Ranking Score Explained

G'day, 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 Day Cruise.

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.

Cymen Crick's avatar

Cymen Crick

Rankers Owner

Doubtful Sound Day Cruise

Valid Reviews

283 Valid Reviews

The Doubtful Sound Day Cruise experience has a total of 285 reviews. There are 283 valid reviews that are included when calculating the ranking score and 2 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 283 valid reviews:

Rating Count Percentage
10/10 104
37%
9/10 93
33%
8/10 55
19%
7/10 15
5%
6/10 6
2%
5/10 8
3%
4/10 1
0%
3/10 1
0%
2/10 0
0%
1/10 0
0%

88.52% Average

The raw data average (mean) for all the Doubtful Sound Day Cruise valid reviews is 88.52% and is based on 283 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

262 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 283 valid reviews, the experience has 262 face-to-face reviews collected during interviews by our team.

Below is the distribution of ratings for the 262 face-to-face reviews:

Rating Count Percentage
10/10 92
35%
9/10 87
33%
8/10 53
20%
7/10 14
5%
6/10 6
2%
5/10 8
3%
4/10 1
0%
3/10 1
0%
2/10 0
0%
1/10 0
0%

88.09% Average

The raw data average (mean) for all the Doubtful Sound Day Cruise face-to-face reviews is 88.09% and is based on 262 face-to-face reviews. This value is not used to calculate the ranking score and it only provided here for comparison purposes.

