Top trends for cruising in ’24

Representing a claimed ninety-five per cent of the world’s ocean-going cruise capacity, US-based Cruise Line International Association has the resources and experience to get a good read on industry trends.

No surprise, then, that not far into the new year, CLIA has released a report on the year just gone, and what to expect in 2024.

For cruise enthusiasts, the association’s 15-point breakdown makes for interesting reading.

• Younger generations are the future of cruise with 88 per cent of millennials and 86 per cent of gen X travellers who have cruised before saying they plan to cruise again.
• There is more interest than ever among millennials and gen X travellers to take their first cruise, with 77 per cent and 73 per cent, respectively, of those who have never cruised indicating they will consider a cruise vacation.
• To attract more first-time cruisers and meet the needs of repeat cruisers, cruise lines are offering shorter and longer cruise itineraries. As a result, while the average cruise length continues to be about seven days, the range of options for cruise duration has expanded.
• Solo cruise travel is on the rise. Cruise lines are responding by building more single cabins in new ships and retrofitting some of their current ships to include additional cabins designed for those travelling alone.
• There is an acceleration of environmental technologies and practices on ships, as the industry pursues net-zero carbon cruising by 2050.
• The commitment of cruise travellers and potential new-to-cruise travellers to the environment is increasing, with 50 per cent of current and potential cruise travellers saying they are more committed to making travel decisions based on environmental impacts than they were three years ago.
• Cruise lines are increasingly offering environmental education and sustainable tour experiences for passengers. As a result, 84 per cent of cruise travellers are more aware of the responsible nature of cruise travel and the importance of the environment.
• The number of accessible cabins across the cruise line fleet is increasing. The increase is helping meet the needs of cruise travellers who have limited mobility, or those travelling with someone with limited mobility. The vast majority of these individuals (across every generation) say they view a cruise holiday as the only travel option that meets their needs. Similar results are showing up related to sensory and cognitive considerations.
• Younger cruise travellers – from gen Z to millennials to gen X – use travel advisers to book their cruises more than any other generation: in fact, 50 per cent more than traditionalists and baby boomers).
• Cruise holidays appeal to those looking for multigenerational travel options. Today, 73 per cent of cruise travellers are sailing with family members who represent at least two generations.
• For the first time, CLIA-member cruise line fleet of ships is projected to exceed 300 ocean-going vessels in 2024. The increase in ships and itineraries is needed to meet strong demand for cruise travel, which is rebounding faster than other travel sectors. Based on CLIA’s forecast, cruise tourism reached 106 per cent of 2019 passenger volume in 2023.
• Traveller interest in booking an expedition cruise is higher than ever as travellers seek more immersive, responsible, bucket-list travel experiences. The trend is evident across all age groups as the number of passengers sailing on expedition cruises more than doubled from 2016 to 2022. Search results for expedition cruise travel to Antarctica increased 51 per cent in 2022 compared to 2019.
• Cruise lines are offering more immersive cruise travel opportunities to passengers. Cruise lines are scheduling longer stays, including overnight stays, in certain ports of call.
• More cruise travellers plan to book longer cruises for their next holiday, with 43 per cent saying they plan to book a longer cruise and 43 per cent saying they plan to book a similar-length cruise.
• Family and friends have the most influence on traveller decisions to book a cruise or not, with 86 per cent of cruise travellers saying family and friends had either some influence or significant influence in their choice to cruise.