Port or Starboard?

[kgjg]

We've been on 8 cruises in the last 12, or so, years and other than class preference, we've always left it up to fate as to which side of the boat we stayed on. I read a thread, the other day on another board and the writer indicated that they always ask for a cabin on the starboard side. This got me to wondering if anybody else feels that this is important.

If you have a preference, please indicate which side you'd rather be on.


Thanks

[peaches from georgia]

The area of the ship we like is more important than port or starboard. I will look online to that particular midship area on that particular deck and see what cabins are available, on both sides, and pick the one we like the best. Next cruise we are port and the one booked after that we are starboard, but both times in the same area of the same deck.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sometimes we are on the starboard and sometimes we are on the port side. For our upcoming cruises in May we are on the starboard side of the ship. For our cruises in November we are on the port side.

Most of the time we are on the port side of the ship.

[Pete Jackson]

We always check the itinerary before making that decision. For example, we are on a July 12 Prinsendam cruise going around Iceland. It will go around counterclockwise, so that the port side of the ship should get the best views overall.

Most itineraries, each side of the ship will get the best views at different times, but you may have some ports/areas that you want to emphasize in terms of getting the best view.

And we're far from the only ones playing this game; inevitably the side of the ship we want sells out before the other side!

[elmorejj]

I think on every cruise we have ever taken we have been on the port side. That said, on HAL ships, I would probably get lost if I had to come out of the elevator and turn right instead of left!!! I really am a creature of habit!!........jean :cool:

[jhannah]

Like Pete, I consider the itinerary and select based on where I am most likely to see the most scenery. Therefore, we choose either one.

[Debi_D]

Just give me a balcony with a Martini and either side of the ship is fine for us:D


Deb

[RuthC]

If I book a specific cabin it's always the same one---so I don't get lost toddling on home at 2:00 A.M.!
When HAL (or any other line for that matter) has assigned a cabin it's usually been on the starboard side. (Funny how luck has it.)

Once in my life I selected port-side; once I was assigned it.
And when you book an inside, itinerary---and view---is inconsequential. :rolleyes:

[cactuslady]

Whichever side is:
a. Most likely to have the most scenery. This depends on itinerary
b. Most likely to be in the shade, if in a hot climate, or in the sun, in a cold climate. This depends on the itinerary.
c. Least likely to be under the casino, Club Hal or other noisy place. This depends on the particular ship.

Inside, just above the keel, is not an option.

By the way, it's not true that the dock is always on the port side and the stars can be seen only from the starboard side. :rolleyes:

[jhannah]

By the way, it's not true that ... the stars can be seen only from the starboard side. :rolleyes: Now you tell me! ;)

[Tarkus]

i honestly could care less... and since 3/4 of the cruises i partake-of find me on a room guaranteed basis, i usually don't know the answer to this until i arrive for embarkation! :p

[cruisecrasy]

Can anyone who has done it please tell me which side to book for a Mexican Riviera (Cabo, Maz & PV) cruise in November? We prefer shade to sun. Thanks in advance...!

[jhannah]

I don't think it will matter. Since it's a round trip, you will be on the land side one way or the other (if you're in an outside.) The sun should be about the same either way as well.

[Time2sail]

Our trip to Alaska is a roundtrip from Seattle. Going up, we will be away from land until we get to Glacier Bay so that doesn't matter. Coming back, we will be cruising inside passage so we chose port side. We did choose a balcony as well. Hope this works--we'll see.

On other cruises, it did not matter to us so we just took best available room for the price and location.

[dakrewser]

Can anyone who has done it please tell me which side to book for a Mexican Riviera (Cabo, Maz & PV) cruise in November? We prefer shade to sun. Thanks in advance...!

AS Jim said, it doesn't matter - you'll be on the Eastern side in one direction, the Western side in the other. (or southern/northern as you travel between Cabo and Mazatlan).

[spcl4cs_gal]

I think on every cruise we have ever taken we have been on the port side. That said, on HAL ships, I would probably get lost if I had to come out of the elevator and turn right instead of left!!! I really am a creature of habit!!........jean :cool:

Oh boy, I can't count the number of times this has happened to me while onboard. :D I like the starboard side of the ship and always try to book a room on that side.

