The real reason cruise passengers are getting younger – and their top chosen destinations
A cruise holiday was once associated with older passengers but the industry has reinvented itself in recent years with the rising trend of megaships offering everything from giant waterslides to virtual reality arcades and rock climbing walls onboard.
Many passengers are also attracted to the variety of destinations available and the possibility to visit more than one city and even multiple countries and continents during a sailing.
Industry data released by the Cruise Lines International Association (Clia) today revealed that a record 2.4 million UK passengers went on a cruise last year.
The average age of UK and Ireland cruisers has also continued to decrease.
It is now 54.3 years - down from 55.1 in 2023 and 57 in 2019.
Andy Harmer, UK and Ireland managing director for Clia, said: 'Cruising continues to capture the imagination of travellers across the UK and Ireland, as more and more people embrace the diversity, value and unique experiences a holiday at sea offers.'
Here is why more people are cruising and where they are going.
New ships
Passengers are being attracted to the sea by an influx of new and exciting ships featuring rides and plenty of immersive activities and entertainment.
For the first time, the CLIA-member cruise line fleet has exceeded 310 ocean-going vessels and the onboard facilities are attracting younger passengers and families.
In recent years, Royal Caribbean has launched the world's largest cruise ship, Icon of The Seas, which features the largest waterslide on the ocean and even has a resident dog. It is also launching a sister ship Star of the Seas later this year.
Disney Cruise Line launched Disney Treasure last year, which has character meet-ups and bars inspired by its theme parks including the Haunted Mansion. It also has a heroes-and-villains-themed ship, Disney Destiny, coming in November.
There have been several high-profile ship launches this year to tempt passengers.
This includes MSC World America, which has its own Cliffhanger swing ride that hangs over the side of the ship, and Norwegian Aqua, where passengers can ride on its hybrid waterslide and rollercoaster, the SlideCoaster.
Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises also have highly-anticipated new ships launching later this year.
Many regular cruisers may also have favourite ships they enjoy revisiting and some such as Cunard have a historical and established fleet, such as Queen Mary 2, known for its Southampton to New York sailings.
The rise of river cruising
River cruising is becoming increasingly popular and Clia says it is one of the fastest growing areas of the market as passengers seek smaller ship experiences.
A river cruise can often get you closer to the centre of a destination and provide a more luxury and intimate sailing.
Harmer said itinerary on the Rhine and the Danube are increasingly popular.
River cruising is attracting new entrants as well.
Tour operator Trafalgar is set to enter the market in spring 2026 with itineraries along the Rhine and Danube rivers.
Lindblad Expeditions has announced plans to bring its exploration cruises to European rivers, while Celebrity Cruises is set to enter the river cruise market in 2027.
Viking Cruises is planning to have 109 river cruise ships by 2028, giving passengers itineraries ranging from Europe to Egypt.
Destination-focused
The most popular region last year, according to Clia data, was the Mediterranean, where you can explore major cities such as Barcelona and Rome or even discover emerging areas in Croatia or the Greek islands.
Many lines such as P&O Cruises and MSC Cruises have itineraries from Southampton, making it convenient for British passengers.
P&O Cruises has a 14-night roundtrip sailing from Southampton aboard Arvia that visits the beaches of Mallorca, urban streets of Barcelona and historical Cadiz. It departs on 8 June 2025, with prices from £1,679 per person.
If you fancy sailing straight from the sun, Royal Caribbean's newest ship Legend of the Seas will sail from Barcelona and Rome across the Med next summer.
Northern Europe is the second most popular destination, with 26.5 per cent of British cruise passengers choosing routes towards the French coast, the fjords and northern lights of Norway or the chocolate of Bruges and tulip fields of Amsterdam.
Cunard has a two-week northern Europe itinerary that visits the glacial and mountain scenery of Iceland and Norway aboard its newest ship Queen Anne. It departs Southampton on 9 August, with fares from £999 per person.
