Description
The UK Cruises Market Report identifies consumers’ behaviours toward cruise holidays, purchase drivers and the impact of the cost of living crisis on the UK cruise industry. This report covers the cruise market size, market forecast, market segmentation and industry trends in the UK cruise industry.
Current Landscape of the Cruise Market
Interest in the cruise market remains very strong, and the increasing number of ships coming to the market will help facilitate and drive the cruise market growth.
However, confidence in the cruise market took a significant hit during the pandemic, and it will take time for it to recover. The risk posed by new variants and varying COVID recovery rates will continue to cause some disruption to itineraries. At the same time, over-55s – the cruise industry’s core consumers – remain more cautious about booking cruise holidays due to COVID risk.
UK Cruise Market Share and Key Cruise Industry Trends
The cruise market is more reliant on affluent consumers, who are in a better position to make up for missed travel opportunities. However, the rising cost of living will make it more challenging to convert first-timers’ interest into bookings and convince them that a cruise holiday offers value for money.
- 35% of UK consumers are interested in taking a cruise holiday in the next five years.
- 57% of UK consumers believe that river cruises can provide an authentic experience.
- 43% of UK adults are concerned about how cruises contribute to over-tourism.
- 49% of cruisers agree that the destination/itinerary is the most important factor when choosing a cruise.
Future Trends in the UK Cruise Market
Mintel’s cruise market research identifies that there are long-term growth opportunities in the UK cruise industry, with an increasing number of new lines and an ageing population that will facilitate and drive cruise market growth. But to harness this potential growth, the cruise market will need to demonstrate what it is doing to combat over-tourism, reduce environmental impacts and support local economies.
To discover more about the UK Cruises Market Report, read our UK The Over-55 Traveller Market Report 2022, or take a look at our other Holidays and Travel Market Research.
Quickly Understand
- The impact of COVID-19 on the UK cruise market.
- Participation and future interest in cruise holidays.
- Purchase drivers when choosing a cruise holiday.
- Consumer preferences and opportunities for the UK cruise market.
- Barriers to cruising.
- Explores the cruise market share and cruise market size.
Covered in this Report
Products: Sea Cruises, River Cruises.
Brands: P&O Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Saga Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Oceania Cruises, TUI River Cruises, MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages, Marella Cruises, Silversea Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Explora Journeys, AmaWaterways, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Viking Line.
Expert Analysis from a Specialist in the Travel Industry
This report, written by Marloes De Vries, a leading analyst in the travel industry, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the cruise market and add expert context to the numbers.
“Cruises are more reliant on affluent consumers, who are in a better position to make up for missed travel opportunities. However, the rising cost of living means cruise lines will require more effort to convert interest among those not familiar with cruise holidays into bookings. Showing its higher-value experience is worth it will be essential as the vast majority are yet to be convinced that cruise holidays offer value for money, are convenient and offer flexibility.”
Marloes de Vries
Associate Director – Travel
Table of Contents
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Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Market context
- Products covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- The five-year outlook for the UK cruise market
- Figure 1: Category outlook, 2022-27
- The market
- The start of the recovery will be slow, but the longer-term outlook remains positive
- Value will recover ahead of volume
- Figure 2: Forecast passenger volume of UK & Ireland sea cruise market, 2016-26
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- Figure 3: Forecast passenger value of UK & Ireland sea cruise market, 2016-26
- Cruise industry can benefit from lockdown savings…
- …but economic confidence is increasingly under pressure
- The conflict in Ukraine will hurt the UK economy
- Companies and brands
- Princess Cruises’ technological innovations for an effortless and personalised customer experience
- MSC Group’s Cruise Division commits to joining the Green Marine Europe Label
- The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection developed multi-day spa and wellness packages
- AmaWaterways brings family stories to life with personalised ancestry experience
- The consumer
- Long-term growth potential for cruise holidays still strong
- Figure 4: Participation and interest in holiday types, 2021
- Pandemic has reduced appeal of sea cruises
- Highest growth potential for sea cruises among younger passengers
- The itinerary, quality of onboard accommodation and facilities are important purchase drivers
- Figure 5: Factors influencing choice of cruise holiday, 2021
- P&O Cruises and Royal Caribbean International most well-known among potential cruisers
- Figure 6: Brand awareness of cruise lines, 2021
- Onboard experiences more important to younger generation
- Figure 7: Consumer preferences when taking a cruise holiday, 2021
- The importance of travel expertise
- Figure 8: Interest in cruise products, services and health measures, 2021
- Cruises challenged to show what they do to combat over-tourism
- Figure 9: Attitudes towards cruising, 2021
- Crowdedness has become a bigger barrier due to COVID
- Figure 10: Barriers to cruising, 2021
- The five-year outlook for the UK cruise market
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Issues and Insights
- The impact of inflation on the cruise market
- Inflation will make it more difficult to appeal to first-timers…
- …but lockdown savings continue to create opportunities to increase the booking value
- The importance of travel expertise
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Market Size and Performance
- Value of UK & Ireland sea cruise market reached record level before COVID-19 struck
- Cruises were the hardest hit travel segment during the pandemic
- Figure 11: UK & Ireland sea cruise market passenger volume and value, 2016-21
- Interest in river cruises surged prior to the pandemic
- Figure 12: UK & Ireland river cruise market passenger volume, 2016-21
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Market Forecast
- The five-year outlook for the UK cruise market
- Figure 13: Category outlook, 2022-27
- The start of the recovery will be slow, but the longer-term outlook remains positive
- Value will recover ahead of volume
- Figure 14: Forecast passenger volume of UK & Ireland sea cruise market, 2016-26