[cactuslady]

Back in the grand old days of sea travel, it used to be "POSH" -- port out, starboard home. I think this referred to the shadier, cooler (in the days before air conditioning) side of the ship when traveling from Merry Olde England to India and the other colonies in Africa and Asia.

[dakrewser]

Back in the grand old days of sea travel, it used to be "POSH" -- port out, starboard home. I think this referred to the shadier, cooler (in the days before air conditioning) side of the ship when traveling from Merry Olde England to India and the other colonies in Africa and Asia.


Um, I believe that's what we now call an "urban myth" (see this explanation (http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/287800.html))

Word & phrase guru Michael Quinion even titled his book debunking the back formation of mythical acronyms "Port Out, Starboard Home (http://www.worldwidewords.org/reviews/re-por1.htm)"

OTOH, I do prefer the shady side of the street (or the ship)!:)

[sbgood]

I asked to be moved from the port side to the starboard on Zuiderdam, but only because of our last cruise on Galaxy, where the port side was considered the smoking side. On the outside decks, and in some lounges that allowed smoking, it was considered "polite" only to smoke on the port side. I thought that maybe I would be "smoked out" on my port balcony. I may be in for a rude awakening. Anyone ever heard of this before?

[Dutchman]

well since our next cruise will be to Alaska, Northbound, We would prefer the left side this time and hope for some nice sunsets when and if they happen!

[sail7seas]

No matter where we are cruising; no matter the itinerary, we always want port. Beats me why. No real reason other than habit. Of all our cruises, we have only been portside two times.

[Ziggy7]

I say give me any balcony, on any side! Just give it to me hehehehehe. We have only had one so far and it was starboard, which was very nice, but I dont think it was because we were on one side and not the other :)
But I too saw this on another thread, and it just affirmed that different strokes for different folks, just because I don't care, doesn't mean its not important to others :)

[CDRMark]

Yes, please.
Cheers
MarkB

[ron46936]

The only time I picked a specific cabin was on the Sovereign class on RCCL. They had a hall going across the ship and we got a cabin there on our first cruise. Later when we cruised the other ships of that class we got exactly the same cabin.

Other than that just get us on the ship.

[cactuslady]

Um, I believe that's what we now call an "urban myth" (see this explanation (http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/287800.html))

Word & phrase guru Michael Quinion even titled his book debunking the back formation of mythical acronyms "Port Out, Starboard Home (http://www.worldwidewords.org/reviews/re-por1.htm)"

OTOH, I do prefer the shady side of the street (or the ship)!:)

The word may be a myth (and I believe you on that score), but what does the "urban" have to do with it? Maybe better described as part of the "traditional and romantic lore of the seas" (like mermaids, falling off the edge of the flat earth, and the directions to new cabin boys to fetch the red oil for the lamp on the port side and the green oil for starboard).
Still, booking that way seems lilke a good idea to me and I can imagine that someone, sometime, somewhere may have paid extra for the privilege.

[grannynurse]

I can't speak for Vista-class ships but the rest of the HAL ships allow smoking in all the cabins and verandas. If you are on either side you may get a whiff of smoke on the veranda. It's just the outside public decks that are port side smoking only.
GN

[dakrewser]

The word may be a myth (and I believe you on that score), but what does the "urban" have to do with it?

I don't know where the phrase "urban myth" originated, as a reference to somedthing untrue which, nevertheless, many people believe. (www.snopes.com (http://www.snopes.com) collects many of these stories and attempts to either validate or disprove them).

[blackbird71]

No matter where we are cruising; no matter the itinerary, we always want port. Beats me why. No real reason other than habit. Of all our cruises, we have only been portside two times.

