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GuideCruise glossary: the words everyone uses and nobody explains
Cruise booking has its own vocabulary, and most of it goes unexplained until it costs you something. Here is the plain-English version, grouped by when you actually meet each term: while you book, once you are on board, and when the ship is in port.
☎Call now · +1-833-684-4250The short version
- Double occupancy is the assumption behind almost every advertised fare: it is the price per person when two people share a cabin.
- Closed-loop means the cruise starts and ends at the same US port, which changes what documents you need.
- Final payment is the deadline that matters most. Before it you usually have flexibility; after it you usually do not.
- Guarantee cabins are cheaper because the line, not you, picks the exact room.
- Muster drill is the safety briefing you must complete before sailing. It is not optional.
- Port fees and gratuities are separate from the fare on most lines, and they are the two costs first-timers miss.
Words you meet while booking
These are the terms that decide what you pay and how much freedom you keep.
- Base fare
- The cruise price itself, before taxes, port expenses, gratuities and anything you buy on board. It is what the headline number usually refers to.
- Cabin category
- The type of room: interior, ocean view, balcony or suite. Within each there are sub-grades that differ mainly by deck and position.
- Closed-loop cruise
- A sailing that begins and ends at the same US port. It changes which travel documents US citizens need, which is covered in our documents guide.
- Deposit
- The amount paid to hold a booking. Refundable and non-refundable deposit fares are priced differently, so check which one you are buying.
- Double occupancy
- The assumption behind nearly every advertised fare: the price per person when two people share the cabin. One person alone usually pays more, not less.
- Final payment date
- The deadline for paying the balance, typically two to three months before sailing. Before it you generally have flexibility; after it, cancellation penalties apply.
- Guarantee cabin
- You book a category, and the line assigns the specific room later. Cheaper, but you cannot choose the location and you may be moved up or down within the grade.
- Lead-in fare
- The least expensive fare in a category on a given sailing, usually one or two rooms in the least desirable spots. The phrase 'from' in any listing means this.
- Obstructed view
- A cabin whose window or balcony is partly blocked by a lifeboat or structure. Often good value if you mainly want daylight.
- Repositioning cruise
- A one-way sailing moving a ship between seasons, such as Europe to the Caribbean. Longer, more sea days, usually cheaper per night, and you fly home from a different place.
- Single supplement
- The extra a solo traveller pays because the fare assumed two people in the room. It varies enormously by line and sailing.
- Solo cabin
- A cabin designed and priced for one person, avoiding the supplement. Only some ships have them.
Two of these do most of the damage when misunderstood: what the fare actually includes and the final payment date. Everything else is easier to recover from.
Words you meet on board
Ship vocabulary is mostly nautical habit, but a few of these carry real money or real obligations.
- Aft
- Toward the back of the ship. Aft cabins often have larger balconies and more motion.
- Bridge
- Where the ship is navigated from. Some lines run tours of it.
- Embarkation and disembarkation
- Getting on at the start and off at the end. Both have assigned time windows.
- Forward
- Toward the front. Forward cabins feel more movement in rough water.
- Gratuities
- A daily amount per guest added to your onboard account, sometimes called a service charge. Prepaying is usually possible.
- Midship
- The middle of the ship, lengthwise. The steadiest place to sleep and the shortest walk to most things.
- Muster drill
- The safety briefing every guest must complete before sailing. Most lines now run it partly through the app plus a short in-person check.
- Onboard account
- The account your cabin key card charges to. Everything you buy on the ship lands here and settles at the end.
- Onboard credit
- A spending allowance on that account, often from a promotion or your travel advisor. Some is refundable, some is not, and it is worth knowing which.
- Sea day
- A full day with no port call. Ship facilities are at their busiest, which is why an adults-only deck matters to some travellers.
- Speciality dining
- Restaurants that cost extra on top of your fare, usually smaller and quieter than the main dining room.
- Stateroom
- The cruise word for cabin. The same thing.
- Tender
- A small boat ferrying guests ashore where the ship cannot dock. Adds time at each end of a port day.
Words about ports and itineraries
- Cabotage
- Shipping law that shapes which routes a foreign-flagged ship may sail between US ports. You will never deal with it directly, but it explains some odd itineraries.
- Home port
- Where the cruise starts and finishes. Also called the departure or embarkation port.
- Itinerary
- The specific sequence of ports and sea days on a sailing. The same ship runs different itineraries through the year.
- Port of call
- A stop along the way, usually for a single day.
- Port expenses
- Charges levied by the ports themselves, passed on to you. Whether they are inside or outside the advertised fare varies by line, which is why the same cruise can look cheaper on one site than another.
- Private island
- A resort-style destination owned or leased by the cruise line. Most of it is included, though the best beaches and waterparks usually cost extra.
- Shore excursion
- An organised trip in port, sold by the line or independently. Booking through the ship costs more but the ship waits for you if it runs late.
- Transatlantic
- A crossing between North America and Europe, heavy on sea days, usually in spring and autumn.
One of these has a direct effect on comparing prices: port expenses. If one quote includes them and another does not, the cheaper-looking fare may not be cheaper at all. It is the single most common reason two prices for the same sailing disagree.
Frequently asked questions
What does double occupancy mean on a cruise?
It means the advertised price is per person, assuming two people share the cabin. Almost every cruise fare you see quoted works this way. A solo traveller usually pays a single supplement on top, and a third or fourth guest in the same room is normally charged at a lower rate than the first two.
What is a closed-loop cruise?
A sailing that departs from and returns to the same US port. It matters mainly for paperwork: on closed-loop sailings US citizens can generally travel with a birth certificate and government photo ID rather than a passport, though a passport is still strongly recommended. Confirm the requirements for your exact sailing and nationality.
What is a guarantee cabin?
You book a cabin category at a lower price and the cruise line assigns the specific room later, sometimes close to sailing. You may end up anywhere in that grade, or occasionally upgraded. It suits travellers who care more about price than location, and not those who want a particular deck or a quiet spot.
What is the final payment date?
The deadline for paying your balance, usually two to three months before departure though it varies by line and cruise length. It is the most important date in your booking: before it you typically have flexibility to change or cancel with limited cost, and after it cancellation penalties apply.
What is a muster drill?
The mandatory safety briefing showing you where to go and what to do in an emergency. Every guest must complete it before the ship sails. Most lines now run it as a short video or app section plus a brief in-person check at your assigned station.
What are port expenses on a cruise?
Charges levied by the ports a ship visits, passed through to passengers. Some lines include them in the advertised fare and others add them at checkout, which is a common reason the same sailing appears to cost different amounts in different places. Always compare what is included, not just the headline number.
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