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When you step on board a ship for the first time, you’ll find a lot of new terms you might not have come across before. I’ve put together this glossary which I hope will help first-time cruisers navigate the terminology and make your cruising experience more enjoyable – and less confusing!
My top tip above all others is that it’s a ship not a boat.
| Cruise Term | Definition |
| Aft | The rear area of the ship |
| All aboard | The time passengers need to back on board after going ashore. |
| Ashore | Anything on land |
| Astern | Towards the back of the ship or behind the ship. |
| Atrium | The large open central area inside the ship, over multiple decks. |
| Back-to-back cruise | Consecutive cruises, usually on the same ship. |
| Berth | The part of the quayside where your cruise ship docks. It can also refer to a cabin bed. |
| Bow | The front of the ship. |
| Bridge | The place where the captain and officers control and navigate the ship. A tour of the ship’s bridge is usually offered as a special activity. |
| Buffet | The casual dining area with variety of food options. Often self-serve. |
| Cabin | A passenger’s accommodation onboard ship also known as a stateroom. |
| Cabin grades | The code identifying the type of accommodation, varying by size, features and location on the ship. |
| Cabin Steward | The crew member responsible for cleaning and maintaining passenger cabins. |
| Captain | The crew member in charge of the cruise ship, responsible for all the crew and passenger safety. |
| Cast off | To release a ship for its mooring |
| Club Dining | A style of dining on board. You’ll share a table in the restaurant with the same guests at a set time each evening. Also known as Set Dining. |
| Concierge | A service or person that helps passengers with special requests, reservations, and services. |
| Course | The direction in which the ship is heading |
| Crew Member | An onboard employee of the cruise line. |
| Cruise card | Your room key, ID and your method of payment when on your cruise. Some cruise lines have other wearable tech instead of cruise card (e.g. a medallion (Princess) or a bank (Virgin Voyages) |
| Cruise Director | The officer responsible for overseeing entertainment and activities on the ship. |
| Cruise terminal | The building which you check in physically for your cruise, clear security and embark and disembark your ship. |
| Cruise-by | When the ship does not stop at any ports, but sails past noteworthy scenery – such as the Norwegian Fjords or around the Adriatic. |
| Deck | The different levels or floors of the ship. |
| Deck plans | A map showing the ship’s layout, cruise ship decks and cabin locations |
| Disembarkation | The process of leaving the ship at the end of your cruise or at a port of call. |
| Disembarkation Time | The time passengers must leave the ship at the end of the cruise. |
| Dress code | The attire which is expected on board, at certain locations, occasions or evenings. |
| Dry dock | A special dock where the water is drained away and a ship undergoes essential or scheduled repairs and maintenance. |
| Embarkation | The process of boarding the ship at the beginning of your cruise. |
| Excursions | Organised trips and activities at ports of call. |
| Fleet | The collection of ships in the same cruise line. |
| Formal Night | An evening where passengers are encouraged to dress in formal attire for dinner and events. |
| Forward | The front area of the ship |
| Freedom Dining | A more flexible style of dining on board where you do not have the same dining time or table each evening. |
| Friends of Bill W | A code for AA meetings on board. Named after William Wilson who founded AA meetings. These open meetings usually occur in a discreet location on board. |
| Galley | The kitchen area on the ship where food is prepared. |
| Gangway | The passageway or ramp used to board or leave the ship. |
| Gangway Security | The part of the ship where passengers and their belongings are screened before boarding or reboarding the ship. |
| Gratuities | Tips provided to crew members, sometimes included in the price of a cruise |
| Guarantee | A (usually cheaper) cruise fare where a passenger books a specific grade of accommodation, but the cruise line chooses the cabin number. |
| Helm | The wheel that steers the ship |
| Home Port | The city where a ship is based, usually the start and end point of the cruise |
| Inaugural cruise | A ship’s first cruise with paying guests on board. Also known a maiden voyage. |
| Inside cabin | Cabins without a window. Also known as Interior cabins |
| Itinerary | The planned route and schedule for your cruise, including ports of call and days at sea. |
| Knot | The unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour. |
| Leeward | The side of the ship which is sheltered from the wind. |
| Lido Deck | The deck where the pool, sunbathing areas, and casual dining options are usually located. |
| Main Dining Room (MDR) | The main dining venue on the ship offering seated meals with table service. (can be Club Dining or freedom dining) |
| Main seating/late seating | Also known and First and Second Sitting. The times allocated for Club Dining in the Main Dining Room. |
| Maître d’ | The crew member in charge of the dining room. |
| Mid Aft | The area between the rear and the centre of the ship |
| Mid Forward | The area between the front and the centre of the ship |
| Midship | The middle, most stable area of the ship |
| Mooring | The place where a ship is tied when in port. |
| Muster Drill | The mandatory safety drill conducted at the beginning of the cruise to inform passengers of emergency procedures. |
| Muster Station | The designated location where passengers must gather during the muster drill and in case of an emergency. |
| Obstructed view | A cabin where part or all of the view is obstructed by a lifeboat or part of the ships structure. |
| On-board spending money | Also known as On Board Credit (OBC) Money that is credited to your on-board account by the cruise line or your travel agent as perk for booking a certain fair or offer. |
| Pier runner | Cruise passengers who return very late to the ship and who can usually be seen running for the ship at port in the last minutes before its scheduled departure. |
| 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 refers to a place where the ship docks – also referred to a Port of Call. |
| Porter | A crew member on land who helps you with your luggage ashore at the cruise terminal. |
| Promenade | An open deck, often used for walking or jogging. |
| Pullman bed | Extra overhead beds, like bunk beds that are folded away during the day by your cabin steward. Also known as pulldown beds. |
| Purser | The ship’s officer responsible for financial transactions and passenger services, and usually found at the front desk or as part of guest services. |
| Repositioning cruise | A one-way sailing between two ports when a ship moves to new home port. |
| Roll | The side-to-side movement of the ship. |
| Sailaway | The departure of the cruise ship from port, often celebrated with a deck party. |
| Sea Day | A day during the cruise when the ship does not visit any ports and remains at sea. |
| Sea view cabin | Also known as an Oceanview cabin. Onboard accommodation with a window looking out to sea |
| Shore Excursion | Organized activities and tours at ports of call. |
| Specialty Restaurant | An optional or alternative dining venue onboard separate to the included main dining rooms that often requires an additional fee or reservation. |
| Stabilizer | A retractable arm located below the waterline mid-ship, usually extended to help reduce the ship’s roll in rough sea conditions. |
| Starboard | The right side of the ship when facing forward. |
| Stateroom | A passenger’s room on the ship. Also known as a cabin. |
| Suite | A larger, more luxurious stateroom usually with a separate living and sleeping area and additional amenities or perks. |
| Tender | A small boat used to transport passengers from the ship to shore when the ship is anchored away from the quayside. |
| Tender Port | A port where the ship anchors offshore and passengers are transported to land via tender boats. |
| Upper berth | Also referred to as a Pullman Bed – A bed similar to a bunk bed, often folded or recessed into the wall or ceiling. |
| Veranda/Balcony | A cabin with a private outdoor area |
| Wake | The trail of waves left behind as the ship moves through the water. |
| Windward | The side of the ship facing the wind. |
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