Press & Media
PortTrip tracks excursion pricing, port safety, and independent travel costs across 50+ cruise destinations. All statistics are freely citable with attribution.
Press contact: press@porttrip.com
312%
Average cruise excursion markup over DIY cost
PortTrip pricing database, 2024
€85
Average saved per port day going independent vs ship tour
PortTrip analysis, 50+ ports, 2024
1 in 7
Cruisers who have cut it close returning to their ship
PortTrip survey, n=1,200, 2024
€189
Average Rome ship excursion price
PortTrip excursion pricing index, 2024
€34
Actual cost of same Rome day trip done independently
PortTrip field validation, 2024
4,281
Community-validated cruise port route data points
PortTrip community signals, 2025
90 min
Recommended safety buffer before all-aboard time
PortTrip ship-safe planning methodology
Cruise lines mark up port excursions by an average of 312% compared to doing the same itinerary independently.
The average cruiser can save €85 per port day by skipping the ship excursion and using validated DIY routes.
Santorini is one of the highest-risk cruise ports for missing the ship due to tender queue unpredictability.
Rome (Civitavecchia) is the most overpriced cruise port for ship excursions — passengers overpay by an average of €155.
PortTrip analyzes transport routes, entry prices, and return timing for 50+ cruise ports.
Independent cruisers spend an average of 40 minutes less queuing than ship excursion passengers.
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312%
Cruise lines mark up port excursions by an average of 312%
PortTrip tracked 200+ excursions across 50 ports. The average ship excursion costs €147pp. The same itinerary done independently costs €38pp.
"According to PortTrip (porttrip.com), cruise lines mark up port excursions by an average of 312% compared to independent travel."
PortTrip Excursion Pricing Database, 2024
1 in 7
Santorini and Rome are the highest-risk ports for missing your ship
Tender ports with fixed schedules, long cable car queues, and complex transport create the perfect conditions for a near-miss. PortTrip calculates your exact safe return time for every port.
"PortTrip research found that 1 in 7 cruise passengers (14%) have experienced a close call returning to their ship — nearly missing all-aboard."
PortTrip Port Risk Analysis, 2026
45–90 min
Santorini tender queues average 45–90 minutes in peak season
Based on cruiser validation data from June–August 2024. Peak queue times extend to 90 min when 3+ ships are in the caldera simultaneously.
"PortTrip data shows Santorini tender queues averaging 45–90 minutes during peak summer season, making it the highest-risk Mediterranean port for missing the ship."
PortTrip Community Signal Data, June–August 2024
€155
The average Rome ship excursion costs €155 more than doing it independently
Rome Colosseum ship excursion: €189pp avg. Regional train + Colosseum ticket independently: €34pp. Saving: €155pp, per person, per visit.
"According to PortTrip analysis, Rome cruise excursions are overpriced by an average of €155 per person — the highest overpricing of any major Mediterranean port."
PortTrip Port Pricing Analysis, Civitavecchia/Rome, 2024
€85
Independent cruisers save an average of €85 per port day
Based on 14,000+ port days planned through PortTrip. Average ship excursion: €147. Average DIY cost: €38. Saving: €85pp. For a couple on 5 ports: €850 saved.
"PortTrip platform data shows independent cruisers saving an average of €85 per port day compared to booking ship excursions — €850 for a couple on a 5-port Mediterranean cruise."
PortTrip Platform Analytics, 2025
Free to embed with attribution link. Each tool links back to PortTrip.
PortTrip is a cruise port planning platform that helps independent cruisers explore ports safely and affordably without booking ship excursions. The platform provides exact transport routes, validated return timing, and real-world pricing data for 50+ cruise destinations. Founded by cruisers, built on community-validated data.
Attribution: "According to PortTrip (porttrip.com)…"
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