Port Side & Starboard Side- Whats the Difference?

[Eng23]

I'm a bit confused on this, the even room numbers are port side and the odd room numbers are starboard side. I use to think the port side was the side docked at port for loading and unloading materials. But the dictionary says when one looks forward on a ship, the starboard side is on the right side. So I assume that's how it works. Anyone else ever wonder about this?

On U.S. Navy ships an even/odd numbering system is used to determine what side of the ship you are on. The centerline of the ship (centerline runs from the bow to the stern right through the middle of the ship) is considered "0", when facing forward on the ship the numbers will be even going to the port side of the ship starting with "2". The higher the number goes it indicates how far to the port side you are. It works the same for the starboard side of the ship except that odd numbers are used. I cannot say for sure if this same system is used on cruise ships or commercial vessels. If this is the case and someone knows if this is true on the cruiseship side please let me know. :)

[andyjeanbenbeth]

Check the route the ship will be taking, personally only travel transatlantic westbound and in balcony cabins important to be in port side outbound, and starboard inbound travelling east.

Sun will be on balcony either way instead of being in the ships own shadow.

Hence P&O coming up with the word "posh" port out starboard home.

Passengers historically paid a premium on the liners crossing the atlantic to be on the sunny side.

[Taxguy77]

Several years (And owners) ago, NCL had no-smoking on one side and smoking on the other. Then it made a difference, but no more.

[MicCanberra]

So much knowledge to glean from these threads, someone always knows.

[paul929207]

Check the route the ship will be taking, personally only travel transatlantic westbound and in balcony cabins important to be in port side outbound, and starboard inbound travelling east.

Sun will be on balcony either way instead of being in the ships own shadow.

Hence P&O coming up with the word "posh" port out starboard home.

Passengers historically paid a premium on the liners crossing the atlantic to be on the sunny side.

Of course, it depends on your preference. We mostly use our balcony late afternoon until dinner time. We don't like the sun glaring in our eyes, so try to be on the side that faces East and away from the sun

[calliopecruiser]

Of course, it depends on your preference. We mostly use our balcony late afternoon until dinner time. We don't like the sun glaring in our eyes, so try to be on the side that faces East and away from the sun

 

That poster was talking about a transatlantic voyage, so there is no side that faces east.......the ship is traveling either east or west.

[jwolf24601]

I remember, "Is there any PORT LEFT?"

[loubetti]

Indeed, aviation and ship lighting is similar, but in planes we also have "anti-collision lights". They will be perhaps a rotating beacon or strobe light atop the tail, often combined with strobe lights on the wing tips. Sometimes you will see a strobe or rotating beacon on the belly of the plane.

 

In aviation, we do not use port or starboard, just left or right, but some pilots, myself included will, at times, refer to the plane as the "ship".

 

I always remembered port and starboard by the number of letters in the words when compared to left and right. Port has less letters than starboard, and left has less letters than right. Of course, that's now a moot point for me!

 

Now, here's a trivia question. When Titanic came across the ice berg, William Murdoch ordered the helm "hard a starboard", yet the ship turned left. Where did that terminology come from and, no, the quartermaster, Robert Hichens, did not make a mistake in turning the ship left, although there are some dumb books and articles that claim he made a mistake- he did not.

[boogs]

Now, here's a trivia question. When Titanic came across the ice berg, William Murdoch ordered the helm "hard a starboard", yet the ship turned left. Where did that terminology come from and, no, the quartermaster, Robert Hichens, did not make a mistake in turning the ship left, although there are some dumb books and articles that claim he made a mistake- he did not.

 

Two reasons, one historical, and one physics:

 

Historical: On early ships, a tiller was used to move the rudder (some still are). In order to turn the ship to port, you move the tiller to starboard. The command is "helm hard to starboard." (The "helm" being the actual steering mechanism.)

 

Physics: Because to turn a vessel that is steered with a rudder at the rear (aft) of the hull, you need to swing the aft end to the right (starboard) to get the front (fore) turning left (port). Similar to driving a forklift with the steering tires in the rear. Generally, the pivot point is about 1/3 of the length of the hull in from the front of the hull's contact with the water.

[loubetti]

Bingo! I used to drive a fork lift at one time, and that rear steering takes getting used to!

[boogs]

Bingo! I used to drive a fork lift at one time, and that rear steering takes getting used to!

 

I've also driven forklifts, some small and some large enough to pick up a large truck. Driving backwards was easiest since it steered like a car. But in forward it was much different, like driving a car backwards.

 

I have also owned two sailboats, one with a tiller and one with a wheel. On the smaller one, to turn left we would push the end of the tiller in the opposite direction. That took getting used to. On the boat with the wheel, we turned the wheel in the same direction we wanted to turn, much like a car. However, when maneuvering in tight quarters, we needed to allow for the rear to swing as the boat pivoted on it's axis, which on a sailboat is typically where the keel is. On a large cruise ship, there is no heavy keel extending down like on a sailboat, so the pivot point is generally more forward. The heavy keel that extends down under a sailboat is to counter balance the effect of the wind pushing against the sails which extend high above the hull.

 

Sorry for the off topic discussion. I hope it was interesting to a few of you.

[lady_cruiser]

We usually book portside because "if" we are lucky enough to have the ship docked next to the pier then we get to sit on our balcony and watch all the late-comers run for the ship the last minutes. And hopefully the ship leaves with them onboard.

[Kenosha Cruiser]

Thanks everyone, what a wealth of information from so many cruise critic members. After reading all these posts, I've learned everything possible about starboard side and port side. Thank you and happy cruising!

[Eng23]

Thanks everyone, what a wealth of information from so many cruise critic members. After reading all these posts, I've learned everything possible about starboard side and port side. Thank you and happy cruising!

Hey, that's what we are here for! Happy cruising! :)

[chickadee1]

I'm a bit confused on this, the even room numbers are port side and the odd room numbers are starboard side. I use to think the port side was the side docked at port for loading and unloading materials. But the dictionary says when one looks forward on a ship, the starboard side is on the right side. So I assume that's how it works. Anyone else ever wonder about this?

 

 

Just so you know - I have been on 3 cruises in even numbered rooms and always been on the starboard side of the ship - 3 different ships, 2 different cruise lines!

[sparky-elpaso]

Here's another one for the mix. If the captain sees something he thinks the passengers may be interested in seeing he may announce that "there are sea lions on an ice floe at 9:00" (in Alaska) or whatever. We had that happen when we were viewing a glacier. A lady near us looked at her watch and told her daughter that telling us about it a couple of hours too late didn't do us any good.

 

I explained that he didn't mean the time - but direction. Bow of the ship - 12:00 - stern - 6:00 - so 9:00 was off the port side which was the side of the ship we were on so they got to see the sea lions.