By Sarah Pruzansky, Cruise & Travel Writer | November 08, 2019 ( Comments)
Normally, "talking like a sailor" is poorly regarded. But when you're on a cruise, it's important that you throw all your preconceived notions about sailor talk out the door (or off the plank).
You'll need to know that a room is not actually a room - it's a cabin. Ships don't travel by the mile - they travel by the nautical mile. And no one refers to the back of the ship as the back of the ship - it's the aft.
If you want to get around your cruise, it may seem like having to learn a whole new language! Don't give up hope though. We'll have you talking like a sailor (despite societal conventions) in no time.
Here are all the nautical terms and cruise ship terminology that you should know for your first cruise:
iCruise's Cruise Terminology Glossary
Aft
The direction toward the back/rear of the ship.
A package including the cost of the cruise, airfare and travel to and from the cruise port.
All-inclusive
A cruise that includes the cost of food, drinks, tips, and entertainment/activities in the initial price. Even if a cruise is considered "all-inclusive," it's still wise to find out what the cruise price includes as there may be certain costs onboard, such as alternative restaurants, that are not included in the upfront price.
Alternative restaurant
A higher end restaurant, separate from the ship's standard dining and buffets. There is usually an additional fee to dine here.
Ashore
On land.
Atrium
The central passenger area on a ship. Resembling a hotel lobby, this is where you'll find all of the guest services desks, such as reception and shore excursions, as well as various shops and elevators.
Beam
A ship's width at its widest point, oftentimes at the middle of the ship.
Bearing
The compass navigation in degrees of where the ship is heading, i.e. 360° due north, 180° due south, 90° due east, or 270° due west.
Berth
Two meanings:
On the ship - a bed in the ship's cabin.
In port - where the ship is positioned at the port's dock, pier or quay.
Bow
The very front section of the ship, sometimes called the nose of the ship.
Bridge
The ship's control center where the captain and crew navigate and steer the ship, usually off limits to passengers.
Buoy
A float in the sea used to mark landmarks, channels, or hazards.
Butler
A crew member that assists cruise guests with daily tasks, including unpacking and packing suitcases, serving meals, snacks, and beverages, and booking reservations.
A term for a passenger room on the ship (also known as a stateroom).
Cabin Steward
A crew member who cleans the cabins and often looks after small daily tasks such as bringing you ice and water.
Captain
The commander of the ship, responsible for steering, navigation, and crew directions.
Cast Off
To release the ship from the mooring it is secured to.
Cay (Pronunciation: Key)
A small island above a coral reef, often referring to the Caribbean islets. Many cays are privately owned by cruise lines.
Charter
A large group of people, usually a corporation or organization, booking an entire ship. There are also partial charters where a large group will sail with regular passengers.
Course
The direction of the ship as it travels from port-to-port.
Crossing
A cruise itinerary crossing the Atlantic or Pacific oceans.
Cruise Card
Your cabin key card and cruise ship ID. This is your personal card for charging onboard purchases, getting on and off the ship, and accessing your cabin.
Cruise Director
The crew member responsible for all of the ship's entertainment and often the face of many onboard events.
A cruise that doesn't stop at any ports other than the one it embarks and debarks from. On these cruises, guests can fully enjoy the amenities onboard.
Cruisetour
A land and sea package. Before or after the cruise, guests can enjoy a land tour of a destination, hosted by the cruise line.
Debark/Disembark
To exit the ship and go ashore, often used to refer to leaving the ship at the end of a cruise.
Deck
A level/floor of the ship.
Deck Plan
A diagram showing where on the ship you can find your cabin, restaurants, theaters and various other amenities.
Dock
Where the ship ties up to shore.
Double Occupancy
The rate for two people sharing the same cabin. Single occupancy is usually a more expensive rate.
Dry Dock
When a ship is taken out of the water for maintenance and repairs.
Duty Free
U.S. tax-exempt goods in foreign ports.
Embark/Embarkation
To board the ship, often used to refer to checking into a ship at the beginning of a cruise.
Expedition Cruise
A cruise focused on adventure and destination experiences, with experts leading onboard lectures, activities, and immersive excursions. Cruise lines that offer expedition cruise include Lindblad and Quark.
First Seating
The earliest set dining time among two other fixed times (second and late), often around 6:30 p.m.
Fleet
All of the ships operating under one ownership.
A surf pool on Royal Caribbean ships.
Forward
The direction toward the front/bow of the ship.
A style of cruising trademarked by NCL Corp. (Norwegian Cruise Line) that includes casual dress code and no assigned dinner times, venues, and seating.
French Balcony
A glass door/window that opens to allow fresh air into the cabin. French balconies do not function like a standard balcony in that they are not large enough to walk onto and take a seat; there is a railing directly outside the patio door.
Fun Times
Carnival Cruise's daily newsletter detailing the next day's schedule of activities.
