|
S corp.
Abr. Chapter S Corporation (qv).
S&T. CRS.
Shower and toilet.
SA.
CRS. Space available.
Sabre®. A
computerized reservation system (qv).
safari.
1. An adventure trip, typically in Africa, using off-road vehicles and
tent-like accommodations for the purpose of viewing and photographing
wildlife. 2. Originally, a hunting trip.
SAI. Abr.
System assisted instruction.
sail ‘n' stay
program. A travel product combining a
cruise to a destination with a one- or two-week stay at that
destination, after which the passenger rejoins the cruise ship for the
remainder of the cruise or to return to the point of departure.
salon.
1. An elegantly appointed reception room, as aboard a cruise ship. 2. A
beauty parlor.
sampan.
A small river vessel common in China.
Samson's Pillar.
See "king post."
SARS.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.
satellite ticket
printer. 1. A branch of an
ARC-accredited agency that contains a ticket printer, either attended or
unattended. 2. The printer in any such branch.
satellite ticket
printer network. A network of attended
ticket printers, typically in hotels, maintained by an ARC-accredited
entity which sells its ticket distribution services to other ARC
agencies. When an agent requests a ticket to be delivered through such a
system, the STPN issues the ticket, receives money from the customer,
deducts the appropriate commission, and sends it to ARC.
SATH.
Society for the Advancement of Travel for the Handicapped.
SATO. Abr.
Scheduled airline ticket offices.
SATW. Society
of American Travel Writers.
sauna.
1. A dry heat bath in which steam can be produced by pouring water on
hot coals. 2. A cabinet or room for such a bath.
SB.
1. Abr. Steamboat. 2. Abr. School bus.
SC.
CRS. Schedule change.
SCAR.
CRS. Standard (full-size) car.
scenic route.
A secondary road designated as being especially scenic and, typically,
longer.
SCH.
Abr. Scheduled service.
scheduled
carrier. An airline or other carrier
that operates according to a regular and published timetable.
schoolroom setup.
In a meeting a configuration in which tables are lined up on either side
of an aisle, with all chairs on one side of the tables, facing front.
scooter.
A small motor bike available for rental in some resort areas.
screen scraping.
The practice of downloading or otherwise extracting fare and schedule
information from a GDS for use on another technological platform or in
another medium.
screw.
The propeller of a ship.
script. 1.
A CRS feature which leads and prompts an agent through the booking
process. 2. An outline or word-for-word script used by someone making a
telemarketing sales call.
scupper.
A hole in a ship's side or deck allowing water to drain out.
SDR.
CRS. Special drawing right (qv).
sea legs.
Slang. The ability to move easily around a ship, without seasickness or
loss of balance.
seaboard. The
coast. The area near the ocean.
seagate.
A small channel opening onto the sea.
seagoing.
Capable of and safe for travel on the open seas.
seaplane.
An airplane equipped with pontoons for landing on water.
search engine.
An Internet-based computer program that enables users to locate
information on the World Wide Web.
seasickness.
Nausea and allied discomfort caused by the effect of a ship's motions on
an individual's inner ear.
seat pitch.
See pitch.
seat rotation.
A practice on tours in which passengers are moved from seat to seat so
as to give all travelers equal access to the "good seats."
seating.
On a cruise ship, the specified time at which a passenger eats the
evening meal. Typically, there are two seatings each night.
seating times.
On a cruise ship, the specified hours at which meal service begins.
seatmate.
One's next-door neighbor on an airplane.
seatrain. A
ship that transports railway cars.
seaward.
In the direction of the ocean.
seaway.
1. A designated traffic lane in the ocean. 2. An inland waterway.
seaworthy.
Able to float. Safe for sea travel.
second sitting.
The later of two meal seatings on a cruise ship.
second-tier
airports. Airports that are not located
in major cities, which are not major hubs of any airline, and which
traditionally enjoy only limited service.
sector bonus.
An extra commission for certain airline segments, usually international,
offered for limited periods of time.
security.
1. Any measures taken to insure the safety of facilities, property or
personnel. 2. The screening checkpoint through which passengers must
pass before boarding an airplane or other vehicle.
security
surcharge. An additional fee levied on
an airline ticket to pay for increased security measures at airports.
SEDM. CRS.
Schedule exchange data message.
segment. 1.
A discreet portion of a trip, typically between two cities. See also
leg. 2. A portion of the total market. 3. v. To divide the total market
into demographic groups, so as to offer a slightly different product or
product mix to each one.
self sales.
Sales of a company's products or services made to employees of that
company.
self-catering.