Weighted Average

89.81%

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
Nanay 10/10 1479 days 100%
Joanne&Ian 10/10 1571 days 73%
Geoff Steele 8/10 2847 days 24%
Axel and Patricia G 6/10 3036 days 18%
Leonie Westerhot 8/10 3108 days 20%
Ivanova R 9/10 3365 days 16%
Lorenz Pfisterer 10/10 3377 days 16%
Heidi et Mat 8/10 3386 days 15%
Anke Vater 10/10 3387 days 15%
Anouk Jongsma 9/10 3395 days 15%
Robin WUERFEL 9/10 3467 days 14%
Helen Parsons 10/10 3787 days 9%
Peter Beeloo 9/10 3790 days 9%
Laurent Arditi 9/10 3975 days 6%
Sheila Galpin 9/10 4126 days 3%
Simon Galpin 9/10 4126 days 3%
Douglas Dean 10/10 4128 days 3%
Stina Hultberg 4/10 4132 days 2%
Alexander Zimmer 7/10 4133 days 3%
Linus Larsson 3/10 4134 days 1%
Leon Courtney 10/10 4135 days 3%
Libby 10/10 4149 days 3%
Colin Billington 7/10 4150 days 2%
Don Wallis 10/10 4153 days 3%
Bill 7/10 4154 days 2%
Saskia 5/10 4154 days 2%
Terry Seaman 8/10 4156 days 2%
S B 10/10 4169 days 2%
M K 10/10 4169 days 2%
Alacchi Moustier 10/10 4169 days 2%
Maya Bakker-deDreu 8/10 4177 days 2%
Stuart Wilson 8/10 4183 days 2%
Fabian Lee 5/10 4186 days 1%
paul beacock 10/10 4187 days 2%
Gal Bero 10/10 4190 days 2%
Elly Zimmer 6/10 4194 days 1%
Bjorn Van Mulders 10/10 4197 days 2%
Kim Maertens 9/10 4197 days 2%
Steve Warren 10/10 4309 days 0%
hendrik king 7/10 4401 days 7%
Peter Jolliffe 10/10 4493 days 7%
Helen Dean 10/10 4493 days 7%
Dave Mertzig 10/10 4493 days 7%
Kathryn Pisco 9/10 4499 days 7%
Mike Pisco 9/10 4499 days 7%
Sebastian and Peter Beate 10/10 4516 days 7%
Fraser Goldsmith 8/10 4517 days 7%
Bucher 9/10 4568 days 7%
Marieke 8/10 4569 days 7%
Chew (Peter) 7/10 4574 days 7%
Natalie Nubler 6/10 4575 days 6%
Frans Derks 9/10 4576 days 7%
Meryem Buchwitz 9/10 4596 days 7%
roos wubben 9/10 4599 days 7%
Dagette 9/10 4644 days 7%
Teri C 10/10 4674 days 7%
Rob Klauer 5/10 4846 days 5%
Oliver Hardt 9/10 4847 days 7%
Val Phillips 8/10 4851 days 7%
Peter Adams 9/10 4852 days 7%
Harry Ruys 8/10 4854 days 7%
John McAllister 9/10 4855 days 7%
Keith Helen 10/10 4858 days 7%
Daniel Patricia 9/10 4861 days 7%
Laura Diepeveen 8/10 4863 days 7%
Fries 10/10 4867 days 7%
Karin Laurev 10/10 4867 days 7%
Gillian Rowe 9/10 4868 days 7%
Nigel Horrocks 7/10 4868 days 7%
Dieter Mangold 10/10 4870 days 7%
Lyn Deavin 8/10 4870 days 7%
Sabine & Stefan 10/10 4871 days 7%
Randewyk 8/10 4871 days 7%
Koster 6/10 4873 days 6%
Peter Aertssen 7/10 4873 days 7%
John A Jerome 8/10 4873 days 7%
Lynn Robinson 10/10 4879 days 7%
Heike 9/10 4882 days 7%
Robert MacLeod-Smith 8/10 4883 days 7%
Carel 8/10 4884 days 7%
Anna 9/10 4885 days 7%
Barrie Corless 9/10 4886 days 7%
Urban Reifler 10/10 4898 days 7%
Lyn Stainton 10/10 4961 days 7%
John & Vicki 8/10 4965 days 7%
jenckes 9/10 5040 days 7%
Debbie Smithers 10/10 5182 days 7%
Julie and Russ Charles 10/10 5206 days 7%
Kevin Wong 10/10 5206 days 7%
Rocipon 8/10 5207 days 7%
Margit and Corein Groenevelt 7/10 5210 days 7%
Richard Dudfield 10/10 5210 days 7%
John Duffy 10/10 5210 days 7%
Richard Gallichan 9/10 5211 days 7%
Jean Barker 8/10 5211 days 7%
