In cruising, ten years can be an eternity. Go back just a decade, and in many ways today’s cruising is unrecognizable. There are bigger fleets, more cruise lines, and experiences that you’d never dream about on a cruise vacation are now commonplace.
So what’s in store for the next 10 years?
While no one can say for certain what the future will hold, there are some trends we’ve noticed in cruising that show no signs of stopping. And if you look where these trends are headed, it gives you a good idea of what we think is possible…
More (and Bigger!) Private Destinations
In 2019, Royal Caribbean spent literally hundreds of millions to transform its private island CocoCay from a sleepy hideaway to what’s essentially an amusement park known as Perfect Day. Today, you can find tons of beaches, a full waterpark, massive pool, ziplines, adults-only spots, and more.
While nearly every cruise line has its own private destination, we’ve long thought that given the popularity of CocoCay it wouldn’t be long before other lines followed suit. In fact, we’re seeing exactly that with Carnival’s Celebration Key and Royal Caribbean’s newest announcement — Perfect Day Mexico.
Expect this trend to continue with more private destinations on itineraries and more private spots in general. The benefits for private islands like these are too great. They allow the cruise line to tailor the experience to help improve guest satisfaction and also provide loads of opportunity to earn extra income from passenger visits.
And with some ports pushing back against too many cruise ship visits like Key West and Juneau, it’s also a safe way to future-proof cruise schedules.
Bigger Ships Throughout Fleets (But Not Larger Ships Overall)
There’s no arguing that cruise ships have gotten a lot bigger over the years. In the 1990s, the average new ship was somewhere around 70,000 gross tons. Today, that’s more like 150,000 gross tons and the biggest ships are 230,000+ gross tons.
But there’s actually been a slowdown at the high end of these ships. Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas measures about 250,000 gross tons. But Oasis of the Seas — built 15 years ago — measured just slightly smaller. There’s a certain limit to how big ships can get and still fit in ports.
On the flipside, one trend that will continue is that newer ships will continue to push bigger, closer to the size of the largest vessels. We’ve already seen this with lines like Carnival and NCL that have announced new classes of ships that break the 200,000 gross ton mark, but they won’t be delivered for years.
So ships might not get that much bigger overall, but expect more big ships to be built.
More Niche Cruises
One trend that seems to show no signs of slowing down is the rise in niche and specialty cruises. Over the next decade, expect these to continue to grow in popularity. As cruising grows, passengers will constantly be seeking out new and different experiences than just a regular old cruise.
Already we’re seeing a boom in everything from music cruises to even nudist cruises. But there is no limit to what’s available for a niche, as long as there are enough fans to fill a ship.
With more passengers having sailed, there will no doubt be more people willing to try a one of these specialty cruises. And as more niches are offered, they will also attract more passengers.
“Class” Systems on the Ship (But Never Called That!)
One nice thing about cruising has always been that the entire ship is open to everyone. No matter if you paid for the lowest-end interior cabin or the highest-end suite, you had the run of the ship.
That’s now changing, and it’s a trend we don’t see going away anytime soon. As an incentive to book suites, many lines have moved to a “resort within a resort” model. The high-end rooms have exclusive access to special areas that can include everything from private pool decks to private restaurants. This way the high-end passengers get the amenities of a large ship while also having a higher-end experience with smaller crowds like a more private cruise.
Of course, it’s not just that these passengers pay more get their own spots to enjoy away from the masses. It also means there is less space on the rest of the ship for other passengers. We only expect this to continue going forward.
More Luxury Options
Speaking of that class system on the ship, during the next decade expect luxury to take a bigger role — even on cruise lines that have a more casual feel.
Don’t get us wrong, the ability to wear shorts and flip-flops isn’t going anywhere. But when you have a luxury cabin that can sell for a premium to a regular cabin despite having the same amount of space on the ship, then it makes sense from a business perspective.
This goes beyond just having fancy suites. The opportunity to push luxury in restaurants, excursions, and even in port (with things like fancy cabanas and beach clubs) is a way for the cruise lines to boost the bottom line and make more money on the same trips.
Growth in Charges Everywhere
If there is one trend that seems to play out in business, it’s that companies will always find a way to make more money. That’s already been the case in cruising, but expect it to continue ramping up in the next decade.
We like to think of it like video games. If you grew up like we did playing Nintendo, it was simple. You pay your money for the game and you own it. Today, it’s completely different. Now you pay your money and you get the basic game. Then there are all sorts of extras that you either go without or pay even more for access.
It’s become similar in cruising. Sure your cruise fare gets your room and on the ship, but then there are extra charges for drinks, restaurants, and increasingly for things to do on the ship. Frankly, we don’t see this trend going away anytime soon. In fact, charges may actually be strategic in helping to reduce crowds for the most popular areas on the ship. Don’t be surprised to see more of them going forward.
More Departure Ports
One of the unsung benefits of the boom in cruising over the past 10-20 years has been that it opened up to so many more people with local ports. With more ships being added to fleets, cruise lines have been able to place ships in more ports.
Galveston, Texas is a great example. It went from having only Carnival ships to now having just about every major cruise line in the span of about 15 years. But ports like Mobile, Baltimore, Norfolk, Jacksonville, and more are also benefiting. They also get ships and it puts millions within a short drive of a port instead of having to catch a flight to sail.
Over the next decade cruise line order books are filled with new ships which means they will all have to go somewhere. Don’t be surprised when more ports get their first ship or smaller ports see additional cruise lines.
An Increased Focus on Adults
Cruising is known for being family friendly and the biggest lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean are definitely focused on family travel.
But there is a clear trend toward having a dedicated focus on places just for adults. You’ve likely already seen this in places like the Solarium on Royal Caribbean or the Serenity area on Carnival. Now the cruise lines seem to be putting more focus on this.
For example, Royal Caribbean just finished Hideaway Beach on CocoCay. This for-charge area is only for adults and gives them a place to hang out and party away from the kids.
Carnival has already announced a similar feature on its new Celebration Key. Then there are cruise lines like Virgin Voyages that are completely adults only.
Don’t get us wrong, families will always be welcomed in cruising, but don’t be surprised by more focus on the adults.
More Technology Everywhere
Many people don’t realize that cruise ships are technological marvels. Cruise lines lean heavily into technology to make the ships more efficient, track activity onboard, and make the passenger process easier.
For instance, at most ports instead of having to meet with a border agent, you now simply take a photo, it’s matched using facial recognition, and then you’re on your way. It’s much faster than it used to be.
Over the next decade, expect technology to continue to increase around the ship. For instance, Starlink is providing internet at faster speeds than before. Some cruise lines are using tech to be able to deliver items like food and drinks to you no matter where you are on the ship.
You should fully expect that cruise lines will continue to push technology for the experience on the ship. That may not be a good thing for everyone as it likely means having your phone with you while you cruise as some people simply want to disconnect.
Changing Tastes for Millennials
The old saying is that cruising is for the “newlyweds and nearly dead.” In truth, a cruise ship might be the most diverse vacation on the planet. Step on the ship and you’ll see everyone represented.
But a demographic trend that’s unmistakable is the rise of Millennials. This group — the oldest of which are now in their early 40s — represents the largest generation in the United States and recently surpassed Baby Boomers. And Millennials have an affinity for cruising.
As this group continues to outweigh the Baby Boomer generation, the trend over the next decade will clearly be for cruise lines to cater more to the group. This may include everything from ship décor to entertainment to dining options. So if you’re not a fan of lengthy sit-down dinners that take two hours to complete, we think more options are likely coming in the future.
