CCC-003 – Website Navigation Basics

Document Version: 1.0
Last Updated: August 2026
Applies To: Calusa Cruise Club Website v1.x
Audience: All Users
Required Privileges: None
Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Prerequisites: CCC-001 – Getting Started with the Calusa Cruise Club Website
Document Owner: Website Administrator

Purpose

The Calusa Cruise Club website contains public pages, member-only pages, and administrative tools. What you see depends on whether you are logged in and what privileges have been assigned to your account.

This article explains the basic navigation used throughout the site so you can quickly find the information or function you need.

The Main Website Menu

The main navigation menu appears near the top of the website.

It provides access to the major areas of the site, such as:

• Home
• About Us
• Club information
• Cruises and events
• Member resources
• Contact information
• Other public pages

The exact choices may change as the website evolves.

Some menu items may contain additional choices. On a desktop computer, moving your pointer over one of these items may display a submenu. On a phone or tablet, you may need to tap the menu item or an arrow beside it.

The Members Only Area

After you log in, additional member-only choices may become available.

The Members Only page acts as a central starting point for member resources.

Depending on your privileges, it may contain links or dashboard cards for features such as:

• Member Directory
• Cruises and events
• Club documents
• Photo galleries
• How-To articles
• Other member resources

Users with additional privileges may also see administrative functions.

If another member sees an option that you do not see, that does not necessarily indicate a problem. Access is controlled by user privileges.

For more information, see CCC-002 – Understanding User Roles and Privileges.

Using Dashboard Cards and Buttons

Some website pages use buttons or dashboard cards as shortcuts to commonly used functions.

A dashboard card typically contains:

• A title
• A short description
• A button or clickable area

For example:

Member Directory
Find contact information for active club members.

Calendar
View upcoming cruises and club activities.

How-To Library
Read instructions for using the website.

Select the button or card to open that feature.

The WordPress Administration Area

Authorized users may also have access to the WordPress administration area.

This area is different from the public-facing website.

It is normally used for tasks such as:

• Editing pages
• Managing users
• Maintaining member records
• Generating reports
• Managing the directory booklet
• Website administration

You may hear this area referred to as:

• WordPress Admin
• Admin Area
• Dashboard
• Back End

These terms generally refer to the same administrative part of the website.

Opening the WordPress Dashboard

If your account has administrative privileges, log into the website and open the WordPress Dashboard.

The Dashboard contains a menu along the left side of the screen.

The exact menu choices depend on your privileges and the plugins installed on the website.

You may see items such as:

• Dashboard
• Pages
• Media
• Users
• Members
• Reports
• Tools
• Settings

Not every authorized user will see every option.

The Left-Hand Administration Menu

The left-hand menu is the primary navigation system in the WordPress administration area.

Selecting a menu item may either open a page directly or reveal a submenu.

For example, selecting Pages may display choices such as:

• All Pages
• Add New Page

A custom club function may have its own submenu containing reports or management tools.

The WordPress Toolbar

When you are logged in, a toolbar may appear across the top of the website.

Depending on your privileges, this toolbar can provide shortcuts to:

• The WordPress Dashboard
• Edit the page you are currently viewing
• Add new content
• View your user account
• Log out

The toolbar is only visible to logged-in users.

Editing a Website Page

Users with permission to edit website content may see an Edit Page option while viewing a page.

Selecting it opens that page in the WordPress editor.

Be careful to distinguish between:

Viewing the page
This shows what website visitors see.

and

Editing the page
This allows authorized users to change its content.

Always verify which mode you are in before making changes.

Using the Block Editor

Most website pages are edited with the WordPress Block Editor.

Content is organized into blocks such as:

• Paragraph
• Heading
• Image
• Buttons
• Columns
• Group
• List
• Table

Each block can be selected and edited independently.

Some club functions may also provide their own custom blocks.

For example, a plugin may provide a special block used to place a particular feature on a page.

List View

When editing a page, List View can be especially helpful.

List View shows the structure of the page as a hierarchy of blocks.

For example:

Group
    Heading
    Paragraph
    Columns
        Column
            Button
        Column
            Button

This makes it much easier to select the correct Group, Column, or other container when a page contains several nested blocks.

Using List View is often easier than trying to click the exact block directly on the page.

Saving Your Changes

When editing a page, changes are not normally visible to visitors until you save them.

Depending on the situation, WordPress may display:

• Save
• Update
• Publish

For an existing page, you will usually select Update.

After updating a page, view the public version of the page to make sure it looks the way you intended.

Opening Links in a New Tab

When working in the administration area, it can be useful to keep the editor open while viewing the website in another browser tab.

For example:

• One tab: Edit the Members Only page.
• Another tab: View the Members Only page.

After making a change, update the page and refresh the second tab.

This provides a quick way to check your work without repeatedly leaving the editor.

Browser Back Button

Use the browser’s Back button carefully while editing WordPress pages.

If you have made changes that have not been saved, navigating away from the editor may cause you to lose those changes.

When in doubt, select Update or Save before leaving the page.

Mobile Navigation

The website may look different on a phone or tablet.

On smaller screens:

• The main menu may be represented by a menu icon.
• Dashboard cards may stack vertically.
• Columns may appear as a single column.
• Some administrative screens may require horizontal scrolling.

This is normal responsive behavior.

The website is designed to rearrange content so it remains usable on different screen sizes.

Finding a Feature You Cannot Locate

If you cannot find a feature:

1. Make sure you are logged in.
2. Check the Members Only page.
3. Check the WordPress administration menu if you have administrative privileges.
4. Review CCC-002 – Understanding User Roles and Privileges.
5. Contact the Website Administrator if the feature should be available to you.

Common Problems

I do not see the Members Only options.

Make sure you are logged in. If you are logged in and still cannot see them, your account privileges may need to be reviewed.

I cannot find an administration menu mentioned in an article.

You may not have the required privileges, or the function may be located under a submenu.

I changed a page but the website still shows the old version.

Make sure you selected Update, then refresh the page in your browser.

I cannot select the correct block while editing a page.

Open List View and select the block from the page structure.

The page looks different on my phone.

This is usually normal. The website automatically rearranges content for smaller screens.

Expected Result

After reading this article, you should be able to:

• Use the main website menu.
• Locate the Members Only area.
• Recognize the WordPress administration area.
• Understand the left-hand administration menu.
• Use List View when editing pages.
• Save and review website changes.
• Understand why the site may appear differently on a phone or tablet.

Related Articles

• CCC-001 – Getting Started with the Calusa Cruise Club Website
• CCC-002 – Understanding User Roles and Privileges
• CCC-004 – Logging In, Logging Out, and Passwords
• CCC-401 – Creating and Editing Website Pages
• CCC-402 – Working with WordPress Blocks

Revision History

Version	Date	Description
1.0	August 2026	Initial release