UK Cruises Market Report 2025
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The cruise holiday industry has experienced another record year in the UK, driven by a strong consumer demand for cruise experiences and increasing capacity. Key consumer trends include a growing interest in live performances and wellness facilities.
UK Cruise Holidays Market Analysis from Mintel
More destinations are imposing restrictions on the growing cruise industry to combat pollution and overtourism. Addressing these challenges is critical for cruise lines to realise their long-term growth potential.
The strong interest in cruise and stay holidays highlights the importance of ensuring that travellers have ample opportunities to explore and engage with the destinations they visit. Optimising the offering of shore experiences is important, while pre- and post-cruise extensions and overnight stays in ports can help make itineraries more appealing.
Mintel’s consumer research found that Brits aged 16-34 are far more interested in sea cruises than river cruises, with a particular interest in the yacht category. This presents river cruise lines the opportunity to attract younger travellers by incorporating and promoting the style or amenities typically associated with yachts.
UK Cruises Market Report – What’s Inside?
Key Topics Analysed in the Report
- The performance of the sea versus river cruise market, and their growth potential in the next five years
- Consumer preferences, including their preferred types of cruise holidays and onboard activities, as well as the ideal trip duration
- Most popular sea and river cruise destinations and how cruises can respond to overtourism
- Innovations shaping the cruise market, from enhancing onshore experiences to offering more flexible booking options and diversifying product offerings
Report Scope
This report examines the behaviours and attitudes of UK adults aged 16 or over towards sea and river cruise holidays in the UK and abroad. In Mintel’s consumer research, a holiday is defined as a stay of at least one night that is primarily for leisure purposes. Business trips and visiting friends or relatives are not included.
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Marloes De Vries, Travel Analyst at Mintel. Marloes previously worked as a researcher for the British and Dutch tourist boards, after having been a project leader in the field of tourism and leisure at a leading market research agency in Amsterdam. Marloes holds a degree in Tourism Management.
Strong interest in cruise and stay holidays highlights the importance of ensuring that travellers have ample opportunities to explore and connect with the destinations they visit.
Marloes De Vries
Travel Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Opportunities for the UK cruise market
- Three big opportunities for the UK sea cruise market
- Three big opportunities for the UK river cruise market
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- Consumer demand for cruises remains strong
- Value expected to grow year-on-year
- What consumers want and why
- Both sea and river cruises show strong growth potential
- Graph 1: participation and interest in cruise holiday types, 2024
- Strong demand for cruise and stay shows importance of land-based experiences
- Southern Europe is the most desired region for a sea cruise
- Graph 2: interest in visiting countries or regions on a sea cruise holiday in the next five years, 2024
- Popularity of Danube and Rhine is mostly driven by older passengers
- Graph 3: interest in visiting destinations on a river cruise holiday, by age, 2024
- Live performances are an integral part of onboard entertainment
- Graph 4: interest in onboard experiences, 2024
- Larger and smaller ships both have their unique strengths
- Graph 5: preferred type of ship for a sea cruise holiday, 2024
- Innovation and marketing
- Diversified offerings, flexible bookings and the rise of mega-ships
- Increased focus on enhancing the range of shore experiences
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market size
- Cruise market reached new record in 2024
- Graph 6: sea cruise market passenger volume, 2019-24
- The cruise market outperformed the wider travel market
- Value continues to grow faster than volume
- Graph 7: sea cruise market passenger value, 2019-24
- River cruises are a small segment with great growth potential
- Market forecast
- Consumer demand for cruises remains strong
- Value expected to grow year-on-year
- Forecast for cruise market looks promising
- Market segmentation
- Average age of cruise passengers and cruise duration decreased
- Graph 8: age profile of cruise passengers, 2019 vs 2023
- Most passengers cruise to European destinations
- Graph 9: top 10 trade routes/destinations, 2023
- Market drivers
- Consumer confidence is fairly stable after a decline
- Graph 10: the financial confidence index, 2016-25
- Many Brits continue to feel the pressure from the increased cost of living
- Older demographic remains a crucial target market for cruises
- Graph 11: population projections, by age, 2030 and % change compared to 2023
- Global cruise capacity continues to grow
- Cruise industry is facing tighter regulations
- The start of the 2025 peak booking season looks less promising than last year
- Graph 12: holiday bookings in the last three months, 2023-25
- Booking intent is comparable to last year
- Graph 13: plans to book a holiday in the next three months, 2023-25
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Participation and interest in cruising
