Your data is yours
Saved cruises live on your device, not on a server. Forum account details are AES-256 encrypted at rest. Nothing is sold, rented or traded — ever.
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Built from the dock,
one port at a time
Port Pal Pro isn't a startup. It's one cruiser with 30+ sailings, a full-time job, and a stubborn refusal to open twelve browser tabs to answer one simple question.
The mission
One clean, central place for the information that matters
Ships, ports, schedules, and real arrival & departure times — without the clutter, guesswork, or advertising that dominates cruise sites today.
Why I built this
I got tired of juggling multiple apps and websites just to find basic information about ports, ships, countries, and schedules — each one holding a piece of the puzzle, none with the whole picture. As a cruiser with more than 30 sailings behind me, I knew there had to be a better way.
Port Pal Pro is that way: every port, every ship, verified schedules, live updates — all in one place, in your pocket.
Real data, not guesses. Behind the scenes, Port Pal Pro runs on its own cruise database: real sailings from January 1, 2010 through current cruises, plus future cruises up to 24 months ahead. The itineraries you see come from actual schedule data — and when a sailing can't be confirmed, the app says so rather than inventing ports.
New features arrive over time. The app already has a firm foundation, with more on the way — including a port excursion suggestion feature currently in development.
The community
The best cruise knowledge doesn't come from websites — it comes from cruisers who've actually been there. Port Pal Pro's Community Forum is live, with a thread for every port, ship and cruise line. Cruisers share real, first-hand information with each other: port photos, tips, and what to know before you go. Your experience helps the next cruiser plan a better trip.
We also want to hear from you — what works, what's missing, what would make your next cruise better. Cruiser feedback drives every update, from new ports and ships to the features you ask for. If you've got an idea, we're listening: info@portpalapp.com.
On advertising & funding
Right now, Port Pal Pro has zero advertising — no banners, no pop-ups, no tracking. Just a single in-app purchase. Your cruises stay on your device by default; if you create a free account you can choose to back them up, and forum account details are stored encrypted (AES-256) with your password kept only as a hash. We never sell, rent or trade your data.
The project is 100% self-funded, with no corporate support and no outside investors — just cruisers helping cruisers. The cost of the app covers the real work behind it: building and hosting the app and its databases, development, and the ongoing effort of keeping the information accurate, up to date, and free of clutter. It's not about profit for profit's sake; it's about keeping Port Pal Pro running and getting better for every cruiser who uses it.
As the app grows, advertising may one day become part of keeping it running — but it will never become the clutter you see on other cruise sites, and it will never get in the way of the information you came for.
About me
I'm Rob — a Canadian cruise enthusiast with more than 30 cruises under my belt, sailed with family, with kids, solo, and with groups of friends. I've cruised all over the Caribbean, up and down the Mexican Riviera, across the Atlantic on a transatlantic crossing, and through Europe.
I've stood in those tender lines, watched five ships crowd into one port, and searched a dozen websites for a simple answer — which is exactly why I built Port Pal Pro: so the next cruiser doesn't have to.
Port Pal Pro is my part-time project, built around a full-time professional career — a labour of love developed from the dock, one port at a time.
Happy sailing, and welcome aboard.
What guides the app
Accuracy over volume
If a sailing can't be verified, the app tells you instead of filling the gap with a guess. Real schedules or nothing.
Built on feedback
Every release since launch has come from cruisers writing in. Ask for something and there's a genuine chance it ships.