“These would have been on a cramped gun-deck (where the passengers would also live) with gun-ports”
Was that really the case? It seems far more likely for the crew to have lived on the gun-decks since presumably they would have been trained to use the cannons, instead of the passengers.
The crew (other than the captain who probably had his own cabin) probably stayed at the lower deck because the gun deck had better ventilation for the passengers. It took a long time after a ship first became visible for a gun battle to occur so the crew had enough time to get ready.
Most likely the crew used the forecastle for accommodations [0] (as they always do). I don't think the well being of passengers was a big concern for the crew.
Was that really the case? It seems far more likely for the crew to have lived on the gun-decks since presumably they would have been trained to use the cannons, instead of the passengers.