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The 5 Dos and 5 Don’ts of Cruising

The 5 do's and 5 don’ts of cruising.

With every new generation of gay and bisexual men comes a new generation of cruisers. Men who surreptitiously search for other men in the hopes of a lascivious, salacious, and electrifying sexual encounter. In the era of Grindr, cruising isn't as popular as it once was. There are now other ways to have an ephemeral sexual tryst. (This is in large part why gay bathhouses are shutting down across the U.S.) But if you are one of the gay/bi men out there, like many of us, who don't get that same rush from Grindr that you do from furtive eye glances in the sauna -- which turn into so much more -- then this article is for you: the 5 do's and 5 don'ts of gay cruising.

1. Do make eye contact

The key to good cruising is eye contact. Similarly, the key to rejecting someone properly is lack of eye contact. If you like someone, and you're down to play, look deep into his eyes. If he does the same, you two boys are ready to tango.

2. Do smile naughtily

This isn't necessarily something you must do in order to cruise successfully, but it is something that you should do. It lets guys know you're interested and you're down to have fun. There's also something incredibly arousing about seeing a guy look at you with a mischievous grin.

3. Do have condoms and lube

If you use condoms and lube, do not assume that anyone else will have them. Once you're there, in the thick of it, you're not going to want to stop because you didn't bring the necessities, so make sure you come with them (pun intended).

4. Do wear something simple to take on and off

Jogging shorts with no underwear, jeans without a belt where the buttons snap off with ease, and loose sneakers you can easily kick off are all examples of ideal articles of clothing. Things not to wear include skinny jeans, high-top boots you need to lace, and a 3-piece suit.

5. Do orgasm if you can

Sometimes there's so much excitement going on and the fear of getting caught inhibits you from finishing, but if you can, go for it. Let loose - hopefully on, or in, him.

6. Don’t be too loud in public

The reason why cruising has persisted throughout the decades is because of discretion. If we were getting caught all the time, or straight people became aware all the nasty things we were doing so near to them, cruising would not be a thing anymore. In fact, there would likely be a police officer outside of every sauna, truck stop, and airport bathroom. Don't ruin it for others. Be discreet. Be quiet.

7. Don’t take any valuables with you

Don't take your Rolex or that ring your grandma gave you when she passed away to the gay sauna. Don't wear any expensive underwear (no matter how cute it is) because you might leave it somewhere, and someone else may pick it up accidentally (or on purpose).

8. Don’t whip it out without being 100-percent sure

If you do everything correctly (i.e., making eye contact, waiting for him to play with himself over his shorts after he sees you playing with yourself over your shorts), then this shouldn't be a problem. Of all the times I've cruised, I've never had the "wrong idea about a guy," so to speak. When I whip it out, they drop to their knees. Everyone knows the deal.

9. Don’t get caught

This is arguably the biggest don't. Be smart. But subtle. Exist in the shadows. No one should even know that you were there (or at least what you were doing there).

10. Don’t feel any shame after

I have so many friends who experience incredible amounts of guilt after cruising. They think it's dirty, "wrong," or one of a million other things. Don't slut shame yourself. That said, if you think you're struggling with sex addiction, then seek help, but if you're just having some fun in a healthy way, then enjoy it . Sex is fun. Live a little!

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New to cruising? Here are all the terms you need to know

If you're new to cruising, you may feel like your fellow passengers are speaking in an insider, secret language, exchanging words and phrases that stump you. Fortunately, TPG can keep you from getting lost in translation with this handy glossary of cruise lingo. Take a peek and you'll know your berth from a beam in no time.

The ship and nautical terms

Aft: The rear (stern) area of the ship. When you select a cabin, you can pick one in that's aft, midship or forward.

Atrium: The splashy main entrance and lobby of the ship. If you sail Norwegian Cruise Line , you may know this spot as the Centrum.

Beam: Refers to the ship's width at its widest point. This is important since it's the measurement that will tell a captain if a vessel can transit tight spaces.

Bow: The very front of the ship.

Bridge: The bridge is usually on a high deck and forward. It's where the captain and officers navigate the ship. It's command central and usually off-limits to passengers with the exception of small cruise lines such as Windstar Cruises and Uncruise Adventures that offer specific times when you can stop by the bridge to ask the officer and his or her team questions.

Bulkhead: Partition walls in strategic places on the ship to prevent the spread of fire or flooding.

Dry dock: When a ship is at a shipyard or other location to be refurbished or have technical upgrades made.

Forward: Toward the front of the ship.

Funnel: The smokestack at the top of the ship. Most cruise lines paint their logo on the side of the funnel.

Galley: The ship's kitchen. Megaships like Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas may have more than one galley.

Related: The ultimate guide to cruising with Royal Caribbean

Gangway: This is the removable ramp or steps that passengers use to board or disembark the ship.

Grand staircase: Many posh ships, such as Oceania's R-class ships, have a grand staircase in the atrium. It's a fabulous spot for photographs -- especially when you're all dressed up. You could use the shot on next year's holiday card!

Helm: The ship's wheel (or remote control navigation) and steering apparatus make up the helm.

Hull: The watertight body of a ship.

Keel: A bow-to-stern structural support that runs along the bottom of the ship. You'll often hear about a ship's keel-laying ceremony , which kicks off a major construction milestone.

Knot: Indicates the speed of a ship in nautical miles.

Lido deck: Old-school cruisers use this term to denote the pool deck.

Lifeboat: Every cruise ship carries smaller boats that can be used by passengers in case of emergency. Most often, these are separate vessels from the ship's tenders (see that term below).

M.S.: Means motor-sail, a type of ship. If you sail Windstar Cruises , you're likely already familiar with the term M.S.Y., which indicates motor-sail-yacht. Wind Surf, Wind Spirit and Wind Star are all motor-sail-yachts.

Midship: The middle section of the ship. If you're worried about getting seasick, book a cabin on a low deck at midship so you're close to the vessel's fulcrum point, where you'll feel less movement.

Mooring: A mooring is a physical structure to which a ship can be secured. Examples include piers, wharves, jetties, quays and anchor buoys.

Muster station: A designated location on the ship where each passenger must report for muster drill, a practice run in case of an actual at-sea emergency. Your muster station is printed on a map on the back of your cabin door and is listed on your cabin key card. The location could be in an interior bar or theater or on an open deck.

Panamax: A ship that's the right width to sail the Panama Canal. Anything larger than a Panamax vessel cannot transit the canal.

Port side: This refers to the left side of the ship as you face forward.

Porthole: An oval or round window. It's sealed shut so water can't get in, but it does provide light and a limited view to the world outside.

Promenade: The open-air walkways that usually span the entire length of both sides of the ship.

S.S.: Stands for "steam ship."

Skiff: These are shallow, flat-bottomed open boats used for expedition exploration. They are favored since you can execute wet landings on beaches and transit shallow bodies of water. They also help travelers get close to glaciers and rock formations. You may also hear people call them Zodiacs, but that's actually a brand name for this style of boat.

Stabilizers: Stabilizers, which sometimes look like wings on the sides of the ship, are retractable tools that can be deployed in rough seas. As the name infers, they stabilize the ship to provide a smoother sail.

Starboard: Refers to the right side of the ship as you face forward.

Stern: The rear end of the ship.

Tender: Small motorized boats that the cruise ship carries. They are deployed on port days and are used to ferry passengers from ship to shore.

Wake: If you've ever taken a cruise, you've probably photographed the ship's wake: It's the turbulence the ship causes in the water that creates a trail, not unlike an airplane's contrail.

Cabin intel

Balcony (veranda): Cruise ship cabins come in all types, including "balcony." It means the stateroom has a private balcony (shocker!) which is sometimes called a veranda.

Category: Ships can have several or many categories of cabins. This can mean inside, porthole, oceanview, balcony and suite varieties. And, one type of cabin can even have multiple categories. For example, inside cabins at the front of the ship, midship and aft can be in different cabin categories.

Related: The 5 best cabin locations on any cruise ship

Double occupancy: Most cruise fares are priced as double-occupancy, meaning two people sharing a cabin. If you book that cabin by yourself, you will often be charged a single supplement of up to 100% of the cruise fare. Alternatively, you can book a cabin meant for a solo traveler. Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean both offer them, as do a lot of river cruise lines. Or, look for a low or waived "single supplement" fare.

Inside: Inside refers to a cabin that has no porthole, window or balcony.

Junior suite: Not a true suite, but a cabin that has a bit more room than a traditional oceanview or balcony. The bedroom and living space are usually separated by a curtain or other movable partition. (See "suite" for more information.)

Obstructed view: You'll see this note on some deck plans showing cabin locations. Obstructed view means you don't get a full line of sight through your cabin's window. You may be able to see part or all of a ship's tender that's stored outside your window. On Celebrity Edge and Apex, some rooms have views obstructed by part of the mechanism of the Magic Carpet.

Outside: When you book an "outside" cabin, you're getting one that includes a window.

Pullman (Murphy) bed: This type of bed pulls down from the ceiling or wall. It's a space-saving way to add another sleeping area to a cabin.

Spa cabin: Many cruise ships offer incredible spa facilities. To leverage those services, some ships dedicate an entire category of cabins to the spa. These cabins -- often located on the same deck as the spa -- often have upgrades such as rainfall showerheads in the bathroom and select perks packaged in the cruise fare, such as access to the spa's thermal suite.

Suite: A true suite means the bedroom and living area is separated by a permanent wall.

Related: What it takes to get concierge or lounge access on a cruise ship

Upper/lower berths: This can refer to bunk beds with the upper referring to the top bunk and the lower referring to the bottom bunk.

Virtual porthole/balcony: Some inside cabins have a virtual porthole or window, which is a screen that shows a live stream of what's going on outside. You'll find these on certain Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line ships.

Cruise director: This is the person in charge of all the ship's social activities and entertainment. He or she is the MC for most events on board. Many cruise directors are highly trained musicians or entertainers.

Maitre d': This person holds court over an onboard restaurant and supervises the waitstaff and sommeliers. The maitre d' can assist you in making reservations and getting the specific table, waiter or waitress you prefer.

Porter: Shoreside, porters are the people who ferry your luggage from shore to ship, and vice versa.

Purser: The purser is usually found at the reception desk and is in charge of all onboard accounts and guest relations.

Sommelier: The terms sommelier and wine steward are interchangeable. This refers to the trained crewmembers who have an encyclopedic knowledge of wine. He or she can suggest the perfect wine to pair with your meals. Sommeliers also often host wine tastings on board and share their love of winemaking.

Steward: Each cabin is assigned a specific steward that tends to the room and its occupants throughout the cruise. Your steward will make sure your stateroom is set up correctly upon your arrival and will take care of daily cleaning and maintenance.

Dining terms

MDR: Stands for the Main Dining Room. The restaurant usually also has a specific name, such as the Sunrise Dining Room and Sunset Forward Dining Room on Carnival Sunshine.

Main seating/late seating: The Main Dining Room usually offers two sittings at dinnertime: main (also known as first or early seating) and a second, or late, seating.

Captain's or officers' table: Each evening in the Main Dining Room, the captain and other officers host tables. It's an honor to be invited to dine at one of these tables. Members of the cruise line's loyalty program are often invited and the cruise director may also recommend passengers for seating at one of these tables.

Related: A beginner's guide to cruise line loyalty programs

Open seating: Open seating means passengers can select where and when they want to eat, and with whom, instead of sticking to a strict early or late seating.

Specialty restaurant: Also known as alternative dining, specialty restaurants -- such as Cagney's Steakhouse aboard Norwegian Cruise Line ships — are smaller dining venues than the MDR. You'll usually pay a per person surcharge or order a la carte off the menu.

Related: 5 reasons you should splurge on cruise ship specialty restaurants

Dress codes

Cruise casual: Most cruise lines have basic dress codes. For daytime, passengers can usually wear casual clothing such as T-shirts, shorts, jeans and sundresses. While you can wear a swimsuit at the pool deck, throw on a cover-up when in other parts of the ship.

Cruise elegant/country club casual: On some cruise lines, they've gotten rid of the formal night but still have a slightly dressier standard for dinner. it's called cruise elegant or country club casual. Women generally wear dresses, blouses and skirts or slacks while men can wear collared shirts and slacks. Suitcoats aren't required but can be worn if desired.

Formal night: Usually once per seven-night cruise or twice on a two-week voyage, it's when the cruise line asks passengers to dress up for dinner. That usually means a black-tie affair, with tuxedos or dark suits for men and gowns or cocktail-style dresses for women.

Onboard events

Captain's cocktail party: Nearly ever cruise itinerary kicks off with a captain's cocktail party and/or dinner. The gathering gives the captain a chance to introduce himself or herself, the officers and pivotal crew members. At the cocktail party, it's customary to receive a free glass of Champagne and appetizers. If the cruise line still has formal night, the event is often paired with the first one of the cruise. So, passengers get dressed up to enjoy the festivities.

Friends of Bill W: A fathering of Alcoholics Anonymous members. Watch the daily cruise planner for meeting times and places.

Friends of Dorothy: A gathering of LGBTQ cruisers. Watch the daily cruise planner for meeting times and places.

Sail-away: Stay topside as the ship departs its embarkation port. The cruise director and band are usually at the pool deck entertaining guests and the drinks start flowing. The sail-away from some home ports, such as Miami and Venice, are particularly beautiful.

Berth: This word is used in two ways in the cruising world: Berth can be the pier at which your ship docks. Or, it can refer to the beds in a cabin. For example, if a cabin sleeps three, it has three berths.

Dock: These structures are built next to the water and provide space for ships to tie-up to load and unload passengers.

