Source: CLIA (2024). 2024 State of the Cruise Industry Report. Washington DC: CLIA.
The average age of a cruise traveler is 46, with 36% under the age of 40. Millennials (born 1981-1996) represent 22% of all passengers, and Generation Z (born 1997-2012) ‘s share equals 14%. Gen-X (1965-1980) and Baby Boomers (1946-1964) each represent a 24% share.
After the experience of 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%. A 84% of Gen X and an equal percentage of Baby Boomers intend to cruise again. These shares are particularly significant for the growth of an industry that counts a lot on repeaters (i.e., cruise passengers who have already cruised and decided to cruise again): 12% of cruise travelers cruise twice a year; 10% of cruise travelers take three to five cruises a year.