Cruise boom 2024: record numbers and new trends in sea adventures!

Cruise boom 2024: record numbers and new trends in sea adventures!

In 2024, the growing global cruise industry experienced a remarkable upswing. Loud globi.de 34.6 million passengers enjoyed a holiday at sea, an increase of 9% compared to the previous year. This is the first time that the industry has exceeded the number of passengers before the pandemic. In addition, an increase to over 42 million cruise guests worldwide is forecast by 2028.

North America remains by far the largest cruise market with 20.2 million passengers, followed by Europe with 8.4 million. In Germany, the number of cruise guests rose to around 2.6 million in 2024, also a positive sign for the domestic industry.

Growth and trends

The most popular target regions continued to be the Caribbean, the western Mediterranean and the North and Baltic Seas. There is also growing interest in routes in Asia and combined trips between Europe and the Middle East. The industry is optimistic, with 82% of passengers planning to cruise again in the coming years. Almost a quarter of guests even travel several times a year.

A telling detail is that 36% of travelers are under 40 years old. With an average age of 46.5 years, the relevance of younger people is also clear, as 31% of passengers went on a cruise for the first time in 2024 - a historically high figure.

Thriving cruise fleet and sustainability

The ocean cruise fleet is expected to increase to 310 ships by 2028, with more than 650,000 passenger beds available. The focus of shipping companies is increasingly shifting to medium-sized ships with capacities of up to 3,000 passengers, while only 30% of ships are megaliners. At the same time, there is a clear trend towards sustainable practices, as the report from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) shows. This organization regularly publishes reports on the state of the industry, covering not only passenger traffic but also trends and sustainability efforts.

Loud cruisingjournal.com Passenger traffic reached a total of 31.7 million in 2023, an increase of 6.8% compared to 2019. These figures demonstrate the continued growth and increasing popularity of cruises, not least as 82% of participants are already considering another cruise vacation.

The industry is dynamic and is expected to see seven new cruise ships in 2024 and continued demand for cruises. Millennials in particular are showing great interest, with 22% of them planning another cruise. Innovative travel offerings such as expedition cruises saw a 71% increase from 2019 to 2023.

In summary, the cruise industry is not only showing a strong comeback after the Covid-19 pandemic, but is also aiming for a sustainable and future-oriented growth trajectory that appeals to both older and younger travelers.