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)

 

Word & phrase guru Michael Quinion even titled his book debunking the back formation of mythical acronyms "Port Out, Starboard Home"

 

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)

 

Word & phrase guru Michael Quinion even titled his book debunking the back formation of mythical acronyms "Port Out, Starboard Home"

 

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.