When you go on a cruise you will hear a whole new vocabulary! 

As you are researching or planning your cruise you will also run into words that might be unfamiliar to you. It can get a little confusing at times.

Here’s a few words you need to know:

SHIP – Don’t call a cruise ship a boat! Experienced cruisers tend to get very offended when you do this!

CABIN/STATEROOM – Refers to your “room” on the ship. Different cruise lines will use the term cabin and others call it a stateroom. Both terms are correct.

DECK – Hotels and buildings have floors. A cruise ship has decks. 

ITINERARY – A cruise itinerary is where you will be going on your cruise.

PORT OF DEPARTURE /CALL – Where a ship docks. 

TERMINAL – This is where you get on and off your ship at the port. It’s usually a very large building. In different ports, each cruise line has their own terminals and docks. They are usually designated with a letter or number . 

GALLEY – A ships’ kitchen. When looking at the ship deck plans you will see the galley area takes up a large space.

LIDO – The lido deck is where you will find the main pools and food! The complimentary main buffet is usually found on the lido deck.

EMBARKATION – This refers to boarding the ship on the first day. 

DEBARKATION – This is the end of your cruise and the day you get off of the ship.

SHIP CARD – A “ship card” on a cruise is generally referred to as a cruise card, sail and sign card, or a ship ID card. It’s a plastic card that serves as a form of identification and allows access to certain areas on the ship. The card also acts as a payment card for onboard purchases.

GRATUITIES – This is the service fee or tip for the crew members that is charged daily per person. 

DAILY ACTIVITY PAPER – A daily paper schedule of activities. 

On most cruise lines, the daily activity schedule is a printed newsletter delivered to your stateroom. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect: 

Common names and where to find them: 

• Celebrity Cruises: They call it “Celebrity Today“. 
• Carnival Cruise Line: They’ve brought back the “Funtimes” newsletter. 
• Royal Caribbean: They use the “Cruise Compass“. 
• Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL): They’re called “Freestyle Daily“. 
• MSC Cruises: While they have an app, they also print a daily bulletin. 
• Holland America Line: They call their daily activity sheet “The Navigator

This is just the beginning. As you cruise you will quickly find there are many more new words and phrases to learn! It’s so much easier now that we have the internet to tell us what they mean. It really is a whole new world!

Here’s a group just for new cruisers and others! No judgement with correct answers to your questions. Lots of in-depth information, tips and personal advice! 

Carnival Cruising for First Timers & Seasoned Sailors