How We Score Excursions
Every excursion on Beyond The Ship is evaluated across 20+ dimensions designed specifically for cruise travelers. Here’s exactly how we do it — and why.
Why We Score Differently
Most excursion marketplaces show you a star rating and a description. That tells you if other people liked it — but not whether you will. A highly-rated cliff diving excursion is terrible for someone with knee problems. A 5-star cultural tour might be miserable for families with toddlers.
Our scoring system breaks down each excursion into the practical, real-world factors that actually determine whether a cruise passenger will enjoy it: Can I make it back to the ship on time? Will I be exhausted? Is it too crowded? Can my parents handle the walking? Is the transport figured out?
These scores aren’t opinion-based — they’re derived from analyzing excursion details, location data, transportation logistics, historical reviews, and cruise-specific timing constraints. Each score uses a 1–5 scale with clear definitions.
Safety & Logistics
Return-to-Ship Risk
Estimates the likelihood of timing issues getting back to the ship. Considers distance, traffic patterns, transportation reliability, and buffer time. A score of 1 means extremely safe with plenty of margin; 5 means tight timing with real risk.
Transport Complexity
How many legs of transportation are needed and how complex the logistics are. Walking from the pier is a 1. Multi-leg journeys with taxis, buses, and boats rate higher.
Port Proximity
How close the excursion starting point is to the cruise pier. A 5 means you can walk there in minutes; a 1 means significant travel is required.
Transport Included
Whether roundtrip transportation from the cruise pier is included in the excursion price, or if you need to arrange your own.
Physical Demands
Walking Intensity
How much walking is involved. A 1 means minimal walking — mostly seated or stationary. A 5 means extensive hiking or multi-mile walking on uneven terrain.
Adventure Level
The adrenaline and thrill factor. A calm beach day is a 1; zip-lining over canyons or scuba diving is a 5.
Heat Exposure
How much time you’ll spend in direct sunlight or heat. Indoor/shaded activities score low; full-day outdoor excursions in tropical sun score high.
Accessibility & Comfort
Mobility Friendliness
How suitable the excursion is for travelers with mobility limitations. A 5 means fully wheelchair-accessible with minimal physical demands; a 1 means significant climbing, uneven surfaces, or physical requirements.
Senior Friendliness
Overall suitability for older travelers considering pace, physical demands, comfort amenities, rest opportunities, and accessibility.
Bathroom Reliability
Availability and quality of restroom facilities throughout the excursion. A 5 means clean, accessible restrooms available throughout; a 1 means limited or no facilities.
Relaxation Score
How relaxing vs. hectic the experience is. Pure beach lounging is a 5; a packed multi-stop tour with tight timing is a 1.
Social & Atmosphere
Crowd Intensity
How crowded the excursion location typically is. A 1 means private or nearly empty; a 5 means packed with tourists, especially on cruise ship days.
Family Friendliness
Suitability for families with children. Considers age-appropriateness, safety, engagement level for kids, and availability of family amenities.
Authentic Culture
How much genuine local culture you’ll experience vs. a tourist-manufactured experience. A 5 means deeply local and authentic; a 1 means heavily commercialized for tourists.
Practical Value
Value for Money
Our assessment of what you get relative to what you pay, compared to similar excursions at the same port. Considers duration, included amenities, uniqueness, and overall quality.
Weather Dependency
How much the excursion quality depends on good weather. A 1 means it works rain or shine; a 5 means bad weather significantly impacts or cancels the experience.
English Friendliness
How easy it is to communicate in English throughout the excursion. A 5 means fully English-speaking guides and staff; a 1 means significant language barriers.
How Scores Are Generated
Scores are generated through a combination of AI analysis and structured data enrichment. We analyze excursion descriptions, operator reviews, location geography, port infrastructure, transportation networks, and historical cruise-day data to assign each score.
Over time, scores are refined with real traveler feedback, community-submitted port reports, and return-to-ship experience data. Scores are re-evaluated periodically as conditions change — new infrastructure, seasonal variations, and operator changes are all factored in.
Our goal isn’t to rank excursions as “good” or “bad” — it’s to give you the information you need to choose the right excursion for you. A high-adventure, high-walking excursion isn’t worse than a relaxing beach day; it’s just different. Our scores help you find what fits.