Bette Eh 10/10 5213 days 7%
bryfrance 10/10 5214 days 7%
Juliane Kleiu 10/10 5214 days 7%
Claudia 8/10 5214 days 7%
E Brockbank 9/10 5215 days 7%
David Mellard 10/10 5216 days 7%
Bruce & Elaine Chote 10/10 5216 days 7%
Roland Berger 7/10 5217 days 7%
Ross 9/10 5217 days 7%
Gerstmann 9/10 5218 days 7%
Ekhard Wittkugel 10/10 5220 days 7%
Stephen Shearer 10/10 5221 days 7%
Monika 10/10 5222 days 7%
Betten 9/10 5223 days 7%
Stephen Jones 9/10 5224 days 7%
Mike and Diane Baker 10/10 5225 days 7%
Lenore Dejong 10/10 5226 days 7%
Andreas Fritesche 8/10 5227 days 7%
Matthys Kikke 9/10 5228 days 7%
Bucher Weruer 10/10 5228 days 7%
Camilla Andersson 7/10 5229 days 7%
Bob Adams 10/10 5236 days 7%
John 8/10 5236 days 7%
Katie Nicol 10/10 5237 days 7%
Martin Current 9/10 5239 days 7%
Teum and Orselien 8/10 5240 days 7%
Vanderhorst 8/10 5240 days 7%
John Price 9/10 5242 days 7%
Doris Schollenberger 10/10 5242 days 7%
Phil Hunter 9/10 5243 days 7%
Chris 8/10 5244 days 7%
Gordon Daniels 8/10 5247 days 7%
Hull 9/10 5247 days 7%
Lizzie 10/10 5314 days 7%
allesca 10/10 5344 days 7%
M Schram 8/10 5507 days 7%
Versteeg 9/10 5510 days 7%
Lomas 10/10 5519 days 7%
Maureen 10/10 5523 days 7%
Amy 9/10 5528 days 7%
Don & Geraldine 10/10 5564 days 7%
Hans and Astrid 10/10 5566 days 7%
Agnes 10/10 5568 days 7%
maggie Webster 10/10 5575 days 7%
Keita-Karen Buchanan 10/10 5575 days 7%
Lars Taarnhoej 7/10 5575 days 7%
markus Brandenberger 10/10 5576 days 7%
Jvjm Family 9/10 5577 days 7%
David B 7/10 5584 days 7%
Margaret O'Sullivan 8/10 5584 days 7%
Chris el capitan 9/10 5594 days 7%
John Cox 9/10 5595 days 7%
Muller Weissert 8/10 5596 days 7%
Brian Morris 9/10 5598 days 7%
Jobbs 10/10 5598 days 7%
Maria Newton 9/10 5599 days 7%
Dieter Groscurth 8/10 5599 days 7%
Gordon and Joyce 9/10 5599 days 7%
Remko Ebbens 9/10 5602 days 7%
Thijs Schoemaker 8/10 5603 days 7%
Armand 5/10 5603 days 5%
Ferth 10/10 5603 days 7%
J Kempeneers 10/10 5603 days 7%
Thea X 5/10 5612 days 5%
Keith Wilde 10/10 5612 days 7%
Dick Rosman 9/10 5613 days 7%
Terry Phillips 5/10 5614 days 5%
Jules 8/10 5614 days 7%
Carl Diehl 9/10 5615 days 7%
Paul Schoepfer 9/10 5615 days 7%
Uwe Rieper 10/10 5616 days 7%
Yvonne Ing 10/10 5616 days 7%
Diane Chapple 9/10 5616 days 7%
wannab 9/10 5617 days 7%
Kevin and Teresa 9/10 5617 days 7%
Christiane Lindenberg 9/10 5626 days 7%
Nigel Armstrong 9/10 5628 days 7%
Buss 10/10 5630 days 7%
John J 9/10 5631 days 7%
Heinrich Hax 10/10 5637 days 7%
marcusba 8/10 5660 days 7%
tanh 9/10 5664 days 7%
mariak 7/10 5665 days 7%
Silvana Thom 10/10 5689 days 7%
Wolfgang Dittrich 10/10 5689 days 7%
Chris Bulman 10/10 5690 days 7%
andyge 8/10 5709 days 7%
Ritag 9/10 5795 days 7%
regw 10/10 5799 days 7%
Cate 9/10 5922 days 7%
ginekek 9/10 5923 days 7%
geoffelizabeth 9/10 5923 days 7%
mikestep 9/10 5923 days 7%
EllenorO 10/10 5923 days 7%
Van Lent 9/10 5924 days 7%
Anna 10/10 5925 days 7%
Mike 9/10 5927 days 7%
Richard 10/10 5932 days 7%
Michael Walsall 10/10 5933 days 7%
AstridVG 8/10 5939 days 7%
Christine 9/10 5939 days 7%
Peter 9/10 5939 days 7%
