Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- The market
- Number of sea cruise holidays estimated to have grown moderately in 2019
-
- Figure 1: Forecast volume of UK & Ireland sea cruise holidays (number of trips), 2014-24
- Coronavirus impacts demand for sea cruises in the short term
- Coronavirus and rising competition put pressure on average prices
-
- Figure 2: Forecast value of UK & Ireland sea cruise holidays, 2014-24
- Interest in river cruises surged in recent years
- Average age of sea cruise passengers increased
- High interest in destinations beyond the Mediterranean
- Ageing population offers huge opportunities for cruise lines
- Companies and brands
- Cunard offers tips provided by locals
- Facial recognition to speed up (dis)embarkation
- Hurtigruten introduces eSleds on the Arctic island of Svalbard
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines encourages passengers to bring their own bottles
- The consumer
- Significant potential for both sea and river cruises
-
- Figure 3: Participation and interest in holiday types, November 2019
- River cruise holidays are more likely to appeal to older travellers
- Cruise holidays appeal to those looking for new and exclusive experiences
-
- Figure 4: Reasons for being interested in taking a cruise holiday, November 2019
- Innovative cruise lines more likely to win over younger passengers
- Local food and drink holds high appeal among cruise passengers
-
- Figure 5: Attitudes towards cruise holidays, November 2019
- Short cruise breaks great way to introduce cruise holidays to first-timers
- Cruise holidays seen as a greener alternative to flying
-
- Figure 6: Attitudes towards the environmental impact of cruise holidays versus flying, November 2019
- Wellness facilities are the most desired daytime element
-
- Figure 7: Interest in onboard activities, total versus daytime, November 2019
- Cost remains the largest barrier to cruise holidays
- What we think
Issues and Insights
-
- The voyage to becoming greener
- The facts
- The implications
- Huge opportunity to tap into the ageing population
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
-
- Number of sea cruise holidays estimated to have grown moderately in 2019
- Coronavirus impacts demand for sea cruises in the short term
- Interest in river cruises surged in recent years
- Average age of sea cruise passengers increased
- High interest in destinations beyond the Mediterranean
- Ageing population offers huge opportunities for cruise lines
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Number of sea cruise holidays estimated to have grown moderately in 2019
-
- Figure 8: UK & Ireland sea cruise market passenger volume and value, 2014-24
- Coronavirus impacts demand for sea cruises in the short term
-
- Figure 9: Forecast volume of UK & Ireland sea cruise holidays (number of trips), 2014-24
- Coronavirus and rising competition put pressure on average prices
-
- Figure 10: Forecast value of UK & Ireland sea cruise holidays, 2014-24
- Interest in river cruises surged in recent years
-
- Figure 11: UK & Ireland river cruise market passenger volume, 2012-19
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
-
- Average age of sea cruise passengers increased
-
- Figure 12: Age analysis of UK & Ireland sea cruise market, 2016-18
- High interest in destinations beyond the Mediterranean
-
- Figure 13: Sea cruise destinations UK & Ireland market, 2016-18
- Rhine, Moselle and Danube remain most visited river cruise destinations
-
- Figure 14: UK & Ireland river cruise market passenger volume, by destination, 2016-18
Market Drivers
-
- Increase in British travellers’ spending power overseas
-
- Figure 15: Pound versus euro and US dollar, 1 April 2016-11 February 2020
- Ageing population offers huge opportunities for cruise lines
- Cruise sector looking to reduce shipping emissions
- Coronavirus impacts global demand for cruises
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
-
- MSC Cruises is rapidly gaining ground
- Cunard offers tips provided by locals
- Facial recognition to speed up (dis)embarkation
- Silversea launches option to fly directly to Antarctic
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines encourages passengers to bring their own bottles
Market Share - Leading Cruise Companies
-
- Largest cruise companies continue to increase capacity
- MSC Cruises is rapidly gaining ground
-
- Figure 16: Key facts for the top four global cruise companies
Launch Activity and Innovation
-
- Cruise lines focus increasingly on local experiences in destinations
- Azamara expands land-based offering
- Cunard offers tips provided by locals
- Technological innovations to increase efficiency and comfort
- Facial recognition to speed up (dis)embarkation
- Carnival Cruise Line launches Pizza Anywhere service
- The competition in the Arctic region is heating up
- Silversea launches option to fly directly to Antarctic
- Hurtigruten introduces eSleds on the Arctic island of Svalbard
- Cruise lines strive to become greener
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines encourages passengers to bring their own bottles
- MSC’s cruise ships to be used as floating hotels
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
-
- Significant potential for both sea and river cruises
- Cruise holidays appeal to those looking for new and exclusive experiences
- Innovative cruise lines more likely to win over younger passengers
- Local food and drink holds high appeal among cruise passengers
- Cruise holidays seen as a greener alternative to flying
- Wellness facilities are the most desired daytime element
- Cost remains the largest barrier to cruise holidays
Participation and Interest in Cruising
-
- Significant potential for both sea and river cruises in the longer term
- Potential for river cruise lines to expand into ocean cruise market
-
- Figure 17: Participation and interest in holiday types, November 2019
- High potential to attract repeat cruisers
- River cruise holidays are more likely to appeal to older travellers
-
- Figure 18: Interest in sea and river cruise holidays, by demographics, November 2019
Cruising Motivators
-
- Huge opportunity to tap into the high interest for multi-centre holidays
-
- Figure 19: Reasons for being interested in taking a cruise holiday, November 2019
- Convenience bigger selling point for older travellers
- Cruise holidays appeal to those looking for new and exclusive experiences
-
- Figure 20: Reasons for being interested in taking a cruise holiday, by age, November 2019
Purchase Drivers When Choosing a Cruise Line
-
- Innovative cruise lines more likely to win over younger passengers
-
- Figure 21: Factors influencing choice of cruise line, by age, November 2019
Attitudes towards Cruising
-
- Local food and drink holds high appeal among cruise passengers
-
- Figure 22: Attitudes towards cruise holidays, November 2019
- High interest in meeting other passengers
- Short cruise breaks great way to introduce cruise holidays to first-timers
-
- Figure 23: Attitudes towards cruise holidays, by age, November 2019
- Working parents are most likely to be interested in private areas
-
- Figure 24: Interest in exclusive experiences – CHAID analysis, November 2019
Cruising and the Environment
-
- Cruise holidays seen as a greener alternative to flying
-
- Figure 25: Attitudes towards the environmental impact of cruise holidays versus flying, November 2019
- Cruise departing from UK ports can benefit from flying shame movement
-
- Figure 26: Interest in fly cruise holidays, November 2019
Onboard Entertainment
-
- Activities to watch provide popular evening entertainment
-
- Figure 27: Interest in onboard activities (net), total versus daytime, November 2019
- Wellness facilities are the most desired daytime element
-
- Figure 28: Interest in onboard activities, total versus daytime, November 2019
- The younger generation is looking for both adventure and relaxation
-
- Figure 29: Interest in onboard activities, by age, November 2019
Barriers to Cruising
-
- Cost remains the largest barrier to cruise holidays
-
- Figure 30: Barriers to cruising, November 2019
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
-
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- CHAID analysis methodology
-
- Figure 31: Cruises – CHAID – Table output, November 2019
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
-
- Volume forecast for sea cruise holidays
-
- Figure 32: Forecast volume of UK & Ireland sea cruise holidays (number of trips), 2019-24
- Value forecast for sea cruise holidays
-
- Figure 33: Forecast value of UK & Ireland sea cruise holidays, 2019-24
- Forecast methodology
Back to top