A recent survey from the cruise retailer saw half of respondents rank sustainability as an important factor when booking a holiday, compared to 14% who thought otherwise.

Nearly 20% of people had changed their views towards caring more about sustainability following the last 16 months of the pandemic.

And 35% of respondents said the industry "needs to do more" to appeal to a diverse range of travellers.

The findings were the latest to be obtained by Mundy’s Cruise Expert Panel, which launched in October 2020 to coincide with the company’s 50th anniversary.

Managing director Edwina Lonsdale said the survey shows that cruise travellers "cannot be pigeonholed". 

"We have seen a growing demand from our clients for concrete technical details of what cruise lines are doing onboard to minimise their impact on the environment," she added.

"We also agree with our clients that there is a huge opportunity for the industry to attract a broader mix of clientele thanks to the fabulous diversity of product now on offer, whether it’s building a stronger offering for solo travellers, appealing to a younger demographic, or making it clear that a cruise ship is a friendly and welcoming place for travellers from backgrounds that have traditionally been under-represented onboard."