Home port: The ports from which a cruise ship embarks and disembarks. For example, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral are all popular home ports in Florida where ships from many cruise lines depart on itineraries on a regular basis.

Pier: A pier is built with pillars or pilings over the water and is the place where ships moor.

Port of call: A ship's itinerary is made up of ports of call: The places the ship will stop so passengers can explore. Most cruises are a mix of sea days and days in port.

Shorex: This is an abbreviation for "shore excursion" and indicates the activities you can take part in on shore. You can purchase shore excursions directly from your cruise line or arrange them on your own.

Tender port: Some ports do not have facilities for cruise ships to dock. In those cases, they are called "tender ports" and that means you'll board the ship's tender (smaller boat) to transfer from ship to shore.

Transfers: Usually motorcoach transportation from the airport to the cruise terminal and vice versa at the beginning and end of your cruise. You can purchase these transfers from your cruise line.

Cruise-specific terms

Air/sea: Cruise lines offer air/sea, or fly/cruise, packages that include both your flights to and from the ship as well as the cruise itinerary itself. Transfers between the airport and cruise ship are also usually included in the price.

All aboard: The time when all passengers need to be on board the ship before it sets sail. Ships don't wait for passengers in most circumstances so don't miss your all aboard time!

Back to back: This refers to two or more cruise itineraries that you book "back to back." It's a way to create a longer cruise vacation and see more ports of call. Most cruise lines offer a discount on the second itinerary in a back-to-back booking.

Charter: Cruise ships are the perfect venues for family reunions and corporate gatherings. You can charter an entire ship or just part of it. Sometimes you'll notice gaps in a cruise ship's schedule. Many times, it's because the ship has been chartered and there are no cabins available for anyone outside of that group.

Crossing: Crossings refer to sailings across oceans. Cunard's transatlantic crossings between Southampton, England, and New York City, are legendary.

Cruise contract: Before you book any voyages, carefully read the fine print in the cruise contract. It lists the various rules and regulations, including what recourse, if any, you have when things go wrong.

Cruise documents: About two weeks to 30 days before boarding your cruise ship, you'll receive your cruise documents. The paperwork includes your cruise ticket, airline tickets and hotel confirmations (if you booked them through the cruise line), pre-cruise and shore excursion information and luggage tags. Be sure to download this information from your online account. In most cases, you cannot board the ship without this paperwork in hand.

Cruisetour: This refers to a cruise and land tour package. Princess Cruises and Holland America Line both offer cruisetour packages to Alaska so you can see the best of the state by sea and land.

Related: The ultimate guide to Princess Cruises

Disembarkation: Departing the ship on the last day of the cruise.

Doc dancing: When your cruise documents arrive via mail, courier or your email inbox, many cruisers do the "doc dance" to show their excitement that their cruise will begin shortly.

Embarkation: Boarding the ship for the first time at check-in.

Godmother: Every ship has a godmother who is installed at a ceremony that coincides with the brand-new ship's inaugural voyage. This person, usually a woman, christens the ship and wishes it a lifetime of good luck and special sailings. Godmothers are usually celebrities, royalty or industry executives.

Inaugural voyage: This is the big celebration every brand-new ship has when it first sets sail. It's not necessarily the ship's very first sailing, but it's the one at which a big deal is made and where the godmother christens the ship.

Lanyard: Many cruisers like to stash their cruise card (key to their cabin and method to charge items to their onboard account) on a lanyard. A strap hangs around your neck with a plastic pouch at the bottom to keep your cruise card easily accessible.

Maiden voyage: This is a "first" for the ship. It can be a brand-new ship's very first voyage or a ship can make a "maiden call" on a port it has never visited before.

Repositioning cruise: Repo, or repositioning cruises, happen at the beginning and end of a regional cruising season. It's when the ship repositions from one home port to another. For example, a ship may spend the winter cruising out of Miami for Caribbean itineraries. In the spring, the ship repositions to Barcelona to sail out of that home port for Mediterranean voyages all summer long.

Sea day: A day at which the ship doesn't stop at a port of call. It stays at sea all day and night.

Segments: Longer voyages, like world cruises, are often broken up into shorter "segments." This makes it possible for cruisers to book just part of a longer itinerary.

Turnaround day: This is the day one cruise itinerary ends and another begins. Turnaround days are tough on the crew since they need to see every passenger off the ship safely, clean and prep the ship for the next batch of passengers, and welcome them on board. It's a very long and busy day for the crew.

Upgrade fairy: The upgrade fairy visits passengers on occasion. This is when the cruise line calls you (or your travel agent) to offer an upgrade. They are usually paid upgrades but the discounts make them very attractive.

Waitlist: Sometimes, an entire cruise itinerary or the cabin category you're interested in will sell out. If you want to be notified when cabins become available, ask to join the waitlist. If someone cancels the trip and a cabin opens up, the cruise line will contact travelers on the waitlist.

World cruise: Many cruise lines offer three- to four-month-long itineraries that span the entire globe.

Pricing and the bill

All-inclusive: You'll see the term "all-inclusive" used often in relation to cruise fares. It means "everything's included." However, read the terms since that's usually not quite true. Mainstream cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line generally include accommodations, all meals in the main dining room and buffet (as well as other free restaurants), nonalcoholic beverages and entertainment. Extras like wine and booze, spa treatments, specialty (for-fee) restaurants and shore excursions still cost extra.

Related: The ultimate guide to Norwegian Cruise Line

Future cruise credits (FCC): If you had to cancel or postpone a cruise due to coronavirus, you're probably very familiar with future cruise credits. These are vouchers with a dollar value that the cruise line gives out in certain circumstances, such as when an itinerary is canceled. Cruisers who receive an FCC can rebook on another ship and itinerary of their choosing.

Chit: The "chit" is the bill of sale you'll sign onboard cruise ships when you make a purchase. That could mean buying a drink at the bar, paying for a T-shirt in the boutique or signing up for a shore excursion. On truly all-inclusive lines like Regent Seven Seas Cruises or The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Club, you'll never sign a chit since nearly everything is included in your cruise fare.

Related: The ultimate guide to The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Guarantee (GTY) cabin: You'll sometimes see GTY fares. This means you can book the cabin category but not select the actual cabin number as you normally would. You are guaranteed a cabin in that category but, if it sells out, you will be upgraded to the next available cabin type. Read this for a complete explanation of cruise cabin guarantee fares and when you should -- or shouldn't -- book one.

Onboard (shipboard) account: At check-in, the ship will open an onboard account for you, and you'll provide a credit card. Charges will be added to this account throughout your cruise. At the end of the voyage, you'll receive an itemized bill. If you're fine with it, the total will be charged to the credit card on record.

Onboard credit: Cruisers love onboard credit (OBC), which is also known as shipboard credit. It's basically money that's deposited into your onboard account that you can spend during your cruise on things like alcohol (if drinks aren't included in your cruise fare), shore excursions and specialty restaurant fees. Cruise lines often lure passengers to book cruises with the promise of OBC. Travel agents also often reward clients by giving them a certain amount of onboard credit to thank them for booking a cruise through their agency.

Join our Adventure: Get all my insider tips for traveling on a budget

CruiseOverload

Carnival Cruise Card Colors Guide (Tiers and Perks EXPLAINED!)

Wondering about the color-coded Sail & Sign cards and perks of the VIFP Club on your Carnival Cruise? From Blue to Diamond, each tier represents a new level of benefits and rewards.

Explore the meaning behind each color, the point ranges, and how to activate your membership to make the most of your vacation.

Table of Contents

Carnival Cruise Card Color Basics

Purpose of the cruise card.

When you embark on a Carnival Cruise, you’ll be given a Sail & Sign card in a specific color. This card serves multiple purposes during your vacation.

Designed with both convenience and recognition in mind, the cruise card acts as your room key, payment method for onboard purchases, and identification for getting on and off the ship.

On top of that, the color of your card indicates your status in Carnival’s VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) Club.

Understanding Different Colors

As you cruise with Carnival and accumulate vacation days, you’ll advance through their VIFP Club and earn corresponding card colors.

Each color represents a different tier in the program, offering various benefits and perks for your loyalty.

To make sense of these colors, here’s a brief rundown:

• Blue : This is the color you’ll receive on your first-ever Carnival cruise. It signifies that you are a cruise rookie and have yet to accumulate any VIFP Points.
• Red : Once you have 2-24 VIFP Points under your belt, you’ll be upgraded to the Red tier card. This color reflects your second Carnival cruise and beyond, up until you reach 25 VIFP Points.
• Gold : When you earn 25-74 VIFP Points, your Sail & Sign card will turn Gold in color, highlighting your growing Carnival experience and earned recognition.
• Platinum : By accumulating 75 or more VIFP Points, you’ll receive a Platinum card, an indication of your significant time spent cruising with Carnival.
• Diamond : This is the ultimate achievement for Carnival cruisers. To reach the prestigious Diamond tier, you need to have cruised with Carnival for an impressive amount of time, achieving the required VIFP Points as specified by Carnival’s program.

Keep in mind that every day you spend on a Carnival cruise earns you one VIFP Point, helping you rise through the ranks of the club and earn increasingly exclusive benefits.

As you progress, you’ll reap the rewards of your loyalty, enjoying a variety of perks, such as priority boarding, reserved seating, and even complimentary laundry services.

Card Color Tiers

Blue Tier – First-Time Cruisers

As a first-time Carnival cruiser, you will receive a blue Sail & Sign card, automatically registering you in the VIFP Club program.

However, the Blue tier of the program provides minimal benefits, with only two available: access to exclusive cruise offers for members and receipt of a members-only electronic newsletter.

This card is unique because you only get the blue card once. After your initial cruise, you’ll move up to the next tier – the Red Tier.

Red Tier – Second Cruise and Beyond

After your first cruise, you’ll enter the Red Tier of the VIFP Club program. This tier applies to your second cruise and up to 24 points.

Your Sail & Sign card will change to red, indicating your new status.

The Red tier, on the other hand, offers the same two benefits as the Blue tier, along with an additional one: a free, one-liter bottle of water that will be delivered to your cabin during sailings. However, it’s best not to consume it all at once.

As you continue to sail with Carnival, you’ll accumulate more points and advance through the tiers.

Gold Tier – 25 to 74 Days At Sea

Once you reach 25 points, you’ll enter the Gold Tier and your Sail & Sign card will be in gold color.

This tier covers 25 to 74 points or days at sea with Carnival.

With the Gold tier, you get a complimentary drink that can only be ordered on the final night of a cruise, but this perk is only available for cruises lasting five nights or more.

We believe that Carnival’s decision to limit the free drink to the last night of the cruise is an excessive measure to deter customers from availing it.

Additionally, Gold level members receive a Gold VIFP pin on each sailing.

Platinum Tier – 75 to 199 Days At Sea

Upon reaching 75 points, you’ll move up to the Platinum Tier. Your Sail & Sign card will now be platinum colored, representing 75 to 199 points or days at sea.

This tier provides even more exclusive benefits, making your cruise experience even more enjoyable.

To sum it up, reaching the Platinum level grants you priority status from the moment you step onto the ship until the moment you disembark.

This is a significant advantage. Priority boarding enables you to board the ship faster than other passengers, allowing you to enjoy its amenities for a longer period on your first day.

Moreover, priority access to restaurant reservations ensures that you secure the best table times.

Diamond Tier – 200 Days or More At Sea

Finally, when you’ve spent 200 or more days at sea with Carnival, you’ll reach the highest tier – Diamond.

Your Sail & Sign card will now be diamond colored, and you’ll enjoy the best benefits and privileges available to VIFP Club members.

As a Diamond Tier member, your dedication and loyalty to Carnival are truly rewarded.

You get a complimentary cabin upgrade or the offer of free sailing for third and fourth passengers that come with achieving Diamond status. However, disappointingly this benefit is only available once.

Another noteworthy but one-time-only perk of Diamond status is a free meal for two at a specialty restaurant of your choosing.

Carnival Cruise Card Privileges

Exclusive Offers and Perks

As a member of Carnival’s VIFP Club, you’ll enjoy exclusive offers and perks that enhance your cruising experience.

As you move up through the different card colors, you’ll unlock even more benefits. The higher your tier, the more you’ll gain access to exceptional services and opportunities.

Keep an eye out for members-only promotions and join the VIFP Club today to start enjoying these advantages.

Discounts and Priority Services

Your Sail & Sign card makes your cruise smoother and more convenient. With it, you can enjoy various discounts and priority services on board. Carnival Cruise Line offers different card colors to help identify your level in their VIFP Club.

This means the more you cruise with Carnival, the more benefits you’ll be eligible for. For instance, higher-tiered members receive attractive discounts on spa treatments, internet packages, and shore excursions.

Plus, you’ll love the priority boarding, check-in, and embarkation processes that make your cruise experience even more seamless.

Onboard Benefits and Amenities

In addition to discounts and priority services, your card color signifies the onboard benefits and amenities that come with being a loyal Carnival cruiser.

Starting at the Blue tier, you’ll receive a complimentary welcome drink on your first day aboard.

As you progress to Red level, you’ll get a complimentary one-liter bottle of water in your cabin. The higher your tier gets, the more impressive your perks will become.

Each status level introduces new and exciting benefits to make your Carnival Cruise vacation truly memorable.

Remember to take the time to activate your VIFP Club membership at least eight weeks before your next sailing.

By doing so, you’ll ensure you receive the appropriate card color, reflecting your membership level and unlocking all the fabulous privileges that come with it.

Do I Earn Points For Booked Cruises?

Yes, you do earn points for booked cruises! As a member of Carnival’s VIFP Club, you’ll receive one VIFP Point for every day you’re at sea (aka cruise day).

This means that if you take a seven-night cruise, you’ll earn seven points.

