jsfofec Posted March 30, 2007 #1 Share Posted March 30, 2007 I have always wondered why they don't say front, back, left and right on cruise ships. Is it just because of traditional ship talk or is there a real reason? We'll be taking our 3rd cruise, 1st on princess (this July), and I still can't keep the left and right side names straight. I just have this mental block. Even as I write this, I can't remember what name goes with each side. :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venusbello1 Posted March 30, 2007 #2 Share Posted March 30, 2007 The port side is the left-side, port has four letters so does left (also on some ships the port side cabin hallways have carpet boardered in red (or port color), starboard is the right-side. If I'm wrong please someone correct me, cuz this is what I tell everyone and always feel pretty smart:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
be1498 Posted March 30, 2007 #3 Share Posted March 30, 2007 That's the way I learned it too! jsfofec, it's just nautical talk. I use it to drive DW crazy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sddsddean Posted March 30, 2007 #4 Share Posted March 30, 2007 ..or if you want to do side and colour together, remember "Some red port wine left in the bottle!" Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakelover Posted March 30, 2007 #5 Share Posted March 30, 2007 We learned "no port left in the bottle!!!":D I still say this over in my mind when on board LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genessa Posted March 30, 2007 #6 Share Posted March 30, 2007 The port side is the left-side, port has four letters so does left (also on some ships the port side cabin hallways have carpet boardered in red (or port color), starboard is the right-side. If I'm wrong please someone correct me, cuz this is what I tell everyone and always feel pretty smart:confused: You're right about the port and starboard, but I have no idea about the carpet ;). As for the OP's question and why not just use left/right, front/back... using port, starboard keeps the information the same no matter which way you are facing. I love the designations, but, then again, I'm one of the few women I know who give people directions using compass points (Blank street is one block east of this major avenue and two blocks south of that major boulevard);). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoohUnderstands Posted March 30, 2007 #7 Share Posted March 30, 2007 The reason that they use port and starboard is so you know exactly which side of the ship you are on or referring to. I mean if you are walking forward, then left and port are the same and so are right and starboard. But if you are walking aft or towards the rear, then left would be right and right would be left! Confusing? Well that is why the terms port and starboard are used as they always refer to the same side! Now, front and forward and aft and rear, are less necessary, but that I guess is a nautical thing! (grin) Pooh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakelover Posted March 30, 2007 #8 Share Posted March 30, 2007 As we are on the subject what is the difference between the words: aft and stern (ie. the flat end) forward and bow (ie. the pointy end) Is there a difference when you use either word? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAS-KARR Posted March 30, 2007 #9 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Nice go'n Pooh.....now explain to them about the military clock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druke I Posted March 30, 2007 #10 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Aft is anything to the rear of your location, stern is the back end of the ship. Forward in anything towards the bow from your location, bow is the front end of the ship, known in some circles as the pointy end, or prow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gambit57 Posted March 30, 2007 #11 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Aft is anything to the rear of your location, stern is the back end of the ship. Forward in anything towards the bow from your location, bow is the front end of the ship, known in some circles as the pointy end, or prow. Hmm, never heard of prow. On an off topic note, it's nice to see another person from the tiny town of Lincoln. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shogun Posted March 30, 2007 #12 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Hi Folks, Here goes Starboard comes from the word steerboard, eg old type of rudder which comes from a viking word. yours Shogun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shogun Posted March 30, 2007 #13 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Hi Folks, Left side was called Larboard but became port around 100 years ago. yours Shogun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latitude 22 Posted March 30, 2007 #14 Share Posted March 30, 2007 another way to remember aft.... it starts with an a and has 3 letters.... can you think of another word that might do the same.... this was taught to me when I was 11 by a crew member...you can imagine my glee when I went to share my new found knowledge with my parents!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwave Posted March 31, 2007 #15 Share Posted March 31, 2007 on the star last week we noticed the carpets are no longer different colors. Both sides were blue. It was really handy to have the port side red and starboard blue. Oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonna go cruising Posted March 31, 2007 #16 Share Posted March 31, 2007 on the star last week we noticed the carpets are no longer different colors. Both sides were blue. It was really handy to have the port side red and starboard blue. Oh well. On the CB only part of the border is red but the carpet is same design. Is it all the same on the Star? No difference at all? I would get very confused! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
be1498 Posted March 31, 2007 #17 Share Posted March 31, 2007 On an off topic note, it's nice to see another person from the tiny town of Lincoln. Last time I drove thru Lincoln, it seemed huge! When are you guys gonna see the bypass go in? Back to the topic...when leaving the elevators, there are signs that say Port (even numbered cabins) and Starboard (odd numbered cabins). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancldaca Posted March 31, 2007 #18 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Port, as in port wine, as in blood is red like the color of (red) wine, as in the blood is pumped by the heart, as in the heart is on the left side in the body: port = left. Rube Goldberg, eat you heart out! Port = left (when looking forward) Lit with red lights (also on airplanes) Starboard = right (when looking forward); lit with with green lights (also on airplanes) Aft = toward the back (the stern) Forward = toward the front (the bow) Aloft = overhead Below = well, below Abaft = any point behind a certain part of the ship leading to the stern (something is abaft) Abeam = something that is 90 degrees off to either side of the ship Nautical talk is there to denote directions relative to the ship itself so that - actually - there is less confunsion. Posts #6 & 7 explain this better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lake5298 Posted March 31, 2007 #19 Share Posted March 31, 2007 As we are on the subject what is the difference between the words: aft and stern (ie. the flat end) forward and bow (ie. the pointy end) Is there a difference when you use either word? You go aft until you get to the stern. You go forward until you get to the bow. Aft and forward are directions, the bow and stern are places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Cruiser51 Posted March 31, 2007 #20 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Go here http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/7557/terms.html. I just Googled it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Next Posted March 31, 2007 #21 Share Posted March 31, 2007 More interesting reading. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starboard Also, I think the cabin numbers are odd on one side and even on the other, but I cannot recall which is which. The cruise director often uses that as a joke for the all the folks who have been on the ship for 5 days and have yet to notice that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr8aunt Posted March 31, 2007 #22 Share Posted March 31, 2007 I was in Marine Transportation the last 10 years of my career and, yes, it is correct that port is left (4 letters like "left") and starboard is right. You can also remember bow and stern like this. When you "bow" you bend "forward"; therefore, bow is the front of the ship and stern the rear. Hope this helps. I know it can be confusing. Took me a while to get it all straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyperion Posted March 31, 2007 #23 Share Posted March 31, 2007 More interesting reading. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starboard Also, I think the cabin numbers are odd on one side and even on the other, but I cannot recall which is which. The cruise director often uses that as a joke for the all the folks who have been on the ship for 5 days and have yet to notice that. even numbers are on the port side, odd numbers are on the starboard. this actually includes all numbered features of the ships, hatches, watertight doors, lifeboats, liferaft stations..., you get the picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina G Posted March 31, 2007 #24 Share Posted March 31, 2007 It's really funny, but the Princess staff onboard do not use nautical terms, and many aren't even familiar with them! I asked a crew member directions, and they didn't know what "forward" or "aft" meant. It has happened more than once. I was told that it confuses many people, so they use landlubber terms!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Next Posted March 31, 2007 #25 Share Posted March 31, 2007 They should be keel hauled for that! :D (or hung from the highest yard arm!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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