Are we In or On????

[sail7seas]

May sound like a silly question, but I have noticed that some people say they cruised 'in' a ship to wherever........while others says, they sailed "on" a ship.

 

Which is it? Is there a correct and incorrect?

[LolaWiz]

i always have said "on the XXXdam" .

[K&RCurt]

Good question S7S.

 

This reminds me of an old George Carlin routine.

 

"Pepole say they are getting ON the plane...."*@" them, I'm getting IN the plane...Let the stupid daredevils get ON the plane!" LOL

 

I guess technically unless you are out on deck you are "In" the ship.

 

I don't think it matters which term you use unless you are a stickler.

[flashdog_1]

And what ever happened to "permission to come aboard" with the response, "permission granted."

[Druke I]

Many oddities in the English language.

 

My dad was a Brit, and he certinly spoke differenly than those of us born in CA.

 

Just look at the regional differences here in the US; sometimes difficult for those of us in the West to understand some of the New Englanders, or someone from the Deep South.

 

My adult children, also raised in California, were taught many different rules of English than I had been taught. It is a constantly changing, evolving language.

[sail7seas]

Chuckling ...:) :) .....went the same way as forward/aft; port/starboard.

 

I always get a kick out of it when, at the Mariners' Parties, the Captains say that by the time a passenger has their '25 day pin', they are expected to know port from starboard.

[babyher]

I don't know which is the proper Queens English way to say it, but being "on" board or while we were "on" Maasdam sounds right to me :)

 

At least that is what I always say it

[Randyk47]

Hmm.....interesting. I've always used "on" for ships, planes, and trains....but I've always been "in" my car. :) Seems to me I somehow connect the usage with the idea of boarding. You board a ship, plane or train but I never think of boarding a car. English is interesting........now if we could just teach HAL the difference between deluxe and superior. :rolleyes:

[fllcruiser]

I say on the ship.

[RevNeal]

I say "On the ship."

 

As for:

 

And what ever happened to "permission to come aboard" with the response, "permission granted."

 

That's a good question. I still sometimes ask it ... and the response, through a cocky grin, is often "Permission granted, sir." No salute.

 

No ... check that ... a Dutch officer once actually did salute me when, as I was waiting to enter the ship at the top of the stairs post-tendering, I mumbled "Permission to come aboard, sir?"

[RevNeal]

In Science Fiction it's becoming common to hear "inboard" and "in" for space craft. I understand that it comes from NASA's usage relative to Shuttle operations and the Space Station.

[lougee1043]

heres my take on it -- i go cruising by ship - when i board i am on a ship

[JBCall]

I would tend to say on the ship or on board the ship.

 

But the question got me wondering...

 

Are we posting on a message board or in a message board? ;)

[kakalina]

Great question! It always seemed to me that if one goes aboard a ship, and one is on board a ship, then on a ship would be appropriate usage.

 

Trisha

[flashdog_1]

Hmm.....interesting. I've always used "on" for ships, planes, and trains....but I've always been "in" my car. :) Seems to me I somehow connect the usage with the idea of boarding. You board a ship, plane or train but I never think of boarding a car. English is interesting........now if we could just teach HAL the difference between deluxe and superior. :rolleyes:

 

Could it have something to do with "leaving land" to go "on the sea" therefore on board.Same with a plane which will take you off land and into the air. Uh oh, I said in to. A car doesn't leave land, so we say we are in a car. ???

[Randyk47]

You almost had me convinced until I remember the train.....you board a train and most folks....though certainly not all....say they're "on" the train. And how about a bus? Until you all made me paranoid I would have said "I going to get on the bus." Neither leave the ground....hopefully. Now I'm so confused!!!! :rolleyes:

[fridayeyes]

Hmm, I walk on the deck, and I sail on the ship, but I go in my cabin and luggage is kept in the hold. I get on a plane, a train, a bus, a bicycle or a horse, but I get in a car or a taxi. I get in an elevator, but on an escalator.

 

Interesting. :)

 

Friday

[localady]

Doesn't matter to this old crazy bag lady if it's On or In,

just as long as I am On/In the Dam Ship!!!;) :D :D

[SDHALFAN]

I always say on since I am on board a ship. Now, I know it's not in answer to Sail's question, what drives me absolutely crazy is when people refer to a ship as a boat. If you can put a boat on it then it's a ship.

 

Sorry - it just drives me nuts! (You would think that I would have more to worry about:D ).

 

Valerie

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have always said that "I" or "WE" are "On" the ship.

 

"In" the ship??? Just doesn't sound right to me - but whom am I to judge what people say??

[RustaRoo]

what drives me absolutely crazy is when people refer to a ship as a boat. If you can put a boat on it then it's a ship

 

With apologies for this off-topic response...(though I do say on board, on the ship, on the plane but always in the car)

 

Valerie, one of the best lines I've heard/read on this board is the Captain's response, 'The boat is what you get into when the ship is going down!':D

[serendipity1499]

I always say on since I am on board a ship. Now, I know it's not in answer to Sail's question, what drives me absolutely crazy is when people refer to a ship as a boat. If you can put a boat on it then it's a ship.

 

Sorry - it just drives me nuts! (You would think that I would have more to worry about:D ).

 

Valerie

 

This also is one of my pet peeves..I hate it when my DH calls our ship a boat..He should know better..

 

However, when you put a boat on another boat it's not always a ship..

 

For instance: The "Mississippi Queen" is a boat & carries life boats, The canal boats of Europe are boats, A sailboat or cabin cruiser which might carry a dinghy/boat (rubber, hard, hand-powered or motor driven) is not necessarily a ship..It's still a boat..

 

I've always been taught that a boat is usually considered an inland vessel..A ship is a large ocean going vessel,& a submarine is a boat, not a ship,even though it can carry small boats onboard...

 

I would bet that Prinsendam could give us a much better explanation.. Go figure, no wonder the English language is so difficult to learn for non-English speaking people!

 

I usually say I'm on a ship, on our boat, on a train or on a plane..But I'm in my car..

[noblepa]

I think that saying you are "In" a ship is a correct, but somewhat archaic term. I believe that one of the traditional blessings upon launching a ship is "May God bless this ship and all who sail **IN** her" (emphasis added).

 

...but I could be wrong...

 

Paul Noble

[jhannah]

On. Short for onboard. Definitely! ;)

[SDHALFAN]

I think that saying you are "In" a ship is a correct, but somewhat archaic term. I believe that one of the traditional blessings upon launching a ship is "May God bless this ship and all who sail **IN** her" (emphasis added).

 

...but I could be wrong...

 

Paul Noble

 

 

 

Hi Paul,

 

I believe the blessing is "God bless this ship and all who sail ON her". But then I could be wrong - wouldn't be the first time this year (maybe the second time?:D)

 

Serendipity,

 

The Mississippi Queen is a RiverBOAT, not a cruiseship. The boats that navigate the rivers are all known as boats. They are a great deal smaller than the current cruiseliners. I am really looking forward to my first Riverboat cruise this coming August from Aix en Provence to Chalon sur Saone, and then on to Paris for a couple of days. I have heard nothing but praise for the Riverboats from friends who have previously sailed on them.

 

As far as submarines go - you are 100% correct. My late husband spent 14 years aboard submarines and then taught anti-submarine warfare ("ours" not "theirs") and he and his shipmates always referred to their Sub as their boat, much to the chagrine of the Surface Force who were so proud of their ships, and rightly so.

 

I love your user name - have always loved the Serendipity in my life.

 

Valerie:)