The Modern Cruiser: profile of the modern cruise passenger

New research has revealed changing trends in the wants and needs of today's cruise passenger.

Wanted: active, adventurous types. Young or young at heart. Children welcome. No experience necessary.

This is the profile of the modern cruise passenger, according to the latest market research issued by the New York-based Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

Although the survey was conducted in North America the results have worldwide implications: cruise lines will use the findings to help develop their future plans, affecting the choices available to the public. Furthermore, additional research conducted by the International Cruise Council of Australasia (ICCA) indicates similar interests and trends.

That cruising has changed is evident from the ships we sail on. Just go for a jog around the sports deck on any new vessel and you'll see miniature golf courses, computerised golf simulators, swim-against-the-tide lap pools, sports courts for basketball, volleyball and paddleball, and more. Itineraries have changed as well, to offer more alternatives than ever before. Where there used to be one Caribbean there are now four: Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean and Southern Caribbean and, the most recent addition, the so-called "Exotic" Caribbean, which combines ports in Central America with more traditional Caribbean isles.

Closer to home, the Pacific has also emerged as a major cruise market and is now home to some of the world's most ground-breaking cruise ships on year-round deployment. In Australian waters alone, the region posted a 20.5 percent increase in passengers for 2003, according to figures compiled by Queensland-based organisation Cruise Down Under.

Why this evolution? As megaships have proliferated, an ever-increasing number of people has been needed to fill their berths. To attract these nouveau passengers, the industry has outfitted its ships with a growing array of facilities and introduced an increasingly diverse range of onboard programming, such as enrichment series, specialty dining and art auctions, to name a few.

So who exactly is the modern cruise passenger? CLIA's latest research reveals a profile of the people behind these changes and what they want from a cruise. For starters, figures show that cruising is becoming increasingly international. The number of non-North American passengers cruising on CLIA-member ships rose 25 percent in the first quarter of 2004. The Australian market has also made great strides, according to the ICCA, with some 153,769 Australians taking a cruise holiday in 2003.

"The total Australian cruise market grew last year by 32 percent, making it the fastest growing sector of the travel industry," the Council said. In terms of destination, it said interest in South America and Alaska increased significantly, and Europe, Asia and North America also figured prominently. Also, longer cruises - those of eight to 14 days - were the preference of more than half (52.7 percent) of all Australian bookings, a finding that corresponds to a trend identified in the North American research. "As the cruise market becomes more sophisticated and the demand for new destinations increases, we will track developments for the benefit of both the cruise and travel industries and most importantly, for the requirements of Australian cruise passengers," said ICCA Chairperson Jackie Foggitt.

Cruisers are also becoming more youthful, given the emphasis toward an active shipboard lifestyle. According to CLIA, cruisers average 50 years of age, earn above-average incomes, are married and have university educations. Meanwhile, the number of full-time retirees is declining. Part of this trend has been the emergence of multi-generational cruisers - families that take their cruise holidays together. Carnival Cruise Lines alone expects to carry 450,000 youngsters on its ships in 2004. The reason behind this influx of kids and their parents is that cruises offer the travel industry's most satisfying, convenient and value-oriented way for an entire family to holiday together, according to CLIA President and CEO Terry L Dale.

Other interesting results of CLIA's research show that cruisers are looking for longer cruises plus rare, exotic and intriguing ports of call. CLIA found that the number of longer cruises taken by North Americans rose more than 25 percent in the first quarter. Reflecting this trend, some cruise lines have opened up fascinating ports of call previously unheard of on mainstream cruise itineraries. For example, in 2004 Silversea Cruises made its maiden calls in Lebanon and Syria, and in 2005 will add Libya to its list. Crystal Cruises, meanwhile, has scheduled inaugural calls in 14 ports next year, ranging from Belfast to Bulgaria.

Research from the CLIA and ICCA also found a bilateral trend in the North America and Australian cruise markets toward shorter cruises. In 2003, more than 25 percent of Australian passengers preferred shorter cruises - those of five to seven days - making this the fastest growing segment of the Australian market. In North America, CLIA has repeatedly called the short cruise market "the hottest category in cruising".

Long or short, CLIA's research found that cruise passengers still choose their cruise according to the places they will visit. "Destination is paramount in a vacation decision," the organisation says, "followed by price." Perennial favourites still top the list: about half of all passengers in the North American survey still want to visit the ever-popular Caribbean, followed by Alaska, the Bahamas and Hawaii. Interestingly the Association says "destination cruise passengers tend to be the most seasoned cruisers." According to the CLIA report, these passengers have taken on average more than eight cruises compared with just 3.5 for passengers in the so-called "contemporary" market, which includes the big mainstream cruise lines such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean.

Norwegian Cruise Line's "Freestyle Cruising" 

What about life on board? Not surprisingly, cruising has become more casual as programmes like Norwegian Cruise Line's "Freestyle Cruising" have taken root. Only nine percent of those surveyed preferred "black tie", while more than half (54 percent) favoured "casual elegance". Other popular choices for onboard atmosphere included "active resort" (41 percent), "laid-back casual" (37 percent) and "country club" (23 percent). When it comes to obtaining information about different cruises, almost half of those surveyed said they rely on "word of mouth" - the recommendations of friends, family, and fellow cruisers. Another very popular and reliable source is travel magazines like Cruise Passenger, while travel agents and cruise-line websites also made the list.

Perhaps the best news from the research is that cruisers and non-cruisers alike report a heightened interest in cruising. Only about 10 percent said their interest had decreased. Of those who choose not to cruise, about 10 percent cited terrorism as the reason, while one percent said they were afraid of the water!

Overall, the survey showed that passengers like cruising for a variety of reasons that incorporate the various components of a cruise. Descriptions such as "exciting and adventurous", "good value for the money" and "romantic getaway" were cited by more than half of all North American respondents. As anyone who has cruised knows, cruise holidays are all that and more.

Written by MT Schwartzman,  Summer 2004