Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has released new consumer sentiment data showing the demand and perception of cruise holidays are now greater than in 2019, the organisation said in a statement.
According to the survey, intent to book a holiday at sea among UK passengers now exceeds levels from three years ago:
* 85% of respondents who have cruised previously said they intend to take a holiday at sea again, a 6% increase from 2019
* Furthermore, among travellers who have taken a cruise in the last six months, 90% said they intend to cruise again
* Of those who have never cruised, 66% are open to cruising, a 0.5% increase from 2019
Overall, 69% of international cruise holidaymakers stayed at least one night in their local destination prior to embarkation, with 43% extending the stay by two or more nights. And 67% stayed at least one night after disembarkation, with 34% extending by two or more nights, while 60% said they later returned to a destination they had first visited by cruise.
In addition, as cruise lines continue to advance their sustainability initiatives in pursuit of net-zero carbon cruising by 2050, the percentage of international travellers who say the cruise industry is a leader in responsible travel reached 51%, a 9% increase over the past year.
Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland managing director, said: “This year has been enormously encouraging for cruise, and it’s heartening to see demand for a holiday at sea is set to continue. The sheer number of repeat passengers we’re anticipating, combined with interest from those yet to sail, means the appeal of going on a cruise remains as strong as ever.
“The economic advantages passengers bring to the destinations they visit is also clear, meaning local businesses - from taxis, to restaurants to hotels - benefit accordingly. And we’re delighted to see the raft of sustainability initiatives we have in place, including our 2050 net-zero carbon goal, were recognised.”
The sentiment data is based on an independent, international survey of 4,000 holidaymakers in eight countries: the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the USA, Canada and Australia.