Hey, thanks for your interest in how we calculate an experience's ranking score. It's at the core of Rankers so I'm pleased you're curious.
The ranking score percentage is used to compare and sort experiences in ranking tables. It is not necessarily a direct measurement of the quality of a particular experience as rated by its customers. I've found it a useful tool to allow me to find the best experiences with confidence. But I've also found it important to read the customer reviews before making any final judgements!
We calculate an experience's ranking score using a multi-factor data model instead of a raw data average (mean). This model takes into account several important questions. For instance - is there a trusted body of reviews? What is the age of a review and is the review from a credible source?
Below you'll find details around some of the important factors that went into calculating the ranking score for Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruises.
If you have any questions or comments about our ranking score calculation please get in touch at info@rankers.co.nz. We don't believe this is perfect or complete so we're always interested in ways we might make improvements.
Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruises
Valid Reviews
89 Valid Reviews
The Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruises experience has a total of 89 valid reviews. There are no invalid reviews that are excluded from the calculation. Reviews can be excluded only when a reviewer is not verified or after an investigation by our team determines the reviewer is not genuine.
Below is the distribution of ratings for the 89 valid reviews:
| Rating | Count | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10 | 55 |
|
62% |
| 9/10 | 25 |
|
28% |
| 8/10 | 8 |
|
9% |
| 7/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 6/10 | 1 |
|
1% |
| 5/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 4/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 3/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 2/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 1/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
94.94% Average
The raw data average (mean) for all the Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruises valid reviews is 94.94% and is based on 89 valid reviews. This value is not used to calculate the ranking score and it only provided here as a comparison to the weighted average.
Face-to-Face Reviews
74 Face-to-Face Reviews
The Rankers team meets with travellers while they’re in New Zealand and conducts face-to-face surveys. These reviews, in our opinion, are the most trusted in the industry and represent a critical control sample. To our knowledge, we are the only travel review website in the world that has gone to this extent.
More about face-to-face reviews
Within the 89 valid reviews, the experience has 74 face-to-face reviews collected during interviews by our team.
Below is the distribution of ratings for the 74 face-to-face reviews:
| Rating | Count | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10 | 44 |
|
59% |
| 9/10 | 22 |
|
30% |
| 8/10 | 8 |
|
11% |
| 7/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 6/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 5/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 4/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 3/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 2/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 1/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
94.86% Average
The raw data average (mean) for all the Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruises face-to-face reviews is 94.86% and is based on 74 face-to-face reviews. This value is not used to calculate the ranking score and it only provided here for comparison purposes.
Weighted Average
95.24%
Rankers calculates a weighted mean as a base average on which we can improve. Individual review's ratings are given a weight based on several factors. The weight of a review determines the overall impact it'll have on the final weighted average.
Recent reviews have more weight as they are more relevant and reflect the experience as it currently operates. Over time reviews become less relevant and loose their impact on the ranking score.
Low rating reviews carry slightly less weight. This dampens the effect of very low ratings for every experience across the board. This is especially important when the experience has few reviews overall and a single negative rating can grossly mischaracterise an experience. Consistent poor reviews will still result in the experience receiving a comparitively low ranking score.
Credible sources provide reviews that can be trusted. If we have verified a reviewer is genuine via a face-to-face meeting then the review carries additional weight.
| Reviewer | Rating | Age | Relative Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonny Horn | 9/10 | 2909 days | 100% |
| Hazel Norman | 10/10 | 2924 days | 100% |
| James Jackson | 10/10 | 2925 days | 100% |
| Bartlomiej Berger | 9/10 | 3620 days | 48% |
| Ann Wilson | 8/10 | 3876 days | 29% |
| Anne and Steve Bartlett | 9/10 | 3941 days | 24% |
| Abby Rescr | 9/10 | 4255 days | 1% |
| Frederick Dean | 8/10 | 4255 days | 1% |
| Joey Mertzig | 10/10 | 4272 days | 0% |
| Rien | 9/10 | 4612 days | 30% |
| Clausen | 9/10 | 4613 days | 30% |
| kiwifrenchy | 10/10 | 4620 days | 30% |
| Sam | 10/10 | 4624 days | 30% |
| Pete & Pat Etheridge | 10/10 | 4629 days | 30% |
| Mike & Jennie | 9/10 | 4631 days | 30% |
