Aft The back end of a ship Amidships The middle area of the ship Anchor A large device for holding the ship in one place Bow The front of the ship Bridge The place where controls are that operate the ship Cabins Rooms for passengers and crew Decks Flat areas you can walk on Fore The front end of a ship Funnels Tubes that let out smoke and steam from the engine which is deep inside the ship Hull The big part of the ship that floats and contains everything Keel A long thin part that runs along the bottom to stabilize the ship Mast Tall pole to hold telegraph wires and flags Port The left side of the ship as seen when standing on deck and looking toward the front Porthole Small round window Propeller Blades turned by the engine that spin to move the ship Rudder A flat part that moves to change the ship's direction Starboard The right side of the ship as seen when standing on deck and looking toward the front Stern Back of the ship Ocean liners also have galleys (kitchens) and dining rooms to feed the crew and passengers. Mmost have lounges, libraries, and game rooms for people to relax in during their voyage. Some have ballrooms and theaters, too. Ocean liners carry fewer passengers than cruise ships and are built differently to travel swiftly and safely across oceans rather than to simply cruise slowly around in calm waters. Back to top of page. © 2014 Jerry Jindrich. All rights reserved. Revised 1/25/2016.