Cruise Tools, Calculators & Planning Guides
Work Out What You're Actually Getting
Useful cruise calculators, quizzes and planning tools to help you choose the right cruise, understand the real cost and get more from your time onboard.
Cruising can be wonderfully simple — but working out what a cruise will really cost, which cruise line suits you, or whether that drinks package is actually worth buying can be surprisingly complicated.
That's why we've created our Cruise Tools
They're designed to help you compare your options, crunch the numbers and make more informed cruise decisions — without the sales pitch.
All our tools are free to use. Simply choose which one to use.
Planning for Your Cruise
CRUISE COST CALCULATOR
What will your cruise really cost?
The headline cruise fare is only part of the story. Our Cruise Cost Calculator helps you estimate the total cost of a cruise by taking into account the things that can easily get overlooked — including flights, hotels, drinks, gratuities, excursions and other onboard spending.Use it to compare the true cost of different cruise options.
[Calculate Your Cruise Cost →]
PASSENGER SPACE RATIO CALCULATOR
Want a simple way to get a true feeling of space once onboard.
Plug in the ships Gross Tonnage and double-occupancy passenger count to get its Passenger Space Ratio — add crew size too, and you'll get its Crew-to-Passenger Ratio at the same time.
LUXURY CRUISE LINE QUIZ
Which luxury cruise line is right for you?
Seabourn, Silversea, Regent Seven Seas, Cunard, Oceania, Explora Journeys and Riverside all offer luxury cruising — but they are very different experiences.
Our quick Luxury Cruise Line Quiz asks you five simple questions about what matters to you, from ship size and atmosphere to dining, inclusions and style.
It takes about two minutes.
LUXURY CRUISE PACKING LIST GENERATOR
Not Sure What to Pack for You Cruise?
Our interactive packing list tool helps guide you through the mystique of packing for a cruise. Simply dial in the type of cruise, the length of your cruise and bingo - we generate a bespoke list for you.
Save Money
CUNARD GRATUITIES CALCULATOR
What are you likely to pay in gratuities on Cunard?
Gratuities and service charges vary considerably between cruise lines — and they can make a significant difference to the final cost of your cruise.
Our Cunard Cruise Gratuities Calculator helps you estimate the gratuities you may pay based on the length of cruise and accommodation.
CUNARD DRINKS PACKAGE CALCULATOR
Is a Cunard drinks package worth buying?
Cunard's drinks packages can make sense for some passengers — but not necessarily for everyone.
Enter what you expect to drink during a typical day and our Cunard Drinks Package Calculator will estimate whether buying a package could save you money compared with paying individually.
Before you buy a drinks package, run the numbers.
Why We Create Cruise Tools
We've spent many years cruising on luxury and ultra-luxury ships, and one thing we've learned is that the cheapest cruise isn't necessarily the best value — and the most expensive cruise isn't necessarily the best choice.
Sometimes paying more gives you significantly more.
Sometimes it doesn't.
That's why we like to look beyond the headline price and ask a much more useful question:
What are you actually getting for your money?
Our tools are designed to help you answer that question.
They're based on our own cruising experience, research and the real-world questions we hear from fellow cruise passengers.
We don't believe in telling you what you should buy.
We'd rather give you the information to decide for yourself.
Get More From Your Cruise
That's really what About Luxury Cruising is all about.
We share cruise reviews, ship tours, practical advice, money-saving ideas and insider tips based on our own experiences.
And where we can make something easier — or help you avoid an expensive mistake — we'll try to do that too.
Use our Cruise Tools, explore our cruise guides and discover how to get more from your next cruise.
Explore More from About Luxury Cruising
Luxury Cruise Lines
Compare the world's leading luxury and ultra-luxury cruise lines and discover which might suit you best.
Cruise Guides
Practical guides covering everything from choosing a cruise to what happens once you're onboard.
Money Saving Ideas
Ways to reduce the cost of your cruise without necessarily reducing the experience.
Cruise Reviews
Our honest reviews of the ships and cruise lines we've actually experienced.
Cruise Tips
Practical advice and insider tips gathered from many years and many cruises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these cruise tools really free to use?
Yes — every calculator, quiz and generator on this page is free, with no sign-up required. We built them from our own cruising experience to help you compare options honestly, not to sell you anything.
How accurate is the Cruise Cost Calculator?
It's an estimate, not a quote. It factors in the costs that catch people out — flights, hotels, drinks, gratuities and excursions — on top of the headline fare, so you can compare cruises on a more realistic basis. Always confirm final pricing with the cruise line or your travel agent.
What is Passenger Space Ratio and why does it matter?
Passenger Space Ratio (PSR) is a ship's gross tonnage divided by its double-occupancy passenger count — a rough guide to how spacious a ship will feel. A higher PSR generally means more room per passenger, though it doesn't account for how that space is actually laid out.
How does the Luxury Cruise Line Quiz work?
It asks five quick questions about what matters most to you — ship size, atmosphere, dining, inclusions and style — and takes about two minutes. It's based on our own time sailing Seabourn, Silversea, Cunard, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Explora Journeys and Riverside.
Is the Cunard Gratuities Calculator only for Cunard passengers?
Yes, for now. Gratuities and drinks pricing structures vary considerably by cruise line, so this calculator is built specifically around Cunard's current policy. We may add other lines in future.
Can I use the Packing List Generator for any type of cruise?
Yes — tell it the type of cruise and how many days you're sailing, and it will generate a tailored packing list, whether you're on a river cruise or a longer ocean voyage.
Not Sure Which Line Is Right for You?
We've sailed Seabourn, Silversea, Cunard, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Riverside and others — with the honest reviews to go with them. Browse our cruise line guides to see how they actually compare beyond the price tag.
MORE FROM ABOUT LUXURY CRUISING
Explore Our Cruise Line Spotlights
We've sailed these cruise lines ourselves. Before you book, read our full first-hand breakdown of the fleet, dining, suites and value for each of these ultra-luxury lines.