You don’t have to worry about different earning levels for different cabin categories or types of bookings. It’s a simple one-to-one ratio – 1 VIFP Point equals 1 Cruise Day.

However, please note that certain charter sailings and nonrevenue fares may not earn you any points.

As you accumulate points, you’ll advance through the various levels of the VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) Club:

• Blue : Cruise Rookies
• Red : 2-24 VIFP Points
• Gold : 25-74 VIFP Points
• Platinum : 75-199 VIFP Points
• Diamond : 200+ VIFP Points

Your VIFP status will advance on your next cruise after reaching the required number of points.

The higher you go, the more benefits you’ll enjoy, such as priority boarding, complimentary laundry service, and more.

How To Find Your Carnival VIFP Number

To find your Carnival VIFP number, head to the Carnival Cruise Line website and log in to your account. You have to use the email address associated with your cruises to ensure you see the correct information.

If you haven’t created an account yet, you’ll need to do so by providing your past booking details and setting up a username and password.

Once you’ve logged in, look for your name in the top right corner and click on it. This will take you to your VIFP profile page, where you can manage your account and cruise information. You’re one step away from finding your VIFP number now.

Here comes the fun part. Click on the “My Cruises” section of your profile. This is where you’ll see a list of your previous and upcoming cruises, as well as any associated points.

Take a moment to review your cruise history and, more importantly, locate your VIFP number. It should be displayed prominently on this page, near your name and current status.

If, for some reason, you’re unable to find your VIFP number on the website, there’s still an option to retrieve it.

You can call Carnival’s customer service and provide your booking history details. They’ll assist you in locating your VIFP number, ensuring you don’t miss out on any of those fantastic benefits.

Remember, your VIFP number is your ticket to unlocking a world of rewards and recognition within the Carnival family.

Do I Get Special Fares For Being A Member?

While there are no specific discounts or reduced fares tied directly to the VIFP Club membership, you can still reap various benefits that can enhance your overall cruise experience based on the club’s different tier levels.

First off, remember that joining the VIFP Club is free and membership never expires. As soon as you join, you start earning points for every Carnival cruise you take.

Over time, these points will help you climb the club’s tiers – starting at Blue, followed by Red, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond levels.

Each tier comes with its own set of perks, some of which can indeed help you save money.

For example, after you complete your first sailing, you’ll be able to take advantage of members-only promotions that offer better deals on select cruises.

One way to earn additional rewards and save on your future cruises is by using the Carnival World Mastercard.

This card allows you to earn FunPoints when making purchases. These points can be redeemed for statement credits towards your next cruise or towards any onboard expenses such as shore excursions.

In fact, using the card for a Carnival shore excursion earns you a 10% statement credit, saving you a bit on your travel activities.

While there might not be direct, across-the-board fare discounts for being a member, the rewards, offers, and benefits you can access through the VIFP Club and Carnival World Mastercard will undoubtedly help make your Carnival cruise experience more rewarding and budget-friendly.

What Kind Of Cruise Deals Will I Receive With The VIFP Program?

With the Carnival VIFP Club, you’ll experience a loyalty program that rewards you for your continued vacation adventures.

As you accumulate points, you’ll progress through various status levels, each with their own perks and benefits to enhance your cruising experience.

Upon joining the VIFP Club, you’ll automatically be placed at the Blue level, which kicks in the moment you step on board your first Carnival cruise.

As a Blue member, you’ll have access to member-only fares and promotions, making it easier for you to start planning your next ocean getaway.

Even as a newbie, it’s nice to know that you’re recognized from your very first sailing.

As you continue sailing with Carnival, you’ll earn more VIFP points and progress through the Red (second sailing to 24 points), Gold (25 to 74 points), Platinum (75 to 199 points), and finally, the Diamond level (200 or more points).

The higher your status, the better the vacation deals you’ll receive, such as discounts on future cruises, priority boarding, room upgrades, and more.

Keep in mind that the number of VIFP points you accumulate is determined by the number of days you sail. This means that each day you’re on a Carnival cruise counts toward your point total.

Therefore, longer cruises or frequent shorter getaways will both contribute to your VIFP status and bring you closer to unlocking more amazing deals and perks.

The more you sail, the better the deals get, enabling you to make the most of your time on board and enjoy your cruising experience to the fullest.

And don’t forget that these benefits apply to everyone in your family or party who cruises with Carnival, making it a fantastic way for all to share in the excitement of your well-deserved ocean adventures!

What If I Have A Past Cruise Without Points?

Sometimes, you might have cruised with Carnival before the VIFP Club was introduced or in the early days when the recognition program had not yet started tracking points.

In these cases, you may be wondering if you can still earn points for those past cruises to improve your membership tier and get better perks during your future voyages.

First, let’s clarify the rules about earning points. You earn VIFP Points for all qualifying Carnival cruises from March 9, 1972, onwards. Non-qualifying cruises include charter cruises and non-revenue cruises.

If you’ve found that a past cruise with Carnival is not reflected in your VIFP Club account, don’t worry.

You can still receive points for past cruises by providing proof of your cruise history with Carnival.

To do this, start gathering any documentation you may have from that specific sailing, such as boarding passes, reservation confirmations, or even photographs from the cruise.

If you have sailed with sister cruise lines, such as Princess, your travel agent may have secured past passenger rates that Carnival does not account for since they occurred before 1990.

After collecting the necessary proof, contact Carnival’s customer service team and request to add the missing points to your account.

Be prepared to share your documentation and be patient, as it might take some time for the team to update your account and allocate the appropriate points.

Once your past cruise points have been added to your VIFP Club account, your membership tier may be updated accordingly – Blue for your first sailing, Red for 2-24 points, Gold for 25-74 points, Platinum for 75-199 points, and Diamond for 200 or more points.

With every tier upgrade, you unlock new perks and benefits that will make your future cruise even more enjoyable.

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VIFP Club - Carnival's Recognition Program

What is the VIFP Club®? The VIFP Club stands for the Very Important Fun Person Club, Carnival's guest recognition program. If you're a Past Guest, the program recognizes you for your continued loyalty to Carnival with increasing recognition and benefits as you cruise more and more. New to Carnival? The VIFP Club is a warm welcome to the Carnival experience and gives you access to VIFP members-only rates and promotions. What are the benefits for each VIFP level? Click here  to view the benefits of each level. Benefits are subject to the provisions in the VIFP Club Terms and Conditions. All capitalized terms herein have the same meaning as those set forth in the VIFP Club Terms and Conditions. No substitution of Benefits may occur, except in the sole discretion of Carnival Cruise Line. Benefits are subject to change at any time without notice.     What are the Terms and Conditions for the VIFP Club? To review the Terms and Conditions, click here .  How do I see my VIFP points? To see the number of cruise days (points) you currently have on your VIFP profile, simply log into your profile, located at https://www.carnival.com/BookedGuest . Once logged in, click on 'Your Name' to load your VIFP profile and then click on 'My Cruises'. This will show your current VIFP level, how many points you have and how many points you need to reach the next level. How will the one-time donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® work? Each year, for every guest that reaches the Diamond level in the VIFP Club, Carnival will make a $100 USD donation to St. Jude's Children's Hospital. In the initial year,   If a cruise is cut short or extended for reasons outside the control of guests, how many points will guests earn since we are basing it on the actual number of days sailed? As a gesture of goodwill, we will never decrease the number of cruise days earned as a result of the shortening of a cruise. In cases where a ship returns at a later date than scheduled, we will increase the number of cruise days. (Extended sailings must have taken place, after the launch of the VIFP Program, 6/30/2012). 

I activated my account but noticed that all of my cruises were not included. How long will it take for Carnival to adjust my level? Carnival wants to ensure than all eligible cruises are captured in guests' cruise history. It takes up to three business days after a sailing for the system to update a guest's cruise history. If you notice a discrepancy, log into your personal profile on  www.carnival.com/VIFP and submit a request form. The request form can be found at the bottom of the 'Review My Cruise History' page in the 'Manage My Cruise History' tab. Please note, Carnival cannot process requests over the phone. Carnival will review each request on an individual basis. Please be patient, the process may take 2-3 weeks to complete. I was only a sail or two away from becoming Platinum in the previous recognition program. Is there anything I can do to reach the Platinum level? We understand the investments guests have made over the years, and we'd like to thank and acknowledge guests who were near advancement in the previous program. Any guest that sailed at least 10 times by December 31, 2013 was grandfathered into the Platinum level under the old program rules.

How will Carnival know my level when I sail? Guests will receive a color-coded Sail & Sign® card during each sailing which will identify their levels in the VIFP Club. It's recommended that all guests activate their VIFP Club membership at least eight weeks prior to their next sailing to ensure they're recognized as a member of their correct level. 

Will benefits change over time? They might someday. Therefore, Carnival Cruise Line® reserves the right to change terms/benefits at any time. If a guest is sharing a cabin with another guest in a different level (e.g. a Platinum and a Gold), how will benefits apply to the stateroom? Benefits are meant to recognize individual members and are therefore not transferable to travel companions. Can a guest bring another guest to membership functions on board? Generally, benefits requiring an invitation are designated per member. Certain events invite eligible guests to bring one additional person as space permits. Details are provided on invitations for each of the functions. Will guests automatically receive recognition/benefits? VIFP Club members will automatically move from one level to the next level based on their VIFP Points and will receive the benefits of their level on each sailing.   Guests graduating into a new level during a cruise will receive the benefits of the new level they are graduating into from the beginning of the cruise (e.g. those graduating to Gold on the 3rd day of a 5-day cruise will receive Gold benefits for the entire duration of their cruise). Please note that ‘debarkation day’ is not considered a ‘cruise day’, therefore, points are not earned for that day.

While guests are automatically eligible for their benefits, some Diamond level benefits must be requested at the time of booking (e.g. one-time benefits). Please remember to always provide your VIFP number at time of booking. How long do I have to activate my membership? Guests may activate their membership at any time, but we do encourage everyone to do it as soon as they can. As of June 30, 2013, we are no longer able to make adjustments to cruise history. Do VIFP Club members earn points when cruising with sister lines? Benefits of the VIFP Club are unique to Carnival Cruise Line cruises. VIFP Points may be earned only when sailing on Carnival Cruise Line. Cruises taken on Carnival Corporation's other own cruise lines will not earn VIFP Points and VIFP Club benefits will not be offered. Which Carnival Cruise Line cruises count towards my VIFP Points? VIFP Points will be earned for all qualifying Carnival Cruise Line cruises, starting with Carnival's first sailing on March 9, 1972. (Non-qualifying cruises include charter cruises, non-revenue cruises, etc.) How much does it cost to become a VIFP Club member? There are no fees to join the VIFP Club, and membership never expires. Does each cruiser in a guest's family/party/stateroom earn points and receive Club benefits? Yes, each member of the VIFP Club earns VIFP Points and will receive the benefits of their VIFP Club level. However, some benefits are age-restricted. Should everyone activate/join (all members of guest's family or party)? All guests who have cruised with Carnival will be automatically enrolled. Still, each guest should individually activate their account to ensure data accuracy. For guests who haven't sailed with Carnival yet, we recommend at least one adult within each family or party join the VIFP Club to see if you can take advantage of members-only offers or promotions that are offered from time-to-time.   How do guests enroll? If guests have cruised with Carnival before, they're automatically enrolled. They simply activate their account at www.carnival.com/VIFP . Guests who have never sailed with Carnival can join prior to cruising at www.carnival.com/VIFP . Or, if they don't enroll prior to their cruise, they'll be automatically enrolled upon completion of the voyage. They simply activate their account at www.carnival.com/VIFP . How does the VIFP Club work? Members of the VIFP Club earn one VIFP Point for every day they've been at sea (aka cruise day), so 1 VIFP Point = 1 Cruise Day. There are five levels in the VIFP Club:

• Blue: Cruise Rookies
• Red: 2-24 VIFP Points
• Gold: 25-74 VIFP Points
• Platinum: 75-199 VIFP Points
• Diamond: 200+ VIFP Points

What is the difference between Past Guest and the VIFP Club membership? Past Guest fares will continue. However, membership in the VIFP Club provides for additional valuable benefits. 

I have already sailed with Carnival before and previously received a color-coded Sail and Sign card. Will I be grandfathered into that group in the VIFP Club? Guests who sailed with Carnival on more than 10 cruises by December 31, 2013 were automatically included in the Platinum level of the VIFP Club. Additionally, some guests who previously received Platinum cards advanced to the VIFP Club's Diamond level.  All guests who sailed with Carnival fewer than 10 times were placed in the level that corresponds with their VIFP Points (i.e., cruise days). Guests with fewer than 25 VIFP Points were placed in the new Red level. Those who have earned 25-74 VIFP Points were placed in the Gold level.

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to sail about on a pleasure trip.

to sail about, as a warship patrolling a body of water.

to travel about without a particular purpose or destination.

to fly, drive, or sail at a constant speed that permits maximum operating efficiency for sustained travel.

to travel at a moderately fast, easily controllable speed: cruising along the highway enjoying the scenery.

to travel about slowly, looking for customers or for something demanding attention: Taxis and police cars cruise in the downtown area.

to go or travel (often followed by over ): Let's cruise over to my house after the concert.

Informal . to go about on the streets or in public areas in search of a sexual partner.

to cruise in (a specified area): patrol cars cruising the neighborhood; to cruise the Caribbean.

to move slowly through or visit (a street, park, bar, etc.) in search of a sexual partner.

to make sexual overtures to; attempt to arouse the sexual interest of.

to inspect (a tract of forest) for the purpose of estimating lumber potential.

the act of cruising.

a pleasure voyage on a ship, usually with stops at various ports.

