Cruise Abbreviations That Confuse Almost Everyone

Ever read a cruise deal or forum post and thought, “Am I supposed to know what that means?”

Cruise abbreviations are everywhere. On booking sites. In Facebook groups. Even on ship signage. And if you don’t already know them, they can make perfectly good information feel confusing, frustrating, or totally useless.

They’re meant to save space and simplify things. But when no one explains them, they do the opposite.

So I’ve pulled together the cruise abbreviations you’ll see most often – including a few that catch people out, even after multiple cruises.

Because there’s one abbreviation in particular that almost everyone misunderstands… and it can actually affect what you book.

1. ABTA

Association of British Travel Agents. A UK-based travel association that helps ensure quality and reliable services from its members, including cruise lines.

2. AFT

This isn’t actually an abbreviation – it’s a nautical term. Some people think it’s an abbreviation, though. It refers to the back of the ship. Staterooms labelled as “aft” are located near the rear of the ship.

Read more: Bow Vs Stern Vs Aft – Why Are They Called That?

3. ATOL

Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing. A UK financial protection scheme that covers most air package holidays sold by travel businesses based in the UK.

If your cruise has flights included in the package, you want it to be ATOL-protected. Then you’re guaranteed to be looked after if the airline goes out of business while you’re on your cruise.

4. B2B

Back to Back. Refers to booking consecutive cruises, where a passenger remains on the ship for the next voyage.

5. BPG

Best Price Guarantee. A policy offered by some cruise lines ensures that if a lower price is found for the same cruise, they will match it.

Not all cruise lines advertise this using the abbreviation BPG, but you’ll often see it used by cruisers and agents.

6. C&A

Crown and Anchor. Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program offers rewards and benefits to frequent cruisers.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Diamond Benefits

7. C&S

Cruise & Stay. A package that combines a cruise with a land-based hotel stay either before or after the voyage.

8. CC

Cruise Critic. A popular online forum and review site for cruise-related information.

Visit the Cruise Critic website.

9. CD

Cruise Director. The staff member responsible for all onboard entertainment and activities.

Read more: Carnival Cruise Director Schedule

10. CCL

Carnival Cruise Line. This popular cruise line is known for its fun atmosphere and wide range of destinations. Because it’s typically shortened to just “Carnival”, people sometimes don’t realise that CCL means the cruise line.

11. CO

Cabin Occupancy. Refers to the number of people staying in a cruise ship cabin.

12. DBP

Deluxe Beverage Package. A beverage package offered by some cruise lines that includes a variety of drinks, usually this is the top drinks package. Sometimes called a Premium Beverage Package, though PBP is less commonly used.

13. DCL

Disney Cruise Line. A cruise line that offers family-friendly cruises with Disney-themed entertainment – and yes, they’re pricey – but they’re also excellent.

14. FCC

Future Cruise Credit. Think of it as money to spend on a cruise – usually awarded when a cruise is cancelled or adjusted, in lieu of a refund, so you can use the FCC towards another cruise instead.

Read more: Future Cruise Credit: 12 Vital Things to Know

15. FOD

Friends of Dorothy. A term used to refer to LGBTQ+ gatherings or meetups on cruises.

16. FTTF

Faster to the Fun. A program offered by Carnival Cruise Line that provides expedited boarding, priority luggage delivery, and other benefits.

17. GS

Grand Suite. While most cruise lines will have their own choice of suite names, there are a handful that are common across multiple cruise lines – and this is one of them.

18. GTY

Guaranteed Stateroom. A type of booking where the guest is guaranteed a room in a specified category, but the exact room is assigned at a later time.

Where the Y comes from, I actually don’t know. Some people think it comes from “Guaranty” or that it’s a shortened form of “GuaranTee categorY”.

19. HAL

Holland America Line. This premium cruise line is known for its elegant ships and exotic destinations.

Read more: Holland America Ships Ranked From Best To Worst

20. INT

Interior. A cabin on the inside of the ship that (usually) has no windows, and is typically the cheapest option available. Sometimes called an Inside cabin.

21. ITIN

Itinerary. The planned route or schedule of a cruise, detailing the ports of call and durations.

22. JS

Junior Suite. See Grand Suite – one of those popular suite categories found on a lot of ships.

23. MDR

Main Dining Room. The primary dining area on a cruise ship, where guests can enjoy meals included in the fare.

24. M&M

Meet and Mingle. Social events are organised on cruises, often for specific groups like families, singles, or loyalty program members.

25. MSC

Mediterranean Shipping Company. A global shipping company that also operates a cruise line, known for its Mediterranean cruises. Pretty much always referred to as MSC.

