Australians become obsessed with cruising as popularity rises

Aussies have become more obsessed with hitting the seas — and if you think it’s just for “older people”, think again.

On a per capita basis, Aussies are among the world’s biggest cruisers with up to five per cent cruising each year.

“The number of Australians cruising has been growing strongly for several decades, and reached 1.35 million people in 2018,” Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) managing director in Australasia Joel Katz said.

“Cruising has only recently returned to this part of the world, but we know the response from cruise fans has been very strong.

“We would expect numbers to return to near-record levels in the near future.”

Mr Katz told news.com.au that cruising has a much broader appeal than people realise.

“It attracts all types of people from all age groups. The average age of an Australian cruise passenger has been dropping and it was just 49.7 years in 2022, which is down from 50.4 in 2019.

“Worldwide, the average age of a cruise passenger is just 46.5.”

He said younger travellers make up a big proportion of cruise passengers – almost one third of Australian cruise passengers are aged under 40, and almost a quarter are aged under 30.

“Those aged in their 20s currently make up about eight per cent of cruise guests, and we can expect this to increase in coming years as this generation begins to travel more.”

Younger travellers are showing the strongest interest in cruising in the future.

“CLIA’s consumer research shows that of people who have cruises previously, Millennials are the most likely cruise again. 88 per cent of Millennials say they will cruise again, followed by Gen-Xers at 86 per cent.”

He said even among those who have never cruised before, 77 per cent of Millennials say they are open to cruising — the highest level of any generation.

And he’s not wrong.

Virgin Voyages has seen an influx of younger passengers taking to the seas.

“We are seeing a younger mix of sailors to Virgin Voyages than perhaps other cruise lines, however there is so much equity in the Virgin brand which really helps attract that crowd,” Nirmal Saverimuttu, CEO Virgin Voyages told news.com.au.

“Having said that, we have a real mix of sailors on board and welcome people of all ages to come and experience the new way of cruising,” Mr Saverimuttu said.

The three Virgin Voyages ships including Resilient Lady which made its way into Australia for the first time in December, break free from traditional experiences.

For example, you won’t find a buffet on-board, nor do you have to dress up in formal attire, because unlike more traditional cruises, there is no dress code. It’s also adults-only.

“This Summer, we were really about providing a variety of itineraries to cater for all of our sailors. And while some of the longer itineraries to New Zealand definitely have proven popular with more experienced sailors, we got a lot of feedback from Australians that they were wanting shorter itineraries so they could experience the Virgin Voyages brand,” Mr Saverimuttu said.

“So a lot of our four day itineraries out of Sydney and Melbourne have been really popular and we believe that there are a lot of younger people wanting to give cruising a go for the first time without the commitment of being stuck on a longer trip.”

Mr Katz said the growing appeal for cruising has a lot to do with value when compared to many other forms of travel.

“A fare will include all accommodation, all meals, a huge variety of on-board activities and entertainment, and travel among multiple destinations,” he told news.com.au.

“It’s a very social form of travel and allows groups of friends or families to travel together easily, and the variety of different cruise lines and cruise styles means there are options to suit different tastes.”

Gavin Smith, vice president and managing director, Royal Caribbean AUNZ, said when it comes to local booking trends, they have seen a rise in younger families sailing.

“The average age of guests sailing on our Quantum class ships in our summer season dropping by four years in the last two years into the low-mid 40s,” he said.

“There’s a noticeable surge in interest for cruise holidays in Australia among younger holiday-makers with a significant portion of these guests embarking on their first-ever cruise experience, specifically in Queensland where Quantum of the Seas introduced a whole new holiday experience to the market.

“Elsewhere, younger guests are flocking to Europe to experience the entertainment on-board our Oasis class ships from dazzling West End Musicals to our spectacular aqua shows at The Aqua Theatre, featuring Olympic divers. On European sailings, our ships visit a new destination each day with a focus on visiting Instagram-worthy locations including Mykonos, Santorini and Croatia.”

And let’s not forget to mention its Ultimate World Cruise. One scroll through TikTok will have you hooked.

The epic nine-month-long holiday is a first-of-its-kind for the cruise liner, and they’re not surprised it’s gone viral on TikTok despite having hit shores just a month ago.

“Many guests booked their tickets over two to three years ago during the pandemic and we are thrilled to be hosting a range of guests from young solo travellers, to couples and families,” Dave Humpreys, director of sales at Royal Caribbean International AUNZ, told news.com.au in December.

“We have an impressive number of Gen Z and millennial cruisers, with a significant number of guests between the ages of 18-30 joining us on various legs of this cruise.”

Just as the name suggests, it’s a pretty ‘ultimate’ experience, with the cruise travelling to more than 60 countries and 11 wonders of the world in 274 days.

‘Cruising is one of the fastest growing sectors of tourism’

Meanwhile, travel insurance provider InsureandGo has revealed that three in four (76 per cent) of Aussies have developed an interest in cruise holidays.

Specifically, 38 per cent find cruises more appealing, and a huge 52 per cent are now considering cruise travel this year.

The figures are based on 1006 Australians surveyed.

“Cruises continue to be one of the fastest growing sectors of tourism, with more interest than ever among Millennials and Gen X travellers thanks, in part, to the all-inclusive costs of cruises,” InsureandGo spokesperson and chief commercial officer Jonathan Etkind, said.

He said the expanding cruise line options for all demographics, also plays a big role in the rise of cruising.

“Cruise lines such as the new Virgin Voyages offering ships with tattoo parlours and HIIT workout classes, and the recently introduced Disney Cruise Line in Australia are now catering to younger demographics. They are also proving more affordable for Aussies on a budget.”

InsureandGo respondents said the all-inclusive cost of cruise holidays, with no hidden costs, was the biggest drawcard, over flights, with 65 per cent selecting this reason.

The free, accessible facilities on cruise ships such as pools, gyms, clubs and restaurants appealed to 56 per cent, while the ease and convenience of cruise travel appeared to 55 per cent.