Origin of cruise

Other words from cruise.

• cruis·ing·ly, adverb

Words Nearby cruise

• cruelty-free
• cruise control
• cruise missile
• cruiserweight
• cruise ship

Other definitions for Cruise (2 of 2)

Tom Thomas Cruise Mapother, 4th , born 1962, U.S. film actor.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use cruise in a sentence

Such tests might be useful, say, to screen school children or cruise ship passengers.

Meanwhile, cruise still has its eyes set on public deployment, which is where the expertise of Raman comes in.

That all came after cruise had already scrapped its plans to launch a robotaxi service in 2019.

cruise also began focusing more on hardware earlier this year.

cruise Director of Government Affairs Prashanthi Raman Earlier this year, before the world blew up, cruise received a permit in California to begin transporting passengers.

These skills are particularly needed when, as in the case of the AirAsia flight, the airplane is at cruise altitude.

Nerd cruise By Adam Rogers, Wired What 800 Nerds on a cruise Ship Taught Me About Life, the Universe, and Snorkeling.

He told the court he called the retired captain to see exactly where he lived so he knew when to sound the cruise ship horn.

More than 150 passengers on a California cruise ship came down with norovirus, continuing a trend that happens every year.

It also has a close association with cruises and cruise ships.

And Jack come home from a long cruise , with prize-money in his pockets, was as ostentatious as any nouveau riche.

And every boy made a dash for the camp to secure anything he might need on a cruise down the bay.

In his first cruise he was out forty-five days, and in that time he captured fourteen vessels and 166 prisoners.

Then, his mother coming in, he proceeded to tell about their " cruise ," and the sad fate of his bundle.

Earth-closets are a delusion; you cannot get earth, nor even sand, when on a cruise , and there are other serious objections.

British Dictionary definitions for cruise (1 of 2)

/ ( kruːz ) /

(intr) to make a trip by sea in a liner for pleasure, usually calling at a number of ports

to sail or travel over (a body of water) for pleasure in a yacht, cruiser, etc

(intr) to search for enemy vessels in a warship

(intr) (of a vehicle, aircraft, or vessel) to travel at a moderate and efficient speed

(intr) informal to search the streets or other public places for a sexual partner

an act or instance of cruising, esp a trip by sea

British Dictionary definitions for Cruise (2 of 2)

Tom. original name Thomas Cruise Mapother. born 1962, US film actor; his films include Risky Business (1983), Top Gun (1986), Jerry Maguire (1989), Eyes Wide Shut (1999), War of the Worlds (2005), and Valkyrie (2008)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Glossary of cruise lingo

A guide to help you navigate the jargon of the cruising world.

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Unless you're a cruise veteran, chances are you've come across the occasional term on a cruise or travel website that makes you wonder, Huh? What the heck does that mean?

The cruise landscape is riddled with insidery terms and strange lingo — but don’t feel intimidated! Here’s a quick guide to some of the terms you may encounter.

Come across a term that’s making you cross-eyed? Tell us and we’ll define it, add it to the list and credit you. 

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The Ultimate Cruise Glossary

Welcome to our comprehensive alphabetical cruise glossary. In this free A to Z guide on Cruise terminology we have done the research for you. We have used our extensive knowledge of cruising to share an ultimate list of cruising and ship lingo in this cruise dictionary.

When you book at cruise for the first time it can be a bit daunting with all of those cruise ship terms and their meanings. So scroll though our cruise glossary and hopefully we have covered all the cruise lingo to help you with your next cruise vacation.

In this A to Z guide on cruising we have covered almost everything cruise related in our cruise glossary including shop features, cruise lines, river cruise lines and port lingo.

Welcome to the ultimate Cruise glossary, the A to Z terminology of cruising

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Cruise Glossary A

Starting with A on our cruise glossary lets discover all the cruise words associated with A

Accomodation

The room or cruise cabin you stay in during the duration of your cruise. There are a choice of accommodations on cruise ships from inside cabins, sea view, balconies, mini suites and suites. This ensures there is something to suit every budget.

Cruise ships not only take you from port to port, but also plan a full schedule of activities for all ages from culture and art talks, auctions to kids clubs, Karaoke, theatre, cooking lesson and theatre, the list goes on. But if you choose your cruise line correctly you will never get bored.

Adds on are extras the cruise line charges above and beyond your cruise fare. This could include drinks although some cruise lines now include drinks in the price of the cruise. Also gratuities are often add ons, as are some activities and speciality dining restaurants . It’s always a good idea to check up on whats included and what’s extra on your cruise to allow you to budget.

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The Aft is the back of a cruise ship. This is where you go to see the wake waves and watch the ship leave a port behind. It really is a very relaxing spot to stand.

An aft cabin is a cabin at the back of the ship. Check the position as it may be towards the back or at the very back. Although these cabins are a bit of a longer walk from the main areas and lifts, they are generally more peaceful. If you book a wake view aft cabin at the very back of the ship the cabins are often a little more spacious with larger balconies. It’s also a wonderful place to chill and enjoy the sea views.

Ahoy is a tradition nautical term which means hello or hi its a term used to greet somebody.

Alcohol Policy

Every cruise line has an alcohol policy, some such as Princess Cruises , P&O and Carnival have a limit of how many alcoholic drinks you can drink as part of your drinks package. However don’t worry it’s a lot, Alcoholic drinks are limited to 15 drinks in every 24-hour period.

Cruise lines also have cruise policies on drinking age that fit in with the region you are cruising. Therefore you have to be 18 to drink alcohol on South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand cruises, 21 to drink on US and the Caribbean cruises.

All Inclusive

Some cruise lines offer all inclusive packages, these usually include drinks and some wifi, speciality dining and sometimes gratuities. However do check your cruise line as these offers of all inclusive options vary wildly.

When a cruise ship docks in port it docks alongside the jetty to allow passengers to disembark for port day activities and tours.

Amazon River Cruise

Amazon cruises sail through and from Peru and Ecuador.

AMA Waterways

AMA Waterways is a Luxury California based river cruise company that offers cruises in Europe, Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, South America, and Egypt.

Ambassador Cruise Line

Ambassador Cruise Line is a new cruise line who have 2 extensively refurbished retired ships that sail out of the UK.

Amplification 

Amplification is Royal Caribbean’s refurbishment programme . Royal caribbean refurbish ships and add on brand new activities and dining experiences.

This is usually a piece of metal with a v shaped tip which is bottom heavy. This is attached to chains that reach to the sea bed to hold the ship in position whilst it is docked in port. Most modern day cruise ships have more than one anchor due to the sheer size of the ship and can be anything from 10ft to 20ft in length and weigh 10–12 tonnes.

Anytime Dining

Anytime dining is another option to fixed dining. With anytime dining you can choose to eat at whatever time you wish. You can also choose to eat alone or with a group of people. If the restaurant is busy when you arrive, you simply take a pager and head to the bar for a drink whilst you wait.

Art Auction

Most cruise ships have art auctions and feature certain artists such as; Peter Max, Romero Britto and Michael Godard to name a few. There is a huge variety of art to suit all tastes, its certainly worth checking out the gallery even if you’re not intending to buy. In fact art on cruise ships is a big thing!

Ashore is the term used on board your cruise ship for the land. If you are heading off the ship for a tour or to explore you are going ashore.

ATOL is the UK’s financial protection scheme. This protects you when you book an ATOL protected holiday with an ATOL holding travel agent. It will provide support so that you are not at a financial loss or without help and assistance abroad if your ATOL holder ceases trading before or whilst you are traveling.

Many ships have an atrium but not all, the Atrium is usually the centre of the ship, where you will find bars, cafes and snacks. The Atrium is generally the hub of of ship and a great place to people watch and mingle.

Avalon Waterways

Avalon Waterways are a river cruise company offering river cruises throughout river networks worldwide. The ships are luxurious and intimate offering a more personal experience and access to wonderful cities and villages around the world.

Azamara is a small luxury cruise brand with 4 cruise ships offering inclusive features such as certain drinks and facilities as part of the package. They offer worldwide cruise destinations and sailings of various lengths.

Cruise Glossary B

Cruise Ship glossary words beginning with B

Balcony Stateroom

Balcony Staterooms otherwise known as Verandah Staterooms have doors opening to private open seating area overlooking the sea. These are perfect for morning coffee and breakfast or indeed an afternoon chilling in the sun.

Most cruise ships have theatres, back stage can be behind the theatre scenes or indeed just back stage of the public areas of your cruise ship. If this is something that interests you, you can book backstage tours on many ships.

The Beam is the width of a cruise ship, it is usually measured at the widest point.

The bearings are part of the propellor shaft, the main function of the propellor shaft is to turn the propeller. Bearing can also be an angle and location between 2 ships.

Berth is a bed, so for a family of 4 you would want a 4 berth cabin. A large percentage of cabins on ships are 2 berth. However berths up to 10 are available. 3,4 and 5 in regular cabins, but any larger are usually suites. If you are travelling as a family you can also book connecting cabins with an opening internal door. These are great for more space and to fit larger families, or families with teens who want a little privacy.

Boardwalk is the main public area on many Royal Caribbean Cruise ships. This is where you will find bars, cafes and entertainment. Royal Caribbean reinvented the traditional atrium and created something a little more fun and quirky and it works really well. The Boardwalk is open air and even has a full size carousel!

Newer cruisers often call ships boats, however they are very different. Ships are much larger and the rule of thumb is a ship can carry a boat, but a boat can’t carry a ship. When a vessel reaches 100 ft long (This varies between 97 ft-120 ft depending what you read) then the boat becomes a ship.

A Boat Drill otherwise known as a Muster Drill, it is law for every passenger to complete the drill before the ship sets sail. This outlines the safety drill, procedures and lifeboat meeting points should the ship come into difficulties.

Is a term to wish good wishes and goodbye often used on sail away parties. The sailaway is when the ship leaves port, in past years sailings were for function ie moving country or transportation. Thus there were many friends and relatives in port waving and wishing Bon Voyage.

Booze Cruise

Also known as a party cruise aimed at groups going to party for normally a weekend.

Bottomless bubbles

Bottomless bubbles is an unlimited soda package on Carnival cruises . Carnival do a package for kiddies and adults with different price levels.

The forward part of the hull of a ship, this is usually the most forward part of the ship.

Some cruise ships have bowling alleys or bowling areas.

The bulkheads are the inner wall in the hull of a ship, these are designed to either fill or overflow to cope with waves at rough sea. Some are designed to create watertight compartments. They can also be used to form tanks for fuel.

A Buoy is a floating device which are usually anchored in ports and used for lanes and port guidance for the port pilots.

Some newer ships have onsite Breweries, you will find one on Norwegian Encore , here beer is freshly brewed at sea.

The Bridge is at the front of the ship and where the captain and his crew navigate the ship from.

The buffet is an area usually on a high deck where you can go to eat. The choice on cruise ship buffets is huge and they are often open for many hours during the day.

Butlers on cruise ships are generally found in top suites. They can assist with packing and unpacking, concierge services, make reservations in restaurants or on shore excursions. The Butlers on cruise ships can also escort you to dinner, shore excursions and shows as well arrange special celebrations or organise laundry services.

Cruise Ship Glossary C

Cruise glossary words beginning with C

A cabin is a room on a ship you will stay in, much like a hotel room. Although cabins are smaller than hotel rooms they are well planned to allow maximum storage and comfort during your cruise.

Cabin Steward

A Cabin Steward is your room attendant that cleans and services the cabin. You will have the same cabin steward for the duration of your cruise who will clean every day and turn down down your bed and prepare the cabin for the night.

Capacity is the maximum amount of people that are are allowed on a cruise ship at any one time. There are two capacities, one when every cabin has two people staying in, and in the school holidays when the extra berths are used for families so many cabins will have 4 or 5 people staying in, this is known and full capacity.

The captain also known as the skipper is the ship’s captain. The ships captain has the ultimate responsibility for the care and safety of the vessel.

Captains Circle

The Captains circle is the Princess Cruises loyalty programme. It is a four tier loyalty program for passengers who have cruised with Princess. Passengers earn cruise credits in order to start receiving Captain’s Circle benefits the more points the more benefits and the higher the tier. Passengers must have completed their first cruise and registered on the Princess Cruises website in order to gain their first points. The Captain’s Circle tiers are….

• Gold, After Your First Cruise
• Ruby, After Your 3 Cruise or 30 Cruise Days
• Platinum, After completing 5 cruises or 50 cruise days
• Elite, After completing 15 cruises or 150 cruise days.

Captains Club

The Captains Club is the Celebrity Cruises passenger loyalty rewards programme. You earn points on every sailing and can enjoy discounts, offers, and perks such as spa discounts and complimentary laundry services. The Celebrity Cruises Captains club can also offer passengers loyalty stateroom upgrades, access to exclusive voyages, and exciting cruise club events on board and has 6 levels.

Captains Table

The Captains table is the table that the Captain sits at for dinner on a cruise ship. This is generally a formal occasion and occasionally passengers are invited to sit at the captain’s table during their cruise. The Captains table is normally located in the centre of the main dining room and is reserved exclusively for the captain, senior officers and their invited guests.

Carnival Cruise lines

Carnival Cruise lines is a Cruise line with head offices in Florida, they are known as the fun cruise line and have 25 ships in service, mostly in the Caribbean.

Most Cruise lines and Ships have a Casino onboard for playing roulette, slot machines or poker.

Casual Dress

Casual dress means the dress code onboard a cruise ship in the main dining area. This usually means you can wear items such as jeans and collared shirts for men. Woman can wear dresses or trousers. You are not allowed to wear baseball caps, bathing attire or shorts in the reaturnat and must always wear a top onboard the ship. Shorts, flip flops or sliders are are not allowed during dinner in main dining.

