port vs starboard side
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port vs starboard side
While port and starboard refer to two distinct sides of a cruise ship, you will have a similar experience on either on most cruises. Standard cabins will be essentially identical whether they’re on the port or starboard side, and both sides will have corridors lined with interior cabins (or inside cabins) as well as outside cabins and balcony rooms.
When your ship is in the open ocean, the view is pretty much the same from an outside cabin. Exceptions might include regions where you pass near islands, if you see the coast sailing into or out of port, and whether you catch the sunrise or sunset. A ship can tie up on either port or starboard sides when it’s docked, so one side does not consistently offer better port views.
During scenic cruising, such as visits to Glacier Bay in Alaska or the Napali Coast in Hawaii, the captain will usually turn the ship 360 degrees so both sides get good views, and when surrounded by really dramatic scenery, you’re better off on the top deck than in your cabin anyway.
what’s the difference?
As you’re facing forward on a ship, toward the bow, the port side of the ship will be on your left and starboard will be on your right.
The term starboard comes from the Old English steorbord, meaning the side on which the ship is steered. Before ships had central rudders, a steering oar was mounted on the right side of the stern because most people are right-handed.
With the steering oar on the right side of the ship, it made more sense to tie up at the port on the left side. So the left side of the ship became known as the port side.
But with today’s modern ships, why do we still use these old terms? Why can’t we just use left and right to refer to the sides of a ship?
When we think of left and right, it’s usually from our own perspective. If you turn around 180°, suddenly what was on your right is now on your left!
When navigating a ship, it’s important that all of the crew are on the same page with which side of the ship is which. Port and starboard never change, regardless of which direction you’re facing.
Port (Red) and Starboard (Green)
With many ships sailing at night, it can be helpful to use lights so that they’re seen by other ships. This prevents issues such as navigating off course or ending up in a dangerous situation such as a shipwreck.
If you’re in a ship, and you see another one in the distance, you’ll be able to know if it’s coming toward you because of where the port (red) and starboard (green) lights are placed. If you need to navigate out of the way, you can.
This is useful not only at nighttime, but also if there’s fog, a storm, or some other type of inclement weather.
This color-coding is also used on ships where airplanes and helicopters land (for example, army vessels). This ensures that they can land safely, especially in the dark or in inclement weather.
This said, however, when a ship needs to be hidden (for example, during wartime), these lights won’t actually be on. However, the ships will still use the colors red and green, painted, so that landings can be safe.
Origin of the Terms – Port And Starboard
Port and starboard are non-interchangeable terms referring to the two halves of the vessel. When looking from the bow to the stern, the port lies on the right side while the starboard side lies on the left side.
In nautical terms, the bow or fore lies at the forward of the ship, while the stern or aft is the rear portion. This definition of port and starboard ensures that these directions are unique irrespective of the position of the concerned party.
The origin of these terms come from the old English usage for their respective purposes. In the times of early boats that were steered with the aid of a steering oar at the stern, the majority of sailors were right-handed.
These steering oars functioned as the rudders of the craft and had to be expertly manoeuvred. Hence, it was easier to have the steering oar on the right-hand side so that the sailor was facing forward comfortably. This led to the right half that he sat on being called the steerboard which was later corrupted into starboard.
Origin of the Terms – Port And Starboard
For smaller crafts and sailboats, this led to some difficulty in loading goods from this side of the vessel. So, boats would dock with their left-hand side against the port wharves.
This led to the left side being called the larboard, based on the corruption of the old English term for loading. However, it was common to confuse the terms larboard and starboard while sailing, as they sounded similar. Thus, larboard was later replaced by the term port. This also aided in other terminology, as it was the left-hand side that was moored to the port.
The usage of these terms became common as English trading ships sailed to several countries during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries AD.
During the colonization era, these terms were broadly accepted by sailors in countries spanning from India to the United States. Eventually, with the formation of regulatory bodies to develop a uniform code for maritime terminology, the terms port and starboard were accepted due to their widespread usage.
What’s the best side of a cruise ship to stay on?
