# CruiseMapper vs CruiseCast Planner

The clearest difference is rating: CruiseCast Planner at 5.0 against CruiseMapper's 3.6. CruiseCast Planner also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 5 months). CruiseMapper's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (122 vs 4). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CruiseCast Planner sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. CruiseMapper asks for nothing beyond the download.

CruiseCast Planner holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CruiseMapper has 122 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

CruiseMapper ships an update every 5 months, CruiseCast Planner every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CruiseMapper | CruiseCast Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (122 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cruisemapper/id1032294427/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cruisecast-planner/id6770231930/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **122** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 36.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 38 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [AstraPaging Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/438160792) | [Phillip Wall](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896725905) |

## What reviewers say

### CruiseMapper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cruisemapper/id1032294427)

Discover and plan your next vacation with a comprehensive database of cruises. Explore detailed itineraries, port schedules, ship reviews, and real-time ship locations. Find your ideal cruise from thousands of options across numerous cruise lines and ships.

**Highlights:** Detailed itineraries and port schedules, Cruise ship reviews and videos, Current position of cruise ships, Special features and technical details, Database of cruise lines, ships, and cruises

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🗺️ Accurate real-time ship tracking
- 📍 Comprehensive ship location information
- 📋 Detailed itineraries and port schedules
- 🚢 Extensive database of cruise ships
- 🎨 Clean and intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 📍 Inaccurate ship location tracking
- 🔄 Slow or delayed location updates
- 🎯 Ships disappearing from map display
- 🔍 Difficulty zooming in/out on map

**Reported bugs**

- Ships disappear after a few seconds on map
- Cannot see ships unless searched individually
- Zoom functionality inverts (zooms out when trying to zoom in)
- App freezes when switching between ships
- Cannot tap on another ship while viewing one

**Requested features**

- Favorites section for frequently tracked ships
- Deck plans for all ship versions (iOS parity with Android)
- Show route feature on app (currently on website only)
- Filter options to hide river boats and ferries
- Ability to save/lock multi-segment cruise itineraries


### CruiseCast Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cruisecast-planner/id6770231930)

This app helps cruise travelers plan their trips by providing weather forecasts, packing advice, and itinerary details based on real cruise schedules. It allows users to search for their specific cruise and view day-by-day planning information for each port.

**Highlights:** Search real cruise itineraries, View weather by port and cruise day, Live forecasts and typical weather guidance, Smart packing checklist builder, Save cruises to account, Port and itinerary insights

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CruiseCast Pro Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CruiseMapper free?

CruiseMapper is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CruiseCast Planner free?

CruiseCast Planner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, CruiseMapper or CruiseCast Planner?

CruiseCast Planner is rated higher. CruiseMapper averages 3.6 out of 5 from 122 ratings, while CruiseCast Planner averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do CruiseMapper or CruiseCast Planner have ads?

CruiseMapper shows ads; CruiseCast Planner does not.

### Which is updated more often, CruiseMapper or CruiseCast Planner?

CruiseMapper ships an update every 5 months, and CruiseCast Planner every 3 days. Most recently, CruiseMapper was updated on October 22, 2026 and CruiseCast Planner on October 25, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*