Castaway Club

Castaway Club is the Disney Cruise Lines reward programme. The 3 membership levels are based upon the total number of completed eligible cruises. For Silver Castaway you must complete 1 cruise. Gold Castaway is 5 completed cruises. Platinum Castaway is from 10 completed cruises.

Celebrity Cruise lines are a cruise line company with headquarters in Miami they own 16 cruise ships and are constantly renovating the fleet. The cruise line is owned by Royal Caribbean Group.  The vibe is refined quality.

Celestyal Cruises

Celestyal Cruises is a cruise line who sails Greece and run a variety of short cruises right through to 14 nights.

The Centrum is the central hub area of a ship and another name for the Atrium. This is where you will find bars, cafes and snacks.

A Charter is when a company block books a cruise ship sailing, it could be the whole ship for a themed cruise or private event.

Cheers is Carnival cruise’s alcoholic drinks package

Cococay 

Cococay is Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, here cruisers will find a private beach, endless pools and waterslides, activities and dining exclusively for Royal Caribbean guests.

A cruise concierge is someone onboard a cruise ship, generally in concierge class or suite class who will arrange dinners, shows and excursions for passengers they are caring for during a sailing.

Costa Cruises

Costa Cruises is an Italian Cruise Line, Costa has 12 ships in all in the fleet.

A Crossing is when a ship crosses across an ocean, an example of this is a Transatlantic crossing where a ship crosses for Europe to the US.

Crown And Anchor

The Crown and anchor is the Cruise loyalty programme on Royal Caribbean. The Crown and Anchor Society is a way of building recognition the more you cruise and has 6 tier levels to and reward brand loyalty the highest being Pinnicle. Booking under the Crown and Anchor means you sometimes get on board credits or special discounts.

There is also a champagne reception on every cruise for Crown and Anchor members. Crown and Anchor loyalty levels will also show in your Celebrity Cruise Captains Club account too.

Cruise Crew To Passenger Ratio

This is the amount of crew onboard to passengers. The ratio highlights how many crew members there are per passenger. This ratios are usually far higher than land based hotels.

Cruise Card

Your cruise card is the key to your room but also your payment method. All of your info is stored on the cruise card including any drinks packages and dining packages.

Cruise Casual

This is another word for Casual dress code onboard a cruise ship. Casual cruising steps away from traditional cruise attire and formal nights for a more relaxed cruising experience.

Cruise Director

A cruise director is the person onboard responsible for all onboard hospitality, entertainment and social events. The cruise director makes announcements throughout the day for entertainment purposes. They also organise public events and introduce the theatre shows, and parties onboard.

Cruise Loyalty Programme

A Cruise Loyalty Programme is a point programme which rewards passengers for each cruise they go on. It is a way that cruise lines can retain their loyal customers  them gaining points and receiving onboard benefits. The more your cruise the more enticing offers come your way. Passengers get specialty dining areas, discounts, VIP lounge access, complimentary drinks and lots more.

Cruise Planner

A cruise planner is an agent who plans your cruise for you. A cruise planner is also often the name of your daily planner that you will receive daily in your cabin.

A Cruiser is a person who cruises the ocean or rivers.

Cuisine means a style or method of cooking, especially as characteristic of a particular country, region, or establishment. Many cruise lines have many different cuisines onboard. Dining at seas is some of the best I have ever experienced whilst on vacation.

Cunard Line is a British cruise line based at Carnival House at Southampton, England. You will find a more formal form of sailing on Cunard. Who keep to the traditional roots of ocean liners, offering transatlantic Southampton to New York round trips as part of its offering. They have 3 ships, The Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victorial.

Croisi Europe Cruise

Croisi Europe Cruise is Europes largest cruise line which is French owned and based in Strasbourg.

Crystal Cruises

Crystal Cruises is a cruise line with headquarters in Miami, Florida . They are also the World’s Most Awarded Luxury Cruise Line.

Cruise Ship Glossary D

Days at seas.

Days at sea means the number of days on the itinerary that the ship is at sea and not in port.

Danube River Cruise

A Danube River Cruise takes you down the Danube River, usually between German and Hungary and through Austria. This scenic cruise stops at some incredible towns and cities such as Linz, Vienna and Budapest.

Debarcation

Debarkation or disembarkation is the process of leaving the cruise ship to debark.

The Deck plan is the plan of the layout of the ship by drawing. The drawing represents the location of the decks, public rooms, cabins, an all areas on the cruise ship.

Departure Port

The departure port is the port in which the ship leaves and departs.

A deposit is usually required to secure your cruise booking. Cruise lines offer lots of low deposit deals so keep an eye out for those if you are planning cruise. You usually have to settle your cruise balance 12 weeks before your sail date.

Dining Plan

Many cruise lines have cruise dining plans where you can pay extra for dining packages and use the speciality restaurants. This is usually cheaper to book in advance.

Direct Booking

A direct booking is to book directly with the cruise line thus cutting out the travel agent or middle man.

Disembark or debark is the process of leaving the cruise ship to go home.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line is a cruise line owned by The Walt Disney Company. The company headquarters are in florida. Featuring all the amazing things from Disney such as Mickey Mouse and Disney shows. They have 5 ships in the fleet but have more planned.

The dock is where the ships stops and anchors in port. The dock is an area ships and cargo ships unload cargo whether that is cruise passengers or goods.

Double Occupancy

Double occupancy is two people in a cruise cabin. Most cruise lines require cabins to be booked at least double occupancy or they charge a fee. However some cruise lines do offer single occupancy supplements or single occupancy cabins.

Drinks Package

Purchasing a drinks package is a way of paying for all of your drinks up font. You pay daily for your drinks package up front but must purchase for all the days of your sailing and also for every person in your cabin. There are drinks packages available for all cruises including a kids softs drinks package and non alcoholic package which normally includes speciality coffees, water and smoothies.

Check out our guide for information on all cruise line packages. However the key to remember here to assess if a drinks package is worth it, it to look a the drinks prices on your cruise, again we have most of that information on cruise drinks prices. Next work out how many drinks you will drink in a day, but don’t forget hot drinks, soft drinks and water.

A dry dock is where a cruise ship goes for an upgrade, this can be anything from an complete overhaul such as Oasis of the Seas in 2019 or mechanical upgrades and a hull repaint.

Duty Free Shopping

A duty-free shop is a retail outlet whose goods are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties. Most ships have duty free shops on board. Duty-free Cruise ships shops are legal as the products aren’t sold to the people who live in the destinations.

Cruise Ship Glossary E

Elevator also known as a lift is a means of travelling through to different floors of a ship.

Embarkation

Embarkment or embarcation, embarkation, is the process of loading persons on a passenger ship.

Entertainment

Most cruise ships have lots of different types of cruise ship entertainment . The types of entertainment can include, magic shows, theatre shows, ice skating shows and comedy acts.

Is a trip the cruise line offers in port. Cruise lines offer a selection of excursions in each port to reach a variety of tastes and budgets.

Cruising Ship Glossary F

Lets find all of the words beginning with F in our cruise glossary

Family Cabin

A cabin offered to accommodate families, sometimes up to 5 , some more. These range from inside to suites depending on budget. Norwegian cruise line offer great ocean view cabins with 5 berths for families.

Goodbye, whether its farewell to land port or the ships, grand farewells are a big deal at sea and mostly celebrated.

Final Payment

This is the final payment of your cruise vacation, the final balance is usually required 12 weeks before your sailing.

This is a collection of ships owned by one cruise brand. The collective of cruise ships is called a fleet.

The float out is the first ever time a cruise ship leaves the dock, usually to check its seaworthy. Although there will of course be many checks before this moment. However the float out is the first moment the ship in its entire form sails.

The FlowRider is a surf simulator designed to replicate surfing and bodyboarding with realistic waves. These can be found on many of Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships

Formal Night

Formal night on a cruise ship is the gala evening where the suggested dress code in black tie and cocktail dresses. This tends to be a bit more relaxed now with many men preferring a shirt and blazer.

Forward on a cruise ship means in the direction of the bow, the front of a ship.

Freestyle Cruise

Freestyle cruising means having the ability to choose on your cruise. Choosing when to dine and when and what shows or activities to do and when.

Free at Sea

Free at sea is Norwegian cruise lines offers when booking a cruise. With Free At Sea And Choose 2 Offers such as Open Bar, Dining and Wifi.

French Balcony

A cruise french balcony is a balcony that you can not step out in to. French Balconies have floor to ceiling sliding doors with a rail across the middle for safety.

Fun ships is an program idea devised by Carnival Cruise Lines. The program is said to dramatically transform its on-board guest experience to deliver even more memorable vacations.

Fun Times is the Carnival Cruise daily newsletter that is delivered to your stateroom.

Cruise Glossary G

Galapagos islands cruise.

A Galapagos Islands River Cruise starts in Quito, Ecuador and cruises from island to island, discovering the rare wildlife and scenery.

The Galley is the section of the ship that has houses the kitchen of the ship. A galley is also referred to in the shipping world as a ship which is propelled mostly by oars ( hence not a cruise ship )

A cruise ship Gang way is a walkway or bridge to get on and off of a ship.

Ganges River Cruise

A Ganges River Cruise takes you down the Ganges River through the heart of India.

Cruise Gratuities are tips that are automatically added onboard account. The fee is usually for each passenger each day and can vary. Some cruise lines let you pay these tips in cash and some cruise lines offer free Gratuities or you can pay them upfront. The cruise line then divides the money between all of the staff and crew.

Gross Registered Tons

Gross registered tons or tonnage is a ship’s total internal volume in “register tons”, each of which is equal to 100 cubic feet. Tonnage is the measure of the volume of certain enclosed spaces.

A guest is a paying passenger on a cruise ship. Passengers are guests on a cruise ship.

Guest Services

Guest services is the reception area of the ship where guests can get help throughout their stay. The Guest Service area is normally open at all hours and they provide they provide answers to many questions and problems onboard.

Cruise Ship Glossary H

A harbour is an area of water where ships, boats, and barges can be docked and moored. A port is a man-made harbour built for loading and unloading vessels and dropping off and picking up passengers. A Harbour can be natural or man made.

Haven is the Luxury Suite class area on Norwegian Cruise line. Here you will find a dedicated restaurant, bar and many of the newer ships have a pool area.

Height restriction

Some slides and activities have Height restriction s on board such as Ziplines or Slides .

Holland America Line

Holland America is a cruise line is owned by Owned by Carnival Corp. & plc, whos headquarters are based in Seattle. However all of their cruise ships and vessels are registered in the Netherlands.

Hotel Manager

A Hotel manager is a manager who oversees the operation of a hotel. In the case of a cruise ship the Hotel Manager is in charge of all the passenger cabins and crew servicing and maintaining the cabins.

Housekeeping

Housekeeping is another word for cleaning your room and is Responsibility for the cabins or staterooms on a cruise ship fall under the housekeeping department. This division is responsible for making passengers comfortable while they are in their rooms, and includes the care of the cabins, room and messenger service, and laundry pick up and delivery.

The Home Port is the port a ship is sailing from for a given season. The home port is also where the ship will refuel and restock ready for the next sailing and where passengers will board and disembark for their sailing. Some ships have a home port in Spain or it could be anywhere in the world!

The horizon is the point the seas or land meet the sky. The visible point where the sun sets and rises on the earth. Views of the the horizon at sunrise and sunset are partially stunning at sea.

The Hull is the structural watertight body of the ship. We have found a really informative article that explains it far better than we ever could.

Hurricane Season

As a rule the Hurricane Season goes from June to the end of November, however the high risk months are mid-August to early October. But Hurricanes can occur at any time within those dates and do. It really depends how active the season is, we have always been lucky and avoided Hurricanes on our travels, but know others who have not.

The only way to truly avoid hurricanes is to book outside of those dates. Or if not be prepared for itinerary changes and cancellations. Captains are excellent at avoiding weather situations, however this also means ports can be missed too.

Hurtigruten Cruise Line

Hurtigruten Cruise Line is an expedition cruise line that specializes in discovering areas many cruise lines can’t reach.

Cruising Ship Glossary I

Inside cabin/inside stateroom.

Inside cabins are situated on the inside of cruise ships meaning they don’t have a window. Because of this choosing an inside cabin makes it a much more economical way to enjoy a cruise vacation.

Some cruise lines also have virtual cabins, these have simulated windows, where you can enjoy real-time views of the ocean and destinations from your interior stateroom.

Internet Package

To enjoy internet at sea you must purchase the cruise lines internet package. (Some offer these free of charge) It really important to remember to turn off data roaming on all devices when you are at sea or you will incur huge roaming charges. Thus you need the ships data packages.

International Date Line

The International Date Line is an imaginary line that runs between the North and South Poles, which crosses time. When you cross the line you either gain or lose a day. But travelling east across the date line, will take you back in time by 24 hours. However when traveling west, you will travel 24 hours ahead. However when cruising as it is at a slower pace you generally lose or gain an hour each day.

An inaugural cruise the first time a cruise ship sails with paying passengers. This is a huge deal in the cruise industry, especially with loyal cruise line fans who want to experience a new ship.

The Itinerary is the route and ports a cruise ship will take on a given sailing. This is always pre determined, however due to environmental factors such as weather this is never set in stone and can change. Although as a rule this is something cruise lines do try to avoid.

Cruise Ship Glossary J

Jules verne cruises.

Jules Verne are a cruise and tour company who tailer make holidays and cruises.

The journey is the cruise you will take during your sailing.

