Do you love…Exploring different ports each day? Unpacking once and seeing multiple destinations in one vacation? Quality food and entertainment?
Because that’s what cruising is all about!
The cruise market is always expanding with new ships showing up on the horizon every year and new itineraries giving you many more options.
Mega, River and Small ships…it’s your choice!
Here is what’s trending in the world of cruising for 2024…
Europe for sure not only with ocean cruises in and around Europe, but River Cruises as well! Larger Ships allows you to get a taste or flair for Europe while River Cruises allows you to get into smaller towns and get a real feel for the culture.
Alaska is always very popular during the summer months. Shorter cruises (7 days) if you want to experience the coastline, villages, and fjords or longer (10-14 days) if you want to take a tour inland and experience things like dog sledding, helicopter rides over the glaciers etc. By adding a stay in one of the lodges you will get the bigger picture of what Alaska is really all about.
The Antarctic cruises are part of the Exotic classification and seem to be doing well. With the lack of travel during Covid a number of more (dare I say) mature travelers feel like they have missed out and are looking to fulfill some of their bucket list dreams.
On the luxury side
The trend seems to be moving from a more mainstream cabin to a premium cabin.
In some cases, the move is from larger premium ships to smaller upper-premium and luxury ships, primarily because the value is similar across the brands, but the capacity on the upper-premium and luxury vessels is much more intimate.
Longer Trips are preferred
Continuing into 2024 is the desire for longer cruises, especially for trips that require international air. Flying seems to be a little more challenging than it used to be, so making the most out of the time in destination makes sense.
Cruising for 10 days or more, transatlantic crossings and more unique itineraries are also on the rise. The desire to see and experience destinations in-depth is more of a priority now than it used to be.
Another trend being noticed are those adding a pre or post cruise stay. Taking that 7-day cruise and adding a few extra days to explore the destination making it a 10 day vacation.
A question that is asked a lot, is how can we get more time in ports? The smaller luxury lines usually offer at least one overnight option as well as longer stays in ports. The larger ships are trying to offer longer days in ports. This is something that cruise lines are always working on to help with the guest experience.
Finally, to get the best value for your vacation dollar it is wise to book early, this will give you options when it comes to selecting your cabin and preferred sail date and the ability to take advantage of promotions that become available before final payment. Most guests tend to book their cruise anywhere between 6 – 12 months in advance, but due to the volume of activity most cruise lines have opened their booking windows for 2025 to accommodate those who like to book well in advance.
Cruising is back bigger and better than ever! Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you pick the right cruise option for your next vacation.
Throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore…Dream…Discover!
-Mark Twain-