Read more: MSC Cruises Cabins to Avoid

26. NCL

Norwegian Cruise Line. A cruise line known for its “Freestyle Cruising” concept, offering flexible dining and entertainment options. There’s also NCLH, which is less commonly used, standing for the parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.

Read more: NCL Ships By Age And Size

27. NT

Nights. Refers to the number of nights included in a cruise itinerary.

28. OBC

Onboard Credit. A credit that’s provided to guests to spend on additional amenities while on the cruise, like spa services or excursions. Can sometimes be referred to in the UK as OBS or Onboard Spend(s).

Read more: Carnival Onboard Credit

29. OV

Ocean View. A type of stateroom with a window offering a view of the ocean.

30. P&O

Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. A British cruise line that’s known for its history and global destinations. It’s definitely better to stick with “P&O” for short.

Read more: 6 Things That P&O Cruises Does Better Than Other Cruise Lines

31. PAX

Passengers. AKA you. If a ship has a capacity of 3,000 PAX, then that’s 3,000 passengers – not counting the crew working so hard to look after them.

32. PCC

Personal Cruise Consultant or Personal Cruise Concierge. A dedicated representative from a cruise line (or sometimes from a travel agent) who assists with bookings and inquiries.

33. PP

Per Person. Pricing or costs on a cruise that are calculated for each individual passenger.

34. PPPN

Per Person, Per Night. Refers to pricing or costs on a cruise calculated on a nightly basis for each passenger.

This is the best way to compare cruise costs, though make sure it includes all port fees and taxes, too – sometimes they’re listed separately.

35. RCI

Royal Caribbean International. This very popular cruise line is known for its innovative ships and wide variety of destinations.

Read more: Who owns Royal Caribbean?

36. RSSC

Regent Seven Seas Cruises. An ultra-luxury cruise line known for its all-inclusive cruises and exotic itineraries.

37. SOLAS

Safety of Life at Sea. An international maritime treaty ensuring the safe operation of ships, primarily focusing on the safety of passengers.

Read more: Do Cruise Ships Have Enough Lifeboats?

38. TA

Travel Agent. A professional who assists in booking travel arrangements, including cruises.

Read more: The Best Way To Book A Cruise (Online, Phone or In-Person)

39. VIFP

Very Important Fun Person. Carnival Cruise Line’s loyalty program offers benefits and rewards to repeat guests.

Read more: Carnival Cruise Card Colors Explained

40. YTD

Your Time Dining. A dining option on some cruise lines where guests can dine at any time during dinner hours, rather than at a set time. Also called ‘My Time Dining‘ on some cruise ships.

41. BOGO

Buy One, Get One. Commonly used in cruise pricing to describe offers where the second guest sails free or at a heavily reduced rate. Despite the name, it rarely means a true two-for-one deal, so it’s always worth checking what’s actually included.

42. NRD

Non-Refundable Deposit. A lower upfront deposit that you won’t get back if you cancel your cruise. It can save money at booking, but offers much less flexibility if your plans change.

43. WL

Waitlist. Used when a cruise, cabin category, dining time, or excursion is currently full, but you can register interest in case availability opens up later.

44. SD

Sea Day. A day when the ship doesn’t visit any ports and remains at sea. Sea days are focused on onboard activities, entertainment, dining, and relaxation.

45. PD

Port Day. A day when the ship docks in a port and guests can go ashore for excursions or independent exploring. You’ll often see PD used in daily schedules and cruise forums.

46. EMB

Embarkation. The day you board the cruise ship and your holiday begins. Often shortened to “Embark Day” or simply “Embark” in cruise discussions.

47. DEB

Debarkation. The day you leave the ship at the end of your cruise. This is usually an early morning process with guests disembarking in scheduled groups.

48. TBA

To Be Announced. Used when details haven’t been confirmed yet, such as port times, itineraries, entertainers, or show schedules. If you see TBA on your booking, it usually means the information will be added closer to sailing.

49. OV (Obstructed)

Obstructed Ocean View. Refers to an ocean-view cabin where the view is partially blocked by lifeboats or ship structures. These cabins are often cheaper, but the obstruction can range from minor to very significant.

50. AI

All Inclusive. A term used inconsistently in cruising. It may include drinks, gratuities, Wi-Fi, dining, or excursions – or just some of these. Always check what’s actually included before booking.

Final Word

There you go – a long list of abbreviations and acronyms related to cruising, explained.

If you spot one I’ve missed, or come across a cruise abbreviation that makes no sense at all, drop it in the comments – I’ll keep adding to this list.

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