Junior Suite

A junior suite or mini suite is mostly larger than a balcony cabin and often comes with certain extras, but not as many as a full suite. For example on Royal Caribbean you will enjoy double cruise reward points, be able to book the suite dining area, but not have exclusive access.

Cruise Glossary K

The keel is a vertical lowest point of a cruise ship that sits in the ocean, it works to slice through the water. The keel also helps the ship maintain balance and prevents the ship from capsizing.

Cruise ships have extensive kids clubs and programmes . These vary from nurseries for babies on some ships, stay and play sessions for parents and kids club sessions daily and nightly. Here parents can leave their children to enjoy structured activities with qualified staff.

Knot is the speed a cruise ship sails at, this is the nautical equivalent of Miles Per Hour. The average cruise ship sails at 20-30 knots, which is 23-35 miles per hour.

Cruise Glossary L

Labadee is a private port resort leased to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd in Haiti. The Island is for the exclusive use of passengers of the three cruise lines. Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara Club Cruises.

A landmark is an easy recognisable building or features of a city or landscape that is easily recognisable from a distance. Examples of landmarks include the Empire State Building in New York, the Brooklyn Bridge or the Parliament buildings in Budapest.

A lanyard is a fabric neck cord which goes around your neck and used to clip on a carry your cruise card. The cruise card can be used as a key to your stateroom or to order drinks and purchase from the onboard shop so it’s always good to have it handy. Thus a lanyard is a great option, you can usually purchase these from the onboard shop.

Latitude is the measurement of distance north or south of the Equator, it is measured in 180 imaginary lines vertically around the globe. This tells you exactly where you are between the North Pole and the South Pole.

Latitude rewards

Latitude is Norwegian cruise lines reward programme for loyal returning guest’s. Where perks for points gained on their previous sailings. There are 7 loyalty levels to the Latitudes Reward Club.

Lido means outdoor pool, the lido deck on a cruise ship is usually the main pool deck. Most ships will label this as the lido deck.

A cruise ship with a capacity of 4000 passengers must have have at least 20 lifeboats onboard to accommodate everyone onboard. You will find lifeboats at each side of the ship ready to launch, these can carry between 150-370 people. There are also inflatable lifeboats onboard.

Is a round floating ring that is attached to the side of ships, boats and swimming pools. This is to aid someone who gets into trouble in the water.

Life Jacket

A life jacket is a jacket that acts as a floating aid when wearing it, you will find enough for each passenger in your cabin. Many cruise lines also have swimming life jackets by the swimming pools for children.

A lighthouse is a tall thin circular building that sits on the edge of land, islands or peninsulas. They have a light on top that alerts ships or boats of land.

A lock is something a ship transits through between areas of river that are or different lengths. River Cruise Locks are huge and it’s an incredible experience to travel through one.

Longitude measures the earth in the opposite direction to Latitude, it is the angular distance of a location measured to the east of west of the meridian at Greenwich, England. Where Latitude runs in an imaginary line horizontally, Longitude runs vertically. But both at a 360 degree angle around the earth.

Loyalty Programme

Many cruise lines offer a loyalty programmes where the more you sail the more perks you get when you sail. This encourages loyalty to a certain brands. Some also offer double loyalty points when you book jnr suite cabins and above.

Luggage is your belongings you take on your cruise. Before you get on the ship you hand your luggage into the the luggage handlers who process the luggage, security scan it and leave it outside your cabin, this can take a few hours. However you are free to get on the ship enjoy lunch and explore.

On the last night of your cruise you must leave your luggage outside your stateroom to be processed for the next day. When you get off the ship it is there waiting for you in a large holding area.

Luxury cruises

A Luxury cruise is a cruiseline that goes above and beyond. They have a more refined onboard experience, luxury spacious cabins and a higher level of personalised services. These cruises are the finest there are usually cost a bit more. There are many different luxury cruises so there is lots to choose from for all budgets.

Cruise Glossary M

Maiden call.

A maiden call is the first time ever a ship calls at a port. The maiden call is usually a big day for cruise fans. And indeed cruise enthusiasts in port.

Maiden Voyage

The maiden voyage is the very first sailing of a new ship, this is a huge deal in the cruise industry and for cruise passengers.

Main Restaurant

The main restaurant is usually the largest restaurant on a cruise ship and can be spread over 2 or 3 floors. Dining in the main restaurant, otherwise known as the “MDR” is always free for food, but not drinks unless you have a drinks package. However there are sometimes the option to upgrade a meal to surf and turf on steak night. This depends on the cruise line, but that aside the quality of the MDR is in our experience always great.

A UK owned cruise line owned by Tui Travel. Marella markets at a British audience and offers an affordable way to cruise. As a company they buy out of service ships from other cruise lines and renovate to fit their own style.

Marina Society Programme

Holland and America’s loyalty programme, the more you cruise you build up perks.

A mate is a deck naval officer aboard a vessel. The job duties of a shipmate include working as part of a crew.

Main River Cruise

The Main River cruise takes you through central Germany and is formed by the joining of the Red Main and the White Main, meeting the Rhine River at the town of Mainz. The Main-Danube canal, which joins the Main River and Danube River, stretches for a length of 106 miles from Bamberg to Regensburg, with a total of 16 locks, thus making it possible to travel via a river cruise ship from the North Sea to the Black Sea.

The definition of maritime is something nautical or related to the sea.  The laws and rules set in place are for commerce that takes place on oceans and seas  thus making them are an example of maritime laws. Anything relating to the sea or the enjoyment maritime activities such as yachting and deep sea diving is considered a maritime activity.

Mediterranean cruise

A Mediterranean cruise is a cruise that takes place around the Mediterranean sea, starting points may vary and sailings can go anything from 2 days to 30 days.

Mekong River Cruise

The Mekong River flows for over 3,000 miles through Asia, and stops in exciting countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Midship means the middle of the ship. This point of reference is used often during a cruise to describe locations and netting points.

A mini suite or jnr suite is mostly larger than a balcony cabin and often comes with certain extras, but not as many as a full suite. For example on Royal Caribbean you will enjoy double cruise reward points, be able to book the suite dining area, but not have exclusive access.

The mini bar is located in your cabin. Most cabins have a mini bar where you can put cold drinks.

Main Seating

Main seating is located in the main dining room. You are normally allocated main dining room seating on arrival of your cruise.

Moselle River Cruise

The Moselle River runs through France , Luxembourg and Germany, and known for its picturesque castles and fine wines.

Motion is the movement of the ship when it is cruising. Some people can suffer from motion sickness when cruising. If you do then it is better to book a cabin mid-ship on a lower deck where you will feel the motion less.

A Maître d is the head waiter in the main dining room. The Maître d oversees service and all of the waiters to ensure that service is smooth and all diners are happy.

MSC Cruise line are are an Italian based shipping company that have 21 cruise ships

The MSC S tatus M atch

MSC will match your cruise loyalty status from other cruise lines such a Royal Caribbean. MSC Cruises Status Match Program will match your frequent traveler status from other cruise lines, hotels and tour operators

Muster Drill

A muster drill is a mandatory safety exercise required by law to ensure the safty of passenger , guests and staff. The main objective is to familiarise guests and crew with the location (muster station) see below. During this drill you will be shown additional safety information such as where your lifeboat is and how to wear a life jacket. No ship can cruise without passengers being given a muster drill when sailing.

Muster Station

A muster station is a point on the ship you should meet in the the unlikely event of an emergency. This will be displayed on your cabin card and will be explained on your arrival.

My time dining

My time dining is dining at anytime of your choice in the main dining area on a Royal Caribbean cruise. You can select times to eat between the hours of 6:00 and 9:30 p.m.

Cruise Glossary N

This is a term people use to associate with the seas, sailing, cruising and ships.

Nautical Mile

Nautical miles are used to measure the distance travelled in water, a nautical mile is equivalent to around 1,852 meters.

Navigate means to plan a route or direction, the navigational route of a ship is always meticulously planned to calculate timings in shipping lanes, arriving and leaving ports and fuel requirements.

Nickel and Diming

Nickel and diming is a term used by passengers when a cruise line adds lots of extras onto your cruise or is constantly trying to upsell whilst you are onboard to generate more income.

Nile River Cruise

A Nile river cruises offer cruises at different locations down the longest river in the world. Flowing north from Lake Victoria through Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt the Nile drains into the Mediterranean Sea.

Noble Caledonia River Cruises

Noble Caledonia is a small luxury cruise line who specialises in worldwide, small ship cruising, including river cruises, and escorted tours. 

Norovirus is a stomach flu that is easily spread. This spreads on land as well as ships. However seems more reported at sea, due to the reporting procedures of cruise lines. Cruise lines do an awful lot to minimise infections and help stay safe on a cruise but they do inevitably spread. However this also relies on passengers being vigilant with hand hygiene.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line is a cruise line who offer a relaxed freestyle form of cruising, with options for relaxed cruising and dining or more of an upscale experience. NCL have 17 ships, 19 if you include the imminent launch of Norwegian Prima who launches in August 2022 and Viva in June 2023

Norwegian Fjords Cruise 

A Norwegian Fjords Cruise sails between and through the Fjords, check out our review of a Norwegian Fjords cruise to find out some of the incredible ports a Fjords Cruise stops at.

Cruise Glossary O

Obstructed view cabin.

And obstructed view cabin is a cabin whether it be an ocean view or balcony cabin has an obstruction in front of the window or balcony. This is usually a lifeboat, but can be part of fully blocking the view.

Oceanview Cabin

And ocean view cabin is a cabin with a window which has views of the ocean. These are a great option when cruising with younger children.

Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises is a cruise line based out of Miami. They have six cruise ships which run on worldwide itineraries. It offers cruises that last between 10 and 14 days, but is also known for its longer cruises.  

The Ocean is the expanse of water between the and Continents which covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface. There are 5 Oceans…

• The Arctic Ocean
• The Southern Ocean
• The Indian Ocean
• The Atlantic Ocean
• The Pacific Ocean

The Ocean and Sea are different the Sea is usually where the land meets the ocean.

Is MSC cruise lines private island in the Bahamas. Cruisers can visit having access to private pools and beach areas exclusively for passengers.

Ocean Cruise

An Ocean cruise is exactly what it says it is! a cruise around the ocean!

Oceania Cruises is a cruise line based in Miami in Florida, they operate six cruise ships on worldwide itineraries. 

A Ship’s officer  navigate’s and supervise’s the safe operation of ships at sea. They also oversee the operations in port and when the anchor is dropped. They help coordinate the activities of the crew under the captains supervision.

The term Onboard means being on a ship and actually inside or on deck.

Onboard Entertainment

Many cruise ships have onboard entertainment this includes , quiz’s, shows, live music and other performances.

Onboard Credit (OBC)

  OBC otherwise known as onboard credit is money that is offered free from the cruise line you are travelling with. It can be an incentive to book a cruise or be offered as a resolution to something. You can spend the onboard credit on the ship on drinks, excursions or in shops.

Onboard Shopping

Onboard Shopping is shopping whilst onboard a cruise ship. Shops generally open when the ship leaves port.

Open Seating

Open Seating is unassigned seating this generally happens in bars on cruise ships but not in restaurant’s.

Orientation

Orientation means position or positioning with relation to the points of the compass or other specific directions. You can adjust your positions using orientation to continue a ships route.

Outside Cabin

An outside cabin is a cabin that has a a window or porthole to view the outside. This does not mean that the cabin is outside with a balcony only a view.

Owners Suite

Owners Suite is a suite on a cruise ship typically Royal Caribbean. It is normally a luxury suite with panoramic balcony, concierge service, and access to suite services such as the coastal kitchen.

Cruise Glossary P

A package is when certain elements of travel are bundled together in one price. This could be the price of a cruise, drinks or dining packages.

A passageway is a route cruises take on Alaskan cruises, Alaska’s Inside Passage is a the route between the Gulf of Alaska and Puget Sound. Whilst the Northwest Passage connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Canadian Arctic. The Northeast Passage is a route between Europe and Asia along the northern shores of Russia.

Passengers are paying guests on a cruise.

Passenger Capacity

The Passenger capacity is the maximum amount of passengers the cruise ship will hold. This is calculated on occupancy of cabins, thus there is a capacity for double occupancy (2 people in as cabin) or full occupancy ( This is where the 4 berth cabins are all full too, this is is generally in School Holiday time.)

Passenger Crew Ratio

This is how many passengers there are per crew member, the average ration on a cruise ship is around 2.5-1. This depends on the cruise line however the lower it is the better.

Passenger Space Ratio

This is how much space there is on a ship per passenger.

A pier can be found in port, these usually protrude from the land, although not always, sometimes they are flush. Cruise ships dock alongside the pier to allow the passengers on and off the cruise ship.

Pilots work in docks and ports and come out of dock to board the ship to steer the ships in and out of port. They will also steer out of the port then leave and return to port.

Pinnacle Club

Pinnacle Club is the highest Royal Caribbean Loyalty level, to reach Pinnacle level you must have 700 cruise points. you build 1 night for every night cruised, or 2 if you stay in a suite or junior suit.

Benefits of Pinnacle Club include a dedicated check in, private lounge bar onboard many ships, gifts and discounts.

Every cruise line has an online planner app booking system to plan activities, show and dining. However there is also a daily planner with all onboard activities. This is usually get left in your cabin every night.

P&O is a cruise line owned by the Carnival Corporation, they have 7 cruise ships in total including Arvia which launches in 2022. The brand P&O is mostly aimed at a British audience but sail worldwide.

Ponant Cruise

Ponant is a French cruise line. It was founded in April 1988 by Philippe Videau, Jean-Emmanuel Sauvé, and other officers of the French Merchant Navy and launched the first French cruise ship. The ships are smaller and more intimate offering a luxury experience.

