What is a cruise ship ladder?

“The stairs are located aft on the starboard side.”

It makes perfect sense for a crew member to say this to you—and you don’t understand a word of all that nautical jargon. It’s easy to know that “aft” refers to the back of the ship and “starboard” is sailor’s term for the right side, but what exactly is a cruise ship’s boarding ladder—and what do you need to know about this common cruise structure?

A “gangway” is any walkway, staircase, or platform that allows you to board or disembark from a ship. The location and style of gangway you’ll use during your cruise may vary from day to day. The features of the gangway depend on the port, sea conditions, and the ship itself. Even where you find the gangway on a cruise ship can get confusing as the ship moves from port to port.

Let’s clear up some jargon and look at all the possibilities for getting on and off your cruise ship via stairs.

How do you use the cruise ship stairs?

At larger cruise terminals, like those at your embarkation or departure port, the stairs are often like an airplane jet bridge. They are enclosed walkways from the terminal building to the ship’s mid-deck. You’ll enter the stairs from the lobby at the terminal and exit to the welcome deck, where crew members will greet you and show you to your cabin.

Small ships may require you to walk across a jetty and then up a flight of stairs or a ramp to board, even at major ports. Similar to how boarding a regional jet differs from boarding a jumbo jet, even at major airports.

To leave the ship after docking or anchoring and with permission from local authorities at the port of call, you will need to queue up to disembark, usually by scanning your cruise ship key card.

In ports where ships are moored at a pier, the ladder may consist simply of a metal ram with handrails spanning the small gap between the ship and the concrete pier. If the ship is moored far from the port, tender will take passengers to shore; the ladder will be a platform attached to the side of the ship for you to board the boat. Crew members are always on hand to help you board safely.

When you return to the ship after a day in port, you’ll likely be greeted by crew members on the dock, sometimes with a cool drink or towel and a place to rest in the shade. They’ll show you the way to the jetty or pier, which may have changed a bit while you were away.

Changing sea and tidal conditions can increase or decrease the slope of the ram and ladder throughout the day. Occasionally, crew members will even switch to a different ladder setup to improve accessibility.

When you return to the ship, you will have to scan your card and go through the security checkpoint.

Related: The Biggest Mistakes Cruise Ship Passengers Make on Dock Days

Where do you find the cruise ship stairs?

Signs, announcements and crew members will direct you to the location of the stairs, which may vary from day to day based on sea conditions and anchorage facilities at each port. You can initially board the ship on Deck 5, depart the first port from the previous port side on Deck 2 and disembark the supply ship from the midship stairs on the starboard side at the next port.

I have even been on a river ship whose bow opened to reveal a long jetty deployed directly to shore at a location where the river water level was too shallow for normal parallel docking at a dock.

On a cruise ship, what does “gangway up” mean?

“Gangway up” is the time when a cruise ship makes its final steps to leave port. Passengers are often asked to return to the ship half an hour or even an hour in advance. departure time. The boarding ladder is the point at which the captain essentially considers all passengers not on board to be off the ship. The ladder is pulled in through an opening in the hull, or if the port side ladder is in use, the ladder is pulled out of the ship by the port crew.

Captains hold the cruise ship’s boarding ramp open for a variety of reasons, such as when ship-sponsored tours or transportation are delayed, or when passengers have medical emergencies.

It is better to return to the ship and watch the loading process than to be left behind.

Related: 12 Ways to Speed ​​Up the Cruise Boarding Process

Can the cruise ship pier collapse?

Cruise lines place a high priority on passenger safety, making stairwell collapses unlikely but not impossible. In 2022, a port authority-run stairwell in Panama City collapsed, injuring 11 passengers. Norwegian Encore as they were returning to the ship after a day in port. Reports indicate that changing tides increased the slope of the pier, which may have contributed to the collapse.

Can I climb stairs on a cruise ship if I use a wheelchair, scooter or other mobility device?

If you have limited mobility, it is important to choose your cruise line, ship, and itinerary carefully. Don’t assume that every staircase is wheelchair-friendly or that crew members will be there to assist with lifting a scooter or wheelchair in every situation.

Ports that require tenders create a possible scenario where the pier might be inaccessible: on rough sea days. I have seen tender teams help passengers use mobility aids on calm days but reduce them on rough days.

Related: 6 tips for cruising for people in wheelchairs

Some smaller cruise lines use stairs for boarding at all ports, making them inaccessible for wheeled devices. Even if a departure port has stairs, it is important to check the accessibility of a line’s port boarding stairs for those who rely on assistive devices and want to leave the ship at ports of call.

The last line

Cruise ship boarding stairs come in a variety of configurations and can be deployed in a variety of ways to allow passengers to board and disembark. In some ports, the boarding stairs may be a simple ramp; in others, there may be steps or even platforms for mooring small vessels. All of the above are considered “boarding stairs” when in use and can be easily located by looking for signs, listening for announcements, or following crew instructions.

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