DimitriD 5/10 5940 days 5%
Kitty 9/10 5940 days 7%
Max 10/10 5942 days 7%
Andy Baker 9/10 5943 days 7%
Francesca Sabat 8/10 5945 days 7%
Robert 10/10 5953 days 7%
Melissa Gillespie 10/10 5954 days 7%
Hetty 9/10 5954 days 7%
Charles 7/10 5955 days 7%
Byleveld 8/10 5956 days 7%
JoseB 8/10 5957 days 7%
MrHebbard 10/10 5957 days 7%
ChristineM 10/10 5957 days 7%
Elrik frau 10/10 5957 days 7%
Louise 9/10 5963 days 7%
Douglas 9/10 5964 days 7%
CSander 9/10 5981 days 7%
Patricia 8/10 5991 days 7%
Dijk 8/10 5995 days 7%
Josefine 10/10 5995 days 7%
Ducolq 5/10 5995 days 5%
Jacques 8/10 5996 days 7%
Carina 8/10 6001 days 7%
Michael 9/10 6033 days 7%
silvia 8/10 6035 days 7%
Anouk 8/10 6035 days 7%
Mat 9/10 6040 days 7%
Paul 8/10 6087 days 7%
Helga 9/10 6097 days 7%
Mikel 9/10 6162 days 7%
Christine 6/10 6171 days 6%
Jim Summers 9/10 6171 days 7%
Franz 7/10 6294 days 7%
Linda and Peter 10/10 6302 days 7%
Mike and Judy 8/10 6303 days 7%
Methers 9/10 6303 days 7%
Denise 10/10 6306 days 7%
Kavanagh 8/10 6306 days 7%
De Wijn 8/10 6309 days 7%
Lisa Jones 9/10 6310 days 7%
Christian 9/10 6310 days 7%
Soren Danning 8/10 6310 days 7%
Jones 10/10 6314 days 7%
Orla Hansen 10/10 6315 days 7%
Bauer 10/10 6321 days 7%
Aharon 10/10 6321 days 7%
D.A. Mulder 9/10 6322 days 7%
Jurg Meister 8/10 6323 days 7%
Sally and David Wallis 10/10 6323 days 7%
Knol 9/10 6324 days 7%
Sue Randall 8/10 6327 days 7%
Cole Penelope 10/10 6327 days 7%
Blenkoe 6/10 6328 days 6%
Erwin de Kleijn 8/10 6328 days 7%
Thomas 9/10 6337 days 7%
Bex 10/10 6350 days 7%
Van Hoof 9/10 6363 days 7%
Tim 10/10 6363 days 7%
Gabriel Faber 9/10 6398 days 7%
Jonkers 9/10 6400 days 7%
Edwin 10/10 6404 days 7%
Lyn Saxon 10/10 6408 days 7%
Wendy Williams 10/10 6415 days 7%
Hans Knappmann 10/10 6525 days 7%
Phillipa 10/10 6633 days 7%
Stefan&Gerte 9/10 6647 days 7%
Cat 9/10 6653 days 7%
TeamFlorida 10/10 6660 days 7%
Jo 9/10 6660 days 7%
Fenke 9/10 6665 days 7%
Bas 9/10 6665 days 7%
Martin Smith 9/10 6670 days 7%
John Beirne 9/10 6677 days 7%
Palle 9/10 6682 days 7%
Anna 9/10 6682 days 7%
Svenja 10/10 6688 days 7%
Shirely 10/10 6688 days 7%
Rogier 8/10 6689 days 7%
Wendy 8/10 6693 days 7%
Kerry 10/10 6698 days 7%
Henrich 10/10 6698 days 7%
Messing 10/10 6701 days 7%
Rolf Kruger 10/10 6701 days 7%
Ian 8/10 6705 days 7%
Peter 9/10 6705 days 7%
Brian 10/10 6705 days 7%

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 Day Cruise experience has plenty of reviews and does not meet the criteria for any adjustment.

Recent Reviews Adjustment

-2.16% Adjustment

There may be an adjustment if this experience hasn't received any reviews within the last 118 days. However the Doubtful Sound Day Cruise 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 Day Cruise experience has been adjusted for 200 days. Adjustments are according to the following table.

Days Adjustment
197 -2.13%
198 -2.14%
199 -2.15%
200 -2.16%
201 -2.17%
202 -2.19%
203 -2.20%

Balancing Adjustment

1.35% 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

89%

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.