It brings me great pleasure to welcome you to Cruise Trade News’ first-ever industry report, produced in partnership with Mail Metro Media. Published in February 2025, the research and analysis found throughout these pages are a pulse check on an industry that finds itself at an important tipping point.

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.

What impact will this have on booking figures in 2025 and beyond? This, as well as a wealth of other consumer habits, is precisely what we’ve attempted to gauge in this report with the help of our research partner Mail Metro Media, whose titles – which include the Mail brands, Metro and The i Paper – reach 38 million adults a month.

Working with Mail Metro Media’s data and insight team, we accessed an audience of travellers for whom cruise is either a regular fixture of their holiday patterns or is likely to be in the near future. Our in-depth survey ascertained what they like about cruise, where they turn to for holiday inspiration and what factors might be preventing them from booking.

Before I invite you to discover the findings for yourselves, I want to extend a huge thank you to the sponsors of this report, whose expert analysis has helped bring our data to life.

Happy reading!