Recently, Cruise Lines International Association has released an industry outlook of cruise trends that estimate that nearly 25.3 million passenger would be setting sail next year that would be a marked 10 million increase from the figures released just 10 years ago.
Next year, 26 new ocean liners and also river cruise ships made their maiden voyage. This marks an investment of $6.8 billion in new vessels.
Cindy D’Aoust, the CEO and president of CLIA said that the cruise industry has started to respond to the demands of modern-day travellers resulting in a steady growth and strong economic impact across the world. This has been possible owing to rapid technological advancement and deployment of new ships to new destinations and ports across the world.
From the year 2017 to 2026, an additional 97 new cruise ships worth an estimated $53 billion are expected to hit the water.
Some of the popular cruise ship trends that have been predicted for 2017 are as follows:
- Cruising, currently is not restricted to just the generation of grandparents. A recent study has revealed that a large number of millennials are making a beeline for a greater number of cruises as compared to land-based vacations and luxurious resorts. CLIA has also confirmed this rising trend.
- Between the period of 2015 and 2016, the utilization of travel agents has increased by 80%, as declared by a report from the American Express Spending & Saving Tracker. CLIA experts claim that more cruises would start deploying the matchmaking services of travel agents next year.
- Nowadays, river cruises have also become quite popular and they are in high demand for offering short voyages with an increased number of port-of-call options.
- This year has also witnessed a historic event that represents the voyage of the first luxury cruise ship named the Northwest Passage and also the first cruise ship that sails between US and Cuba in 50 years. Also, this year, the cruise industry would ensure that the passengers are offered to more trips to private islands.
- Rising demand, it has been found is mainly a key driver of the growth of the cruise industry.
