Do Cruise Ships Dock On Port Or Starboard Side?

Cruise ships have no fixed side when docking, but they can dock on either the port or starboard side. This decision is influenced by factors such as the port layout, weather conditions, and the ship’s size. The port side is the left side of the ship when facing towards the front or bow, while the starboard side is the right side.

Port and starboard are on the same sides of the ship, regardless of orientation. If you face the rear (aft) of the ship, port is on your right and starboard is on your left. Port side is the left-hand side of a cruise ship when facing towards the front or bow, while starboard is the right-hand side of the ship. These fixed locations are meant to avoid collisions.

There is nothing inherently better about either the port side or the starboard side of a cruise ship. However, if you are sailing in a balcony or veranda stateroom, you might want to choose to stay on the port side. Docking facilities on both port and starboard are available, and there is no inherent better side.

When docked, the port side of the ship is usually closest to land, while the starboard side is typically closest to open water. During my years working on Celebrity ships, we almost always docked on the Starboard side, but only used the Port side very rarely.

The choice of which side offers a better view is relatively unpredictable because cruise ships can dock on either side of the ship. When arriving at a destination, cruise ships typically dock on the port side, meaning that the ship’s left side (facing forward) is the port side.