Is a cruise line that offers a refined relaxed service. The cruises are great quality, offering delicious food and surroundings. Princess have Princess Cruises have 15 cruise ships as of 2022 after selling 5 during the 2021,22.

Princess Patter

The Princess Patter is the daily news onboard Princess Cruise Ships. This is left in you cabin every night during turn down and tells you everything you need to know about what’s going on onboard the next day.

A policy is a set of guidelines a cruise lines works towards and follows, these are usually set in stone and linked to a law or just a rule a cruise line aims to keep to maintain standards.

Cruise ships have several types of pools, check your ship for pool info on your sailing. However larger ships often have family and kids pools with slides and splash areas. A main pool for sunbathers, where all the fun and music happens. And an adult only pool or spa pool for child free chill time. Some larger ships have pools in the suite areas too.

A port is a maritime facility that has one or more wharves where ships can dock to load cargo and let passengers embark and disembark.

A porthole is a window in a circular window on the hull of a ship. An outside cabin has a porthole

The port side is the side of the vessel which is to the left of the ship when facing forward towards the direction the ship is travelling.

Port Charges

These are charges are the fees that shipping operators and their customers pay to port authorities for the use of the port’s facilities and services. 

Port Of Call

A port of call is a port that a cruise ship is stops at on an itinerary.

A Porter is someone that transports and handles luggage on and off of a cruise ship.

A programme is a schedule of events for passengers set out by a cruise line often called a planner

A promenade deck on a cruise ship is an outdoor walkway that circles the ship. It is also sometimes referred to as the promenade that runs in the centre of a ship from bow to stern where shops and Restaurant are.

Prepaid gratuities 

Prepaid gratuities are tips that have been paid by the cruise line as special offer for you . Meaning you will not you be charged for tips. 

Private Island

A private island is an island owned privately by a cruise line to be used by its passengers.

A pub is a public house that serves beer. Many cruise ships have a pub.

A ship’s purser is the person on a ship who is responsible for the handling of money and accounts on board.

Cruise Glossary Q

Quadrant Australia is a specialist travel company offering group tours and travel services in the Australian and international marketplace.

A quay is a stone or metal platform lying alongside or into the into water for loading and unloading ships.

Cruise Glossary R

Radiance of the seas.

A Royal Caribbean Ship, Radiance of the Seas was launched in 2001, holds 2466 passengers and has a crew of 894.

Refurbishment

Cruise ships are renovated and updated all the time, some are just minor mechanical updates, whilst some are huge overhauls.

Repositioning cruise 

Repositioning cruises are where a ship relocates from one continent to another. This usually happens when ships move for a new season. Repositioning cruises can be really good value but have more sea days as they cross between continents.

Rhine River Cruise

A Rhine River cruise takes you through central Europe, where you will get to visit cities in Germany, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands.

Rhone River Cruise

A Rhone River Cruise will take you through the heart of France down to the South of France and depending on your route can take in Paris, Burgundy and Provence.

River Cruise 

River cruises sail down rivers on smaller ships. Because rivers are smaller, river boats are ships are smaller. However many still maintain a feel of opulence and quality. You will find River Cruising brings you into the heart of cities and towns, many of which will be walking distance. They are much more intimate affairs, many offering free tours and other extras.

Riviera Cruises Travel

Riviera Cruises are a UK based cruise travel brand offering options to River Cruise, Expedition Cruising and Yacht worldwide.

Royal Caribbean 

A cruise line offering fun multigenerational cruising with an upscale feel. Royal Caribbean offer possibly some of the best entertainment at sea with dining options and chill out child free areas too.

Royal Suite 

The Royal Suite is generally one of the best suites on offer on a cruise ships. Booking a Royal Suite also offers other benefits such a butler or concierge, free drinks packages dedicated dining and bars for suite guests only.

Royal Caribbean sometimes offer the opportunity to bit for an upgraded cabin before your cruise. The bids are for the first 2 people in the cabin, this is by invitation only. If you are fortunate enough to win a bit upgrade to suite class, you get to enjoy all the perks of suite cruising but will not get the double booking points perk.

Cruise Glossary S

Sail date .

You sail date is the date your cruise sets sail. This is the day you have booked your cruise to start, you. usually have to pay your final bill 12 weeks before, but final payment date can vary.

Sailaway Party 

A sailaway is a party traditionally on the top decks around the lido deck. The Sailaway party happens as a ship leaves port and sails out to sea. This is traditionally on the first sailaway of a cruise. However some cruise lines do it for every sailaway.

Saone River Cruise

 The Saone runs southwest of Épinal in the Vosges Mountains of eastern France to meet the Rhône at Lyon. There is a 233 mile navigable portion of the Saone with 30 locks, which is linked through canals to the Loire, Rhine, Seine and Marne Rivers.

Saga River Cruises

Saga River Cruises are a River Cruise company aimed at the over 50s, offering river cruises with chauffeur pickups, all inclusive packages and fine dining.

The Sea is an expanse of water between the Ocean and land, there are seven seas in the world.

A Sea Bands is a knitted elasticated wristband that works because of a plastic knob sewn into the side of the inside of the wrist-band which put pressure and on an acupressure point. It is said that pressure on this point relieves seasickness, nausea and vomiting.

Seine River Cruise

A Seine river cruise is a river cruise along the Siene river in France

Scenic Luxury Cruises And Tours 

A luxury all inclusive river cruise company who offer sailings luxury

Scenic Sun Lounge System

Scenic Sun Lounge System is a Scenic cruises balcony. The Scenic Sun Lounge’ system transforms your balcony into an all-weather conservatory style space.

Serenade Of The Seas

Serenade of the Seas is a Radiance class cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International. She was completed in 2003

Shipping Lane

A shipping lane is a sea lane or a sea road. A shipping lane is a regularly used navigable route for large water vessels. Shipping lanes are seen on wide waterways such as oceans, seas, rivers and large lakes.

A ship tour is a tour of the cruise ship. These are often given on special occasions such as moving up a loyalty teir.

Shuttle bus

A shuttle bus is a passenger bus that operates between the cruise terminal and the port entance.

Silent Disco

Many cruise ships have silent discos as entertainment on the ship. Dancers wear headphones and can choose which music

Shore Excursion 

A shore excursion is an organised trip ashore. These are organised by the cruiseline and you are fully escorted at all times and usually go on a coach

Most cruise ships have a Spa area. In the Spa area you can have beauty treatments or use the water spas facilities

Splashaway Bay

Splashaway bay is the kid friendly water themed splash park on Royal Caribbean ships

Splash Park 

A Splash park is the kid friendly water themed splash park on top deck of a ship

Specialty Restaurants 

Specialty restaurants  are restaurants that are an extra charge. These are normally different themed restaurants and cuiseines.

Stabilisers 

Ship stabilisers are fins or rotors mounted beneath the waterline on a cruise ship hull. They are used to reduce the ship’s roll due in wind or waves. The fins are controlled by a gyroscopic control system

Starboard 

The Starboard side is the side of the vessel which is to the right of the ship when facing forward towards the direction the ship is travelling.

Stateroom 

A stateroom is another word for your cabin or room on a cruise ship .

Stern 

The rear of a boat is called the stern.

Steward 

A Ship’s Steward is a person who in charge of organizing and preparing dinner arrangements on a ship

What is a suite? A suite is an extra large room on a cruise ship. It is normally a luxury or top tier cabin. Guests staying in a suite normally receive extra special facilities such separate restaurants and pool area, butler service and priority boarding.

Symphony of the Seas 

Symphony of the Seas is an Oasis class cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. She was built in 2018 and is one of the largest ships in the world

Cruise Glossary T

Taxes on a cruise can have many meaning, some ports charge additional tax on drinks and purchases. Be aware that services and products may have taxes on.

Teeming River Cruises

A river cruise company based in Florida offering affordable river cruises in Europe and Africa. The ships are more basic but offer an affordable option.

Tender  

A tender is when a cruise ship docks out at sea and send passengers into port on the lifeboats. This is usually when ports don’t want to overburden with ships ort the ship is too large for smaller ports. Tenders can sometimes take a little longer, however sometimes you can book slots or times.

Tauck River Cruises

A river cruise line offering high end River Cruises who claim to offer lots of extras for a more luxury intimate experience.

Also otherwise known as gratuities, many cruise lines charge tips up front. Tips are charged per person, per cabin this covers gratuities for cabin stewards, restaurant and waiting staff. However bars and speciality dining venues also charge tips on top of this. You can choose to remove tips from your booking and tip staff individually. However you can also choose to reward outstanding service on top of the. standard tipping rate.

The Perfect Storm (Slide)

The Perfect Storm is a combination of 3 action packed waterslides known as Typhoon, Cyclone and Supercell. These create the next level of pool fun for all thrill seeking members of the family.

Themed Cruise 

Many cruise lines offer themed cruises with special speakers and artists. These range from theatre cruise, 80s, craft and scrapbooking and comedy cruises. There are so many options to suit many enthusiasts.

Transfer 

A transfer if arranging transport from your ship to a port, hotel or airport. There are many types of transfers. Some ports put on transfers to get cruisers into town, or in cargo ports ships sometimes provide free transfers in. However you can also book private transfers and taxis or seats on buses.

Tonnage 

Tonnage is the weight of a cruise ship, this is used to measure a cruise ship and indicates the size of a cruise ship.

Towel Animal 

Some cruise lines make animals out of your towel to leave in the cabin when they turn it down at night. This is not as common as it used to be, which is a shame as it’s a great touch.

Transatlantic 

A term for cruises sailing across the Atlantic Ocean between Europe and the US, these cruise can be anything from 6 night on Cunard with no stops to 16 with stops at European and Caribbean ports. Transatlantic cruises are often great value, however do have more sea days.

Turn Down Service 

A turndown service is where your cruise cabin attendant prepares you room for the evening. This included turning down the bed, making up sofa or fold down beds and refreshing towels.

Turnaround Day

Turnaround day is the day that passengers disembark and new passenger’s board. Crew spend the day moving luggage on and off of the ship and cleaning cabins for new guests

Cruise Glossary U

Words beginning with U in cruise glossary

An upgrade to your room is often offered free in certain circumstances such as sailing in low demand or booking a free upgrade promotion

Uniworld river cruises 

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection is a river cruise company located in Los Angeles, California. The company operates a fleet of 21 river cruising cruise ships which operate along the rivers of Europe.

Ultimate Abyss

The Ultimate Abyss is a slide on the Oasis class ships of Royal Caribbean. It is 10 stories high and 150 feet above sea level. The Ultimate Abyss on Oasis Class ships is the tallest slide at sea and ends on the boardwalk.

Cruise Glossary V

Vantage deluxe world travel .

Vantage Deluxe World Travel is a cruise company in Boston, Massachusetts. It operates Expedition Cruises as well as Small Ship Ocean Cruises and River Cruises.

A veranda is an extension of your stateroom or cabin that is outside and exposed to the sea. You can open the door to the cabin and step out to the veranda which the area which is encapsulated by a balcony

Virtuosa is a ship in the MSC cruise line

VIFP club 

VIFP club is Celebrity Cruises loyalty programme which stands for Very Important Fun Person Club.

Virtual balcony

A virtual balcony is a cabin with a virtual balcony view. On Royal Caribbean 80-inch high-definition screens are inside the interior staterooms with real time views of the ocean.

Viking cruises

Viking is a river cruise company with operations in Basel, Switzerland and marketing headquarters in Los Angeles, California.

A Voyage is to travel from one destination to another for example on a cruise

Cruise Glossary W

The wake is the area of moving water that is propelled from the stern (rear) of the ship. Caused by the flow of water displacement as the ship moves.

Wave Season

Wave season is a busy booking period of around three months from January 1 to March 31 when cruise lines and travel agents normally book the largest number of cruise holidays or vacations.

Weight Restriction

Weight restrictions are usually in place on certain activities on a cruise ship such as slides or rides 

Windward 

The Windward Passage is a strait of sea in the Caribbean Sea which lies between the islands of Cuba and Hispaniola. 

Wonderland 

Wonderland is a Alice in wonderland style specialty restaurant on Royal Caribbean Oasis class ships.

Cruise Glossary X

Cruise glossary y.

Yacht club is MSC’s luxury ship within a ship experience with suites and private dining areas just for Yacht club guests. These cabins also have butlers and priority boarding.

Cruise Glossary Z

Many cruise lines have zip lines on deck such as Royal Caribbean’s oasis class ships. 

Zodiac 

Zodiac are a boat range known and recognized by professional experts as a famous rigid inflatable boat. These Zodiac inflatable boats are used in over 90 countries worldwide.

Thank you for reading our cruise glossary

Donna and Sarah ( Cruising For All ) Sarah Christie and Donna Vallance are experienced travel writers and cruise enthusiasts specializing in cruising. They are passionate about exploring new destinations and have dedicated themselves to sharing their knowledge and insights with fellow travellers. They provide valuable information, tips, and recommendations for all cruisers. They strive to make cruising accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of their interests, budgets, or accessibility needs. Their articles and reviews are well-researched, comprehensive, and written to help readers make informed decisions and have unforgettable cruise adventures.

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• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of cruise in English

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• They're going on a cruise round the Med.
• They've just set off on a round-the-world cruise.
• Do you dream of a luxury skiing holiday or a Caribbean cruise?
• age of sail
• ocean-going
• under sail idiom
• They are cruising off the west coast of Vancouver Island.
• Thousands of spectators watched the tall ships cruise the Detroit River.
• After launch , the probe will cruise for 6 months before intercepting the comet beyond Earth's orbit .
• The car is more fuel efficient because the engine can run on just three of six cylinders when cruising.
• A guy cruised up in a convertible and offered me a lift .
• He goes cruising the streets looking for places to rob .
• Our department is doing all the work while the rest of the business is cruising.