But if you are going around the Horn east to west, port would not be the best side :rolleyes:

[kgjg]

In sailing there is a term "Red Right Return" which means that the red marker buoys is always on the right when you are coming in to port. The green buoys are alway's on the opposite side. The idea is that you are supposed to stay between them. I always thought that the acronym POSH meant the same thing. Look for the red buoy on the port side when you are going out of the port and look for it on the starboard side when you are coming home.

[blackbird71]

Like Pete, I consider the itinerary and select based on where I am most likely to see the most scenery. Therefore, we choose either one.

Right on some cruises it would make a big difference, ie around South America. Based on the direction of travel I would try for a cabin with the best view.

[Bucky3]

We just returned from the Oosterdam cruise to Cabo, Mazatlan, and PV. We chose portside as we had only one day at sea going south and two days at sea coming back. We wanted the most afternoon sun on our balcony for the two sea days. It worked out well for us.

[cruisecrasy]

Interesting & true re: sun on balcony two sea days going back...also going back u are further out from shore so with nothing to view u might as well have sun instead. Going down u are closer to shore portside so see the sights.

[Pete Jackson]

Um, I believe that's what we now call an "urban myth" (see this explanation (http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/287800.html))

Word & phrase guru Michael Quinion even titled his book debunking the back formation of mythical acronyms "Port Out, Starboard Home (http://www.worldwidewords.org/reviews/re-por1.htm)"

OTOH, I do prefer the shady side of the street (or the ship)!:)

Of course, to make room for people travelling "POSH", other passengers had to travel in Starboard outbound and Port home. The initials for this class of service are "SOPH". Of course, these people received substantial discounts for doing this and would seek them upon booking. Such clever people came to be known as "SOPHisticated", and that is where the word sophisticated came from!

[stanford's girl]

We just returned from the Oosterdam cruise to Cabo, Mazatlan, and PV. We chose portside as we had only one day at sea going south and two days at sea coming back. We wanted the most afternoon sun on our balcony for the two sea days. It worked out well for us.

Bucky3,
Thanks for that info. We're sailing on the Oosterdam in Oct and have a port side cabin. Never gave it much thought when we booked it but seems like we lucked out picking this cabin. 2 sunny sea days on my balcony sounds delicious to me.:)

[Bucky3]

It's a great cruise! Enjoy!

[HeatherInFlorida]

Port side .... absolutely and always. It also book out first. There's a reason for that;)

[ualtim]

Both.......Aft balconies on the Vista Class :)

If given a chance, we prefer the aft view where you can see both port and starboard views. If unable, we choose by cabin class, deck, and then if there is a choice port or starboard. The decision on port or starboard is based purely on itinerary. Round trip in the Carribean there is not a big difference most of the time between one side or the other unless you have a scenic cruising day. Sea of Cortez/Mexican Riviera I prefer port side as you are closer to land sailing south and get the afternoon sun on your extra sea days going north. Alaska Northbound, starboard. Alaska Southbound, port. Alaska round trip, ??? (have not done one yet.)

[Randyk47]

Our first two cruises were in cabins on the port side. Now everytime we book the starboard side I get turned around. Went back to port on our last cruise and I hardly ever got turned around. Weird. :o

[jhannah]

Went back to port on our last cruise and I hardly ever got turned around. Guess it's at least in part because we're all such creatures of habit. We vary back and forth from port to starboard ... and sometimes I'm very glad for the deck plan plaques that HAL puts up! ;)

[Golfgrl1911]

Started out starboard & will probably always choose that if given a choice (creature of habit). Nancy:)

[nofrown]

I am with those who say for the most part it does not matter and we most often go for outside guaranteed. However, if you are likely to see more on one side, that is a different story. Case in point--we went to Bermuda and I knew from experience that the starbord side faces Front St in Hamilton so that was a no brainer particularly since we were going to be there for 4 days. Since we were down pretty low we lucked out in that had we been a few cabins rearward, our view would have been blocked by the cruise terminal.

BTW for those wondering if we took HAL to Bermuda, no we went on Celebrity Horizon. Very recently I asked HAL if they would consider Bermuda from Norfolk, VA and the reply was not a chance due to, among other things, very high port charges. The Horizon will go out of service for Celebrity later this year.