The Caribbean and the Bahamas are also popular cruise destinations, with 13 per cent of passengers choosing the clear blue seas and sandy beaches of the region.
Royal Caribbean's largest ship Icon, excels in this area. It has regular departures from Miami that include stops in Costa Maya, San Juan and it even has its own private island CocoCay. Prices start from £1,009 per person.
The beaches of Tenerife and volcanic landscapes of Lanzarote also attracted 11.8 per cent of passengers to cruises around the Canary Islands.
Brands such as Marella offer attractive all-inclusive cruises in the Canary Islands. For some winter sun, it has a seven-night sailing aboard Marella Voyager from Malaga to Tenerife with stops in Gibraltar and Madeira on 5 December. Prices start from £845 per person.
Another popular option is transatlantic or world cruises, attracting 2.8 per cent of passengers last year.
These sailings can be ideal ways to travel from the UK across the pond to the US or across the world.
Cunard has a popular transatlantic sailing from Southampton to New York aboard Queen Mary 2.
A roundtrip from Southampton to New York with Cunard, departing on 4 August 2025, starts at £3,369 per person.
Harmer added: 'With an increasingly younger demographic onboard and more ships in the global fleet, the future of cruising has never looked brighter. And the wider benefits the industry delivers to local economies, suppliers and communities highlight the positive impact cruising has on a global scale.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
27 minutes ago
- The Sun
WAG Taylor Ward shares gender of second child with footballer Riyad Mahrez at stunning reveal in Dubai
TAYLOR Ward has shared the gender of her second child with footballer Riyad Mahrez at a stunning Dubai reveal. WAG Taylor, 27, gathered friends and family for the lavish celebration, where she and husband Riyad, 34, opened a giant box to discover they're expecting a baby boy. In a video posted to Instagram, the couple beamed as a burst of blue balloons and smoke billowed into the sky, confirming the exciting news. Guests were seen cheering and clapping as the couple embraced on the beach. The loved-up pair already share daughter Mila, three, and have been documenting their journey to baby number two online. Taylor – daughter of Real Housewives of Cheshire star Dawn Ward – looked effortlessly chic in a fitted cream dress, while Mahrez kept it classic in a matching shirt and trousers. The reveal took place in Dubai, where the couple split their time between the UAE and the UK. In her caption, Taylor wrote: "The most special day, baby boy we can't wait to meet you!!" Taylor recently hinted at her second pregnancy on social media, sharing bump snaps and saying she "couldn't wait" to meet their newest addition. It was just last month that the influencer revealed she's expecting again. Taylor appeared in a sweet video with her hubby and her daughter Mila, two, on Instagram. She held her growing baby bump as she wore a skin-tight white crop top and her denim jeans were undone. Her young daughter kissed her stomach whilst holding the polaroids from the first scan. Riyad proudly posed beside his wife of three years in a matching blue and white outfit. He was seen lovingly embracing his daughter as she got more and more excited in the video. Later, the parents were seen hugging their tot on the sofa - who was born in July 2022 - as they all embraced the prospect of an expanding family. The right winger - who plays for the Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli - has two other children from a previous marriage with internet personality, Rita Johal. His other children were also sat in their stylish lounge as Taylor announced the news. They soon hugged as a blended family of five as they prepare to welcome a new addition. Taylor captioned the post: "Our family is growing," with a white heart emoji. She initially tied the knot with the footballer in an intimate and low-key religious ceremony in January 2022. The duo then officially wed in a legal ceremony in September 2023 at The Londoner Hotel. This was before they celebrated with their family and friends at a lavish ceremony at Lake Como in Italy. 6 6 6 6 6
BBC News
27 minutes ago
- BBC News
Cardiff art class friendships spark joy after brain injury