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Cruise | american dictionary, translations of cruise.

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multitasking

a person's or product's ability to do more than one thing at a time

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Definition of cruise

 (Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

transitive verb

Definition of cruise  (Entry 2 of 2)

• gad (about)
• galavant
• kick around
• knock (about)

Examples of cruise in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cruise.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Dutch kruisen to make a cross, cruise, from Middle Dutch crucen , from crūce cross, from Latin cruc-, crux

1651, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

1696, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cruise

• adaptive cruise control
• booze cruise
• cruise control
• cruise missile
• radar cruise control
• cruise ship
• cruise liner

Dictionary Entries Near cruise

Cite this entry.

“Cruise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cruise. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of cruise.

from Dutch kruisen "to cruise, move crosswise," from early Dutch crūce "cross," from Latin crux "cross" — related to cross , crucial

More from Merriam-Webster on cruise

Nglish: Translation of cruise for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of cruise for Arabic Speakers

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Cruise passenger dies after shuttle bus crash

One woman has died and 10 others were injured after a shuttle bus crashed into the transportation area outside a Honolulu cruise terminal Friday, according to police.

The ship, Carnival Miracle, was on a 15-day journey, departing Long Beach, California, on April 6, according to Carnival Cruise Line. Nine of the people hit by the vehicle were cruise ship passengers.

"Sadly, one guest has died from her injuries. She was traveling with her husband, who was also injured and is expected to recover. Members of the Carnival Care Team are assisting the guests. Our thoughts are with the guests affected and their loved ones," Carnival Cruise Line said in a statement to ABC News.

A 57-year-old man was dropping off customers at pier 2 when a bystander told him that his vehicle was moving forward. He then jumped into the drivers seat, trying to stop the vehicle, but he accidentally pressed the gas pedal instead of the brakes, colliding with two concrete barriers and eleven pedestrians, according to the Honolulu Police Department.

Five pedestrians were transported to the hospital -- one of whom was later pronounced dead and four others are in good condition. Six other pedestrians refused treatment on the scene, police said.

According to police, speed does not appear to be a contributing factor in the collision and it is unknown if drugs or alcohol were contributing factors.

The investigation is ongoing.

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2024 Masters leaderboard, winner: Scottie Scheffler's patience begets second green jacket in three years

Scheffler displayed a disciplined approach that, combined with extraordinary ball striking, turned sunday into an epic coronation at augusta national golf club.

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Three straight birdies at the turn made the inevitable reality as Scottie Scheffler pulled away from a packed leaderboard at the 2024 Masters to become the 10th man in history to claim two green jackets in a three-year span. The 27-year-old Scheffler, spending his 82nd straight week as the No. 1 golfer in the world, left no doubt Sunday that what was already known is indeed true: every golf tournament he plays goes through him.

Scheffler finished 11 under -- four strokes clear of the field -- after entering the 88th playing of the Masters as an overwhelming favorite. He did nothing to dissuade his supporters over the first three rounds, either leading or staying within a single stroke after 18, 36 and 54 holes entering Sunday's finale.

Once a two-stroke lead after three holes became a four-way tie entering the turn Sunday, Scheffler flipped a switch and never looked back. He added to that three-birdie stretch from Nos. 8-10 by scoring three more on the 13th, 14th and 16th to keep Ludvig Åberg (-7) -- finishing second while playing in his first career major championship -- at arm's length.

"It's a difficult golf course to close out a win on," Scheffler explained. "You can't play overly defensive. ... You have to play to the correct spot and hit really good golf shots. I did that to the best of my abilities today and was fortunately able to hit some really key shots and make some nice birdies there on the back nine. Really, from hole 8 on, I played really, really nice golf."

Scheffler on Sunday became the 18th man to win two Masters and the first to do so over a three-year span since Bubba Watson (2012, 2014). He is also the fourth-youngest two-time Masters champion and the eighth golfer to win the first two major championships of his career at Augusta National. 

With the 2024 tournament being his fifth Masters appearance, Scheffler is the second-fastest to have green jackets take up two hangers in his closet, the quickest to the achievement in 88 years (Horton Smith, third appearance, 1936).

Despite how simple Scheffler can make the game look, this Masters was anything but easy for the top name in the game. His iron play wasn't at his usually excellent level for most of the week, his tenor was tested plenty -- his pregnant wife and best friend not by his side like usual , instead at home days or weeks away from giving labor -- but when the correct shots in the correct moments were called upon, Scheffler answered.

Fighting his swing early on Sunday, Scheffler found himself in a dog fight with Åberg, Collin Morikawa and Max Homa all nipping at his heels. Scrambling saves were required to maintain his lead as he missed greens both short and long.

An uneasy feeling, Scheffler's short game took matters into its own hands. At its best when the tournament is often its tensest, his soft touch produced a stunner on the third from the bunker for his first birdie of the day.

His pursuers purred and had their moments, though. Åberg turned in 33 to touch the lead, Morikawa answered a Scheffler birdie on No. 8 with one of his own, and Homa lashed a mighty approach into 10.

The peloton was formed with 10 holes to play, and the thought of four of the best players in the world jostling through the second nine at Augusta National on Sunday raced through the minds of many. Unfortunately his peers, Scheffler raced away from the three-player pile up.

First, it was Morikawa who couldn't keep up as the two-time major champion needed two from the greenside bunker on No. 9 and ultimately carded a double bogey. Another followed on the 11th when his second found a watery grave.

Åberg had crashed just before them with the same fatal mistake. The Masters rookie battled back, it was too little too late. He ultimately became the third debutant in the last five years to finish runner-up.

Homa stood as Scheffler's last real threat as he sent a prayer into the air on Amen Corner's treacherous par-3 12th. It wasn't answered as Homa's ball traveled a yard too long, took a firm bounce and found a bush. Another double bogey ensued.

From a pack of four, only Scheffler was left standing.

While others took the bait and got greedy, Scheffler displayed discipline. While others tried to tame a brutally difficult Augusta National, Scheffler stayed patient. While others' emotions got the best of them, Scheffler remained calm.

Scheffler's superpower, his mental game, shined through when it mattered most. His ball striking gets praised and his short game is respected, but Scheffler's greatest strength has nothing to do with the club in his hand and everything to do with the mind of the person wielding it. The one now donning a second green jacket in three years.

Youngest two-time Masters champions

2024 masters leaderboard breakdown.

2. Ludvig Åberg (-7): After starting his Masters career with a 73, Åberg fired three straight under-par rounds including the only one in the 60s on Friday. A member of the penultimate pairing on Sunday, the Masters rookie felt it on the greens early. He curled in a ticklish birdie on No. 2 and another on No. 9 to head into the second nine with a share of the lead. Getting too aggressive down the hill into the 11th green, the young Swede's approach found the water and led to a double bogey -- his only dropped shots of the day. Åberg bounced back with two birdies over his next three holes to apply a smidge of pressure on Scheffler, but by then, the damage was done. The major debutant will learn from this mistake and be better for it. For now, he'll have to settle for a solo second.

T3. Max Homa, Collin Morikawa, Tommy Fleetwood (-4): Both Morikawa and Homa looked strong early. The two-time major champion did not miss a single approach shot across his first eight holes but was unable to connect on the greens. He stood square with Scheffler through this stretch of the golf course, but greed got the best of him on No. 9 when he tried to get too much out of his approach ultimately leading to the first of two double bogeys in a three-hole stretch. 

Meanwhile, Homa was a surgeron around Augusta National. Picking and choosing his spots with care, the 33-year-old's birdie on the long 10th meant he had jumped into a share of the lead. He may have been too cautious when all is said is done as he erred long on the 12th, which led to his double bogey and refused to hit driver on the par-5 13th electing to play it as a three-shot hole. Still, it represents Homa's best major result and the return of major Morikawa.

"Greed got the best of me," Morikawa said. "Nine, can't miss it over there and can't leave it in the bunker. Eleven, just tried to hit too perfect of a shot. It's not like at that point I was trying to press. I knew where I stood. Yeah, it's just can't do that. In the past, I haven't done it, but kind of where the game's at. You kind of find your little stride. We put a lot of pieces of the puzzle together this week, but after watching Scottie this week, I know what to do if I really want to close this gap on what he's doing and how impressive he's playing."

T6. Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau (-2): After shooting the round of the tournament (65) on Thursday, DeChambeau carded three straight over-par rounds. The former U.S. Open champion fared well in the difficult conditions on Friday, but he lost his touch on the greens over the weekend. Remaining patient for the first half of the tournament, his aggression got the better of him late on Saturday and sunk his Masters chances. He fought back nicely with his hole-out on 18 in Round 3 and a couple birdies in the middle of his first nine on Sunday, but it was all for not. DeChambeau's T6 is his first finish inside the top 20 in his Masters career.

Take it in, Scottie Scheffler!

That is his sixth birdie in his last nine holes. Scheffler tacks one on 16 and his lead is four with two holes to play. The green jacket might as well be his.

3 up 3 to go

Scottie Scheffler makes par on No. 15 to remain at 10 under and three clear of Ludvig Aberg. Three pars should secure him his second Masters title in three years. 

Scheffler birdies 14

He is up three with four to go. He taps in his fifth birdie in the last seven holes and now heads to the par-5 15th. Aberg was unable to go for the green in two after a wayward drive and needs to put a wedge close.

Aberg keeps fighting

The young Swede has rattled off two straight birdies to get within two of Scottie Scheffler. The world No. 1 just made birdie on 13 to get to 9 under. It looks like it will come down to these two as Max Homa sits four adrift at 5 under with only four holes to play.

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On-Site Reaction: Scottie Scheffler Becomes 2-Time Masters Champ

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LIVE UPDATES

Israel-Gaza live updates: Israeli war cabinet to reconvene Monday

Israeli officials are considering a response to Iran's unprecedented attack.

Iran on Saturday night unleashed a retaliatory strike against Israel , sending a volley of more than 300 uncrewed drones and missiles toward targets throughout the country, Israeli military officials said. All but a few were intercepted by Israel and its allies, including the United States, officials said.

The attack on Israel came more than six months after Hamas terrorists invaded the country on Oct. 7, after which the Israeli military began its bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

Latest headlines:

Iran 'not the power it purports to be,' white house adviser says, israeli war cabinet to reconvene monday to consider response, half of ballistic missiles launched at israel failed: officials, iran's attack on israel, by the numbers.

Israeli officials said the country's Iron Dome defense system endured a big test from Iran's attack on Saturday, intercepting 99% of the 300 "threats of various types" thrown at it.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari, launched 170 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), more than 120 ballistic missiles and more than 30 cruise missiles in the attack.

Hagari said "99% of the threats launched towards Israeli territory were intercepted -- a very significant strategic achievement."

Hagari said the attack resulted in only one known Israeli casualty, a 7-year-old girl who was severely injured when she was struck by shrapnel apparently from an intercepted missile.

Israel on Saturday demonstrated its "military superiority" against Iran while also showcasing its partnership with military allies, including the United States, John Kirby, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, said Monday.

Israel said Sunday about 99% of the missiles and drones launched by Iran were intercepted by Israel and its allies, a defense that Kirby called a "tremendous success."

"I think it did show, did demonstrate that Iran is not the power that it purports to be, that it doesn't have that same military superiority," Kirby said on "Good Morning America."

White House urges caution as Israel weighs response to Iran missiles

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected on Monday to reconvene his war cabinet, a body that met on Sunday without deciding on a response to Iran's attack. And President Joe Biden and his G7 counterparts on Sunday released a statement urging Iran to cease its attacks.

"With its actions, Iran has further stepped toward the destabilization of the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation," the G7 leaders' statement said. "This must be avoided."

The United States would not participate in an Israeli response, if the country decides to strike back against Iran, U.S. defense and security officials said on Sunday.

But the final decision on whether Israel strikes back will fall to Netanyahu, Kirby said Monday.

"The president was also clear, as he has been throughout, that we do not seek a wider war in the region and we don't seek conflict with Iran," he said.

-ABC News' Kevin Shalvey

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected on Monday to meet with his war cabinet to discuss potential responses to Iran’s attack.

The cabinet had convened on Sunday, but ended their meeting without making a final decision about a response to Iran’s attack, a person with knowledge of the meeting told ABC News.

The cabinet members include Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Benny Gantz, a former minister of defense.

-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti, Jordana Miller and Kevin Shalvey

Two U.S. officials confirm to ABC News that at least half of the ballistic missiles launched by Iran at Israel either failed to launch, failed in flight, or crashed before reaching their targets in Israel.

A senior U.S. official previously told ABC News that among the more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, there were between 115 and 135 ballistic missiles that targeted Israel.

That would mean that only half of the ballistic missiles launched by Iran needed to be shot down by Israel and other countries.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report this info.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

US forces destroy 80 drones, at least 6 ballistic missiles

U.S. military forces destroyed 80 drones and at least six ballistic missiles out of the more than 300 launched from Iran, according to CENTCOM Sunday.

The drone number is an update from Saturday evening, when the U.S. said it had intercepted 70 drones.

CENTCOM said the total included a ballistic missile that was on its launcher vehicle and seven drones before they left the ground.

-ABC News' Anne Flaherty

Biden's message to Iran on possible strike on Israel: 'Don't'

President Joe Biden told reporters he expects an Iranian strike on Israel to occur "sooner than later."

Asked for his message to Iran in this moment, Biden was blunt, saying simply: "Don't."

Asked by ABC News if the U.S. would respond, he said, "We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed."

-ABC News' Mary Bruce

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