Stay ahead of the curve and future-proof your business with Mintel’s German Cruises Market Report 2024. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, German cruise industry trends, and consumer behaviours affecting the German cruise market. Get a 360° view of the German cruise ship industry including the market size, the German cruise market share, and a growth forecast to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.
Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.
Topics Analysed in this Report
- A detailed outlook of the German cruise market, including market drivers and expert insights.
- The short-, medium- and long-term impact of inflation on the German cruise ship industry, including changing consumer behaviours.
- Participation and future interest in sea and river cruises in Germany and how brands can resonate with promising target groups such as Younger Millennials and well-off Germans during the ongoing economic crisis.
- Market opportunities to diversify the German cruise market.
- Priorities for German consumers when booking a cruise holiday and which factors brands can promote.
- Barriers to cruise holidays for German consumers.
- How your business can tap into opportunities to increase your German cruise market share.
An Overview of the German Cruise Market
Although the German cruise market is growing, it is expected to stay niche compared to other holiday types.
To target a broader audience, brands can capitalise on the interest in different cruise types. For example, by expanding into adult-only or expedition cruises. This will help to increase German cruise industry growth.
German Cruise Ship Industry Report: What Consumers Want and Why
- Inflation & the German Cruise Market: As inflationary pressure is easing, financially well-off Germans are set to increase their holiday expenditure, seeking upgrades, such as luxury cruise updates or holistic wellness offers, driving market value growth. To broaden appeal among less-affluent consumers, brands need to continue to offer basic cruises at a lower price point, as only 20% of German consumers in a struggling financial situation expect to have more money to spend on non-essentials in 2024 compared to 2023.
- Sustainability in the German Cruise Industry: Reducing the emissions of cruises remains one of the biggest issues with 27% of German consumers who are not interested in cruises citing concerns about environmental pollution as a participation barrier. Cruise brands need to transparently communicate their efforts towards eco-friendly cruising to create awareness for current investments.
- German Cruise Market Opportunities: Potential cruisers are interested in different cruise holiday types. For example, while cruises are often promoted as a family holiday, adult-only cruises spark interest among 45% of German consumers, presenting opportunities for cruise brands to expand into more diverse offers to broaden target groups.
German Cruise Market Forecast
- Cruise brands are increasingly investing in eco-friendly propulsion, however, LNG, which is currently used as greener alternative, still has a negative impact on the planet. Hence, ongoing investments in innovative techniques are needed to further improve cruises’ emissions long term, counteracting German consumers’ concerns about environmental pollution.
To learn how to connect with your audience, purchase our German Cruise Market Report 2024 in full. Reveal lucrative innovation opportunities to help your business grow during times of financial uncertainty.
Brands Discussed in this Report
Hurtigruten Norway/Expeditions, Explora Journeys, MSC Cruises, PONANT, A-ROSA, AIDA Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, TUI Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Costa Cruises, Phönix Reisen, Marella, Havila Voyages, MeinSchiff, Northern Xplorer, YULLBE, Berge & Meer, and many more.
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Expert Insights on the German Cruise Ship Industry
This report, written by Silvia Hondt, Research Analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight German cruise industry trends and add expert context to the numbers.
With falling inflation, brands can promote luxury cruises to appeal to well-off Germans and increase participation short term. To increase consumer participation mid-term, brands can expand into diverse cruise types, for example, adults-only cruises.
Silvia Hondt
Research Analyst – Travel & Leisure
Collapse All
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- Key issues covered in this Report
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Market context
- Mintel predicts
- Opportunities
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MARKET DRIVERS
- The German economy
- Graph 1: key economic data, in real terms, 2019-25
- Graph 2: financial confidence index, 2022-24
- The impact of the economy on cruise holidays
- Graph 3: expecting to change/cancel holiday plans due to rising prices, by financial situation, % of respondents, 2023
- Wellness and wellbeing
- Eco-friendly cruising
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Participation and interest in cruising
- Graph 4: types of holidays ever taken in Germany or abroad, 2024
- Graph 5: interest in types of holidays in the next five years, 2023, 2024
- Graph 6: perceptions of health/wellness holidays, by interest in health/wellness holiday types, 2024
- Most important factors for choosing a cruise
- Graph 7: most important factors when choosing a cruise holiday, NET, 2023
- Interest in types of cruises
- Graph 8: interest in types of cruise holidays, 2024
- Graph 9: repertoire of types of cruise holidays interested in, by generation, 2024
- Graph 10: interest in cruise holiday types, by factors influencing choice of cruise holiday, 2024
- Barriers to cruising
- Graph 11: reasons for not being interested in taking a cruise holiday, 2024
- Graph 12: barriers to cruising in the next five years, by types of holidays ever taken in Germany or abroad, 2024
- Behaviours towards cruising
- Graph 13: behaviour towards cruise holidays, 2024
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LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
- Advertising and marketing activity
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MARKET SHARE
- Graph 14: volume market share of sea and river cruises, 2019-23
- Graph 15: value market share of sea and river cruises, 2019-23
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MARKET SIZE, SEgmentation AND FORECAST
- Graph 16: market segmentation by value in € bn*, 2019-23
- Graph 17: market segmentation by volume in million passengers*, 2019-23
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APPENDIX
- Appendix – products covered, abbreviations, consumer research methodology and language usage
- Appendix – market size and central forecast methodology
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