Port or Starboard

G

garisilver

New Member
We're planning a trip on the Navigator of the Seas. I would love to have our balcony face the ports when we're docked if the ship parallels the port. We'll be in St. Maarten, St. Kitts, San Juan and Labadee. Does anyone know those ports and if we should choose port or starboard cabins?
 
Cruizer

Cruizer

Staff Captain
First of all there is no hard and fast rule. Many different factors come into play in determining which side of the ship will face the dock. For St. Maarten and San Juan it could be either side. For Labadee it will most likely be the starboard side if you are the only ship docked that day. If two ships will arrive, then it could be either side. I have not been to St. Kitts.

Here is a picture of four ships docked in St. Maarten. Note that although there are two ships on each side of the dock, only one ship (front right) is docked with the starboard side facing the dock. The other three are docked with the port side facing the dock because one of the ships choose to back in ...

StMaarten-trafficjam.jpg


Front left is the Caribbean Princess. Back left is the Carnival Victory. Front right is the Carnival Glory. Back right is the Explorer of the Seas.

Two years later there were only two ships in port, and as you can see, they didn't agree on which way to face ...

IMG_5446.jpg
 
Mbandy

Mbandy

Staff Captain
The docking of the ship is the decision of the Captain and the Harbor Pilot. Sometimes they go bow first, other times they back in.

The decision is based on several factors including tides, currents, winds and other navigational factors so you really never know how the ship will be parked.

At Labadee the starboard side will most likely have the view of the island.
 
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