Starboard and portside are nautical terms to describe the right and left side of a ship. Starboard and portside are cruise lingo terms you will want to know before cruising.
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Which way is starboard?
The starboard side of a cruise ship is the right hand side when you are standing facing the front of the ship (your back to the back of the ship).
Is portside left or right?
The portside of a cruise ship is the left side when you are standing facing the front of the ship.
You will sound like an experienced cruiser when you drop these cruise words.
In summary
To summarize, the starboard side of a ship is the right side and the portside of a ship is the left side. In both instances you need to be facing the front of the cruise ship to determine if it’s portside or starboard side.
Related terms:
Aft definition –
Aft on a cruise ship refers to the rear or back of the ship.
Ship hull definition –
The hull of a ship is the outer metal shell of a ship.
Other cruise words to know:
