Port vs. Starboard: A Cruiser’s Guide to Nautical Directions
- Lindsey Markwood
- Dec 3, 2025
- 2 min read
Getting turned around on a cruise ship is a rite of passage for many new travelers. Because "left" and "right" change depending on which way you are facing, sailors use specific terms that remain constant regardless of your orientation: Port and Starboard.
Whether you are navigating a massive cruise ship or a small sailboat, mastering these terms is the first step to looking like a pro and will make it easier getting around on river, ocean, and expedition cruise ships.
What is the Difference Between Port and Starboard
Here The golden rule when standing at the back of the ship (the aft) and looking forward (the bow):
· Port is the left side
· Starboard is the right side.
How to Remember: The Best Mnemonics
When you are facing forward, the port side is the left-hand side of the ship. The easiest way to remember this is the port has four letters just like left has four letters. If you want a deeper dive, you can also apply the color rule. The port side is red, and the Starboard side is green. Since port can remind you of port wine, remember the phrase “How much Red port is left in the bottle”.
The History: Why Not Just Use Left and Right?
On a ship it is easy to get turned around if you are using left and right as directions since it will vary depending on if you are facing or aft. For additional help with navigation on and off the ships, the terms starboard, and port are used.
In previous times, the right-hand side of the ship was used for steering with oars. Over time the steering side was replaced with the word starboard which translates to “steer” and “side of the boat”.
On the opposite side is port. The word port was originally called larboard which means the loading side. The left side would be the side where porters would load and unload. Why did the name change from larboard to port? Simply put, people got confused between larboard and starboard since they sound so similar. This was especially true for sailors when the sea was especially noisy. To help avoid confusion and keep everything moving forward the left-hand side of the ship was renamed to port. According to NOAA, the US Navy officially adopted the term "Port" in 1846 to eliminate confusion once and for all.
When you cruise there are a lot of new terminology to remember. Click here for a full list of cruise terms:
When you are ready to plan your next ocean, river, or expedition cruise, schedule a consultation with Markwood Magic.
Research for this page includes NOAA. Why do ships use "port" and "starboard" instead of "left" and "right?" National Ocean Service website, https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/port-starboard.html, 12/03/25
