Port Or Starboard – Does It Make A Difference?

The choice of cabin type and position is always one of the most important factors for anyone booking a cruise. Most peoples decide on the type of stateroom, inside, outside, balcony or suite, first but then for many people position is crucial.

If choosing an inside cabin then for most getting a midship position can be the deciding factor, as can a high or low deck. However deciding on a window or balcony means maybe the side of the ship the cabin is on can make the difference between booking or not.

Port out Starboard home is a well know saying in the cruising world. Anyone who has sailed with P&O for many years will be familiar with their old loyalty club – the POSH club!

According to the Oxford English Dictionary ” Posh, meaning ‘smart, stylish, splendid, luxurious’ is first recorded in 1914, with the chiefly British strand of meaning, ‘typical of the upper classes; snooty’, following soon after. ”  and in days gone by cruising was seen as the pastime of the upper classes. Today life onboard is very different!

So does it really matter which side of the ship you choose for your cabin? Many people say yes but personally I think it really depends when where you are sailing.

On a  Mediterranean cruise to and from say Barcelona the ship will constantly turn. Most people will be off the ship during the day anyway and those who stay on board will probably be by the swimming pool.

If you want to be landside for most of the trip then it will depend on which way the ship is sailing, and don`t assume the ship will always dock on the port side either. I sailed into Messina in Sicily on P&O Arcadia a couple of years ago. As we approached our berth an MSC ship sneaked in ahead of us and the Captain had to change his course. We ended up docking with starboard side nearest to the port. If we had gone to the original berth it would have been portside.

One voyage where you might choose port out starboard home is on a transatlantic crossing.The port side will definitely be the sunny side on the way out and starboard on the way home !