Officials are planning to renovate berthing areas and the ward room on board the Battleship North Carolina in anticipation of offering overnight stays. The program, which is expected to start next spring, is aimed at giving groups – such as the Boy Scouts – a taste of living on board a historic naval vessel while also opening up a new revenue stream for the ship, which is financially self-sustaining.
Overnight visitors – who are likely to pay around $55 each – will be coming for the experience, not for creature comforts. The estimated $2.5 million project will involve renovations to two berthing areas, the stacked beds where sailors would sleep during World War II. Located by the engine room, the engineer berthing area has been previously untouched. It will soon be climate-controlled and have beds for 70 people. The other berthing area, which is more commonly seen by visitors, will house 60 people. The ward room, where officers would eat meals, also will be restored to its original state. It will double as a handicap-accessible area during overnight stays and will also include a warming kitchen for caterers.