Plain definitions of 35 terms we use on the job in Scottsdale.
Term Index
Open any term below for a dedicated definition page.
An accessible cabin is a cruise stateroom designed for guests who need easier movement and access. It may include a wider entry, more open floor space, accessible bathroom features, and room for mobility equipment. Features vary by ship and cabin category, so the deck plan and cruise line details should guide the selection.
Also called: Wheelchair accessible cabin
Airline Pet Carrier is a travel container designed to hold a pet during air transport. The carrier must fit the travel method and follow the airline's rules for size, structure, ventilation, and security. Some carriers are used in the cabin, while others are prepared for checked or specialized animal transport.
Also called: Air travel pet carrier
Airport Transfer is a prearranged ride between an airport and another travel point, such as a hotel, cruise port, or private residence. The service may include pickup coordination, vehicle planning, luggage space, and timing based on your flight details. It connects air travel with the next part of your trip.
Also called: Airport transportation
Baggage Allowance is the luggage an airline permits on a flight under its fare and ticket rules. The allowance may cover carry-on bags, checked bags, or both. Each bag can have limits for size, weight, or contents. The airline may charge extra when your luggage falls outside those terms.
Also called: Luggage allowance
Cabin Category is a cruise booking label that groups staterooms with similar location, size, view, layout, and included features. Cruise lines use cabin categories to organize available rooms and set fare levels. The category may describe an interior cabin, oceanview cabin, balcony cabin, suite, or a more specific room type.
Also called: Cabin type
A Cabin Steward is a cruise ship crew member who cares for guest cabins during a voyage. The steward keeps the room clean, replaces used supplies, prepares the bed, and reports maintenance concerns. Guests may also ask the steward about cabin needs or routine onboard services.
Also called: Cabin attendant
Cancellation Policy is a set of terms that explains what happens when you cancel a cruise, trip, or travel service. It may state whether you can receive a refund, pay a cancellation charge, or move your booking. The policy also identifies deadlines, exclusions, and the party that controls the decision.
Also called: Booking cancellation policy
A charging station is a location or device that supplies electricity to an electric vehicle. The station connects to the vehicle through charging equipment and restores energy to the battery. Public stations may serve one or several vehicles, while home stations usually support a single parking space. Availability and connector type affect trip planning.
Also called: EV charging station
Cruise fare is the base amount charged for a cruise reservation. It usually covers the stateroom, ship transportation, and selected onboard services. The final amount may also reflect the sailing date, cabin category, guest count, taxes, port charges, and optional items. The booking terms explain what the quoted fare includes.
Also called: Cruise price
A Cruise Itinerary is a planned schedule for a cruise vacation that lists the ship’s route, ports of call, arrival and departure details, and activities available during the voyage. It helps you see where the ship travels and how each day fits into the overall trip plan.
Also called: Sailing itinerary
Cruise Port is a coastal facility where cruise ships arrive, depart, load supplies, and handle passenger movement. It may include a passenger terminal, docks, transport areas, and customs spaces. A cruise port can serve as the starting point for a voyage or as a scheduled stop during a cruise itinerary.
Also called: Port terminal
A cruise tender is a small boat that carries passengers between a cruise ship and shore when the ship cannot dock at the port. The ship anchors offshore, and guests travel by tender to reach the pier. Tender service may be arranged by the cruise line or included with a shore excursion.
Also called: Tender boat
Customs Declaration is a statement travelers give to border officials about goods, currency, and other items they bring into a country. The declaration may be completed online, on paper, or through an arrival kiosk. Officials use the information to assess whether an item needs inspection, approval, or payment.
Also called: Customs form
A deck plan is a ship diagram that shows each deck’s layout, cabin locations, public spaces, stairs, elevators, and other facilities. Cruise lines use deck plans to help you see where a cabin sits on the ship. The plan also shows nearby features that may affect views, access, or noise.
Also called: Ship deck plan
Disembarkation is the process of leaving a cruise ship at the end of a sailing. It usually includes settling onboard accounts, collecting luggage, following the ship's departure instructions, and passing through any required port or customs checks. The process ends when you leave the terminal and continue your onward travel.
Also called: Debarkation
An Electronic Travel Authorization is a digital entry clearance linked to your passport before travel. A destination country uses the authorization to screen eligible visitors who do not need a traditional visa for a short visit. Approval does not replace your passport, and border officials still decide whether you may enter.
Also called: Electronic visa waiver, eTA
An excursion is a planned trip away from a main journey or base, often for sightseeing, culture, nature, or recreation. In cruise travel, an excursion usually means a guided or self-guided activity during a port visit. The activity may be arranged by the cruise line, a local operator, or a travel agency.
