The 35 or so knot wind over the deck discouraged passengers from sauntering about the exterior spaces.
One article highlighted that the only piece of wood was the butcher block. Everything else was metal. Given the military purpose, fireproofing was a priority.
The piston airliners at the time had limited capacity and range. Often trans Atlantic flights were stuck at Gander until the weather cleared up.
Before satellites, weather ships were stationed at intervals across the oceans. There was one controlled ditching of a PanAm Stratocruiser (aka Boeing trimotor) next to a weather ship. The ones I were in made it all the way across without incident, but my father would not let us sit next to the propellers.
On one cockpit visit we saw the navigator take a sun shot with a sextant through the astrodome.
All of which explains why many at the time choose liners.