Cruise Cost Analyzer

A browser-based decision-support tool that turns an advertised cruise fare into a more realistic total-cost scenario by exposing taxes, gratuities, packages, excursions, trip length, group size, and repeat travel.

JavaScriptCanvas visualizationFinancial modelingResponsive interfaceScenario analysis

The problem

Cruise pricing is usually presented as a low headline fare, while the amount a traveler actually needs can depend on port taxes, gratuities, beverage packages, Wi-Fi, shore excursions, group size, voyage length, and the number of trips taken each year. Those variables are difficult to compare mentally and easy to underestimate.

The solution

I built an interactive dashboard that lets a user change the major assumptions and immediately see the total voyage cost, per-person exposure, daily rate, and category allocation. The goal is not to recommend or discourage a cruise; it is to make the decision more transparent.

Real timeCalculations update as assumptions change

4-wayVisual allocation across major cost categories

ResponsiveDesigned for desktop and mobile use

Key interactions

Adjust annual trip count, group size, base fare, port taxes, and voyage duration.
Model daily beverage costs, gratuities, Wi-Fi, and excursion budgets.
Switch excursion allocation between group-level and per-person assumptions.
Compare total cost, per-person cost, and realized daily rate.
Inspect the financial breakdown through a synchronized canvas chart and accessible breakdown rows.

Design and engineering decisions

Kept the primary experience as a standalone browser application so it can be reviewed without an account or installation.
Used direct, adjustable inputs rather than hiding assumptions inside a fixed estimate.
Separated summary metrics from category detail so a user can understand the result before inspecting the model.
Used responsive layouts and larger touch targets to keep the tool usable on smaller screens.
Added a small arcade experiment as a separate companion feature without mixing it into the professional cost-analysis workflow.

What this project demonstrates

This project demonstrates my ability to define a user problem, translate financial assumptions into interactive logic, organize a dense interface, and present calculations in a way that supports a practical decision.

Planned improvements

Add named scenarios and side-by-side cruise comparisons.
Document formulas and assumptions directly inside the interface.
Add validation messages and more accessible chart alternatives.
Replace demonstration destination data with a maintainable external data source.