| Stefes Wencke | 10/10 | 4633 days | 30% |
| Uwe Henze | 10/10 | 4634 days | 30% |
| Manuela Weber | 10/10 | 4634 days | 30% |
| Thyg Lingdal | 10/10 | 4648 days | 30% |
| caro | 10/10 | 4680 days | 30% |
| Dean | 9/10 | 4695 days | 30% |
| Anna Bret | 8/10 | 4720 days | 29% |
| Jaime Castells | 9/10 | 4720 days | 30% |
| Gary Koehler | 10/10 | 4977 days | 30% |
| jlgavin | 6/10 | 4986 days | 25% |
| Verheyen | 10/10 | 4990 days | 30% |
| Chris Darlington | 10/10 | 4994 days | 30% |
| Dieter Uhlmann | 9/10 | 4997 days | 30% |
| Angi Otti | 10/10 | 5005 days | 30% |
| Jackie Morris | 10/10 | 5005 days | 30% |
| Samuel Prechel | 10/10 | 5006 days | 30% |
| David Glover | 10/10 | 5008 days | 30% |
| Claus Olsen | 10/10 | 5009 days | 30% |
| H Schepers | 9/10 | 5010 days | 30% |
| georgiarose89 | 10/10 | 5045 days | 30% |
| chrissie2011 | 10/10 | 5045 days | 30% |
| Chris | 10/10 | 5264 days | 30% |
| Sabine | 10/10 | 5264 days | 30% |
| Kevin & Chris | 9/10 | 5284 days | 30% |
| davidm239 | 9/10 | 5290 days | 30% |
| Margie | 10/10 | 5329 days | 30% |
| Agnes | 8/10 | 5330 days | 29% |
| Graeme + Jane Ryan | 10/10 | 5341 days | 30% |
| Westermann | 10/10 | 5342 days | 30% |
| Peter Brown | 10/10 | 5347 days | 30% |
| johnandgin | 10/10 | 5351 days | 30% |
| Angela | 10/10 | 5352 days | 30% |
| T. Timmers | 9/10 | 5365 days | 30% |
| Loleit | 10/10 | 5372 days | 30% |
| David Valentine | 10/10 | 5373 days | 30% |
| Annette Schmitt | 9/10 | 5373 days | 30% |
| Jeremy & Sarah Rind | 10/10 | 5378 days | 30% |
| Jessica | 9/10 | 5384 days | 30% |
| ChristinaO | 10/10 | 5410 days | 30% |
| Simon Jones | 9/10 | 5410 days | 30% |
| Jerry | 10/10 | 5441 days | 30% |
| HairyHaggis | 9/10 | 5471 days | 30% |
| Suzanne | 10/10 | 5502 days | 30% |
| Traveller Girl | 10/10 | 5655 days | 30% |
| Switz | 10/10 | 5669 days | 30% |
| DanielGermany | 10/10 | 5677 days | 30% |
| CornelissenS | 9/10 | 5702 days | 30% |
| Inger | 10/10 | 5703 days | 30% |
| Robert | 9/10 | 5716 days | 30% |
| Theresa | 9/10 | 5722 days | 30% |
| Sue | 9/10 | 5725 days | 30% |
| Inger Skov | 10/10 | 5728 days | 30% |
| Ruben | 8/10 | 5759 days | 29% |
| Claire | 10/10 | 5771 days | 30% |
| C Digby | 9/10 | 5775 days | 30% |
| Adam | 10/10 | 5816 days | 30% |
| Stephanie Schikora | 10/10 | 5828 days | 30% |
| Sue Stewart | 10/10 | 5936 days | 30% |
| James Gibbs | 8/10 | 6027 days | 29% |
| Helen | 9/10 | 6035 days | 30% |
| Menashe | 10/10 | 6055 days | 30% |
| George Jeffs | 10/10 | 6064 days | 30% |
| Paul Weston | 9/10 | 6078 days | 30% |
| Marian Mckinney | 10/10 | 6078 days | 30% |
| Charles Price | 8/10 | 6089 days | 29% |
| Vicky Elliott | 10/10 | 6096 days | 30% |
| Anne Mainwaring | 10/10 | 6104 days | 30% |
| Kilsby | 10/10 | 6113 days | 30% |
| Dupre | 8/10 | 6154 days | 29% |
| dieter | 10/10 | 6173 days | 30% |
| Rene Schotvanger | 10/10 | 6287 days | 30% |
| Pat Brewster | 10/10 | 6287 days | 30% |
| Paul Yacoumis | 10/10 | 6413 days | 30% |
| Sandra | 10/10 | 6422 days | 30% |
Adjustments
Several adjustments to the weighted average are added to improve relevancy and credibility. These adjustments apply equally to all experiences that meet the criteria.
Sample Size Adjustment
No Adjustment
A reasonable number of reviews are necessary in order for the average to be credible and for an experience to take a prime position within the ranking tables. As such, experiences with only a few reviews have a moderated score. This does not mean that the experience or the reviews can't be trusted. The Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruises experience has plenty of reviews and does not meet the criteria for any adjustment.
Recent Reviews Adjustment
-3.75% Adjustment
There may be an adjustment if this experience hasn't received any reviews within the last 54 days. However the Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruises experience does not meet the criteria for any adjustment.
In addition, an experience's ranking score may be adjusted for each day there is no new ranking. After 1 day the adjustment comes into effect. The maximum number of days that can be adjusted for is 200 days. Due to the seasonal nature of many businesses, this adjustment is applied dynamically throughout the year.
The Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruises experience has been adjusted for 200 days. Adjustments are according to the following table.
| Days | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| … | … |
| 197 | -3.69% |
| 198 | -3.71% |
| 199 | -3.73% |
| 200 | -3.75% |
| 201 | -3.76% |
| 202 | -3.78% |
| 203 | -3.80% |
| … | … |
Balancing Adjustment
0.81% Adjustment
Every experience's review score is adjusted to balance out the disproportional number of negative reviews that are contributed.
You won't be surprised to learn that disgruntled customers are more likely to leave a review than happy ones. They are motivated to share their experience and warn others. We consider this a good thing and it's why reading the reviews is important. However we've learned it can misrepresent the experience in a more overall sense.
We apply a balancing adjustment to counteract this effect and ensure the ranking score is a more fair representation of the experience. This adjustment is applied equally to all experiences.
Final Ranking Score
92%
The final ranking score once any adjustments, ratings, and rounding has been applied. This value is recalculated each day and a short rolling average is applied. Therefore it may not be precisely accurate based on the other values presented.