Funnel
The smokestack (think of a chimney) on a ship to release smoke or steam.
Galley
A kitchen on a ship.
Gangway
The ramp/staircase on the side of the ship. It's used when docked to get on and off the ship.
Gratuities
Another word for a tip.
Gross Registered Ton (GRT)
The volume measurement of a ship's enclosed spaces, such as cabins, dining rooms, lounges, and more.
Guarantee
A type of cruise reservation where you pay for a cabin category but do not book a room number. The cruise continues to sell that cabin type and if that category sells out, then you may get upgraded to a higher cabin category at no additional cost to what you paid. Essentially, you're guaranteed a cabin, either at the category that you booked or at a higher category. The possibility of a higher category is the common reason people book this type of reservation.
Helm
The equipment in the bridge that steers the ship (the wheel of the ship).
Hull
The outer shell covering the bottom of the ship up to the first main deck, used for varying reasons depending on the type of ship.
Itinerary
The voyage's schedule of ports of call and sea days.
Keel
The center lengthwise structure at the bottom of the ship, running from the bow to the stern. It's essentially the spine of the ship.
Knot
The measurement of cruise ship speed. 1 knot is equivalent to 1 nautical mile per hour, or approximately 1.15 mph.
Leeward
The side of an island or ship that is sheltered away from wind.
Lido Deck
The main pool deck.
Maiden Voyage
A cruise ship's first sailing.
Maitre D'
The individual in charge of dining room operations.
Midship
The midpoint/middle of the cruise ship.
Moor
To tie the ship at a berth to hold the ship in place.
Muster Drill
A mandatory safety drill for cruise passengers at the beginning of the cruise on what to do in case of an emergency.
Muster Station
An assigned location for passengers to meet for the muster drill.
Nautical Mile
A unit that measures distance at sea. 1 nautical mile is equivalent to approximately 1.15 miles on land.
Oceanview Cabin
A cabin with a porthole, window, or balcony facing the ocean.
Onboard Credit
Credit available to spend on your onboard account. Onboard credit is often given as a perk, discount, or compensation. It can be used for anything onboard the ship (such as alternative dining, the shore excursion desk, spa services, etc.) except for gratuities.
A style of dining in which you are not assigned a specific time or seating arrangement, allowing you to dine whenever you want.
Passenger Space Ratio
A measurement of the available square footage per passenger onboard the ship, calculated by the ship's gross registered tonnage divided by the passenger capacity.
Port
Two meanings:
- The location where a ship docks when arriving to its travel/itinerary destination.
- The left side of the ship when facing forward (a way to remember this - both "left" and "port" have four letters)
The ports a cruise visits throughout its voyage.
Porthole
A round window on a ship (these tend to be smaller than a typical window)
Promenade
An outdoor deck, circling the ship. It's frequently used for a jogging path, but some ships use it as a shopping space with restaurants and activities.
Purser
The crew member onboard that is responsible for all monetary transactions. This is the individual who handles any financial disputes with your onboard account and can be found at the reception desk.
Repositioning Cruise
A one-way itinerary that travels from one cruising region to another, often based on seasonal changes. For example, a cruise may travel from Florida to the Caribbean during the summer and then reposition to Europe for the winter.
Roll
The swaying, side-to-side movement you may experience on a ship.
Sea Day
A day with no port of call when the ship stays at sea.
A guided tour or activity cruise guests can book to enjoy at the itinerary's ports of call.
An additional charge for travelers booking a stateroom for one person. This extra charge exists because the cruise line could sell a stateroom for two people (double occupancy). When you book a stateroom for one, the cruise line misses out on the money from an additional person, therefore some cruise lines charge at a single occupancy rate if booking solo.
Specialty Restaurant
Another name for an alternative restaurant (see above definition).
Stabilizer
Retractable fin-like structures that help reduce the roll of the ship.
Starboard
The opposite of port side (the left side of the ship when facing forward). Starboard is the right side when facing forward.
Stateroom
Another name for your cabin (see above definition).
Stern
The back section of the ship.
Suite
A stateroom larger than all other standard cabin types (inside, ocean view, balcony), often including a balcony, king-size bed, and tub. The amenities for this type of room varies by ship.
Tender
A small boat for shuttling passengers from the ship to the shore. These boats are used when a ship cannot dock directly at the port (i.e. in shallow water).
Transfer
Transportation to and from your cruise ship to and from the airport or hotel.
Veranda
Another name for a cabin's private balcony.
Wake
The trail of waves in the water (created as the ship moves) that can be seen at the stern.
Windward
The side of an island or ship where the wind blows strongest.
A cruise that sails the world, often for up to four months, and sometimes even longer.
And there you have it! Now that you know this cruise terminology like the back of your hand, you'll fit in with all of the other sailors on your cruise.
Don't have your cruise booked yet? Give us a call and we'll help you book your next vacation. You might as well impress us with your knowledge of nautical terms while you're at it!