Alex and Simone are entirely comfortable in one another's company after meeting at an art workshop several years pair have more than a love of creating art in common - both are living with a brain Hughes was just 16 when he was hit over the head with a bottle while on holiday with friends. Simone Hughes was 36 when she had a brain haemorrhage."Nobody knows what it's like unless you have it, it's like a knowledge," said Alex, said meeting Alex and others with brain injuries made her feel less alone and able to "let it all go"."It makes you feel normal," she said. Both Alex and Simone attend The Sketcher Project, weekly art classes for people living with a brain injury at Insole Court in Cardiff. The class is run by artist Beth Morris."We don't just do art, we have a good chat and we're friends, we're family," she said."Alex is the king of banter and it is hysterical, they're just great mates." Back in 2009, Alex had just finished his GSCEs and was on holiday with friends in Puerto de Andratx in Mallorca when he was hit over the head with a bottle. He suffered a brain haemorrhage in the attack, was placed in an induced coma and flown back to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff."For the first six months after the attack I thought it was a dream and then I realised it wasn't and it was real," he said. Before the attack Alex had planned to do A-levels and was thinking of pursuing a career in law but everything friendships fell away, he said, he had countless surgeries and then his father died in 2010. The attack has left him with weakness down his left side and other issues such as fatigue and difficulties with went to college but said he struggled, before working in a call centre alongside volunteering for the charity Marie Curie and Rookwood Hospital, where he was able to support others coming to terms with a brain injury. Seven years ago Alex attended Beth's first ever class for those with brain injuries and has been a regular ever Sketcher Project was the idea of Beth's cousin Rhiannon Stokes who runs Barry-based company Stokes Case Management, and has clients living with brain injuries. Her company now funds the weekly Thursday classes so it is free to attend. "It's like an escape," said Alex, who likes to sketch portraits with Biro."For an hour and a half you just focus on one thing, and it's really lovely here. It's like a retreat really."Alex said he sometimes spotted people looking at him because "I stumble and limp as well so I look like I'm drunk all the time" - but at the art class he never feels judged. Simone, who is married with three children, has been coming to the class for more than two 2020 she was working as a support worker when she got a headache."I'd never had one before," she said."I think it took my balance a little bit and I must have passed out, that's all I remember."Unbeknown to Simone she had the condition arteriovenous malformation (AVM) which had caused a brain spent eight months in hospital where she had to learn to walk and talk again. Today she lives with acquired ataxia which affects co-ordination, balance and said she felt able to share both her good days and her bad days with the friends she has in class."It's very comforting because they know what I'm on about," she said. Asked how life has changed since the haemorrhage, Simone's answer is surprising."It might actually be better," she said."I'm getting out more, I'm meeting so many more people, so I suppose I'm doing things that I would never dream of." Former doctor Manon Skyrme, 55, is also a class regular. She too lives with a brain injury after fracturing her skull, neck, back and pelvis in a fall from a second floor window in 2017. Manon has been enjoying success with her art. She has won prizes at the Royal Welsh Show and one of her patchworks is currently on display at Liberty London. For her, art is a way to keep busy and avoid over-thinking."Art classes mean a lot more to me than the actual artwork," she said."It gives a structure to my week and something to look forward to every Thursday and an amazing new group of friends who are all struggling with similar problems to myself."The frequent coffees and chats with her art friends "means a lot", she Simone and Manon all have their work on display at the Inspired at Insole Summer Exhibition at Insole Court until 8 September.
The Sun
27 minutes ago
- The Sun
Pop star Olivia Rodrigo looks racy in red before enjoying bike ride in London with her beau
POP star Olivia Rodrigo looks racy in red — but took a slower pace on a bike ride with her beau. The 22-year-old Californian was out with English actor Louis Partridge, also 22, on hired electric Lime bikes in West London. 2 She headlined Glastonbury music festival last month and he starred in erotic psychological thriller Disclaimer with Cate Blanchett last year. But the couple went unnoticed by fans as they cycled around the capital. The pair were recently in the Royal Box at Wimbledon together. "I love how nobody judges you for having a pint at noon. "It's the best.' "And I love English sweets. "All the sweets from Marks and Spencer. "Colin the Caterpillar, specifically."