Also called: Guided excursion
A Family Cabin is a cruise guest room planned for people traveling together as a family. It may include family-friendly sleeping arrangements, added storage, or a layout that gives relatives more usable space. The exact design depends on the cruise line, ship, cabin category, and booking rules for that sailing.
Also called: Family stateroom
A Flight Connection is a planned stop between the starting airport and the final destination. You leave one flight and continue on another flight, often at a connecting airport. The connection may require a gate change, security screening, or baggage transfer. Your itinerary shows the airport, flights, and time allowed between them.
Also called: Connecting flight
Formal Night is a designated cruise evening when guests are invited to wear dressier clothing for dining, photos, and selected onboard events. The cruise line sets the evening on the schedule and explains its suggested dress level. Participation is often optional, and other dining areas may follow a more relaxed dress standard.
Also called: Gala night
A Group Rate is a price or booking condition offered to travelers who reserve together under one group arrangement. Cruise lines may apply the rate to cabins, deposits, payment dates, or added benefits. The offer can depend on sailing details, cabin types, and the number of guests booked together.
Also called: Group fare
A health certificate is an official document from a licensed veterinarian that records an animal’s health status for travel or import. The certificate identifies the animal and confirms the veterinarian’s findings at the time of examination. Airlines, border agencies, or destination authorities may review it during a pet’s journey.
Also called: Veterinary health certificate
Hotel Allotment is a block of rooms a hotel sets aside for a travel agency, group, event, or tour. The rooms remain available under agreed booking terms for a defined period. The allotment may have rules for guest names, payment, room types, and releasing unsold rooms back to the hotel.
Also called: Room block
A microchip is a small electronic device placed under an animal’s skin to store an identification number. A scanner reads the number and connects it to a registration record. Unlike a collar tag, the chip stays with the animal if the collar is lost. Travel paperwork may use the chip number to identify the pet.
Also called: Pet identification microchip
Passport Validity is the period a passport remains acceptable for travel based on its expiration date and destination rules. The term describes whether the document will stay valid through the required travel period. Cruise lines, airlines, border officials, and immigration authorities may check this detail before departure or entry.
Also called: Passport expiration requirement
A pet import permit is an official authorization for bringing an animal into a country, state, or territory. The destination authority issues the permit after reviewing details such as the animal’s identity, health records, travel route, and planned arrival. The permit may set entry conditions that differ from ordinary travel documents.
Also called: Animal import permit
A port of call is a scheduled place where a cruise vessel stops during its route. Passengers may leave the vessel to explore, join a shore excursion, or spend time in the town. The vessel usually continues to another destination after the planned visit.
Also called: Cruise stop
A Rabies Certificate is a veterinary record that confirms a dog received a rabies vaccination. The document usually identifies the dog, lists the vaccine details, and names the administering veterinarian. Authorities, airlines, border officials, and animal transport teams may review it during international or domestic travel planning.
Also called: Rabies vaccination certificate
A Repositioning Cruise is a one-way sailing that moves a cruise ship from one seasonal home port to another. These voyages often visit fewer ports and spend more days at sea than standard round-trip cruises. The ship may cross an ocean or travel between regions as the cruise line changes its operating base.
Also called: Relocation cruise
Rooming List is a guest record that assigns travelers to hotel rooms for a group trip. It usually includes each guest’s name, room type, sharing details, and arrival information. Hotels use the list to prepare reservations, while travel planners use it to check that every room matches the group’s plans.
Also called: Guest rooming list
Shore Excursion is a planned activity or tour that cruise passengers take during a ship's scheduled stop at a port. The activity may include local sightseeing, cultural visits, outdoor activities, or transportation to a nearby attraction. Shore excursions may be arranged through the cruise line or an independent tour provider.
Also called: Cruise excursion
A Single Supplement is an extra amount charged when one traveler uses a cabin, room, or tour space priced for shared occupancy. Cruise lines and travel suppliers add this charge because the booking has one guest covering space and services planned for two or more guests. The amount and rules vary by itinerary and supplier.
Also called: Single occupancy supplement
A Travel Document is an official paper or digital record that helps confirm your identity, citizenship, permission to enter, or permission to travel. Common examples include passports, visas, electronic travel authorizations, and government-issued permits. Cruise lines, airlines, border officials, and port authorities may review these documents during an international journey.
Also called: Trip document
A Visa Waiver is an entry arrangement that lets eligible travelers visit a country without getting a traditional visa first. Travelers must meet that country’s rules and may need electronic travel approval before departure. A visa waiver usually covers tourism or business visits, but it does not guarantee entry at the border.
Also called: Visa exemption
Wheelchair Assistance is a travel support service that helps passengers move through airports when walking long distances or standing for extended periods is difficult. Airport staff may provide a wheelchair, escort the passenger through check-in and security, and guide the passenger to the gate, aircraft seat, baggage area, or ground transport.
Also called: Airport wheelchair service
