Source: CLIA (2024). 2024 State of the Cruise Industry Report. Washington DC: CLIA.
The core cruise market is mature adults, with the average age of a cruise traveler being 46, with 42% aged 30-59. Millennials (born 1981-1996) represent 22% of all passengers, and Generation Z (born 1997-2012) represents 14%. Gen X (1965-1980) and Baby Boomers (1946-1964) each have a 24% share.
After their first cruise, the vast majority of passengers of all generations are expressing an interest in cruising again. For Generation Z, this percentage stands at 74%; for millennials, it is 81%. 84% of Gen X and Baby Boomers intend to cruise again. These shares are particularly significant for the growth of an industry that relies heavily on repeat customers (i.e., cruise passengers who have already cruised and decided to cruise again): 12% of cruise travelers take two or more cruises a year; 10% take three to five cruises a year.