AAA: Record 19M Americans Projected to Cruise this Year – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
WASHINGTON, D.C. – AAA projects 19 million Americans will go on ocean cruises this year, a 4.5% increase over 2024, when 18.2 million Americans went on cruise vacations. 2025 is expected to be the third straight year of record cruise passenger volume. The cruise industry has rebounded post-pandemic more strongly than other travel segments, and cruise demand growth has exceeded hotel demand growth the last two years.
“What we’re witnessing in the cruise industry is nothing short of amazing, but it’s no surprise,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “There’s a reason most first-time cruise passengers become repeat cruisers. Cruise vacations offer something for everyone, no matter their age. And because most of the vacation is already paid for, travelers can focus on enjoying themselves and making lifelong memories with loved ones.”
The cruise industry, which was impacted more severely than other travel segments by the 2020 pandemic, has experienced a remarkable rebound. In 2022, cruise volume rebounded to 84% of 2019’s level, then surged to a new high in 2023, nearly 20% above the pre-pandemic baseline. That number has continued to climb since, with 2025 projected to surpass 2019 by 34%.
Seeking Sunshine
Most Americans going on cruises this year are seeking fun in the sun! 72% of U.S. cruise passengers are heading to the Caribbean, making it by far the most popular destination. 6% are taking Alaska cruises and 5% will cruise in the Mediterranean. The Caribbean’s dominance this year is on par with its pre-pandemic numbers in 2018 and 2019. The Caribbean’s share dipped to 68% in 2022-23 as cruises to Alaska and the Mediterranean surged, but destination shares have returned to pre-pandemic norms over the past year.
Shorter Caribbean cruises are rising in popularity. Even though most cruise itineraries are 6 to 8 days, 18% of Caribbean cruise itineraries this year are 2 to 5 days, compared to only 2% in 2023.
The three busiest cruise ports in the world are in the same state: Florida! Miami, Port Canaveral, and Fort Lauderdale are the busiest ports based on embarkation and debarkation. Miami landed the world’s largest cruise ship with the debut of Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas last year, and this summer, Port Canaveral welcomes the Icon’s sister ship, the equally large Star of the Seas.
Cruise Forecast Methodology
In cooperation with AAA, Tourism Economics prepared the 2025 cruise forecast based on scheduled cruise itineraries covering virtually all major cruise vessels, the economic outlook, and travel sector trends. This forecast relies on cruise-related analytics from Cruise IP (Tourism Economics’ proprietary database for the cruise industry), economic forecasts prepared by Oxford Economics, and assumptions on the future path of the tourism industry.
In this analysis, U.S. cruise passenger volume refers to ocean cruises taken by U.S. residents. It includes cruises that depart from U.S. or international ports.
