best side of ship for entering ports?

[travelingla]

Does it really matter on the Allure or Oasis what side to be on entering the ports of St Thomas, St Marrten, and Nassau?

 

Curious if these ships always dock on the same side.

 

Thanks so much.

[pjnj40]

nope it up to captain decision . I seen the allure park backward last year st martin.

[DeadPhish]

Flip a coin. :D

[DrD]

Topside

[Clarea]

Does it really matter on the Allure or Oasis what side to be on entering the ports of St Thomas, St Marrten, and Nassau?

 

Curious if these ships always dock on the same side.

 

Thanks so much.

Oasis class most often docks with the starboard side next to the pier. That does not mean that the starboard side will have the best view.

[pjnj40]

Actually the stateroom dont matter but the top deck does matter. This way you can walk across both side when it ready to dock.

 

labadee is definitely the starboard.

[c00w6]

We cruised the Allure last year on the Western itinerary. We were in room 11170, and we were on the ocean side for every port.

[travelingla]

Topside

 

 

Thanks so much to all of you who posted -- we enjoy watching from our balcony but certainly will go up top for best view early on -- love those sunrise entrances!

 

At first I was thinking 'topside' was referring to 'rightside up' -- which is definitely MY preference! :D

[lulurobby]

In December we went to the meet the crew chat. One passenger asked the captain why he had "backed" into the port and ruined his view from his balcony cabin as he now did not have the view he wanted, and he was most put out by this. The Captained explained as to why it had happened, the passenger was not happy with the answer he got, so he upped and left the informal chat.

[pjnj40]

In December we went to the meet the crew chat. One passenger asked the captain why he had "backed" into the port and ruined his view from his balcony cabin as he now did not have the view he wanted, and he was most put out by this. The Captained explained as to why it had happened, the passenger was not happy with the answer he got, so he upped and left the informal chat.

 

what the real resin to backing up?

[DanJ]

St Thomas the ship almost always pulls in bow first, with starboard facing Charlotte Amalie. St Maarten they usually back in so the starboard faces Great Bay and Phillpsburg. Nassau can be a crap shoot although they try to back in whenever possible, so port side would see the city and starboard would look over to Atlantis.

 

As for why they back in to many ports, I've been told it's to facilitate an easier departure. Quite often ports are quieter in early hours, so it's easier to turn the ship around and back in then, rather than later in the day when there can be more commercial or pleasure traffic in an area where the ship would need to turn around.

[pjnj40]

St Thomas the ship almost always pulls in bow first, with starboard facing Charlotte Amalie. St Maarten they usually back in so the starboard faces Great Bay and Phillpsburg. Nassau can be a crap shoot although they try to back in whenever possible, so port side would see the city and starboard would look over to Atlantis.

 

As for why they back in to many ports, I've been told it's to facilitate an easier departure. Quite often ports are quieter in early hours, so it's easier to turn the ship around and back in then, rather than later in the day when there can be more commercial or pleasure traffic in an area where the ship would need to turn around.

 

That make sense. The weirdest part is NyC and NJ. When the ship come into NYC both Manhattan(NCL, Carnival) at 47 street and Brooklyn(Cunard and Princess), red hook, they head in. In NJ both Rccl and Celebrity turn it around and go backward.

[Bigtex1622]

I would say aft, but Damn, that would cost a bunch.

I did love having a aft cabin, being able to see both sides.

But I would have to win the lottery, or have a bunch of friends, to get one on that ship.

 

 

.

[tootsieroll107]

We sailed on Oasis last October #11158 port side. Best room we ever had. Huge balcony that over looked the port each time we pulled in.

[kjhighball]

On my last sailing on the Navigator out of Galveston, we were in Cozumel and there was a significant wind coming in from the ocean toward land. Another ship (the Allure I think) was scheduled to leave before us. We were on the "land" side of the International Pier while the Allure was on the outward ocean facing side.

 

Instead of Allure leaving first, we left first. The captain later said that was because of the wind. The Allure acted as a giant wind break for Navigator so that as soon as the lines were released we would not blow into shore.

 

With the Azipods, I have seen some incredible maneuverability of the RCCL ships so I would imagine wind and waves during arrival and departure is a factor in which way the ship faces.