Cruise Jargon - Made Simple
Captain Kerry Here! It can be very confusing when reading cruise brochures or even when you are on board your cruise to hear lots of strange words. Some of you may have some "nautical" experience but for those who don't, here is an A - Z list of some of the words you might hear and what they actually mean. Enjoy!
Aft - The back of the ship.
Atrium - The central passenger area on a cruise ship, a bit like a hotel’s lobby.
Beam - The width of the ship at its widest point.
Bearing - The compass direction from a ship to a particular destination, in degrees.
Berth - The bed in your cabin. It can also refer to the dock or quay where a cruise ship ties up to the shore.
Bow - The front of the ship.
Bridge - This is where the captain steers and navigates the ship from.
Cruise Director - This would be the main person who is responsible for all the ship’s activities and entertainment.
Deck - The floor of the ship. Each cruise line has deck plans that will show you what you can find on each floor of the ship.
Disembarkation - The process of leaving a cruise ship at the end of the voyage.
Embarkation - The process of boarding a cruise ship at the start of the voyage.
Galley - The kitchen area on a ship.
Gangway - The ramp or staircase from the ship to the quay or pier used by passengers to get on and off the ship.
Gratuities - Basically tips – these can be pre-paid with some cruise lines or you can choose to tip or not to tip at the end of your cruise.
Itinerary - The schedule of destinations and days at sea on your cruise.
Knot - A unit of speed equivalent to one nautical mile per hour.
Lido - The deck of a cruise ship with outdoor pools.
Midship - The midpoint of the ship.
Muster Drill - A lifeboat safety drill where all passengers must follow instructions and learn what to do in an emergency.
Muster Station - This is the location where you must go in the event of an emergency.
Nautical Mile - A unit used in measuring distances at sea, equivalent to 1,852 metres or 6,076 feet.
Open Seating/My Time Dining/Flex Dining/Anytime Dining - When no fixed time or fixed seating arrangement is given for dining. You basically go to a dining room between set times say 5pm-9.30pm and have a different table every night.
Port - The left side of the ship when facing forward, marked by a red light. A little trick to help you remember is “the words ‘port’ and ‘left’ both have four letters.
Porthole - A round window on a ship.
Repositional Cruise (also in the UK can be called Transatlantic) - A one-way cruise that beings and ends in different ports as a ship moves from one cruising region of the world to another.
River Cruise - A cruise along the River, normally on much smaller ships.
Roll - The movement of a ship when it sways side to side. Rarely experienced on large cruise ships.
Sea Day - A day where the ship stays out at sea and does not visit a port.
Starboard - The right side of the ship when facing forward, marked by a green light.
Stateroom - It’s another word for your Cabin
Stern - The very back of a ship.
Tender - A small boat that transports passengers from a cruise ship to the shore when the ship is unable to dock at a quay or berth and is therefore anchored in a harbour. Also refers to the ship’s lifeboats.
Wake - The trail of waves at the stern of the ship created as the ship moves forward.
A couple of other things to bear in mind
- A cruise liner can also be known as a cruise ship – but never a boat!
- In comparison to the amount of people on a cruise ship, very few of them will experience sea sickness. Sea sickness tablets can normally be obtained at the Customer Service desk and for any severe cases the onboard doctor can provide an injection
- On Board Jail – there is one on every ship – so behave!
If you are interested in finding out more about cruising, then please don’t hesitate to give me, your personal cruise expert a call on 01277 840262 or email me at Kerry.cansdale@travelcounsellors.com