How to Read Cruise Ship Reviews
Where cruise reviews live, which ones to trust and how to turn them into the right ship and cabin for you.
Get Free Cruise QuotesCruise Ship Reviews Are Only as Good as Your Reading
Before booking, most cruisers read cruise ship reviews. That is wise: other guests notice things a brochure never mentions, from a noisy cabin above the nightclub to a waiter who made a birthday unforgettable. But reviews are written by people with very different tastes, on different dates, and sometimes by people with something to sell. Reading them well is a skill.
Cruising Reviews teaches that skill. We show you where cruise reviews live, how to tell a ship review from a line review, how to spot a fake or paid one, what to look for about cabins, dining and service, and how to write a review that actually helps the next traveller.
We do not publish reviews or ratings. Cruising Reviews is a guide to reading other people’s reviews well. There are no star scores, no “reader reviews” and no rankings on this site.
Where Cruise Reviews Live
Review communities
Cruise Critic, owned by Tripadvisor, and Cruiseline.com collect written reviews by ship and sailing, often with ratings for cabins, dining and entertainment.
Review sites compared →
Video reviews
YouTube creators film ship tours, cabin walk-throughs and day-by-day vlogs that show the ship as it really looks.
Using YouTube reviews →
Your own notes
After you sail, a clear, honest review is the best way to pay back the travellers whose reviews helped you.
Write a useful review →Five Rules for Reading Cruise Reviews
- Read the newest first. Ships are refitted, menus change and entertainment is replaced. A review from several years ago may describe a different ship.
- Find reviewers like you. A family with toddlers, a honeymoon couple and a retired solo traveller judge the same ship differently.
- Look for patterns, not outliers. One furious review is an anecdote; the same complaint in ten reviews is information.
- Separate the ship from the sailing. Weather, a missed port or a rough sea day can colour a review that has nothing to do with the ship.
- Notice what is missing. A review that praises everything and names nothing specific is less useful than one with details.
What This Site Covers
Cruise line reviews vs ship reviews
Why a line’s reputation and a single ship’s reviews can point in different directions, and which to trust for what.
Cruise reviews on Tripadvisor and other sites
Cruise Critic, Tripadvisor and Cruiseline.com: what each does well and how to filter the noise.
Cruise reviews on YouTube
Ship tours and vlogs, sponsored trips and what disclosure rules say.
Reading ratings and spotting fakes
What star averages hide, what the FTC’s 2024 rule bans and the tells of a fake review.
Writing a useful cruise review
A simple structure that helps the next traveller choose the right ship and cabin.
Reviews Plus Advice: The Best of Both
Reviews tell you what a ship was like for someone else. A cruise advisor can tell you how that applies to you: which cabin on that ship avoids the noise people complain about, which sailing dates are quieter, whether a newer sister ship fixes the problems an older one has. Use reviews to build your shortlist, then let our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise check the details and price the options. Mister Cruise also shares its own honest cruise advice, and Cruise Ship Deck Plans shows how to read a deck plan so you can locate the cabins reviewers mention.
Cruising Reviews is part of the Smart Traveler network, led by Mister Cruise. He has sold travel since 1972 and worked full-time in the industry since 1977. He has sold or originated more than $500 million in cruises and has trained more than 500 travel agents.
When you ask for a quote, our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise handle it personally — not a call center — and book everything for you. Meet Mister Cruise →
Cruise Reviews FAQ
Where are the most cruise ship reviews?
The biggest collections are on Cruise Critic, which Tripadvisor owns, on Tripadvisor itself and on Cruiseline.com. YouTube adds video reviews and ship tours from independent creators.
How many reviews should I read before choosing a ship?
Enough to see a pattern. Ten recent reviews from people who travelled the way you will travel tell you more than a hundred old ones from people who did not.
Does Cruising Reviews rate ships?
No. We explain how to read and use reviews written elsewhere. We do not publish ratings or reviews of our own.
Can you help me choose between two ships I have read about?
Yes. Send both through the free quote form and our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will compare them for your dates.
More Cruise Sites From Our Network
Elsewhere in the network: browse our cruise sites in the Official Cruise Directory, plan any trip with the Official Travel Directory, discover Best of the USA, catch new offers in the Mister Cruise Special Offers newsletter, or turn your love of travel into a business with Be a Travel Agent.
Read the Reviews, Now Get the Price
Tell our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise which ships made your shortlist, and we will price them for your dates.
Price My Shortlist