CruiseReports bases its ship ratings evaluations of 13 specific aspects of the cruise from people who have sailed on each ship. Each individual reporting on their experience on the ship rates it in these 13 areas on a score of 1 to 10.

     The published review represents the rating averages of the scores awarded by these volunteer reviewers in each of the 13 rating points, the calculated Value Index and Quality Rating for the ship, and the reviewers’ comments.

Value Index

     The Value Index combines more than 30 separate factors that contribute to the cruise experience — including the consensus ratings in each individual area and measurements such as passenger/space ratio, passenger/crew ratio, etc. — and weighs them against the per person/per day cost of a typical outside stateroom.

     To calculate the Value Index, individual factors are weighted according to their relative importance based on the type of cruise. Onboard entertainment, for example, is weighted more heavily in the Value Index calculations for a Resort Cruise ship than it is for a vessel in the Tour Cruise category. The Value Index for all ships within a category are based on the same formula, assuring a uniform standard.

     A high Value Index indicates that the cruise delivers a lot, taken as a total package, for each dollar spent; in other words, it is a bargain. However, this measurement should be weighed against the ship’s total Quality Rating (see below), and those who are looking for specific qualities — such as an outstanding spa or cuisine — will want to balance this overall measure against its scores in the areas of most interest to them personally.

     A Value Index of 8.0 or higher indicates an outstanding value in the Resort Cruise and Lifestyle Cruise categories. However, because of the generally higher operating costs of destination-intensive Tour Cruises, a Value Index of 4.5 serves as the benchmark in this category.
   
     Keep in mind also that the Value Index is based strictly on full retail rates and is price sensitive. Promotional pricing, early
booking discounts and similar rate reductions can greatly enhance the value of the cruise you buy.

Quality Rating

     The second composite index for each ship, the Quality Rating comprises the average of the 13 individual category scores from our survey respondents. All categories carry equal weight in the Quality Rating.

     Representing the reviewers' overall assessment of the ship, the Quality Rating has a maximum value of 10.0. A Quality Rating of 8.0 or above represents a high level of overall passenger satisfaction.