In short
Port side is the left side of the ship when you face the bow, starboard is the right. On arrival the sights of a bank are on one side, on departure on the other — so on a round trip it often evens out. Where it matters most: river and fjord passages (Lisbon, Hamburg, Geiranger, Istanbul), and evening sail-aways into the sunset.
Updated: October 2026
Route by day
How it works
- Choose the boarding day, the number of nights and a port or «Day at sea» for every day — the same way as in the cruise planner.
- For ports with a notable sail-in we know the usual approach course and on which bank each sight lies; from that we work out the side on arrival, and the opposite side on departure.
- The sun is calculated for your dates: where it rises and sets relative to the ship's course between the ports, and on which side it shines during a sea day.
- At the top you see a tally for the whole route — how many sights and sunsets fall on each side — useful when you choose a balcony cabin.
- Courses between ports are straight lines on the map; the real route bends, so near a turn the side can change. Each sight also shows its bank (north, south…), so you can check it on the day.
Port, starboard, bow and stern
Getting the best view
- Be on deck 30–45 minutes before the arrival time in the daily programme: the scenic part usually comes before the ship is alongside.
- Open decks at the bow and the top deck see both sides — the side only matters if you watch from your balcony.
- On a round trip the same passage is seen from one side going in and the other going out — another reason not to overpay for a side.
- Where the ship docks (bow in or stern in) varies, so we don't promise the view from your balcony while in port.
Common questions
Is port side left or right?
Left, when you face the bow. Starboard is right. An easy way to remember: «port» and «left» both have four letters.
Which side is better for a balcony?
It depends on the route. On a round trip from the same port, sights on arrival and departure often balance out. On one-way routes along a coast — Norway, the Baltic, the Adriatic — one side can see much more. The tally at the top shows it for your itinerary.
How do I know which side my cabin is on?
The deck plan of the ship shows it; cabin numbering by side differs between cruise lines, so check the plan for your ship.
What if the ship approaches from the other direction?
Then the sides swap. That is why each sight also shows its bank — for example «north bank»: on the day, look at which way the ship is heading.
Why do some ports have no scenic sail-in?
Many cruise berths are in large working harbours behind a breakwater. The note for such ports says what you can still see from the deck.
How accurate are the sunset sides?
The sun's position is exact for the date; the uncertainty is the course. Between two ports we use a straight line, so near headlands and turns it can differ.
Also useful
This is an information tool. Routes, approach courses and berths can change; the ship's daily programme and the captain's announcements always take priority.