11/04/2024
TravelPulse Article by Sara Kuta, April 10, 2024
9 Key Takeaways from CLIA's 2024 State of the Cruise Industry Report
Cruising is officially back.
Last year, demand surged ahead of pre-pandemic levels as 31.7 million travelers sailed aboard cruise ships, according to Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) annual State of the Cruise Industry report. The 2023 numbers represent a 7 percent uptick from 2019, the last full year before the Covid-19 dampened the industry. (For comparison, 20.4 million people took a cruise in 2022.)
"Cruise continues to be one of the fastest-growing and most resilient sectors of tourism— rebounding faster than international tourist arrivals—and a strong contributor to local and national economies,” says Kelly Craighead, CLIA’s president and chief executive officer.
Here are nine other key takeaways from the new report.
1. Demand Will Remain High In 2024
Last year was good, but CLIA expects this year to be even better. The association is forecasting that 35.7 million travelers will cruise in 2024.
2. Capacity Is Also Growing
To help meet the increased demand, cruise lines are adding more ships. CLIA is forecasting that global cruise capacity will grow at least 10 percent—from 677,000 lower berths in 2024 to 745,000 lower berths in 2028.
3. Younger Generations Are Excited to Cruise
Intent to cruise is also strong, with 82 percent of all previous cruise guests reporting that they will cruise again—a 6 percent increase from 2019.
The average age of cruise travelers is now 46 years old, and 36 percent of cruisers are under the age of 40. Millennials (32 percent), Gen Z (33 percent) and Gen X (23 percent) now make up the largest proportion of cruisers.
Younger generations are also enthusiastic about cruising, with 81 percent of millennials and 84 percent of Gen-Xers who have cruised before reporting they plan to cruise again. (Baby Boomers also still love to cruise: 84 percent said they plan to take another voyage.)
4. A Growing Number of Travelers Are Cruising For the First Time
Over the past two years, 27 percent of travelers are new-to-cruise, which represents a 12 percent increase from the past year.
5. Expedition Cruises Are Hot
Expedition cruises are becoming increasingly popular, according to CLIA. The association recorded a 71 percent increase in travelers sailing on expedition cruises between 2019 and 2023.
At the same time, passengers are also increasingly interested in accessibility: 45 percent of travelers book an accessible tour excursion on their most recent voyage.
6. Travel Advisors Are Key
Travel advisors remain critical to the cruise industry, with 73 percent of cruisers reporting that travel advisors have a meaningful influence on their decision to cruise.
7. Cruise Lines Continue to Make Progress on Sustainability
Cruise lines are investing in a wide range of technologies to make their ships more efficient, including propulsion technologies with conversion capabilities for future alternative fuels. Other sustainability upgrades include advanced wastewater treatment systems, underwater noise and vibration reduction systems, water conservation systems, exhaust gas cleaning systems and more.
Shoreside electricity is also becoming increasingly common: 120 ships (52 percent of global capacity) now have the capability to plug in while in port.
8. Cruising Continues to Make an Economic Impact
In 2022, the cruise industry generated $138 billion to the global economy, 1.2 million jobs and $43 billion in wages. CLIA expects the economic impact will be even greater in 2023, because of the uptick in passengers.
Cruising also creates economic ripple effects: 63 percent of cruisers say they have returned to a destination that they first visited via cruise ship for a longer stay.
9. The Industry Is Attracting Women
For the first time, CLIA released a new skills and workforce report called “An Ocean of Opportunity.” It finds that cruising is an especially attractive industry for women, with 94 percent of women seafarers working in the cruise industry. What’s more, women hold around 40 percent of senior leadership roles at cruise companies.
