Short answer
A quick-reference glossary of cruise terms — from 'aft' and 'APA' to 'tender' and 'repositioning cruise' — in plain English.
- Aft
- The back (stern) of the ship.
- Forward
- The front (bow) of the ship.
- Port side
- The left side of the ship when facing forward.
- Starboard
- The right side of the ship when facing forward.
- Midship
- The middle of the ship — the most stable place for a cabin.
- Inside cabin
- A cabin with no window; the cheapest option.
- Ocean-view cabin
- A cabin with a window or porthole that doesn't open.
- Balcony (verandah)
- A cabin with a private outdoor balcony.
- Suite
- A larger cabin, often with extra perks such as priority boarding or a butler.
- Guarantee cabin
- You pay for a category and the line assigns the exact cabin later — sometimes an upgrade.
- Embarkation
- Boarding the ship at the start of the cruise.
- Disembarkation
- Leaving the ship at the end.
- Muster drill
- The mandatory safety briefing on the first day.
- Tender
- A small boat that ferries guests ashore when the ship anchors offshore.
- Sea day
- A day spent sailing without a port call.
- Repositioning cruise
- A one-way voyage when a ship moves between seasonal regions; usually great value.
- Transatlantic
- A crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, typically 7–14 nights.
- Closed-loop cruise
- A cruise that starts and ends in the same US port.
- Fly-cruise
- A package that includes flights to the ship — or in Antarctica, flying over the Drake Passage.
- Cruise-tour
- A cruise combined with a land tour, e.g. Alaska plus Denali.
- Gratuities (service charge)
- Daily tips added automatically on many lines.
- Port fees and taxes
- Charges levied by ports and governments, often shown separately from the fare.
- Onboard credit (OBC)
- Money credited to your shipboard account to spend on board.
- Drinks package
- A daily fee covering drinks; usually every adult in a cabin must buy it.
- Specialty restaurant
- An extra-charge restaurant on board.
- Formal / elegant night
- An evening when guests dress up.
- Ship-within-a-ship
- A private suite complex with its own restaurant and pool (e.g., MSC Yacht Club, NCL The Haven).
- Expedition team
- Naturalists and guides who lead landings on expedition cruises.
- Zodiac
- A sturdy inflatable boat used for expedition landings.
- Wet landing
- Stepping from a Zodiac into shallow water onto a beach.
- Drake Passage
- The sea between South America and Antarctica, crossed in about two days.
- Dahabiya
- A traditional Nile sailing boat with a few cabins.
- Gulet
- A traditional wooden Turkish or Greek motor-sailer.
- Phinisi
- A traditional Indonesian wooden sailing ship, now used as cruising yachts.
- Hotel barge
- A converted canal barge with cabins, a chef and crew.
- APA (advance provisioning allowance)
- A deposit for running costs (fuel, food, port fees) on a yacht charter, typically 30–40% of the fee.
- MYBA terms
- The standard contract used for most crewed superyacht charters.
- Final payment date
- The date by which the full fare must be paid, often 60–120 days before sailing.
- LRS
- India's Liberalised Remittance Scheme for paying for overseas travel.
- TCS
- Tax Collected at Source on overseas tour packages under Indian income tax rules; claimable against your tax.
By the Xciting Cruising editorial desk · Updated November 2026