What is starboard or port side?

[LrgPizza]

This usually starts a discussion that goes something like this: It's a cabin, not a room. It's a deck, not a floor. It's a balcony, not a porch, etc etc etc. Right now, I'm listing to starboard from too much port! :D

We sailed DCL 3 times before ever sailing NCL. On DCL, they are verandahs. I had to get used to saying balcony on NCL.

[$hip$hape]

We sailed DCL 3 times before ever sailing NCL. On DCL, they are verandahs. I had to get used to saying balcony on NCL.

And going from NCL to a rivercruise boat,

I guess I was the only one NOT knowing this(below) is called a "French Balcony".

No porch; just a stateroom with a sliding glass door.:rolleyes:

Edited June 18, 2015 by $hip$hape

[SuiteCruiser]

And going from NCL to a rivercruise boat,

I guess I was the only one NOT knowing this(below) is called a "French Balcony".

No porch; just a stateroom with a sliding glass door.:rolleyes:

 

I've also heard those called Juliet balconies

[elruth]

Easy way to remember

 

Post has 4 letters so does Left.

 

Also Port (wine) is red, so the red lights (and some lines carpet) are on the Port side.

 

I always used the port has 4 letters and so does the word left. Not sure what you mean re: port wine is red so the red lights are on the port side. Do you mean those running lights that run along the deck hallways to your cabin? I always thought they were blue! Please explain.

[shof515]

I always used the port has 4 letters and so does the word left. Not sure what you mean re: port wine is red so the red lights are on the port side. Do you mean those running lights that run along the deck hallways to your cabin? I always thought they were blue! Please explain.

 

on the outside of the ship and sometimes near the front is where the running lights are located. all sailing vessels have this lights. It kinda works like a big floating traffic signal for other vessels at sea

[Demonyte]

It kinda works like a big floating traffic signal for other vessels at sea

 

 

Same lights are used in air traffic. If there is crossing traffic, you can see on the visible lights on another vessel if you need to yield or not (generally if you see only red lights, you need to yield, if green lights, you have the right of way).

[Squirty27]

When going out of New York, the New York skyline and Freedom tower are on the port side. Last year when we were on the Breakaway, we went up top for the sail away and found the Freedom Tower, Empire State Building and Manhattan skyline to be much more impressive than Lady Liberty. We were kind of far away from her.

 

It's all personal opinion, I guess. We have a balcony cabin on the port side this year.

[Tonka's Skipper]

Back in the day......like 1000 - 2000 years ago, those small wooden vessels were steered by a *steering oar or board*, which was usually on the right side of the vessel. This over time became known as the *starboard side of the vessel.

 

Now if the vessel docked *starboard * side to the dock, the steering board would often be damaged or the vessel would not fit alongside the dock, so it became custom to always dock the left side of the vessel to the dock or *port* side to the dock.

 

Hence.........you have today, port and Starboard sides of the vessel.

 

As to red and green lights all vessels today use running lights to show a approaching vessel the direction the other vessel is going and what side of the vessel is facing your vessel. There is a great number of lights and combination of lights, to show which vessel has the right of way and vessels involved in special operations like towing, fishing, dredging, etc.

 

For this discussion, keeping it simple, a motor vessel underway, carry 2 white lights forward, to provide a *range* of lights to show course. On the port side a *red* light to show the other vessel, your vessel as the right of way and the a *green* light on the starboard side to show your vessel has to avoid the other vessel.

 

There is also a white light facing aft to basically make sure you don't get run over.

 

AKK

[garycarla]

Some of the responses here are almost comical, or sad, depending on your mood. Such terrible, terrible bad information. Especially the part about port being on the dock side. So terrible wrong.

 

As to the OP - a little help with other questions. Google is wonderful, and FAST. In less time than it takes to type out the question, it gives you an answer. For example, typing in "what is port and starboard" will return this in an instant.

 

Of course, you would then miss some of the discussion here. LOL!

 

Let me add a bit here. The term AFT is used for two different things. Often it means those cabins on the stern, or very back of the ship that face BACK and not starboard or port. Other times cabins are referenced as being either forward, midships or aft. As a result, some conversations are confusing.

Edited June 18, 2015 by garycarla

[Magickpyggie]

And just to add to the fun, "posh" stands for Port out Starboard home. So posh people had port or left side cabins sailing along the Spanish, French and Italian coasts into the Mediterranean Sea and right hand, or starboard cabins on the way back home, so the cabin was always in the shade! And the fish in the carpets always swim to the front of the ship.

[chengkp75]

Some of the responses here are almost comical, or sad, depending on your mood. Such terrible, terrible bad information. Especially the part about port being on the dock side. So terrible wrong.

 

As to the OP - a little help with other questions. Google is wonderful, and FAST. In less time than it takes to type out the question, it gives you an answer. For example, typing in "what is port and starboard" will return this in an instant.

 

Of course, you would then miss some of the discussion here. LOL!

 

Let me add a bit here. The term AFT is used for two different things. Often it means those cabins on the stern, or very back of the ship that face BACK and not starboard or port. Other times cabins are referenced as being either forward, midships or aft. As a result, some conversations are confusing.

 

I tend to cringe a little when people say "I always get a cabin in the aft. Aft is an adverb, not a noun. "I want a cabin in the stern is fine. "I want an after cabin is also okay. Even "I want a cabin towards aft" works. Foreward and aft when used alone are directions, not places.

 

Nautical english lesson done. :p

Edited June 18, 2015 by chengkp75