Top Cruise Trends for 2024 and Beyond from Virtuoso

Virtuoso®, the world chief in luxurious and experiential journey, has launched survey findings that provide a glimpse into the preferences of the world’s savviest cruisers. Drawing on the experience of greater than 300 skilled journey advisors who concentrate on cruising, Virtuoso discovered that 58 p.c imagine it can emerge because the strongest tourism sector in 2024-2025, surpassing land-only experiences. To additional illustrate the purpose, Virtuoso’s 18-to-24-month forward-looking cruise bookings in extra of $50,000 have elevated greater than one hundred pc in comparison with the identical timeframe final 12 months. Among the cruise classes with the best anticipated bookings, Premium Ocean takes the lead at 34 p.c, adopted by Luxury Ocean at 27 p.c, River at 22 p.c and Expedition at 15 p.c.

A New Wave of First-Time Cruisers:

The current growth in cruise innovation signifies there’s a ship and expertise for virtually everybody. Sixty p.c of surveyed advisors have noticed a rise in first-time cruisers. According to a current survey by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), 27 p.c of cruisers over the previous two years are new to cruising, a rise of 12 p.c over earlier years. Additionally, 62 p.c of Virtuoso advisors have noticed that first-time cruisers typically flip to them for steerage in planning and reserving their sailings, emphasizing the worth of journey advisors’ unparalleled information to the uninitiated and their important function in crafting unforgettable journeys.

Elevated Levels of Luxury 

Welcoming the surge of first-time cruisers, the trade is abuzz with contemporary choices tailor-made for those that want unique onboard experiences with a contact of favor and sophistication. Scheduled to embark in January 2026, Four Seasons Yachts guarantees a voyage of discovery via the world’s most charming locations, complemented by the famend Four Seasons normal of excellence. Meanwhile, the eagerly awaited Ilma, the most recent luxurious superyacht from The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, is present process last preparations for its inaugural voyage from Monte Carlo to Rome this September. With its first vessel already cruising and the second scheduled to set sail in August 2024, Explora Journeys’ floating resorts redefine luxurious at sea with unrivalled area and privateness.

Shifting Demographics

Fifty-nine p.c of advisors have seen a demographic transformation underway within the cruise trade. Of this group,36 p.c attribute the shift to a rise in bookings from Millennials and Gen Z. Supporting this development, CLIA’s analysis signifies a promising future for cruising among the many youthful demographic, with 81 p.c of Millennials and 74 p.c of Gen Z who’ve lately cruised expressing intentions to cruise once more. Twenty-seven p.c of Virtuoso advisors attribute the altering panorama to an growing desire amongst households for cruising, whereas an equal proportion (27 p.c) have noticed an increase in feminine solo cruisers.

Dynamic and Diverse:

Advisors report their shoppers’ cruise itineraries mirror quite a lot of motivations, ranging from journey and exploration to cultural immersion and private fulfilment. The conventional waters of Alaska and the Caribbean and stay standard, whereas there’s rising curiosity in additional distant expedition cruises to locations like Antarctica, Iceland, the Galapagos Islands and even the North Pole. Japan and West Africa are attracting cruisers looking for immersive cultural experiences. Personal passions additionally play a task in shaping journey selections, akin to Australia’s Kimberley area for pictures fans and Ireland for travellers trying to reconnect with their ancestral heritage. Additionally, the introduction of recent seasonality for cruise itineraries, akin to winter Mediterranean sailings, is a savvy option to discover standard locations with out the crowds, typically at a greater worth.

Cruising Into 2025:

• Destination immersion with extra nights in port or overnights on land
• Cruising to cold-weather climates (Alaska, Antarctica, the Arctic)
• Solo cruising
• New seasonality for itineraries
• Increased demand and luxurious choices for multigenerational cruising

“This is an exciting and transformative time in the cruise industry,” stated Melissa Araya, vice chairman, cruise at Virtuoso. “Cruise has some of the most loyal, repeat passengers, and then we also have these newcomers who are embracing cruising with such enthusiasm. With new lines and new vessels coming into the market, there are so many more options and such a wide variety of itineraries to choose from. Virtuoso advisors understand their clients on a deeper level, and they are masters at matching the client to the right type of cruise. Even those who never considered cruising before can do so with confidence, venturing into new territory with the comfort of a trusted ally by their side.”

Virtuoso’s cruise portfolio contains ocean, river, yacht, and expedition companions providing 1000’s of itineraries to world ports of name. The Virtuoso Voyages program provides exclusives on greater than 400 choose cruises yearly throughout 13 separate cruise strains, together with a devoted onboard host and alternative of a further profit ranging in worth from $500 per couple to a number of thousand {dollars}, relying on the crusing.