Cruise Glossary
Every term you'll hear on deck — from cabin types to gratuities to tender ports — in plain English.
A
- Aft
- The rear (stern) of the ship. Aft-facing cabins look back along the wake — a favorite spot for sunset lovers.
- All-inclusive
- Fare that bundles drinks, gratuities and sometimes excursions or specialty dining into one upfront price. Most mainstream cruises are not all-inclusive by default.
- Atrium
- The ship's central, multi-deck open foyer — usually the social heart of the vessel, with shops and guest services around it.
B
- Balcony cabin
- A stateroom with a private outdoor veranda. Often the sweet spot between price and experience for longer sailings.
- Berth
- Either a ship's allocated spot at a pier, or a bed in a cabin. When a port 'has three berths', three ships can dock at once.
- Bow
- The front (fore) of the ship.
C
- Cabin (stateroom)
- Your room on board. Types from cheapest to priciest: interior, ocean view, balcony, suite.
- Cabin guarantee (GTY)
- A discounted booking where the cruise line assigns your specific cabin later — you pick the category, they pick the room number.
- Cruise card
- Your all-in-one onboard ID, room key and payment card. You'll use it to board, buy drinks and settle your account.
D
- Debarkation
- Leaving the ship at the end of the cruise. Also the source of the dreaded final-morning luggage-tag colors.
- Disembark / Embark
- To exit (disembark) or board (embark) the ship. Embarkation day is the first day of your cruise.
G
- Gratuities
- Automatic service charges (typically $14–$20 per person per day) shared among cabin stewards, dining staff and crew. Prepaid at booking or added to your onboard account; adjustable at guest services.
- Gangway
- The movable ramp or staircase between the ship and the pier used to board and go ashore.
I
- Inside cabin
- A windowless interior stateroom — the most affordable way to sail. Dark and quiet, ideal for travelers who spend their days on deck.
- Itinerary
- The ship's planned route: ports, arrival times and sea days. 'Port-intensive' itineraries stop almost daily; 'sea-day-heavy' ones favor onboard time.
K
- Knot
- One nautical mile per hour (1.85 km/h). Cruise ships typically cruise at 18–22 knots.
M
- Muster drill
- The mandatory safety briefing at the start of every cruise, showing you your lifeboat station and how to don a life jacket. Attendance is required by maritime law.
O
- Ocean view cabin
- A cabin with a window (or porthole) looking outside, but no private balcony.
- Onboard credit (OBC)
- Prepaid spending money on your cruise account — often gifted as a booking perk or applied by travel agents.
P
- Port of call
- A scheduled stop along the itinerary where the ship docks (or anchors) so guests can go ashore.
- Port / Starboard
- Nautical left (port) and right (starboard) when facing the bow. A handy trick: 'port' and 'left' both have four letters.
R
- Repositioning cruise
- A one-way sailing that moves a ship between seasonal regions (e.g., Caribbean to Mediterranean). Unusual ports and low prices, but you fly home from a different city.
S
- Sea day
- A day with no port stop — pure onboard time for pools, spa, entertainment and enrichment talks.
- Shore excursion
- An organized tour booked through the cruise line (or independent operators) in a port of call.
- Starboard
- The right side of the ship when facing forward.
- Stern
- The back of the ship — look for stern-view restaurants and cabaret lounges on modern vessels.
- Suite
- The top cabin category, with separate living areas, priority services and often butler service.
T
- Tender
- A smaller boat that ferries guests ashore when the ship anchors offshore rather than docking. Tender ports add extra time to get to land — plan accordingly.
- Theme cruise
- A sailing built around a shared interest — music, fitness, food and wine — with special programming and like-minded guests.
W
- Wave Season
- The industry's big booking window (roughly January to March) when cruise lines release their best promotions, drinks packages and onboard credits.