Cruise Terminology
Knowing some cruise terminology will help make everything from pre-cruise planning to disembarkation a little less confusing.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
-
aboard
-
onboard, or on the ship; the opposite of ashore.
Used when referring to being or doing something on the ship
-
about
-
To turn the ship around
-
abreast
-
Alongside something, usually another ship or a dock
-
add-on
-
An additional charge to the cruise fare that usually refers to
airfare, transfers, or land tours
-
aft
-
The back of the ship
-
air/sea package
-
A package deal that includes the cruise price, airfare, and
transfers between the airport and the ship
-
all hands
-
All the crewmembers working aboard
the
ship
-
alternative restaurant
-
A smaller onboard restaurant where guests can choose to eat, often
for a small fee
-
amidships
-
The middle section of the ship
-
ashore
-
On land; the opposite of aboard
-
astern
-
Toward the aft (back of the ship), or behind the ship
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B
-
beam
-
The width of the ship at its widest point, usually right across the
middle section of the ship
-
bearing
-
The compass direction the ship is sailing, expressed in degrees
-
berth
-
A bed; or the place where the ship is docked in port
-
bow
-
The front part of the ship
-
bridge
-
The location where the captain and crew controls the ship-where
navigation and steering occur
-
bulkhead
-
The structural wall in the interior of the ship
-
buoy
-
A marker or float used to identify navigational landmarks or channels
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C
-
cabin
-
A passenger room onboard
the ship; sometimes referred to as a stateroom
-
cabin steward
-
The person who cleans the cabin
-
Capers
-
Previous name for Carnival's daily activities publication, now known as the Carnival Fun Times
-
cast off
-
To release the ship from her mooring
-
category
-
The price level of a cabin
based
on location, size, and amenities
-
channel
-
The deepest part of a river or harbor
-
companionway
-
A stairway inside the ship that connects the deck levels
-
course
-
The ship's route from one port to the next
-
cruise director
-
Head of the ship's entertainment staff, often emcees events
-
Cruise To Nowhere
-
Any cruise in which there are no ports of call; the ship embarks and debarks from the same port without making any stops in between
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D
-
davit
-
A steel structure that hoist lifeboats over the side of the ship
-
debark
-
To go ashore
-
deck
-
Each level (floor) of the ship
-
disembark
-
To leave the ship and go ashore
-
dinner seating
-
The time a passenger is assigned to a particular dining venue on the
ship
-
dock
-
A place to moor the ship
-
draft
-
The depth of water needed to sail so that the ship doesn't touch the
ocean floor (The draft is measured from the waterline to the lowest
part of the ship, usually the keel)
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E
-
embark
-
To go aboard
the
ship
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F
-
fantail
-
The rear overhang of a ship (shaped like a duck's bill)
-
fathom
-
Measurement of water depth (One fathom equals six feet.)
-
first seating
-
The earlier of two meal servings (dinner
seatings) in the ship's main dining room-also referred to as the
main seating
-
fleet
-
A number of ships under the same ownership
-
FlowRider
-
Onboard surf pool on Royal Caribbean ships
-
fore, forward
-
The area toward the bow
of
the ship
-
Freestyle Cruising
-
Norwegian Cruise Line's style of cruising, featuring casual dress
and no set dinner times
-
Fun Ships
-
Name for Carnival's cruise ships
-
Fun Times
-
Carnival's daily activities publication, previously known as the Carnival Capers
-
funnel
-
The ship's smokestack
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G
-
galley
-
The ship's kitchen
-
gangway
-
Ramp or stairway between the ship and the shore while the ship is
docked
-
gross registered ton (grt)
-
A measurement of enclosed passenger space, including the space in
cabins,
lounges, showrooms, and dining rooms. This does not apply to open
spaces such as decks
and
pool areas (unless, of course, they are enclosed)
-
guarantee
-
A cruise reservation in which one pays for a certain category
cabin,
but is not given a cabin number. Passengers often take this type of
reservation with the hopes of getting upgraded to a higher category
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H
-
hand
-
A crewmember
-
head
-
A bathroom
-
helm
-
The ship's steering equipment, located in the bridge
-
hold
-
The ship's cargo area
-
hotel manager
-
Shipboard director of hotel operations such as housekeeping and
passenger services
-
hull
-
The outside shell of the ship from the main deck
down
to the keel
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I
-
inside cabin
-
A stateroom that does not have a porthole, window, or balcony
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J
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K
-
keel
-
The chief structure of the ship that extends lengthwise along the