Brit. Referring to an apartment or efficiency (qv) in which guests can
take care of their own meal and laundry needs.
self-drive.
Brit. A rental car.
selling away.
The purposeful act of promoting the products of one supplier rather than
another, usually as a form of protest.
selling fare.
The unrestricted coach fare.
selling up. The
practice of selling a more expensive alternative or selling more
optional elements of a product. Not to be confused with bait and switch
(qv).
senior, senior
citizen. In the travel industry, a
designation used to determine fares and other rates. The age at which a
customer becomes a "senior" varies with the supplier and can
range from 50 to 62 to 65 years of age.
server.
A computer on which files and data are stored for retrieval by other
computers.
servi-bar.
A European term for minibar (qv).
service bureau. Typically,
a company offering computer services on a contract basis.
service charge.
1. An additional charge, usually levied in lieu of a tip. 2. A fee
charged by travel agencies for providing non-commissionable services.
See also, service fee.
service compris.
Fr. Literally, "service included," that is, there is no need
for an additional tip.
service encounter. The
discreet period of time in which a customer interacts with a member of
the staff of a travel provider such as a hotel.
service fee.
A charge to the customer levied by a travel agency, typically to cover
the time and expense of arranging air travel; a reaction to commission
cuts and caps by the airlines. See also, service charge.
service non
compris. Fr. Literally, "service
not included," that is, an additional tip is expected.
set ups.
Non-alcoholic mixers, glasses, ice, and garnishes provided by an
establishment, such as a hotel or restaurant, with alcohol to be
provided either by the guest or by the establishment for an extra
charge.
SFML. CRS.
Sea food meal.
SG.
Abr. School group.
sgl.
Abr. Single (qv).
SGLB. CRS.
Single room with bath.
SGLN. CRS.
Single room without bath.
SGLS. CRS.
Single room with shower.
SGMT.
CRS. Segment.
shakedown cruise.
A cruise undertaken to test a ship's systems, mechanical and human,
sometimes made with passengers traveling at a discount.
Shangri-la.
A fictional paradise where people live without care and never age. Used
to describe any especially beautiful vacation destination.
shared code
carrier. An airline which is listed on a
CRS under the code of another airline.
sheikdom.
A country or territory ruled by a sheik.
shell.
A pre-printed brochure or flyer produced by a supplier which has empty
space in which a travel agency may have its own logo and address
imprinted.
Sherpa. 1.
A Tibetan ethnic group. 2. Informally, a member of this group working as
an aide or porter to a mountaineering expedition.
ship to shore.
The radio system used to communicate with ships at sea.
shoji screen.
A sliding rice-paper and wood room divider found in Japanese style
hotels.
shopper.
Slang. A customer who asks a travel agent for recommendations or
quotes but who never actually makes a booking. See also
tirekicker.
shore excursion.
A sightseeing excursion offered in conjunction with a cruise, often for
an additional charge.
shortest operated
mileage. Under the mileage system (qv)
of computing fares, the shortest distance between two points on an
itinerary, omitting any intermediate connections.
short-haul. Of
airline routes, of limited length and duration, often to, from, or
between second-tier airports (qv).
shoulder season.
An abbreviated season that falls between the high and low seasons (qv)
and offers fares and rates between those of the other seasons.
showboat. A
paddle steamer on which musical entertainment, often with a "Gay
Nineties" (qv) theme, is provided.
SHTL. CRS.
Second-class hotel.
shuttle. A
short-run conveyance, sometimes provided free of charge, operating on a
frequent schedule, usually between two points, such as a hotel and the
airport, the airport and a car rental agency, and so forth.
SI.
CRS. Service information. Supplementary information.
sic.
Lat. Literally, "thus it is written," usually used to indicate
that a misspelling or other questionable element in a quotation is
exactly as it appeared in the original.
SIC.
Standard Industrial Classification.
SIC code. Numerical
designator that identifies specific industries.
siesta.
An afternoon nap or rest period observed in many Spanish-speaking
countries. Shops and other businesses are typically closed during this
period.
simplified
commissions. Supplier doublespeak for
commission structures which, effectively, lower the amount of money due
travel agents.
sine.
A code used to identify a user or a travel agency in a CRS.
single.
1. A hotel room for one person, which may actually be able to
accommodate more people. 2. One empty seat or one ticket in a theater.
single entity
charter. An airplane, vessel, or other
carrier that is chartered to a single company or group for the exclusive
use by its employees or members.
single
supplement. A charge added to a
per-person occupancy rate that is based on an assumption of double
occupancy, as on a cruise ship.
