CRUISE ADVICE - CRUISE WORDS

CRUISE SPEAK - NAUTICAL TERMS FOR CRUISERS

cruises tips and passenger adviceHere aboard Prow's Edge, the Captain and his crew give a taste of what passengers aboard the earlier Prow's Edge has to say about the vocabulary you will hear onboard your cruise ship.

First-time cruise passengers may feel a little confused at some of the words and phrases they hear aboard their first cruise ship. Sometimes it can sound like a whole new language, and sometimes the lack of translation can mean they miss out on things.

One of our visitors aboard Prow’s Edge told us that during a Alaska cruise, a lot of the passengers missed some of the sights simply because they didn’t understand the vocabulary. When the Captain announced a whale sighting on the port side, several folks looked baffled and then dashed off in the wrong direction. They missed the whales.

Of course, had they known that “port” meant the left side of the ship, they may well have made the sightings in time.







For those not familiar with the nautical terms and don’t wish to make any gaffs on their first day on board the cruise ship, here are just a few to begin with.

Remember of course, that the tub you’re sailing in is NEVER referred to as a boat, (nor a tub, of course) but a ship. And remember also that the ship is always she, and NEVER he, and NEVER, NEVER it.

aft
refers to the rear or the back of the ship

berth
just to confuse you, this could refer to your bed on a boat, or the location in a port where a ship can be moored

bow
the front of the ship

bridge
the place where the captain and his officers steer the ship

brig
ship’s jail

draft
the depth of water (from the waterline to the bottom of the ship) needed to float a ship

fathom
a measure of six feet - usually of water depth

fore
towards the front of the ship

leeside
the side of the ship away from the wind;

midships
the middle of the ship

port
refers to the left side of the ship.

purser's desk
the cruise ship equivalent of the land lubbers Front Desk or Information Desk

starboard
refers to the right side of the ship.

stateroom
a cruise ship name for a cabin or room in which you sleep

stern
the rear of the ship

tender
a vessel that transports passengers between the ship and shore when the ship is at anchor in a port.

And last but not least - important measurement terms are:

1 nautical mile = about 6078 feet/1.15 statute miles
1 league = 3 nautical miles
1 knot (a measurement of speed) = 1 nautical mile/hour

         SITE SEARCH


Use the Prow's Edge site search to find exactly what you're looking for.



        CRUISE DEALS






Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.

Get Adobe Flash player

For more advice on a wide range of topics take a look at the Prow's Edge Cruise Forum and Cruise Message Boards and see what fellow passengers have to say about everything from cruise lines and the cruise ships to cruises and cruise passengers.