Starboard or Portside on Sillhouette

[madre2]

We will be traveling soon on the Silhouette on an eastern caribbean itinerary. Can you tell me which side will face the port in each port? I know sometimes it changes depending on whether they pull in or back in, and how many ships are in port. Thanks

[Mr. Click]

There is no way to predict how the ships will dock. There are just too many variables.

 

This site will give a listing of port loads for most ports.

 

http://ports.cruisett.com/

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We've done this cruise a few times and the ship faced different ways in different ports. The only constant was in Ft. Lauderdale where the starboard side faced the pier any time we have sailed from Ft. Lauderdale.

[cruisestitch]

"Can you tell me which side will face the port in each port?"

 

 

No, no one can tell you this until the day you dock at each port.

[cltnccruisers]

We will be traveling soon on the Silhouette on an eastern caribbean itinerary. Can you tell me which side will face the port in each port? I know sometimes it changes depending on whether they pull in or back in, and how many ships are in port. Thanks

 

Mostly it's a crap shoot but in some cases you can make an educated quess. We were just on Silly for San Juan, St Thomas and St Maarten. Assuming the approach routes are always the same, you'll get a great view of Old San Juan from the port side. You'll be docked right at OSJ. For St Thomas and St Maarten you'll get some nice views regardless of which side you are on - we didn't have much preference there.

[keesar]

For St. Maarten, we had ships on both sides of us. For St. Thomas, the best views were on the Port side each time.

[cltnccruisers]

For St. Maarten, we had ships on both sides of us. For St. Thomas, the best views were on the Port side each time.

 

For St Thomas the Silly will be docked at Crown Bay - if the OP's concern is which side is better while docked CB provides equally lousy views from both.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

The truth is there is no way to predict which way the ship will face in port. One reason has to do with life boat maintenance. That task is done in port. Life boats on one side are lowered and driven around in the water. The side of the ship where the life boats that need to be serviced is the way the ship will dock to allow that work.

 

Other kinds of maintenance involve such mundane but needed chores as painting and washing down the ship.

[Lineaway]

You can make an educated guess but you have to do some homework. Go on the Roll Calls that just came back that did the same itinerary and ask. Most want to write about their cruise. I also look on youtube. Look for recent postings. I was told that Captains prefer docking the same way each time.

 

All things considered equal, I also was told that for some reason the Captains prefer docking Portside . Not sure why. Maybe someone can answer for this.

[Keith1010]

As others have said you just can't be sure.

 

This is why we place emphasis on where on the deck the room is located and not which side we are on.

 

Keith

[sbrayr]

You can make an educated guess but you have to do some homework. Go on the Roll Calls that just came back that did the same itinerary and ask. Most want to write about their cruise. I also look on youtube. Look for recent postings. I was told that Captains prefer docking the same way each time.

 

 

 

All things considered equal, I also was told that for some reason the Captains prefer docking Portside . Not sure why. Maybe someone can answer for this.

 

 

And we’ve cruises on Silhouette three times including twice in Europe and the majority of our docking was starboard side. We like to watch the process from our balcony so usually book starboard forward on deck 8 or 9. Can easily see the captain, pilot, etc in the wing.

 

 

 

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[39august]

I believe that the outdoor smoking area is on the port side. So that would be a factor for us. No lower deck port side balconies due to possible upward drifting smoke.

[cltnccruisers]

I believe that the outdoor smoking area is on the port side. So that would be a factor for us. No lower deck port side balconies due to possible upward drifting smoke.

 

We were on deck 8 port side and had no smoking issue. There was smoking starboard by the Sunset bar, port at the Mast Grill (where the food sucked BTW) and a small cigar area at the Solarium aft port I believe. More smoking areas than I expected but they were small and at least the casino was smoke free.