SIPP.
CRS. Standard interline passenger procedures.
SITA.
Societe Internationale Telecommunications Aeronautiques.
SITE. Society
of Incentive Travel Executives.
site guide.
A page on a web site that gives visitors an overview of the contents of
the site.
site inspection.
1. A visit to a hotel property or other establishment for the purpose of
evaluation, as on a fam trip (qv). 2. A fam trip.
SITI. CRS.
Sold inside, ticketed inside. A ticket sold and issued in the same
country.
SITO.
CRS. Sold inside, ticketed outside. A ticket sold in one country and
issued in a country not included in the itinerary.
sitting.
On a cruise ship, one of the designated meal times. There are generally
two sittings for each meal.
sixth freedom. See
freedom rights
SKD.
CRS. Schedule. Schedule change.
SKED.
CRS. Schedule.
ski lift.
A series of seats or bars suspended from a moving overhead cable, used
to move skiers up a slope.
skid row. An
inner city area of seedy hotels and bars.
skidoo. A
brand name for a jet ski (qv), often used generically.
skiff. A
small sailboat.
skipper.
Slang. The captain of a vessel.
skycap. A
baggage carrier or porter at an airport.
skyjacking.
The forcible takeover of an airplane, as by terrorists. Air piracy (qv).
sleeper.
1. Sleeping compartment on a train. See also sleeperette. 2. Slang. In
the hotel industry, a room marked as occupied when it was actually
available for sale.
sleeper berth.
See sleeperette.
sleeperette.
1. On an aircraft, a seat designed to recline nearly horizontally so as
to approximate a bed. 2. On a train, a small sleeping compartment.
sleeping
policeman. Brit. slang. A speed bump (qv).
slip. A
docking space, as at a marina.
sloop.
A one-masted sailing vessel, rigged fore and aft.
slot. 1.
Slang. A slot machine (qv). 2. A parking space for planes at an airport.
3. A takeoff or landing time for a plane. 4. v. To schedule or fit into
a schedule of events.
SLPR. CRS.
Sleeperette (qv).
SM. Abr.
Sales manager.
SMERF.
Abr. In the hospitality industry, an acronym for Social,
Military, Educational, Religious, Fraternal, indicating a market segment
for the sales of banqueting rooms and meeting facilities.
smokestack. A
ship's funnel (qv).
smorgasbord.
A Swedish-style buffet. By extension, any buffet service.
SMST. CRS.
Smoking seat.
smuggle. To
transport contraband or concealed dutiable items across an international
border.
snail mail.
Mildly derogatory erm for regular postal service mail, as opposed to the
much faster e-mail.
snowbird.
Slang. A person from a northern country or area who travels south during
the winter.
snowboard.
A surf board-like device used on ski slopes.
soft adventure.
An outdoor or adventure travel experience that is not overly demanding
physically.
soft class.
In certain Far Eastern countries, a designation for first class.
soft departure,
soft sailing. A departure date for which
there are relatively few bookings.
soft opening.
A period of time when a new hotel, which may not be fully complete, is
open for business but has not formally announced its opening.
soft-dollar
savings. Savings realized by not
spending money or by saving time. See also hard-dollar savings.
soiree.
Fr. A dance party. Any evening function.
SOLAS. Safety
of life at sea. A set of international procedures designed to enhance
safety aboard ships.
sole
proprietorship. A legal definition of
ownership in which the owner's profits are taxed as personal income.
solstice.
The precise moment at which the sun is the farthest North or South from
the Equator. There are two solstices each year (December 22 and June 22)
marking, respectively, the shortest and longest days of the year (as
measured from sunrise to sunset).
SOM. CRS.
Shortest operated mileage (qv). Start of message.
sommelier.
Fr. Wine steward, responsible for the opening, decanting, and serving of
wine in a restaurant.
son et lumière.
Fr. Literally, "sound and light." A form of entertainment in
which the history of a tourist attraction is told through recorded
dialogue and music and the artful lighting of the attraction itself.
SOS. Abr.
"Save our souls," the international Morse code distress
signal.
SOTI.
CRS. Sold outside, ticketed inside. A ticket sold in one country but
issued in another country on the itinerary.
SOTO.
CRS. Sold outside, ticketed outside. A ticket sold and issued in a
country not included in the itinerary.
souk. Arabic.
A traditional North African marketplace.
sound.
A long body of water separating an island from the mainland or
connecting two larger bodies of water.
sounding.
n. 1. The measured depth of the sea, as beneath a ship. 2. The measuring
of the depth of the sea, as in "to take a sounding."
