A Nautical Glossary
for Smooth Sailing
Since life aboard a ship and the process of booking a cruise may be new, we've prepared a list of the more common terms used in the industry.  If any word or concept is foreign to you, don't hesitate to ask your Travel Leaders agent for clarification.

Nautical Terms:
Aft Toward or in the rear (stern) of the ship.
Berth Dock, pier or quay (pronounced "key").
Bow Toward or in the front (fore) of the ship.
Course Direction the ship is headed, typically expressed in compass degrees.
Crow's nest A small lookout platform at the top of the ship's mast.
Even keel The ship in a stable vertical position.
Fathom A unit of measurement equal to six feet, used to calculate depth.
Fore (see "bow")
Free Port A port free of customs duty and most customs regulations.
Galley The ship's kitchen.
Gangway The opening through the ship's side, or the ramp by which passengers enter or leave the ship.
Helm The ship's steering system.
Hull The frame and the body of the ship.
Jacob's ladder A rope ladder, usually with wooden rungs.
Keel The ship's "back bone" extending underneath from bow to stern.
Knot A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile (6,080.2 feet vs. land mile of 5,280 feet).
Latitude The angular distance north or south of the equator measured in degrees (one degree equals approximately 60 nautical miles).
League A measurement of distance (approximately 3.45 nautical miles).
Leeward Located on, or in the direction of that side of the ship opposite from which the wind blows.
Longitude The angular distance east or west of the prime meridian of Greenwich, England measured in degrees (one degree equals approximately 60 nautical miles).
Manifest A list of a ship's crew and passengers or invoice of cargo.
Moor To secure a ship to a fixed place.
Muster drill The process by which passengers are acquainted with a ship's regulations and safety provisions prior to sailing.
Nautical mile 6,080.2 feet vs. land mile of 5,280 feet.
Pitch The rise and fall of a ship's bow which may occur while underway.
Port The left side of the ship when facing toward the bow.
Registry The country under whose laws the ship and its crew are obliged to comply.
Rudder An oar-shaped device mounted beneath the ship's waterline which enables it to turn.
Running lights Lights required by international law to be lit while the ship is in motion from sunset to sunrise.
Stabilizer A fin-like device extending beneath the waterline from both sides of the ship to provide more stable motion.
Starboard The right side of the ship when facing toward the bow.
Stern (see "aft")
Tender A small vessel, sometimes the ship's lifeboat, used to ferry passengers to shore when the ship is at anchor.
Waterline The line on the side of the ship's hull corresponding to the surface of the water.
Weigh To raise (as in weigh the anchor).
Windward Toward the direction from which the wind blows.
Yaw To deviate from the ship's intended course.

Booking Terms:
Add on A supplementary charge added tot he cost of a cruise, usually for air fare or pre/post cruise land tours.
Air/Sea A package combining air travel to the port of embarkation, and the cruise itself.
Amenities Shipboard extras such as in-room gifts, or a cabin upgrade.
Booking A reservation securing an option on a ship's cabin.
Cabin A passenger's room, stateroom, or accommodation aboard a ship.
Category A pricing classification for cabins based on room size and amenities.
Cruise fare The actual cost of a cruise excluding all extras such as taxes, port charges, airfare, and gratuities.
Debarkation Exiting from a ship.
Deck plan An aerial-view diagram of a ship's cabins and public room locations.
Embarkation Entering or boarding a ship.
First sitting The earlier of two meals in the ship's dining room.
Guarantee A cruise line's promise that a passenger will sail on a stated voyage, in a specific cabin, at a specific rate.
Inside cabin A cabin with no windows or portholes offering a view of the water.
Lower bed A single bed at conventional height.
Open Seating Free access to dining room tables vs. specific seating assignments.
Option The cruise line's limited-time offer of a specific cabin, at a specific rate on a stated voyage (converted to a guarantee with a deposit or final payment).
Outside Cabin A cabin with a window(s) or porthole(s) offering a view of the water.
Passage contract The detailed terms of responsibility and accountability included with the cruise ticket.
Port Charge (tax) An assessment of charges paid to a local authority where the ship is docked.
Portholes The "windows" in the side of a ship's hull.
Quad rate An economical rate available for passengers sharing a quadruple occupancy.
Sailing time The time at which a ship is scheduled to clear the dock and set sail.
Second sitting The latter of two meals in the ship's dining room.
Shore excursions Land tours at ports of call (an extra charge is usually assessed).
Shipboard credit An onboard account credit distributed by the cruise line which can be used towards purchases and some shore excursions.
Single occupancy One passenger occupying a cabin designed for two or more (an extra charge is usually applied).
Stopover Leaving a ship at port and rejoining it at a subsequent port or upon the ship's return
Transfers Travel between the ship and other points including airports, hotels, or ports of call.
Triple rate An economical rate available for passengers sharing a triple occupancy cabin.
Upgrade Moving to the next cabin classification.
Upper bed A single bed at bunk height often recessed into the ceiling or wall by day.
Wait list The cruise line's endeavor to provide accommodations to a passenger when acceptable cabins are unavailable (usually conducted on a first-come, first-serve basis).