Nearly 90% Of Cruisers Intend to Cruise Again, 63% Used a Travel Advisor

The outlook for the cruise industry has never been brighter. Last year saw 37.2 million passengers cruise globally – the most ever – and 90% of past cruisers intend to cruise again. Furthermore, 75.6% of non-cruisers are open to taking a cruise. These were among some of the findings of this year’s State of the Cruise Industry report released this week during the Seatrade Global Cruise conference by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

In 2026, there will be 325 CLIA-member ocean-going ships sailing the globe, representing around 690,000 lower berths.

North America continues to be the largest source market for cruising; of the 37.2 million passengers in 2027, 22.1 million came from North America – up 7.5% from 2024.

“Cruising is sailing toward the future with exceptional momentum and strength,” said Bud Darr, president and CEO of CLIA. “Record demand, growing interest from new cruisers, and sustained confidence in the cruise experience are being matched by innovation, technological advancements, and destination partnerships. At the same time, we’re seeing a meaningful shift in recognition that cruise is a leader in sustainable operations.”

Travel Advisor Outlook

When asked about their agency’s outlook regarding cruise sales volume in the current year, compared to that

Describe your agency’s outlook regarding its cruise sales volume in the current year compared to that of last year, about half of respondents said their outlook of sales volume is 6% better year-over-year or more. Sixty-two percent said they expect some level of positive increase.

It’s not rosy for everyone though; 5% of respondents said they expect cruise sales volume to be down 10% or worse, and 22% expect some level of decline.

For those who are seeing a decline, political unrest, changes in airfare, safety of destinations, and increases in travel hassles were the most commonly cited reasons for the impact on cruise sales.

One good piece of news for advisors, 63% of people who cruised in the last 12 months used a travel advisor for their booking, a percentage that has remained fairly steady since 2022. In that time, 60% to 66% have consistently said they use a travel advisor for their cruise bookings.

Younger and More Diverse Cruise Travelers

Another encouraging finding in the State of the Industry report is that the average age of cruises is getting younger. About one-third of cruisers these days is under the age of 40, and approximately one-third of cruise trips are multi-generational.

Caribbean Still Dominates

The Caribbean is still the biggest driver of demand. In 2025, 44% of cruisers – or 16.27 million people – cruised in the Caribbean – up 8.4% over 2024.

In terms of percentage growth, non-Mediterranean sailings outdrew Med sailings, with 3.22 million cruisers sailing non-Mediterranean Europe – up 5.8% over 2024. Mediterranea cruises drew 5.96 million cruisers – up 3.4% over 2024.

Only two regions saw a drop off in 2025: Alaska, which saw 1.7 million passengers – a 0.6% drop – and Africa and the Middle East, which drew 457.8 thousand passengers – an 11.6% drop.

Diverse Fleet Makeup

While much attention is paid to the industry’s biggest ships, the global cruise fleet remains balanced across small, medium, and large vessels, with each segment representing about one-third of the fleet.

Trends also show growth in luxury cruising, expedition, and exploration travel, with the report reflecting a growing demand for more immersive experiences, including curated shore excursions, cultural engagement, and more time in destinations.

Travel advisors report 42% year-over-year growth in expedition cruising, 53% growth in luxury cruising, and 51% growth in premium cruising.

At the same time, the cruise lines’ private island destinations continue to be a driver of demand.

Future Outlook

For this year through 2029, CLIA forecast returns “to more traditional single-digit year-over-year growth,” the report found.

“Forecast gains slow as current understanding of additions to global fleet capacity taper off in the future.”

This year, in 2026, CLIA forecasts some 38.3 million cruise passengers (up 4% from 2025), while 2027 is forecast to draw 40.3 million passengers (up 5% over 2026’s forecasted numbers).

Worldwide Economic Impact

Also recently released is CLIA’s 2024 Global Economic Impact study, which found that cruise tourism generated $198 billion in global economic impact in 2024, supporting 1.8 million jobs worldwide and contributing $60 billion in wages.

In the U.S. alone, cruise contributed $75 billion in economic impact, supporting 333,000 jobs and over $25 billion in wages, with $41.4 billion in gross domestic product (GDP).

Most of this impact comes from shoreside spending, reflecting cruise lines’ investments in ports, destinations, and communities. Cruise tourism supports a wide network of businesses including transportation providers, hotels, restaurants, tour companies, and suppliers.

Speaking of hotels, 15% of report respondents stayed one night-pre cruise and one night post-cruise, 5% stayed two nights pre-cruise and two nights post-cruise. Another 11% stayed one night pre-cruise.  An impressive 7%