Free Cruise Planning Spreadsheet
Compare three cruise options in one sheet, with every cost and rule in its own row. Opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers.
Have an Advisor Fill It InDownload the Spreadsheet
This cruise planning spreadsheet is a plain CSV file, the most universal spreadsheet format there is. Open it, save it in your own program’s format, and fill one column per option. Three columns suit most decisions; add more if you are torn.
Download the Cruise Planning Spreadsheet (CSV)
What Each Section Is For
| Section | Rows | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Sailing | Line, ship, date, nights, ports, sea days | Lets you compare like with like |
| Cabin | Category, deck and location, cabin number | Two cabins in the same category can feel very different |
| Fare | Fare type, fare total, taxes and port fees, inclusions | Some fares bundle drinks, Wi-Fi or tips; others do not |
| Dates | Deposit, final payment, online check-in | Missed deadlines are the costliest mistake |
| Extras | Gratuities, drinks, Wi-Fi, dining, excursions | Often decides which option is cheaper in the end |
| Travel | Flights, hotel, parking or transfers, insurance | Different ports can mean very different travel costs |
| Total | Trip total, per person, per night | The numbers you actually decide on |
| Decision | Pros and cons | What the numbers cannot tell you |
Adding the Formulas
Once saved in Excel or Google Sheets, add a SUM for each option’s cost rows into the Trip total row. Divide by the number of travellers for Per person, and by the number of nights for Per night. Per night is the fairest way to compare a five-night and a seven-night sailing.
Where the Numbers Come From
- Fare, taxes and port fees: a written quote for each option.
- Gratuities and package costs: the cruise line’s own website for your sailing.
- Flights and hotels: real searches for your dates.
- Excursions: tours you would actually take, from Shore Activities or the regional port sites.
Need ideas for keeping extras down once you are booked? Cruise Saving covers the onboard side, and our cruise budget calculator totals a single option in seconds.
A Worked Example, Without Prices
Picture two seven-night Caribbean options. Option A has the lower fare but sails from a port you would need to fly to, and its fare includes nothing extra. Option B costs more on the quote but leaves from a port within driving distance and bundles a drinks package and Wi-Fi. Entered line by line, the spreadsheet often shows the gap closing or even reversing once flights, a hotel night, parking and onboard extras are counted. Neither answer is always right; the point is that you only see it when every row is filled in.
Tips for Group Spreadsheets
- Add one tab per cabin and a summary tab that pulls the totals together.
- Lock the header rows so nobody types over them.
- Record who has paid what, and when, in a separate column.
When you have chosen, keep the winning column and delete the others; it becomes the record of your booking.
Common Mistakes the Sheet Prevents
- Comparing a fare that includes drinks with one that does not, as if they were equal.
- Forgetting a hotel night when the ship sails from a port you must fly to.
- Missing that one fare is non-refundable while another is not.
Get the Quotes for Your Spreadsheet
A Mister Cruise advisor can price all three options, with taxes, fees and inclusions spelled out.
Get Written Quotes