Choosing the best stateroom for your ideal getaway is understandably an important step in the planning process. Luckily, you’ll see incredible views during your cruise whether you’re starboard or port side.
You can choose which side you want to stay on based on your unique itinerary and route. On some cruises, like through the Panama Canal, you’ll experience breathtaking views from both sides. If you’re planning a Western Mediterranean cruise, take a look at the departure port and work out which direction your ship will sail.
Other itineraries double back to disembark at the original departure port, so you’ll enjoy views from both directions. These are called closed-loop cruises or roundtrip sailings.
The stateroom you choose depends on what you most want to see. Water lovers may be content to look out at the peaceful ocean waves from their stateroom. Some travelers prefer land views, so they can sail up to breathtaking cityscapes or rugged mountain peaks in the distance.
Why do ships use ‘port’ and ‘starboard’ and not ‘left’ or ‘right’?
As port and starboard never change, they are unambiguous references that are independent of a mariner’s orientation, and, as a result, mariners use these nautical terms instead of left and right to avoid confusion.
Have you ever wondered why sailors use the terms ‘port’ and ‘starboard’, instead of left and right side on ships?
In the past, ships used to have rudders on their centre line and they were controlled using a steering oar. As it is the case today, back then as well the majority of the people were right handed.
Thus, as most of the sailors were right handed, the steering oar used to control the ship was located over or through the right side of the stern.
For this reason, most of the seafarers were calling the right side as the ‘steering side’, which later was known as ‘starboard’.
The word ‘starboard’ is the combination of two old words: stéor (meaning ‘steer’) and bord (meaning ‘the side of a boat’).
The left side is called ‘port’ because ships with steerboards or star boards would dock at ports on the opposite side of the steerboard or star.
As the right side was the steerboard side or star board side, the left side was the port side. This was decide so that the dock would not interfere with operating the steerboard or star.
Another reason
Another reason why the left side is ‘port’ is because it sounds different from ‘starboard’. Originally, sailors were calling the left side ‘larboard’, which was easily confused with ‘starboard’,
especially when challenging conditions at sea made it difficult to hear. The switch was done to lead to a distinctive alternate name.
Namely, the old English name for the port side sounded like ‘backboard’. On big vessels, the sailor using the steering would have his back facing the ship’s left side.
As a result, ‘backboard’was named ‘laddebord’, which is the loading side of the ship. Later, ‘laddebord’ became ‘larboard’, causing the confusion that led to change to port.
This is why ships are using the terms ‘port’ and ‘starboard’,
as they are unambiguous references that are independent of a mariner’s orientation.
With these terms, seafarers remove ambiguity, and they prefer them over using the terms left and right.
Know where the names port and starboard come from
If you know why port is called port and why starboard is called starboard,
it will help you to remember which is which.
Before ships had rudders on their centrelines, they were steered using a steering oar. Because most people are right-handed, this was on the right-hand side of the ship. ‘Starboard’ is a combination of two Old English words ‘stéor’ (meaning steer) and ‘bord’ (meaning the side of a boat}.
As the steering oar was on the right, boats would be moored on the other side. That’s why the left side is called ‘port’.
If you can remember that the starboard means ‘steering side’ and that most people are right-handed, this should help you to know that starboard is on the right.
Is it Better to Have a Cabin on the Port or Starboard Side of the Ship?
Many people wonder if it’s better to have a cabin on the port or starboard side of the cruise ship. This won’t make a difference if you’re booked in an inside cabin. However, if you’re in an ocean view or
balcony cabin, you may have a preference for one side of the ship versus the other.
When in a port of call, some people prefer to have a view facing the cruise port or city, while other
people prefer the quieter view of the landscape and sea. Personally, we like the hustle and bustle of what’s going happening on land. Unfortunately, this isn’t easy to predict and can change in every cruise port.
On some itineraries, being on the starboard side or port side, may give you a more scenic view as you sail. I’ll share some tips for Alaska, Hawaii and Transatlantic itineraries,
however it’s always a good idea to ask your travel agent or cruise vacation planner for specific advice.
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