The Seatrade Cruise Global event took place in Miami early in the month and CLIA’s Cruise 360 was held just two weeks later in Ft.Lauderdale. For a complete report on Seatrade, please see pages 18-19 in this issue.

Cruise 360 was held at the Ft.Lauderdale convention center to a sold out group of Travel Advisors and Travel Suppliers. The total number of registered travel professionals including Agents, Exhibitors, Sponsors and Press was more than 1300, and of these 56% were Travel Advisors. Of those Advisors, more than 50% were first time attendees to the event. Additionally over 64% of the attending advisors were certified or are currently enrolled in CLIA’s certification program.

During the event CLIA release its annual State of the Cruise Industry Report. Below are some of the highlights of this report which gives insight into the current and future strength of the cruise market.

CLIA’s State of the Cruise Industry Report
Global cruise passenger volume reached a historic high of 37.2 million in 2025 and reflects continued strength and resilience of the industry, with nearly 90% of cruisers indicating they intend to sail again.

The report highlights significant investments by cruise lines in new ships, innovative technologies, and destination partnerships. In 2026, there will be 325 CLIA-member ocean-going ships, representing around 690,000 lower berths globally.

Record Demand and High Intent to Cruise
Nearly 90% of cruisers say they intend to sail again, the highest level recorded by CLIA. This strong intent reflects high satisfaction among experienced cruisers and growing interest from new-to-cruise travelers.

Younger and More Diverse Cruise Travelers
Cruising continues to attract a younger and varied audience with one third being under age 40, and approximately one-third of cruise trips are multigenerational, underscoring the appeal of cruise vacations for families and groups.

Diverse Fleet and Growing Experience Segments
The global cruise fleet remains balanced across small, medium, and large vessels, with approximately one-third small ships, one-third medium ships, and one-third large ships.
Trends show growth in luxury cruising, expedition, and exploration travel. There continues to be increased demand for more immersive experiences, including curated shore excursions, cultural engagement, and more time in destinations. Cruise lines’ private islands destinations continue to be a driver of demand.

Innovation and Continuous Progress
New ships entering service are increasingly more energy efficient than previous generations and nearly all new ships are designed with fuel-flexible engines as cruise lines continue to increase the uptake of lower-emissions fuels, onshore power connectivity, energy efficiency technologies, and other environmental technologies.

Partnerships with Destinations
The industry continues to work with governments and local stakeholders with planned itineraries and predictable volumes, creating opportunities for planning and structured tourism management.

Looking Ahead
The 2026 State of the Cruise Industry report points to steady growth, an expanding traveler profile and ongoing investment across the industry.

The full 2026 State of the Cruise Industry report is available here:
www.cruising.org/resources/state-cruise-industry-report-2026