Glossary

ACCOMMODATION: See "Room."

ADD ON: A supplementary charge added to the cruise fare, usually applied to correlated air fare and/or post cruise land tours.

AFT: Near, toward, or in the rear (stern) of the ship.

AIR/SEA: A package consisting of the two forms of travel, i.e., air to and from the port of embarkation as well as the cruise itself.

BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE: That amount of baggage, generally consisting of the passenger's personal effects, carried by the cruise line free of charge.

BASIS TWO: The cabins PER PERSON applicable to a cabin capable of accommodating at least two persons. Also referred to as double occupancy.

BOOKING: A telephone request to a line's reservations department to secure an option on a cabin.

CABIN: See "Room."

CATEGORY: A price gradient of similar cabins from the most expensive to the least expensive, or vice versa.

CLASS: Extinct on most cruises. On some trans-ocean voyages, denotes an overall level of ambiance and cost, such as "First Class," "Tourist Class" or "Transatlantic Class." Cruises are generally termed: One-class service.

CONDUCTOR'S TICKET: A free cruise ticket usually associated with groups of passengers traveling together, the entitlement to which is governed by each line's policy.

CRUISE FARE: The actual cost of the cruise excluding all extras such as taxes, port charges, airfare, gratuities, and the like.

DEBARKATION: Exiting from the ship.

DECK CHAIR: Open deck chaise lounge which is generally provided on a complimentary basis.

DECK PLAN: An overhead diagram illustrating cabin and public room locations in relation to each other.

DEPOSIT(s): A part payment of the cruise fare required at the time of booking to secure the cabin being reserved.

EMBARKATION: Entering or boarding the ship.

FINAL PAYMENT: Payment of the full cruise fare plus any necessary or agreed extras, such as taxes, air add on, preparatory to issuance of correlated travel documents.

FIRST SITTING: The earlier of two meal times in the ship's dining room.

FLY-CRUISE: See "Air-Sea."

FORWARD: Toward the fore or bow (front) of the ship.

GRATUITIES: The passenger's personal expression of thanks (tips) to the ship's service personnel for services received.

GRT: Gross registered tonnage, i.e., a measurement of 100 cubic feet of enclosed revenue-eaming space within a ship.

GUARANTEE: The cruise line's promise that the passenger will sail on a stated voyage in a specified price category or type of cabin, at an agreed rate no higher than would ordinarily apply for that voyage, which MAY result in an improvement of accommodation at no additional cost.

GUARANTEE SHARE FARE: Acceptance by some lines of a single booking at the cost-saving double occupancy rate, with the understanding that the client is willing to share use of the cabin with a stranger of the same sex.

INSIDE: A cabin having no windows or portholes to offer a view of the sea or of the river.

LOWER BED: A single bed placed at the conventional height from the floor.

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

OFFER: The cruise line's commitment for accommodations then available which may be suitable to the passenger's needs or wishes.

OPEN SITTING: Free access to unoccupied tables in the ship's dining room, as opposed to specific table assignments.

OPTION: The cruise line's offering of a specific cabin (or guarantee) for a specified period of time during which the passenger decides whether or not to accept. Acceptance is confirmed either by a deposit or final payment.

OUTSIDE : A cabin having window(s) or porthole(s) offering a view of the sea or of the river.

PASSAGE CONTRACT: Detailed terms of responsibility and accountability found in the cruise ticket.

PETS: Any ordinary domesticated bird or animal. None are carried aboard cruise voyages.

PORT: The left side of the ship when facing forward.

PORT CHARGE: An assessment which also includes port taxes, collected by the line and paid to a local government authority.

PORTHOLES: Circular "windows" in the side of the ship's hull or superstructure.

PORT TAX: A charge levied by local government authority to be paid by the passenger. In some air/sea packages, port taxes are included in the final price.

QUAD RATE: An economical per person rate available to individuals for quadruple occupancy on a guarantee share basis.

REVIEW DATES: A periodic evaluation of the progress of the sale and promotion of a group combined with attendant cabin utilization.

ROOM: The passenger's room, stateroom, or personal accommodation.

SAILING TIME: The actual hour at which the ship is scheduled to clear the dock and sail.

SECOND SITTING: The later of two meal times in the ship's dining room.

SHARE BASIS: See "Guarantee Share Fare."

SHORE EXCURSIONS: Off-the-ship tours at ports of call for which an extra charge is usually applied.

SINGLE OCCUPANCY: Sole occupancy of a cabin which is designed to accommodate two or more passengers, in which instance a premium is ordinarily charged.

SPACE RATIO: A measurement of cubic space per passenger. Gross Registered Tonnage divided by number of passengers (double occupancy) equals Space Ratio (rounded to nearest whole number).

STARBOARD: The right side of the ship facing forward.

STATEROOM: See "Room."

STOPOVER: Leaving the ship at a port of call and rejoining it at a subsequent port of call or upon the ship's return to the earlier port of call.

TENDER: A smaller vessel, sometimes the ship's lifeboat, used to move passengers to and from the ship and shore when the ship is at anchor.

TBA: To be assigned.

TRANSFERS: Conveyances between the ship and other modes, such as airports, hotels, or departure points for shore excursions.

TRIPLE RATE: An economical per person rate available to individuals for triple occupancy on a guarantee share fare basis.

TYPE: See "Category."

UPPER BED: A single size bed higher from the floor than usual (similar to a bunk bed) often recessed into the ceiling or wall by day.

WAIT LIST: Not a guarantee, but the cruise line's endeavor to obtain accommodation for passengers on a first-come-first-served basis when all cabins are presently either sold, under deposit, or under option.