Last year, Brits didn’t feel confident booking a cruise without doing some research first. But who do they trust the most? Evidence shows that old continues to be gold. Ilaria Grasso Macola reports

Booking a cruise is no small issue for anyone, least of all for UK holidaymakers. Our data shows that, in 2025, two in three Brits needed to research their holiday further, not feeling confident to book it after just seeing an ad. But which platforms do they turn to when seeking more information?

According to the survey, UK consumers rely mostly on videos when researching their cruise holiday and online travel agents and review sites for inspiration. When asked about the most helpful ways to decide on a cruise, respondents collectively selected video, with 92 per cent choosing ‘watching a video detailing ships’ facilities’ as the most helpful tool, followed by virtual tours with 90 per cent of responses.

Both methods are liked almost equally by new-to-cruise and repeat cruisers, as well as by women and men. In terms of age, the vast majority (96 per cent) of people between 35 and 44 prefer watching videos, while virtual ship tours are the chosen method of those aged 55 and 64.

Thorne Travel boss Shona Thorne says video is fundamental when providing inspiration, education and reassurance to her customers. Thorne, who owns three stores in Ayrshire, says she and her team send customers all types of ship video content, in addition to showcasing them in store. “This gives customers the chance of experiencing ship walkthroughs and cabin tours, while getting a taste of the dining and entertainment offer,” she adds.

The predominance of video platforms such as YouTube and World of Cruising TV as Britons’ go-to research tool came to the detriment of social media. TikTok, Instagram and Facebook in fact fared an overall 11 per cent each, mainly driven by their popularity among those aged between 18 and 34.

When it comes to finding cruise inspiration, respondents put their trust mostly in online travel agents and review websites. According to our survey’s results, online consultants are the go-to source of inspiration for more than a third (35 per cent) of repeat cruisers, while the likes of Tripadvisor and World of Cruising were preferred by 32 per cent of new-to-cruise respondents.

This change highlighted how, once someone became more familiar with the world of cruising, they started to rely on the expertise of seasoned travel professionals before parting with their money.

“I agree [online] is the primary source of inspiration for our customers, but I will often have people approach me for advice when they’ve been confused by cruise lines’ offerings and seek my expertise with recommendations,” comments Travel Counsellor Emma Otter.

Online travel agents were also the main source of inspiration for women as well as for those aged 45-54, while review websites were mostly chosen by men, Gen Z and millennials. Perhaps unsurprisingly, TikTok registered the highest with 18-34-year-olds, with 40 per cent of them turning to the social media platform for holiday inspiration.

Ranking fifth overall, high street agents were not the main source of inspiration for many consumers, but especially for those between 45 and 54. The figures showed that only 17 per cent of Gen X customers would draw inspiration from in-person travel consultants – compared to 31 per cent of people over 65, 29 per cent of those aged 18-34, and 25 per cent of people in the 55-64 category.

Carol Kirkham, managing director at Lancashire travel agency Kirkham Travel, says that catering to Gen X customers is “an odd one” because they believe they are more digitally literate than older generations, but they actually still need professional guidance. “They’re not as technology savvy as they think they are,” she explains.

TikTok and Instagram are a key part of our strategy, especially when it comes to cruise promotion

Just like last year, television continues to dominate the space of cruise holiday advertising, with the majority of respondents (56 per cent) recalling that this was the platform they had seen the most memorable ads on.

TV came out on top for both new-to-cruise (59 per cent) and repeat cruisers (53 per cent) compared to almost all ages and genders, thanks to memorable campaigns such as Princess Cruises’ ‘Love Boat by Hannah’ or Cunard’s ‘Why cruise when you can Cunard’.

However, not everyone agrees, as 31 per cent of votes went to social media. The data shows that 55 per cent of those under 45 and 60 per cent of 18-34-year-olds report they typically saw cruise advertising on the likes of Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.

Many travel professionals have already taken up this space, integrating social media campaigns in their daily operations. “TikTok and Instagram are a key part of our strategy, especially when it comes to cruise promotion,” says Thorne.

Meanwhile, Otter adds: “Cruise has a place on all social media platforms and I will continue to use them all to share content and offers.” Aside from TV and social media, newspapers and specialist websites continued to be a cornerstone for cruise advertising, with 30 per cent and 20 per cent of respondents respectively citing newspapers and specialist websites such as World of Cruising as where they typically see advertisements.