center of the ship's bottom-the ship's backbone
-
knot
-
The measurement of the ship's speed. One knot is one nautical
mile per hour
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L
-
latitude
-
The distance north or south of the equator expressed in degrees
-
league
-
A unit of measurement equal to 3.45 nautical
miles
-
leeward
-
The side of an island or ship that is sheltered from the wind
-
lines
-
The ropes used to tie up the ship while it is at the dock
-
longitude
-
The distance east or west of the prime meridian expressed in degrees
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M
-
maiden voyage
-
The first voyage of a new ship
-
maiden call
-
The first port-of-call
on
the ship's maiden
voyage
-
master
-
The person who is in charge of the ship; the captain
-
mini-suite
-
The smallest, most affordable suite on a ship, often with just a
curtain dividing the living and sleeping areas
-
moor
-
To hold the ship in place with lines
at
a berth
-
muster
-
To assemble the passengers and crew
-
muster station
-
A meeting place onboard
the
ship that usually refers to the area where one would go to get into
the lifeboats in case of an emergency
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N
-
nautical mile
-
A unit of measurement equal to one-sixtieth of a degree of the
earth's circumference; it's measured in the U.S. as 6,080.2 feet or
internationally as 6,076.1 feet
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O
-
oceanview cabin
-
An outside cabin
with
a large porthole window or a verandah
-
onboard
-
Located on the ship; carried or used on the vessel
-
open seating
-
A dinner
seating in which
tables are not assigned
-
outside cabin
-
A stateroom
with
a porthole, window, or balcony that overlooks the ocean-also
referred to as an oceanview
cabin
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P
-
passageway
-
A hallway inside the ship
-
passenger space ratio
-
The number of gross
registered tons (grt) divided
by the total passenger capacity
-
passenger to crew ratio
-
The total number of passengers divided by the total number of
crewmembers
-
pitch
-
The forward and backward rise and fall of the ship as it moves
-
port
-
The left side of the ship when facing forward; also the harbor where
a ship docks
-
porthole
-
A round window on a ship
-
port-of-call
-
A port at
which the ship anchors or moors,
and the passengers are allowed to disembark
-
promenade
-
An open deck that encircles a ship, often used for walking or
jogging
-
purser
-
The officer onboard
who
serves as a financial or administrative manager for guest services
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Q
-
quad
-
A cabin
that
will accommodate four passengers
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R
-
repositioning cruise, repo cruise
-
A one-way itinerary that brings a ship from one region to another at
the change of the cruise seasons
-
roll
-
The side-to-side movement of the ship
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S
-
screw
-
The ship's propeller
-
second seating
-
The later of two meal servings (dinner
seatings) in the ship's main dining room-also referred to as the
late seating
-
single supplement
-
An extra charge solo travelers pay to have just one person in a
cabin
-
sister ships
-
Ships built of the same design-sometimes referred to as ships owned
and operated by the same cruise line
-
shore excursion
-
A tour or guided activity in which guests participate while ashore
-
stabilizer
-
A retractable arm located below the waterline mid-ship, which can be
extended to help reduce the ship's roll in rough sea conditions
-
starboard
-
The right side of the ship when facing forward
-
stateroom
-
A cabin
-
stern
-
The back end of the ship
-
suite
-
The largest class of stateroom; features separate living and
sleeping areas
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T
-
tender
-
A small boat used to transport passengers from the ship to the
shore. Tenders are used when the harbor is not deep enough for the
ship to dock
-
transfer
-
Transportation from the airport or a hotel to the ship and vice
versa
-
triple
-
A cabin
that
will accommodate three passengers
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U
-
underway
-
The act of sailing
-
upgrade
-
A change in cabin
assignment
to a better category
-
upper berth
-
A bed similar to a bunk bed, often folded or recessed into the wall or ceiling
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V
-
verandah
-
A private balcony adjacent to the ship's stateroom (cabin)
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W
-
wake
-
The track left in the water at the stern
created
by a moving ship
-
windward
-
The side of the ship against which the wind is blowing
-
world cruise
-
A three- to four-month-long cruise that sails around the world;
guests can choose to cruise the entire time or just on select
one-way segments
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X
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Y
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Z
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Page last updated: Mon Sep 30, 2019