What Is a Gangway?

What is a gangway?

A gangway is the ramp, walkway, or bridge that connects a cruise ship to the dock or pier, providing the means for passengers and crew to board and exit the vessel. When the ship is docked at a port, the gangway is extended or positioned between an opening in the ship's side and the shore, creating a walkway you cross to go between the ship and land. Gangways can be simple ramps or more elaborate covered bridges, and they may slope depending on the tide and the ship's height relative to the dock. The gangway is a fundamental part of getting on and off the ship, used at the start and end of the cruise and whenever the ship is in port. When crew direct you to the gangway, they mean the walkway connecting the ship to shore that you use to embark or disembark.

How does a gangway work?

A gangway works by bridging the gap between the ship and the dock so people can walk safely between them. When the ship docks, crew position the gangway from a doorway in the hull, sometimes called the shell door, to the pier, securing it in place, and it may be adjusted for the height difference and tide, which can make it slope up or down. Passengers walk across this bridge to get ashore or return aboard. At the ship end, there is typically a security checkpoint where your cruise card is scanned each time you get off and on, so the ship keeps an accurate count of who is aboard, an important safety measure. The gangway is monitored by crew for safety, and handrails and a non-slip surface help passengers cross securely. This simple but essential structure is the controlled gateway between ship and shore.

When do you use the gangway?

You use the gangway at several points during a cruise. At embarkation, on the first day, you walk up the gangway to board the ship and begin your voyage. On port days, when the ship is docked, you use the gangway to disembark and go ashore to explore, then to reboard before the all-aboard time, scanning your cruise card each way. At disembarkation, at the end of the cruise, you cross the gangway one last time to leave the ship for good. Essentially, any time you get on or off the ship while it is docked at a pier, you do so via the gangway. The exception is when the ship is anchored offshore rather than docked, in which case you use tender boats instead. So the gangway is your route to and from the ship whenever it is tied up at a port.

How is a gangway different from a tender?

A gangway and a tender are both ways to get between the ship and shore, but they are used in different situations. A gangway is the walkway or bridge used when the ship is docked directly at a pier, letting you simply walk between the ship and land. A tender is a small boat used to ferry passengers between the ship and shore when the ship cannot dock at the pier and instead anchors offshore, such as at ports without a deep or large enough dock. In that case, you board the tender boat from the ship, ride it to the shore, and return the same way, rather than walking a gangway to the dock. So the gangway is for docked ports where you walk ashore, while a tender is for anchored ports where you must be shuttled by boat. Your ship's arrangements at each port determine which you use.