What is the difference between port of call and homeport?

• A. Port of call and homeport both refer to the ship's home base.
• B. Port of call is a permanent base; homeport is a temporary visiting port.
• C. A port of call is a temporary visiting port; homeport is the ship's permanent base.
• D. Port of call refers to the ship's registry city; homeport refers to its operating region.

Answer: (C)

Port of call and homeport distinguish a temporary stop from a permanent base. A port of call is a place a ship visits during a voyage for purposes like provisioning, passenger activity, or cargo, but it isn’t the ship’s base. The homeport is the ship’s permanent base—where it is registered to operate, where the crew is based, and where routine support and maintenance are organized. For example, a cruise ship might have Nassau, Cozumel, and Labadee as ports of call on its itinerary, while Miami serves as its homeport. The idea that a port of call is a permanent base or that homeport is just a registry city doesn’t match how these terms are used in sailing and operations.