Ocean Cruise Remains Dependable—But Change Is Coming

Everyone is selling cruises, according to Travel Market Report’s Outlook on Ocean Cruise, 2025.

The outlook, published today, found that more advisors than ever are selling ocean cruise: 99% of respondents told TMR they are selling or plan to sell ocean cruises in 2025 (compared to 84% in 2023). 

Growth is also on the horizon; almost all advisors stated that they expected growth in 2025, with approximately 70% predicting at least a 10% increase year-over-year.  

What’s more, river and expedition are also gaining traction in the industry. In the last outlook, 62% of advisors said they were interested in selling river cruise, and just 34% showed an interest in expedition. In this latest report, interest in expedition rose to 50%. What’s more, a whopping 88% of travel advisors said they are selling or planning to sell river cruise—more than were selling ocean cruise in 2023. 

While ocean cruise continues to be a dependable segment for travel advisors, change is coming. The new outlook found that the demographics are shifting younger. Not too long ago, the typical cruise client was a Boomer or empty-nester. Today, advisors are seeing more first-timers, and traveler expectations are changing: Wi-Fi is quickly becoming a “must have” amenity for all-inclusive experiences, and bucket-list itineraries are driving sales.

The following pages are filled with insight from U.S. and Canadian travel advisors, shedding light on the opportunities and challenges present when selling ocean cruise. The information is laid out in an easy-to-digest format designed to help you, the travel advisor, enhance your business.

Advisors can dig into the Outlook via TMR’s training page or by clicking here.