Cruise Ship Lingo Part B

by | Nov 25, 2019 | Cruises | 0 comments

A continuation from our previous post on Cruise Ship Lingo.

Disembark or Debark is when you leave the ship because you are going ashore.

Embark is when you board the ship, either for the first time or when you get back on from a port you are visiting.

 

French Balcony is a wall-to-wall glass door that opens to the outside, but there is no actual balcony. It’s like a big window with a rail in front of it to keep you from stepping off the ship. These are more popular on river ships.

Gangway is the ramp or walkway between the ship and the dock that alows you to disembark.

Inside Stateroom is a stateroom that does not have a porthole or balcony – no view at all. These are typically the least expensive staterooms.

Knot is the term the ship crew will use to tell you how fast the ship is going. As an example, 18 knots is a little more than 20 mph.

Lido Deck is the open pool deck.

Muster is the mandatory drill every passenger must attend. It’s the safety drill that occurs before the ship leaves port. On the inside of your stateroom door, you will see your muster station. If you have a plastic key card, it may also be stated on there.

Oceanview Stateroom is has a porthole or window. These windows typically do not open, but you can see out of them.

Onboard Credit is spending money you can use on the ship. This “free” spending money typically can only be used on board only and if you don’t use it, you won’t get it back. You may get this credit if the cruise line has a special when you book or your travel advisor may give it to you as a thank you for using their services.

Open Seating just means that no dining reservations are required. It’s open table seating.

Passenger-Crew Ratio tells you how many crew are on board per passenger. The larger the crew number to passengers typically the better service you have. Luxury cruise lines will typically have the better ratio.

Port is the left side of the ship when facing the forward part of the ship. Remember it by knowing both port and left have four letters.

Ports of Call are the stops on a cruise where guests may leave the ship for sightseeing.

Pre or Post are extra days that can be tacked onto your cruise giving you additional stay days at the start or end of the cruise. You may include a hotel stay or an entire sightseeing package.

Repositioning Cruise is when an ocean cruise has completed sails in one water and heads to another. This is typically a seasonal thing. For example, cruise ships do not sail to Alaska in the winter, so those ships reposition to another port.

Single Supplement is for solo travellers. Since most staterooms are designed for two or more passegers, solo travellers will pay this extra charge to stay alone in the stateroom.

Starboard is the right side of the ship when facing the forward part of the ship.

Tender is a small boat that transports you from the large cruise ship to the pier. This is usually in ports with a shallow harbor.

The Disney Magic

We were so excited to get back on a cruise ship again, which we did the end of January 2023, and we were especially excited since it was our first time on the Disney Magic! We headed to the Port of Galveston to hop aboard this four night cruise to Progresso, Mexico....

National Chocolate Chip Day

Today is National Chocolate Chip Day and Royal Caribbean has shared their Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe here:...

The Best Cruise Line

We are often asked which is the best cruise line. Well, it all depends on you. Ok, so you think that's a non-answer. But think about it, not everyone enjoys the same things you do. Some people like tons of active activities like swimming, water slides, basketball,...

Book a Cruise Now? or Wait?

Let me first explain that while I am a Travel Advisor, and I get paid commission for helping you book your cruise (or hotel, or resort stay, or well...), I want you to have the information you need to decide what vacation will be best for you. I don't want you to come...

COVID-19 “Vaccines” and Travel

If you are "vaccinated" or not, there are rules for travel, especially foreign travel. Some countries require a "vaccination" (sometimes with a negative test, sometimes no test is necessary), sometimes they only require a negative test or proof of recovery in a...

Waiting on Passports

If you are in need of renewing your passport, or getting your first, consider doing it soon. Current wait times for a passport that is not expedited, is anywhere from 12 to 18 weeks. Many countries require your passport to be in effect for at least 3-6 months after...

To Cruise or Not to Cruise, That Is the Question

It seems that just when you think you know the rules, everything changes again. If you are like me, you want to get on a cruise ship. I prefer to not cruise in the summer, so I'm not planning to cruise anytime real soon. However, I sometimes wonder when I should...

In Memory of Gavin MacLeod

This is the video posted in memory of Gavin MacLeod, aka Captain Merrill Stubing on "The Love Boat." He was a real ambassador for cruising. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfDrn-PQkk4

Travel Scams: Beware

It is unfortunate that there are a few people who will take advantage of others by scamming them. But, it happens. With the pent up demand for travel, scammers are setting up fake web sites to get you to purchase airline tickets and other travel items. These sites...

Will You Be Travelling Soon?

Some of you may want to travel internationally, whether by flying or by cruise. More and more countries are requiring you to have a COVID-19 vaccine. Some won't let you in without a vaccine, but some will allow you in as long as you quarantine upon arrival. Each...