Cruise Terminology Glossary for Beginners

Booking and money terms

Port fees / taxes: government and port charges added to the fare — always real money on top of the headline. Gratuities: daily service charges per person, adjustable at guest services on most mainstream lines. Onboard credit (OBC): spendable ship credit from a promotion. Guarantee cabin: the line assigns your exact cabin later in exchange for a lower fare. Double occupancy: prices quoted per person assuming two share the cabin.

• ◆Embarkation: boarding the ship
• ◆Disembarkation: leaving at the end (not 'deboarding')
• ◆All-aboard time: the hard deadline to be back — the ship sails without late passengers
• ◆Sailaway: the departure moment and deck party

Ship and itinerary terms

Closed-loop: starts and ends at the same U.S. port. Muster drill: the mandatory safety briefing. Tender: a small boat ferrying passengers to ports without a dock. Sea day: a full day sailing with no port. Private island: a line-operated beach destination (CocoCay, Ocean Cay, Castaway Cay). Itinerary: the sequence of ports; lines may change it for weather or operations.

Cabin terms

Interior: no window. Ocean view: a window or porthole. Balcony/veranda: a private outdoor space. Suite: a larger category with perks that vary wildly by line. Obstructed view: a lifeboat or structure partially blocks the window or balcony — priced lower, disclosed in the cabin number lookup.