The cruise industry had its fair share of hardships during the tough times of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this was a time of great learning and self-introspection, resulting in a critical evaluation of trends, habits, and consumption patterns. The cruise lines are now back with a bang and the party has just begun.
– Nishith Saxena
Champagne-fueled sail-away parties on deck may lack the usual glamour if you’re sporting a facemask, but now you could do away with the mask and get a nice family photo clicked on that special day. Cruising is back and wow, what a way to re-establish that life on oceans is different, safe and most enjoyable on a luxury cruise ship.
Some people ask me, “What has changed onboard the ships post-pandemic?” My response is, “Cruise ships now have become “sanitary bubbles” with as much attention to preventing any infection from getting on board as to maintaining ultra-strict safety and health regimes onboard. Fundamentally, the cruise industry is the one product that can control its environment better than any other travel product in the world. Now, add to this the fun, multifarious activities, endless gourmet options, entertainment and spa, and you have a fantastic floating resort at sea.”
Globally, the cruise industry is buoyant and excited as we see phenomenal growth in the next 10 years, with new cruise lines joining the business. The cruise industry still represents a very small percentage of holiday goers internationally, with about 31 million ocean-going cruise passengers estimated to sail in 2023. I believe that from here on the annual growth of ocean-going passengers is going to surpass all other forms of holiday goers for at least another decade.
Globally, many emerging trends spell a great future for the global cruise industry.
Immersive Experiences – Gone are the days when having a rock-climbing wall and a go-carting facility or a robotic waiter in the bar would impress travellers. Most cruise lines have gone beyond and have designed immersive experiences which could remain lingering in the memory for a longer period. Spending a night under the Antarctic sky, a 360 dining experience where the local food tingles the taste buds and all four senses soak in the farm-to-the-fork story, experiencing the ocean life in a small submarine making the sublime distance between you and the under-water universe disappear.
Expedition Cruises – Expedition cruising has emerged as the most sought-after bucket-list travel experience. The trend is evident across all age groups as the number of passengers sailing on expedition cruises more than doubled from 2016 to 2022. Online search results for expedition cruise travel to Antarctica increased by 51 per cent in 2022 compared to 2019. In addition, in 2022, 137,000 cruise travellers sailed on expedition ships. Though this number is lower than in 2019 when 187,000 cruise travellers chose an expedition cruise, the 2022 expedition passenger volume was nearly 70 per cent higher than it was in 2016. The 2023-24 and 24-25 Antarctica season is expected to be the best ever in the last decade as there is more capacity and different types of ships offering expedition experiences in Antarctica. Add to this the expeditions to the Arctic, Svalbard, and Amazon and you have a year-round expedition market ready to boom.
Young Cruisers – Younger generations are the future of the cruise industry. 88 per cent of the millennials and 86 per cent of the Gen-X travellers who have cruised before with their family are expected to cruise again. Further, for those who are cruise virgins in Millennials and Gen-X, almost 73 per cent indicated in a CLIA survey report that they would like to take a cruise vacation. Not only globally but also in India, we’re noticing the changing face of our cruise guests. Earlier, the longer the cruise, the higher would be the age of the guest, but now, we notice many guests between the age of 35-45 years are seeking longer itineraries and far-out destinations.
Cruise Capacity – The Global cruise capacity is estimated to grow 19 per cent to more than 7,46,000 lower berths from 2022 to 2028 which provides a great opportunity for traditional as well as newer source markets to focus on cruising and enjoy the benefits of a fantastic range of the safest, most engaging and value for money product line where service delivery remains the top priority for all stakeholder.
As a seller of travel products, if today any travel agency does not have a cruise on their menu, then they are ignoring one of the most consistent and promising segments and ingredients of their business mix.
About the Author: Nishith Saxena is the Founder and Director of Cruise Professionals LLP, which represents several premium and experiential cruise lines in India.