Southern Lights,
The. See aurora australis.
SP.
Abr. Special operations.
spa. 1.
Traditionally, a resort town or area centered around mineral springs
believed to have restorative powers; named after the town of Spa in
Belgium. 2. A resort specifically designed to appeal to the health- or
diet-conscious. 3. A room or area in a hotel or resort property offering
such amenities as steam baths, saunas, massage, and so forth.
spa cuisine, spa
food. Light, healthy, low-calorie fare.
space.
Generic term for any room, seat, table, and so forth available for sale.
space available.
Term used to refer to any remaining seating or lodging sold at the last
minute, generally at a discount.
space ratio.
See passenger space ratio.
SPCL.
CRS. Special class (of rental car).
spec book.
A document used by a meeting planner to record all the specifications
and detailed supplier instructions for a specific event.
special drawing
right. A fictitious unit of currency
used to devise international air fares.
special fare. Any
fare other than those normally offered.
special interest
tour. A tour that combines elements
designed to appeal to those with certain narrow interests.
special
operations. In the motor coach industry,
services such as airport bus routes or transportation to special events.
special service
requirement. A request to an airline for
services or amenities other than standard, such as wheelchair usage,
meals for special diets, and so forth.
specialty
vehicle. Typically, any form of
conveyance other than an automobile available for rental to tourists,
including all-terrain vehicles, jet skis, and so forth.
specification.
A detail of a product or service included in a written document
detailing the features of such a product or service.
speed bump.
A raised asphalt or concrete ridge in a road used to discourage
excessive speeds.
speed trap.
1. An effort by local police to catch speeding motorists, ostensibly
motivated more by a desire to raise cash than a concern for safety. 2.
By extension, any town or location on a highway where such efforts are
mounted on a regular basis.
spinner.
Slang. A passenger, as on an airplane, who finds his seat already taken
because a duplicate boarding pass has been issued.
split. 1.
An agreed-on division, as of a commission between a travel agency and an
outside sales representative. 2. A half bottle of wine.
split payment
transaction. A transaction in which full
payment is made in two parts, each by a different method. For example,
by cash and credit card or by two separate credit cards.
split ticketing.
1. Creating two separate tickets for a single journey, usually to obtain
a lower fare. 2. A ticket issuing procedure in which the flight coupon
goes to one location, while the auditor's and agency coupons go to
another, usually a host agency.
SPML.
CRS. Special meal.
sports bar.
A pub or restaurant in which multiple television monitors feature live
broadcasts of sporting events.
SQ.
CRS. Space requested.
SR.
Abr. Senior, seniors.
SRO. Abr.
Standing room only, as in a theater.
SRVS. CRS.
Serves. Servicing.
SS. 1.
CRS. Sold segment. 2. Abr. Steamship.
SSM.
CRS. Segment status message.
SSR.
CRS. Special service requirement (qv).
SST. Abr.
1. Supersonic transport. The Concorde. 2. Self-service terminal.
stabilizer.
A fin-like projection from a ship's hull designed to reduce roll.
stack.
n. Short for smokestack. An exhaust funnel on a ship; on modern cruise
ships many stacks are purely ornamental.
staff captain.
The second in command on a cruise ship.
STAG.
Society of Travel Agents in Government.
staging guide.
See spec book.
stair tower.
A stairway connecting several decks on a larger ship.
stalls. The
orchestra seats of a British theater.
standard hotel.
A tourist or economy class hotel.
standard
passenger capacity. The number of
passengers that the manufacturer or operator of a vessel or vehicle
determines is optimal; the maximum safe capacity may be higher.
standard room.
A lesser quality, lower priced room at a hotel.
standby.
1. adj. Available at a reduced cost on a space-available basis, as an
airline fare. 2. n. A person traveling on a standby basis or waiting for
a seat to open up on a flight.
starboard.
A nautical term for the right-hand direction or side of a ship.
stateroom.
A berth or cabin aboard a ship.
statute mile.
A mile (5,280 feet).
STCR.
CRS. (Passenger on a) stretcher.
STD.
1. CRS. Standard room (qv). 2. Abr. Sexually-transmitted disease.
steamer.
A steam-powered ship.
steeplechase.
A horse race across open country with obstacles.
steerage.
An extremely low-cost and uncomfortable class of sea travel, typically
well below decks with few if any amenities.
step-on guide.
A guide who joins a tour bus for a local sightseeing excursion.
stern.
The rear portion of a ship.
steward.
A ship's employee responsible for the care of passengers. See also cabin
steward.
stewardess.
