The latest trends in cruising reveal a dynamic sector as the global cruise industry welcomed 34.6 million cruise passengers in 2024. In 2025, the industry is forecast to welcome 37.7 million ocean-going passengers and reach 310 ocean-going vessels, a new CLIA report says.
With more than $168 billion in global economic impact and 1.6 million jobs supported, the value of cruise tourism to communities is clear, according to the recently released Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) State of the Cruise Industry 2025 report.
North America remains the top source market for cruise, with a 13% increase in 2024 over 2023.
In 2024, Caribbean/Bahamas/Bermuda itineraries remained the most popular, with 43% of all cruise passengers sailing to the Caribbean in 2024, followed by the Mediterranean and other European destinations.
The 2025 trends are showcasing a vibrant travel sector, with 31% of passengers in the last two years being new to cruise.
Meanwhile, 82% of those who have cruised intent to cruise again.
Cruise travel earns higher satisfaction ratings compared to other holiday choices as shown in repeat factors-25% of repeat cruisers sail two or more times per year; 14% of cruise travelers cruise twice a year; and 11% of cruisers take three to five cruises a year.
Expedition and exploration cruises are the fastest-growing segments of cruise with 22% more passengers choosing these voyages in 2024 over 2023.
Furthermore, cruise is pursuing a variety of sustainable alternative energy sources and investing in propulsion technologies with conversion capabilities that can be adapted for use of low-to-zero-emissions fuels once they are available at scale.
By 2028, 50% of all new cruise ship capacity will have engines that can run on LNG/methanol and are able to switch to bio- or synthetic-LNG with little or no engine modifications, according to the new CLIA report.
More than 61% of CLIA’s fleet is equipped to be able to connect to onshore power, a figure set to reach 72% by 2028.
While only accounting for 2% of global tourism, the cruise sector has significant economic impact in communities around the world, generating over $168 bill in global economic impact in 2023 – the highest on record.
In the U.S., the cruise industry supported over $65bn in total economic impact in 2023, supporting 290,000 jobs and $25bn in wages and salaries.
In addition, the cruise industry’s impact benefits communities around the world through local sourcing of goods and services, and spending before and after each cruise as 69% of passengers stay one or more nights in a hotel.
Furthermore, 6 in 10 cruisers return to a destination they first visited by cruise.
