In short
Count hours, not ports: a port from 13:00 to 18:00 leaves about 4 hours in town, one from 07:00 to 19:00 about 11. We subtract roughly half an hour to get off and half an hour to be back before all aboard, and an extra hour in tender ports. Prices are not part of this comparison.
Updated: October 2026
Itinerary A
Itinerary B
How it works
- Fill in itinerary A and itinerary B: boarding date, nights and a port or «Day at sea» for each day.
- For each port day enter the arrival and departure times from the cruise description; overnights in the same port are recognised automatically.
- Net time ashore is the stay minus about an hour (getting off and back before all aboard), minus another hour in tender ports. Overnight stays count the evening until 23:00 and the next morning from 08:00.
- If your «Cruise passport» is filled in on this device, you also see how many ports are new for you.
- The table marks the stronger side for each row; the link keeps both itineraries, so you can send the comparison to whoever you travel with.
What to look at besides hours
- Short stops in ports with a long trip to the main sight (Rome from Civitavecchia, Florence from Livorno, Berlin from Warnemünde, Paris from Le Havre) are flagged — check them in «Will I make it back?».
- Evening and overnight stays give you a city by night — often the best part of a port.
- Sea days are not a minus for everyone: they are the days to enjoy the ship.
- Tender ports depend on the weather more than others.
Common questions
Where do I find the port times?
In the itinerary of the cruise you are looking at: each port day lists the arrival and departure time. They can change before departure, so check again later.
Why do you subtract time from the stay?
Getting off the ship takes time, and you must be back before all aboard, usually 30–60 minutes before departure. In tender ports the boat and the queue take another hour or so.
Does the comparison include the price?
No. It is about time and ports. Compare prices and conditions separately.
What are «sea miles»?
A rough distance between the ports in a straight line, in nautical miles. The real route is longer, but it shows which itinerary sails more.
Can I compare more than two itineraries?
Compare two, keep the better one as A and enter the next one as B.
Also useful
This is an information tool. Port times come from what you enter and can change; the cruise line's final itinerary always takes priority.