Virtuoso has drawn on the expertise of more than 300 advisors who specialise in cruising, to reveal the top five trends in cruise for 2025.
The survey results found 58 per cent of advisors believe cruise will emerge as the strongest tourism sector in 2024-2025, surpassing land-only experiences.
And it’s backed by Virtuoso’s stats showing cruise bookings over the next 18 to 24 months in excess of US$50,000 have increased more than 100 per cent compared to the same time last year.
The cruise specialists revealed their top five trends for 2025 as:
- Destination immersion with more nights in port or overnights on land
- Cruising to cold-weather climates (Alaska, Antarctica, the Arctic)
- Solo cruising
- New seasonality for itineraries
- Increased demand and luxury offerings for multigenerational cruising.
Virtuoso Vice President, Melissa Araya says this is an exciting and transformative time in the cruise industry.
“Cruise has some of the most loyal, repeat passengers, and then we also have these newcomers who are embracing cruising with such enthusiasm.”
“With new lines and new vessels coming into the market, there are so many more options and such a wide variety of itineraries to choose from. Even those who never considered cruising before can do so with confidence, venturing into new territory with the comfort of a trusted ally by their side.”
Other leading agent insights
The survey highlighted a new wave of first-time cruises, with sixty per cent of surveyed advisors seeing an increase in people taking to the high seas for the first time.
And there’s a shift in demographics, with an increase in bookings from Millennials and Gen Z, backed by CLIA’s research which also found 81 per cent of Millennials and 74 per cent of Gen Z who have recently cruised want to go again.
When it comes to where we’re going, Alaska and the Caribbean remain popular, while there’s growing interest in more remote expedition cruises to places like Antarctica, Iceland, the Galapagos Islands and the North Pole.
Virtuoso says Japan and West Africa are also attracting cruisers seeking immersive cultural experiences while personal passions play a key role in shaping travel choices, such as Australia’s Kimberley region for photography enthusiasts, and Ireland for travellers looking to reconnect with their ancestral heritage.
For more information, visit Virtuoso.
