Cruise Critic Launches New Online Tool to Simplify the Cruise Shopping Experience

News provided by

Mar 16, 2022, 12:29 ET

A recent survey shows two-thirds of cruise shoppers will book their next cruise based on price and are on the hunt for a great deal

NEEDHAM, Mass., March 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cruise Critic^® -- the world's leading cruise reviews site and online cruise community – today announced the launch of a brand-new cruise shopping tool, just in time for summer travel planning. The new tool helps to demystify the complexities of cruise pricing by outlining each deal's incentives and bonus offers, and also leverages Cruise Critic's new deal algorithm to assign each a "Deal Score" to better understand the overall value.

Based on a recent survey of active cruise shoppers on Cruise Critic, 62% say that price is the top consideration for booking their next cruise, specifically saying they're looking for a great deal. When searching for cruise deals, 71% of respondents find added-value bonus offers to be a preferred deal offering.

Of the most common added-value perks, free gratuities are considered to be of highest value to cruisers, according to the survey. The top five added-value perks, according to cruisers, are:

Free Tips/Gratuities
Free Drinks Package
Reduced Fares
Free Airfare
Onboard Credit

"Based on our research, it's abundantly clear that shopping for a cruise can be an incredibly challenging and complicated experience for travelers," says Mike Ewing, General Manager of Cruise Critic. "The difference between a sailing's base fare and its final cost can vary by thousands of dollars. By using our new tool, travelers are able to better understand what they're getting so they can more confidently book their cruise vacation."

Features of Cruise Critic's new deals tool include:

Unbundled packages. Cruise Critic breaks down each deal's inclusions and bonus offers so shoppers can better understand each deal and more clearly see exactly what's included.
Deal Score. Cruise Critic's deal algorithm evaluates and rates the true savings and value of each deal so shoppers are better able to compare apples-to-apples in the market place.
Filter and Sort Capabilities. Shoppers can search for last-minute deals or certain destinations, cruise lines, cruise styles or travel dates. In addition, deals can be sorted by Deal Score, popularity, price or recency.

For more information, visit www.cruisecritic.com/cruise-deals.

About Cruise Critic
Cruise Critic® is an online cruise guide, offering a comprehensive resource for cruise travelers, from first-time cruisers to avid cruise enthusiasts. The site features more than 650,000 cruise reviews and hosts the world's largest online cruise community where travelers share experiences and opinions with fellow cruisers. Cruise Critic was the first consumer cruise site on the Internet, launched in October 1995 by The Independent Traveler, Inc., a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, Inc.

About Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel guidance platform*, helps hundreds of millions of people each month** become better travelers, from planning to booking to taking a trip. Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby. As a travel guidance company available in 43 markets and 22 languages, Tripadvisor makes planning easy no matter the trip type.

The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP), own and operate a portfolio of travel media brands and businesses, operating under various websites and apps, including the following websites:
www.bokun.io, www.cruisecritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com, www.helloreco.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.seatguru.com, www.singleplatform.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, and www.viator.com.