Available to download now, our inaugural cruise industry report can reveal that many consumers still perceive cruise to unaffordable

When asked what, if anything, has previously stopped you from booking a cruise, 52 per cent of yet-to-cruise travellers say it’s because cruise holidays are too expensive.

Of those in the survey who said they are unlikely to book an itinerary in the next two years, 34 per cent said it’s because they can no longer afford to do so, while 29 per cent of yet-to-cruisers are worried cruises are too expensive once onboard.

The survey canvassed the opinions of 763 travellers aged 25-75+, including 399 previous cruisers and 364 new-to-cruisers.

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One respondent commented: “When I see a headline price, it’s always so much more expensive when I look at how much it will be to go.”

Sam Ballard, managing director of Leicester-based agency Club Voyages, said: “There’s a perception that there are too many additional costs when booking a cruise.

“When we give our clients a fare, soon we’re asking them if they want to add gratuities, Wi-Fi or a drinks package and it can build up. It’s a case of me telling them the price of a cruise and then asking for an extra £500-£600.

“There is an element of frustration among clients when that’s the case, and it would be much easier if we just gave them one price. That would make cruise easier to sell and more palatable to new‑to‑cruise customers.”

“It’s really quite incredible the lack of knowledge many people have about cruising”

The report also revealed a worrying lack of knowledge around the fundamentals of cruising, with 56 per cent of new-to-cruise guests saying they are either “not very knowledgeable” or “not at all knowledgeable” about cabin types. Meanwhile, 67 per cent of yet-to-cruise say they are not very knowledgeable or not at all knowledgable about what’s included in the price of a cruise.

“It’s really quite incredible the lack of knowledge many people have about cruising,” says Sandra Corkin, executive director, Oasis Travel. “When we give prices, we often say ‘cruise-only’.

“To us that means flights aren’t included, but whenever we say that to people who’ve never cruised before, they think it means no food. We need to go back to basics.”

The report also shone light on where travellers are looking to sail to next. Marquee favourites like the Caribbean (44 per cent of all respondents) and the Mediterranean (50 per cent of all respondents) retained their places as Brits’ favourite cruise destinations.

However, Scandinavia (32 per cent) was deemed as the third most desirable sailing location thanks to a range of ex-UK departures and stunning scenic cruising options.

“There’s still a lot of work still to be done to promote the value of cruises,” says Paradiso

Produced in partnership with Mail Metro Media, the report is the first major piece of research released by Cruise Trade News. On Wednesday 3 February, an exclusive group of senior cruise industry decision makers, including representatives from CLIA, MSC Cruises and Barrhead Travel, were invited to a sneak peek of the report’s findings.

In attendance was Antonio Paradiso, managing director, UK & Ireland, of MSC Group’s cruise division, who shared his reaction to the findings with Cruise Trade News, saying: “The first thing that got my attention right away was that there’s still a lot of work still to be done to promote the value of cruises.

“It was also interesting to see that customers between aged between 35-44 would most be willing to book an around-the-world cruise if there weren’t any budget restrictions; that was one of the standouts from the destination trends in the report.”

Editor of Cruise Trade News, Jack Carter, hoped the report will act as a pulse check on an industry that finds itself at an important tipping point. He said: “Intent to cruise has arguably never been higher, with new ships and an appreciation for their ability to ferry travellers to some of the most sought-after corners of the globe fuelling new-found enthusiasm.

“Yet, as the UK economy continues to stutter, rising living costs are forcing households to re-evaluate their holiday spend.

“The impact will this have on booking figures in 2025 and beyond is precisely what we’ve been able to gauge in this report, while also shedding light on a diversity of issues pertinent to travel industry professionals today.”