Name given to flight attendants in the days when all flight attendants
were women.
stiff.
Slang. v. To deliberately not tip a waiter or other service person.
STO.
CRS. Studio (qv).
stopover.
A planned overnight (or longer) stop on a ticketed journey.
stowaway.
1. n. An illegal, non-paying passenger on a ship or airplane. 2. v. To
hide on a ship so as to avoid paying.
STP.
Abr. Satellite ticket printer (qv).
STPN.
Abr. Satellite ticket printer network (qv).
strait.
A narrow stretch of water bounded by land between two larger bodies of
water.
streetcar. An
electrified light rail vehicle used for public transportation.
stretched vessel.
A cruise ship that has been retrofitted with a new midsection to
increase its length and passenger capacity.
strip. Slang.
A street or area of town featuring a concentration of nightclubs,
casinos, bars, and other forms of adult-oriented entertainment.
strip mall.
A shopping center consisting of a continuous line of one-story shops.
stripped package.
A tour product that meets the minimum qualifications for an IT
(inclusive tour) designation on a CRS.
STTE.
Society of Travel and Tourism Educators. Now the International Society
of Travel and Tourism Educators.
student visa.
A visa issued to those attending an accredited educational institution.
studio. An
efficiency (qv). A one-room apartment.
STVR. CRS.
Stopover (qv).
subchapter S
corporation. A form of incorporation in
which profits are taxed on the owner's or owners' individual tax
returns, much as they would be in a sole proprietorship (qv) or
partnership (qv).
subsidiary.
A company wholly controlled by another through stock ownership.
subtropical.
adj. Describing an area near the tropics but enjoying four distinct
seasons.
subway. 1.
An underground urban rail system. 2. Brit. An underground walkway or
pedestrian passageway.
suite.
In a hotel, an accommodation comprising more then one room; occasionally
a single large room with clearly defined sleeping and sitting areas.
summit.
v. To climb to the top of a mountain.
sun deck.
1. An open area on an upper story of a building for sunbathing. 2. A
similar area on a ship.
sundries.
Personal toiletries or grooming items.
sunstroke. Heat
stroke caused by over-long exposure to the sun.
SUP.
CRS. Superior room (qv).
superior room.
In a hotel, a more desirable and more expensive room, perhaps with a
better exposure, view, or other amenities.
super-jumbo jet.
A plane that carries more than 500 passengers. None are currently in
service.
superliner. 1.
A large luxury cruise vessel. 2. A luxury train.
supersonic
transport. A plane capable of exceeding
the speed of sound. The Concorde.
superstructure.
On a cruise ship, the part above the waterline.
supertax.
A surtax (qv).
supl. info.
Abr. Supplementary information.
supplement. An
additional charge or payment, as a single supplement (qv).
supplemental
carrier. 1. An air charter operator
providing non-scheduled service on a for-hire basis. 2. An insurance
provider providing coverage that is additional too that provided by
another, "primary" insurance provider.
supplemental
liability coverage. Insurance coverage
providing protection from injury and damage claims which is not
automatically provided under a rental car contract.
supplier.
In the travel industry, any company providing travel services to the
public.
SUR.
CRS. Surface.
surcharge.
An additional charge levied for the provision of certain additional
features or because of special or extenuating circumstances.
surety. A
bond that guarantees performance or completion, as of a contract.
surface. On
land. In an itinerary, referring to travel over land that does not
involve an aircraft.
surname. Brit.
Last name, of a person.
surtax.
An additional tax levied on certain categories of goods or transactions
or during a limited period of time. In some cases, funds raised by a
surtax will be earmarked for specific purposes.
survey. n.
A series of verbal questions or a questionnaire used to gather data
about consumer attitudes or behavior.
suspect.
An individual who may or may not meet the minimum qualifications
necessary to make him a good prospect (qv).
SV.
Abr. Sailing vessel.
SVW.
CRS. Sea view.
SWAP.
Abr. Severe weather avoidance procedure.
SWATH. Abr.
Small water plane area twin hull. A twin-hulled ship design said to
reduce turbulence and, thus, seasickness.
SWB.
CRS. Single room with bath.
SWIFT Code.
An 8- or 11-digit alphanumeric identifier that uniquely identifies a
financial institution. Used in international wire transfers.
swing shift. The
work period from 4 p.m. until 12 midnight. Any work shift that overlaps
the day and night shifts.
System One®.
A computerized reservation system (qv).
system-wide
revenue. In the hotel industry, the
total amount of revenue realized at all of a hotel company's locations,
both company-owned and franchised.
Back
to Top |
