New travel survey shows consumers want to cruise soon

Travelers want to cruise soon, according to travel technology company arrivia’s new Ready to Board consumer cruise survey, which surveyed over 1,400 Americans between November 2021 and January 2022.

The respondents of the survey were all members of a travel club or benefits program. Sixty-three percent of respondents are planning to book a cruise within the next two years, while 16 percent already have. Perhaps the most surprising answer was the one percent of Americans who said they’re not planning to cruise at all, a very small number in comparison with those who’d like to cruise soon.

Of those who’d like to cruise, most travelers (37 percent) chose this spring as the season they’d prefer to cruise, while another 31 percent would prefer this fall. Either way, this answer shows that travelers are willing to travel sooner rather than later.

When it comes to which type of cruising travelers prefer, an overwhelming 66 percent chose luxury cruises. Just over a quarter of respondents chose mega cruises, while only six percent chose river cruises. Travelers are clearly thinking of spending more and splurging on luxury amenities and experiences, which they might not have had if they continued traveling regularly the past two years.

But while most travelers prefer luxury trips, value still remains the biggest concern when booking a cruise, with about 45 percent of cruisers choosing value over other concerns, like safety and itinerary. Safety came in second, with 33 percent of those concerned about safety thinking about COVID-19.

When price is the most important concern, travelers prefer immediate discounts and cruise bundles that include excursions. About 52 percent say immediate discounts are what they prefer the most, with another 32 percent citing bundles with excursions as their preferred savings.

For travelers planning to book a cruise this year or who have already booked a cruise, about 49 percent said the Caribbean was their most desired destination, followed by the Bahamas (17 percent), Alaska and Europe (both nine percent).

Cruise travelers are desiring longer cruises, too, not just more expensive ones. Fifty-four percent of travelers want itineraries between six and nine days long, while ten percent desire ten-day cruises or longer. Thirty-five percent want to dip their feet back into cruising with two- to five-day cruises.

Overall, 54 percent of cruisers want clear COVID-19 protocols while onboard to feel confident cruising, including fully vaccinated guests and crew, physical distancing and masking.

What does this mean for cruising this year and beyond? It means that travelers want to travel via cruise more than any other point during the pandemic. Cruise lines should continue their pandemic protocols and offer booking incentives to help encourage travelers to book.