Opinion: what do the latest cruise stats tell us about destination demand?
CEO of digital marketing agency Adido Andy Headington dives into the latest cruise stats to see how traveller trends are reshaping the cruise landscape
As the cruise industry evolves with new ships and an array of innovative onboard activities, so too have the itineraries and destinations that guests can visit. Cruise is a truly global sector, offering a convenient and hassle-free way to explore the world.
So, off the back of CLIA Conference 2024, which this year had a particular focus on destinations with the #DiscoverMore theme, what do the latest cruise stats tell us about destination demand?
Looking at data for 2023, the Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda were the most sought-after destinations worldwide last year, with the Mediterranean the favourite for holidaymakers from the UK and Ireland.
The early indications suggest it is likely to be a similar picture for 2024, with Greece, Asia and the Norwegian Fjords also piquing the interest of cruise travellers.
In terms of online searches, Adido compared Google search data in the UK for Q1 2024 v Q1 2023 to get a clearer understanding of the specific destinations people are looking for.
We discovered that ‘Caribbean cruise’ remains the top destination-related search term, with more than 700k searches in the first three months of 2024. This is more than 50 per cent above the next highest, ‘Alaska cruise’, with 435k searches over the same period.
With a significant increase in solo cruise travel, more cruise lines are likely to follow Norwegian Cruise Line’s lead and introduce more single-occupancy cabins
‘Mediterranean cruise’ searches remain stable, with an increase of 12.3 per cent from Q1 2023, but the biggest growth year on year in searches is ‘Japan cruises’, which is up by 49.8 per cent – just edging out ‘Antarctica cruise’, up 46.6 per cent.
Meanwhile, Alaska, Panama and the USA are the only places to see a decrease in cruise search demand, with all three down by approximately 10 per cent. Overall searches for cruise specific destinations were up 14.2 per cent.
And, looking back even further to April 2022, data from Google Keyword Planner shows us that searches for the term ‘cruise holidays’ have almost doubled in two years, increasing from 18.1k monthly searches in April 2022 to 33.1k in April 2024.
Increasing demand and solo travel
For many months now we have heard of an increase in demand for cruise and the stats back this up. Recent findings from the CLIA conference that passengers from the UK & Ireland took a record 2.3 million cruise holidays in 2023. A separate CLIA survey also revealed that 71 per cent of those who have never cruised before would now consider doing so.
One particular area helping to drive this increase is the interest in solo cruises. Looking at Google search volume, there were 2,600 monthly searches for the term ‘solo cruise holiday’ in April 2024, compared with 1,400 during the same period in 2023 and 1,100 in 2022 – this represents a 136 per cent increase in just two years.
Cruise lines are responding to this rising trend by catering for solo travellers in new ship builds, with Norwegian Cruise Line doubling its number of single-person cabins this year.
The past two years have seen an impressive period of growth for the industry, due in no small part to the sector evolving to offer a more diverse range of cruises, onboard activities, destinations and cabin
Predictions for 2025
With a consistent upward trend in cruise-related online searches, the industry is likely to see a corresponding increase in bookings, reflecting growing interest among travellers. The average age of cruise passengers is also gradually decreasing, with more millennials and gen Z travellers expressing a desire to try cruise.
Destinations such as Japan and Antarctica are likely to continue to see a growth in popularity, alongside traditional favourites like the Caribbean and Mediterranean. Elsewhere, with a significant increase in solo cruise travel, more cruise lines are likely to follow Norwegian Cruise Line’s lead and introduce more single-occupancy cabins and tailored experiences for solo travellers.
There is nothing to indicate this uptick in interest won’t continue into 2025 and beyond, meaning cruise is on course to become an increasingly dominant force in the travel industry
Our research also shows growth in searches ahead of time. Each year, those planning to take a cruise search for options earlier and in larger volumes than the year before, for both ocean and river.
The past two years have seen an impressive period of growth for the industry, due in no small part to the sector evolving to offer a more diverse range of cruises, onboard activities, destinations and cabins. This in turn is attracting a broader demographic, including younger travellers, multi-generational families, as well as solo travellers.
There is nothing to indicate this uptick in interest won’t continue into 2025 and beyond, meaning cruise is on course to become an increasingly dominant force in the travel industry, continually adapting to meet the changing demands and preferences of its expanding customer base.
Andy Headington is CEO of Adido, a Bournemouth-based digital marketing agency working with cruise lines and travel agents nationwide
