Line and SOLAS Conventions regarding watertight subdivision. It was designed with a slender forebody extending into a bulbous bow and a "pram type" afterbody with two propellers and two rudders. Two bow thrusters were installed. The afterbody was modified during drydocking in 1985 by a "duck tail" extension giving increased buoyancy in the afterbody and a better hydrodynamic flow condition, preventing the stern from setting down at high speed. This was a problem in the original configuration unless forward located ballast tanks were filled.
The forebody had an extensive "flare", especially below the knuckle line at the car deck level. Such flares were increasingly applied at the time to provide full width of the car deck and accommodation area as far forward as possible.
An active roll-stabilising system with fins was installed in January 1994. Provisions for such installation had been made already at the newbuilding stage.
The hull below the bulkhead deck was subdivided by fifteen watertight transverse bulkheads, equipped with watertight doors as required.
The double-bottom spaces were arranged for fuel oils and other liquids and some were designated as empty tanks. Fuel oil tanks were also placed above the inner bottom.
Deck 0, the tank deck, contained : from forward - the forepeak, the bow thruster room, an extensive sauna and swimming pool area, and in the aft half of the ship - the generator room, the engine room, the fuel purifier room and other machinery-related spaces. The deck next above, deck 1, contained - in the forward half - economy class cabins for 358 passengers. The aft half of the deck contained the engine control room, workshop, main engine room and various utility spaces.
The car deck was one open space, with the exception of a centre casing, located slightly to starboard. Loading ramps were arranged one at the forward end and two at the aft end of the deck. The centre casing contained staircases from the spaces below the car deck, lift trunks and various utility spaces for machinery and catering functions. Five lifts were installed, extending from the passenger spaces below the car deck and from the car deck to deck number 7. Six sets of stairs led from the lower passenger spaces to a common passageway inside the casing.Four sets of stairs led from this passageway to deck 4 and six sets led upwards to higher decks. Stairs were also arranged at the aft open-air deck spaces from deck 4 upwards to deck 8. Emergency escape trunks from the engine room area were arranged inside the casing.
Smaller service spaces for power supply to the ramp and bow visor operation and the hoistable car decks were arranged on the car deck port and starboard, forward and aft. An office for the cargo officer during loading and discharging was arranged in the aft service space.
Deck 4 contained many passenger cabins and, aft, conference rooms, a cafeteria and passenger seats. The enclosed deck area ended at two public exits to the open-air aft deck. Decks 5 and 6 had passenger cabins covering the forward third and the remaining parts were used for tax free shop, information desk, restaurants, bars and entertainment areas. Both decks had two double-door public exits to the open-air aft decks. The accommodation spaces on decks 4, 5 and 6 extended from side to side without any open-air passage or other open-air spaces except the aft decks.
Deck 7 contained the main part of the crew accommodation. This deck did not extend to the sides of the vessel, giving room for an open deck area on both sides. On the open deck there were the rescue stations and the embarkation area for lifeboats. The deck was accessible to passengers via two main staircases and between the aft open-air decks. The passageways contained cradles for liferafts and bins for lifejackets for passengers and crew. Forward on deck 8 was accommodation for the senior officers and, aft, additional crew accommodation spaces. The intermediate space was taken up by ventilation equipment and other service functions. The lifeboat davits and additional liferaft bins were located at the sides of this deck. Deck 8 was accessible to passengers only via external stairs from deck 7.
The navigation bridge was on deck 9.
