Global Cruise Trends Report: March 2024

The cruise industry has rebounded strongly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Underscoring an impressive recovery, global cruise passenger capacity is expected to exceed the pre-pandemic peak by 18% in 2024 according to data from our Cruise-Intelligence Platform.

Cruise lines are innovating with new concepts and routes to meet consumer preferences for more personalized experiences. Understanding the changing needs of consumers and adapting to shifting market dynamics are important ingredients of success during this exciting time for the industry.

We are pleased to share key results from our inaugural ocean cruisers survey which captured key insights on behaviour and attitudes among five key cruise markets, representing around 70% of global passenger volumes.

Different generations exhibit varying views and attitudes towards cruises. Younger audiences represent a smaller share of the overall cruise market but demonstrate higher levels of satisfaction.

Cruise characteristics, including cruise duration and shoulder nights, vary across cruise regions. This is influenced by underlying differences in itineraries as well as customer preference. Engagement with embark and depart ports is a key part of the cruise experience, especially given the importance of roundtrip cruises.

Interest in cruise vacations has increased compared to pre-pandemic. Distinctive trends are influencing how the cruise industry continues to evolve. For example, post-COVID, smaller and mid-size vessels are more appealing, as are all-inclusive cruises.

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The experts behind the research

Our consulting team at Tourism Economics are the world’s leading analysts of the global tourism and travel sector. They combine their expert insight with our state-of-the-art economic models and tools to answer the crucial questions facing our clients. Lead consultants on the project were: