On a recent “ladies night out” we started chatting about this year’s summer vacations, which then led to ideas for next year. I love talking about my plans and began to tell my friends about a cruise my family has booked for next August. My voice automatically rose a few octaves and the words were coming out fast and furious as I excitedly told them all about Royal Caribbean’s amazing Oasis of the Seas. When all was said and done one woman replied, “Wow, what a boat!” Boat? Boat you say? The Staten Island Ferry is a boat! Oasis is a ship! And at 220,000 gross tons, a mega ship at that! Which leads me into the topic of this posting…cruise vocabulary. Here are some definitions to help out all you newbie cruisers out there:

Aft: Refers to the rear of the ship

Berth: Your bed on the ship OR the place in port where the ship is

anchored

Bow: Refers to the front of the ship

Bridge: The area from where the captain controls the ship

Cabin: Your room

Cabin Steward: The person responsible for cleaning your cabin

Deck: Levels or floors of the ship

Disembarkation: The process of getting off a ship

Embarkation: The process of boarding a ship

Galley: The ships kitchen

Gangway: The entrance or exit area of the ship

Itinerary: The schedule of ports of call

Muster Station: The area you are designated to report to in case of an

emergency evacuation

Nautical Mile: 6078 feet or 1.15 miles

Port: The left side of the ship

Port of Call: A destination you visit

Purser’s Desk: The guest relations desk

Starboard: The right side of the ship

Stateroom: Another word for your cabin or room

Stern: The rear or aft of the ship

Tender: The vessel that transports you from ship to shore if the ship is

anchored a distance from the port

So there you have it, a primer in cruise ship vocabulary. The lingo you need to know to sound “in the know” on your next cruise.

Bon Voyage!

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