CRUISE GLOSSARY

Accommodation ladder: External folding stairway for access from ashore or from alongside

Aft: Near, toward or in the rear of the ship

Amidships: In or toward the middle of the ship; the longitudinal center portion of the ship.

Astern: Abaft, or beyond the ship's stern

Beam: Width of the ship at the widest point

Bearing: Compass direction, usually expressed in degrees, from the ship to a particular destination or objective

Berth: Dock, pier or quay (key); or, the bed or beds within the passengers' cabins

Bilge: Lowermost spaces of the ship's inner structure

Cleat: Horizontal wedge-shaped device to which cables are made fast

Companionway: Interior stairway

Davit: A device for raising and lowering the ship's lifeboats

Draft: Measurement in feet from waterline to lowest point of ship's keel

Even keel: The ship in a true vertical position with respect to its vertical axis

Fathom: Measurement of distance equal to six feet

Forward: Toward the fore or bow of the ship

Free port: A port or plate free of customs duty
and most customs regulations.

Galley: The ship's kitchen

Helm: Commonly the ship's steering wheel, but more correctly the entire steering apparatus consisting of the wheel and rudder and their connecting cables or hydraulic systems

Updated On: 03.12.01