TripAdvisor launches new cruise vertical

Twelve years after buying Cruise Critic, TripAdvisor is expanding its namesake platform to include cruise reviews, content sharing and price comparison for the United States and United Kingdom markets.

The new TripAdvisor Cruises launches today with content from lines representing more than 70,000 sailings, including Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line.

The content is accessible from a new “cruises” tab on the TripAdvisor homepage.

“The addition of Cruise will help solve the complexity of planning and booking a voyage, supported by the confidence of rich user-generated content with reviews and photos from millions of TripAdvisor members,” says Bryan Saltzburg, president of TripAdvisor Flights, Cruise & Car.

“For example, cruisers can research and book their flight to the port, a hotel room for the night before departure, review ‘Ship-tinerary’ pages, compare cabin options, book excursions and read reviews all in one place.”

“Ship-tinerary” is TripAdvisor’s name for its profiles of individual ships, which include reviews, tips, photos, detailed amenities and itineraries.

In 2007, TripAdvisor acquired Cruise Critic, which has and will continue to operate as an independent brand serving the U.S., the U.K. and Australia.

In announcing TripAdvisor’s expansion into cruise, the company says it is using “learnings and expertise” from its experience with Cruise Critic and leveraging relationships with suppliers to create the new platform.

“Having cruise represented on TripAdvisor acknowledges the growth of the sector as a vacation option and will help to introduce cruising to a massive new audience, as part of the world’s largest travel site,” says Gordon Ho, chief marketing officer for Princess Cruises.

TripAdvisor says it will be adding more cruise lines, content and markets in the coming months.