Does Side of Ship matter

[DTT]

Just about to book on the Riviera sailing April 2, 2019 from Miami to Barcelona. We are booking a B3 extended cabin. I hope that the Main dining room underneath us is not too noisy. Should we book a Port or starboard? Is there any advantage to either one of those? Thank you.

[Noxequifans]

I don’t see any cause of concern with the MDR below you. As to port or starboard i believe it boils down many times to personal preference. Perhaps others can share their experience.

[warburg]

Greetings from South Beach, DTT. We like to have a port side balcony when we depart from Port of Miami because we see our condo as we sail out. Other than that, there is really no difference. If there is any additional factor, it is that my Chico's clothing items have to be machine washed, dried and removed immediately. That is a bit much to expect of a commercial laundry. Our preferred PH is conveniently near the launderette. Wherever you stay, enjoy your cruise. We always do

Mary

[Classiccruiser777]

For that cruise the starboard side will be the sunny side.

[ShipShapely]

If your itinerary is predominantly southbound you’d want port side to have more view of land and conversely northbound you’d want starboard,

[sitraveler]

If your itinerary is predominantly southbound you’d want port side to have more view of land and conversely northbound you’d want starboard,

Not really.

[orchestrapal]

If your itinerary is predominantly southbound you’d want port side to have more view of land and conversely northbound you’d want starboard,

 

OP is going west to east with almost no land in site on a transatlantic....

Port side will be cooler and starboard will have more sun. Your choice!

[ShipShapely]

My comment about starboard vs port was a generalization and does not really apply to the OP's itinerary.

We are about to put deposit on a trip from London to Barcelona where the entire itinerary is south and then around the Iberian peninusala so the port side of the ship will be facing land direction the entire time. However, on an ocean going cruise much of the time sailing you are out of sea and cannot even see land anyway. Also, when the ship docks it could be docked with the starboard side inward towards land. Net result is that there is not a huge difference and it does not matter much overall. However, with all things being equal, in a case like I described if you have two equal cabins and need a tie breaker - you might consider the direction of travel.

[Hawaiidan]

Not really.

 

True words the sides swap Like the best seats on an an airplane are inside the airplane... same with ships

[azam71209]

Trivia-the word posh came from Port Out Starboard Home. If you were among the elite of the elite, that's how you traveled from London to NYC (or was it the other way around?)

 

Mary

[StanandJim]

Trivia-the word posh came from Port Out Starboard Home. If you were among the elite of the elite, that's how you traveled from London to NYC (or was it the other way around?)

 

Mary

 

Neither, it was the best side of the ship for voyages from Britain to India, and in those pre air-conditioning days, the swells wanted the shady side . ;)

Edited August 24, 2018 by StanandJim

[Hawaiidan]

Neither, it was the best side of the ship for voyages from Britain to India, and in those pre air-conditioning days, the swells wanted the shady side . ;)

 

Correct.+ Also a bit of trivia what is called today by many " Gin and Tonic", really in the empire days was originally called a "Gin Tonic'.. a way to get your daily Quinine . Another bit if related trivia...Ships hulls are painted white to reflect heat

[Louby-Lou]

Neither, it was the best side of the ship for voyages from Britain to India, and in those pre air-conditioning days, the swells wanted the shady side . ;)

 

This too is a myth according to the Oxford English Dictionary.

[rallydave]

If your itinerary is predominantly southbound you’d want port side to have more view of land and conversely northbound you’d want starboard,

 

The seeing land issue is a non-issue and almost all of the time land will NOT be viewed from the ship. Mostly a sun issue that only you can decide.

[PatriciaF]

Trivia-the word posh came from Port Out Starboard Home. If you were among the elite of the elite, that's how you traveled from London to NYC (or was it the other way around?)

 

Mary

 

I was told it was from London to India--so the sun was primarily on the other side of the ship

[Noggins]

But back to the OP's question... In my view there is no question but to choose the starboard side for a W to E crossing. I would never buy a house that backed north - I'd want the sun in my back garden. And excessive heat is unlikely to be a problem on a crossing. Of course, if you want a shaded, predominantly north facing, room then port side is the way to go.

(the last reason I would use to choose which side would be so I could see my condo as we left Miami - seriously??!!)

[BosoxI]

For that cruise the starboard side will be the sunny side.

 

And for us that is a consideration on TAs which generally are in cooler weather. But for the right price and cabin location, we'll take the shady side:cool:

[bob brown]

My comment about starboard vs port was a generalization and does not really apply to the OP's itinerary.

We are about to put deposit on a trip from London to Barcelona where the entire itinerary is south and then around the Iberian peninusala so the port side of the ship will be facing land direction the entire time. However, on an ocean going cruise much of the time sailing you are out of sea and cannot even see land anyway. Also, when the ship docks it could be docked with the starboard side inward towards land. Net result is that there is not a huge difference and it does not matter much overall. However, with all things being equal, in a case like I described if you have two equal cabins and need a tie breaker - you might consider the direction of travel.

Have to agree with this....I used to try to book the "coast side" on various voyages, thinking I would see more scenery. But I have found that even when following a coast, the ship is usually too far out to see anything. And when coming in to a port, the approach will be more or less "perpendicular" or even angle to favor viewing from what was the ocean side....