Port vs. Starboard, Forward vs. Aft — what are these strange words? What’s the difference between port and starboard? Even cruisers who sail regularly can find trouble when navigating a cruise ship, which isn’t surprising given their large size and confusing naming system used to describe parts of the ship and directions. Oh, and by the way, when cruising we always call it a ship, not a boat. Here’s your quick and easy breakdown of ship navigation:
Forward vs. Aft
The four most common terms in ship directional language are forward and aft, and starboard and port. What makes things confusing is that the latter terms refer to sides of the ship, whereas “forward” and “aft” refer to directions. The bow of a ship is located at the front of the ship, and the stern is at the back. When a cruiser walks from the stern to the bow, this is forward, and when walking from the bow to the stern, this is aft. So, in summary, forward is the front, and aft is the back.
Tip: Forward is the front (remember the “f”). For the aft, think of it as the ass (or back end) of the ship.
Port vs. Starboard
When looking at the bow of the ship from the stern, the right side of a cruise ship is the starboard side, and the left side of the ship is the port side. Why not just call it “right” and “left”? Well, that goes way back to early nautical times, and the tradition continues.
Navigating a cruise ship can prove challenging, thanks to some lesser-known nautical terms.
Given the disorienting nature of the open seas and large ships, it makes sense that sailors needed a universal system to communicate and understand position. If you’re interested in the history, and how starboard evolved from “larboard”, you can read about it from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Tip: To remember the difference, commit to memory the fact that the word “left” has four letters, ending in “t,” as does the word “port.”
Getting Around on Board
When selecting a stateroom during a cruise booking, one might assume that booking a room -especially an ocean view or balcony room – on the port side is preferable, as this gives the cruiser visibility to the port area when the ship docks. This, however, is not always the case, and ships regularly dock on both the starboard and port sides, making neither side particularly advantageous, generally speaking, for most sailings.
Booking a Stateroom
When selecting a stateroom during a cruise booking, one might assume that booking a room -especially an ocean view or balcony room – on the port side is preferable, as this gives the cruiser visibility to the port area when the ship docks. This, however, is not always the case, and ships regularly dock on both the starboard and port sides, making neither side particularly advantageous, generally speaking, for most sailings.