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- Figure 15: Forecast passenger value of UK & Ireland sea cruise market, 2016-26
- Market drivers and assumptions
- Figure 16: Key drivers affecting Mintel’s market forecast, 2016-26
- Forecast methodology
- The five-year outlook for the UK cruise market
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Market Drivers
- UK lifts all remaining travel restrictions for UK arrivals
- Concern over catching COVID-19 drops significantly…
- …but health measures remain important in cruise sector
- Figure 17: Extent to which people are worried about being exposed to the coronavirus, 2020-22
- Holiday bookings remain below pre-COVID-19 levels
- Figure 18: Holiday bookings in the last three months and plans to book a holiday in the next three months, 2019-22
- The conflict in Ukraine will hurt the UK economy
- Cruise lines face higher oil prices
- Cruise industry can benefit from lockdown savings…
- …but economic confidence is increasingly under pressure
- Figure 19: The Financial Confidence Index, 2015-22
- Holidays remain a spending priority
- Figure 20: Categories consumers are most likely to cut back on, 2022
- Growing environmental concerns
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Market Share – Leading Cruise Companies
- Carnival Corporation & plc’s fleet reduction to become more efficient
- Royal Caribbean Group sold Azamara during the pandemic
- Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings reports higher booking values
- MSC Group unveils new luxury cruise brand
- Figure 21: Key facts for the top four global cruise companies, 2022
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Launch Activity and Innovation
- Investments in technology to enhance the customer experience
- Princess Cruises’ technological innovations for an effortless and personalised customer experience
- Encouraging bookings
- Silversea introduces lower Port-to-Port fare
- AmaWaterways launches new all-inclusive deals, which include air, cruise and land packages
- Royal Caribbean International’s new incentives to engage with travel agents
- Increasing number of sustainable initiatives
- MSC Group’s Cruise Division commits to joining the Green Marine Europe Label
- New cruise terminal opened in the Port of Southampton offering shore power connection
- Cruise lines enhance the range of experiences on offer
- The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection developed multi-day spa and wellness packages
- Viking Line offers Archipelago Spa & Wellness section on its new ship
- Princess Cruises offers real-time sports wagering feature
- AmaWaterways brings family stories to life with personalised ancestry experience
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Participation and Interest in Cruising
- Long-term growth potential for cruise holidays still strong
- Growing demand for wellness experiences
- Figure 22: Participation and interest in holiday types, 2021
- Pandemic has reduced appeal of sea cruises
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- Figure 23: Future interest in cruise holidays, 2019 vs 2021
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Profile of Cruisers
- Highest growth potential for sea cruises among younger passengers
- Ageing population will bode well for the cruise industry
- Figure 24: Participation and interest in taking a sea or river cruise, by age, 2021
- Large share of first-timers asks for information to be highly accessible
- Figure 25: Previous experience of those who are interested in taking a cruise, by type of cruise, 2021
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Purchase Drivers When Choosing a Cruise Holiday
- The itinerary, quality of onboard accommodation and facilities are important purchase drivers
- Awareness about the importance of sustainability is growing
- Figure 26: Factors influencing choice of cruise holiday, 2021
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Brand Awareness
- P&O Cruises most well-known among potential cruisers
- Royal Caribbean International is the second most widely-known brand
- Figure 27: Brand awareness of cruise lines, 2021
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Preferences for a Cruise Holiday
- Cruise lines have the opportunity to benefit from lockdown savings
- Opportunity to sell upgrades
- Hunger for transformative travel experiences
- Onboard experiences more important to younger generation
- Figure 28: Consumer preferences when taking a cruise holiday, 2021
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Attitudes towards Cruising
- Around-the-world tours are in high demand
- The importance of travel expertise
- Figure 29: Interest in cruise products, services and health measures, 2021
- Cruises challenged to show what they do to combat over-tourism
- Figure 30: Attitudes towards cruising, 2021
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Barriers to Cruising
- Crowdedness has become a bigger barrier due to COVID
- Figure 31: Barriers to cruising, 2021
- Many consumers yet to be convinced that cruises offer good value
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- Figure 32: Perceptions of cruise ships, by intentions to take a cruise in the next 12 months, 2021
- Crowdedness has become a bigger barrier due to COVID
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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Appendix: Central Forecast Methodology
- Volume forecast and prediction intervals volume of UK & Ireland sea cruise market
- Figure 33: Lower bound, central and upper bound forecast passenger volume of UK & Ireland sea cruise market, 2021-26
- Value forecast and prediction intervals value of UK & Ireland sea cruise market
- Figure 34: Lower bound, central and upper bound forecast passenger value of UK & Ireland sea cruise market, 2021-26
- Value forecast UK & Ireland sea cruise market at constant prices
- Figure 35: Value of UK & Ireland sea cruise market at 2021 prices, 2021-26
- Market drivers and assumptions
- Forecast methodology
- Volume forecast and prediction intervals volume of UK & Ireland sea cruise market
About the report
Market
Mintel provides a range of market information, frequently through the category level, including market size and forecasting, complete with market drivers that illustrate the forces that shape a category or market.
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Mintel’s proprietary consumer research provides our analysts with the attitudinal and behavioral data used to provide valuable insight to topical issues.
Brand/Company
Mintel provides overviews of the top brands and manufacturers, and uses consumer research to explore attitudes and reactions to brands, as well as insight into what will resonate with consumers.
Data
Market reports provide appendices of data to support the research and insight produced. Our databooks* are easily manipulated and downloadable to support your research needs and covers factors from consumer attitudes to market forecasts.
*databooks not available with UK B2B Industry reports.
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