Beluga can't handle new first class missions with a shield

[Mxpower76]

Since we now have 54 person first class passenger missions the Beluga needs an update to keep up. As it is now the biggest passenger ship in the game can only hold 51 first class passengers and still have a shield. You can go shieldless but with the AI inside the station crashing into you 50% of the time you'll always take damage. Beluga needs another size 6 slot or better yet a size 7 to accommodate a proper shield. I could always use a Conda but I like the Beluga and would like to use it for its intended purpose.

 

[Eshackleton]

The Beluga definitely needs a buff. I like your suggestion. It's a shame that it is so poor at passenger missions because it is really fun to fly. However I am rarely able to find enough missions to fill my cabins (all business class). I feel like at least for economy passengers we should be able to set a destination and your cabins fill up much like cargo hauling. Right now bulk passengers just doesn't work very well.

 

[Mrat13]

Or if the class 4 became a class 5......

 

[John Xenir]

I'll shamelessly allow myself to... quote myself
Guess this thread warrants such a sin:

I guess I can risk thesis that the way passenger ships' uniqueness/specialization was treated by Frontier was... odd.
Locking slots for passenger cabins only seems hardly a specialization, I would rather say it's a limitation.

Currently, Beluga has:
2 size 6 restricted cabin slots
2 size 5 restricted cabin slots

... which I'm sorry but makes no sense in comparison with larger comparable ships not having these limitations on slots. The result is known: Anaconda can haul around more first class passengers than a dedicated cruise ship, which makes little to none sense.

How about instead Beluga had:

2 size 8(or 7) restricted cabin slots (and size 8/7 cabins being available to liner-class only)
2 size 6 restricted cabin slots
2 size 5 restricted cabin slots

... with remainder of slots being unchanged. That means adding liner-class-only 2 size 8 (or 2 size 7, or combination of both) restricted passenger cabin slots.

Otherwise what's the point of such ship class if a damn transport ship can do same job better?

 

[Mxpower76]

I'll shamelessly allow myself to... quote myself
Guess this thread warrants such a sin:

I like the idea of bigger cabin options restricted to passenger ships. But one of those size 7 or 8 spots for the Beluga should be unrestricted for a proper shield. Not that it would be a combat ship but it's big so logic would suggest it needs a big shield. If you fly in Open or if they ever made NPC interdictions difficult you might need more protection.