Whether it’s a leisurely, week-long tour of the Caribbean, or two weeks spent visiting some of the grandest cities of Europe, every Celebrity cruise starts the exact same way, with the same two words: “where” and “when.” Usually, this is the biggest step that you need to figure out before you book a cruise on a Celebrity ship, and there are many questions that can arrise when you are deciding on a cruise ship and time of year to go. So, here is some information to help you make the right decision on which ship, and which time, to go.

The very best place for up to the minute information on Celebrity’s ships and specials is their website at http://www.celebrity.com/ . On their site, you will find the details and specific information regarding itineraries, ships, sail dates, and travel agents - or even request to be called by a Celebrity Guest Vacation Specialist. You will also find an overview of each ship in their fleet, special offers on each ship, special themes or festivals on each ship, and any other pertinent information that will help you make your decision on which ship to cruise on.

Celebrity looks forward to seeing you on one of their impressive ships, where you will experience the service, luxury and attention-to-detail that Celebrity guests and the travel press consistently rate among the world’s finest. But, before you go, there are some terms of the trade that you should know to help you understand the cruising industry a little better. So, here are some “Cruising Definitions” to help you plan correctly for your exciting tropical cruise!

ABOARD - Onboard; the opposite of ashore. Used when referring to being or doing something on the ship.

ACCOMMODATION - A guest’s stateroom or suite.

ADD ON - An additional charge to the cruise fare that usually refers to airfare, transfers, or land tours.

AFT - The back of the ship.

AIR/SEA - A package deal that includes the cruise price, airfare, and transfers to and from the ship.

ASHORE - On land; the opposite of aboard.

BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE - The amount of baggage, generally consisting of a guest’s personal effects, carried by the cruise line free of charge

BEAM - Width of the ship at the widest point.

BEARING - Compass direction, usually expressed in degrees, from the ship to a particular destination or objective.

BERTH - Dock, pier or quay (key); or, the bed or beds within the guests’ staterooms.

CABIN - A guest’s stateroom or suite.

CATEGORY - The price level of a stateroom based on location, size, and amenities.

CELEBRITY XPEDITIONS - An exclusive Celebrity offering, Xpeditions provide guests with rare opportunities to discover parts of the planet and do things precious few have done before. Sail to the Arctic, Antarctic and Galapagos, visit the Kremlin or drive a high-performance racecar with Celebrity.

CONCIERGE CLASS - An enhanced stateroom offering added amenities and services.

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

CRUISETOUR - A full land and sea vacation combining a cruise with a pre- or post-cruise land journey.

DEBARKATION - Exiting from the ship.

DECK - Each level (floor) of the ship.

DECK PLAN - An overhead diagram illustrating stateroom and public area locations.

DEPOSIT(s) - A partial payment of the cruise fare required at the time of booking to secure the stateroom being reserved.

DRAFT - Measurement in feet from waterline to lowest point of ship’s keel.

EMBARKATION - Boarding the ship.

FATHOM - Measurement of distance equal to six feet.

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

FIRST SEATING - The earlier of the two meal times in the ship’s main restaurant.

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

GANGWAY - Ramp or stairway between the ship and the shore while the ship is docked.

GRATUITIES - The guest’s personal expression of thanks (tips) to the ship’s service personnel for services received.

GRT - A measurement of enclosed passenger space, including the space in staterooms, lounges, showrooms, and dining rooms. This does not apply to open spaces such as decks and pool areas (unless, of course, they are enclosed).

GUARANTEES - The commitment that a stateroom in the same category as that purchased will be assigned. If one is not available, a stateroom in the next category of greater value will be assigned.

GUEST CRUISE/CRUISETOUR TICKET CONTRACT - Detailed terms of responsibility and accountability found in the cruise ticket.

GUEST VACATION SPECIALIST - Your helpful, courteous Celebrity representative, ready to assist with vacation planning needs.

GUEST RELATIONS - Onboard guest services and information center that assists with guest requests and arrangements.

HELM - Commonly the ship’s steering wheel, but more correctly the entire steering apparatus consisting of the wheel and rudder and their connecting cables or hydraulic systems.

HULL - The outside shell of the ship from the main deck down to the keel.

INSIDE STATEROOM - A stateroom that does not have a porthole, window, or balcony.

KNOT - The measurement of the ship’s speed. One knot is one nautical mile per hour.

LEEWARD - The side of an island or ship that is sheltered from the wind.

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

MIDSHIP - In or toward the middle of the ship; the longitudinal center portion of the ship.

OPEN SEATING - Free access to unoccupied tables in the ship’s restaurant, as opposed to specific table assignments.

OCEAN VIEW STATEROOM - An outside stateroom with a large porthole or window.

OCEAN VIEW STATEROOM WITH VERANDA - An outside stateroom with a veranda.

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

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

PORT-OF-CALL - A port at which the ship anchors and guests are allowed to disembark.

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

ROLL - The side-to-side movement of the ship.

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

SECOND SEATING - The later of two meal times in the ship’s main restaurant.

SHORE EXCURSION - Off-the-ship tours at ports of call (an extra charge is usually applied).

STARBOARD - The right side of the ship when facing forward.

STATEROOM - A guest’s room, stateroom, or personal accommodation.

STERN - The back end of the ship.

TENDER - A small boat used to transport passengers from the ship to the shore. Tenders are used when the harbor is not deep enough for the ship to dock.

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

UPGRADE - A change in stateroom assignment to a higher category.

UPPER BED - A bed similar to a bunk bed often folded or recessed into the wall.

WAIT LIST - Celebrity’s endeavor to obtain accommodation for guest requests on a first-come, first-serve basis when current accommodations are not presently available.

WAKE - The track left in the water at the stern created by a moving ship.

WINWARD - The side of an island or ship against which the wind is blowing.

These are just a few of the words that you will hear regularly on your next Celebrity cruise. At least now you will know what they mean when you do!