The number of newcomers expected to sail on a cruise in 2023 is more than double last year, a study by online travel agency cruise.co.uk has found.

A survey carried out by cruise specialist, cruise.co.uk, and completed by almost 1200 respondents, revealed that, while only 4% of people were new-to-cruise in 2022, over 9% are planning to take their first holiday at sea this year, the company said in a statement.

In the last year before the pandemic, 2019, similarly saw 4% of respondents taking their first cruise

The Mediterranean is the destination of choice for first-timers, with the Caribbean in second, and the Norwegian Fjords and north Scandinavia in third place.

The study also revealed that over 50% of respondents who are existing cruisers already have a future cruise booked.

Tony Andrews, deputy managing director of cruise.co.uk, said in the statement: “We’re encouraged to see such a significant increase in the number of new-to-cruise customers looking to sail this year. A holiday at sea offers unbeatable choice, to suit every taste and budget, so we’d urge anyone who hasn’t tried it yet to dip their toe in the water. Plus, with around 20 new ships launching this year, there is going to be even more reasons for holidaymakers to switch from land to sea.”