- Interest in sea and river cruises remains strong
- Cruises show one of the strongest growth opportunities in the holiday market
- Graph 14: participation and interest in holiday types, 2024
- Interest in sea cruises is recovering towards pre-pandemic levels
- Graph 15: interest in cruise holiday types in the next five years, 2019-24
- The majority of potential cruise passengers are new to cruises
- Graph 16: future interest in cruises by previous experience, 2024
- Strong cross-selling opportunities among cruisers
- Combining holiday experiences is a great strength of cruises
- Graph 17: [no title]
- Profile of cruise travellers
- Average age of potential cruise passengers declined
- Graph 18: average age of those interested in taking a sea or river cruise in the next five years, 2019-24
- Sea cruise lines are challenged to keep older travellers on board
- Graph 19: participation vs future interest in sea cruises, by age, 2024
- Replicating yacht experience can help make river cruises more appealing to younger generation
- Graph 20: participation vs future interest in river cruises, by age, 2024
- Affluent travellers remain a key target group
- Cruise holiday types
- Adults-only experiences will appeal
- Graph 21: considered cruise holiday types, 2024
- Popularity of cruise and stay holidays highlights importance of destination exploration
- Expedition cruises are likely to benefit from consumers’ desire to explore unique destinations
- Highlighting family-friendly features can enhance appeal of river cruises
- Graph 22: considered cruise holiday types, by interest in sea vs river cruises, 2024
- Sea cruise destinations
- Overseas sea cruise destinations appeal strongly
- Southern Europe is the most desired region for a sea cruise
- Graph 23: interest in visiting countries or regions on a sea cruise holiday in the next five years, 2024
- Increase promotion of less common cruise destinations, such as the Middle East and Africa
- Cruise lines have the power to connect travellers to remote destinations
- Graph 24: interest in visiting countries or regions on a sea cruise holiday in the next five years, by considered cruise holiday types, 2024
- Families are an important target group for ex-UK cruises
- The Caribbean is popular among luxury travellers
- River cruise destinations
- Danube and Rhine are the most popular rivers
- Graph 25: interest in visiting destinations on a river cruise holiday, 2024
- Popularity of Danube and Rhine is mostly driven by older passengers
- Graph 26: interest in visiting destinations on a river cruise holiday, by age, 2024
- Long-haul river cruises appeal to younger generation
- Graph 27: interest in long-haul cruise holidays, by type of cruise, 2024
- Travellers need more support in choosing a river cruise destination
- Preferred size of cruise ship
- Both larger and smaller ships of up to 1,500 people have a strong appeal
- Yacht category predominantly appeals to younger guests
- Brands tap into the desire for a yacht experience
- Preferred duration
- Sea cruise passengers are more attracted to longer itineraries
- Graph 28: preferred length of sea and river cruises, 2024
- Desired duration varies greatly by age
- Graph 29: preferred length of river cruises, by age, 2024
- Graph 30: preferred length of sea cruises, by age, 2024
- Shorter sea cruises are a great way for first-timers to try cruising
- Enticing extended travel
- Onboard activities and experiences
- Live performances are an integral part of onboard entertainment
- Cruises that include lectures and seminars will appeal to over-65s
- Graph 31: interest in onboard experiences, by age, 2024
- Make physical activities accessible to older guests
- Wellness facilities are important to attract more first timers
- Designing activities for older children can extend cruises’ appeal
- Graph 32: interest in onboard kids club, by age of children in household, 2024*
- Potential family-friendly experiences
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
- Leading cruise companies
- Market leading cruise companies report strong growth in 2024
- MSC Group is a fast-growing player
- Graph 33: fleet size (number of ships) of top four global cruise companies, 2019 vs 2025
- Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings plans significant fleet expansion
- Launch activity and innovation
- More mega-ships on the horizon
- Cruise lines offer more flexible booking options
- Cruise lines are diversifying their products
- AI increasingly drives sustainable innovations
- Increased focus on enhancing the range of shore experiences
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Advertising expenditure on cruises remained stable
- Graph 34: total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cruises, 2019-24
- Oceania Cruises launches first TV campaign in the UK
- Saga challenges misperceptions about cruises
- Celebrity Cruises launches new brand positioning ‘Nothing Comes Close’
- Norwegian Cruise Line launches new brand positioning ‘MORE’
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APPENDIX
- Supplementary data
- Growth potential by holiday type
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Market size
- Market forecast and prediction intervals (volume)
- Market forecast and prediction intervals (value)
- Market forecast and prediction intervals (value at constant prices)
- Forecast methodology
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Consumer research methodology
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
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