Cruise demand likely to be led by younger holidaymakers over next five years

Marloes De Vries, travel analyst at Mintel, said: “Growth is expected to be fuelled by an increasing number of cruise choices, modernisation of existing ships, and the large pool of people who are considering a cruise holiday.

“Consumers are becoming more open to experiencing things they have never done before. Cruises were once thought of as the preserve of retirees, but there’s now plenty of potential to tap into a younger generation of cruise goers.

“Some cruise lines have already introduced more activities to attract a younger audience such as rooftop barbecues and tattoo artists.”

The perceived high cost of cruising was the most significant disincentive for 61% of Brits who have yet to try a cruise. While other issues for cruise newcomers were a lack of flexibility (30%) and worries about ships being too crowded (23%).

Mintel identified cruise-and-stay holidays, which combine an ocean voyage with a land-based stay, as a way of introducing newcomers to the cruise market – 47% of cruise virgins said they would consider this type of holiday.

The study also found that over-55s had the highest expectations when it came to what was included in an all-inclusive cruise holiday, while younger age groups were more interested in services such as free Wi-Fi.